Mialing

by Arecee

 

Mark and Mialing took the tour to the airport high atop Catalina Island, with Mialing clinging to Mark at every tight turn in the road. She would look over the edge of the road and the height of the cliffs made her dig her nails into Mark's arm, as fear overtook her.

"Mark, we shouldn't have come on this tour, this road really frightens me," Mialing said, with fear in her voice.

"These drivers are on this road everyday, and besides, you're safe with me here," Mark responded.

"I suppose your going to hold the bus up when we go off the road?"

"If you were in it I would, I would do anything to protect you Mialing, anything."

The couple reached the summit and disembarked for some refreshment. After the ride Mialing felt close toward Mark again, she felt safe with him and liked the way he had made her feel secure when she was most scared on the bus ride. This time with Mark was awakening old feelings she had wanted to bury and she was becoming confused with her new attraction to Mark, maybe she still really loved Mark and trying to distance herself from him was only hurting herself. She knew he had feelings toward her and he wasn't afraid to show it, so maybe if she were to open up a little she would find where her heart really was, with Mark, or with Laurence.

Mark and Mialing walked around the exhibit in the airport building and went to buy some trinkets as a remembrance of the trip. Soon they were walking hand in hand and looking at the scenery around the area. Mialing, for some unexplained reason kissed Mark on the cheek.

"What was that for?" asked Mark as he looked at Mialing.

"I don't know, I just wanted to give you a kiss, I've missed you Mark," she responded.

"I've missed you too, we used to have so much fun together," said Mark.

"Among other things," giggled Mialing. Mialing was feeling frisky and wanted what was happening to go a little farther, she wanted a real kiss from Mark.

Mark couldn't believe his good luck when Mialing had kissed his cheek with her soft full lips, maybe this might work out he thought. Mark had noticed a change in Mialing since they had arrived at the airport, she seemed to be more receptive of him, perhaps she was lowering her guard a little. Mark decided he would kiss her back so he took her into his arms and lowered his lips to hers and felt the magic as they touched. Mialing wanted this kiss and now she remembered why, she was still in love with Mark. The touch of his lips was awakening memories she had tried to bury and would have succeeded if it were not for this kiss, Mialing was surrendering to her long lost love. The couple broke the kiss with a sigh. Mialing held Mark tight and laid her head against his chest, now it was her turn to be in conflict, she loved Mark but Laurence was good to her and she knew he loved her but could she love him in return, only time would tell.

Mialing lifted her head and said, "Mark, we really need to talk. If this is to go anywhere I need to know where I stand with you."

"You know how I feel about you, I never lost that even when I married Sally I loved you, I was such a fool to do what I did."

"Mark, you tell me that you love me but you told me that before and then left me, what am I to think this time?"

"Mialing, please trust me, I love you and will do anything to prove that I do."

"I still love you Mark, maybe because you were my first real love, I don't know, I'm so confused right now."

"Please lets work on this relationship, you'll see that I've changed, I love you."

"Mark, come sit with me, there's something I want to tell you and maybe you will understand why I'm so afraid to start this relationship all over again."

Mialing led Mark to a bench and the couple sat looking at each other.

"Mark, when I first met you I still hadn't come to terms with who I was. I was an angry bitter person on the inside of my body. I wasn't the Mialing I projected, but a very angry Tommy trapped as a woman. I couldn't let go of the past, I felt if I was angry I would change back to what I was, the woman would go away. It's much the same as a person with a slow disease, like MS. As the sickness takes over your body you do anything to fight it back including anger, thinking if you stay mad it will go away but it doesn't. I thought the same way, if I stayed angry I would become a man again so for years I fought who I really was, until I met you. At first I was intrigued with you because you had known Tommy, but as our relationship moved forward I began to like you as a man and I started to have feelings I had never had before. I was feeling an attraction to you as a woman for a man and not as two buddies having a good time. You were helping me break down barriers that prevented me from living a full life as the person I really was. When you played that trick on me at the canyon and I thought I had lost you, it was as though I was losing myself too, I was finding my femininity with you and you were taking it away when you pretended to fall. When you came up smiling, I didn't know if I should hit you or laugh at what you had done, and that's why I was so upset. You had no idea of the conflicts that were going through my mind, I was finally ridding myself of Tommy and becoming Mialing inside as well as out and when you took me that night I finally felt free, I had become a woman at last. Tommy, the bastard was gone, I had finally rid myself of him and I was free, I had accepted who I was, a woman, not a man in a woman's body, but a woman, free to be myself."

"When you left to go back to work I found new friends at work and we would do things I was always afraid to do before. I didn't want to wear feminine clothes or go dancing, especially interacting with men, but after you left, I was a woman and I needed to do those things. During the past year, I was angry with you for what you did when you left me, but it didn't stop me from being a woman and for that I thank you and I'm sure that now you see a different Mialing in front of you. When you left, I was a scared little girl who had just gone through her puberty and you had deflowered, but now, I'm a woman and I'm proud of being one. I love you Mark, I won't deny that I do but I won't throw my femininity away just to be with any man, that man has to prove that he is worthy to have me. You see Mark, I have changed, I have a lot to offer and any man will be proud to have me when I do become their wife. Now it's you that has to prove to me that I should want you more than any other man I should meet."

"Wow, all that to tell me you still love me?"

"Mark, I do love you, and if I was still the same silly girl we would be in bed right now, but I'm not so I hope you think about what I just told you. The man that gets me is going to be one lucky guy, I might not have been born as a woman but I'm more of a woman now than most real women are and best of all I feel good about myself, in fact I feel wonderful, like the luckiest woman in the world."

"Mialing, I'm going to do anything I can to prove to you that I love you, now may I have another kiss?"

"I thought you would never ask," Mialing answered as they touched lips once more.

After that day Mark and Mialing were inseparable. Mialing would work her shift at the tables and then they would spend their time with each other. The only thing Mialing wouldn't allow was for Mark to spend the night with her, she wasn't going to be so easy this time. It wasn't as though Mark didn't try with her, he practically begged her to go to bed with him, but Mialing held her ground, she wasn't going to let his thing influence her feelings toward him. This relationship would be built on love and not lust, although there were times when they were holding and caressing each other that she was sorely tempted to ravage him, but she held strong. When Mialing did finally give herself to Mark he would never want to leave her again.

 

The ship returned to port and the cruise was over. Mark and Mialing had a lot to think about. Mialing had two men that wanted her and Mark was trying to prove his worthiness to Mialing. Mark had to return to work in San Francisco and Mialing lived in Los Angeles now, which might create a problem for Mark, he would have to ask for a transfer to be near his love.

"Mark, I had a wonderful time with you these last few days, I hope we will continue what we have renewed on this trip."

"I promise that I will call you everyday, I'll never leave you again," promised Mark.

"I want you to do that but I have some things to work out, I love you Mark, please remember that if you decide to stray again," said Mialing.

"I'll never do that again, I love you Mialing."

Mark kissed Mialing goodbye and they held each other for what seemed like hours and then finally parted. Mark had a plane to catch back to the city and Mialing had something she had to work out with Laurence.

Laurence in the mean time had been working on things other than his feelings toward Mialing. Laurence was a player and just because Mialing was working the cruise didn't mean that he couldn't spend some time with some hottie he might pickup in a club somewhere, which is what he did. His work schedule had become a bit more seedy with the Tongs and they were putting pressure on Laurence to increase his time with them and his involvement with harder crime.

"Laurence, this is Wilson, we have a problem, two of the illegal people from Hong Kong died in the container in the last shipment. If they find out it was us, they will try us for murder. Is there anyone that knows what we are doing?"

"I can't think of anyone, why do you ask?"

"Because anyone that knows what we do will have to be killed. What about that little piece of fluff I see on your arm all the time?"

"Do you mean Mialing, she doesn't know anything and besides she wouldn't know the first thing about this kind of life."

"Don't be too sure Laurence, don't let your guard down for a minute, trust no one, not even me. We dumped the bodies where they won't be found but as it is we might still be in trouble. Luckily your business is legitimate and I doubt the feds are on to us but I still worry about your girl friend, there's something about her that makes me uneasy."

"It's probably because she's so beautiful, she makes most guys feel that way."

"I don't know just be careful."

 

Mark returned to work and as luck would have it, was asked to report to the LA office because they were over extended on a drug operation and they needed help. Mark could hardy contain himself, now it would be a level playing field between him and Laurence for Mialing's hand.

Mark reported for work the next day and was at a desk job pushing paper for the FBI. He hated jobs like this, doing the shit work for someone else while they were in the field working undercover. Even though it was dangerous he missed the action and knew he had to return to doing what he did best, infiltrate criminal operations.

He had worked for half of the day when he called Mialing. Mialing was back on a cruise as they only laid over for several hours before they left port again so he left a message on her answering machine.

"Mialing, this is Mark. I'm working down here in LA and I'll be here for a while, so please call me when you return, I want to see you, I love you," Mark said as he hung up the phone.

Mialing returned home from her second cruise in a week. She was exhausted and wanted to rest. She saw the blinking light on her answering machine and pushed the button to listen to her messages. Most were from her friends and then she heard Mark's message. Her heart jumped into her throat she became so excited. Mialing called the number he had left for her.

The phone rang twice before it was picked up, "Agent Conrad, may I help you?"

Mark had left his work number, not wanting to miss Mialing's call.

"Mark, hi, it's Mialing. I just got back from the cruise and heard you message, when did you come down here?"

"Just a couple of days ago, when can I see you?"

"I'm in port for a week until I have to go back to work, I promised Laurence I would see him tonight but after that I have no plans, what do you have in mind?"

"How's dinner sound, does tomorrow night work for you?"

"It's a date, let me give you my phone number and address. You can reach me at 714 555 2487 and I'm living in Newport Beach now and the address is 17 Overlook Drive, apartment 302, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye Mialing," Mark said as hung up the phone.

Mialing prepared for her date with Laurence. It had been two weeks since she had been home and the thought of a real bath was making her giddy. She turned on the water and added bubble solution to the tub, might as well go all the way, she thought to herself. The tub filled while Mialing removed her clothes. She turned off the water and stepped into the steaming liquid and lowered herself carefully so as to enjoy every caressing touch of the bubbly water.

"Ahh," she said as her body relaxed.

Now I know what I miss about being on land, the little things like taking a bath in a tub large enough to stretch out in, and water hot enough to enjoy, she thought as she almost fell asleep. Her eyes were drooping as the relaxation enveloped her, Mialing was beat and kind of hated the idea of seeing Laurence, she wanted to rest but a promise is a promise so she gave in to her date. She was startled from her semi-doze when the phone rang. Mialing had brought the cordless receiver with her into the bathroom so she wouldn't miss any calls, it was Laurence calling.

"Hi honey, are you ready for a nice dinner?" he asked.

"Hi Laurence, I'm in the tub, where are we going for dinner?"

"There's a new restaurant a few miles from where you live and it's had great reviews, I thought we might try it, what do you think?"

"It sounds good to me, where are you?"

"I'm still at work, I'll leave in a half of an hour. I hope the traffic won't be too bad but even with out any accidents it's going to take an hour and a half to get there."

"Good, that will give me time to get ready, see you when you get here," Mialing said as she put the phone down.

Laurence had one more call to make before he left his office.

"Hello," the voice said on the other end.

"Richard, it's Laurence, we have to talk. I'm getting worried about what we have been doing and I either want more money or you can find someone else to do your job for you. I don't like that two stowaways died on the last delivery and if we're caught we'll be sent away for a very long time."

"Laurence, calm down, nothing's going to happen, we dumped the bodies where they will never be found. I don't like that they died either because now they won't be able to work off their debt to us, its like flushing fifty thousand dollars down the drain. I'll talk to my boss in Hong Kong and see what he says."

Richard was Richard Wong, the head person in Los Angeles for the Tong. Richard had worked his way up from delivery boy to enforcer and then to hit man. He became the boss when he killed the head of the Tong before him. His previous boss was thought to have stolen thousands of dollars to feed a drug habit so Richard shot him and buried him in the desert between LA and Las Vegas. Richard was becoming concerned with Laurence because Laurence was baulking at some of the chores he was being asked to do. Laurence didn't mind using his company to smuggle drugs and human beings but now the gang wanted him to become involved in some of the physical abuse being done to deadbeats. Laurence felt that was below his station in life, after all Stanford graduates don't do those things. Richard called his boss in Hong Kong. He needed to see if they could find a solution to the Laurence problem. He knew that they wouldn't pay Laurence anymore money, after all they already paid him more than any other smuggler before him and if he thought he should receive more money then maybe they would find another smuggler.

The phone rang and a voice answered, "Hello," it was David Chang. David was the younger brother of Winston Chang and had been involved in the family business all his life. When Winston was eliminated David worked his way into his brother's old position. David was even more ruthless than Winston had ever been. He thought nothing of killing anyone that crossed his path and his lieutenants knew better than to question his orders.

"David, its Richard Wong. I have some disturbing news for you. Laurence wants more money to move our merchandise through his company and he seems to have a problem taking orders from us, what should we do with him?"

"Richard, I've been expecting Laurence to give us trouble so I found another shipper to deliver goods for us. Their main office is here in Hong Kong and I know the head of the company very well. I did a favor for him once and he owes me big time. I told him what we were doing and he agreed to handle all our shipments from now on. Actually he agreed after I showed him pictures if his wife and son and explained to him that if he didn't do as asked they would disappear. Since our problem is solved, I think the prudent solution would be to eliminate Laurence since he knows too much about our operation."

"I'll take care of it, what about his girl friend, I don't know what he might have told her but I've always had a suspicion about her, I don't trust her."

"Kill her then too, I don't like loose ends."

"We'll do it as soon as I can get the two of them together."

"The sooner the better, see you Richard." David said as the phone went dead.

What Richard didn't know was that the FBI had tapped his phone and heard everything that was said. They knew Richard was the headman in LA and that Laurence was smuggling goods for the Tong and this conversation just about sealed their investigation that had been ongoing since Tommy first led them to the Tongs. All they needed was a little more time to tie San Francisco to this gang and then they would be taken down. Infiltrating the gang had been impossible and finding the right people to wire tap had taken years but now, finally their work was about to pay off.

 

Mialing pulled herself from the tub but not until she had given her hands and feet a prune effect from being in the water for too long. Mialing didn't care that her hands looked like hell, it felt so good just relaxing and she knew that the wrinkles would soon disappear. Mialing dried herself off and started to dry her hair. She hated that it took so long to dry and had thought of having it cut to a sensible length but would always change her mind, knowing it would take years to grow back and then she decided that she really did like brushing her hair until it shown in the light. Mialing wondered what she should wear for her date with Laurence. She would have worn something that begged for him to seduce her but now that Mark was back she didn't feel that way tonight, she was conflicted so she dressed casual dressy, a nice sun dress that was a little sexy but not overly so and a pair of flat sandals, she wanted to be comfortable. She applied her makeup and waited for Laurence to arrive.

Laurence rang her doorbell and Mialing buzzed him in.

"You look very nice," Laurence said. It was hard to see the disappointment in his eyes as he surveyed his date, he was expecting something more revealing on Mialing, after all she had been gone for two weeks and had expected her to be all over him when he came to the door.

"Thank you, let's go, I'm starving," Mialing said as she kissed him on the cheek.

The couple drove to the restaurant and caught up on what they had been doing the previous weeks. Mialing didn't mention Mark since she knew Laurence was a jealous man and felt no need to tease him.

"Mialing, I got tickets to a concert at the Scottish Rite Temple Friday night, would you like to go?"

"Of coarse, what should I wear?"

"Something nice, I'm wearing a suit."

"I have just the dress in mind, what time does it start?"

"At eight, maybe we can have dinner after the concert?"

"That sounds good. I'm a little tired tonight, would you mind if we made it an early evening?"

"I don't mind, I'm a little bushed myself, I'll get the check."

Laurence drove Mialing back to her apartment and walked her to the door, hoping that he would get lucky tonight, but it wasn't to be, Mialing had someone else on her mind and didn't feel like going to bed with Laurence.

"Thank you for a wonderful dinner Laurence," said Mialing as she kissed him on the lips.

"Your welcome," said Laurence as he kissed her back with more intensity. Laurence was putting his all into the kiss hoping that Mialing would respond to it and invite him into her home.

Mialing just didn't want this right now so she broke the kiss and said goodnight.

"Are you okay?" asked Laurence.

"I'm fine, I just feel a little tired tonight and just want to get some sleep. I promise to make up for it Friday night, okay?"

"Okay sweetheart, I can wait," Laurence said with a smile on his lips.

Mialing undressed and went to bed and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning she awoke when her phone rang, it was after ten AM.

"Good morning Mialing, it's Mark."

"Mmm, good morning Mark, you woke me," said Mialing in that sultry I just woke up voice.

Mark was amazed that Mialing's voice still made him want to drop everything to be with her, she really was an amazing woman.

"I'm sorry, I thought you would be up."

"I usually am but I was so tired from the trip that I slept later than usual, are we still on for tonight?"

"Yes, I just wanted to make sure you didn't have other plans. What time would you like to get together?"

"When ever you would like, I'm off of work, remember."

"How does seven sound?"

"Great, but remember, it takes at least two hours to get here at that time of night, do you know where you want to go for dinner?"

"I don't have a clue, I'll leave it up to you."

"I'll think of something, probably casual, I don't feel like dressing up."

"Okay see you later."

Mialing cleaned her apartment and then decided to go shopping for something nice for Mark. She might go casual, but it was going to be sexy, she really wanted to impress Mark as to what he had been missing this last year or so. Mialing found a denim skirt and a white off the shoulder blouse that exposed her midriff. Mialing's taste in clothing had gone from boring when she first met Mark to hot, as she liked to dress these days. Mialing liked the attention she received from men and reveled in her femininity, she had really become a girly, girl.

Mialing's legs were tan from the cruise so she decided not to wear hose, it was hot in Southern California and there was no need to be uncomfortable. She donned her new clothing and looked at herself in the mirror, my, my, Mialing, she thought, you've come a long way from how you once were. Mialing as wearing four-inch wedge sandals and her tanned legs were exposed all the way to mid-thigh. Her skirt hugged her perfect hips and was low cut exposing her tummy up to just below her breasts. Her top was cut low enough to let Mark see that her breasts were still perfect and then it went up to her shoulders and barely covered anything more than the barest of skin. Her makeup was light but made her eyes stand out. She pulled her hair over one shoulder and smiled, Mark, you're one lucky guy, she thought.

Mark arrived and Mialing buzzed him in. She opened the door and almost giggled when she saw Mark's expression, he was blushing. She reached out and took Mark's hands and pulled him into her apartment.

"Hi," she said.

"Wow, hi," Mark was finally able to say.

"You look nice Mark, there's a nice restaurant down in Laguna Beach that I'd like to try if that's alright with you?"

"Mialing, when you opened the door, I thought I had just died and went to heaven, God your beautiful."

Now it was Mialing's turn to blush, Mark still had that effect on her and she liked that he was able to make her feel this way.

"Any restaurant would be fine as long as I'm with you," he continued.

"Let me get a wrap in case it gets cold."

Mialing grabbed her wrap and the couple was soon on their way to Laguna Beach. The traffic was still heavy so it took over an hour to arrive at their destination. They were soon seated and memories of their past soon returned. Mialing would look into Mark's eyes and she knew that she still loved him. Mialing was feeling a want for Mark and try as she may to fight those feelings, she knew she was losing the fight, she wanted him to bed her this very evening and as the night progressed she was becoming anything but subtle about what she wanted from him. She would caress his hand with her nails or rub his leg with her foot as she fell into her seduction, and Mark was becoming as aroused as she was.

The couple finished dinner and Mialing asked, " May we walk on the beach for a while?"

"That would be nice," Mark responded.

Mark and Mialing walked down to the water and she removed her sandals so the water wouldn't ruin them and carried them in her free hand, the other being held by Mark. They walked for around a half of a mile and turned to return to Mark's car. Before they completed the turn Mark took Mialing into his arms and kissed her softly on her lips. Mialing dropped her sandals and pulled Mark tight to her body and kissed him back with a passion that left little doubt that he would stay the night with her. They broke the kiss and slowly walked back to the car, kissing and cuddling all the way.

When they returned to Mialing's home she asked, "Would you like to come up?"

"If you didn't ask, I would have been on my hands and knees begging," he responded.

They entered her door and were in each other's arms before it could even close. Mark couldn't get enough of her kisses and caressed every inch of her body. Mialing was on fire, she wanted Mark inside of her so badly that she took him by the hand and led him to her bedroom. She let go of his hand and removed her clothing and then lay on her bed waiting for him to fill her, which he did, several times that night.

Mark woke from his sleep as the sunlight hit his eyes. Mialing's hand was resting on his chest as she slept. She's so beautiful, even when she sleeps, he thought, how could I have ever left her he wondered?

Mark rose from the bed and Mialing purred as he removed her hand from his chest.

"Mmm, where are you going?" she asked.

"Just to the bathroom, I'll be right back."

Mark went and took care of business and returned to his love. Mialing cuddled up to him when he returned to the bed. She liked the feeling of having a man next to her when she awoke in the morning, especially when that man was Mark.

"What would you like to do today?" she asked.

"It's Friday and I have to work, maybe after we can have dinner?"

"I can't, I have a date with Laurence, I promised him I would go to a concert with him tonight."

"Do you have to see him?" Mark answered with obvious jealousy in his voice.

"I promised and as much as I would like to be with you, a promise is a promise. We can spend tomorrow and Sunday together if you would like?"

"I'd love that, it's getting late and I'm already behind schedule, I'd better get ready for work."

"I'll make something for you to eat before you go," said Mialing.

"Just coffee would be fine, I really don't have time to eat," responded Mark as he entered Mialing's shower to bathe.

Mialing had become quite the American girl in the last year. In the past she would prefer tea and now she was grinding her own beans to make coffee, quite a change for this girl.

Mark exited the shower and could smell the French roast brewing in the kitchen. Mark was feeling like a married man again and he liked the feelings he was having. He didn't want to leave his beloved Mialing this morning and for some reason he felt closer to her now than he had ever felt before his living with Sally, he truly loved this woman. While Mark dressed he could hear Mialing humming in the kitchen, she sounded so happy and content, God he loved her, he just hoped she felt the same about him.

Mialing turned as Mark entered the kitchen and said, "Here's your coffee," as she handed him the cup.

The sun was streaming through the glass door and reflecting off Mialing's hair. It almost looked as though she had a hallow around her head, Mialing had the look of sexy innocence, and Mark was falling even deeper in love with this girl.

Mark finished his coffee and turned to kiss Mialing goodbye. Mialing was wearing only a short satin robe and he was wearing a polo shirt and slacks. He felt her body press against his as their lips met and knew he would do anything to win this woman for himself. She felt so soft as she kissed him and yet he could feel her responding to his kiss, she wanted Mark to make love to her again before he left to go.

Mark broke the kiss knowing that if he didn't he would never get to work that day if it continued.

"Do you have to go?" Mialing pouted, making sure her robe fell open enough to reveal her beautiful breasts.

"God, Mialing, you make this so hard, I have to be at work by ten and if I stay I'll never want to leave."

"Do you mean you want to leave?" she asked in a playful voice.

"You know I don't, but if I don't get to work, I might lose my job and then I won't be able to ask you to marry me because I won't be able to support you," Mark teased back.

"Are you asking me to marry you?"

"Not yet, I haven't bought you a ring and after all what is a proposal without a ring?"

"Your right, I at least deserve a ring, oh well, easy come easy go, I guess I'll have to wait," Mialing said through her smile and then began to giggle uncontrollably.

Mark walked back to Milaing and hugged her, he was so much in love with her. Mialing felt safe in Mark's arms and hoped that he would indeed ask her to marry him for she too had regained the love she had tried so hard to bury deep in her heart.

 

Mark left Mialing and drove to downtown LA and tried to sneak into his office but was noticed by one of his co-workers.

"Hey Mark, something keep you in bed this morning?" asked Jesus.

Jesus Montoya was also an undercover agent that worked the Mexican drug gangs in Los Angeles. He, like Mark was a single man and when one of the agents looked as though they had a good evening, there would be hell to pay around the office. All the remarks were in good fun since the ones giving would soon be the ones taking the same kind of grief.

"Oh, I just overslept," Mark replied with an innocent smile.

"It looks like it and when did you start wearing shoulder length black hair on your shirt?"

"Okay, you busted me, I was at my girl friends last night and forgot to set the alarm."

"I didn't know you had a girl friend?"

"Yep, I sure do, and she's the prettiest girl you'll ever meet."

"When am I going to meet her?"

"At the wedding."

"The wedding, oh shit, don't do it dude, look at me, I'll be paying alimony and child support for twelve more years."

"Face it Jesus it's the fucking you get for the fucking you got, but Mialing is different."

"Did you say Mialing?"

"Yeah, why?"

"We're investigating a shipper that's smuggling drugs and human cargo and I think his girl friend's name's Mialing. I over heard someone say that there is something going down tonight and we're going to bust her boyfriend next week, it couldn't possibly be the same girl."

"What's the boyfriend's name?"

"Laurence Wang, he's a real piece of work. He has a degree from Stanford but couldn't wait to get rich so he got involved with the Chinese gangs so he could make the quick buck and now he's going to go to jail."

"She's the same girl, is she involved?"

"I don't think so, I think he just takes her out. Buck says she's a real looker."

"Yes she is and I hope nothing happens to her before you bust this guy, those gangs are very dangerous. They could care less if they were to kill someone. I worked with some of those people a while back and I'll tell you, they're scary."

"I don't know that much about them, ask Buck, I'm sure he'll tell you all he knows."

Mark had to wait for Buck to return to the office from a stake out at the wharf before he could ask him what he knew about Mialing.

 

Mialing wondered what she should wear for the concert. She decided to go shopping to find just the right dress. She ended up at Nordstrom's and found a Sean one-shoulder cocktail dress in an aqua color and a pair of four-inch sandals to complete the outfit. She had her hair washed and conditioned. She liked going to the salon to keep her hair in perfect condition and she liked the way it shined after they were done with her. While she was there she had her nails done in a ruby red, she wanted to look perfect tonight. Mialing was still on a high from her date with Mark and she had to know if she still had feelings for Laurence, not that they were strong in the first place.

By the time she returned home it was nearly four PM. She went to collect the messages on her answering machine and discovered that the machine had broken. "Damn," she thought now I'll have to buy another one but I don't have time right now, I'll get one tomorrow.

Mialing went to dress knowing that Laurence would be there in an hour. She covered her hair and stepped into the shower, no time for a bath today. She lathered her legs and underarms and slid her razor to remove any stubble that might be there. She turned off the water and patted herself dry and dusted her body with powder. She found a pair of white thong panties and nude panty hose and carefully rolled them up her legs, taking care not to snag them with her nails. Mialing put on her makeup and made her eyes look dramatic, she had become very good at this look over the last year. Mialing had found the prettier she looked, the more at ease she was with her identity, she had truly become a woman. Last she lowered her dress down over her head and zipped the back up. She placed her feet into the sandals and buckled the rhinestone buckle. She brushed out her hair and looked into her mirror. She looked hot, she turned and saw that the back of the dress was cut down to her waist and yet the front showed no cleavage. The hem was uneven, starting at one knee and ending at mid-calf, she would turn many heads at the concert tonight.

 

It was almost five o'clock by the time Buck returned to the office. Most of the employees had gone home but he found Mark waiting for him. Buck didn't know Mark very well but seemed to like him. He knew of Mark's close shave with death so when Mark asked him about Laurence and Mialing he didn't mind answering Mark's questions, as long as it didn't take too much time, his wife wanted him home for a change.

"Buck, Jesus told me that you were handling the Laurence Wang case and I have to ask you something about it."

"What do you need to know?" Buck answered.

"It's about the girl, Mialing, what can you tell me about her?"

"The girl, not much, she only goes out with Laurence when she's in port and then only on a regular date, you know dinner and a show or dancing, typical guy, girl stuff."

"Is she involved with what Laurence is doing?"

"No, I don't think so, if fact I doubt she has a clue as to what he's doing. I feel kind of sorry for her because the gangs are having a meeting with Laurence tonight and I think they want him to kill her as protection for them. They think she might know something so if she's eliminated what she might know will die with her."

"Holy shit, I know Mialing and I know she has nothing to do with those people, where is the meeting going to take place?"

"They have a little office in a warehouse down on Slausen and I'm sure that's where it's supposed to happen."

"I have to warn her, I can't let anything happen to her."

Mark ran to his office and called Mialing's apartment. The phone rang and rang with no answer. Mialing had just left with Laurence and since she had already locked her door she decided not to answer the phone, so she took Laurence's arm and held it while he escorted his beauty to his car.

"You look very beautiful tonight Mialing, I hope you don't mind if we stop for a moment on the way to the concert?"

"Of coarse I don't mind, where do we have to stop?"

"Down in LA, I have to see a business associate."

"That's fine, I don't mind."

If Mialing knew what was going to happen to her at the warehouse she would have run from the car. She had been away from that life for years and was very innocent in the ways of the world now. If she had known these people were the very same that had tried to kill Tommy she would have jumped from Laurence's car, but instead she cuddled up to Laurence's shoulder hoping to find some magic in their relationship. She knew she loved Mark and if she couldn't love Laurence in the same way, then she would be able to move on. She was afraid of her feelings toward Mark because of the hurt he gave her and still didn't trust him as far as a relationship was concerned. Mialing was trying so hard right now to make this thing with Laurence work, but she didn't feel the fire she felt with Mark, no matter how hard she was trying.

LA traffic was what it usually is on a Friday evening, the pits. Even the carpool lane was stopped. Mark didn't have the luxury of being able to be in the carpool lane but it didn't seem to matter, as long as he arrived at the warehouse before Laurence did to warn Mialing of the impending attempt on her life. Mark only had five miles to drive, but they would be the slowest five miles in his life. He had no choice but to take the freeway since he wasn't familiar with the streets in LA. Mialing and Laurence had much farther to drive but the traffic was lighter so they were able to move at twenty miles per hour, so in essence they would arrive just before Mark. Laurence had arrived first and parked his car.

"Mialing, come in with me?" Laurence asked.

"That's okay, I'll wait in the car," she responded.

"Please come in with me, the guy's want to meet you because I'm always bragging about how beautiful you are," Laurence said as he walked around the car and opened Mialing's door.

"Okay, you win," Mialing said in her most feminine voice.

Mialing took Laurence's arm to steady herself on her heels. They entered the unlocked office door and called out, "Anybody here?"

"Out back," a voice was heard to say through the rear office door. Laurence escorted Mialing to the door and opened it for her. As she stepped through the opening she felt an arm swing around her neck and pull it tight. Mialing screamed and the arm pulled tighter cutting off her air.

"Shut up and be quiet and I'll let you breath," the voice said with a heavy Chinese accent.

Mialing shook her head yes and the pressure on her neck was released, but the arm remained holding her from moving. The man's other hand held a gun to Mialing's head.

"Laurence, you did as you were told and brought the girl here, now you must kill her."

Had Mialing heard right, Laurence was supposed to kill her, why, what had she done. Mialing could see the fear in Laurence's eyes, he wasn't a killer, but she also knew all too well what kind of men they were dealing with, after all she was once one of them.

Mialing had to do something so she asked, "Why do you want to kill me?"

"Because of what you know," answered the man behind her.

"I don't know anything," she answered as fear started to enter her body.

"We can't take that chance, kill her Laurence."

Laurence looked at the beautiful Mialing and knew he didn't have the guts to kill her let alone anyone else. Laurence was a hollow man.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to kill her, so I'll have to do it, but not until I kill you first for not obeying instructions," the man said as he swung his gun at Laurence and fired off a shot that struck Laurence in the forehead, Laurence dropped like a rock in a heap on the floor. The gun was still pointing at Laurence and Mialing knew if she had any chance to survive she would have to make her move now while the gun was pointing away from her. She lifted her leg and then buried her heel in the man's foot. Mialing could feel the bone break as the heel pushed to the bottom of his foot. The man yelled in pain and released Mialing's neck. She threw her hand at the gun and was able to knock it from the killer's hand causing it to slide under a table.

"You fucking bitch," he yelled as he struck her on the side of her face. Mialing was off balance from the maneuver she had done with her foot and fell to the floor. The man limped to the table and grabbed for the gun. Mialing got to her feet as quickly as she could and saw the man take the gun in his hand and turn to point it at her. He pulled the hammer back and Mialing heard the gunfire. She didn't feel anything, he couldn't have missed, and then she saw the man fall to the floor.

"Mialing, are you alright?"

It was Mark's voice, it was her precious Mark and he had saved her. Mialing collapsed to the floor as the events that just occurred made her weak. Tears formed in her eyes and she wept. Mialing was no longer the hardened criminal Tommy. She was just an ordinary girl who wanted nothing more than to be loved by a man that loved her as much as she loved him.

Mark had arrived at the warehouse a minute or two after Mialing and Laurence. He heard the sound from the killer's gun when he arrived and entered the warehouse unnoticed. He had assumed that Mialing had been shot and was careful not to enter the back area without being careful so he too wouldn't be killed. It was then that he heard the killer swear at Mialing and knew he had to save her, so he entered the room at the same time the killer was pointing his gun at Mialing and was able to shoot the man before Mialing was killed.

Mark rushed to Mialing's side and took her in his arms to comfort her. Mialing was weeping uncontrollably and Mark just held her knowing that right now she needed to be held until she would feel safe again. Several minutes past until Mialing was able to compose herself. Mark stood and helped Mialing to her feet.

"The police will be here any minute now, let me handle everything, you're safe now," Mark said as he held Mialing to his chest.

"How did you know where to find me?" Mialing sniffled.

"One of the guys at the office knew about this meeting and told me about it. I tried to phone you to warn you not to come here but there was no answer on your phone, not even your answering machine," answered Mark.

"I heard my phone ringing after I had locked the door and didn't think it was important so I didn't go back in to answer it, I wish I had."

"Luckily I was able to get here in time, why did you come here in the first place?"

"Laurence wanted to meet with the people in this business. I told him that I would wait in the car and he said to come inside. When I went into this room that man grabbed me from behind and wanted Laurence to kill me. He couldn't do it so the man shot Laurence and that's when I smashed his foot with my heel and you saved me."

"Mialing, I know this isn't the right place or time to ask you this, but after what just happened I want to protect you from things like this happening again. I love you Mialing and if I was to lose you again I don't know what I would do. Mialing, will you marry me?"

Mialing looked at Mark, had she heard correctly, he wanted to marry her? She like any other girl had thought of what it would be like to be asked to marry. She would be standing under an old spreading oak tree wearing a soft white virginal sun dress and a wide brim white hat and her intended would be on his knee with her hand in his asking the most important question of his life. She would say yes and birds would fly from the tree to announce to the world with their chirping that the couple would live happily ever after. Mialing looked around the room, she was still shaking from the fear she had inside of her and saw two dead men on the ground, and here she was, her dress was ruined from her fall to the ground, her makeup was ruined from crying, the room was ugly and the man she loved just asked her to marry him, Mialing burst into tears.

"Mialing, what did I say?" implored Mark.

Mialing gained control of her emotions and said, "I'm crying because it's a girl thing and you wouldn't understand, yes Mark, I'll marry you, are you sure you want to marry me?"

"More than anything in the world, I love you."

"I love you too."

The police arrived and Mark blocked their entry into the building claiming that it was an FBI crime scene. Mark knew if word leaked out that Mialing was still alive she would once more be in danger and he was going to have to make a statement that would protect Mialing from these creeps once and for all. He used the power of his FBI badge to give a report to the police that read that Laurence, an un named gunman, and an unidentified Asian woman were killed in a shootout in Los Angeles. The officers didn't even question his statement assuming that he wouldn't lie to them. It also helped that the two bodies were visible from the front of the building, Mark made sure of that. Mark explained that the third body was in the back of the warehouse and couldn't be seen from where they were standing and that until the crime lab arrived, the inside of the space was off limits With help from the police, unknown to them, Mialing was dead as far as the gangs were concerned.

Mark called FBI head quarters and explained what had happened and that they would have to send more people to the crime scene to clean up the mess and to write a cover story to protect Mialing. The head quarters contacted Buck Collins and told him what had happened with Laurence since he was the lead investigator on the job.

Mark's phone rang and he answered it, "Hello, Mark Conrad."

"Mark, Buck Collins here, what the hell is going on?"

"Buck, I know I stepped over the line on this one, but I couldn't let anything happen to Mialing, she's a very special young lady."

"Jesus Christ Mark, you know how this stuff works, collateral damage is collateral damage and it isn't your place to try to save every young maiden that might get killed. Why in the hell was this one so important?"

"Buck, if I told you, you wouldn't believe me, let's just say that if I didn't save her, my future wife would be dead right now."

"You mean you're engaged to this girl, why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't want to compromise the investigation."

"Mark, we do take care of our own, letting your fiancé walk into a situation like that was lunacy, what were you thinking?"

"Remember, I didn't know about the investigation until I talked to you this afternoon and I tried to warn her but it was too late, so that's why I took matters into my own hands."

"Well next time get some help, you might have been killed, now what do you want to do with this mess?"

"We have to cover for Mialing and make the gangs think she is dead. I already told LAPD that she was killed along with the two thugs during the shooting so at least when the news papers get the police report they will assume she is dead. Now, all we have to do is make a false report that covers what I told them and she should be safe."

"Do you think that will work?" asked Buck.

"Look Buck, I know it will work, it has too."

"Okay, you have my help, I'll file the reports in the morning. You will have to wait until the crime guys get there before you leave, I'll see you in Monday."

The criminal investigators arrived and Mark led them through the events of the evening being sure they were up to speed on how they were to cover for Mialing. Mialing would finally be safe once more. The couple was finally free to leave the scene.

"Where would you like to go?" asked Mark.

"I want to go home," Mialing sniffled. Every time she had to speak the events of the evening would create havoc with her mind, making her almost cry.

"Are you sure, you look so pretty in your dress?"

"Mark, please, I want you to take me home and hold me, I want to feel safe again."

Mark drove Mialing to her home and the couple went inside. Mialing removed her dress and decided it could be cleaned and she could wear it again if she could bury the memories it would remind her of. She put on her satin robe and returned to Mark and cuddled against him. Mark wrapped his arms around his love and held her tight knowing that he would have to do everything possible to make Mialing feel safe again. The couple remained this way for the rest of the night, just holding each other.

 

Mialing was the first to wake in the morning. Mark's arms were still wrapped around her and she had to go to the bathroom. She carefully removed his arms without waking him, he only groaned, and went to relieve herself. She returned to the bedroom and looked at Mark as he slept. What a wonderful man, so caring, so loving, so handsome, Mialing was truly in love. Mialing went and ground some beans for coffee and brewed it so it would be ready when Mark woke from his sleep. She reflected on the previous days activities. She had almost been killed by the very people that had hunted Tommy so many years ago, and they had expected her date to do it and not because she was once Tommy but because she was just an innocent girl unlucky enough to have met Laurence. Her knight in shining armor had ridden in on a white horse and saved her life, and then asked her to marry him. Mialing felt blessed to have found such a man.

The aroma from the coffee was making Mark stir from his sleep. When he opened his eyes he found his arms were empty. He shot up to a sitting position, his Mialing was gone and then he heard her in the kitchen and smelled the coffee and knew everything was all right.

Mialing pour a cup of coffee in a mug and brought it to Mark.

"Good morning sweetheart," she said.

"Good morning, how do you feel this morning?"

"Like the luckiest girl in the world."

"Me too." He answered.

"You feel like a girl?" she giggled.

"You know what I mean, I feel like the luckiest guy in the world to have a girl like you."

Mialing put the mug down on the dresser and ran to the bed and jumped on Mark, giggling all the way. She decided to tickle him into submission, the energy from the previous day still coursing through their bodies. It didn't take long before Mark had pinned his girl friend to the bed and was tickling her back.

"Stop, stop," she giggled.

"Only if you promise to go shopping with me for your ring today?"

"I promise," she laughed.

"Seal it with a kiss and then I'll let you go."

Mialing raised her lips to Mark's and did indeed seal her promise with a kiss, and then another kiss and another until they made love in the early morning.

Mark and Mialing showered and dressed after their morning tryst and departed to find a ring for Mialing. Mark was going to do this the right way, no more short cuts, an engagement ring, church wedding, a honeymoon, the whole nine yards, Mialing was going to finally get a break in life and Mark was going to give it to her.

Mark brought Mialing from jeweler to jeweler. He wanted to find the perfect ring for his beloved. All the mall stores had the same junk, it looked as though they had had a meeting and hired one designer to make the rings, this wouldn't do.

"Mialing, let's go to Beverly Hills, I want something special for you," Mark stated.

"Mark, no, that's too extravagant," Mialing said.

"Honey, I would rather pay a little extra for something nice than give you something just for the sake of giving you a gift, I want this to be special."

"Mark, you're going to spoil me if you're not careful," Mialing laughed.

"I could never spoil you, you're too perfect to spoil," Mark responded as he kissed Mialing's lips.

Mark and Mialing arrived in Beverly Hills and his search was rewarded. He found the perfect ring for his girl friend. It was a very good quality diamond set between two gold rings that made the stone look as though it was suspended in the space between the rings. The diamond was just over one caret, but the setting made it stand out, it was gorgeous. The jeweler fitted Mialing's finger and promised to have the ring sized before the store closed.

Mark and Mialing wandered the Rodeo Drive shops until it was time to pick up the ring. They were quite the couple walking down the street, the ordinary blend in Mark, and spectacular looking Mialing. The men would look and wonder how such an ordinary guy could have a beautiful woman like that and the women looked, and mentioned in their catty way that Mark must have money because a beauty like Mialing wouldn't be with a guy like that if it weren't for the dollars. Real love was just a figment of the imagination to these plastic people and if they knew of the deep feelings Mark and Mialing had for each other, they would faint.

The couple returned to the jeweler and Mark took the ring and lowered himself to his knee and place the ring on Mialing's finger.

"Now it's official Mialing, we're really engaged, I love you." Mark said.

Mialing's eyes filled with tears, her boyfriend was being romantic and this was becoming a very special moment, even the jeweler's eyes were misting.

"Thank you Mark, I love you so much," Milaing said in a quivering voice.

Mark raised himself from his knee and kissed Mialing on the lips to prove his love for her.

"May I take a picture of you two?" asked the jeweler. "I don't usually do this but you're such a nice couple, I feel as though I've known you all your life."

Mark and Mialing posed as the man shot several photos and then left to find a place to eat. Mialing couldn't help but look at her hand and held it out now and again just to see the beautiful ring and to be sure she wasn't dreaming, she was walking on a cloud.

Mark found a nice restaurant and the couple celebrated their engagement. Mialing even accepted a glass of wine, but only took one sip of the liquid. She still didn't like the taste of alcohol. After dinner they returned to Mialing's home and soon found their way to the bedroom. Mialing would look at her ring and kiss Mark and then look at the ring once again. Mialing couldn't believe this was happening to her, she was so in love at this moment and this ring proved Mark's love for her. Mark was caressing his love and finally entered her as she moaned with delight. This act was the perfect end to a perfect day.

The following day they awoke and started talking about what needed to be done before and after the wedding. Mialing had made coffee and the couple was seated at the kitchen table.

"Mark, this is really a big step, are you sure you want to marry me?"

"More that anything."

"We have so much to do before hand. I have to find a dress and I have to meet your parents. Where shall we live after the wedding, we have to set a date for it, I have to find bridesmaids, God there's so much to do."

"Relax sweetheart, we don't have to do everything today, we'll sit and talk about the plans and then figure out how long everything will take, all we need is patience."

"You're right, I'm just so excited about all this," Mialing said as she held her hand out to admire her new ring.

"I have to be to work early tomorrow morning to file a report about the other night and then next weekend I would like to drive up to San Francisco to have you meet my parents," said Mark.

"I can't next weekend, I'll be on a cruise, you know how my schedule works, I do two cruises in a row and then have a week off."

"I don't think you should do anymore cruises since your supposed to be dead. If the gangs see you at the docks they will know something is up. Have you thought about returning to Vegas or Reno?" asked Mark.

"I hadn't thought about that, maybe I'd better not go back to work on the ship. What am I going to do for money, I have to work?"

"I can help you out for a while until we figure out what to do, I won't let anything happen to you, I love you too much for anything bad to happen."

Mark and Mialing discussed her options and decided to have her move back to Las Vegas. She had friends there and also connections so employment wouldn't be a problem. She would have her friends there to help her with the wedding arrangements.

 

Mialing once again began dealing cards, only this time at MGM. Mark went on assignment in Indianapolis but called everyday. This trip didn't end like the last, he turned down any attempt to date him, he wasn't going to lose Mialing again.

Mialing gained a new circle of friends and soon they were all lost in the wedding preparations.

Mialing was causing her usual stir at the tables and didn't notice the clean cut young man who watched her intently every night as she dealt the cards. He saved some extra money and played several hands at her table until he went broke, but at least he was close to Mialing, he was becoming obsessed with her. As she was dealing the cards he noticed her engagement ring sparkle in the bright lights of the casino but he didn't care because as far as he was concerned she would soon love him and not some rich guy with the money to buy such a ring.

Mialing finished her shift and drove home. The sun would be rising soon and she had a busy day planned. She and Mona were going to look at dresses for the bride's maids and she was too excited to notice the headlights following her as she drove her usual route home. She pulled into her carport and locked the door and didn't notice the lights on the car across the street go dark. The figure just watched as Mialing climbed the stairs to her apartment and the lights go on. When she closed the door he removed a cigarette from the pack in his shirt pocket and placed it in his mouth. In his excitement he fumbled with the lighter and finally lit the cigarette and watched as the smoke curled around the windshield. Now I know where my dream woman lives he thought, as his penis grew erect.

Mialing showered and call her friend Sharon and asked her to meet her at the LV Bridal Salon. In her excitement Sharon beat Mialing who had stopped to pick up Mona and was waiting for her.

"I found the cutest dresses," Sharon said to Mialing, with excitement in her voice.

"Let me see," said Mialing as Sharon led her to the dress rack.

Sharon pulled a beautiful knee length from the rack and showed it to Mialing. The dress was fitted with lace on the bodice and low enough to show some cleavage and not look trashy.

"Oh Sharon, that's beautiful, but it looks expensive," said Mialing with concern.

"I talked to the shop owner already and she said she would make a deal if we buy four of them. You already have four girls in the ceremony and you haven't even picked your dress yet, I'm sure she will be fair with us."

"Let's ask her if she will give us an extra special price if I buy my dress here."

"Good idea, let's go."

The girls found the shopkeeper and she indeed gave them a special price on the dresses. All that needed to be done was to have the girls come in for a fitting.

"Let's see if we can find a dress for you while we're here," Sharon said, dragging Mialing to the bridal dresses.

The girls spent the next hour oohing and ahhing with each dress they pulled from the rack. They finally narrowed the search to five dresses. They would need to try them on to make the final decision.

In their excitement Mialing hadn't noticed the car that followed her from her apartment to the salon, nor did she see the man taking pictures of her. The man taking the pictures was John Leslie, a rather nerdish fellow who liked to stalk women. Unfortunately he had become more brazen with each stalk, and more cunning. His first attempt was a clumsy failure, being caught by the girl he was stalking. She was a petite cashier that worked at a small casino downtown on the strip and she happened to see him taking pictures of her and attacked him with her purse. When she was done beating him, she called the police but John was able to escape with only a bloody nose. He was more careful the next time and only stole a nighty from the girl's clothesline. The next girl he became more confident and entered her home. He left a note telling her that he loved her and once again stole some lingerie. After the theft he moved on to another girl. This one he became more brazen and not only entered her home and left a note but he broke a picture of her boyfriend and then once again stole some lingerie. The fourth woman's stalk became more violent, not to her, he left the customary note but he took a picture of her husband out of the frame and put a knife through it, stabbing it to a table. The police knew what type of man they were looking for but didn't know exactly who he was. Now it was Mialing's turn to be stalked. What John didn't know was that Mialing had become very observant of strange goings on because of her past. She would soon become uneasy about her feelings, as though she was being watched, which she was.

The girls were in the salon for two hours before they had finished dressing and undressing Mialing, and decided on a strapless, A line dress with a sash and train, Mona had tears in her eyes when she first saw Mialing wearing it, she was so pretty.

"Oh Mialing, that's the one, you're so pretty, said Mona.

"Mona's right, that's the dress, it makes the other ones look like bags, go put a deposit on it, you have to get it, it's perfect," stated Sharon.

"It doesn't make me look fat does it?" asked Mialing.

"Are you kidding, you make me jealous your so thin," giggled Mona.

Mialing did look thin and that dress helped do that, as her friends buttoned the back she had to suck her stomach in so the dress could be buttoned. Her waist looked as though she had lost two inches from it. Mialing was beautiful, her long black hair falling to her waist and contrasting with the virginal white of the dress, all that was needed were heels and a veil and the ceremony could start right now.

Mialing glided around the shop and loved the feel of the dress as she placed one foot in front of the other. The sound it made as the fabric rubbed against its self made Mialing not to want to take it off. John Leslie was parked across the street from the salon and would take pictures every time Mialing passed in front of the window. Tonight, he would have plenty of material to masturbate himself, John was a sick man. Mialing removed the dress and returned it to the shop owner with instructions to save it for her. She gave the woman a deposit on the dress and the girls left to go home and rest, as they all worked the night shift at the casino.

John had followed and parked across from Mialing's home. He lit his cigarette and pulled a lung full of smoke into his body and waited to see if Mialing was going out again that day. He waited for around an hour before he left knowing that his love was asleep before she had to work.

Mialing had a very uneasy feeling for some reason, I guess you could chalk it up to experience, it was just a feeling one gets from being around the criminal life style of always being watched by someone. She had entered her apartment but hadn't gone to bed, she had gone to her window and peered carefully from behind the curtains and had seen John with his binoculars watching her window. Her first thought was to call Mark and tell him what was happening.

"Mark, honey, it's Mialing, I'm afraid," she said fearfully.

"What's wrong baby?"

"There's some guy watching my apartment from across the street. I had a feeling we were being followed earlier today and now I see this guy. He looks familiar, I think he played at my table once, I'm not sure, what should I do?" asked Mialing.

"Let me handle it, I'll make some calls and see what's going on. He might be a cop on stakeout and I'd hate to screw something like that up by mistake. I'll call you right back, I love you."

"I love you too," Mialing said as she hung up the phone.

Mark called an agent he knew was close to the Las Vegas Police Department and gave him the information Mialing had given him explaining that Mialing was his fiancé and he wanted her watched twenty-four seven so nothing would happen to her. Mark's friend made his call and found out that there was no stakeout in that neighborhood and that Mialing was probably being stalked. The police sent a cruiser to check out the complaint but John had left assuming that Mialing was asleep. The police officer went to Mialings and took a report and a description of the man and his car. He told her that they would send an undercover car to watch her apartment and would question the man if he was seen in the neighborhood.

John was lucky, the cruiser had passed by the exact location of his car and he would have been arrested if it weren't for the fact that he had left ten minutes earlier. He had to go home to download his camera so he could pleasure himself before he took his stalk to the next level. It was time to leave a note telling Mialing that he loved her and to take some of her private clothing, he needed it to complete his collection. John was also angered that Mialing had that disgusting ring on her hand, after all he loved her and she should love him not some guy that didn't love her nearly as much as he loved her, something had to be done.

John downloaded the pictures and taped them to his wall in front of his bed. They took up most of the space in that area. He had removed most of the other pictures of his first girls now that Mialing was his newest love. He lowered his trousers and briefs and took his already erect penis in his hand and jacked himself.

"Who loves you baby, who loves you, me that's who, me, nobody else just me."

He kept mumbling words until he came. When he finished he felt shame for masturbating in front of Mialing but knew he couldn't stop what he was doing until he completed what he had started. He grew agitated as he wiped his hand and redressed himself, why doesn't she love me he wondered, I have to prove my love for her.

John drove back to Mialing's and waited for her to leave for work. He didn't notice the undercover car parked in the carport of the apartments across the street from Mialing's. John lit his cigarette and watched as his perfect woman drove away. The smoke curled around his head and disappeared as the tar gathered on his windows. He smashed it out in the ashtray and exited his car. He walked to Mialing's apartment and picked the lock with a small pick set he had bought and taught himself to use. It took several minutes before he was successful but he finally entered her abode. He wandered slowly from room to room until he found her lingerie drawer. The excitement had been too much for John as he became erect again. He found a satin camisole and removed his trousers and briefs again and began to rub his erection with the soft material. He had never done this in the girl's apartment before, he would bring the article of clothing home and use it to pleasure himself but now he was becoming more brazen as his confidence grew.

Undercover officer, Mike Jackson had been watching as John made his way to Mialings apartment. He decided to let John enter he home since he knew she had left for work. He also knew the penalty for breaking and entering was much greater than for watching someone. Mike was a large black cop that didn't like stalkers because his wife had been stalked once and if he could nail John he would be a happy camper. Mike exited his car and crept across the street and up the stairs to Mialing's apartment. The door was left unlocked just incase John thought he might have to flee in a hurry. Mike pushed open the door and quietly crept into the living room. From there he could hear John grunting as he rubbed himself with the camisole. Mike peered around the doorjamb and saw what John was doing, you sick fuck he thought. Mike pulled his side arm and entered the room.

John was starting to cum as Mike yelled, "Don't move."

"Don't shoot," whimpered John as he came into Mialing's camisole.

"What are you doing in here?" asked Mike.

"Uhh, she's a friend of mind and I'm watching her apartment," John lied.

"Bullshit, I know what you're doing you sick freak, get dressed, you're under arrest."

"Please officer, she's my love don't do this."

"Your love? You break into her apartment and use her clothing and you say she's your love, man you're warped, now get dressed."

John dressed and was then cuffed to wait for a squad car to take him to jail. The police called Mialing at work and informed her that John had been arrested and that she would have to come home to see what he had done to her apartment for their report.

Mialing drove home and entered her apartment. She looked and saw that the only thing disturbed was her lingerie drawer. When she saw her camisole she felt violated.

"Would you please take that away, I can't have it here anymore?" Mialing asked Mike.

"We need it for evidence, you can have it back afterward," Mike replied.

"I don't want it after what he did with it, who is he anyway?" asked Mialing.

"We're not sure just yet, but we think he's a stalker that's been breaking into women's homes for the last month. If you hadn't noticed him he still might be free to do what he does. How did you notice him anyway?"

"It was a feeling I had, you know, like I was being watched, it was creepy. I called my boyfriend and told him about it and he called you, he's an FBI agent," Mialing said proudly of Mark.

"You're lucky, if this is who we think he is, he was becoming more violent every day and he might have hurt you, thank you for your time, and thank you for being watchful, without you he might have killed someone. You can return to work if you would like."

"After this I don't feel like working, I think I'll stay home."

The police left and Mialing phoned Mark, she had to hear his voice.

"Honey, thank you for calling the police for me, they caught some guy that broke into my apartment and what he did was disgusting."

"What did he do?" asked Mark with concern in his voice.

"I don't want to talk about it, but it's yucky what he did."

"I can imagine, I'm glad you called, I miss you. I'll be done here by the end of next week and I was thinking maybe I could bring you to my parent's home, after all it would be nice for them to meet their future daughter-in-law."

"You want me to meet your parents?"

"Of coarse I want you to meet them, they'd kill me if I didn't bring you by."

"Oh God Mark, I'm getting nervous already, what if they don't like me?"

"They'll love you don't worry and when my mom asks you if you would like to see the family photo album, please say no, I get so embarrassed when she shows my childhood pictures."

"No, I will not, I would never disrespect your mother that way and besides I'd love to see them, after all I am going to marry you," giggled Mialing.

"You wait until I get back there," Mark said menacingly and then laughed.

"Ooh, I can't wait," Mialing said, giggling all the more.

"Goodnight sweetheart, I love you," replied Mark.

"And I love you too," said Mialing as she hung up the phone.

 

Mark returned to Mialing's after a long week in Indianapolis and they made up for lost time when they reached Mialing's home. The next day they flew to San Francisco to meet Mark's parents. When they arrived at the airport Mark rented a car and they drove to the sunset area of the city and parked in Mark's parent's driveway. Mark walked his beloved to the front door and rang the doorbell. Normally he would have just walked in but he wanted this to be special for Mialing, so he waited for his father to answer the door.

"Mark's father answered the door and asked, "Mark why didn't you just come in, and who is this beautiful young woman?"

"Dad, I'd like you to meet Mialing."

"Mialing, it's very nice to meet you. Why you're as beautiful as your name, please come in."

"Thank you, Mr. Conrad," answered Mialing as she stepped through the door.

"Watch out for my dad, he flirts with all the pretty girls," Mark said.

Mialing giggled. Mark could see his father twitch when he heard Mialing, her giggle had that effect on men.

"Marge, come here, Mark's here with his girl friend," yelled Jack to his wife.

Mark's mother walked into the room and Mark introduced Mialing.

Mom, dad, this is Mialing Lee, Mialing this is Jack and Marge Conrad, my parents. Mom, dad, Mialing and I have something very important to tell you, we're going to get married and Mialing insisted on meeting you first."

"You two, are going to marry?" asked mom."

"Yes mom, but not for a while, there are a lot of things to take care of, like where the ceremony will take place, practices, planning the reception getting a church and hall, there's a lot to do."

"Mialing, how do you feel about all this?" asked Marge.

"I'm so excited, I never thought I would marry, but then I met Mark and now I can't imagine life without him," answered Mialing.

Marge liked that answer and she was beginning to like Mialing. She was a mother and no woman would ever be good enough for her baby, but maybe, just maybe this beautiful woman would be. She wanted to talk to Mialing alone, there were things to be said that were for women only and Marge wanted to get to know Mialing better.

"Mialing, would you help me in the kitchen for a minute?"

"Sure, Mrs. Conrad, I'd love too."

"Honey, call me Marge, I can't have my future daughter-in-law calling me Mrs. Conrad all the time, it's just not right."

"Okay Mrs., oops, I mean Marge," giggled Mialing.

Both men quivered with that giggle. Marge even liked the way Mialing giggled, she seemed to be a nice girl.

"Mialing, how did you meet Mark?" asked Marge.

"I was a dealer in Las Vegas and he played at my table. I don't drink and he didn't that night, which impressed me. I never went out with guys that played my table but there was something different about Mark, so I went to breakfast with him and we just hit it off."

The girl doesn't drink, hmm, maybe I have it all wrong about this girl, Marge was thinking. Marge had this idea about Mialing that she was some kind of drunk slut that had seduced her son, but she wasn't that way at all, she seemed to be rather conservative in her actions with her son, if she only knew, but it's best that mothers don't know what their children do.

"Do you know what Mark does for a living?"

"Yes and I don't like it, it scares me so, I'm so afraid something is going to happen to him," responded Mialing.

"I used to feel that way about Jack, every day he walked out the door, and I would thank God when he returned at night. Those men just don't know how worried we are about them getting hurt," said Marge.

Mialing was peeling carrots while the two women talked and then Marge asked the big question, "Would you like to see our photo album? You'll love seeing mark when he was a little boy."

"I'd love to," answered Mialing.

"Mark, I'm going to show Mialing the photo album, would you like to join us?"

"I'd better or the stories will be too big to believe," said Mark as he and his father joined the girls.

Marge started to leaf through the album and telling Mialing a story about every photo.

"This was when Mark was one year old and we had a party for him and let him eat his cake by him self."

The picture was of a baby Mark with chocolate cake all over his face.

"He's so cute," squealed Mialing.

"And this was when we went on vacation to Yosemite. Mark cried the whole way to the park, it was so hot and he was so uncomfortable, the poor baby."

Mark hated it when his mother called him her baby, but knew better that to say anything, she would just scold him for being rude.

"Oh, Marge, he looks so cute in this picture, tell me about it."

The picture was of Mark when he was five years old, wearing a cowboy outfit and sitting on a pony.

"I love that one too. We had gone to a county fair and they had a pony to take pictures with children sitting on its back. We wanted to have Mark's picture taken and he refused. He said if he wasn't dressed like a cowboy he wouldn't do it, so we had to find a store and buy him that complete outfit. He wore it everyday after that until I couldn't repair any longer and when he had to wear plain old jeans again he cried."

"Mark, you were so cute, I love that picture," Mialing said as she smiled at her honey.

"Mom, you know how I hate it when you tell that story."

"Mark, I think it's precious that your mother remembers that story and so do I," said Mialing, as she gave him the look. After Mialing gave him the look he kept his mouth shut knowing that Mialing wasn't to be trifled with.

Marge continued through grammar school, into middle school and Mark's first girl friend and then high school and pictures of all the athletic events he was in. There were pictures of his proms and other dances he went to and the girls he dated, his history was now an open book to Mialing. She felt wonderful that his mother had included her into their family.

"Tell us about your family, Mialing?" Marge asked.

"They're all dead," Mialing answered as her eyes began to mist.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know," said Marge as she took Mialing into her arms and held her. It was the thing a mother would do and she felt that Mialing needed a mother just now.

Mialing snuggled into Mark's mother's shoulder and felt a new closeness toward her fiancé, being accepted into his family meant more than words could describe, Mialing was finally finding peace with herself as the tears of happiness flowed from her eyes.

Marge felt the dampness on her shoulder from Mialing's tears and held her tight. She didn't know the reason for Mialing's tears but felt responsible because she had asked about her family

Mialing lifted her head from Marge's shoulder and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that."

"I'm sorry too Mialing, I should have never asked you about your family."

"It's not that, that made me cry, it was the love you showed to me, they were happy tears."

Marge looked at Mark and said, "You have a wonderful girl here and if you do anything to hurt her, you'll have to deal with me young man."

"Yes mom," Mark answered, like a little boy. You could see the happiness in his face that his precious Mialing had been more than accepted by his parents, she was loved by them, life was good.

Mark and Mialing spent the night at his parent's home, in separate bedrooms thank you, and departed in the morning. Mark's mom loved her son's choice for a mate and couldn't wait to help her plan the wedding, Marge was such a mom.

 

The couple returned to Las Vegas and settled in with the wedding plans. Mark was able to work from Mialing's for several weeks and the couple grew more in love with each passing day.

One Monday, Mialing heard the phone ring and picked it up, "Hello."

"Mark Conrad please," said the voice on the other end.

"Who may I say is calling?"

"Bob Lew, from the FBI."

Mialing's heart dropped. Mark had been home, for it really was a home now, for a month, and now she knew he would be called away. She called to Mark, "Honey, phone, it's Bob Lew."

"Shit," Mark cursed, "I hope they don't want me for something."

Mark took the phone from Mialing and answered, "Hello Bob, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"It's the same old thing Mark, we need you for an assignment."

"Come on Bob, I'm getting married in a few months and I really need to be here and not off in some crappy hotel, my girl friend and I have lots to do."

"Look Mark this thing won't take long and better yet, you and I will be working together. You get to stay in a luxury hotel in Miami, not some dive because we're supposed to be rich drug lords. We make the bust and that's all we have to do, not even paperwork, someone else will do that, all we will be are front men."

"It sounds dangerous, Bob."

"It will be safe, agents will be in the other room watching on monitors, come on what could happen?"

"You know darn well what could happen, okay, I'll do it, but this is the last undercover deal I'll do, I want to be around for a long time with my wife."

"Great, I'll see you in a few day's."

Mialing had overheard Mark's conversation with Bob Lew. Her stomach dropped when she heard him say he would go on assignment again. She hated the idea that he would be put in danger once again. Mialing liked having her man around where he wouldn't be in danger and now he was off again. Mialing ran to the bedroom and shut the door, she needed a good cry.

Mark was aware of what Mialing had just done and knew why she was upset. He couldn't blame her and knew she still that fragile flower he intended to marry. He also knew that he had decided on the FBI as a career and there were things he had to do or he would lose his job and danger was one of the things that went with the territory. Mark went to the bedroom and opened the door. He saw Mialing sobbing into a pillow and went to her and gathered her into his arms and held her tight.

Mark comforted Mialing and said, "Sweetheart, I promise this will be my last assignment, I'll help train or anything else, but not go undercover anymore."

"Promise?" Mialing sniffed.

"I promise," Mark replied.

Mark and Bob flew to Miami the next week and checked in to the hotel in a room nest to the command post. They met with the other agents and went over the plan of the take down of the Columbian drug merchants.

Mark was to be the American buyer and Bob was to be the go between, as a drug importer from Hong Kong. His story was that he imported heroin and sold it to Mark and that Mark wanted to buy cocaine and since Bob didn't have cocaine Mark would have to buy it from the Columbians.

"Okay guys, here's how this is going to work," said Jared King, "We'll have an initial meeting tomorrow with the dealers and then see how it plays out. We think the buy will happen the next day so this should be quick and easy, get a good nights sleep, see you tomorrow."

Jared was the head of the drug task force in the Miami area and didn't like that Bob and Mark were sent from San Francisco to do the dirty work. He felt that his guys were better qualified to make the bust. FBI headquarters thought otherwise so Mark and Bob were there. Jared had a very high opinion of himself, which tended to get in the way sometimes but he would have to put up with these two guys that knew nothing about Miami. What he was forgetting was that these were supposed to be dealers from out of town and they were here to make a buy, not impress someone on their knowledge of Miami.

Mark and Bob returned to the hotel. Their room was luxurious, in fact it was really decadent. Hot tub, sauna, king size beds, the works.

Mark started the conversation, "Bob, I have a bad feeling about this, something doesn't feel right."

"I thought it was just me, that Jared guy is way too arrogant, it's almost as though he wants this thing to fail."

"That's how I feel, maybe he's on the take and he's setting us up to take a fall, I'm glad it's not just me that feels this way," responded Mark.

"We should get a better feel of what's going on after tomorrow, let's get some sleep."

"I have to call my girl friend first, she'll be worried about me," said Mark.

"Finally got someone that matters?"

"You have no idea, Bob. This girl means more to me than anything."

"She must be very special."

"She is, and she's Chinese."

"Well no wonder, that's why I married my wife," responded Bob.

"Because she's Chinese?"

"No stupid, she's white, I've been Chinese all my life and I wanted a change, so I married Brenda, and you know what?"

"What?"

"They're all the same, black, white, Asian, or what ever, a woman is a woman and they keep you in tow. I thought I was being cool by marrying some blond chick, you know, no sense, boy was I wrong, the woman has a masters from UC Berkley, so much for dumb blonds. We have three kids and God I love that woman, any one that would put up with me has to be a princess."

"That's the way I feel about Mialing. Bob you have no idea what that poor girl has been through, and yet she comes back smiling, I don't get it, I guess it has something to be with being a woman, hell if I had to put up with me, I'd be long gone."

"You, I'd probably have to shoot me, if I was Brenda, hell I don't know how she puts up with it."

"That's why I'm leaving the field after this is all over, I don't want Mialing worrying about me."

"I don't blame you, this is my first undercover assignment since, God before nine-eleven. I don't know what possessed me to come here this time."

"I think I know, the office can be pretty boring sometimes and what the heck, it feels good to be back on the front line sometimes."

"Yeh, I guess it does." said Bob.

Mark and Bob went to bed to sleep and be ready for the next day. Mark was awoken by the sound of a voice. It was Bob and he was speaking Chinese.

"Bob, what the hell are you doing?" asked Mark as he sat up from a sound sleep.

"I'm practicing my Mandarin, since my parents died I don't have anyone to talk too, so I'm practicing."

"God, practice tomorrow, I need some sleep."

"Okay, I guess the Columbians won't be able to speak Chinese anyway, and if they can, I'll fake it."

"Thanks Bob," Mark said, as he went back to sleep.

Mark and Bob slept in knowing that they didn't have to meet with the Columbians until three PM. Mark rose and called Mialing, just tell her he loved her. Mialing was asleep so he left the message on her answering machine.

Mialing woke from a much-needed sleep. She had been worrying about Mark from the minute he left and couldn't sleep the night before. It was a good thing that she could basically deal cards in her sleep or she would have been fired from her job. When she awoke she listened to Mark's message but couldn't stop worrying about him, so she called a woman that knew what she was going through.

"Hello," Marge said.

"Hi Mrs. Conrad, it's Mialing."

"What's wrong honey?"

"It's nothing, I'm just so worried about Mark, I felt that I had to call someone, I hope I'm not bothering you."

"Oh no honey, you're not, I feel wonderful that you would call me, now tell me what's bothering you?"

"It's just that Mark's away on an assignment and I'm worried sick about him."

"Remember how I told you I felt the same way when Jack would go off to work, well I learned that if I prayed, everything would be alright."

"But I don't have a religion."

"Do you believe in God?"

"Yes."

"Well then pray to God for your man. God is everywhere, he's not just one religion, trust me, it'll make you feel better."

"Thank you, Mrs. Conrad."

"Mialing honey, if you don't start calling me Marge, I'll tell Mark not to marry you," Marge said as she giggled into the phone. Marge really liked this girl, she was respectful and courteous, and it was obvious that she loved her son, and it made her feel good that she would call her and expose her innermost feelings with her. Mark had made a most wise choice with this girl.

"Okay, I will, goodnight Marge, and thanks," Mialing said.

"Thanks for what?" asked Marge.

"For being there for me," responded Mialing.

"Good night sweetheart," said Marge. Marge hung up the phone and a tear fell from her eye, how could Mark be so lucky to find a caring woman like this, she wondered. Marge wished that Mialing was there, just so she could give her a hug.

Mark and Bob rose and had breakfast. It was already almost noon and they had to get to the hotel where the bust was going to go down. Mark wore a pair of black slacks and a black turtle neck shirt. Bob wore a blue suit, one that looked cheap as though it was made in Hong Kong at one of the inexpensive tailor shops. They looked believable as far as the drug dealers were concerned.

Bob knocked on the door of the hotel room and they were escorted in by an evil looking man. He had scars all over his face, almost as though he had been in a fire, God he was hideous. Bob and Mark were patted down for weapons. They were both smart enough to leave their guns next door knowing that this would be done. The man escorted them into the living room of the suite.

"Hello, I'm Marcus Sanchez, and you must be Rich Fong?"

"Yes, and this is Thomas Craig."

"It's nice to meet you gentlemen," Marcus said as he extended his hand as a formality.

After shaking hands the men got down to business.

"Rich, I understand that you have a need of my product?"

"That's correct, Thomas would like to buy a considerable quantity of your goods to distribute in the New York area."

"Did you say New York?"

"That's correct, why do you ask?"

"Because some low life scum has been distributing some of the same products in that area and were taking care of him tonight."

"And who might that be?"

"It's not important, but consider him gone. Thomas you will have exclusive territorial rights and we expect you to buy exclusively from us."

"That shouldn't be a problem," answered Mark. Mark knew who the thug was talking about and had to warn his friend, drug dealer that he was, but Mark owed a favor and he would pay his friend back.

"How much product are we talking about?" asked Marcus.

"Two tons," answered Mark.

"That's a lot of product, do you have the cash?"

"More than will be needed. I want a sample though, I'm not going to by junk." Mark stated.

"Don't worry Senior, we only sell the best product, we'll see you tomorrow at two PM."

Mark and Bob rose and were escorted from the room. They went back to their hotel and called the command center to be sure that the agents had captured everything on tape.

Bob went to take a shower and when he left the room and Mark heard him enter the shower, he made a phone call. Mark had a debt to pay off.

"Hello," said the voice on the other end of the call.

"I'd like to speak to Vince Valentine please," said Mark.

"Who should I say is calling?" asked the gruff voice.

"Mark Conrad, he knows who I am," replied Mark.

Mark heard the phone being passed from one person to the next.

"Hello Mark, need another favor?" asked Vince when he spoke into the phone.

"No, Vince, I want to pay back your favor from last time."

"How are you going to do that, Mark?"

"I have some information you might be interested in."

"You have information for me, isn't giving me that kind of illegal?"

"Maybe just a little but I owe you and you did do me a big favor and as long as you know that you don't know where this came from I'll be fine. I'm undercover right now and I found out that the bad guys are planning a hit tonight in your neighborhood and I think it's you their after. Be careful, watch your back, that's all I can tell you, good luck Vince," Mark said as he hung up the phone. Mark felt better now that he had cleared that debt. He didn't like owing debts, especially to someone like Vince. He liked Vince but didn't like what he did for a living and the more he distanced himself from that element the better off he was. Mark would sleep better tonight.

Mark and Bob rose the next morning and went to take down the Columbians. The room where the transaction was to take place was bugged so they didn't have to wear a wire. They knew they would be patted down for weapons and if they were to wear a wire that would be found. Mark called the observation room and found that all was in place so they could proceed with the bust. What Mark and Bob didn't know was that the Columbians had become wary of the two men, the reason being that the hit on Vincent hadn't gone as planned. The hit men were taken out when they rolled the window down on their car. Vincent's men had actually laid their own trap and the Columbians had fallen right into it. The results were three dead gangsters and one smug Vincent.

Bob knocked on the door and it was opened by one of the bodyguards. The men were escorted in to the foyer and searched for guns. What they didn't know was that the money case they were carrying had a false inner panel that concealed two guns, one for Bob and one for Mark. The bodyguards were very thorough in their search, even going so far as to feel their scrotum.

"Hey," Mark yelled, "I'm not carrying anything there, don't touch my dick again."

"Sorry senior, we have orders."

Mark and Bob were led into the living room of the suite to finish the transaction that was started yesterday.

"Welcome back, gentlemen, did you bring the money Thomas?" asked Marcus.

"Yes, it's in here," Mark responded, patting the case with his hand. "Did you bring a sample of the merchandise for me to test?"

"Right here," Marcus responded, as he handed Mark a small bag of cocaine.

Mark hated drugs, but he had to sample the powder or Marcus would grow even more wary than he already was. Mark drew a small amount into his nose and stated that it was good.

"Where is the rest of the shipment?" asked Mark.

"In a warehouse by the docks. It looks like a junk store but the stuff is in the back hidden in some steel drums. Let me see the money, then I will give you the correct address."

Mark opened the case and turned it around so Marcus could see the hundred dollar bills.

"The address is thirty seven Seaside Lane, now give me the money," ordered Marcus.

Mark turned the case around to close it but instead pulled the fake cover down and pulled the guns from the clips that were holding them and tossed one to Bob.

"You're under arrest, FBI, now get," gunfire erupted before Mark could finish his sentence He and Bob hadn't seen the gunmen in the other room. Mark felt the bullet enter his back and he fell forward onto the floor making the other shots miss. Bob wasn't so lucky as he was hit twice before he too landed on the floor. The agents in the other room came running to try to save their comrades in arms. Mark turned onto his back and fired his gun at the assailants, hitting the first in the face. The second had his gun pointed at Bob and would have pulled the trigger if it weren't for the fact that the first gunman fell directly in front of his gun. Bob wasn't moving and Mark knew he had to put the other man away before he fired back. Mark pulled off another round and hit he second gunman in the shoulder. This was enough to throw his aim off and he fired wildly into the wall. Marcus in the meantime had grabbed the money case and was trying to run out the side door to the hallway. The other agents had broken down the door and rushed into the room. One of them fired a shot at Marcus as a warning, but Marcus kept running. Another agent saw the second gunman and shot him in the heart before he could do anymore damage. Marcus cleared the doorway and ran down the hallway assuming he would escape. Unfortunately for him he ran into a dead end hallway and had to make a decision, shoot it out with the FBI, or hire a good attorney. Marcus took the later and gave himself up without so much as a whimper.

The agents went to Mark and Bob to see how badly they were injured. Bob wasn't moving but not because of his wounds, one shot was in his arm and the other had grazed his scalp, knocking him unconscious. Mark's was much more serious. It had entered his back and traveled downward after it ricocheted off a bone. Mark was beginning to feel sick as the pain was making him go into shock.

"The medics are on the way, stay with me Mark," said one of the agents.

Mark didn't feel like talking, he felt like throwing up, God his stomach hurt. The room started spinning and he knew he was going to pass out.

"Don't close your eyes Mark, look at me," said the agent.

Mark opened his eyes, he knew he had to stay conscious.

"God you're ugly, can't we have a girl do this?" Mark mumbled.

The paramedics arrived and went first to the unconscious Bob.

"Hey, get over here, this guy's dieing and he needs help right now," shouted the agent.

One medic stayed with Bob and the other went to Mark.

"How do you feel?' asked the medic.

"Like shit."

"Where does it hurt?"

"All over, especially down past my stomach."

The medic could see the entry wound by Mark's shoulder and didn't see an exit wound so he surmised that the bullet must have traveled downward missing his heart but didn't know what else it hit. Mark had to be transported to the hospital as soon as possible.

 

Mialing had just finished her shower when the phone rang.

"Hello," she answered.

"Mialing, it's Marge. I have some bad news for you honey, Mark's been shot and is in a hospital in Miami. He's in very serious condition and his dad and I are going to fly back there to be with him."

"Oh my God, I'll see if I can have the time off, and if I can't, I'll quit, I have to be with him. How badly is he hurt?"

"They wouldn't tell me on the phone but they did say it was serious."

"Thank you for letting me know Marge, I'll see you there."

"Damn," Mialing cursed to herself, why did he have to go. Mialing had a feeling before he left that there would be trouble and she was right. Mialing began to shake as the news hit her, all she could think about was that she was going to lose the only person she really loved. She finally pulled herself together and called the casino and explained the situation and they were more than happy to give her as much time off as she needed. Mialing was on the next plane to Miami. When she arrived she went directly to the hospital to be with her beloved Mark.

Mialing arrived at the hospital and went to the information desk in the lobby.

"Could you tell me where I might find Mark Conrad?" she asked the little old woman behind the desk.

"Let me see dear, Conrad, hmm, ah yes here he is, oh my, he's in I.C.U., that's on the third floor, go see the nurse and she can direct you to where he is."

"Thank you," answered Mialing.

Mialing walked to the elevator and pushed the up button. In her rush to get to Mark she had grabbed the wrong pair of heels in her haste and they were beginning to make her feet hurt. Unfortunately for Mialing one other elevator was shut down for maintenance, which made her have to wait for what seemed to be forever. Mialing was tired from the flight, her feet were hurting and now the elevator was taking forever to get here. Mialing was losing patience. The elevator finally arrived and the doors opened. To make matters worse it was packed with people returning from the cafeteria in the basement. Mialing had to push her way in and then the doors barely closed. Standing next to her was a man that hadn't shaved for days, nor had he bathed for just as long. As the aroma reached her nose she grew even angrier, she was tired, her feet hurt and now she had to stand next to some guy that smelled like death, what in the heck was happening? The elevator reached the second floor and the doors opened.

"Excuse me," said the voice in the rear of the car, "I have to get out."

Everyone in the front of the elevator car had to exit so Mialing stepped off first and five other people followed her lead. As the next to the last person passed through the door, he reached out and felt Mialing's ass. That was the straw that broke the camel's back, she looked at the man and snarled, "If you do that again, I'll rip your heart out," and then she dissolved into tears.

The man looked at her and couldn't apologize fast enough.

"I'm sorry lady, I didn't mean anything," he said.

"What did you do to her?" asked a Marine.

"I didn't do anything," answered the man.

"You touched her ass, I saw you," stated a nurse.

"Why you little prick, I should kick your ass right here," said the Marine.

"Please mister, I didn't mean any harm, she's so pretty, and I thought,"

"Shut the fuck up before I hit you, tell the lady you're sorry."

"I'm sorry miss," said the man as they stepped back on the elevator.

The crowd all stood away from the man leaving as much space as possible between them and the shunned man. The elevator reached the third floor and the Marine and Mialing got off.

"Do you have someone on this floor?" asked the Marine.

"My fiancé," answered Mialing.

"Oh, was he in an accident?"

"No, he was shot. He's an FBI agent."

I'm sorry, I hope he gets better, maybe I'll see you around, my dad had a heart attack so I'll be here a while."

"Thank you, and thank you for what you did on the elevator."

"It was my pleasure miss, I only wish that I could have hit the guy, he deserved it."

"Thanks again," said Mialing as she went to the nurse station.

The nurse looked up and asked, "May I help you?"

"I'm here to see Mark Conrad please."

"I'm sorry but only immediate family can see him."

The nurse was having a bad day and she wasn't going to put up with anything from anybody at this moment. It should also be mentioned that the woman was a racist and having to talk to a Chinese woman didn't help the situation.

"I'm his fiancé," answered Mialing.

"Yeah right," snarled the nurse, "Unless your married to him forget it, you can't see him."

"Listen Miss, I just flew here from Las Vegas and I have to see him, please?" Mialing pleaded.

"I said no and that's it, I could care less where you flew from, that's your problem, maybe you should have asked before you flew here."

"Listen, I'm trying to be nice here, just let me see him," Mialing said as the anger was returning to her voice.

"Don't get snippy with me miss or I'll have you removed from the hospital," responded the nurse.

Just about this time a handsome white guy came walking up and asked the nurse, "Which room is Margaret Robbins in, I'm her boy friend?"

"Room 309 sir. Margaret hasn't regained consciousness yet but you can go back."

"Thanks miss," said the man as he walked to the room.

"Your letting him go back and she's only his girl friend, what's your problem? Why can't I see Mark?" asked Mialing in a not too pleasant tone of voice.

"Because you can't."

It was at this time that Mark's parents arrived at the hospital and found their way to the third floor.

"Mialing honey, how's Mark?" asked Marge.

"I don't know, the nurse won't let me in to see him," replied Mialing.

"What? She won't let you in, I'll see about that," Marge said with determination in her voice. "Excuse me miss, why didn't you let my future daughter-in-law in to see my son?"

"Well, because, you know, she's different," answered the nurse.

"Different, what do you mean by that?"

"You know what I mean, she's not like us."

"Don't you mean not like you? I guess your right about that, Mialing is thoughtful and caring and would do anything to help someone and I thank God she's not like you."

"You can't talk to me like that, I'm the one in charge here, and by the way who are you anyway?"

"Mark's my son and we're the people that are going to get you fired."

"I doubt that."

"We'll see," replied Marge, as the pissing match continued.

"It's alright Marge, I'll see him later," said Mialing trying to calm the escalating situation.

"No it's not alright and I'm not going to put up with it, this woman owes you an apology," replied Marge.

"Apologize, I doubt it, now do you want to see your son or not?"

"Yes we do want to see him, I'll deal with you later," said Marge.

"He's in room 311 and take your friend here with you, I can't stand to look at her any longer," the nurse spitted out.

"Bitch," Marge mumbled under her breath.

Mialing, Marge and Jack walked to Mark's room. They were surprised to see a cop guarding the door.

"May I help you?" he asked.

"I'm Mark's fiancé, and these are his parents. We just arrived from the west coast and have to see him," Mialing told the officer.

"I'll have to see some identification before I'll let you in," replied the officer.

All three showed their identification and were admitted into the room. Mark was sleeping and had tubes running into his arm and nose. Mark was meditated to keep him from moving. He had just been operated on to remove the bullet and patch up the damage it had caused.

Mialing went to his side and took his hand in hers and held it tight. Mark didn't move because of the drugs in his system.

"Mark, it's Mialing, your mom and dad are here with me," Mialing said softly. Her voice had a quiver to it exposing her fear that she might lose this man she loved so much.

When Mialing spoke Mark's mouth moved ever so slightly, but then he just lied still.

The three people found chairs and sat knowing they would be here for a while.

The door opened sometime later and a doctor entered the room.

"Oh, I didn't know Mark had visitors," he said.

"Hi, I'm Mialing Lee, Mark's fiancé, and these are his parents, Marge and Jack Conrad," Mialing said as she introduced each other.

"I'm pleased to meet you, I'm Dr. Bruce Weston."

"How badly is Mark injured?" asked Mialing.

"Very badly. The bullet missed his heart and lungs but did hit his intestines. We had to go in and close up what damage we did find and now it's pretty much up to him as far as his recovery is concerned. The thing we have to worry about now is infection from the damage done to his insides. We'll have to keep a close watch on him."

The doctor took all the vital signs and marked them down on the chart.

"He seems stable right now, but the next two days will tell the whole story on how well he recovers. If he becomes infected, it will happen soon and we'll be able to treat it. We have him on antibiotics now so hopefully he should be able to fight any infection he might get before it becomes serious."

The Dr. left the room and the long wait continued.

Mialing held Mark's hand in hers trying to make him well with her touch. It had been around six hours since they entered the room and Mialing needed a break.

"I'm going to take a walk," she said to Mark's mother, "I need some fresh air."

"Be careful honey," Marge answered.

Mialing left the room and was happy to see the nurse that hated her so had gone off duty. In her place was a Filipino nurse who was as nice as could be.

"How's your boyfriend?" she asked.

"He's still the same," answered Mialing.

"He'll get better now that you're here," said the nurse.

"I hope so. What happened to that other woman that was here, she was so nasty to me?"

"Do you mean Judy? I know what you're saying, she hates me. Her sister was supposed to have this job but wasn't qualified and they gave it to me. If you're not white she doesn't like you and if your Asian she dislikes you even more especially after her sister lost the job. Don't pay any attention to her, she's just bluffing when she makes threats."

"Thank you I won't. I'm going outside for some fresh air, is there a place I can walk?"

"Yes, if you pass through the parking lot there is a park just past the gate that is nice."

"Thank you miss," said Mialing.

Mialing took the elevator down to the first floor and walked toward the parking lot. As she rounded the corner of the building she saw a man push a woman against a car and raise his clenched fist to hit her as he yelled, "You bitch."

Mialing couldn't believe what she was seeing as the man's fist hit the woman's face. He raised his hand again and Mialing yelled, "Stop!"

The man looked at Mialing and said, "Mind your own business."

"I'm calling the police," said Mialing, and then turned and started screaming, "Help, someone, please help."

The man released the woman and rushed toward Mialing to shut her up. Mialing raised her foot and kicked, catching the man in the groin. He went down writhing in pain. Mialing rushed to the aid of the injured woman and asked, "Are you alright?" It was then that Mialing recognized her, she had just saved nurse Judy.

"I'll be okay," Judy answered, "Thank you for helping me, if you hadn't my husband might have killed me." Judy looked up and recognized Mialing.

"You're welcome, I didn't want him to hurt you."

"After the way I treated you, I would have just walked away and let the man beat me, why did you help me?"

"It was the right thing to do."

"You might have been injured yourself?"

"I didn't think about that, I just wanted to help you."

"I'm so ashamed of the way I treated you earlier."

"Why were you like that to me?"

"Because you're Chinese, and now I feel like such a fool."

Judy had been brutally honest with Mialing, she had admitted that she was a racist and now the girl she despised had saved her from a brutal beating. Everything she had been taught as a child was wrong and now she was going to have to go against everything she believed, that someone that wasn't white was the equal of her and had been her savior. The tears came and Judy took Mialing into her arms, she needed someone right now and that someone was Mialing.

"It's alright," Mialing said as she comforted Judy, "He won't bother you anymore."

Judy just cried, how could she have been so wrong about people.

Judy finally gathered her thoughts and said, "Can you forgive me, I've been so terrible to you?"

"It's okay, as long as you're safe, that's all that matters," answered Mialing as she continued to hold the distraught woman.

"I'll never be able to thank you enough," said Judy as she broke Mialing's embrace.

By this time the police arrived and took Judy's husband into custody. Mialing gave a report as to what had happened and returned to Mark's side. She had had enough excitement for one day, just being with Mark would make her happy again.

Judy returned to work the next day sporting a black eye and was as nice as could be toward Mialing and Marge. She apologized for her rude conversation with Marge and as the days past became a good friend to Mialing, even inviting her to her home for dinner.

Mark was making progress also, the infection that was so feared never took place and he was ready to go home after week and a half in the hospital. Mark decided to go to his parent's home so he would be looked after since Mialing had to return to work.

Mialing had returned to work for a month and the wedding plans were going ahead on schedule once again. It was at this time that she heard some news that excited her and phoned Mark about what she had heard.

"Mark, it's Mailing, how are you feeling?"

"Almost one hundred percent. I go back to work next week. I told them no more fieldwork. Bob decided to retire after what happened."

"That's why I'm calling you, I heard from some friends that the head of security has opened up at the Treasure Island casino and they are interviewing for the job. They want someone with law enforcement experience and it pays a lot more than the job you have now. The best part is that you will be here with me and won't be in the danger you were in before, what do you think?"

"I think I'll be on a plane tomorrow to interview, do you know of a place I can stay?"

"You brat, of coarse I know of a place you can stay, and the best part is that you can sleep with the tenant," giggled Mialing.

Mark flew to Las Vegas the next day and interviewed for the job. The board was impressed and decided that Mark would be their man and he would start his new job in eight weeks. This would be perfect timing. The wedding was to take place in six weeks and it would give him time to put things in order at the FBI headquarters.

Mark and Mialing had decided to have the wedding in San Francisco since most of the guests lived in the bay area and there were more options for locations to have the ceremony. The ceremony was to take place in Tilden Park in the Berkeley hills. The reception would take place on a yacht on the San Francisco Bay. This limited the number of guests to one hundred so only their closest friends could attend.

The day of the wedding arrived and Mialing was the most beautiful bride the guests had ever seen. She arrived at the park in a limousine with her bride's maids. She went into the lodge to await the ceremony. The processional began and she walked down the aisle to the waiting Mark. Since she didn't have any family who better than Jason Willard to give her away, after all Jason was practically the father of Mialing.

"Who gives this woman in marriage?" asked the preacher.

"I do," answered Jason as he took Mialing's hand and placed it in Mark's waiting hand.

The ceremony continued and finally came to the reciting of the vows. Both Mialing and Mark were asked to write their own vows and now was the time for them to recite them.

"Mialing, before I met you my world revolved around myself. I didn't care what I did except to please myself, but when I met you everything changed, you became the center of my universe. I finally knew what love meant, it was my feeling for you. I couldn't imagine living another day without you, Mialing, I love you and want you to be my wife forever."

"Mark, before I met you I had never felt love. When we first dated I felt things I had never felt before and didn't know what those feelings were. This might sound silly but I finally knew I was in love when we were at Grand Canyon and you pulled that prank on me and I thought I had lost you, I was sick with grief if only for a few seconds, Mark you made me alive when you kissed me the very first time and I can't imagine life without you, Mark, be my husband forever, I love you."

"Mark, do you take Mialing to be your wife for better or worse till death do you part?"

"I do."

"Mialing, do you take Mark to be your husband for better or worse till death do you part?"

"I do."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce Mr. And Mrs. Mark Conrad."

The gathering cheered as the couple kissed as husband and wife for the first time. There would be many other kisses during the day as the celebration continued. Mark had finally won the heart of the woman he loved and Mialing? Mialing had finally found peace in her life.

  

  

  

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