FIVE

WESTFIELD POLICE STATION

"Just tell Sean anything you know about Dominic's job,-"

Cho nodded. "Ok,-"

"I'll be in Dan's office if you need me,-" added Logan.

He left them and headed off to the corner office.

"Do you find anything on his car?" Logan swung the door behind him closed. "Or maybe his last location?"

"Yes-I-did,-"

"Show me,-"

Daniel opened a few footage from the CCTV. "So this is the CCTV in front of the restaurant,-" He pointed to a man who was leaving the restaurant exactly at 10 o'clock. "And this is Dominic right?"

"Yes,-"

"So he did drive his car,-" Daniel re-arranged the footage according to Dominic's traveling time. "All the way through Jesselton, and this is his last location,-" He clicked on it.

"Wait, this is,-"

"Jesselton Harbor,-" Daniel continued before him. "Now watch this,-"

Dominic steered the car toward one of the large shipping containers near the edge of the port and drove it inside. A moment later, he stepped out, pulled the container doors shut, locked them securely, and scanned the area before quietly leaving the harbor on foot.

"Why did he do that?"

Daniel shrugged.

"Anywho, thanks Dan,-"

Logan returned to Cho and Sean.

"Are you done?"

They both looked up. "Yeah, why?" answered Sean.

"Dan found Dominic's car whereabouts,-"

Sean stood. The same goes with Cho.

"So we're going there now,-"

"Alright,-"

"Can I come along?" asked Cho.

Both Logan and Sean gave her a reluctant gaze.

"Please? I'll go insane if I just sit here and wait,-"

"Ok,-" answered Logan. "But stay close to me,-"

JESSELTON HARBOR

Parked the car a little bit further from the entrance, Logan, Sean and Cho quickly got out and hurried toward the shipping container they had seen in the footage. The door secured with a smart digital lock.

"Give me any possible combinations your uncle might've used," Logan said, eyes fixed on the digital lock.

"Okay, um… let me think," Cho replied, brows furrowed. "Try 1909."

Logan keyed in the numbers—but the lock remained shut.

"Maybe 2008?"

Still nothing.

"I'll check around the area while you two work on this," Sean said, already turning to leave.

"Okay. Be careful," Logan called after him.

Sean gave a nod and disappeared around the corner. Logan turned back to the lock.

"Give me another."

"Try 2706."

Again, no luck.

"3005?"

The lock didn't budge. Cho exhaled in frustration.

"That's all I can think of..."

Logan paused. "Maybe it's not a birthday or anniversary. Could be another kind of special date."

Cho repeated his words softly to herself. "Other than birthdays or anniversaries,-" And then it hit her. "Alright—try 2810."

Logan entered the digits. With a soft click, the lock released.

Cho gasped quietly. "He used that date?"

"What date is it?" Logan asked.

"October 28th,- it was the first day we moved in together."

Logan glanced at her. "It must've meant a lot to him—special enough to use it as his code.-"

Cho gave a faint smile, but her voice lowered. "Or the saddest day of his life since he had to leave his family when he chose to take care of me,-"

Logan frowned, sensing the weight behind her words. He thought about asking more—but her distant, uneasy expression stopped him. Instead, he gently pulled the container doors open. Inside sat a deep blue Honda, its surface gleaming even in the dim light. They stood there in silence, taking it in.

"Spot anything different?" asked Logan.

"Yes,-"

"What is it?"

"The seats,- It's dark brown,-"

Logan had his eyes on it as well.

"They're supposed to be black,- And they're still the same color when we're going out for dinner,-"

"So he changed them while on his way here,- But why?"

Seconds later, he gasped.

"Don't tell me,-" He turned to Cho. "Do you happen to know where he kept the spare car key?"

She immediately rummaged through her sling bag. Took it out, she handed it to Logan. He unlocked the car, climbed into the driver's seat, and began inspecting the interior meticulously—starting from the front and working his way to the back. Cho stood nearby, watching him with a puzzled expression. When Logan reached the middle seat in the back, something caught his eye.

His gaze sharpened, and his eyes widened. "I knew it," he muttered.

Pulling out a Swiss army knife from his jacket, he carefully cut a straight line next to a small, subtle bulge in the seat. Reaching in, he pulled something out—and held it up for Cho to see.

"Logan! That's—!"

It was a flash drive—light blue and shaped like a lightning bolt.

"Yes,-" he confirmed. "Your uncle must've changed the seat covers to hide this,-" He slipped it into his jeans pocket and turned to her. "Wait in the car. I'll go get Sean."

Cho returned to the car and climbed into the back seat, reaching for the door. But before it fully closed, it was yanked back open with force. A hooded figure wearing a black mask loomed before her. Without a word, he clamped a hand over her mouth, dragging her out and toward a nearby black van. Shoving her inside, he followed, slamming the door shut behind them as the van sped off.

"Let me go!" Cho shouted, struggling against his grip. "Help!"

"Stay still!" the masked man barked, tightening his hold.

"No!" she spat defiantly.

Twisting in her seat, Cho kicked at his torso with all her strength. When he didn't flinch, she drove her foot lower—hitting him squarely between the legs.

"Argh!!" he howled, instantly loosening his grip as he doubled over in pain.

"Get a hold of her, you idiot!" the driver snapped, glancing back.

Seeing her chance, Cho scrambled to unlock the door beside her. She slided it open, scanned her surroundings, and jumped. Her body hit the grass on the other side of the road with a thud, the impact softened by the earth beneath her. She lay there, breathless and shaken.

"Jesus,-" she gasped, staring up at the sky.

Lifting her head just slightly, she saw the van continuing down the road, now being pursued by police cars. One peeled off and skidded to a stop beside her. The door flew open, and Logan leapt out.

"Cho!" His face went pale as he dropped beside her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded weakly. "Yeah, yeah, I think I'm—"

But her words faded as pain shot through her entire body when she tried to sit up. She immediately lay back down, wincing.

"I don't think you are,-" Logan said gently, his voice tight with worry. "Don't move, you might have an internal injury."

Logan pulled out his phone and called for an ambulance.

GREENDALE HOSPITAL

Noticed the curtain around her bed being pulled aside, Cho sat herself up.

"You'll be discharged after your check-up,-" He sat on the chair next to her bed. "How're you feeling?"

"I feel fine, don't worry,-"

Logan sighed regrettably. "I'm sorry,-"

"For what?"

"You almost got kidnapped today because of my carelessness,- Not to mention we lost them,- And I even asked you to stay with me, but,-"

"Logan, none of this is your fault,- I'm the one who wants to tag along, so it's all on me, ok?"

"But I shouldn't have left you alone,-"

Cho moved closer.

"I'm sorry Cho,-"

"Logan, read my lips,- It's-not-your-fault, alright?"

"But,-"

His words trailed off as Cho suddenly leaned in and pressed her lips to his. As the weight of what she'd just done hit her, Cho pulled away in a rush, eyes wide.

"I—I'm so sorry," she stammered, breathless. "I don't know what came over me, I just—"

Logan said nothing at first. His gaze lingered between her eyes and her trembling lips, something unspoken passing between them. Then, without a word, he leaned in and kissed her back. Cho froze, her heart skipping more than just a beat.

SOMEWHERE IN JESSELTON

After the unexpected kiss, an awkward silence had settled between them—lingering now even inside the car as Logan drove Cho back to his place from the hospital. In an attempt to ease the tension, he cleared his throat and switched on the radio. A slow, mellow tune drifted through the speakers.

"…'cause it reminds me of my first kiss—"

Both Logan and Cho's eyes widened at the lyrics echoing from the radio.

"—and those days that I always miss—"

Logan quickly changed the station.

"Your kiss is on my list—"

Cho glanced around the car, her expression a mix of disbelief and secondhand embarrassment. Logan kept his eyes glued to the road.

Another click.

"It was the best dang kiss I've ever had—"

Cho let out a quiet groan. Logan cleared his throat awkwardly and turned the radio off altogether. Silence settled in, thick and lingering—until Cho spoke again, breaking the tension.

"Logan?"

"Ye, yes?"

"Can we make a quick stop at my house? I need to grab a couple of things,-"

"Yeah, of course,-"

"Thanks,-"

Arrived there in a couple of minutes, Cho got off and made a haste to the front door. To her surprise, Logan got off as well.

"Do, do you want to use my toilet or something?

Logan chuckled. "No, no I'm, I'm just nervous when you're out of my sight, so,-"

Her cheeks flushed red. "O, okay,-"

Cho quietly made her way inside and headed upstairs to her room. Logan followed a few steps behind, his thoughts drifting back to the kiss. A small smile tugged at his lips.

"I still can't believe I did that,-" he murmured to himself.

Reaching the top of the stairs, he paused outside her room and glanced in. Cho was busy packing a few things into a medium-sized duffle bag. He gently knocked on the half-open door.

"May I come in?"

"Yeah, of course,-"

Logan was just about to step in when a sudden blow struck the back of his head. He staggered forward, collapsing onto his knees.

"Logan!" Cho cried out, her voice sharp with panic.

Blood trickled from his scalp, and before Cho could reach him, the two hooded men from earlier emerged from the shadows. One of them stepped forward and delivered another brutal strike to Logan's head, this time sending him crumpling to the ground, unconscious. Cho let out a horrified gasp. The second man turned to her, his voice low and threatening.

"Come with us, or he dies,-"

Next to him, the first man raised the bloodied baseball bat again, aiming it directly at Logan's still form.

"Your choice,-"

EPILOGUE

"How could you send her to the orphanage??" said Dominic in disbelief. "She's your grandchild!"

"She's an ill-fated child Dom!!" replied a 60 years old woman in rage. "First your brother! Then your father! Even your sister is dead now because of her!!" 

"Their incidents had nothing to do with her!!"

"But those things happen when she's with them!!"

He exhaled in frustration. " How can you be so ridiculous??" 

"Then tell me why it's only her who'd survived every freaking time??"

"How could you even hope that she died with them??"

"I don't care!! I don't want her in this house!! I can't lose anyone anymore because of her!!"

"Yes you are!! Cause right now, you're losing me too as I'm leaving!! And it's all because of you!!"

The defiance in her expression faded, replaced by a look of quiet despair. Took a deep breath, Dominic turned to his younger brother who was watching them from the hallway.

"Take care of mom Dwayne,-" He directed his eyes back at his mother. "Goodbye mom,-"

Dominic dashed out of the house, leaving the old woman speechless. Outside, a young girl around 10 years old was sitting quietly at the front porch with her eyes locked upon a flower bed next to the front gate. Reaching her, the girl looked up.

"I'll take you to some place far away from here,-" He tucked her side bang behind her ear. "We'll start our new life together,- You and me,- And I won't let anyone hurt you anymore,- Not even your grandma,-" He gave her a dreary gaze. "Would you like to come with me?"

The girl slowly nodded. Dominic smiled. He held out his hand.

"Let's go,-"

The girl reached his hand and held it tight.