Joshua woke up with a yawn and a sore throat the next morning, his mind whirring like a machine on overdrive. The fact that he kept a backup ledger offered him a small flicker of hope, but it was a dim light in the overwhelming abyss. He knew damm well that Nang Long was no ordinary old fart he should mess with, afterall he played a game that spanned borders, decades, and levels of power Joshua could barely relate and comprehend to. And Elena… Elena had thrown him right into the middle of it.
But now, more than ever, his thoughts were consumed by her. She was still missing, unreachable. If she was in trouble, it wasn't just with Nang Long. He'd noticed how carefully she navigated the web of connections she had, the way she kept to herself. But expect the corruptions and the failing system in the country, the military police in Yangon—they were something else, a sheer evil force that use fear and terror upon anyone who oppose them.
The faint, rhythmic hum of traffic outside only intensified the chaotic cityscape outthere, there goes Elena, drifting through the crowd realized that she messed up. Joshua, still in his room, ran a hand over his face, feeling the beads of sweat still clinging to his skin from the sheer pressure of the responsibility and burden thrown to him yesterday's night. His phone sat on the table, silent and heavy. He wanted to reach out, to try calling her again, but something in his gut told him it wouldn't make a difference.
Just as he was about to stand, the phone vibrated. His heart leapt, fingers fumbling to pick it up.
A message. From Elena.
"Joshua, it's too late now, don't fuck up!"
His mind flurrying. What did she mean by too late? Before he could even think about responding, another message popped up, it's from a friend of Joshua..
"Joshua, there's a raid in your neighborhood. Military police. Stay put, don't get involved. I heard they caught an American spy or something."
Military police. His blood ran cold and panicking. Elena had always been cautious, careful not to step too far into their sights, but it seemed her luck had run out.
I need to think, he told himself. I need to be smart about this. But every instinct screamed at him to act, to do something.
As he stared at the messages, his mind raced through the possibilities. The military police weren't like Nang Long's men. They weren't motivated by keeping the law and order or personal ambition. They were methodical, state-controlled, power hungry, corrupt and relentless in their pursuit of those they deemed threats. Elena had crossed a line somewhere, and now, there was no escaping them.
The phone buzzed again, Another text. This time from an unknown number...
"Meet me at the market by the Shwe Dagon pagoda in one hour. Come alone."
No name. No further details. His hands trembled as he set the phone down. He couldn't be sure if it was a trap or if someone was genuinely trying to help. Either way, the clock was ticking. Joshua knew that if he didn't move now, Elena's situation could spiral out of control faster than he could handle, he knew he definitely don't want her getting tortured by them. He sat down on the cough muttering to himself" Fuck... what do I do now?"
He knew he had to do something about it, even though it's none of his concern, he stand up, picked up his jacket, stuffing the encrypted flash drive into one of the inner pockets, and bolted for the door. The streets of Yangon felt different tonight, it's quieter, with a tense undercurrent. The usual cacophony of sounds, the hum of car engines, the distant shouts of street vendors—seemed muted. Even the thick, warm air felt more oppressive than usual. The world was closing in on him, just as it had been doing since Nang Long's men first started tailing him.
By the time he reached at the pagoda, the market was winding down. Vendors were packing up their wares, and a few beggars lingered near the main road, but it was quieter now, almost eerie.He stepped out of the city bus, Joshua scanned the area, looking for whoever had sent the message. His pulse spiked as he noticed a figure standing near one of the stalls. They were wrapped in a long, hooded coat, standing unnaturally still amidst the chaotic flow of the market.
Joshua approached cautiously, his heart going 200miles an hour in his chest. As he neared, the figure turned to him, it was a woman, her face mostly obscured by the hood, but there was no mistaking the tension in her posture.
"Joshua is it?" she asked, her voice low but urgent.
He squinted his eyes and asked "Who are you?" narrowing his eyes.
The woman pulled the hood down slightly, revealing a face Joshua hadn't seen before. "A friend. Elena's in deep with the military police. They've taken her to a holding site on the outskirts of the city. She was trying to move the package, wasn't she? That ledger."....
"There's no time to explain. The police are watching the roads and her known associates. You're lucky Nang Long hasn't sold you out yet. But Elena? They think she knows more than she does."
Joshua swallowed hard, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "What do they want with her?" he's on the verge of a heart attack.
The woman glanced around, lowering her voice further. "The ledger, for one. But more than that, they want information. Names, contacts. Elena's been involved in moving more than just this package. She's been funneling information to the wrong people. The kind that puts her on their radar."
Joshua felt the blood drain from his face. He hadn't realized just how dangerous things had gotten.
"What do I do?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Stay the fuck out of it, it's beyond your concern or go be a man and get fucked." the woman said, her eyes hard. "If you go after her, you'll get caught too. The military won't stop until they have everything they want."
Joshua shook his head. "I can't just leave her."
"You might not have a choice. She's been moved to an off-the-books facility. High security. You can't get to her without help, and I'm not sure help is coming."
A cold pit formed in Joshua's stomach. The weight of the ledger was more than just paper now—it was Elena's life, and maybe his too.
"Go home," the woman urged. "Stay quiet. Keep your head down."
Joshua stood frozen, his mind racing. He knew he was in over his head, but one thing was clear: Elena was in danger, and the game they'd been playing was far from over.
As the woman disappeared into the shadows of the market, Joshua was left with a decision—risk everything to save Elena or walk away and protect himself from the nightmare he'd been thrown into.
In the distance, the lights of thae city flickered, and Joshua knew the storm was only in the making..