The hour was still early but the sky has already darkened.  A storm was brewing up ahead, promising a downpour of much needed rain.  Hong Kong had never felt this humid and the rain would be a welcome relief.  Inside a deserted alleyway in an almost abandoned part of the city, a man waited.

Raymond pressed himself flat against the brick wall.  The coldness of it seemed to absorb through his thin jacket and cotton tee-shirt to form a layer of cold sweat on his already perspiring body.  He clenched his fingers on his gun as he waited.  Waiting is all he’s been doing for the past thirty minutes.  There really isn’t much he can do until his target makes his appearance.  From a little device in his left ear he heard a soft voice speaking to him.  Keeping his own voice to a low decimal he responded, “Yes.  I’m still here.  Wait for my signal.”

A small sound echoed in the silence of the alley way.  Standing alert, Raymond let his eyes move towards the sound.  He can hear a small creak, like a door being cautiously opened.  Bringing his other hand around the of his gun, Raymond slowly lifted it and aimed the barrel in the direction of the sound.  “Relax,” he told himself as he began inching his way over.  He can see the door opening wider with each small step he took.

Hidden in the shadows of the alley way, Raymond had the upper hand over his target.  In the distance he could hear a cat’s meow and it sounded extremely loud.  Finally, he was less than ten feet away and the door was now opened to its fullest.  He saw a big burly man step in view.  It was his target.  It was Joe Ma.  Joe Ma wasn’t aware of Raymond’s presence… yet.  Using this to his full advantage, Raymond continued to slither along the cold damp brick wall until he was standing almost directly behind Joe Ma.

Suddenly Joe turned catching Raymond off guard.  With one sweeping movement, he knocked Raymond to the ground and took off.  Raymond quickly jumped back on his feet and retrieved his gun.  Although it took only seconds to pull himself back up Joe Ma was already a good distance away.  “Stop!” he shouted and began running after his target.

----------------------------------------------

A few blocks away, a woman stepped out of an old worn down building.  The building was to be demolished the next morning and it was Charmaine's responsibility to make sure that all permits for the demolition were in place and in effect.  Looking down at her clipboard, she checked off some boxes and then handed the clipboard over to the man next to her.  "Did I leave anything out?"

Kenneth Wong did a quick scan of the form and returned the clipboard back to Charmaine.  "Looks good to me," he said earnestly, although deep down he didn't know exactly what it was he was suppose to look for.

Reading his thoughts, Charmaine smiled softly at him and said, "Don't worry.  It takes a while to know what to look for.  In time, and after a couple of more inspections, you'll know."

"Thanks," Kenneth replied gratefully.  They turned and began to walk down the block.  After a few steps, a loud rumble penetrated the peacefulness of the night.  Looking up at the dark gray clouds Kenneth said, "We better hurry.  It looks like its going to rain any second."

Charmaine looked up just as a flash of lightning slashed across the dark sky.  "Let's hurry," she agreed and quickened her steps.  Up ahead she saw Kenneth's car and felt the first drop of rain hit her face.

----------------------------------------------

Gigi Wong sat alone in the hospital's outpatient clinic.  She had been feeling unwell for the past couple of weeks and at Raymond's urging decided to have herself examined.  She was sure it wasn't anything life threatening.  Probably a stomach virus that refuse to go away or maybe her sharp abdomen pain was the result of stress.  Stress was a common factor in her life.  Her one and only son, Raymond, was a cop.  Each night she worried whether he would make it home that night.  She had never told Raymond of her fears.  How could she when she knew how much he loved being a cop.  So she withheld all her constant worrying from him and now it has gotten her sick.

"Gigi Wong," the nurse at the receptionist desk called out to her.

Gigi hurried over to the desk and waited as the nurse came around and led her into Dr. Ron Ng's office.  Once inside, she thanked the nurse and took a seat in front of Dr. Ng's desk.  "Dr. Ng?  What is wrong with me?"

Ron looked up from the folder and smiled gently at her.  "Auntie, please call me Ron.  Raymond and I are good friends and I feel better if you were less formal with me."

Gigi nodded and tried to smile but couldn't.  At least not until she hear what is causing her so much pain for the past few weeks.

"I have good news and bad news.  Which do you want to hear first?"

"The bad," Gigi instantly responded and began twirling her fingers in anxiety.

Ron took a deep breath wondering how he should tell her.  Not only was she his patient, but she was also his friend's mom.  But he knew he can't hide the truth from her.  Better to inform her now of her illness than wait until it was too late.  At this early stage and with surgery, the chance of her making through it is exceptionally high.  "You have stomach cancer," he said bluntly.

Gigi stared at him, "A-Are you sure?" she asked in a shaky voice.

Ron nodded emphatically.  "Yes but you don't need to worry.  It's in the early stages and with surgery we can remove the cancerous cells."

"Surgery?" Gigi rasped, her mind already thinking about Raymond's reaction if he knew.  Raymond had always been a filial son and she can't bear to see him suffer because of her illness.

Ron reached over and took her hand in a comforting gesture.  "Don't worry Auntie.  I'll discuss it with Raymond and we'll figure out a plan to pay for the surgery."

"Don't!" Gigi shrieked.  Standing up, she grabbed Ron's hands and pleaded, "Please don't tell Raymond!  He's up for a promotion soon and the last thing I want is for his mind to be worried about me."

"Auntie, Raymond needs to know," Ron argued.

"Yes, but not now.  You said I'm in the early stages.  I'll tell him after he gets his promotion," Gigi assured.  Ron opened his mouth to argue but Gigi cut him off, "Please Ron.  Don't tell Raymond.  I'll tell him in time just not now."

Ron gave in, although he didn't want to but he was tied to the codes of ethnics.  His patients' wishes come first above everything else.  Clasping Gigi's hands, he warned, "Promise that you'll tell him soon.  You need to have that surgery within six months before the cancerous cells spreads.  If you wait too long the surgery won't be of any help.  Understand?"

Gigi nodded.  "Thank you Ron."

-------------------------------------------------

Charmaine was walking alongside Kenneth when someone accidently crashed into her, causing her to fall to the ground.  Before she had the chance to react she was forcibly lifted off the ground and pulled back against a hard male's body.  She took a step forward in an attempt to escape but the man's arm wrapped itself tightly across her waist, making her his prisoner.

"Let her go!" Raymond shouted, his gun still trained on Joe Ma.

Joe shook his head and in seconds pulled out a shiny blade.  He waved it madly in front of Charmaine before pressing it against .  "Drop your gun or I'll slice her up," he snarled.

Raymond's eyes slid from Joe's maniacal expression to the woman who was now Joe's hostage.  He saw the raw fear in her eyes and something tugged within him.  "Let her go," he repeated.

Joe pressed the knife into Charmaine's throat and she whimpered at the pain of the small cut.

"Please save her," Kenneth begged from beside Raymond.

Raymond kept his gun steady on Joe and all of a sudden shouted, "Now!"