Tonight Is The Night

GuiGui clicked on all the lights. She stepped around the counter and stood over the booth.

"Are they coming?" he asked.

She nodded. "Let me see the hand."

She lowered her head to examine it. It was red and swollen. The skin had peeled in several places, and the open wounds were oozing. Pieces of skin were charred black where hot grease had clung.

After a few seconds GuiGui had to look away. She took a deep breath, forcing down a wave of nausea.

"Pretty bad," she managed to say.

To her surprise, he climbed to his feet. "It's not so bad," he muttered, avoiding her glance. "Maybe I'll go."

"No!" she cried, louder than she had intended.

He turned his eyes to her, his face filled with suspicion.

"The ambulance will be here any second," she told him. "You've got to get that treated. It's a really bad burn."

He stumbled toward the door. "No. It'll be okay. I'll go home and put a bandage on it."

"No--- please," GuiGui pleaded.

She had to keep him there. She had to make him stay until the FBI arrived. He was dangerous. Very dangerous. She couldn't let him go free.

"Here," she said, shoving a glass under the soda dispenser. "Drink this. YaLun, please. Sit down."

He hesitated, then turned back to her. She held up the glass of Coke. "Here."

"Hey, a free drink. This is my lucky night," he said bitterly.

GuiGui heard a siren outside.

Hurry. Please--- hurry! she thought.

"Here, YaLun." she held the glass out to him.

"I've got to go," he said, raising his good arm and wiping the perspiration off his forehead with his jacket sleeve. "I'm kind of dizzy. Got to lie down."

"It's from shock," she said. "Sit down. Come on, YaLun."

The siren grew louder.

What's taking so long? she wondered. It seems like hours.

"Come on, YaLun. Drink this. It'll make you feel a little better."

He accepted the drink. "Hey, I was only kidding around," he said. "Just playing, you know?"

"I know," GuiGui said, eyes on the door.

Hurry! Hurry! she thought.

"I had a few beers, but---"

"Take it easy," she urged. "Drink the Coke. Please."

He had taken only a few sips when the front door burst open and two white-uniformed paramedics rolling a stretcher hurried into the room. "Where is he?" one of them, a tall young man with bright red hair, cried. He pointed to YaLun. "You?"

YaLun set the glass of Coke down carefully on the counter. He turned to the tall paramedic. "Burned my hand," he said quietly.

"Oooh--- how'd you do that?" the other paramedic asked, staring at the hand, making a disgusted face.

"Just lucky," YaLun said dryly.

"Can you walk okay?" the tall paramedic asked.

YaLun nodded.

"We'll take you to Taipei General Hospital."

"Wait---" GuiGui started. Where was the FBI agent? She couldn't let them leave without him.

To her relief a man in a long, black overcoat appeared in the doorway. "Agent Jiro Wang," he said, introducing himself loudly, holding up a badge and an ID card. His eyes went across the room to GuiGui. "You okay?"

GuiGui nodded. "Yes. I'm okay. But I'm glad you're here."

YaLun groaned in pain, then turned groggily to GuiGui. "What's going on?"

Agent Jiro pocketed his badge and stepped up to the paramedics. "Take him to the hospital. I'll ride with him." Then he said to YaLun, "I'm Agent Jiro Wang from the NBI. I just want to ask you a few questions."

"What's going on?" YaLun repeated, dazed and confused. He stared hard at GuiGui, trying to focus his eyes.

She looked away.

Jiro put a hand gingerly on YaLun's shoulder. "Let's get that hand looked at. Then we'll have a little talk."

"What have I done?" YaLun demanded. "What"s this all about?"

He was still protesting as the two paramedics led him out the door, followed by the FBI agent. Agent Jiro disappeared, then poked his head back in. "You sure you're okay?"

GuiGui nodded.

"Want me to stay while you lock up?"

"No. I'm fine, really," GuiGui insisted. "I'll close up, then go straight home."

"We'll need to talk to you later," Jiro said, then disappeared again.

GuiGui exhaled loudly, slumping back against the wall.

Suddenly she heard footsteps scraping across the kitchen floor. "Who's there?" she cried, startled.

"Ernie poked his head in from the kitchen window. "What's going on out there?" he asked. "Ready to close up?"

"Ernie--- where were you?" GuiGui demanded.

He pointed toward the back door.

"Yeah. Let's get out of here," GuiGui said, sighing.

It didn't take long to close up. Ernie left, taking a bag of leftover fried chicken with him.

GuiGui watched him leave, then started to click off the lights. Her heart was still pounding, she realized. She felt trembly all over. Her fear lingered, even though YaLun had been captured.

"Oh!"

She cried out in surprise when she saw the dark figure standing in the doorway, outlined by the streetlight outside. In her fear it took her a few seconds to recognize him.

"Wang Zi!"

He gave her a shy smile and made his way toward her. "Sorry I'm late."

"Oh, Wang Zi--- I'm so glad to see you!" GuiGui cried.

Without hesitating, she ran around the counter and into his arms.

The startled expression on his face quickly faded, and he hugged her back, holding her tightly. "I'm glad to see you too," he said.

Tonight is the night, he told himself, inhaling the aroma of stale grease in her hair and feeling a little queasy.

He closed his eyes as he hugged her.

Tonight is the night, he thought.

Tonight is the night GuiGui dies.