Officer Sho

Tsi Luen City, Cheena Continent, Earth

***

The moon was high beyond the delicate grey hues of clouds. Tsi Luen City lights danced colorfully that refracted intricately against towering structures. Beneath the beautiful scenery, lay underground darkness that deteriorated the core of the said City. The Zi Lok Triad contributed most of its underground endeavors, not only corrupting the system but infecting them subtly with Demonic influence.

Beyond the heart of the city, towns were quieter which was an opportune place for clandestine activities. Fear had directed the people to give a blind eye to witness Zi Lok's operations which made them safe from the eyes of the fearsome Triad.

***

Two three-story buildings provided a small alley in between them that made seven police officers sneak along. Their positions were concealed by prying eyes. Faint illumination was provided by the few lamps spaced farther that hardly served its purpose. The bright lights of the city could not penetrate the girth of the alley and civilians were rarely present except for a few vagrant people.

Officer Sho, a middle-aged policeman who had served ten years in the police force, had received a tip from their anonymous source that a drug manufacturing den was located nearby. The suspicious activities and unknown people with close definitions of Zi Lok's Triad members frequented the establishment.

An anonymous tip said that a large van parked in front of the suspected establishment would carry large sums of drug packs for wide-scale distribution. It would depart as soon as the truck was full. Their window of opportunity was short and he decided to act fast by summoning the nearest police officers stationed near the vicinity.

"This alley should take us to the targeted building." Officer Sho whispered to six of his police comrades.

He was the most experienced among the six and had led successful drug busts of previous dominating Triads and gangs. But now they were facing the most notorious, aggressive, Zi Lok Triad.

Each of them was armed with a handgun and three of them carried shotguns. They had called for backup and Officer Sho estimated ten to fifteen minutes to arrive at the scene.

Waiting was not an option for they would miss the delivery. The delivery truck would provide them with substantial evidence for a national case against the Zi Lok clan. Evidence large enough to stir the media and public eyes on the legislatures would expedite due process. This should lessen Zi Lok's attempt to bribe legislatures with money and proceed with the case with integrity.

"Do not worry lad, we could stop the shipment on our own," Officer Sho regarded the youngest officer with him who was visibly agitated.

"I estimated maybe only five of Zi Lok Triad are present in the vicinity. The establishment is not that big enough to hold many possible armed hostiles. Forced laborers maybe." Sho continued.

He assured his comrades who had just to experience first the encounter of the fearsome Triad.

They continued to press forward along the dark alley, their movements made oblivious to their targets. In the last corner of the alley, a building wall concealed them from the truck's location. The officers hid behind the building's wall.

About fifty meters, Sho saw the rear of the truck; its door was swung open and the merchandise was piled inside.

"Three or four outside. Two on the doors of the shipment container van," Sho whispered to his comrades.

There were only two black-clad goons that held submachine guns, monitoring the shipment's loading.

"Listen, engaging is not wise. We had to get closer to them and apprehend the perpetrators." Officer Sho whispered.

His comrades nodded in agreement. Cold sweat started to seep from Sho's forehead and his heart beat faster. The decision was risky not only to his own but his lesser experienced comrades. The pressure was on his shoulders but it was a necessary evil.

"We will gradually take our pace slow and stealthily. We will hide behind the trash bins and the adjacent corner walls. Two hostiles armed with MP5s. The truck is almost full and it will depart soon. We have to act now." He convinced. A firefight was unwise against the semi-automatics with only their standard weapons. Sho could feel corruption upon their weapons. They requested at least one semi-automatic rifle per unit but procurement took months and sometimes, never. It had disheartened many police officers.

They sprinted like cats crossing the street and hunkered behind trash containers and corners. But their position progressed closer to the truck. Two Triad goons fixated their eyesight on the people loading the goods as their backs faced the officers. Closing the gap was easier for them.

Officer Sho silently placed his gun on the nape of one hostile. His comrade did the same with the other.

"Police. Lower your guns now." Officer Sho demanded. The other police officers scurried to position themselves at the establishment's entrance ready to apprehend hostiles that would come out the door.

The two goons did not move. Only they stood still.

"Do not let me repeat myself, or I will shoot you both." Officer Sho's voice raised. Still, they were stiff as statues grasping their guns to their bellies. The Officer noticed that the goons exchanged looks with each other and he saw the other smirking with no hint of intimidation nor fear of death.

Officer Sho pulled the gun's hammer using his thumb and said once more, "I will count one to three. Do not test my patience. One…Two…" His count was interrupted as the two goons immediately spun, facing them with their weapons pointing at officers.

Startled, Sho and the other had reflexed to shoot them before they could fire their weapons. The goons had no chance to retaliate and both dropped to the ground. But the commotion alarmed the people inside the establishment as gunshots echoed.

The raucous inside of the establishment was obvious from the outside. The three officers leaning against the wall near the entrance went inside first and started shouting. Officer Sho followed suit, his gun aimed steadily.

There was a wide space inside with a series of tables strategically arranged that allowed an obvious manufacturing setup. Their piles of plastics and various weighing scales were scattered on the tables and packs of what seemed to be merchandise, were placed in pallets.

The workers, who wore dirty white laboratory gowns, were pressed against the corner of the wall, fearing the two police officers with shotguns. An old man raised his hand and knelt on the floor sobbing in fear and at his back were teens curled behind him. His fellow officers demanded loudly as to inflict intimidation.

"Officer Clarq, check the office," Sho referred to the office situated upstairs.

Officer Sho examined the merchandise scattered on top of the tables. He buried his fingertip in a pile of white powder and scraped his tongue with it. It was bitter but smoother than ordinary meth. It should be Zi Lok's product.

"Confirmed, these are drugs!" Officer Sho assured his men that the anonymous tip was right.

The police officers started to subdue the feared workers with cuffs. Others were even foreigners from poor countries - believed to be victims of human trafficking and made slaves by the Triad.

Most of them cried with horror, it might be from the thought of imprisonment or death brought by Triad's assassins. Triads killed most of their apprehended slaves so as not to spill any information that could reveal some of their secret operations.

"Estimated about a hundred million dollars the worth of drugs present in this establishment." Officer Sho mused. The commotion was controlled and the area grew silent except for the faint sobs from the apprehended slaves.

"Officer Ken, you guard the entrance door. Alarm us if anyone is coming. The backup will arrive any minute now." He demanded one officer and immediately followed his instruction.

As officer Ken stepped outside, a gunshot loomed echoing inside the room. Officer Sho aimed his gun at the entrance and shouted, "Officer Ken!"

No one answered. His heart pounded fast. His comrade might be dead. He retreated a few steps and sheath half of his body against a rectangular concrete column. The two Triad goons, with gunshots on their foreheads, stormed the establishment with their guns blazing. Their guns sprayed bullets in every direction, hitting slaves and officers alike.

Shocked as the Officer saw the bullet holes in their foreheads and blood splattered all over their grinning faces. Their faces had no hint of pain and they were so much alive.

Officer Sho returned fire on one of the goons and all his three shots landed on the goon's chest but it did not cease the latter from firing his MP5, nor had showed pain.

'They are supposed to be dead!' Officer thought.

He could see that all his comrades emptied their magazines but the goons absorbed them like sponges. They even laughed devilishly.

'What are these people?' Sho asked himself.

Officer Sho continued to cover himself behind the concrete column. He saw his comrades go down one by one. The shots were precise and all his fellow officers went down, dead. He burst into tears.

"No! Get cover!" Sho screamed but it was too late. They were attacked surprisingly and did not have the chance to cover themselves to safety.

The gunshots stopped as the goons reloaded. Sho was the only remaining officer. Retaliation was futile and he knew it. Footfalls continued nearing his position.

"Come out, rat!" One goon said.

Everybody was slaughtered, even the slaves. His breathing increased and a stream of cold sweat ran down his face.

"What are you, people?" Sho responded, his back pressed hard against the foundation.

"It's no use telling you. You will die soon enough. We should do this quickly." One goon suggested. They laughed.

Fortunately, in a nick of time, sirens loomed from outside.

'Thank god, backup,' He thought.

He heard footfalls now receding from his position and sprinted farther from he hid. Officer Sho started to emerge with his gun pointing forward but the goons had left. He felt sudden relief but sadness emerged back at the thought of his dead comrades.