Will of a Tiger
Page 21
What if someone was in trouble? He hoped that none of his friends was in a predicament and had no choice but to indict him.
Well, if there is anyone I can trust completely, that person is Xiao Mei. No matter what happened, she would stand by him. She would never betray him. That’s a lot to say about a person. Birch now realized that he’d paid so little attention to the gold mine right next to him for so many years.
Dad is right: If I can get out of here, I’ll marry Xiao Mei. I owe it to her. I’ve got to protect her name. To hell with the doctors! I am a man. Watch me. And I can’t let Dad leave this world worrying about me.
Hanging from the ceiling, he dreamed of being with his loved ones. Birch was so exhausted that he dozed off, despite the pain in the knee and the discomfort in his wrists and shoulders. Soon a nightmare plagued his sleep.
Captain Zhang pointed his nail-less fingers at him and yelled, “See, you Nationalists are animals, just like the Japs!” He lifted his right foot and kicked Meng Hu in the gut.
Birch slipped in between the two men to protect his fellow fighter pilot. How come Meng Hu doesn’t fight back? It’s not like him.
Then it hit him. Meng Hu was dead! He was killed by the Communists. As he grappled with the sad truth, Captain Zhang threw a bucket of water over his head.
Birch jerked awake with a start. He was drenched from head to toe. Snake stood a few steps away, a hose in his hand. “Keep your eyes open. No sleep”—he sprayed again—“unless you tell us who else is in your group.”
The cold stream struck Birch in the face. He sputtered, choked, and gagged. To avoid the suffocating blow, he twisted his head and body. In the process he lost his balance. For a moment, he was suspended in the air. The handcuffs cut deep into his flesh. His already sore arms seemed to be wrenched from his shoulder sockets. Every joint, muscle, and sinew in his body screamed and protested. He kicked his feet to regain a standing posture on his tiptoes. The blast lasted a couple of minutes, but it felt like hours. When it was over, he gasped for air. It took everything he had to withstand the cruel treatment.
Dad thought Taiwan was safe. If I had stayed on the Mainland, at least I would be killed by the former enemies, not by so-called comrades. Birch felt insulted and aggrieved by the injustice. How come Dad is so different? He’s a member of the Nationalist party. Struggling to stay awake, his mind wandered into the past.
In 1940, his father, a colonel at the time, had captured three Japanese communications officers. He kept them as his personal prisoners, but never once tortured or mistreated them. Instead, he visited them regularly and debated with them about the course of the war. As a graduate of the University of Tokyo, he spoke their language well.
Never being treated equally by their own superior officers, the Japanese captives were touched by his benevolence and impressed with his intelligence. Little by little, they were swayed by his point of view. They became convinced that a country with great people like Colonel Bai would win the war. After a year of such gentle persuasion, the three Japanese agreed to help the Allies.
Colonel Bai dressed them in the Nationalist uniforms and brought them into his office as communication specialists. The turncoats helped him to decode their countrymen’s messages. Detailed data such as the number of airplanes, their altitude, and destination, significantly aided the Allies in counterattacking the Japanese raids. Without the valuable information, there would have been many more Allied casualties.
His father had lost so much, yet never lost his benevolence and Yi—morality, duty, decency. But at the end of his life, Dad must face another heartbreak. The thought set off another round of shivers in him that pierced his wet clothes and speared icy chills straight into his bones.
Birch was kept awake throughout the night. Whenever he dozed off, Snake hit him with more water. The room was already cold, and now it became unbearable. If the Japanese torture chamber was an inferno, this place was an icy underworld.
His teeth chattered nonstop. Tremors of overexertion seized his biceps, triceps, thighs, and leg. Only his will to survive, to see his father and Xiao Mei, kept him fighting.
Early next morning, a heavyset man replaced Snake. His nose was swathed, and dark blood flecked the white bandage. The left side of his face was discolored with a huge blue and purple bruise. One eye was swollen shut.
An unmitigated hatred in his other eye alerted Birch. He guessed that this must be the man he’d kicked. But no matter how much he tried to stay vigilant, the lack of sleep for days caught up with him. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier. At length, his head lowered to his chest. He was half asleep when a blow to his right knee jolted him awake. For a moment, he spasmed with pain.
His knee seemed afire. Warm liquid ran down his pant legs. He realized that he’d just soiled himself. His face twisted. He’d been holding for hours. But in his slumber and with the sudden shock of pain, he’d lost control.
The heavyset man turned around, picking up the hose. “Filthy traitor,” he barked.
Cold water slammed between Birch’s legs. He hardly heard the man; his pain and the humiliation were too great.
Chapter 49
Xiao Mei waited. She paced in circles in the living room. Her left thumb pressed the small scar on the back of her right hand. God, help me. Guanyin, show your mercy. Birch has been through hell. Don’t let anyone hurt him. Please! Again and again, she prayed to the God and the Goddess of Mercy.
As she lay slumped on the sofa, open-eyed, waiting and praying, the phone finally rang. She jumped up and yanked the receiver off the cradle after the first ring.
“Someone tipped off Jun-Tong.” Chen Bin sounded grim.
“The secret police? Why? What did he do?”
“That’s not relevant. What’s bad is that they think he conspired against the government. They blamed him for Li Wei’s leaving. Xiao Mei, we’ll try our best, but frankly, I’m afraid we can’t do much. It’s all about connections and knowing the right people. We need someone in an influential position. Too bad General Bai is sick. Are you sure he can’t make a few calls?”
“He’s in bad shape, Chen Bin. We shouldn’t tell him. I’m worried—”
“Okay. We’ll keep trying. Du Ting is making more calls right now.”
Xiao Mei stood still after the phone clicked off. Conspiracy against the government is the worst crime. She’d seen slogans like “Exterminate conspirators, traitors, and communist spies” on every street corner. Citizens were encouraged to spy on one another and then inform the secret police. She’d heard rumors of people being arrested, tortured, or killed. Never in a million years could she have imagined Birch in such a dire situation. How could the government lash out at its own people, at its own hero?
What if they’re hurting him right now? The thought sent a shudder through her.
Focus! You’ve got to think. Biting her lip, she tried to concentrate.
Who could tip off the secret police? Birch is so kind to everyone. He doesn’t have enemies. Then her eyes widened. Unless…? A small gasp escaped her mouth. Could it be Wu Pan? Could he be so angry at her that he would hurt Birch? He hadn’t shown up for work in days. She shook her head, unwilling to believe.
What if it’s true? Anger surged through her. How could he do this? Xiao Mei ripped the phone from its bracket and dialed Wu Pan’s number.
“Hold on,” an old man answered. She heard his husky voice shouting for Wu Pan. The phone in the office was the only one in the complex.
Several minutes later, a gruff voice came on the line. “Yes?”
“Wu Pan, the secret police snatched Birch last night,” said Xiao Mei. She’d cooled down; she knew she had no evidence and couldn’t stand the idea of sending Wu Pan to his doom, if he were innocent. There were always people listening and spying on others. “Please help.”
“Holy shit! You’re sure it’s Jun-Tong? If it’s the secret police, we’re screwed. They have power. What do you expect me to do?”
“Try something—”
&nbs
p; “Look, Xiao Mei. I would if I could. Believe me. Birch saved me. I’d love to return the favor. But be realistic. I’m nobody.”
She couldn’t tell if the coldness in his voice was real or in her imagination. Could he actually betray the Young Master? How could anyone be so ungrateful? How could he stab Birch in the back when Birch has been so kind to him?
The questions disturbed Xiao Mei. It’s my fault if Wu Pan has indeed gone this far. She felt a twinge of guilt. If he’d made it in the first place, then he could retract his statement. Clinging to a sliver of hope, she blurred out, “If you get him out, I’ll…I’ll…” Still, she couldn’t bring herself to say the words. Her hand tightened around the phone.
“What?”
She unclenched her teeth. Her voice came out barely above a whisper. “I’ll marry you.” Tears sprang to her eyes.
“You’re kidding!”
“No. Just help him!”
A bitter laugh came across the line. “Haven’t you heard, Xiao Mei? They will kill one hundred innocent people to find a single guilty one. A place like that is easy to go in, but hard to get out.”
By now the room was awash with sunlight. But Xiao Mei trembled. She didn’t know who hung up first. Her mind was in turmoil, her emotions in a tailspin.
Desperate, she grabbed the family address book. Frantically, she called anyone with a number. Some replied politely that they would look into the situation, while others didn’t even hear her out. She was just a servant. And no one was able or willing to confront the secret police.
An overwhelming sense of helplessness engulfed her. As she collapsed to the floor, a name flashed into her mind. Mary! Birch’s ex-girlfriend came from a wealthy and influential family. Even though her father had died, she might have connections. Xiao Mei grabbed the phone for the hundredth time and called the engineer again. “Chen Bin, do you have Mary’s telephone number?”
“Mary? Oh, how did I forget about her? Her cousin is the deputy chief.”
“Of the secret police?”
“Yes. I’ll give her a call right away.”
“No!”
“Why not?”
“If you know where she lives, I’ll go to her. I’ll talk to her, woman to woman.”
“Good idea. I’ll take you there.”
Chapter 50
They took Birch down on the third day. Immediately, he fell to the floor. He had lost all feeling in his limbs. Snake and the heavyset man seized him under his arms. The two men dragged him face down out of the room, his limp body hanging between them. An iron door clanked and rattled before they tossed him onto the floor. Then the door clanged shut.
It was raining. The wind blew through a small, shattered window, bringing in the frigid air. There was a narrow bed in the room. Birch stretched his hand and immediately felt a thousand pinpricks stabbing his arm. He simply couldn’t reach the top of the bed; it stood as tall as the Hump.
Shivering, he lay on the cold concrete floor. His eyes were dark and deep-set. His face was shriveled. A foul stench rose to his nostrils. He wasn’t sure if it came from the room or from his clothes.
An all-encompassing despair came over him. He’d given everything to serve his country: his mother, his sister, his cousin; his brother and friends; his aunt and uncle; his girlfriend; his leg and his ability to be a father; his confidence as a man. And finally, his freedom and his dignity. What had he gotten in return?
Birch lost the battle with his iron-clad self-control. He was in hell.
A famous phrase ran through his mind—to live in the worst adversity is better than to die under the most satisfactory circumstances. The idiot who came up with that saying didn’t know a damn thing about hardship. It would be better to die a hero in that trench, oblivious to the pain, the guilt, the injustice, the degradation. Starved and beyond exhaustion, his body trembled with pain, cold, and fatigue. His mind whirled. This is it. He’d had enough. He was ready to let go.
Then he heard her voice.
“Shao Ye,” Xiao Mei called out. “Be strong. You can do it. Life is hard. It can be very painful. Being alive can be harder than dying… But you’re a hero. Don’t forget what Major Hardy said. A real Tiger doesn’t give up easily. You’re a real Tiger!”
When did she say that to me? In my coma?
Images swam into focus: She squeezed his hand and shook his arm. Her almond eyes stared at him with concern and affection. She smelled of the jasmine flower on her blouse.
Xiao Mei would be heartbroken. She didn’t save me from the coma only to see me die here. Danny didn’t give up his life only to watch me give up. And Dad still needs me. The kids in the flying club were waiting for their Uncle Birch. He couldn’t let them down.
Xiao Mei! He reached for her, but she faded away. So he followed her into the merciful corners of unconsciousness.
Two weeks later the secret police released Birch without any explanation. A simple shout of “Get out” was all they said.
A pinkish-gold dawn lay like a ribbon along the eastern horizon when Birch stepped out of his cell. He tilted his head up, closed his eyes, and drew a deep breath of the fresh air. His face was etched with fatigue. His limbs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds each. With aching muscles and joints, he dragged his foot and staggered across the compound toward the entrance.
“Shao Ye!” Xiao Mei stood at the other side of the gate. She was in a lily white sundress with a gray cardigan sweater. A navy blue jacket was draped over her arm. Her eyes trained on him as she twisted the end of her pigtail around her index finger. Chen Bin and Du Ting stood next to her.
Birch hobbled toward his friends.
The two former colleagues each grabbed an elbow to steady him. Du Ting took the jacket from Xiao Mei and wrapped it around him. “Welcome back,” said Chen Bin, knocking him with a fist. “You look like hell.”
Birch grimaced.
“Son of a bitch! They hurt you.”
Birch waved off their concern. “Anyone else in trouble?”
Du Ting shook his head.
Chen Bin shrugged and said, “No one we know of.”
Birch let out a pent-up breath of relief. He looked up and saw the glint in the servant girl’s eyes. “Xiao Mei, come here.” He stretched his arms.
She reached out. But before grabbing his hands, she hesitated. As she faltered, he pulled her into a tight embrace. The tears she had fought for days rushed out.
“It’s okay. I’m all right.” Birch patted her on the back and let go only after her cry subsided. With the help of his left hand, he lifted his right arm and wiped the tears from her cheeks. His eyes had sunk into the dark circles surrounding them, yet now they brimmed with tenderness as he stared at her. “I vowed I’d do the right thing, if I could get out.” He paused to catch his breath. “You’ve been with us for so long. It’s time—”
Xiao Mei stilled. “Oh, no! Don’t chase me away. Please!” Looking up, she threw him a glance that was half-scared and half-appealing.
“No, no, no! That’s not what I’m talking about.” Towering over her, Birch picked up her hand.
She was shivering. Her thin hand was as cold as his.
“I’ve been a fool. Forgive me, Xiao Mei. Would you like to stay in the family? Forever, I mean. If you don’t mind my…my condition, will you marry me?” He swallowed against the dryness of his throat. “I’m not the best husband a girl could dream of, but I promise, in my limited ability, I’ll make you as happy as I can. Will you be my wife?”
Her eyes snapped wide open. “Shao Ye?”
“Don’t call me Young Master. Call me Birch. And if you don’t mind that…that I can’t give you any children, then be my wife.”
Xiao Mei stared at him. “Birch,” she said in a near-whisper and lowered her head. The sound of his name painted a shy smile on her lips.
“I’ll be damned,” exclaimed Du Ting.
“I was going to ask her if you didn’t,” Chen Bin joked. “Her dishes are out of this world.”
“Yes, she saved you.”
“I’m nobody,” protested Xiao Mei. “It was…Mary.”
“Mary?”
Xiao Mei nodded. “She pulled some strings—”
“No,” Chen Bin countered. “We started a petition. Xiao Mei stayed on the street day and night. She got more signatures than all of us combined.”
Birch pressed her hand to his lips. “Dad will be so happy.” Worried about his father, he said, “If you don’t mind, we’ll get married tomorrow. I’ll arrange a formal ceremony later. You know, I just want to get Dad’s blessing before—”
Xiao Mei’s face fell. She opened her mouth, yet only a strangled sound came from her throat. Tears rolled down her cheeks again.
Her expression put Birch on alert. A sense of foreboding tightened his chest.
“General…Dad…” She still couldn’t bring herself to deliver the heartbreaking news.
“I’m sorry, Birch.” Du Ting put a hand on his shoulder. “General Bai passed away two days ago.”
Birch felt the earth crumble beneath him. His bravado collapsed. And the physical pain and fatigue he’d suffered caught up with him. He swayed. Both Chen Bin and Du Ting grabbed him under his arms.
“I’m so sorry, Shao…Birch.” Xiao Mei circled her arms around him. Her cheek touched his chest. Her tears wet his dirty shirt.
A great emptiness opened up inside Birch. His father had been his only family member for almost a decade. But I wasn’t there for him. I didn’t even say goodbye. It struck him that he’d never been given a chance to say goodbye to any of his loved ones. Not to Mom. Not to Daisy. Not to Jasmine. Not to Danny. Not to Uncle or Aunt. Such a realization chilled him to the bone. The sun had spread its glory, but failed to warm him. His entire body recoiled as if someone had laid a finger on an open wound.
“Take it easy.” Du Ting squeezed Birch’s arm. “General Bai went peacefully. All of us were there. Xiao Mei kneeled and bowed on your behalf.”