Problems

    Li Tian crushes out the cigarette he is smoking then angrily pushes his foot down on the accelerator. The silver Maserati is a blur as it flies down the highway. Who has the balls to fuck with me! I don’t have time for this shit! He swerves onto the next exit and heads towards the Mega Mall site. His phone rings again, agitated he has to deal with this problem before the caller speaks Li Tian snarls, “Contain the goddam fire, I’m on my way!”

   Donnie and his men are at the rendezvous location to meet the trucks loaded with arms. He wrinkles his forehead,“What fire?”

  “At the fucking Mega Mall construction site. What the hell do you want?”

  Donnie hesitated to call Li Tian now he is really sweating,“We have been waiting for an hour and the trucks haven’t arrived. I tried calling Rashid but no answer.”

   Just what I don’t need right now…another fucking problem..“It’s storming outside Bashu City, maybe the ship was delayed because of the weather. I will see what is going on with the shipment. That prick Ivanov expects the delivery at midnight.” He looks at his watch, “Stay there I will contact Amir.”  

  Amir Malouf is sitting in a waterfront bar glaring at his right hand man Rashid Hamid.”Why hasn’t the goddam cargo ship arrived?”

  “It is storming. maybe they were forced to delay coming into the harbor.”

  “Bullshit! Look at those men at the table by the door. I heard them say they just docked.”

  Rashid notices the two men taking off their raincoats as he nervously holds his phone, “I have been trying to contact the cargo ship.I will try again.”

   Amir Malouf lights a cigar and shakes his empty glass towards the cocktail server. He has a murdererous aura as he leans towards Rashid, “You are sure no information leaked about the containers.”

  “Boss, I know my fuckin people, they know my methods. If they got caught selling any information after I got done with them if they would beg for death.They are also smart enough to understand their families would suffer the consequences, every man, woman and child would be annihilated. I absolutely guarantee no one knows about the ship.”

  The Captain of the cargo ship carrying the weapons is being held down by a muscular man named Scorpion. He has a gun pressed to the man’s sweaty forehead, “Tell me which containers are filled with the weapons.”

  The Captain’s body shakes as he answers, “I don’t know what you are talking about. This ship is transporting machinery for a new textile factory.”

   Scorpion lifts the frightened old man’s chin with the barrel of the gun.  “Tell me now and you live..otherwise you are fish food.”

  A skinny young man is standing on the side watching, he is the Captain’s son-in-law. He stammers in English with a thick Serbian accent, “Will..will you let us live if I tell you?” I want to see my wife and baby son again..I told father-in-law not to take the Arab’s money.

  The Captain’s eyes widen when he hears the familiar voice. Rudy! You idiot! He silently prays the boy doesn’t tell them, Don’t say! They will kill us immediately.

   Scorpion has an idea, Kuang Fu said not to kill anyone on the ship unless necessary. He changes from a threatening tone to reassurance. He lightly taps the gun on the man’s cheek “My boss said to spare you if you cooperate.Tell us which containers and have your men help us put on our boat. You live.” This will be faster.

  The ship’s phone is ringing in the background causing the man’s legs to fold under him. They must be wondering why the ship has not docked yet. We are dead either way unless I can think of something.. 

  Scorpion is losing his patience, “I will count to five. One…two..three.”

  The Captain looks up with his watery blue eyes terrified by Scorpion’s serious expression. He will definitely kill me… Tears roll down his haggard face as he blurts out, “I will say..”

  Li Tian calls Amir Malouf, his deep voice sounds unperturbed but Amir can feel his killing intent through the phone. “You better have an explanation why the shipment hasn’t been delivered.”

  Amir Malouf has been expecting this call.“Calm down. The weather is delaying the ship.”

  “That better be the case. I’m not taking the loss if there is a problem on your end. The client set the time for the delivery and you assured me there wouldn’t be any delay.”

   “I can’t control the weather.”

  “I am going to reschedule for tomorrow citing the storm at sea. If the delivery isn’t made there will be severe consequences. Like I said, I am not taking the fucking loss.” He hangs up then calls Donnie. 

   Donnie answers, “Yeah, Boss?”

  “I want you to check and see if any ships are unable to come into port because of the storm. If that bastard Malouf is lying this time I won’t let him go. I’m calling the buyer to delay the transfer until tomorrow morning. That will give me enough time to sort this shit out.”

   “Will do.”

     Li Tian turns up the speed of his windshield wipers as the storm intensifies, rain and hail pelting his sports car. He smirks on one hand the rain will lessen the damage at the construction site but Ivanov, that impatient bastard, won’t be easy to deal with when I reschedule the delivery He slams his hand on the steering wheel. Unable to see the road ahead, he mutters, “ Fucking shit.. Now, I am going to have to pull over until the storm lightens up. Dammit! I want to find Song Sara!”

   Sara sleepily walks out to the kitchen to get a glass of warm water and sees a note from Bi on the counter. Oh… Bi went to Bashu City because her brother Chao is in town. That explains why she is not home.  Should I call? She looks at the clock on the wall. Well, it is late. I will call her tomorrow and tell her I am back.

She stretches out her slender arms and yawns then heats up the water. I am so hungry!  Sara opens a cupboard to get some instant noodles then takes an egg out of the refrigerator. After the noodles are ready she puts the egg on top then sits at the kitchen table,Yummm.. Smells so good!  She slurps up the steaming noodles then pats her stomach when she finishes, the anti nausea  pills the doctor gave me really work…I finally have my appetite back. I could eat another bowl haha..

   She  takes the bowl to the sink and washes it. Glancing around the messy apartment she shakes her head, Bi! Such a messy girl!  Sara picks up the empty snack bags and a half cup of milk tea from the coffee table. Tossing them into the trash she grabs a towel to clean the crumbs and a small spill on the glass top of the table. She sits on the couch, so tired..I could sleep for a few days. I need to go to the office after my doctor’s appointment and give Zhou Jason my notice. I am not going to put it off! I need to forget about him since he is getting married, working with him would be too difficult. Also since Zhou Group is partnering with Li Tian on the Mega Mall Project that would be absolute hell having to see that terrible man!

  After Sara straightens the living room she goes back to her bedroom. Feeling exhausted and weak it doesn’t take long for Sara to fall asleep in her own comfortable bed.

When she wakes up in the morning she rubs her eyes and looks at her phone on the nightstand, “Ten o’clock!” I should have set my alarm! Mr. Cadieux said he would pick me up at 10:30 to go to the clinic! Sara hurries into the bathroom to take a shower.

  Leo is leaving his villa, he has a satisfied smile on his face, “Very good..haha..”

   It is a rare occurrence for the driver to see Leo laugh, I wonder what the Boss is so happy about?  The driver opens the back door for him and when Leo is in the backseat he tells Kuang Bo, “I would have enjoyed seeing the look on that bastard’s face when he realized how much money he lost.”

   “Amir left Catang City before Li Tian was able to locate him. I don’t foresee any problems.”

  “I trust you can keep my involvement secret. I doubt he would suspect me anyway since Alexandre invested, which means I would also lose money when the shipment was hijacked. But of course since Kuang Bo is giving me 20% for the information I don’t lose. “I am curious, who are you selling the merchandise too?”

  “Ivanov.”

  Leo bursts out laughing, “You are such a cunning asshole!”

  “I am leaving for Paris, when will you return? I am working on the intel you want. I should have more good news for you by the end of next week.”

  “I have no return date at the present. I think I will have some fun here for awhile.” Leo has a smile on his face as he hangs up then touches the plastic bag in his pocket containing a strand of Sara’s hair. Whether you are my sister or not Song Sara I don’t care, you are a special existence to me.Anyone who hurts you or your baby will pay.