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The Target(136)



Chung-Cha led her outside and then down the street away from the crowds. They reached an alleyway where there was a little brick stoop. Chung-Cha perched next to Min on the bottom step. She had made certain that none of her team had seen them. They also didn’t know that Min was dressed as a frog. Chung-Cha would carry out her mission, but Min would be safe. Min was not going to die. Not by Chung-Cha’s hand.

“Min, you have to listen to me very carefully, okay?”

Min nodded, the frog head bobbing up and down.

“I have to go away for a little bit.”

Min started to jump up, but Chung-Cha held her back.

“Just for a little bit.”

From the alleyway she looked across the street where the town police station was located.

“Do you see that place over there?” She pointed.

Min looked past her and nodded.

“I want you to take my watch.” She slipped it off her wrist and handed it to Min. “Now, when this little line gets here, I want you to go over to that place and tell them what I told you to say. You remember it? In English? Can you say it for me?”

“I am Min. I am ten. Will you help me?”

“That is perfect, Min. Perfect. Now, remember, when this line reaches this point, that is when you will go.”

Chung-Cha was indicating an hour from now.

“But where will you be, Chung-Cha?”

“I have a few things to do. But I know those people over there will take care of you until I get back. They are good people, Min. They will help you.”

“But you are coming back, aren’t you?” said Min fearfully.

“I will be back,” said Chung-Cha, forcing herself to smile. And then she thought to herself, Please forgive me for that lie, Min. And please don’t forget me. I only want your life to be a good one.

Min reached out and wrapped her arms around her. Chung-Cha returned her hug, fighting back the tears.

“I love you, Chung-Cha.”

“And I love you, Min.”





Fifteen minutes later Chung-Cha joined her team near the target location. They were all dressed in costumes.

Jing-Sang came up to her. “Ready, Comrade?”

“Of course.”

“And Min?”

“She is back at the cottage. She drank her milk…and went to sleep.”

Jing-Sang smiled. “Then let us do this great deed. To the glory, Chung-Cha.”

“To the glory,” repeated Chung-Cha.





Out on the main street the elements of the parade were assembling. There were motorized vehicles with floats built on them, a high school band, dozens of costumed zombies, and a plethora of other colorfully clad Halloweeners.

There was also a long Chinese dragon that had emerged from an alley. Underneath its cover one could just make out a number of sneakered feet marching along.





“We ready to move to the town hall, Sam?” Eleanor Cassion was looking at her protection detail leader.

He spoke into his walkie-talkie and then gave her a thumbs-up. “We’re ready to roll, ma’am. Side entrance over there. Two-minute walk to the left and up the front steps.”

He and another of his men stood on either side of the Cassions as they filed toward the door.

Sam gave Robie and Reel a high sign. They nodded and fell into step behind the Cassions.

Claire was dressed in a poofed-out long blonde wig with a headband and skinny jeans. She turned and looked at Robie, who wasn’t in costume. “Can you guess who I am?”

He shook his head while Reel, who had also decided against dressing up as Maleficent, looked on, a curious expression on her face.

“Stevie Nicks. She was a singer with some band way back.”

“Uh, that some band would be Fleetwood Mac,” said Reel.

“Yeah, them. They were apparently really popular at some point.”

“I thought you were going as some TV character from way back in the early 2000s,” said Robie.

“I was, but I couldn’t think of any. My mom told me about this Stevie person and she had a blonde wig.”

“Yay for Mom,” said Reel.

The local police and the Secret Service detail surrounded the Cassions as they walked down the street toward the town hall. The sun was setting and the sky looked nearly molten. The wind was picking up and there was the threat of rain later that evening, something the parade organizers were desperately hoping would not happen.





Chapter

74



THEY WERE NEARLY AT THE town hall when Robie spotted it. The Chinese dragon marched into place near the front doors of the building. He observed the great many feet under the dragon’s skin.

He looked at Reel, whose gaze was also on the dragon.

“Better to be safe than sorry,” he said, and Reel nodded in agreement.

He spoke into his walkie-talkie, and a minute later the Cassions were being hustled into the town hall. Several deputies raced over to the Chinese dragon and started pulling up the dragon’s “skin.”