Charmaine walked into Passions and immediately felt a bad vibe.  She hated the place even though Raymond was the owner of it.  To her, Passions related to Kenneth Ma and regardless of how much Raymond defends the guy, she didn’t like him one bit.  She had no idea why Steven would even suggest this place but he was most persistent, claiming that this was the only venue he felt comfortable enough to drink in.  So Charmaine reluctantly agreed to meet him here.  She scanned the room and didn’t see him.  A waitress came over, “What can I get for you miss?” she asked in an overly friendly voice.  Charmaine glanced over at the bar and noticed that it wasn’t the same bartender from the last time she was here.  Good, she thought with relief.  Turning back to the waitress she ordered a beer and waited impatiently for Steven to show up.

The waitress walked up to the bartender and winked at him.  Unknown to Charmaine, her picture was taped under the counter and the bartender had been given instructions earlier to slip a tranquilizer into her drink.  Careful so not to be caught, the bartender removed a chilled beer from a nearby fridge and during the process of opening it, had deftly slipped a small pill into the bottle.  Giving the bottle a twirl he placed it on the ledge for the waitress to pick up.

“Here you are miss,” the waitress said as she placed the beer in front of Charmaine and left.

Charmaine picked up the beer and took a small sip from it while she watched a soccer game on the flat screen TV off to the side.  Ten minutes later with the beer more than half gone she felt the beginning of a small headache.  She bent her head forward and with her fingers rubbed at her temples.  Lifting her head again she tried to focus on her surroundings but everything was fading into a soft blur.  She shook her head to clear her vision only that seemed to made it worse.  Her body felt nailed to her chair and her arms and legs seemed like foreign objects to her because she can’t seem to move them.

"Charmaine, are you okay?” a familiar voice asked with concern close to her ear.

With great effort Charmaine turned her head towards the voice and all she saw was the blurry outline of a man.  “W-who are you?” she croaked, and even her voice sounded strange to her own ears.

“It’s Steven,” the familiar voice responded with a soft chuckle.  “I believe you had too much to drink.”

Floating on the borderline of awareness and oblivion, Charmaine thought Steven’s voice sounded different than usual.  “Steven?” she whispered hoarsely.  “I-I feel dizzy.”

“Is everything okay?” she heard a man ask curiously.

Steven held up his badge to the stranger and said, “I’m a cop and she is my friend.  She’s drunk and I’m taking her home now.”

The man looked over at Steven’s badge, shrugged and left.

Steven chuckled at how easy this was going to be.  Charmaine heard the rough crackling sound and felt an involuntary shiver run through her.  Suddenly she felt arms sliding underneath her and felt herself being lifted up in the air.  Keeping her eyes open was getting harder and harder.  Her head fell against his chest as she murmured, “Where are you taking me?”

Steven stopped midstep to look down at her and answered, “Home.  My home.”

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The girl walked beside Bosco into the same quad room she was in not long ago.  Based on the features and characteristics she was able to provide to the police, they have now gathered some pictures of potential suspects that have a close resemblance to the rough sketch that she did.  She was the only survivor in all the attacks and she knew how important it was to not make any mistakes.  Solemnly she sat down in the chair that Bosco pulled out for her.

“It will soon be over and you can get on with your life,” Bosco said softly.  “Wait here while I get the photos.”

The girl nodded.  She meekly looked around the room and saw that she was alone.  It was early evening and she supposed even cops have to go home to their families.  She returned her attention to in front of her and saw that there was a stack of photos lying there.  She knew she shouldn’t but out of nosiness she picked up the photos and began leafing through them while she waited for Bosco.  These pictures looked to be taken not long ago.  She saw Bosco and Madame Sheh in a few of the pictures.  She stopped at a picture of a man who again rang familiarity in her.  Madame Sheh had told her his name and now she can’t remember it.

Bosco returned to the room and saw the girl frowning over a picture.  Thinking that she was unwell he asked with worry, “Are you ill?”

“No,” the girl answered softly.  She pointed at Steven in the picture, “He’s looks so familiar to me but I can’t place from where.”  She studied the face and with frustration, tried to recall where she could have seen him from.  She went over his eyes again and a chill swept through her.  Suddenly she jumped out of her seat, her eyes wide with fright.  “I remember now!  That’s him!”

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Kenneth was pacing angrily outside the entrance of Smashbox, stopping every few steps to mutter a curse.  Damn, what should he do!  He raked a hand roughly through his hair and tugged on it with frustration.

“What are you still doing here?” Raymond asked icily as he stepped out the entrance and saw Kenneth.

“Ray,” Kenneth began then turned abruptly around to give Raymond his back.  Dammit, he can’t let it happen.  Hastily he turned around again and clutched Raymond’s shoulders with panic, “Hurry, you have to save her.”

Raymond eyed him with skepticism, “Save who?”

“Madame Sheh!” Kenneth screamed out her name.  “It’s Steven Ma!”

“Charmaine?  Steven?  What are you ranting about,” Raymond asked with annoyance.

Kenneth squeezed Raymond’s shoulders roughly and looking at him directly said, “It was Steven who had been and killing all those girls and now he has Madame Sheh.”