I poured a kettle of water into a floral porcelain cup and sprinkled a teaspoon of tea and sugar into the water, mixing it into a sweet tea. I carried it to the kitchen and placed it in front of an altar, with the picture of a Kitchen God on the wall. Besides sweet tea, the Kitchen God was offered a small bowl of raisins, persimmons and canned raspberries. As the whole family gathered in front of the Kitchen God, we kneel in front of him and held our joss sticks with both hands, praying for good fortune and prosperity for our family, especially my father. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfc3o1dBPpF
My heart sank as I thought about him, who is on the battlefield, fighting against the enemy soldiers for a better future. I stared at the Kitchen God, praying for my father to return home, unharmed and embracing me in a warm hug. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡse2TOGUwLP
Ting. I heard the front door chime. I went outside the kitchen and was greeted by Mr Henry and his siblings with a smile. "How are you?" he asked. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uN10LsMVn
"We're doing great," chirped Aunt Inara. "We're preparing for the Lunar New Year so we just gave an offering to the Kitchen God."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDXbuGJtvx
"That's very nice to hear," Ms Joy replied. "I hope you all have a prosperous New Year."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eTiVtj2Ew
"Thank you."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiIFr5kt1t
"Speaking of prosperous," Mr Henry cleared his throat. "We would like to speak with Bugsy regarding our ongoing investigation with the Children of Balance."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTK81CHdtE
"Of course," Chaeyeong grinned. "Would you like some coffee, perhaps?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBOf1cFVh8
"That's very kind of you, miss," chuckled Mr Marshall. "But we've already had breakfast at the motel."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJd4NbuIXu
"Alright then, I'll be at the counter if you need anything."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVV8abuVXk
As Chaeyeong and Aunt Inara headed towards the coffeehouse counter, I sat down with Mr Henry, Ms Joy and Mr Marshall, who were clad in their thick jackets. "Martyrs' Fest is today," he reminded. "You know what that means."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMx17za9dL
"I'm this year's martyr?" I guessed. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06tOtRHqEu
"That's correct," praised Mr Marshall. "According to the Children of Balance Bible, you'll be sacrificed for a peaceful future."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzCdXGJ5hc
"So how do we prevent the Children of Balance from kidnapping and murdering me?" I asked, in a curious manner. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq8j4VfE90o
"Simple," Joy stated. "You'll be leading Henry to their commune."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaw5iGgs5M
Aunt Inara, who was wiping the cups with a plain cloth, gasped. "No way I'm letting you take Bugsy," she protested. "It's too dangerous."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUt4WhggnhY
"With all due respect, miss," Henry addressed. "The Children of Balance have your house address, which means they know where your house is."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctIM3CMrhv
"True, they also knew our phone number as well."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPFHpTyRld
Joy's eyes widened. "They called you yesterday?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzWJ6grGKG
I gave a nod. "Yup, Nathanel Roth called me yesterday."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbXZLr0EjW
"What did he say?" Marshall inquired, as he took out a pen and a small piece of paper. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQM0ZIWDrZD
"He wants you and your siblings to step down your investigation."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfE8ugHgfO
"Looks like the spy has made her move," Joy chuckled. "As we anticipated, of course."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHCsP3OuvS
"But who's the spy?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHukYQb7nJI
"We'll tell you everything after you and Henry return from the commune, with all the information you've gathered."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAE4Ovpp2K
I raised one of my eyebrows. "You're not coming with us?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLssqDyolcO
"Joy will be staying here to guard your family," Henry explained. "Marshall, on the other hand, will convince the police to cooperate with us."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzojxdLfZnl
"I'm not sure about leading you towards the commune, Henry. It'll be heavily guarded, and they will have guns."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteWdmdCDFB
"Then I'll shield you from those bullets."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6VFHGvQPX
"Mr Henry, you could die from those gunshots," Aunt Inara raised her concerns. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52DVLxLrwj
"I've been shot hundreds and thousands of times, Ms Inara. It'll be just fine."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTStKYx22oD
"But-"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZvZZLIyJ1
"I'll be fine, I promise, ma'am."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBjO5gunEW
Aunt Inara stood silently as she approached me, hesitating. "Be careful, Bugsy," she almost choked on her tears. "I can't afford to lose you, just like how we lost your mother and your friend."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbPPqPRHCH
I placed my arms around Aunt Inara and embraced her as her teardrops dripped on my shirt. "I'll be fine, Aunt Inara," I reassured. "I promised I'll see you again."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjhrWdXixa
"Aunt Inara wiped her tears with her fingers and curled her frown into a smile. "May the gods protect you from harm."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2Mt2CcWLR
"Amen."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gWMUPrr1t
The wind howled as we took a step onto a thick, snowy floor, surrounded nothing by darkness. The icy wind felt like thousands of tiny needles penetrating through the skin that I wrapped both my arms around me. The sound of silence around me was chilling and frightening, in every possible way. Then, I heard a crackle behind me and I walked a little faster, only to knock my head on a tree trunk.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIO9izMvb1
"Watch your steps, Bugsy," Mr Henry let out a small laugh, shining a flashlight at my face. I sighed as I rubbed my forehead and stood up, wiping my behind. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6bz3ymAhY
"I forgot you were following me," I said, avoiding eye contact. "I thought it was some evil faeries or something."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGKP5zruGa
"You met one?" he asked. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikmgd9qOhm
"Once," I answered. "We called them the Unseelie Court."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4cyVKBrDV2
"What are they like?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFSqe4ZIsE
"They glow yellow lights and screamed like coyotes."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYuqgXCzUo
In a distance, I heard numerous ear-screeching screams, making me shiver. "Those are Unseelie Court," I pointed towards the sound. "They torture people for fun."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYh6HTu6OH9
Mr Henry tightened his lips and continued walking, ignoring the screams at night. I began to catch up behind him and hurried in front, making sure he doesn't get lost. With his flashlight, I retraced the steps I took with Ferdinand, Lisa, and Naomi, who I've led the other day. The forest grew darker than screams of the Unseelie Court gradually grew softer, making the forest eerily quiet, hearing only our footsteps and the whispers of the wind. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm75f4aQcjP
My heart drummed as I saw a yellowish light from afar, completely surrounded by the same fence my friends and I climbed. "The Children of Balance's commune is not far from here."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBHY2Ziqnn
"Alright," Henry nodded. "You walk behind while I protect you."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIcdhdHsMk
"Won't you get yourself killed?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPV0WPC9Eer
"Do you trust me, Bugsy?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jqSKmLaFh
"I do, Mr Henry," I bobbed my head.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuFKRARpR1
"Then don't worry about me."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbATVJ3ELf
He gave me a wink and walked towards the fence, pulled the gate open and picked up a chain and padlock. "Gate's been opened for hours," he observed. "Someone must have unlocked it."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0UGAg1tnp
"Maybe we're too late," I groaned. "My family will get killed instead."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeAaBNz1ck
"Maybe, maybe not. Come on, kid."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhYgnDcyH9
He twisted the knob of the front door and entered the commune, inviting me inside. "It's empty," he commented. "And pretty quiet for a commune."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGnSdKCWbb
"It could be a trap," I hesitated. "They might spring out of nowhere and shoot us down."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7s6gnjMum
"Bugsy, just trust me."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiznlW0pY28
I exhaled the cold, crisp air and ran inside the cabin, panting. "Mr Henry, can you just hold my hand?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1RIndeLHs
"Why?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPS3BhsKHi
"Just to calm me down."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOdTSiFKtP
He squeezed my hand as I led him to the hall, passing by a giant painting of Nathanel Roth. My breathing grew rapidly as we entered the meeting hall, only to find the bodies of the cult members, laying on the carpeted floor, with the scent of wine filling up the room. Mr Henry kneel and pulled out one of the Children of Balance's mask, revealing a dark-skinned man with a bushy moustache. "Mr Kamal?" I wheezed. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXk44TyhdP
"You know this man?" Mr Henry asked.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYMRQF7EpQ
"He was one of my friend's father. I haven't seen him since her funeral."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3AQlO0LLD
Taking out a small tube and a dropper, he extracted a few drops of red wine into his tube and slid it inside his pocket, then handed me a camera, asking me to take a picture of Mr Kamal. I peeked through the camera's eye hole and pressed the big button, hearing a click sound. I passed his camera to Mr Henry and fled from the gruesome scene, gagging. Feeling a little light in my head, I dropped myself and frantically crawled towards a bin, throwing up. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OYigiKv7C
Mr Henry rubbed my back as I wiped my mouth with the sleeves of my jacket, puffing up my breath. "Why would Nathanel kill his followers?" I cried. "They were so devoted to their 'messiah', even murdering and kidnapping to fulfil his agenda."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMytbbLPFs
"It's like the Jonestown Massacre," he answered. "He felt exposed so killing his followers would save his skin, like a true coward."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26aJpKUT1b
I licked my dry lips and followed Henry upstairs, where we discovered Nathanel Roth's office, filled with tumbled furniture and scattered papers, like a rat's nest. Henry picked up some papers and ordered me to do the same. I gathered most of the papers I could carry and piled them up into a Jenga-like stack, which in a matter of less than a second, collapsed. "Maybe you should consider arranged them in order," Mr Henry jabbed, in a playful manner. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywWBru6ba3
I contained my laughter as I read each of those documents carefully, organizing them into a few categories. Tax evasions put them on my top left. Banking statements, bottom right. Contracts, top middle. Court documents, bottom left. Calender's, top right. Property deeds, bottom middle. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwX87WSyMSD
When all the papers were arranged, I started to see the bigger picture of the Children of Balance. The calendars were circled in red ink, indicating Martyrs' Fest, and another important, Founder's Day. According to the Bible, Founder's Day was the recruitment day for new members of Children of Balance, which falls on November 7. I then read his tax evasions and property deed, feeling clueless. Taking out his pocket-watch, he stacked them neatly and asked me to carry the other half, to my delight. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XLzr94IE5
"Let's go back to the coffeehouse," Mr Henry said. "I think I know where Nathanel Roth is."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKBCOWPPAf
I glared at Nathanel, as he struggled to break free from the chains on both arms while Mr Henry analyzed each document we had gathered at the commune. Adjusting his suit, Mr Henry cleared his throat. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLB1mCc5ZV
"Now where do I start?" he stroked his beard. "Oh yes. The Children of Balance was founded by you in 1961 during the height of the Cold War, where you utopia where everybody from a different background would join together and achieve world peace."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrVdLpHgNv
"That is correct," said Nathanel, stone-faced.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtT7olNvsH7
"Your goal sounds good, I have to admit, Mr Roth. I'm even impressed for your moves."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuRqIOyLCt
"From what I read, cults usually have good intentions at first glance," I noted. "Just like The People's Temple, Jim Jones wanted an integrated society between whites and blacks."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsMMt3jzVv
"Exactly, but like any other cults we've investigated for decades, their leaders would be asked their followers to give up their worldly possession to connect to 'god' more spiritually, like what your banking statements say."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡut5ubNUMV2
"It was a necessary move."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLw738sqv0
"Is it? You preached your followers not to be materialistic and yet you have millions of dollars in your bank account and evaded taxes for 36 years."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9UR5WcU8e
"36 years of tax evasion," wrinkles formed in Mayor Yearn's forehead. "And the police didn't do anything about it?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXp2vY3IDD
Mr Henry glanced towards the kitchen and yelled for Ms Joy, who entered the customer's area with Sheriff Dean by her side, to my surprise. What's Sheriff Dean doing here?609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OUXZPm5Xe
"You've all been wondering why is Sheriff Dean in handcuffs? Well, what if I told you that the sheriff has been bribed thousands of dollars to keep his mouth shut?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ch0vWqG5l
The whole room gasped. "But Sheriff Dean is an honest man," Aunt Inara defended. "He would never take bribes."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMlRte9EMs
"Which is why no one suspected that Sheriff Dean would sign a contract with Nathanel Roth to cover-up their murder and kidnapping in exchange for cold-hard cash."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78HPsl4vqH
"So that's why Martyrs' Fest kept going on," my eyes widened. "And how the Children of Balance could have access to guns."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEafm97fEVL
"That is correct, kiddo!" Mr Henry praised. "Through the contract, he signed with the sheriff, Nathanel could have free access to firearms, without paying a big, fat, fine."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cwgrkUdZR
"So much of corruption," commented Mayor Yearns. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjfS8Q398z
"But Mr Henry," I spoke. "Now that we know about the police's involvement in the cult, who was the spy?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGkO4TI5nF
"I'm glad you've asked, Bugsy."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3fJlAa1UP
Mr Henry clapped his hands twice for his brother, who came out, holding Yves's hands. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4pssFX57v
"You're the spy," I squealed, surprised to see Yves. "But how is that possible?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5NoBOu63y
Yves bowed and avoided eye contact, with both hands clasped together. "Hear me out, Bugsy," she whimpered like an injured puppy. "I knew about the Children of Balance from the beginning. I knew what they had done and how their crimes were never discovered, but it wasn't my choice."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB47GDSwx1q
"Don't you dare lie to them, Yves," threatened Nathanel. "After everything I've done to you."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUIGVJffMJ
"After you've heard about the Children of Balance's plan, Nathanel forced me to prevent you from finding out the truth about them," Yves then took a deep breath. "So I only gave you a few newspaper clippings which made, you analyzed 29 victims."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJtoEvP1Fx
"There were more than 29?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mqJ2SX8cC
Yves nodded. "There were 36 victims that the Children of Balance kidnapped and killed."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMgC6lPWEL
"36 victims?" I shouted. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1ld5qekmC
"Yes, there were 36 victims but even if you were misled about their victims, you still figured out Martyrs' Fest so Nathanel demanded your house address at first, until the private investigators stepped in, so I had no choice but to give your landline to Nathanel."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlkhBD72nJ
"You whore," Nathanel threw a tantrum like a toddler. "You were supposed to be loyal to me, not the cops."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQ4lbQo5mW
"The straw that broke the camel's back was when you gave a death threat to a 15-year-old girl, Nathanel," shrieked Yves. "I am sick and tired of you beating me up when you don't get what you want. I really hope you burned in hell."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kg1WgL6vw
"I'm doing this for the best of humanity, you piece of shit! Blanca is plagued by a useless war that brings nothing but chaos and anarchy in the aftermath. I'm just trying to prevent it by sacrificing those vermin on Earth for peace. You are all making a huge mistake by ending Martyrs' Fest. Mark my words, Bugsy!"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SeBoy2qav
In a moment, hoards of police car surrounded in front of the Little Owl Coffeehouse and burst into the shop and dragged away Nathanel Roth and Sheriff Dean from their seats. "This isn't over, Bugsy," he yelled as he grabbed a gun from the police officer and pulled the trigger.609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGjSWaaiIL
Bang!609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrBHzfGcur
My heart stopped as I watched Mr Henry dropped on the floor, bleeding. With blood flowing from his shirt, the gun was confiscated from his hands in a flash and he was pushed into the back of the police car. "Bugsy," Mr Henry coughed. "Could you take the bullet out of my abdomen?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQreUvffHZ
"But that could kill you, sir," I cried. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoI4pXk3cua
"Just trust me, Bugsy," he begged. I sighed and slowly pulled out the bullet out of his wound, only to witness his wound healed in less than a few seconds. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVTfoa1N78
"What the-"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVKwNAngzt
"As I said, bullets are nothing to me," he chuckled as he dusted his coat and walked outside the store, discussing with Mayor Yearns and the police in the cold night. 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSNLgjCUtc
I glanced at Ms Joy, who sipped a cup of warm water. "Who are you?" 609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBXQLs9Rl9
"We're just humans who happened to live longer than anyone else on Earth," Joy replied, in a casual tone. "I'm not sure how it happened though."609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKjhNuBAdW
"So what's going to happen now?"609Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4njoGE3tZz
"Mayor Yearns will be assisting us in our investigation," said Henry, standing in the doorway. "You've done your part, Bugsy, and I'm very proud of you. I know you'll do great in the future, kid. You just need to have faith in yourself."
I smiled at his statement as I waved goodbye to the private investigators, who I'll never forget.
ns 15.158.61.6da2
