Rich People Problems (Crazy Rich Asians #3)(80)
CHAPTER TWELVE
BOTANIC GARDENS, SINGAPORE
It was still dark when Colin and Nick entered the grounds of the Botanic Gardens.*1 They followed to a tee the instructions in the mysterious letter that Nick had received-parking in the Gleneagles Hospital parking lot and crossing Cluny Road to enter the gardens through a little-known side gate. Just as the letter had said, the gate had been left unlocked.
As they walked down the tree-lined pathway, monkeys could be heard chattering and leaping through the bushes, no doubt alarmed by the sudden presence of humans in this secluded part of the garden. "God, it's been years since I've been here," Nick commented.
"Why would you come here? You had your own private botanic gardens right next door!" Colin said.
"Sometimes my dad and I would go on walks here, just for a change, and I only wanted to go to the lake with the two islands in the middle. I called it my 'secret island.' Wait a minute, let's check the instructions again," Nick said, unfolding the map that had been placed inside the envelope. Colin held his iPhone up to provide some lighting, while Nick peered at the map intently.
"Okay, the animal topiaries are over on the right, so I think we're supposed to cut through this grove of trees right here."
"There isn't any path," Colin said.
"I know, but the arrow points down this way."
Lit only by the light of their phones, they ventured into the thick of the forest, Colin feeling a little creeped out. "It's pitch-black in here. Why do I feel like I'm suddenly in The Blair Witch Project?"
"Maybe we'll run in to a pontianak,"*2 Nick joked.
"Don't joke-a lot of people say that parts of the Botanic Gardens are haunted, you know. I mean, the Japanese tortured and killed people all over the island."
"Good thing we're not Japanese," Nick said.
Soon the trees gave way to a trail, and after following it for a few minutes, they came upon a small concrete hut under an enormous casuarina tree.
"I think this is it. It's some sort of pump room," Nick said, trying to peer in through the darkened windows.
Suddenly a dark figure darted out from behind the tree.
"Pontianak!" Colin yelled, dropping his iPhone in panic.
"Sorry, it's just me," a female voice said.
Nick flashed his iPhone in the direction of the figure and suddenly before them, illuminated in the white blue light, appeared Astrid in an audaciously large Vetements hoodie with super-long sleeves and tight camouflage pants.
"Jesus, Astrid! I almost shit myself!" Colin exclaimed.
"Sorry! I was scared for a moment when you first walked up, and then I realized it was you guys," Astrid said.
Nick smiled in relief. "I'm assuming you got the same note I did about seeing Ah Ma?"
"Yes! It was all rather mysterious. I was at my parents' watching Cassian swim in the pool. I must have dozed off in my deck chair for a moment, because when I got up, there was a tray of iced tea and pandan cake by my side, and the envelope was under the cake. Cassian swears he didn't see who put it there."
"How curious. Are you okay?" Nick asked.
"I'm fine. It didn't really spook me." Just as Astrid said this, a light came on inside the pump room and the three of them jumped a little in shock. The steel door could be heard being unlocked from the inside, and as it opened with a loud rusty creak, a turbaned silhouette could be seen peeking out.
"Vikram!" Nick said excitedly.
"Come quickly," Vikram instructed, ushering them all in.
"What is this place?" Astrid asked.
"This is the pump room that controls the intake for the two ponds," Vikram said as he led them toward the back of the space, which was cramped with machinery. Behind a large round pipe going into the ground, a barely discernable panel opened to reveal a dark gaping void. "This is where we're going. Each of you take turns-there are ladder rungs against the inner wall of this pipe."
"Is this what I think it is?" Nick said in astonishment.
Vikram smiled. "Come on, Nicky, you go first."
Nick hauled himself into the small crawl space and climbed down what seemed like a dozen or so rungs. After landing on solid ground, he helped Astrid find her footing as she descended the steps. When the four of them finally made it down, they found themselves in a small steel-walled vestibule. An old sign nailed against one wall read in English, Chinese, and Malay:
DANGER! NO OUTLET!
CHAMBER WILL FLOOD DURING VALVE RELEASE!
Vikram pushed against one of the wall panels, and it opened to reveal a well-lit tunnel. Nick, Astrid, and Colin entered with mouths agape, stunned by the existence of such a space.