**
“C’mon China. You have to have found something?”
“Stop calling me Kung Fu Panda you cock sucker”.
“Fine, I will. When I’m in a good mood I’ll call you geek! Better?”
“No! You want my help you respect my name. Even though I’m South Korean I accept China because you Australians are so simple”.
Stone chuckled.
It wasn’t that simple; nicknames were given so real names weren’t used. It signified respect and ranking within the club. China knew this, he was just messing with Beetle.
“You want me to call you Dopey?”
“From the seven Dwarf’s. I’m not a dwarf you dingbat”, Beetle laughed.
“How about ‘forget me not’"?
“You shittin’ me, a fucking flower? I ain’t no pansy either”.
“Try remembering that when you call me China then. Now what was the number plate again?”
“I can’t remember?” Beetle answered honestly, scratching his unkempt beard while trying to think of what it was. “H something”.
“That’s right Dopey,” China said turning to face his computer again, typing away on his keyboard while ignoring Stone’s chuckling from behind.
“Not funny. That speed demon spat dirt and stones in my face”, Beetle muttered. “Lucky I got even a partial plate”.
“Well fuck me”, said China.
“Nope! Sonya won’t be impressed”, Frost added walking in, remembering the last time they all had a private meeting together.
Mallie had been abducted by the psycho who had raped her a while back. Stone had been deadly that day, eerily calm Frost recalled, looking over at his President with pride.
“This. This has to be a mistake”, China said breaking Frost’s chain of thought, Beetle walking over to stand behind him.
“Remember our tradesmen, the electricians, chippies, painters blah blah. Seems your escapee is related”.
What? Who? What the fuck!“, said Beetle leaning in closer.
“The guy who installed our fixtures, the modem, circuit breakers, all the lighting”, China added stringing it along.
If Beetle was going to be a dick about his name, China was going to make the guy sweat a little.
“The one who worked like a slave putting in twelve hour days ’cos he had so much to do. Did it without complaining, remember?” asked Frost coming over as well. “Short cunt, old guy!”
“I remember, what was his name again?” asked Beetle, forgetting!
“Bob. Bobby to his co-workers. Real nice guy”, Frost said waiting for China to explain himself. “Why are we talking about him for?”
“ATH-039 ring a bell Beetle? That’s the number plate for a black Kawasaki Ninja ZX - 10R 2016 model motorbike that was parked in our lot last night”.
“Fucking ace! But what’s Bob got to do with all this?” he asked running both of hands through his long hair.
Bob Tallinger has a daughter who owns a black Kawasaki Ninja ZX ...”
“Shares the same address, right?” asked Stone sipping his coffee.
“Fuck me?” Beetle sighed.
Frost just looked at Stone and raised his eyebrows in question. First China and now Stone. Yeah right!
China turned around in his seat and looked up at the tall streak of pelican shit.
“What’s her name?” asked Beetle feeling the blood running through his veins at this new piece of information.
“She lives three and half hours away”.
Yeah! What’s her name?” he asked again.
“Old man good with electrics, is he? Do a good job?” asked China, looking innocent.
“What’s her name cunt?”
“What’s her name China?” China corrected.
“What’s.her.name.China?” Beetle asked through clenched teeth.
“Kamryn Tallinger oh wise one”.
“Smart arse”, said Stone chuckling.
“That’s a boy’s name”, said Frost knowing it would rile Beetle.
“Fuck off cunt. Kam, Kamryn”, he said trying it out over and over. “What’s her address?”
“Stone?” asked China out of respect.
Stone nodded his head and then left the room; he had a gold Chevvy Impala he needed to work on and a woman he wanted calling his name!
“Lives over near Stillwell, that’s all I’ve got. Bob must either work from home or have a place near-by. That bike is registered to Bob's home address Bee-tle”, China said emphasising his name.
“Frost you and me got on alright with the old guy didn’t we? Think we should pay him a personal visit and thank him for his good work?”
Frost gave beetle a shit eating smile before he answered.
“What if she runs?”
“This time she can’t ride and hide”.
**
Kamryn had slept late, by the time she had woken, it was past midday. Her right eyes felt really sore and her body ached down the right side.
The high thrust kick and round house must have jarred something last night, her training against inanimate objects or crash dummies were obviously not as solid as the real thing.
Not that she hadn't fought before but they weren't grown men, just boys.
“Both were dummies”, Kam whined as she kicked her bedding off her body. Groaning before stretching she swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat up, lifting her arms above her head and stretching again.
Maybe it was the long ride home or the desperate need to sprint one hundred meters that had Kam’s muscles protesting. Either way she was sore and couldn't see out of her eye properly.
“Muuuuuum!” Kam screeched as loud as she could.
“Dừng phàn nàn” (Stop complaining)
“My eye. It hurts!”
Mai came into Kamryn’s room without knocking, an apron tied around her slender waist, a hand towel held in one hand.
“Bạn đã làm gì?” (What have you done?) Mai came closer and leant over, poking and prodding Kam’s eye without any tenderness.
“You take off without a word and come home all hours of the morning. Bad child. You need a doctor. Your eye is infected Kamryn Huyen. You are a bad child”, Mai scoffed hitting her daughter with the hand towel softly.
“Rửa. Thay quần áo. (Wash. Change clothes) Then your father and I can take you to the hospital. Cô gái ngốc nghếch (Silly girl)".
“Okay mum. I’m sorry. I think I got a bug in my eye riding my bike”, Kam said standing with difficulty.
“Bạn không đánh lừa tôi (You don’t fool me) You have been fighting, all your muscles are tender”, Mai said poking Kamryn in the side of her ribs.
“Ouch! Muuum!” Kam complained, rubbing at the sore spot her mother had just chosen to point out.
“Quickly, quickly shower. Your eyes are vital. I will have food ready downstairs then we leave”.
With that Mai left as quickly as she had entered, silently.
Showering and changing into some fresh clothes Kam entered the kitchen to join her mother. Her right eye feeling a little better but looking so much worse.
“Ah Kam! Bạn đã làm gì? (What did you do?) It looks terrible on your face. All red and puffy”, Mai chastised again, now poking Kamryn in her leg.
“Ouch! Mum, stop. I did nothing. Just rode my bike”.
“Liar. You will cause me grief. Now eat. Dad is not home so I shall have to take you. Bad child”, Mai said placing some food in front of Kam without her usual kindness. She knew Kamryn had definitely used her martial arts last night.
“I want dad to take me, you’re being mean”, Kamryn said trying to sook.
Her mum was too direct, a no-nonsense kind of woman. There was no point trying to gain brownie points or to expect any kind of sympathy, that was her dad’s role. Mai was just downright brutal.
“You don’t listen then you reap what you sow, nhóc!" (brat!)
**
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