Fallen Into A Trap?

Natalie had visited Hong Kong a few times and thought she knew a lot about Hong Kong, but every time she went there, it was always on business with Halia's father. Naturally, Halia's father only visited places where the rich frequented. It was far from a representation of the real Hong Kong.

This day, for example, she hopped onto the MTR (the Hong Kong subway) for the very first time in her life. It was peak hour and everyone was rushing to work so the trains were packed to the brim.

"I thought this would be quicker than getting stuck in a traffic jam," Sean said as he glanced down at the woman that was practically in his arms. Sean and Natalie were facing each other with just a small gap between them. Since the train was packed, Natalie obviously felt more comfortable to be facing someone she knew. Thus, they were left in a slightly awkward and ambiguous position.

Everytime the train moved a little, or people adjusted their positions in the train, Natalie would be pushed against Sean's firm chest. The man's body sent tingles down her spine and the smell of his aftershave tempted her to run her nose across his neck and chin. They were only 3 stops from their destination, but Natalie wished it was 30 - or even 300.

Sean felt Natalie's gentle breaths as she glanced up at him awkwardly. As a police detective, he was a protective person, so when Natalie was pushed against him, he subconsciously wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her stable.

"Are you alright?" he checked.

Natalie nodded her head.

Soon, the two of them squeezed out of the busy train into the packed streets of Mongkok. Sean quickly weaved through the streets. Many stores were just opening for the day, including market stalls. There were vans unloading stock everywhere and people rushing off to work, but Sean avoided everything on street level and headed straight up to the 3rd floor of a building. Inside, there was a no-frills food center where people were enjoying their breakfast. There were tables and plastic stools everywhere and random menus stuck all over the walls; it was nothing like the fancy Michelin-starred restaurants she had visited in the past.

Natalie looked around with curiosity. Sure, she had been to Mongkok before, but now that she thought about it, she only ever walked on street level and most of that time was spent buying souvenirs in the Ladies​ Market. She never knew about secret hidden spots like this.

"I worked in Hong Kong a long time ago," Sean explained. "This was one of the places where I used to grab breakfast."

Years ago, before Sean became a senior detective and handler for the SPU, he started as a field agent just like Halia. Back then, he had also been sent undercover and had a lot of dealings with the Hong Kong triad, so he often lived between Beijing and Hong Kong. During that time, Mongkok was like a second home for him.

"The congee here is the best for tackling a hangover; major comfort food with plenty of liquid to hydrate your body," he said.

Natalie glanced at the menu and felt her stomach grumble in hunger. "I'll have the fish congee," she smiled.

Sean smiled back at the woman. The almighty secretary of the Chairman of Fengtai Corporation was currently sitting in an old no-frills food center eating congee with him. He originally thought that she would be quite picky and precious. But, she was a lot more down-to-earth than he expected.

...

Meanwhile, in a different part of Hong Kong, Halia and Emerson had just been picked up by a luxurious Rolls Royce.

"Where are we going?" Halia asked.

"To my place, I have one of the best views of the city," Emerson replied with a wink.

Halia looked at the man in surprise. His place? Just the two of them? They didn't even know each other that well. Had she just fallen into a trap?

Halia quickly placed her hand in her pocket to look for her phone; she had to at least notify Natalie or Sean of her whereabouts. But, that was when she realized she had left it on the coffee table at the hotel suite.

Pinching herself in frustration, she turned to Emerson and asked to borrow his phone. "I think I left my phone at the hotel. Can I borrow yours to give it a call and make sure I didn't drop it somewhere else?" she asked.

Emerson nodded and handed over his phone.

Halia quickly phoned herself, hoping that Natalie would pick up, but the phone simply rang out. She then glanced at Emerson awkwardly and tried again. But, there was still no response.

In the end, she handed the phone back to Emerson and glanced at the man with suspicion as the car began to drive up into a quiet mountainous road...