Chapter 52 - just injured... a little

"I don't want to get high." not turning his head, he mildly increased his voice to make his words audible for them to hear. Indeed, the building that was burning was apparently a manufacturing of drugs thus, they retreated to the borderline separating the two island.

They reached the borderline faster than expected. The crowd was already gathered with indistinct conversations about the situation. There, not far from them lies the retrieve bodies of numerous people. Seeing the disturbing bloody dead bodies they are momentarily stunned.

"Where are they?!" the one to first realize the situation was Ace who immediately inquired about Seraphina and Riggs.

"Sir," One of the men with a huge scar covering half of his face approached elder Hong with a slight bow then turned his attention to Ace.

"They are being treated right now." pointing a tent not far from them with his hypertrophic scarred chin, he responded. Ace immediately dashed his way to the specified tent but before he could reach its entrance, he was welcomed by a bunch of people exiting the tent in a hurried manner. The last one to come out was Riggs, who had a small bandaged in the corner of his forehead.

Seeing the sight of Ace, Riggs halted in the tent's entrance then raised his hands c_h_e_s_t level revealing his meticulously wrapped elastic bandage on his left wrist — blocking him.

"Woah woah," he uttered in his usual offbeat tone.

"How was she?" giving a quick glance at his Riggs' wrist, he inquired.

"She's fine, just injured… a little." not a change in his tune, he lied.

Ace briefly stared at him, before he let out a subtle sigh.

"You don't have to lie. Is she dead?" he uttered emotionlessly. Though Riggs was a top-notch bluff, spending these years with him —his instinct tells him otherwise. Though there's no need to deceive him and even if her situation is dire as to what he expected, it was still rather unusual for him to lie.

"What?! NO!" he hastily retorted.

"How's her condition?" Not noticing Alexander Han behind them, his enchanting voice reached their ears. Turning his attention to the unfamiliar dashing looking man behind Ace, Riggs slightly tilted his head, puzzled. Diverting Ace's attention he asked,

"Who is he?"

"That, I don't know." he honestly answered. Though they've been together in a team for an hour or so, knowing the pretty man's identity was the least of his concerns.

"He is the sole owner of Isla de Paz —a neighboring island." Elder Hong's responded instead, whilst taking slow strides towards them. Riggs felt more confused about the brief explanation.

Stopping beside Alexander Han, his elderly face stared both men in front of the tent's entrance.

"Excuse us," asking them to step aside, Ace obediently made way while Riggs, on the other hand, remained adamant to block the entrance which made their brows furrowed in his skepticism.

"Mr —"

"She's being treated —you can't." interrupting the old man's demand, he rejected it as if he has every right to turn down their request.

"If her condition is as critical as I think it is, Isla de Paz has a more on edge facility for her to get treated." Alexander Han explained. Though his patience is also running thin, he knows he does not have the right to lose it, especially in their current situation.

"How would I know you're not one of them? You owned an island near a mob territory." his baseless accusations struck and made a few points justifying to where he is coming from.

Indeed, how can they trust them that easily not to mention that the victim can be a witness to this island's dark secret. Ace turned his gaze towards Alexander Han who's not one bit had a change of expression.

"I am not." after making an intent eye contact with Riggs, he defended.

"Convincing." the sarcasm of Riggs' voice was unreserved as if mocking how convincing the dashing man's words.

"Young man, I think you've forgotten that you're in no position to delay our duties." the tension around became throttling as each and every one of their patience are on edge adding to it as elder Hong spoke some hard facts.

"No, I think you people have forgotten that it's your negligence about letting outsiders steps foot in this island that gotten our young miss to this dire situation. And even if you go inside… can you treat her injuries?" speaking the harsh truths, he emitted an intimidating aura as if a dignified loyal knight protecting his injured king.

They were rendered speechless by his logical and coherent reasonings as they can't actually do anything for her rather than see what she was doing.

Riggs was abruptly pushed from behind as one of the few medical staff exited the tent. The man was momentarily stunned at the people standing outside the tent but immediately snapped back as his task is urgent. Seeing the familiar elder Hong, he immediately speak his concerns without any further delay.

"Young master, elder Hong, we need to transfer her back to Isla de Paz since she lost too much blood and she needed an immediate proper treatment for her injuries." not taking a breath, he finished his initial task in an urgent manner hinting them how important and critical the condition of the patient.

Nodding at Doctor Ma's apprentice, elder Hong reached for the walkie talkie from beneath his coat then ordered his trusted men to arranged and ready their fastest transportation vehicle they needed to the nearest shore from their location.

Staring at the stubborn man, elder Hong is about to speak but before his words slipped from his mouth, he stepped aside.

"You may but you can't." referring to Alexander Han beside him, he continued.

"She might be n_a_k_e_d now." keeping his poker face, his blunt words made Ace cough.

'Is that's his concerns all this time?' coughing —Ace thought. When Elder Hong entered the acting field hospital. Riggs tap Ace's shoulder then muttered,

"we can't go with her." Ace gave him an inquiring look as his brow arc.

"Why not?"

"Don't forget our bet." with a meaningful smirk on his lips, he started to make strides away from the tent. Passing at Alexander Han, he invited.

"You too, come with me." Subconsciously, he turned his head to the stubborn man. Though he does not understand why and where are they heading, he mindlessly followed suit behind the two men.

"Hey! This is not the right time --"

"It is the perfect time. Lend me a hand… we still have a shipment to interrupt." A devious large grin that Alexander and Ace failed to notice formed on Riggs thin velvet lips.