Almighty Coach

I’ve finally gotten rid of these three men. Dai Li took a deep breath and immediately picked up the handgun and rifle the men had dropped. He checked them and found both guns loaded.

With guns in his hands, Dai Li immediately felt much safer. He had weapons, so at least he could protect himself now.

If I can escape alive this time, I should be grateful to Adam Holly. If I hadn’t gone to his shooting practice center and asked him to teach me how to use a gun, I wouldn’t know how to use them.

Then Dai Li picked up the ropes and tied up Santos and the two black men.

In movies and TV series, there were often stories in which the good guy knocked down the bad guy, but didn’t give him the last hit to make sure he was dead. Then, one or two of the good guys were killed by the bad guy before he died. Dai Li wasn’t going to kill them, but he would not just let them go. If they woke up, they would make trouble for him. Therefore, Dai Li tied them all up.

I have to get out of here now. Dai Li looked around, only to find that the room had no windows at all. Except for the steel door, the only thing which could be connected with the outside was a vent surrounded by iron pipes. However, the vent was just the size of an adult head. It was impossible to get through.

No windows to get through, and the only way out is the front steel door. But I was tied up here. I’m not familiar with this building and don’t know where the exit is. That kidnapper still has many men here. It would be really bad to get caught on my way out. Besides, I don’t know where this building is, or if I’m even in Los Angeles or not. I’d better call the police first. The police can find me through the satellite positioning of my cell phone.

Dai Li immediately searched one of the black men’s pockets and found a cell phone. He called 911 at once.

The phone didn’t even ring. Dai Li looked at the screen only to find the cell phone showed no signal.

Why is there no signal? He immediately went to search the second black man’s pockets and found another cell phone, but it still showed no signal. Then he found Santos’ phone but it had no signal either.

No signal! Am I in a movie? Once it comes time to call the police, the main character’s cell phone is always dead! Dai Li was so angry that he dropped the phone on the floor. He wanted to curse.

No other way now. If I can’t call the police, I’ll have to force my way out. Dai Li picked up the gun, loaded it, and walked out of the steel door.

...

He tiptoed down the corridor. He walked lightly because he didn’t want to be discovered by the kidnappers.

A staircase ahead! The exit mustn’t be far! Dai Li walked up there in delight.

When he was halfway down the stairs, the sound of footsteps came from the floor below.

Dai Li stopped at once, afraid to make any sound.

However, the sound came nearer and nearer. Dai Li wanted to go back, but he didn’t dare to move for fear that he might make noise.

At last, one kidnapper turned around on the staircase and appeared in front of Dai Li, and he saw Dai Li immediately.

All of a sudden, Dai Li raised his gun and pulled the trigger. The kidnapper also responded quickly and attempted to dive for cover.

However, it was too late. The shot hit him in the shoulder, and he fell directly onto the ground.

"What’s going on?"

"Where’s the gunshot?"

The other kidnapper’s voice came from downstairs.

Dai Li realized that things weren’t going well. Although he hit one target, the gunshot also got the attention of other kidnappers. They would soon come here following the sound.

As expected, heavy footsteps pounded in the corridor downstairs.

Oh, no! The others were alarmed. I have nowhere to go! Dai Li didn’t hesitate to turn around and return back up the stairs.

The nearest kidnapper reached the staircase and saw the man Dai Li had shot, and asked immediately, "What’s going on? Who shot you?"

"The hostage escaped! He shot me," said the man on the ground, groaning with pain.

"Where is he now?" the kidnapper asked.

"Ran upstairs," responded the man on the ground.

"There’s no exit upstairs. He can’t escape."

...

Dai Li returned to the abandoned laboratory. He locked the door from the inside. Footsteps approached in the corridor outside, and drew nearer and nearer to the steel door.

Holding the gun in his hand, Dai Li stood by the side of the door and waited for someone to come in and shoot him immediately.

Bang, bang, bang... Someone pounded on the door.

"The door is locked!" said someone outside.

"Break the door!" said another person.

Bang! Bang! Bang! The pounding grew louder.

"No. It can’t open!" one kidnapper said.

"Go away. Leave it to me!" After that, a few cracking gunshots followed. The steel door shook. Obviously, someone outside was shooting at the door.

"D*mn it! It can’t open. How can this door be so strong!" shouted the man who shot the door.

Dai Li heaved a sigh of relief. During the last minutes, the kidnappers had tried to shoot and break the door. Dai Li was afraid that they would manage to break the door and come in.

Fortunately, the steel door was strong enough. For now, the people outside couldn’t get in as long as Dai Li kept the door locked. Dai Li was safe for the moment.

...

In a room on the ground floor, there were several shabby tables and chairs. They seemed to have been there for years, and some of them were stained and dirty.

Blecher found a relatively clean chair to sit in, lit a cigarette, and waited patiently.

"Mr. Blecher, I assure you, it won’t take long for Santos to make that coach tell us everything. You will get what you want," said Leon.

"Leon, when I get it, I’ll leave Dai Li for you to handle. Kill him secretly," said Blecher.

"You can rest assured that I will make him disappeared completely. I’m best there is at this," said Leon.

As he finished speaking, a gunshot rang out.

"Who did that?" Leon immediately frowned and said to one of his men, "Go and check what happened."

That man nodded and walked out. Two minutes later, he ran back.

"Boss, the hostage. He escaped, and he’s got a gun. He wounded one of our people."

"Escaped? Where are Santos and his men?" Leon asked at once.

"I don’t know. We didn’t see Santos," responded that man.

"Then Santos is dead. Idiots! Three of them! With guns in hand, they can’t deal with one guy who was tied up! But how did he beat Santos and the other two men and get out?" demanded Leon, slamming his fists on the table. Then he asked, "Where is he now? Did you catch him?"

"We haven’t caught him yet, but he didn’t escape. He went back upstairs. Our men are after him. Boss, don’t worry. The upper floors are a dead end. No way out except for the staircase. He can’t get away," said that man.

"Let’s go and take a look upstairs!" Leon stood up and so did Blecher. Following Leon, he walked out of the room.

...

Dai Li was safe for the moment, but the abandoned laboratory had no other exits.

It was obviously impossible to run out. There were several guns outside, facing the steel door. Once Dai Li opened the door, he would be killed instantly.

Now Dai Li was like a trapped beast, backed into the abandoned lab with no way out.