The house in Bukit Timah

[ilikeoldchangke]

Rachel jumped down from the Phoenix side with a metal stake in hand.

The screams of the burnt Cfs filled the air with many of them screaming and running wildly while touching their raw and red skin.

Rachel raised her metal stake at the CFs that were still coming out from the basement steps and there was no need for her to say anything. With a mighty roar, the Rajahs on the ground charged at the disorganised group.

Bodies clashed and muscles connected with facial bones while delirious screams of pain and agony echoed in the high ceiling of the lobby.

There was no hesitation, every strike the Rajahs delivered, it was meant to put their target on the ground permanently. They didn’t care if the CF is alive or dead, as long as he is on the ground and no longer moving.

My primary concern is my grandfather but I knew if I don’t make it out of this alive, there is nothing I can do for him.


I need stay alive to find him and at that moment, I don’t care who I have to put on the ground or kill in order to get to him.
I joined the Rajahs, spilling blood and taking hits.

The Rajahs were barely done confronting the CFs coming in from the basement when the heavy rumble of a bus engine caught my attention.


The bus ferrying the men earlier rumbled and pushed aside pieces of wreck truck right up to the entrance lobby. Full height glass panels shattered while remaining a solid piece for a couple of seconds before the forward motion of the bus drove the whole curtain wall, frame, glass and all down onto the floor.


Glass shards broke apart like pebbles all over the marbled flooring already streaked with blood at several spots.

The CF behind the wheel was laughing as he kept flooring the accelerator but the bus could not fit in through the lobby. He kept twisting and turning he steering wheel like a teenager playing bumper car in an amusement centre before the explosive deployment of the airbag knocked him out.

With the vehicle driven right up to the entrance, it blocked the way into a narrow path such that only 1 or 2 man may squeeze out at one time. With that narrow path, more foreigners filed into the lobby, attacking anyone that they could see.

Numbers.

Eventually it’s a number’s game.

There must be almost 2 dozen Rajahs in the lobby and those numbers are quickly getting diluted.


The side door burst open and I saw a CF laughing and running in before a Rajah opened up his throat with his karambit knife. The CF never stopped laughing as he clutched his throat, knelt down before going into spasm while face down.

Kicking a kneeling CF that was straddling an injured Rajah, I grabbed his hair, pulling him back as he laughed and screamed until the Rajah he was pinning earlier got up and put a spike metal rod through his eye.

There was barely any blood until I let go of him and the CF landed sideways before the pool of red began to spread.

I fought my way towards the side door, throwing a CF with a missing wrist down before kicking him on his face.

I opened the side door to see a group of Rajahs fighting with a few of the CFs. More men flooded into the compound from the neighbouring building, that route is blocked.

There’s no way I can make it across.

I was about to head back into the building when I saw someone familiar.

I paused and stared at the car parked in the compound of the neighbouring building.


It’s Guo. He was standing beside a car smoking and looking over at my direction.

I don’t know if he saw me but I could see clearly the person sitting inside the car.

It’s my grandfather.

Jackson : Ah GONG !!!

I felt an immediately spike in my anger as I attempted to run towards him

Jackson : GUO!!!! aRGHHHH!!!

I shove several tussling men aside as I kicked a CF getting back on his feet back down on the ground.

Another came at me but I disarmed him and delivered a throat punch with such speed that I amazed myself after I did it. He clutched onto his throat, staggering backwards making retching sound before another Rajah grabbed him and sent him into a tangled mess of spike wires that used to line the top of the perimeter fence.

I felt a heavy object crash onto me and I realised it was a truck tyre. A CF jumped at me but I caught onto him in mid air and using gravity as a helping hand, I turned and slammed him down on the concrete ground.

The CF gasped for air but her held onto my top, ripping it slightly.

I twisted his wrist away from me and I shouted while I dislocated his wrist while pressing down onto his face with my foot.

A Rajah crashed onto me, knocking me off my feet as he grabbed the man he was fighting with down with him.

I staggered to get back up and my hands grabbed onto a piece of broken brick from the ground.

Someone came at me and I threw the brick straight into his face. The sickening crunch drew blood and cracked nasal bones as the man literally collapsed onto his knees in front of me.

I relieved the metal rod he was holding and swung it at a man who was straddling another Rajah on the floor.

Jackson : aRGHHH!!!. ..

I kept swinging the rod, and each time it found a target, I was assured that the hit would draw blood and split skin and muscles.

Someone jumped and grabbed onto me from behind, clutching his hands tightly against my tummy with a vice like grip. Before he could lift me off the ground, I jammed the rod vertically down in between my stomach and his hands.

I turned the rod like I’m the captain trying to steer a ship, snapping his grip apart and applying a fresh coat of abrasion on his hands and wrists.

Dropping low on one knee, I picked up the rod and swung several times, slamming the metal bar so hard against his face that the resulting vibration from my assault robbed the weapon from my own palms.

I barely got 5 steps forward when more men came to the alley I was at.

Kicks and punches rained at me, forcing me back to where I started.

Just when I thought we were about to get overwhelmed by the added numbers, more Rajahs came out the door from behind me.
Seconds before bodies clashed, I noticed all of the Rajahs hands which were initially held behind them appeared with a Karambit knife.

There was no warning when the Rajahs struck. Instead of bruises and cuts, the new entrants drew blood immediately.
Lots of blood in fact.

I felt someone pull me from behind and it was Hal.

Hal : this route is block.. !... get to the rooftop

Jackson : My grandfather is over there !!!



Hal : There’s no way you can get over there….not in this situation…. Get back in there !


Before I could protest, I was half drag and shove back into the lobby.

A Rajah with a palm on his bleeding left ear, gestured to me to follow him up to the roof.
He ran on ahead of me and I felt like screaming my lungs out.

My grandfather is right there across the street and I can’t get to him.

As I ascended to the roof, my only companions are my anguish cries of helplessness and desperation.

Kicking the door open to the roof, I could see at least 2 dozen Rajahs gathered. Those who were well attended to those that were injured and the numbers are growing.

The outdoor gym has been converted into a makeshift field hospital of sort.

The lift door opened and several more injured Rajahs came out.

Rachel was helping to stem the bleeding of a Rajah whose fingers were dangling off his hands while another 2 held down on of their friend as a metal rod was removed from in between his shoulder blade.

The noise that reach my ears cannot be described with words. It was a symphony of cries and groans of pain. Peel away the moments of glory of a fight and you see the ugly truth.

As raw as the exposed tissues and bones.
We cannot expect a confrontation of this magnitude without casualties.

Another Rajah staggered onto the gym bench in front of me and blood poured from his stomach. He was gasping for air and I quickly grabbed a gym towel from the floor and pressed it onto the wound.

His face is pale and he was losing consciousness.

Jackson : hey… hey !!... stay with me !!...

His lips went with literally as I shouted for help.

Jackson : someone help !!...hey !!!

No one paid any heed to me and it’s not their fault.

Everyone is busy.


Jackson : hold onto this…. Hey !! hey… can you hear me… hold tight… !!!

I looked around my immediate surrounding, trying to look for something I can use. I found a bottle of half finished water and I tried to feed the injured Rajah a few sips.

When I tried to lift him up, I felt searing pain on my right arm. That was when I realised I have a almost 15 cm long slash under my forearm. It’s not deep but I could see the skin already split, revealing an angry shade of red.

Hal came onto the rooftop panting as he wiped his bloodied hands on his top.

He started organising abled body men to block off one of the exit door near the bar with heavy gym equipment, leaving only the staircase by the lift lobby opened.

He was shouting over his walkie talking to his men to let them know staircase B is blocked off.

All Rajahs falling back should come up via staircase A.

Hal : ground level…. Report !

He waited for a response before shouting into the radio again.

Hal : Level 2 ….. report !!! anyone there… ?!!

I could head some muffled shouting from the walkie talkie

Rachel rushed over to my side with another guy that looked like he knew first aid or at least help the man on the ground better than me.

After he relieved me, i followed Rachel over to a makeshift stockpile of water and bandages.

Jackson : What’s the situation… ?

Rachel : just look over the edge….



Rachel gestured over the roof parapet and I quickly ran over for a look.

The moment I saw what was happening at the surrounding streets, I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand on it’s end.

This is madness.

What Russell said it’s true. No help is coming.

There’s a fire just a couple of streets down.

[ilikeoldchangke]

Vehicles are choked up on the streets.
Several car accidents have occurred at the same time at key junctions, crippling the traffic in both directions.

Rachel : This is bullshit !! ….

Rachel came over to my side and commented that they made several police reports but it doesn’t look like any help is coming.

Jackson : you cannot be serious…

Rachel : Unfortunately I am….they through we were prank calling them when we told them we were under attack….

Jackson : surely they can see with their own eyes what the fuck is happening ??!!

Rachel : maybe someone asked them to look the other way…

Just then my phone rang again and I fumbled to pick up when I saw it was my grandfather’s number.

Jackson : hello !! helloe !!!!

Grandpa : Jack…. Jackson…..

Jackson : Ah gong… ah gong !!! are you ok… ?


Before I could hear a reply from him, the phone was snatched away and Guo’s voice came on the line.


Guo : do one thing for me… and I’ll let your grandfather go….

Jackson : go fuck yourself !!! you fucking let him go right now !!!!

Guo ignored my reply totally, stating his demands right away.

Guo : It’s very simple…. Kill Rachel…. And your grandfather goes free…. Better still… throw her over the roof and this madness ends….

The line went dead as I kept shouting at Guo into the speaker.

Jackson : fuck you …. FUCK… YOU PIECE OF FUCK… ARHGHH.. FUCK YOU !!!

I almost flung the phone over the roof if rational thoughts did not take hold faster than my emotions.

Rachel : what did he want… ??

Jackson : Nothing…. That fucking coward….

Rachel : is your grandfather ok… ?

Jackson : I hope so… I’m going to fucking kill him….if anything happens to my grandfather….

I reached for my phone and I dialled Yiling’s number.

She did not answer my call.

I tried Hong and thankfully he picked up.

Hong : Yozz Jackson … where are you….

Jackson : I’m at Rajah holdings… they’re being attacked…. By Russell….and the foreigners we saw at the nursing home…. We have to help the Rajahs… they are outnumbered…. ! Many of them are injured or dead…..

Hong : what… ? what the fuck are you doing at the Rajahs… !!! ?

Jackson : Tell Yiling…. !... I have no time to….

There was some commotion at the roof top lobby when I saw 3 CFS come out of the lift.

Right by the lobby entrance were several Injured Rajahs and the few abled ones were at the other end of the roof.

I dropped my phone and rang swiftly towards the new arrivals.

They didn’t see me coming and I grabbed a 5kg dumbbell off the rack and sent it hurling into the face of an unsuspecting CF before he could stab the closest Rajah.

The other 2 were about to attack a Rajah that was on the ground when I rugby tackled them onto the floor.

The few extra seconds I bought was enough for help to arrive and the CFs were pummelled into pulp with a variety of weights.

I panted and I could hear Hal shouting into the walkie talkie to lock down the lift.

Rachel came over to me and it was then I realised she was bleeding on her forearm and she was trying to bandage the cut on her own.

Jackson : Let me do it…

Rachel : we’re severely outnumbered….. this doesn’t look good….



Rachel told me that her men are scattered throughout the island. There are so many business interests to look after. From coffee shops, to amusement centres to old school factories that employs seamstress from another era.

This may be the HQ of Rajah holdings but the men that are stationed here is actually not a lot.


The HQ at it’s peak only held about 40% of her men and the numbers are dropping fast, not to forget those that left with the regular office staff en route to the school.

Jackson : how many are here tonight… ?

Rachel : about 60 ish I don’t know…. at most 70…. And it’s considered high because about a dozen came back to settle some paper work….

60.

Take away those that were already injured or worse case, dead, there is really not many left.

There are almost a dozen lying on the floor in various state of injury as it is.


Henry left with another dozen. With no help coming, it looks like the roof is the place where we will be making the last stand.

Jackson : what is the deal Russell talked about… ? he offered you a deal… ?

Rachel : No… not him…. Owen…

Jackson : Owen ?

Rachel : yes… Owen offered us a deal…. After he attacked us…

Jackson : what did he want…. ?

Rachel : our cooperation….. to go against La Bella Vita….. in return for protection and power….

Jackson : like what Russell wield now….

Rachel nodded.

Jackson : The foreigners that attacked us…. They were at the nursing homes…. They were killing the residents…

Rachel : of course they are…. They are emptying out the assets of La Bella Vita…. For their own use…

Jackson : What… why ???

Rachel gave me a raised eyebrow look.

Rachel : You mean Yiling didn’t tell you… ?

Jackson : Tell me about what…..

Rachel : She use to work for Owen….. Owen knows almost all of the asset La Bella Vita owns before she took over…. The warehouses… the safehouses… where she keeps her money…. How she moves them….

Jackson : WHAT !... ? no way….

Rachel snorted and say that unlike her, who inherited Rajah holdings by birth right, Yiling was literally parachuted into the organisation.

Rachel : drug traffickers… that’s what they are… that’s what made them so rich…. To her credit… she did diversify the business and build up La Bella Vita …but she has it all set up for her…..all she has to do is run it….

Rachel revealed that the men she captured from the 1st attacked let on a lot of information about what they are here for.

Rachel : especially when they see us drop their friends down into a farm of hungry seabass…..piece by piece just so you know…… oh…. we own a few fish farms…. Hungry fish eat everything you know….

Jackson : let’s not go there…what did the men reveal…

Already I was mentally telling myself to swear off locally produced fish for the next few months if I make it through the night.

Rachel : It wasn’t hard to make them talk….. and we slowly pieced everything together….

Rachel told me that Owen knew most of the assets and cards that La Bella Vita have and hold, and he plans to use them himself. However, he knew those were not enough.

Rachel : Cleaning out the old folks home and residences is just making space for a staging area…. For something big… A transition of power is coming soon…. A new prime minister…. Someone new and yet to build up enough support…..and he’s saving his grand plan for it….


Jackson : What is it… ?

Rachel : I don’t know….Owen used to be a very powerful man in this country…. I would hear my father talk about him…. His connections… the magic and stunts he can pull off….he was wary of him…. And he was right to be…

Hal’s shouting into the walkie talkie marked the end of my conversation with Rachel.

Hal : Level 3…. Report !! Level 3 !!

There was no reply from the device as Hal moved up the floor.

A few more injured Rajahs staggered out from the lobby as Hal shouted for Level 4 to report their status.

Level 4 : We cannot hold !!! too many of them… arghhhh fuck you !!! arGHHH!!!!



Hal : Level 4….Level 4 !! come in..! Fuck !... pull everyone back to the bar !!! move… move… move… now….!!!

I tightened the knot on Rachel’s bandage and immediately went to help drag the Rajahs that were on the floor further away from the lobby.

The rooftop of Rajah Holdings can be imagined as a long rectangle. About 1.5 tennis court line up vertically.



The staircase behind the bar I was drinking at earlier has already been sealed off and there were hardly any place left to walk with the injured lying all over.

Nate : arghhhhh…argHHHHHHHH!!!...

I did not realise Nate was there on the roof with us until he screamed in pain.
Someone just poured half a bottle of Vodka on a 30cm slash across his chest while another guy held him down.

Hal : Level 5… report !!!!

Level 5 : We’re heading up !!!... heading up !!

This is it.


Everyone is coming up to the roof.

Hal shouted for anyone that still can fight to form a barrier in front of the injured.

I reached for a 3kg kettle bell and I scanned my surroundings for anything else that I can use.

I searched the floor for my phone I dropped earlier but I could not find it.

Rachel : You called Yiling… ?

[ilikeoldchangke]

Jackson : I tried….

4 Rajah burst out of the lobby bloodied and panting to join the rest of us on the rooftop.

Hal : how about the rest… ?? where’s the rest… !!
The Rajahs that just came up shook their head as the took quick sips of water their friends passed them.

I did a quick mental count of them men still standing on the roof top.

Including Hal and me, there’s about 20 of us. With another 15 or so Rajahs and administrative staff who did not make it out on the ground.

The staircase door burst open and 3 CFs came rushing out laughing and cheering even though they are bloodied and injured.

They were running so close to each other as if they were doing a three-legged race with their ankles tied together. The 1st man tripped and fell face first and the other 2 followed but they were all laughing as if this is all a joke.

All 3 of them were rolling on the floor laughing as they tried to get back up.

I could see the fingers of one of the man is already mangled out of shape but he was still laughing.


It’s like looking at 3 drunks trying to get back up on their feet and keep failing.

No one laughed on our end. The weird chuckles came only from the 3 CFs who appeared to be in a world of their own.

I overheard one of the Rajah told Hal that the foreigners are mad.

Rajah 1 : They are mad…. They don’t feel pain…. They just kept coming…. They are not afraid to die….

Hal : What…. ? this doesn’t make sense…. How can they not feel pain ?

Rajah 2 : It’s true… they just kept coming….

Hal : what about the Malu malu ?

Rajah 1 : they’re holding back……. Many of them remained on the ground floor with Russell……. the foreigners are the one fighting us all these while….

The 3 laughing and chuckling man got back on their feet and I decided to put that theory to the test as they start to come at us.

I went forward with my kettle bell, stooped low as he ran towards the line and swung it against his knee cap.


I shattered it definitely. No way the knee could take a hit like that without breaking.

The CF I hit literally flew forward as his limbs were knocked out under him. He tried to stand but he was still laughing.

I gripped the kettle bell in my hand as I looked at the CF rolling beneath me.

This is bullshit.

Jackson : What the fuck….

While the other Rajahs dealt with the other 2 CFs, Hal came over to mine and grabbed him by the hair.

CF : ahhahahahaha…. Ahhahahahahha….hahahahah…..griiberish….gibberish…. ahahah…

Hal took his half smoked cigarette and stabbed it into his eye.

CF : arghhhhhh!!! Ahhahaha.. argHHHH!!!!! Ahahhaha… aRGHHH!!!! Hahahaha…

He tried to scratch us before his teeth started snapping at Hal’s hands.

Hal stabbed him in his neck with a dagger and the CF choked as blood pooled and bubbled all over the floor.

Jackson : what the fuck did they take ?

Hal : No idea…. But the concept is not new….. Japanese soldiers took Meth during world war two….. made them more patriotic …. Does shit no one thought they could.

There was barely any time to idle. The staircase door burst opened again and what seemed like an endless stream of CFs started flooding onto the rooftop.

Hal barely had time to shout for his men to hold the line when the CFs started to rush towards us.

Grabbing my kettle bell, I didn’t have time to swing it again when a CF jumped onto me and started to rain blows all over.

We tussled and tumbled on the ground and he grabbed a 5kg dumbbell after I shook him off. Reaching for a 20kg weight plate, I grunted and used it as a shield.



The hit would have smashed my face in if I didn’t block it in time.

I kicked him back and threw the weight plate at him.

Jackson : aRGHHH!!!

It hit him on the chest before slamming down on his toes, causing him to fall over. I kicked him on his face knocking him out cold. Another CF swung a metal bar at me but I ducked in time and using the pin loaded chest press machine as a barrier, I ran in circle twice to escape his hits.

A wider than necessary swing gave me the opening I was looking for.

I punched him so hard on the nose that he collapsed onto the seat of the chest press machine before sliding down and blacking out.

Another jumped towards me and I barely got out of his way when I tripped on a rubber gym ball.

The next thing I knew, a knife punctured the gym ball releasing an angry hiss of air.

I rolled to my left twice and the CF kept laughing and stabbing the knife where my body was barely moments ago.
Hal came to my rescue, putting a club to the side of the CF’s face, buying me valuable seconds to get back on my feet.

The clubbed CF, bleeding and disorientated on his fours was still laughing as he spat blood onto the floor.
The threadmill beside the CF was still running at a high speed.

I went over to him and he made a half hearted attempt to strike me again but I avoided it easily.
I kicked his face once before grabbing his hair and pressing his face down with both hands against the rolling sandpaper like mat of the running threadmill.

CF : aRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Ahahahahha !!!!

Jackson : AHGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

It lasted barely 2 seconds as the machine ripped a chunk of his face off before I slammed him against the edge of the hard plastic.

Getting back on my feet, I could see we held back the first wave.

Another 2 CF came through the lobby and they were swiftly dealt with by the Rajahs who were all well warmed up by then.

Most of us were ok.

It looked like their numbers are thinning down. There might be a silver lining after all.



I immediately tried to look for my phone again. We might just be able to buy enough time for Yiling to send help.

Just as I was getting my hope up, I heard the chime of the lift.

The chime announcing that it had arrived on the 6th floor.

Hal : I thought we locked down the lift… why is it still running ?!!!

No one answered Hal as all eyes rest at the door that slid openly smoothly like a well-oiled machine.

I picked up a metal rod about 1.2m long, getting ready to wield it at whoever the fuck is coming out. My hands are all bloodied and I lost count of the scratches and bruises I have on my body.

I don’t even know if the bloodied prints I left on the rod belonged to me.

The first figure left the lift and came into view.

I was expecting a laughing and crazed foreigner spewing gibberish but I was wrong. Dead wrong.

Walking out of the lift was 3 old men and a women.

And I say old, I meant old. Retirees.

Nursing home residents.

They were pale but they were laughing and smiling.
They are unarmed but they just pointed at us and kept laughing.

Hal : What …..the….. fuck…..

Jackson : oh…. My…. god….

The fucking old men and women walked out into the roof top as fast as their frail body could carry. They laughed, they cried and they stumbled on the bodies that already dotted the floor.

Even after they fell, they tried to stand up.

One of them could no longer stand as he tripped and broke something somewhere. He just looked at us and kept crawling.



My eyes met theirs and I could see tears rolling down the side of their faces. The agony and pain they are in amplified by the numerous bruises and cuts they were already suffering.

Despite in their frail state, they still kept advancing towards us.
No, they are not mindless zombies, they won’t bite, they are unarmed but the eerie and creepy way they laughed, cried and groan as they reached out with their hands affected everyone on the roof top.

I can’t tell if they are reaching out for help but I could see the sadness and desperation in their eyes as their frail bodies struggled with the artificial high induced by whatever the fuck was given to them.

Another lift chimed and I tightened my grip on the metal rod but instead of more CFs running out, I saw a 2nd batch of elderly walking out towards us.

The smiles on their faces did nothing to hide what they are really feeling.

Tears rolled down their cheeks and I could see an old lady soiling herself as she staggered towards us.
This is fucked up.

Jackson : what the… fuck…. this… what the fuck is this….

The Rajahs, armed and ready to fight were at a lost too.

Yes, they may be gangsters, they may be men capable of extreme violence and inflicting pain but those qualities are not effective against the enemy in front of us.



How do you scare a man who has his mind fucked by chemicals and drugs to the point that he doesn’t care if he lives or die ?

All animals, humans included are deterred by pain or the fear of pain.
Fear keeps us all alive.

So how do we fight an enemy that has no fear.


No matter how ferocious a fighter, a Rajah would not strike the frail and elderly in front of us. They mean no harm, or rather, they can inflict no harm.

Not in their current state.

Why the fuck are they even here in the first place ?

Several Rajahs went forward to help the elderly, some gave them water and tried to calm them down. Before help can be properly rendered, the door to the staircase burst open again and a handful of CFs dashed out, laughing and swinging machetes wildly in their hands.

They didn’t care who they swung their weapon at as long as it found a target.



Amidst the confusion of the Rajahs trying to drag the old people to safety, the CFs found them easy target. The Rajahs helping the elderly didn’t even have time to pick their weapons back up.

Those not involved in the help all moved in, jumping over bodies and obstacles.

[ilikeoldchangke]

The clash was quick and violent and even before I landed my blow on a CF, I was literally slapped by a splash of blood into my face and mouth.
I concentrated only on the CF in front of me, kicking and pushing him back and away from the Rajahs and elderly on the ground.

His wild swing of the machete on his arm are easily blocked by the metal rod I have in hand.
Sparks flew as the 2 metal hit each other and with an advantage in length, I sent the CF spewing a mixture of saliva and blood onto the decorative palm tree in the lobby.
By the time the confusion has been sorted out, 3 Rajah fell while trying to help the old. The CFs killed all but one of the elderly by the time the rest recovered from the initial shock fast enough to help.

We pulled the injured back from the lobby.

Looking at the men still standing, I counted about 12 left, this includes Hal and me.

Hal looked shocked and shaken as he stared at the dismembered arm belonging to the old woman that was still smiling at him moments ago.

The stench of piss and shit slowly whiffed over and filled the evening air as sirens flooded the nearby streets.

I could see a jet of water shoot up, slicing across the evening sky a few blocks down in an attempt to control the raging fire that is spreading.

I dropped the rod I was holding and I started to drag a gym bench over to the lobby that looked like a scene out of a horror film.



The glass curtain walls are streaked with blood splatters and prints.

I threw the bench at the entrance before grabbing anything I could find and piling it on.

The remaining Rajahs began to help and we started blocking the doorway of the lobby.

Weights, barbells, benches and even the dead corpse of CFs.

We piled them all at the entrance.

No one knows who else is coming through that door but the obstacles would help.

As the obstacles piled higher, I saw my phone on the floor.

I quickly picked it up and saw I have more than 20 missed calls.

All of them came from Yiling.

I quickly returned the call and waited for it to connect.

Yiling : Jackson … ! are you ok … ?

Jackson : for now yes…. We need help…. We need to get out of here….

Yiling : The roads are all blocked…. The news is saying there’s a industrial accident, a fire and several chain collisions all happening at the same time…

Jackson : It’s Russell…. and Guo… Guo has my grandfather….

Yiling : Is Rachel there… ?

Jackson : Yes…

Yiling : Give her the phone….

I handed the phone to Rachel and she took it.

Rachel : yes…. ?

Rachel kept quiet for a while and she just listened before mumbling a soft ‘thank you’

Rachel : thank you….

She handed the phone back to me and I asked Yiling what should we do.

Yiling : I’m trying to get help….. you guys need to hold… for as long as you can….


Right about then, I could see a few CFs coming up from the staircase door. They hit the glass wall with their weapons and started pushing and kicking the debris.

Jackson : How long ?

Yiling : I don’t know…. as fast as I can…..

The CFs started shouting and pushing and 3 more joined the ranks, taking their number to 6.

Jackson : Ok…. We’ll hold….

Yiling : stay safe….. help will come….

Jackson : the roads are blocked…. How will the help come… ?

Yiling : They have their ways…. Trust me….

A loud crash echoed on the roof top as the top most barrier of weight shelves and racks rolled and crashed onto the floor.

2 more CF arrive, taking the total number to 8 in the lobby and they started pushing and dismantling the make shift barrier.


The Rajahs on our end started picking up the weight plates and dumb bells to throw them back into the lobby at the CFs.


The barrier is not going to hold any longer.

It’s going to give way soon.

Hal : BACK !!! BACK !!!..... MOVE BACK !!!

The Rajahs backed away from the barrier, picking up whatever weapons they could along the way.
Everyone is tired, exhausted and drained.

Jackson : Yiling … I have to go….

Yiling : Jackson ….. don’t die… don’t you dare die….. this is an order….

I smiled but said nothing.
I hung up the phone and put it into my pocket.

There’s a machete near me and I picked it up.

Rachel was holding onto a sharpened rod.

Rachel :…. La Bella Vita has deployed their men to every single Rajah Holding location that is staffed right now…..

Jackson : Including the school ?

Rachel : The school, the orphanage and the tuition centres…. All of them too….

Jackson : Your brother… ?

Rachel : He’s ok…. He’s taking charge of getting our own men accounted for….

Jackson : I see….


Yiling didn’t mentioned what kind of help she is sending over to us.

Perhaps there is none and she just want to keep our hopes up.

With a final heave, the barrier broke and the CFs emerged, laughing and cheering as they spread their arms wide, exposing their chest in triumph.

CFs : ARGHHHH!!!!!

All of them squeezed out from the lobby and started charging towards us.

5 Rajahs, led by Hal threw the weight plates in their hands at the charging CFs, breaking nasal bones and fracturing the skulls of those unfortunate enough to be hit.

Even before the weight plates hit the floor, everyone still standing charged to engage the crazed foreigners to stop them from reaching the wounded.

My machete was knocked out my hand even before I could use it, I don’t even know what hit me. All I know is I felt a searing pain in my arm and the machete was gone.
I bulldozed one of them, lifting him off the ground.

I tripped onto a body and fell with the CF cushioning my fall. I rained blows targeted at his face and he tried in vain to block me.

When his arms tried to block his face, I slammed my fist into the soft part of his stomach. When his blocks broke, I struck his nose with the bottom of my palm.
While he grimaced in pain, I slammed my fist against his left ear.

I grabbed onto his hair with my left hand and yanked his head away from me as he kept screaming and spitting at me while my right hand kept raining blows at his face.

Jackson : arGHHHH!!!..aRGHH!!!!!!!

His fingernails dug into my left wrist, tearing skin and drawing blood but I held on.

I kept hitting his face till the point I felt his grip relaxed on me.

By the time I stopped, my right knuckles were all bruised and bleeding.

We took care of the CFs alright and there didn’t seem like there is anymore coming up.

One of the Rajahs was crying as he held onto his friend with 3 metal stakes sticking out of his stomach.



Another one Hal was holding was trying to stem the blood coming out from the side of his neck as his body went into spasm.

This was it.

Another wave of these drugged mules and we’re all done.


The door to the staircase opened again and I gasped for air, breathing in a combination of snort and blood I could not even tell who it belonged to.

Instead of more CFs arriving, I saw about a dozen men walking calmly out.

The Malu Malus, and right in front of them is the man with blazing red hair.

Elmo.

The lift chimed before sliding open.

This time round, instead of zombified elderlies, out came Russell and behind him, the man whose neck I was looking to put my hands around.

Guo.

And Guo is not alone.

He dragged my grandfather out from behind him and my heart broke into pieces as I saw my grandpa with bruises on his face with his hands zipped tied in front of him.

He could still walk and he was trying to tell me something. His mouth kept mouthing what looked like ‘ I’m ok ‘ over and over again.

The Malu Malu looked fresh and well. They hardly broke a sweat, leaving the dirty work to the CFs that came before them.

I got up on my feet as Russell walked out into the rooftop. The smirk look on his face a perfect fit to the thick mink coat he was wearing as if he’s some RnB rock star.

Russell : What did I tell you Rachel….hahahahah….. what did I tell you…. ?

Rachel did not answer him and before Russle could give another of his shit talk, Guo stepped forward with my grandfather.
Russell backed off immediately, telling everyone on site who is the one in charge right away.

Of course it is Guo.

He’s Teng’s dog


Guo my grandfather in front of him, before brandishing a knife and pushing it against his neck.

Guo : after we’re done with the Rajahs….. we’re going for La Bella Vita…. Hahahah…… maybe with twice as many men that you see today… hahahaha..

Guo grabbed my grandfather’s hair roughly and the knife he was sticking against his neck started to draw blood.

[ilikeoldchangke]

Jackson : let him go…. It’s me you want…. just let him go…

Guo : no…. I like the way you look when you are about to start begging…. I want to see you beg…. Beg me…. go ahead…

Grandpa : eghhh!!

Guo pushed the tip of the knife deeper, breaking the thin layer of skin near on my grandfather’s neck.

Jackson : NO !!! NO… NO!!! PLEASE… PLEASE… NO…!!please…

Guo : ahhahahaha…..hahahaha… kneel down….kneel down and beg….

I immediately got on my knees.
I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as I begged Guo to stop.

My grandfather is everything to me.

Everything.

I can’t live without him.

Jackson : Please don’t…. don’t… let him go.. take me… just take me instead…

I tapped at my chest desperately while begging for Guo to let my grandfather go, begging him to take me instead of my grandfather.

Guo smiled, his every smirk only serve to add a layer of hatred inside me.

Jackson : I’ll take his place…. Please…. !!

Guo wiped the smiled away from his face without warning and replied;

Guo : No….


Without warning and hesitation, Guo drove the dagger into my grandfather’s thigh. Before I could even scream he pulled it out and he plunged it back in again.

Grandfather : arGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!



I could hear Rachel gasp behind me as I let loose a blood curling scream.

Jackson : NOOOOOOOO!!!!! NOO!!! YOU FUCK !!!!! NO!!!!

I got up and took a few steps forward and Guo just pulled out the knife, spilling blood all over the floor.

A fresh coat of red soaked my grandfather’s pants as he struggled to stand with Guo putting his arm around his neck.

I was panting and on the verge of a breakdown.

Jackson : STOP !!! STOP!! Let him go … please… just let him go… !!!

Guo : my offer to you….. and I’m only going to offer you once…..

He pushed the bloodied knife back against my grandfather’s neck and nodded towards Rachel and her men.
Pointing to Rachel, Guo chuckled as he spoke.

Guo : kill her…

Russell immediately stepped forward to protest. He’s not about to let his potential fuck die without first tasting the flesh.

Russell : Guo…. She…

Guo : Shut up !.... Rachel must die…. And The Rajahs will be finished….

I looked at Rachel with tears streaking down my cheeks.

Hal went over to shield her sister.

When I turned back to look at my grandfather, I could see he was in pain and he was shaking his head.

Guo : just kill her Jackson …. Hahaha… and all this will end… this nightmare will come to an end…. everything will be over…..

Guo plunged the knife into the shoulder blades of my grandfather and his screams shattered my heart into smithereens.

Jackson : NO!!!! STOP!!!! STOP!!! PLEASE… JUST STOP… !!!

Guo : I don’t know how many more your grandfather can take… ahahha…it’s your choice…..

My legs went soft and I have never felt so helpless before in my life.

Jackson : ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

I slammed my fist against the concrete floor of the roof as the rest of the Rajahs went close to protect Rachel.


Guo : you’re wasting time…. gosh….

Guo pushed my grandfather to the ground and he pulled a gun.

A fucking gun.


The sound of the weapon discharging almost ruptured my eardrums as he squeezed the trigger.

He kept squeezing and my eyes widened in horror as lead tore into the bodies of the Rajahs that were trying to protect Rachel.

The men fell and collapsed like puppets who had their strings cut as the smell of gunpowder assaulted my nose.

There was no time for them to even scream in pain as the bullets ripped into their bodies, severing their vessels and muscles instantly.

Hal’s eyes were open as Rachel screamed while clutching onto her brother’s neck as blood oozed out from the middle of his chest.

Rachel : aRGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! NO!!!!NOOOOOOOOOO!!! aRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HALLLLLLL!!!NO ..arGHHH!!!

Rachel collapsed onto the floor while clutching her brother as she screamed and shriek like a banshee.

Everyone was shocked. Even Russell and the rest of the Malu Malu.

One injured Rajah tried to stand up near the bar and Guo pointed the weapon at him. It fired again and the Rajah fell, toppling bottles of wine and alcohol beside him.

Russell : Guo….you…

Guo : shut up….!! I know what I’m doing. !!!... ahhahaha….

He pulled my grandfather up from the ground and this time round, pointed the gun at his face.

Grandfather : erghhhh..arghhhh..a rnghhh!!!

The muzzle of the gun seared and burn the flesh of my grandpa as Guo gestured again to Rachel .

Guo : kill her Jackson ….hahha…. I want… everyone here to see… that… someone from La Bella Vita… Killed the head of Rajah Holdings… ahhaha… haha… do it….. DO IT!!!

Rachel was reduced to a sobbing wreck as she held onto the lifeless body of her brother.
She hugged onto him and cried while screaming for him to come back to her.

Rachel : HAL !!! … HAL come back please… please… no…not like this….sobzz..sobzz… not like this…. aGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Guo : I’m not waiting any longer Jackson …. Do it now…. I mean it… I’m a man of my word… I will let your grandfather go….. look..look… see… see….

Guo took his knife and cut my grandfather’s cable tie loose.

Guo : see… see… hahah…. A gesture of offering… on my part…now.. it’s your turn….

My grandfather was shaking his head and mouthing no.

Grandpa : no… no.. Jackson … no…. don’t do it…

Guo : Shut up !!!.. your grandson is old enough to make the decision… !!!

Grandpa : no…Jackson …. Look at me…

I looked at my grandpa who’s face was rapidly draining of colour. He’s losing blood and he needs help.

Guo : Time is ticking Jackson … do it… DO IT !!! DO IT !!!

Grandpa : aRGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Jackson : Ah gong NOOO!!!

Before anyone could do anything, I watched in horror as my grandfather, grabbed onto the knife Guo was holding and tried to wrestle it from him.

Guo pointed the weapon at my grandfather’s stomach and pulled the trigger.

The hammer slammed into the firing pin, discharging a round that immediately came out the back of my grandfather’s body and hitting Russell on his calf because he is standing so close.

My grandfather wrestled the knife into his hands and before Guo could squeeze the trigger again, plunged the dagger into his neck.

Guo fired again and I could see my grandfather’s body shake from the impact but he held onto Guo for support as he pulled out the knife and stabbed it again into the same wound he just inflicted.

Everything happened so fast.

Jackson : NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Guo staggered backwards and tripped onto the corpse of a CF as he trashed around while clutching onto the wound. Blood kept spewing out like and he was literally drowning in his own blood as it filled his lungs.

Guo rolled and trashed on the floor as I went over to my grandfather.

I could not breathe.

No matter how hard I sucked, I felt as if no oxygen went to my lungs and no matter how hard I tried to scream, no voice came out.

Russell’s men immediately attended to their boss as he screamed and moaned in pain. Supported by 3 men, Russell beat a hasty retreat, leaving Elmo with about a 20 men behind.

Russell : ahhhh..arghhhh!!! fuck.. fuck… fuck !!! arhghhhh that fucking dumb fuck !!! arhghhh !!!

I held onto my grandfather and tears never stopped falling.

I shook my head as my vision blured. It’s my fault.

This is all my fault.


I am to blame for all this.

Jackson : I’m sorry Ah gong… I’m sorry… sobzz… I’m sorry….this is all my fault….

I could feel his heart beating really fast as his entire body shook with each breath he drew.


He wanted to speak but he can’t. He just looked at me and shook his head in a reassuring manner. It’s as if he was telling me it’s ok.

That’s what I hate.

He’s always telling me everything is ok.

Jackson : I’m sorry ah gong… I’m so sorry…..

I could feel a sudden drop in his breathing as he started to relax.


I held onto him tighter, cradling his head in my arms as I fought back more tears.



His bloodied hands touched my face and my grandfather looked into my eye for the final time when I felt what appears to be a scab or a scar at the hair area above the ear.

With a smile and a laboured breath, my grandpa said something that sent a chill into my spine and right back up my neck.


Grandpa : Rajahs….. don’t bend…

[ilikeoldchangke]

And he stopped moving.


I sucked in a few gasp of air as I screamed at the top of my lungs on the roof top. I held onto his lifeless body and cried while feeling and looking for the scar my fingers felt.

Brushing aside his hair, I saw it.

It’s not a scar.


It’s an old tattoo. A similar one that Rachel had. The letter R.

I felt as if my life just rewind itself as images and memories from my childhood flashed back into my head.


The sudden change in the family’s finances. The sudden increased in pay and responsibility at the factory.

He was working for the Rajahs long before he became one of them.
His attitude of never backing down, his fucking stubbornness of refusing treatment.


I could hear Elmo shouting orders to his men after they brought Russell down.

Elmo : let’s clean up here and go….!!

Guo is no longer moving and I could feel a burn inside my throat as I looked at the men in front of me.

A part of me is gone.

A part of Jackson is dead along with my grandfather.


I laid my grandfather down gently and picked up the knife that he stabbed Guo with.

I sucked in a deep breath as I looked at Elmo and his band of Malu Malu in front of me.

I looked at them not with the eyes of a man but of that of an animal.

I could feel something primal emerge from inside me.



If there was a perfect soundtrack that could describe my state of mind right then, it would be Requiem for a dream.

Elmo looked at one of the Malus and his men started walking aggressively towards me.

Jackson : ARGHHHH!!!!

I went low, slid half a metre blocked his metal rod with my left arm as I stabbed him on the side of his calf, withdrew the knife, plunged it into his thigh, withdrew it and thrust the blade into his armpit before twisting it, flesh, muscles and all.

Holding onto the Malu that started to go into spasms I looked at Elmo and pushed the man down onto the ground and withdrew the knife.

Elmo looking at another guy, issuing a visual order and he ran towards me with a machete raised.


I dropped the dagger and picked up a 10 kg weight plate to block his downward slash before throwing the whole weight at him. He staggered backwards and I grabbed onto his arm, swing the machete outwards before twisting it from his grip.
He managed to hit it out of my grip before I could do any damage but being lighter and smaller size than me, I easily lifted him off the ground and threw him against a bench.

Before he could get back up, I grabbed a 5kg weight plate and smashed it into his face and he stopped moving immediately.

Walking back to pick up the knife, Elmo nodded his head at another of the Malus who circled the perimeter of the roof, running straight towards Rachel.

I doubled back and before he can get to Rachel, knocked him off balance with my entire body.

He would have struck me in the face with his metal rod if not for a injured Rajah on the ground holding onto him.



I stabbed the knife at his throat but he turned and struggled at the last moment, causing my blade to plunge into the side of his cheek instead.

The injured Rajah crawled and put the Malu in a chokehold , shouting and screaming until all movement ceased.


I got back on me feet and Elmo was gesturing to all his men to attack at once.

Elmo : finish them all….

Pointed the bloodied knife at Elmo, I gestured to the rest of the Malus.

Jackson : come…

There was some hesitation from the Malus before 2 moved towards me at the same time.

Both of them pulled a dagger each out from their pocket as they approached me cautiously.

I walked towards them and I parried one strikes each from the 2 of them before getting cut at the same time on my arm and chest.

The sting of the pain burned as I adopted a defensive stance I remembered from my lesson.

The Malu on the right struck first and his dagger found it’s target easily.


Jackson : arGNHHH!! ..

I left my left arm go numb as blood started to spill from my left shoulder and I swung my knife in a wide arc, keeping them back.

The Malus continued advancing and I slowly backed away, getting closer and closer to Rachel.

Elmo, seeing that the game is almost up, asked his men to make sure no one lives to tell the tale. Every Rajah on the roof must die. Put a knife into everyone just to be sure.
The Malu that stabbed me, assumed I was ripe for the kill and he came at me.

I ducked and grabbed his stabbing arm, putting it over my shoulder as I backed my body against his before slamming it down on my right shoulder and disarming him.

I would have gotten him if not for his friend who pulled him back and kicked me down at the same time.

I sprung back up with whatever energy I had left and swung wildly at them with the knife.

One of them tried to go for Rachel and I shielded her with my body. The stab went straight to where my heart was and I was reminded of the true function of my ribcage.

The blade cut into my chest alright but there’s no way such a force can penetrate the hard bones.



I grabbed onto his wrist and plunged my knife into his forearm.

Rachel finally recovered enough to swing a club against the head of the man I stabbed.

Clutching onto my wound, I could feel my vision starting to blur.

I must be going into shock from the lost of blood.

The other Malu, finally wise up and realised that coming too close is a bad idea.

He backed off and found a long metal bar. The one I was wielding earlier.

My phone started to buzz in my pants.

Someone is calling me.

The Malu was about to swing the bar at me when he suddenly fell face down and stopped moving.

I felt my body slumping to the side and Rachel was holding onto me.

Rachel : Jackson….Jackson !!

My vision became a little blur but I saw someone at the roof.

Someone has arrived.
And his arrival caused what appears to be panic and chaos among the Malus.

Perched on the parapet of Rajah holdings was a man.

Dressed entirely in black and wearing a mask.

He was squatting in a relaxed manner, resting his arms on his knees.

While his left hand is empty, his right was holding a Samurai sword.

Elmo and his men bunched together, giving this mysterious man a wide berth as they tried to organise themselves on the other side of the roof.

Before they could get things in order, someone shouted something and the entire bunch shifted, bodies pushing against each other as they pointed to the parapet on the opposite end.

Another man, clad entirely in black walking along the narrow wall before flipping forward and landing on roof of Rajah holding.

He too, was holding a Samurai sword.

The 2 mysterious man are of the same built and same height.

Where one held the sword on the right, the other held it on his left.

The phone in my pocket stopped buzzing and I could feel I was on the verge of passing out.

I saw the mysterious man closer to us sit on the parapet with his legs dangling over a dead CFs body as he answered a phone call.

He didn’t speak initially and when he did, he spoke with his friend on the opposite end of the roof.

Nikka : Tametsu !......

His friend turned and looked at him.

Nikka : Bella says she owes us big time for this….. she’ll introduce Hibiki……..hahhaa…haha

Tametsu : haha Fuck yeah …. Say yes Nikka…. What are you waiting for…? Hahah

The 2 of them chatted in a casual manner, it didn’t seem like they were affected by the scene of carnage and destruction on the roof at all. From the tone in which they speak, they are locals even though they call each other Japanese sounding names.

I don’t know what the men are talking about but I know their presence has gotten Elmo and the Malus worked up into a frenzy.

Elmo : stay the fuck away… or we’ll kill you too… !

The 2 men remained motionless as if Elmo just said a joke that was not funny
They just looked at Elmo and his men who were all hesitating to strike.

Elmo : you hear me !!! we only want the girl !!! I don’t care who the fuck you are….

Elmo, seeing that he is not getting a reply gestured to his men.

Elmo : GO!! GO!!!....Kill them all… and get Russell his Rachel so he can fuck her brains out before getting rid of her !!!... and get those 2 clowns as well……I don’t care who the fuck they are, or what fucking fancy names they call themselves………Hibiki wearing a Bikini or whatever fuck !!!….just get this over and done with !!!!

My eyelids got heavier and they were on the verge of closing.

Right before my eyes shut, I saw Nikka and Tametsu stand up, rising to their full height.

As Elmo’s men charged towards the 2 mysterious men clad in black, they drew their swords, their shiny steel looking majestic and spotless in the evening sky.



And the last thing I heard before I blacked out was.

Tametsu : don’t fucking insult my idol…..


And everything went dark.

……………………………………………………….

[btblue8]

Thank you ilock!!

[Tai_zi21]

It just keep on getting better every time....

[Irrumare]

Holy fuck.
So intense.
Sad for the grandpa though, but Rajahs never bend.

[FlatTop]

Such an awesome read. Still feel excited. Eager to know the outcome.

[husky1shepherd4]

awesome update from ILOCk

u never fail us once

[ninenine90]

reading it with the soundtrack got even more feel!

bro ilock, fantastic writing and great music recommendation!

[water_boi]

I got goosebumps while reading all the exciting parts..... Please bro ilock please.... Faster give us the next update!!!

[mePoke]

Hmmm.

I am guessing that Jackson will accept to be inducted into the Rajahs and

... becomes 孔雀王子 with 东宫 (Yiling) and 西宫 (Rachel)

[xCodDunk]

Nice story bro ILOCK!! When’s the next update dropping