Across Borders beyond fate

The moment he boarded the airplane back to China, hazy sense of excitement was rushing through his blood. Henan was not an operational center anymore but a war zone calling him back to return. The defeat by Victor Tan did not last quite long, but Wei Zhang still lurked out there, more elusive and stronger than ever. The plane lifted off, and his hand tightened around the armrest as a hundred thoughts flew in and out of his head. But through the confusion of planning and uncertainty, there was always one thing unnaturally constant: Lianhua. Her face crossed his mind, a lighthouse in the storm.

The moment the plane touched down and he turned the phone back on at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, a complete flood of messages would flow through his mind. That message was from Lianhua for which he had been yearning for so long: "Welcome back. We need to talk. I will see you at the dorm."

The trip from the airport to the dormitory was nothing special; but throughout it, Joaquin's heart raced erratically. The memories came flooding back as he passed through the familiar terrain of Henan-the temples, the bazaars, and the sparkling new buildings, blending into the debris of the old past. Lianhua was there, waiting outside the dormitory door, arms folded with a soft expression on her face.

"You look tired, Joaquin," she said, a mixture of relief and worry.

"Long week," he mumbled bashfully.

"Come in, then," she said, ushering him upstairs. "We ought to catch our breath."

In the dorm room, Marco and Daniel were busy sifting through files, trying to trace Wei Zhang's known associates on the map. The space was dim, and walls were lined with pictures, maps, and sticky notes, a labyrinth representing Zhang's associates. Joaquin plopped his bag to the floor before taking a seat. The tense weight of the assignment hung over his shoulders.

"What's the status?"

Marco pushed up his glasses, "There's a possible lead. Zhang would seem to be working through a textile company in Henan; the company acts as a money-laundering operation."

"The corporate registration is well protected, but we're trying to hack it," Daniel added. "Once we do get in, maybe we'll find something which more than just leads to something useful to nail him."

Joaquin nodded. "Good work. Keep digging."

Then Lianhua, who hadn't said a word until then, placed a hand on Joaquin's arm. "Can we talk? Alone?"

He looked startled but nodded. "Sure."

Bringing him up to the roof, the bright spots of the city's lights seemed to stretch endlessly toward the horizon like the ocean. It was cold, the traffic in the dark distant drumming sound permeated the air. Lianhua leaned against the railing, staring off into the distance.

"You have paid too much," she murmured. "Your father, the arrests, the threats. And now you come back here to endanger yourself once more. Have you even had time to catch your breath?"

Joaquin chuckled quietly but without humor. "Breathing can wait. Zhang certainly won't."

She faced him, her features brightened with worry. "You can't keep going endlessly on adrenaline. You're human, not a robot. And..." There was a pause, and she drew in a breath again, "You don't have to go through this alone."

Her words resonated within him. Resilience was his pride, but this mission was far too heavy a burden. "I know," he said in a near whisper, "but sometimes it seems like I have no choice."

Lianhua stepped a little nearer, her palm brushing against his. "You have us—Marco, Daniel, and me. We're in this together. And..." She hesitated for a moment, "...I care for you, Joaquin. More than I probably should."

A heartbeat went amiss. For that spell, the great chaos of their world faded away and dimmed, and only the two of them remained on that rooftop. "Lianhua," he started, groping for words. "I..."

Before he could finish, her lips were on his. A soft moment that never seemed to end, but a meaning heavier than words lingered. When they withdrew, Lianhua turned away, flushed with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry," she mumbled. "I shouldn't have—"

With a small grin, Joaquin interrupted her. "Don't be. It's something I've been feeling for a long time. Just never had the time to realize it."

Her glance met his and, for the first time in weeks, he felt a sense of calm. The mission still loomed ahead of him, but now he knew he wasn't alone.

What followed was a frantic seizing of their time. Marco had finally decrypted the textile company's records and had traced transactions directly towards Wei Zhang. The information was incriminating, but not enough to bring him down. They needed more-something more incontrovertible.

"There's a shipment set for tomorrow night out of the company warehouse," Daniel reported. "We may have a chance if we can nab it."

"Risky call," Lianhua cautioned. "Zhang's men have to be on red alert."

"Earning our pay is always difficult; far worse we have faced. Let's do it." Joaquin nodded.

Operations night was tense. The team went in pairs; Joaquin and Lianhua secured the main entrance, while Marco and Daniel monitored the feeds from a distance. With heavy guard presence inside the warehouse, they had a plan.

Joaquin and Lianhua had gotten themselves past the entrance using stealth and distraction. Inside was a sprawling labyrinth of crates and machinery, rife with oil and dust. They kept their voices down and slipped further into the building with only flashlights to light their way.

"Over here," whispered Lianhua, gesturing to a stack of crates emblazoned with the logo of the textile company. Upon prying open one crate, Joaquin found a cache of documents and counterfeit money.

"Bingo!" he declared, snapping pictures with his phone. "Now we have him."

Just as they were about to leave, they heard footsteps in the warehouse. Time stood still for Joaquin and Lianhua; their hearts were pounding. Armed men entered silently, their lights scanning the area.

"We need to go," Lianhua whispered.

Joaquin nodded and motioned for her to follow as they continued to skirt the crates while staying low away from the guards. When they reached the exit, they took off running.

Outside Marco and Daniel lay in the getaway car. "Go, go, go!" Joaquin yelled as they jumped in, and the car sped away, leaving the warehouse and its guards behind.

At their base, the team looked through the evidence that they had collected. It was too much for exposing Zhang's operations. But the question was: how were they going to use them?

"We could leak it to the media," Marco suggested. "But this might alert Zhang in time, giving him time to cover the trail."

"What about with authorities?" Daniel asked.

Joaquin shook his head. "There are too many of Zhang's people in his pocket. We have to find someone whom we can trust."

Lianhua placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll work it out. Together."

As the options flitted across their minds, Joaquin would steal glances at Lianhua. Their rooftop moment played in his head like a flickering bulb in darkness. He knew not what tomorrow would bring but surely, today he lived in the knowing that she was with him in it.

Next morning, Joaquin and Lianhua had set from their hideout to meet a trusted journalist who could help them expose Zhang. Walking through the busy streets of Henan from this angle made Joaquin realize the simple beauty of the city. Danger lurked; yet he could feel clarity about things he had not felt in months.

"Thanks," he suddenly said, killing the silence.

Lianhua looked at him, puzzled. "For what?"

"For being here," he said, a soft voice. "For being there with me even when things seemed hopeless."

She smiled, her eyes sparkling with emotion. "You don't really have to thank me, Joaquin. I'm here because I want to be."

In that moment, Joaquin came to understand just how difficult a road may lie ahead, for he knew he was no longer traveling it alone. Whatever lay in his and Lianhua's future, it joined their paths to be faced together. Each passing day would only intensify their bond.