***** Vol.2 Chap.47 Meeting the Boss *****

When she finally came to, she had a very sore neck. How long were she out? She had no idea.

She moved her hand and felt the scab of dry blood. Shocked, she tried to open her eyes, but everything was blurry. That was quite a concussion she sustained. She felt around the back of her head and it appeared to be swollen. Still tired and drained, she could not move. She closed her eyes and drifted back into never land.

For the ensuing week, she drifted in and out of consciousness. She did not know if she was alive or dead. If she was alive, she did not know how she was kept alive.

After about a week of being in a comatose state, she began to stay awake for longer periods of time. Moving her arms and legs was difficult at the beginning, but slowly she reclaimed control of her arms and legs. She noticed that there was always a cup of water and some dry bread next to her. After another week of rest, she had regained some strength and was able to sit up and feed herself. During this whole time, no one came to bother her, yet whenever she was awake, she found a fresh cup of water and a piece of dry bread there. She wondered why she was kept alive, yet she had seen no one and heard no voices at all.

As she looked around, she was in a tiny tool shed with some straw on the ground where she was laid. There were no windows, just a small door to one side. Otherwise, the shed was totally bare, dark, and damp.

She wondered if this was her prison or hell.

Click!

Someone unlocked the door of her prison.

“Follow me.” A burly man motioned to her.

She stood up, a little unsteady at first, but steadied herself on the wall. Then she slowly sauntered towards the door.

The man offered no help, just standing there watching her impatiently.

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As she gradually approached the door, the man walked up a set of steps that were cut out of the earth. The steps were tall and uneven. There were no handrails. She steadied herself on the wall as she took each step, one at a time.

The man was already at the top while she was still working on the second step. She tried to look apologetic and feigned a smile, but he was not even looking at her. He leaned against the wall and was playing with his knife. Before she got to the last step, he hurried out the shed before she barely got a glimpse of where he disappeared to.

There was no one along the way. After a few more turns, they got to a large hall. She caught the sun in her eye and was blinded by the light for a second. Frantically, she raised her hand to shield her eyes. The motion caused her to stumble and fall to the ground.

Without turning around, the man merely slowed down but kept on walking.

“Hurry, the boss is waiting.”

“Sorry, but I am coming as fast as I can.”

The man just made a grunting noise.

She finally made it to the hall and saw a tall man with a dark complexion sitting and smoking a cigar. His feet were propped on top of a makeshift table. His back was towards her and did not see her come in.

“Boss, the prisoner is here.” The man announced.

The boss waved a hand and the man retreated outside. Without turning, the boss motioned for her to come closer.

Slowly, she advanced towards the man. The cigar smoke almost choked her breath, and she had a hard time breathing.

“Are you really a doctor?” The Boss asked abruptly when she was halfway in the hall.

There was no introduction, just the cold, hard interrogation.

“Yes…yes…” she stuttered out the words.

“Are you really a doctor or just pretending to be one?”

“I founded the Tsai-Chen Clinic in Xilon.”

“Are you really a doctor or just pretending to be one?”

“Yes, I am really a doctor.”

“You have two choices: either you stay here as our doctor and maid or you die.”

“Boss?” She was not sure how to address him. “Er, Mr. Boss? I am really looking for the village at the top of the mountain. I wonder if you know where that is. Please kindly point me the way to the Village?”

“I repeat. You have two choices: either stay here as our doctor and maid or you die.”

“Er, Mr. Boss. You have my word that I will say nothing about your place here. I just want a safe passage to go to the village at the top of the mountain.”

“Ah-Geor!” The Boss shouted.

The burly man came running in. “Yes, Boss?”

“Take the prisoner out and shoot her.”

“Please, wait! I am just an innocent passerby.” She dropped to her knees.

“Let me repeat for the last time. You have two choices: either stay here as our doctor and maid or you die.”

“Please…” She was about to say something but was rudely interrupted.

“Yes or no.”

Given the choices, it is better to live than to die.

“Yes, I will be happy to stay as your doctor.”

“Ah-Geor, take her to Ah-Ming. If she tried to do anything, shoot her.”

“Yes, Boss.”