Angel in the Full Moon (6 page)

“They will not search your trunk?” Hang asked.

Dúc smiled and said, “Some money will be passed. It is arranged, but it is still better if you are quiet.”

Dúc turned to Giang and said, “Be at the Orient Pleasure tonight at closing time. Bring the guys. I will be at a party and may be late. No matter if I am there or not. Start the ...” Dúc glanced at Hang before continuing, “the training without me.”

Hang could not help but notice the harsh tone of Dúc's voice when he spoke with Giang, who nodded obediently while staring down at his own feet.

Mister Dúc may look like a spider monkey—but he is powerful!

Dúc opened up the trunk to his car and gestured for Hang to get in. She climbed in and made herself comfortable on some pillows. Dúc opened up half of the rear seat and from her position, Hang could see out the car windows at an angle looking up.

“When we get close to the U.S. border, I will tell you and you can just pull on that strap and the seat will close,” said Dúc.

Hang nodded, feeling her body tremble as the final leg of her journey began.

Street lights and overhead signs passed by quickly as they drove. Hang saw that they were on a highway marked 99.

“Up ahead, Hang!” yelled Dúc. “Look! See it?”

Hang strained her head up to see what Dúc was pointing at.
Canada–U.S. Border! This is it!
“I see it! I see it!” she said.

“Pull the seat closed! Quickly!” yelled Dúc.

Hang yanked hard on the strap and the seat closed tightly into position. She was now in complete darkness. She worried that the pounding of her heart could be heard. When she heard the blast of music as the radio was turned up she breathed easier.
Mister Dúc knows what he is doing ...

Dúc smiled as he turned off at the 8
^th
Avenue exit, just prior to the U.S. border. He made a couple of more turns and slowed down as he inched his way along in a lineup of cars.

Hang could hear little due to the loud music, but she felt the motion of the car as it would slowly pull ahead, stop, pull ahead some more. Her feet touched the plastic bag containing her clothes and it made a rustling sound. She froze, holding
her breath, but the car inched forward again.

Dúc picked up his coffee at the drive-through window and continued on.

Hang breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the car pick up speed. Dúc turned the radio down and yelled back to her, “Don't open the seat. We're through, but there are lots of big trucks beside me. I don't want anyone to look down and see you. Should only be about another twenty minutes.”

Twenty minutes later, Hang felt the car stop and heard the sound of a garage door. Dúc pulled into the garage and she heard the garage door close. The trunk was opened.

Hang saw a large man standing next to Dúc. He was about the same age as her own father, but he was wearing sweat pants and a white T-shirt. Hang had never seen a man with arms bulging with such big muscles.

“Hang,” said Dúc, “I'd like you to meet ...”

“Pops,” the big man beside Dúc said. “Just call me Pops.” He smiled and said, “Here, let me help you out of there. I bet you're really uncomfortable.”

Before Hang could answer, he bent over and lifted her out of the trunk and gently set her down beside him. “Welcome to the States,” he said. “Come, I'll show you your new home,” he said, opening a door that led into the house. “You must be tired ... and hungry too, I bet!”

Hang felt dumbstruck as she was shown around the house. Dúc trailed along behind and seldom spoke. To Hang, the house was huge. There was a large kitchen and a sitting room with a fireplace.

“How many other families live here?” asked Hang.

Pops chuckled and said, “Just us. No other families.”

Hang shook her head in amazement, and asked, “Where is Mrs. Pops? Is she here? I have something to give her.”

“She is not home right now. Her mother is sick and she
had to go away for a couple of days.”

“I am sorry,” said Hang, hoping her question did not cause discomfort.

“That is okay. Come, let me show you the rest of the house. For now, we have to keep the drapes and blinds shut. Nobody must know you are here until we receive the proper documentation.”

Pops shoved open a door and said, “This is my bedroom.”

Hang looked inside and saw that on the opposite side of the bedroom was the bathroom.
To get to the bathroom you have to walk through Mister Pops's bedroom! Poor to build a house in such a manner
.

Hang was led farther down the hall and Pops opened the door to another room.

“This is your bedroom,” said Pops, placing Hang's bag of clothes on the floor. “You can hang your jacket in the closet.”

Hang gazed around the room in awe. It was huge. Her eyes wandered from a big stuffed teddy bear lying on the bed to something that startled her.

“Mister Pops! There is a television in my room! Do we watch it in here?”

Pops laughed and said, “No, that is just for you.”

“For me!” Hang exclaimed, putting her hand over her mouth.

“You can watch it in here if you want to be alone. I'll show you another television that you can watch if you do not wish to be alone. It is much bigger, but first, I want to finish showing you around up here.”

Hang opened the closet door and saw that the closet had more space than the area that both she and Linh had when they slept at home.

Pops opened another door beside her bedroom. “This is your bathroom,” he said. “If there is anything you are missing
or anything you need, please just ask me.”

“Mister Pops, this is ... for me, too?”

He grinned and said, “Mister? No, no, no. Just call me Pops. Yes, this bathroom is for you until your sister comes. Then you'll have to share the bathroom with her. Of course,” he said, opening the door to another bedroom, “she'll have own her room.”

“I'll go now,” interrupted Dúc. He handed Pops a cellphone and said, “For later.”

Pops had Hang wait in the kitchen while he went to the garage with Dúc. As soon as Dúc was gone, Pops returned and said, “Come, follow me. I'll show you a real TV set.”

Hang was in a daze as Pops led her to the basement, where they entered a large room with wooden panelling on the walls and thick wall-to-wall carpet. There was a leather sofa, two upholstered chairs, and a coffee table in the room.

“Help yourself whenever you want,” said Pops, gesturing to a bowl full of candy on the table.

Hang gawked at the wall opposite the sofa. Hanging on the wall was the largest television set she had ever seen.

“And this room over here is just another bathroom,” said Pops, gesturing to another door. “The room beside it just has my weights for working out.”

Hang started to cry. She tried to stop, but she couldn't help herself.

“What is wrong?” asked Pops.

Hang flung her arms around him and said, “Nothing. It is so much just for me. My tears are happy tears.”

Pops hugged her back and said, “Why don't you go back upstairs and freshen up? Take a hot bath or a shower. There are clean towels in the bathroom for you. It is also lunchtime. While you're doing that, I'll order some pizza.”

Pops stared at Hang for a moment and said, “If you like
pizza? Otherwise I can order something else?”

“I like pizza,” said Hang, using her hands to wipe her tears. Later, while gorging herself on pizza, Hang turned to Pops and nervously said, “My father has a phone. He asked that I call him.”

“I think you should. He must be worried.”

“I have not talked to him for six months—no, weeks,” replied Hang. “I worry about my sister and grandmother, too.”

Pops checked his watch and said, “With the time difference, it is now about four in the morning there. Maybe a little early for a call. Let's wait a few hours.”

Hang nodded in agreement.

Pops spied Hang's extra thumb and gently reached out and touched it. “I was told about this. Does it cause you pain?”

Hang quickly withdrew her hand from the table and placed it on her lap.

“Please, I did not mean to embarrass you,” said Pops. “I just wondered if it caused you any pain.”

“It does not hurt” replied Hang, matter-of-factly. “Only in my head it hurts. Not real pain.”

Pops smiled knowingly and said, “If you like, in time, I will have a surgeon remove it for you. But that will be your decision. It does not bother me at all.”

Hang smiled and brought her hand back into view. “I think I would like that. To be the same as other children. My sister does not have this problem. She is perfect.”

“Your sister ... I understand the next ship leaves in three days. Do you think she will like it here? I bet you miss her?”

“Yes, very much,” she admitted.

“I hope you will be happy here,” said Pops.

Hang beamed. Words were not necessary.

“Your English is very good, but in a few days we will start you on home-schooling. Right now, I bet you are exhausted.”

Hang smiled and said, “Yes. I am very tired.”

“If you've had enough to eat, go to your room and take a nap. I'll wake you in a couple of hours and then you can call your dad.”

Hang went to her room and climbed into bed. She had never slept in a bed so big. Or on a mattress and pillow that was so soft. Too soft for what she had become used to. She elected instead to lie on the floor and cover herself with a blanket. She fell asleep immediately and slept soundly until she was awakened a few hours later by a gentle knock on her door.

A few minutes later, she sat at the kitchen table with Pops, who picked up a cellphone on the table.

“Do not say anything on the phone about the ship or the name of who smuggled you into the States,” he cautioned. “It is risky for you to call home now, because the American police monitor calls to foreign countries. Especially a communist country like Vietnam.”

“I understand,” said Hang.

“Tell your dad how excited you were to see the American border sign when you arrived. That would be good. If the police are listening, they would think you drove across the border as people are supposed to.”

“Okay,” said Hang.

“Do you think your sister will be happy here? I understand the next ship leaves in three days.”

“It would be an honour for her to be in your house, Mister Pops.”

“I think it would be better for you if she was here. There is another girl that wants to come. It must be decided now. I can only have two girls and I think it better that you have your sister. Don't you?”

Hang was startled to learn that there was a possibility that
another girl may be selected. “Yes, I want my sister,” she said quickly. “She is kind and polite. She will be no trouble for you.”

“Your dad must miss you. Won't it be nice when he can come and live here, too?”

“You think he can?” asked Hang.

“Not right away. But think about it. You are free to become anything you want in this country. You could become a lawyer if you want. Then you could draw up the papers yourself to allow your father to immigrate here.”

“He really wants to come to America.”

“Good. I think we can risk one call right now. In a couple of weeks, when certain papers are in order, you can use the regular phone in the house and call home whenever you like.”

Hang gave Pops the number and he dialled. “It is ringing,” he said, while passing her the phone.

Hang's call was an excited combination of tears and laughter as she spoke of her new surroundings and her dreams for the future. Pops was generous with the time she could talk and when she was finished, she had spoken at length with her father, Linh, and even her grandmother.

As soon as she hung up, she felt sorrow. She had never been completely away from her family before. Occasionally, in the past, before her father had become a tourist guide, he had to go away for a couple of weeks to work on farms. Even then, Hang still had Linh, who helped her look after Grandmother.

“You look sad,” commented Pops. “Is everything okay?”

Hang nodded and said, “I am okay. I am only sad because I miss them.”

“That is why I wish your sister had come with you. It would make it easier. Your father was told that.”

Hang's face brightened and she said, “She will come now. You do not need that other girl. She will start the voyage in three days.”

“That's great,” said Pops, sounding relieved. “Oh, there is one thing I forgot to show you. It is in case the police should ever come before your papers are in order. I have built a secret room in the basement for you to hide in. Come, I will show it to you.”

Jack and Laura started their shift by checking with the property managers of the apartment building that the two Russians lived in. The office was located in the main foyer, next to the front entrance of the apartment building itself.

Jack noticed the building was secure, complete with intercom and security cameras, inside and out. After producing identification, Jack and Laura learned that the actual apartment manager was a retired Vancouver city policeman by the name of Derek. A phone call was placed and Derek soon joined them in the office. He was more than willing to assist.

The lease agreement indicated the names were Petya Globenko and Styopa Ghukov. Their occupation said that they were retired schoolteachers. They had each provided Russian passport numbers for identification. The penthouse suite came with two free underground parking stalls, but the Russians indicated they did not have a car.

“Taxis,” commented Laura. “Makes our job easier.”

“Until you turn a corner and suddenly see three taxis in front of you and have to play the old shell game,” replied Jack.

“They usually use a limo service,” said Derek. “From what I've seen, they're big tippers. I presume they're dopers?”