She had just reached the bend in the stairs when a muffled voice boomed out from one of the rooms in the second storey. She froze, terrified. From her position, she could see the doors of the two rooms facing the back of the house. Both were closed, but a thin line of light could be seen under the door nearer to her.
The voice sounded again. This time she could tell it was a deep, male voice. It came from the room with the light. She realised her legs were trembling, and she sank down onto the steps before they could give way. Need to leave now, she told herself, but her shaky legs refused to obey.
The voice in the room was getting louder. There was a sound like something being dragged on the floor, then a yelp.
That cry! Was that Auntie Min Ling’s voice? Patsy wondered, her heart racing.
“Stop it, or I’ll scream!”
Charlotte! That’s definitely Charlotte! Although the girl had spoken in Mandarin, which was uncharacteristic of Charlotte, Patsy was certain she recognised the voice.
“Scream and I’ll blow your brains out,” the male voice replied in Mandarin.
Patsy’s blood curdled to hear the same voice she had heard during her time-travelling accident the day before. It was definitely Ye Kang, Min Ling’s second husband.
“I’m reaching the end of my benevolence,” Ye Kang was saying. “You can’t say I haven’t been good to you, Min Ling. I’ve been the model boyfriend then husband for more than a year. I’ve been patient, haven’t I? After all, what is one year compared to the centuries my people have spent searching for the crystal?”
There was a pause. Patsy strained her ears to catch the next words, which were spoken more softly.
“I was willing to wait. But you let me down. You and your busybody daughter. It could have ended amicably. It’s all your fault we’ve come to this.”
There was another pause, then either Min Ling or Charlotte said something too indistinct for Patsy to make out, but it clearly infuriated the man.
“Enough! I’m done with waiting! I’ll give you one last chance. If you don’t hand over the crystal by tomorrow, I’ll kill your precious daughter!”
The door opened suddenly and Patsy nearly rolled down the steps in her haste to retreat beyond the bend in the stairs. The door slammed, followed by the sounds of a bolt being slid forcefully into place, then a clicking sound. Heavy footsteps thudded above her. Patsy stiffened, but evidently Ye Kang was just going to another room upstairs.
It’s now or never, Patsy said to herself. I’ve already come this far…
Before she could dissuade herself, Patsy sidled up the stairs, staying close to the wall. The man had indeed retreated into another room, leaving his door only slightly ajar.
Patsy eagerly hurried up to the door of the room where Charlotte and Min Ling were being held, hoping against hope that it would only be a simple matter of unbolting the door from the outside. But it was no use. A bolt had indeed been installed at the door, but hanging from it was a sturdy padlock. Now she understood what the clicking sound she had heard earlier was.
For a fleeting moment, Patsy had a vision of herself waiting until Ye Kang was asleep, then stealing the key and releasing her friends. Coming to her senses quickly, she retreated down the stairs as swiftly as she could without making a sound. Ye Kang would probably sleep with the key, and unlike in movies where the jailor could almost certainly be relied upon to roll aside with a snore if she tickled his nose, allowing her to nick the key safely, this was real life. No, her work was done; it was time to retreat and report what she had found out to her friends.
As she moved towards the kitchen, her mind swirled with plans of what to do. She should reunite with Elena, then gather Wu Ji and Maggie together. They could then discuss their next steps. It was clear Ye Kang had a gun. Perhaps they should call in the police…
Then she collided with someone who was just emerging from the storeroom.
chapter eighteen
atsy took a step back, rubbing her forehead where it had collided with the person’s chin. The person was scowling and massaging his jaw as he glared at her.
From the little light coming in from the bathroom window, she could see a tall, slim boy of about sixteen or seventeen with short, spiky hair. He must have been in the dark storeroom all along!
Before she could say a word, the boy had grabbed Patsy by her shirtfront and pulled her into the kitchen. He pushed her onto a chair, then shut the kitchen door and switched on the light. He must be Ye Kang’s son! What a fool she was, to forget about him!
Patsy used her hands to shield her eyes against the sudden glare, squinting through her fingers to keep her eyes on the boy. Why hadn’t he called out for his father?
Gradually, her eyes accustomed to the brightness and she let her hands fall from her face. She was seated on a chair with her back to a small wooden table in the centre of the room. The boy was still staring at her. Why didn’t he say something, or do something?
Her eyes darted around, taking in her surroundings. The boy was standing between her and the door leading out to the living room. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see a sink and some cupboards lining the wall next to the backyard door on her left. Were there any knives lying about? No, that was silly. No way would she be able to overpower this boy, even with a weapon. Although he was thin, he towered over her and his upper arms looked thick and strong.
She realised that his hands were clenched into fists and they were trembling. Taken aback, she saw that his tanned face was no longer impassive, but twitching with some unspoken emotion.
“Erm…” Patsy began.
“Why did you have to come? Why?” the boy demanded, his English fluent but containing slight traces of a Chinese accent.
“The door was ajar. I just—”
“You’re their friend, aren’t you?”
Patsy did not reply, but her expression must have given him the answer.
“I knew it. I wish you hadn’t come. Now my father is going to have to kill more people—”
“What?! No, no, he doesn’t have to kill anyone—”
“You don’t understand,” the boy said, crossing his arms tightly in front of his chest in a visible effort to control his trembling. “My father has gone mad. He’s determined to get what he wants and he’ll kill anyone who stands in the way. Why, why did you have to come?”
The villain’s son had a conscience! Patsy felt a thread of hope and seized at it. “Listen, you don’t have to tell your father about me. You don’t want to, right? That’s why you pulled me into the kitchen and closed the door? You can let me go and—”
“Are you crazy?!” the boy said harshly, running both his hands through his spiky hair in a gesture that reminded Patsy of Wu Ji. Wu Ji…what would he think if he knew what a mess she’d got herself into?
“It’s not so simple,” the boy continued in a bitter tone, not looking at Patsy. He appeared to be talking to himself. “Ever since we arrived four years ago, he’s been obsessed with finding the Crystal of Time. He’ll never let you get in his way now.”
Arrived four years ago? So they’re from China. That explains his Chinese accent and his father’s pure-sounding Mandarin, Patsy thought.
Patsy tried reasoning with him again. “He’s never going to get the crystal, no matter what he does, so why let him kill anyone needlessly? You’re clearly not like him. You’re a much nicer person. You don’t want any of us to die, do you?”
“What do you know of me?” the boy snarled, suddenly turning on her. “You have never lived the life I have!”
Patsy bit her lip. She had tried to sweet-talk him but had ended up rubbing him the wrong way. But before she could say another word, the boy had yanked open the door. She saw that his eyes were filled with anger or disgust, perhaps even hatred.
“Father!” he yelled.
Patsy shrank against her chair as she heard Ye Kang’s footsteps on the stairs. Her eyes darted to the door leading out into the backyard, but it was already clos
ed.
And then, she was face to face with the Midnight Warrior. Standing with his hands resting on either side of the door frame, he filled nearly the entire doorway with his huge, muscular physique. It’s him! Patsy recognised the man she saw slap Auntie Min Ling in her second scene.
“Who’s this?” he asked mildly.
“One of their friends,” the boy replied in a flat tone, then left the room.
“Yes?” Ye Kang said musingly, studying Patsy’s face. To her relief, he did not seem to recognise her. “How did you know to find them here?”
“I…I just guessed,” Patsy stammered. “You’re Auntie Min Ling’s husband.”
“Very clever,” Ye Kang said mockingly. “The police came here yesterday too to tell me about the burglary at the flat, but they never thought to come in to check the house. Who else knows about this?”
Patsy shook her head.
“Well, I guess not, or you wouldn’t have come alone,” the man said, then added in a sarcastic tone, “Well, you can join your friends, since you miss them so much.” Grimacing at her, he stepped aside pointedly.
With a last glance at the back door, Patsy had no choice but to allow herself to be directed upstairs.
Ye Kang drew out a key from his pocket and unlocked the padlock. Opening the door, he pushed Patsy unceremoniously into the room. “Thanks for supplying me with one more hostage to threaten my lovely wife with,” he sneered, then slammed the door shut.
Patsy found herself in a room bare of anything except a mattress, on which Charlotte and Min Ling were sitting, staring at her in wide-eyed surprise. Charlotte seemed to have matured somewhat since Patsy last saw her over a year ago. Her previously fair skin seemed even paler now, and her eyes had taken on a solemn look that made her look older than her fourteen years. Min Ling looked the same as how Patsy remembered, except her eyes were ringed with shadows, her lips sported a cut and there were several dark bruises on her bare arms. Patsy remembered the slap that she had witnessed the day before and shuddered. Just what kind of a monster was Ye Kang? And now she had got herself caught by him as well.
“Erm, hi,” Patsy said, suddenly feeling very shy.
“Who are you?” Min Ling asked rather coldly.
“Oh, I’d forgotten you won’t recognise me. I’m Patsy. Patsy Goh.”
Charlotte gave a gasp. “How can that be?”
Patsy ducked her head in embarrassment. “This is how I look. I’ve time travelled in my own body this time.”
To her surprise, Charlotte and Min Ling exchanged glances but still remained seated on the mattress.
“How do we know you’re telling the truth?” Min Ling asked. “How can we be sure you’re not a spy Ye Kang sent to root out information from us?” She still sounded aloof, but Patsy thought there was more warmth in her tone now.
“Who else would know my name?” Patsy said simply.
Charlotte and Min Ling exchanged glances again.
Patsy searched her memory for something she could say to convince them. “The last time we met was in August 1987. I had come from 2015 then. There was a time crisis. Maggie died.” Patsy knew she was rambling but she was too nervous to think through what to say. Her friends’ expressions did not soften, so she continued, “This time, I travelled from 2016. I came with Elena. Charlotte—the adult Charlotte in 2016—told me to come rescue you. She has a daughter named Raine. She’s also a Keeper. I—”
Patsy stopped. She noticed that Min Ling’s lips had parted and her eyes were shimmering with emotion.
“Patsy,” Min Ling whispered. “It’s really you!”
“Huh?” Patsy said, confused. What had she said to finally convince Min Ling?
Both Min Ling and Charlotte got up, came forward, and hugged her tightly. Patsy returned the embrace with relief.
“So I told you to come rescue us?” Charlotte asked with amazement after the three of them had settled down in a tight circle on the mattress.
Patsy nodded and recounted how the adult Charlotte had approached her in 2016.
“I still can’t believe you’re a Keeper of Time too,” Charlotte marvelled. “This is too wonderful! But how? I thought my family was the last of the Keepers.”
Patsy gave an uncertain smile. “I have no idea. You told me in 2016 you would trace my roots for me to see who I’d inherited my powers from. You said I’m almost definitely related to you, Auntie Min Ling and Maggie in some way. But I’m turning out to be a real lousy Keeper of Time. See what a mess I got myself into? I’m supposed to rescue you but got captured instead!”
“But you managed to find us!” Min Ling said. “You must have done something right.”
Patsy shook her head mournfully and explained how she had met up with Wu Ji and Maggie, and how she had—accidentally, she stressed—used the Crystal of Time to witness Min Ling’s breakup with Ye Kang. She told them how they had deduced Ye Kang was the kidnapper, and how the police did not think it was a kidnapping case, which led Wu Ji to surmise that Ye Kang would probably be holding the captives in his own house.
“So the group sent you here, alone, to rescue us?” Charlotte asked, indignation colouring her tone.
“No, no,” Patsy hurried to explain. “Wu Ji was going to do the rescuing. Elena and I were supposed to just spy on the house and verify that Ye Kang is indeed here. But I saw the back door was open and thought I could play the hero and fulfil the mission.” Her voice drooped again as she reflected on how abysmal her attempt had turned out.
“But how is Wu Ji supposed to rescue us?” Min Ling asked. “He’s just a boy with no powers.”
Patsy quickly detailed how Wu Ji was due back in 2017 the next day at 2pm, and how he would negotiate for an exchange of prisoners before disappearing with the crystal.
“Then how will you and Elena get back to your own time?” Charlotte asked.
“He’s going to get Raine to come here to bring us back. You don’t know Raine yet but she’s got the most amazing time power and she’ll be able to control her time travel perfectly.”
To Patsy’s surprise, Min Ling did not seem impressed at all by her future granddaughter’s powers. She was shaking her head slowly, saying, “No, no, no…”
“Why? What’s wrong?” Patsy asked.
“Raine won’t be able to come,” Min Ling said, her voice a whisper.
“Why not?” Patsy asked.
“Because…she’s already here!”
chapter nineteen
atsy turned to Charlotte, stunned, but Charlotte was silent and did not seem to share her surprise.
“What do you mean she’s already here?” Patsy demanded. “Has she also time travelled here, without us knowing?”
“No, she hasn’t time travelled,” Min Ling said slowly and sadly. “She belongs to this time.”
“Then where is she?” Patsy asked.
“She’s here,” Min Ling said, a tenderness creeping into her voice.
That’s not answering the question, Patsy thought. Then she saw that Min Ling had placed a hand over her belly.
“You mean, you’re pregnant with Raine?” Patsy asked incredulously.
Min Ling nodded.
“But that’s impossible!” Patsy exclaimed. “Raine is only twelve years old in 2016! If she’s born in 1989, she should be twenty-seven in 2016!”
“That’s because I sent her forward in time.”
“What? But why?”
Min Ling sighed. “I guess I should explain everything. As you’ve probably guessed, it’s Ye Kang’s baby. I just found out a few days ago and was going to tell him about it when we had a big fight at Yvonne’s house.”
“Was it the fight I saw?” Patsy asked.
“Yes,” Min Ling said, her right hand touching her left ring finger in what looked like a subconscious gesture. “So I never did tell him. You see, Charlotte had never liked Ye Kang and kept saying she didn’t trust him. I thought she was just jealous. She was really upset when we got married so soon after knowing each
other. I know it was rather hasty of me, but for the first time since Charlotte’s father died, I felt young and happy again.”
“What made you suspicious?” Patsy asked Charlotte.
“He kept loitering outside my room,” Charlotte said, grimacing at the memory. “And after he moved in to live with us, I woke up at night on several occasions to see him peering in.”
“Oh, gross!” Patsy exclaimed.
“I thought like you at first,” Charlotte said, “that he was a dirty old man. But then a few days ago, I saw him trying to open my desk drawer where I’d kept the crystal. The drawer had a good lock on it, but I guessed that if he still couldn’t get at the crystal soon enough, he would give up being discreet and chop open the drawer or something.”
“So you took the crystal and gave it to Wu Ji for safekeeping,” Patsy said.
Min Ling took up the story. “Yes, and when Ye Kang could no longer sense the presence of the crystal in my flat, he panicked. He thought he might lose the crystal for good. He admitted he was a descendent of the Midnight Warriors and tried to cajole me into telling him where the crystal was. He said that we were married so what was mine was also his, and that it was my wifely duty to help him in his mission to rebuild the Midnight Warrior sect. I refused…Well, you saw what happened. That very night, he ransacked my flat to search for the crystal. When he couldn’t find it, he forced me and Charlotte to come with him to his house and locked us up in this room. That’s when I discovered what a madman I’d married. He’s obsessed with rebuilding the cult of the Midnight Warriors. Every few hours, he would come in and rant about how it is his life goal to rebuild the sect of his ancestors.”
Charlotte shuddered. “He tried to make us join his sect. He even said…” She glanced at her mother before continuing in a low tone, “He even said that if he and Mum had a baby together, it would inherit both the powers of the Midnight Warriors and the Keepers of Time. The child would be instrumental in his quest to rebuild his cult.”
No wonder Raine is so powerful! Patsy thought.
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