The Kingpin's Possession

59: Sudden Act of Violence

Kim:Kim’s meeting with P’First had been a relatively fruitful one. He had rushed there as soon as he got the call, eager to go through whatever it is that P’First wanted him to see.

P’First also seemed to prefer not wasting time because he skipped the pleasantries and guided Kim straight to his garage, where his cars were parked. “This is where it got shot,” he told Kim, pointing at the dent where a bullet used to be embedded. “I didn’t touch it, knowing it might be of use.”

Humming thoughtfully, Kim knelt before the dent, and upon closer examination, he realized that they left the same indent as the one on his car. “Were you able to retrieve the bullet?”

“Nah.” P’First sighed, his frustration evident. “It dropped off somewhere down the road. One of the downsides of having a bulletproof vehicle. But I did sent it over to your team to check the details of the indent. It matches with yours.”

“So that confirms it,” Kim said, getting off of his hunches. “They must have used the same gun. So it must be the same person.”

“I thought as much,” P’First ran a hand through his long, dark hair. “But it’s good to be sure, anyway.” They made their way out of the garage, discussing plans and possible strategies to catch whoever was behind both attacks, but they couldn’t come up with a foolproof idea just yet. “We should just meet again and come up with plans when we’ve got clearer heads. I know you’ve got a feast to get to at home, so I won’t keep you long for now.”

Kim narrowed his eyes at P’First, but he simply shrugged. Kim sighed. He should’ve known that if he had found out about the attack on their car and the warehouse, then this news wasn’t as surprising at all.

“What?” P’First raised his eyebrows. “Are you waiting for congratulations? We’re not that close.”

Kim couldn’t help but laugh. “I wasn’t hoping for one either. Then I won’t thank you either.”

“Wasn’t expecting you to.” They both walked to the front of the garage where Kim’s car was parked. “Drive back carefully.”

Kim nodded. “Alright,” he said. “In the meantime, I hope there will be another attack of some kind so we can chase the assailant this time instead of letting them go and disappear.”

P’First laughed. “That’s the first I’ve ever wanted to be attacked,” he joked. “Guess there truly is a first for everything.”

Kim didn’t linger long and immediately headed back home. He hadn’t gotten the chance to talk to Kit earlier due to the swiftness of the situation, and having to leave as soon as he got P’First’s text. But now, wanted to go home and talk to him as soon as possible. Even though it was a joyous occasion, he knew the complexities of the situation, and hoped that Kit understood them too.

But even as he arrived home, he didn’t get to do so, either. Because when he approached Aawut and asked for Kit’s whereabouts, the man only shook his head and said, “I looked for him earlier before you arrived and found his room empty. Perhaps his sister knows where he went.”

“Right,” he said, a sense of dread settling in the pit of his stomach. “Thank you.”

He was disappointed that he didn’t get to find Kit when he arrived, and he felt horrible for not checking up on him earlier before he dashed off to meet P’First. He should’ve done that; he should’ve at least gone up to his room to ask how he was doing and how his exams went.

Deciding that he could wallow in self-pity later, he went to find Kanya; she was resting in her room and woke when Kim came in. “Sorry to disturb your rest,” he said apologetically, knowing that gentleness was the way to handle a pregnant person. “But do you, by any chance, know where Kit is?”

“It’s alright,” Kaya yawned, getting up from the bed as she stretched her limbs. “I was just about to head out anyway; I was just waiting since N’Som said she would call me when dinner was ready.” She gestured for Kim to move aside as she stepped out of her room. “But I guess we can both go now.”

Kim obliged, still waiting for her answer. He followed her when she started to walk toward the stairs.

“As for Kit….” she finally continued. “Isn't he in his room?”

Kim paused. “No, Aawut checked on his a little while ago and he wasn’t there.” Kim couldn’t help that gnawing feeling in his stomach. “He thought Kit was with you.”

“No…he left a long time ago…” A troubled look crossed her face, and Kim wondered if something awful had happened since she seemed to hesitate telling him. “I think…he went out with his friends to celebrate the end of their final exams.”

She stopped walking before she could start climbing down, leaning by the banister. The concerned look on her face didn’t disappear. And Kim’s worry kept on growing. “Kaya…did something happen?”

“Nothing happened, Kim,” she reassured him, but it felt flat. “It’s just that…he assured me that he was feeling alright, but for some reason, I can’t help but think that something was wrong, because he had been looking quite pale and weary all day.”

That got Kim angry. “Isn’t it common sense that if you noticed your brother wasn’t feeling well, you’d let him stay home to recover?” he questioned. “Why did you let him leave?”

Kanya frowned at his obvious display of agitation. “Well, I figured that if he was feeling down, it’s nothing a night out with his friends couldn’t fix,” she argued. “And I should remind you that my brother is not a child, Kim, that I can just order him to sit in his room all day. Kit is turning twenty-two very soon; he has the right to do wherever he wants and go wherever he wants to go, because he is a responsible adult.”

Kim hated that she was right. Still, he felt angry and frustrated at not having spoken to Kit first and letting the opportunity slip away. He knew that there was some truth to her words, but… there was this nagging feeling in his gut that told him he had to look for Kit.

So what if they were supposed to celebrate the confirmed pregnancy of his surrogate? He wouldn’t be happy if he didn’t have Kit by his side. After all, the child belonged to both of them, and as Kim’s future partner, Kit was going to be just as responsible for the child as he was.

“Dammit,” he muttered under his breath, and he turned on his heel to leave, leaving Kanya standing there in the hallway still with a frown on her face.

He rushed downstairs. He could faintly hear Kanya follow behind him but at a slower pace, but he was too anxious to look back and see that she was sent to the dinner table. He just wanted to hurry and make sure that Kit was safe.

After all, the culprit behind the shooting was still out there. Who knows what they would do if they knew Kim’s lover was out and about, undefended and unguarded?

Kim shuddered, thinking about the possibilities. Pleaselet him be safe.He had already been shot at once, even kidnapped by a maniac don, and Kim would move mountains and freeze hell over just to make sure that nothing like that ever happened to him again. Kit was his most precious lover, and he wasn’t ready to lose him at any cost.

But before he could even step into the foyer, a hand stopped him in his tracks.

Turning around so he could rebuke the person for stopping him, he found that it was none other than his older brother, Hia“Hia“And where are you rushing off to?” his older brother demanded. “We are about to celebrate the arrival of your child and your future with N’Kanya—why are you not at the table like the rest of us?”

“I don’t have time for this, Hia! It’s none of your business where I’m rushing off to!” Kim spat, and even before the last word spilled out of his mouth, P’Kla grabbed him by the collar and slapped him across the face.

And just like that, the party was over before it even began, the witnesses in the room falling still and silent at the sudden act of violence.