Frank's group made their way to the police station, Mai still clinging tightly to Frank's hand. The bustling precinct reminded Frank of his own back home, though the rapid-fire mix of Cantonese and Mandarin around him was a reminder of the foreign lands they're in.

An officer at the front desk looked up as they approached, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of the foreign group. Frank cleared his throat and gestured to Mai.

"We found this girl. She seems to be lost," he explained fluently in Cantonese. Whatever magic Ollie casted earlier seemed to still be active. It let him understand and speak everything; albeit he couldn't read.

The officer nodded, knelt down, then turned his attention to Mai. "Do you have any ID or your mom's contact info?" he asked.

Mai's brow furrowed, her head turned down. It was obvious she didn't have an ID with her. She was just a child. Frank had a feeling the little girl knew what was happening, but it couldn't be helped.

The officer sighed, then offered a reassuring smile. "It's okay. We'll take it from here. You're free to go."

Frank felt a twinge of guilt as he prepared to leave Mai behind. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was abandoning her. On impulse, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of candy, pressing it into Mai's small hand.

"Take care, kiddo," he said softly.

As they turned to leave, Ollie raised an eyebrow at Frank. "How do you have so much candy on you? Are you trying to trick kids or something?"

Frank ignored the jab, his mind drifting to thoughts of his own daughter. He'd always imagined spoiling her with sweets, much to her mother's disapproval. That future had been stolen from him, leaving only the habit of carrying treats and a hollow ache in his chest.

The group filed out of the police station, stepping back into the humid Guangzhou air. Frank cast one last glance over his shoulder, watching as Mai disappeared into the precinct. He pushed down the aching feeling that he should have done more. Once again, he reminded himself—they had a job to do.

***

Frank's eyes darted back and forth, scanning the street before settling on a nondescript building across the way. It was unremarkable, but something about it nagged at him. He started walking towards it, Alan and Ollie trailing behind.

As they approached, Alan's brow furrowed. He tugged at Frank's sleeve, confusion evident in his voice. "Frank, ain't this a brothel? I thought we had a job to do, man."

Frank held up a hand, silencing his partner. "I got something alright, something is here. I can feel it in my bones, Alan. Something ain't right here."

Alan's eyes widened, a hint of amusement creeping into his expression. "Oh, I get it. You want to have some fun, huh? Well, count me out. I ain't cheating, no way."

Frank rolled his eyes.

The next moment, a man exited the building. As the man walked by, side-eyeing their group suspiciously, Frank noticed the corner of a yellow paper peeking out of his pocket. The sight only confirmed his suspicions.

"Look at his pocket." Frank said.

Ollie leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "That guy's part Jiuling. You oughta be crazy if you think we're just going to waltz into that hell hole. Their operations are every where in this city."

"We're not waltzing," Frank replied with a smirk. "We're going in for a massage. And no, not that kind of massage, even if that's what you're thinking. Once we're inside, you two create a distraction. Distract the lady at the front or whatever. I'll slip through whatever door I can find and see what's really going on."

Frank turned to Ollie, a hopeful look on his face. "You wouldn't happen to have any of those little magic communication thingies that let us communicate like walkie-talkies, would you?"

Ollie's expression fell flat. He pulled out his smartphone, tapping the screen a few times. "Just download this walkie-talkie app. You too, Alan."

Frank's face fell, clearly disappointed by the mundane solution. He'd been hoping for something a bit more mystical or magical. Sighing, he pulled out his own phone and began downloading the app.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Alright, everyone ready?"

Frank stepped into the spa building, his senses on high alert. His eyes darted around the entryway, taking in every detail. There was an eerie emptiness to the place, with barely anyone in sight. As his gaze swept the room, it settled on a door beside the counter. A chill ran down his spine; something about that door felt off. He knew he had found the mark on which door to enter.

The lady at the front desk looked up, her eyes scanning them from head to toe before offering a practiced greeting. Alan opened his mouth to speak, but his words came out in a jumbled mess. Frank could almost feel his partner's nervousness radiating off him. He knew his partner never really had any other experience with women other than his now deranged wife.

Ollie smoothly cut in, his demeanor shifting to that of an innocent, wide-eyed boy. Frank didn't want to hear any of that so as Ollie engaged the receptionist in conversation, he seized his opportunity. He slipped through the door that had caught his attention, unnoticed by the others.

A narrow hallway stretched before him, its walls closing in on either side as Frank's eyes adjusted to the dimmer light. The corridor seemed to elongate with each step, ending in another doorway that beckoned him forward. Frank's heart pounded in his chest, the rush of blood in his ears almost drowning out the muffled voices from the reception area behind him. He quickened his pace, his footsteps echoing softly on the tiled floor as he made his way down the corridor.

With each step, Frank's mind raced, processing the possibilities of what might lie beyond that second door. With a surge of determination, Frank pushed the door open, the hinges creaking softly as it swung inward.

The room beyond was dimly lit. Frank's eyes immediately locked onto a red glowing exit sign above a door at the far end. But what really caught his attention was the table at the corner of the room.

Rolls of yellow tape were stacked neatly on one side, but these lacked the red markings he'd seen before. Next to them sat a pile of yellow papers covered in Chinese characters. Frank frowned, noting that the handwriting style differed from Ian Huang's.

At the end of the table, a translucent box filled with white powder. On top of it sat a couple of bags. It couldn't have been crack or whatever kind of mundane drug he was used to. It looked eerily similar to the one he'd received at the restaurant back in Toronto.

Just as Frank was about to move closer for a better look, the exit door slammed open. A man in shabby clothes with a mask on stood in the doorway, his eyes widening as they landed on Frank.

"Intruder!" the man shouted, his voice echoing in the small room.

Frank's heart raced as he fumbled for his smartphone, his fingers slick with sweat as he tapped the walkie-talkie app. "I'm coming in hot!" he panted into the device. "Get ready to make a break for it!"

He sprinted down the narrow corridor, his footsteps echoing off the walls. The shouts of his pursuer grew louder behind him. Frank's hand slammed against the door, pushing it open with a bang that reverberated through the reception area.

His eyes immediately locked onto Ollie, who stood calmly with a pistol in his hand. Frank's gaze darted to the counter, where the receptionist lay slumped over.

"Just sleeping bullets," Ollie said with a giggle, as if reading Frank's mind.

Frank's breath came in ragged gasps. "Hurry! There's an angry Chinese man right behind me!"

Alan's eyes widened, and he scrambled towards the exit. Ollie moved swiftly, covering their retreat as Frank brought up the rear. They burst through the front door, the sunlight momentarily blinding them.

As Frank's vision cleared, his heart dropped. Standing before them was a familiar figure—the same man who had effortlessly deflected Ollie's M4 mystical bullets earlier. His imposing presence blocked their path, a grim smile playing on his lips.

Frank's mind raced, searching for an escape route. He glanced at Ollie, hoping the young agent had another trick up his sleeve. But even Ollie just looked back at him and shook his head.

The sounds of pursuit grew closer behind them. Frank knew they were trapped between two threats, with precious little time to react.

"You can call me Yu Mo." The man brandished a knife. "Now shall we talk about what's happening here and why you're in our facility?"

"Frank you bumbling idiot, this was supposed to be my last assignment before I graduate." Ollie's face contorted, "I can't believe we're about to die in this place."

Frank's mind raced, searching for a way out of the situation. He locked eyes with Yu Mo, whose steady gaze betrayed no emotion.

"Look," Frank began, his voice steady despite the hammering of his heart, "We're not here to cause trouble. We're just trying to find someone."

Yu Mo's eyebrow arched slightly. "Oh? And who might that be?"

Frank hesitated for a moment, weighing his options. Honesty had served him well in the past dealing with Ryan, and he decided to stick with it. "Ian Huang. We're looking for Ian Huang."

At the mention of the name, Yu Mo's expression shifted. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly, and his grip on the knife loosened ever so slightly. Frank caught the change, filing it away for later consideration.

"Ian Huang," Yu Mo repeated, his tone measured. "That's a name I haven't heard in a while."

Frank sensed an opening. "You know him?"

Yu Mo's lips curled into a small smile. "Perhaps. But this is the second time you've messed with our operations. Why should I help you?"

Yu Mo paused and considered for a moment, twirling his knife absently. "I might be willing to cooperate," he said finally. "But I want to have some fun and also see you squirm a bit."

Frank's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"If you can survive a rift, I'll answer any question you ask about Ian Huang." Yu Mo replied.

The words hung in the air, heavy with implication. Frank remembered his last experience in a rift—the otherworldly horrors, the constant danger. He swallowed hard.

"A rift?" Frank gulped as he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

Yu Mo nodded, his expression grave. "Yes. If you survive, let's call it even. Then I'll answer what you want."

Frank looked at his companions. Alan's face was pale, his eyes wide with fear. Ollie's wore a similar expression as he looked at Frank with disapproval.

Frank turned back to Yu Mo, his decision made. He had to make a choice. It was either fight this powerful man in front of them along with his allies or gamble and hope it turns out for the best in the rift.

"Alright," he said, his voice firm despite the knot in his stomach. "We'll do it. We'll enter the rift."