Chapter 396 - Do It Now

The sight of their mother kneeling and at gunpoint sent a lightning bolt through them. Before they could feel anything else, the man standing behind their mother pressed the gun to the back of their mother's head. "Stop," he said.

They all know what it already meant. They all tossed their guns away and put their hands upwards. "This is poor thinking," commented Wuming. "I mean, come on, Chen, we should've come here via helicopter."

Qing Chen's annoyance reached another level. "Well, I'm sorry I didn't have enough time to think about this because I didn't think…" his stare got harder at his beat mother. "That our mother would do something stupid like this again. My mistake."

"Will stop it?! She's at gunpoint and you two are bickering," said Qing Lok venomously through clenched teeth.

"Brothers…" said the man behind their mother. The only one who could be Checks. The man that they had been looking for. "It must've been nice having siblings, huh? You all stick together. Tell me, would you miss your mother when she's dead? I don't think so. I mean, she had been dead to you boys for the last few years."

"You're right. We won't miss her," said Qing Chen.

"So it'd be fine if I kill her now, then?"

Qing Chen put down his hands and gestured their way. "Have fun with it. I couldn't care less."

"Ah," said Checks like a realization had come to him. "You hate your mother, didn't you? You were closest to her and she just left you."

"No, I don't have mommy issues like that," Qing Chen's eyebrows furrowed. "Maybe it's you who does. What was it that happened in your household that made you leave… Benjamin Williams?"

The smirk was wiped off in an instant from Checks' face. 

"Your family had been doing well when you were younger. You could be considered rich during that time. But… your father was a drunk. Your mother was an addict and…" Qing Chen thought about words that would push Checks but not over the edge that he would pull the trigger. "…your mother… she liked you too much, didn't she?"

Even in the dark, he could see that the entirety of Checks posture had gone rigid. "How did you know about that?"

"I didn't. Not until this morning. You're not that untraceable. Paper trail is everywhere." 

It was a gamble. Qing Chen did not really know if he was Benjamin Williams. But that was the only name that they could find when they were scouring the missing persons list from the past.

"You're straying off topic, boy," said Checks.

"You're the one who was talking about mommy issues, Benjamin. Good for you though, that you left because you didn't like the situation that you were in."

The gun clicked and Qing Chen's attention shifted to his slumping mother. She was barely recognizable with the way her face swelled. One of her eyes were shut and a corner of her lips was bleeding.

He didn't want to feel it, but Qing Chen felt a pang in his chest seeing her like that.

It's because she's stupid, said his mind. She deserved it. 

He didn't think he would be able to forgive his mother this time. He had not even forgiven her for her disappearance. But this was just too much.

"What? Are you going to kill her?" Qing Chen asked. "I feel cold and I have a wife to get home to. If you're going to kill her do it now."

"Chen," warned Wuming.

"Tsk," said he. "I've had enough of this, Wuming. I have far more important matters to attend to. I don't even think that he's going to kill our mother."

Wuming turned his face slightly to Qing Chen but never his eyes off the man, questioning. He was thinking… if they could distract him enough, he would be able to get one of his knives and throw it. Even if he missed, the man would've let go of their mother and he could take another shot. That one, would surely hit home.

"He wants her for himself," said Qing Chen. "Don't you, Benjamin? She had been the closest thing to a family that you ever have since you left home. You liked that she had been chasing you all this years. Because you knew that she was there."

"Romantic?" asked Qing Lok.

"No, I don't think so. I think dear Benjamin is just lonely. Just the mere thought of mother following him kept him happy enough. Even though she had been following him just to kill him."

"I knew she would not be able to kill me," said Checks. "And stop calling me Benjamin. That person is dead."

"Sure… Benjamin." Qing Chen scratched at his ear. "I'm getting impatient. I'm going to leave. You two can stay if you want to watch. I'm done with this."

Qing Chen turned to both of them immediately dove for their guns but when they finally straightened uP leave and as expected, Qing Lok tried to stop him—bringing Checks' attention to them—and that was all Wuming needed, a split second.

Wuming's hand was a blur in the night and the next time Checks' blinked, a knife gleaming under the moonlight was making its way to him.

Checks' finger tightened on the trigger but the because he moved his body to the side, it tilted and when he squeezed, the shot missed. Hitting Christina on the leg instead.

Checks rolled to the side as another knife soared through the air. He cursed inside his head. He had just lost his hostage.

For a short moment of time, he had been feeling exhilarated. He didn't think he would be really willing to kill Christina. It was a sort of epiphany for him that he had been willing to shoot her in a life and death situation.

In the end, he was going to choose himself. Now, he had no problems ending her.

For real.