The Voice in the Wilderness Chapter 11 to 15

When Love and Affection Kills

"Many years ago during my childhood days, when playing with friends at the A Farmosa fortress, people used to say that there was a secret underground tunnel from here to the foothill of the St. John's hill; within which we could find lots of gold and precious stones kept by Portuguese; who'd conquered Malacca in 1511. Now after so many years we face yet again but this time the underwater city; how historic of Malacca!" Kelly said to City Mayor Bernard James who was taking pictures with his digital camera.

"This looks like a culvert than tunnel to me" Kelly rebutted while Mayor's bodyguards lead the way under the tunnel. "Look, Mayor there's the round tin shields with the word E.A.R.T.H.; in scripted on a crocodile body towards its tail bending back towards its body!"

"Thought I saw these tin crocodile money in your display closet, right? 15th century?" Mayor continues to probe. "They were the "King of the Malacca River" and they'd bring fame, money and power to the bearer." Kelly said. "But ours without E.A.R.T.H. you know?"

"Ignore E.A.R.T.H. It'd lead to war if it could bring about you, Kelly's love and affections!" Mayor said jokingly with Kelly. "How flattering you naughty Mayor James!" Kelly replied with a broad cunning smile.

"We'd found and confirm the site; only the meaning of the word E.A.R.T.H. not understood; otherwise we must as well try opening it?" How dare Kelly suggest to Mayor James. "No please, let me seek your Charles and Gary's academic and archaeological opinions first before (we) proceed." Mayor James continued "Which means they're back Saturday?" "Rightfully so, but 3 more days to go" agued Kelly.

"Or shall we look for more options over dinner, dear Kelly?" Mayor saw an opportunity to prey this antelope?

"My servant untie Mary had cooked me dinner, thanks but no thanks Mayor" smart Kelly pricing it high to reach.

"She must be a cook too good that you had to turn me down; what about me trying her cooking then?"

"You mean my place?"

"9.00pm I'll knock on your door; I don't care." Rather "childish" of Mayor.

Kelly responded with mere silence.

- In jungle warfare; there is never a second chance to hunt the same prey down. Hunt or be hunted. For Kelly and Mayor both knew too well. In this particular situation Kelly seemed to have the upper hand because the prey would be served knocking on her door tonight.

Chapter Twelve

The Art of Cat Eating Fish

The clock is tickling away and it 30 minutes passed 9pm and there don't seem to be any door bell ringing.

"Pat, thousand apology; I beg your pardon" sms from who else but Gary, all the way from Hong Kong. This anti-climate sms spoiled the already dark cloud over Kelly. For who would have expected the Mayor of pulling her legs; or is he not?

This safari had turn into an extremely dangerous high profile gaming range; in actual fact only God knows who's hunting for whom?

It must have been 11.15pm and there was still calm, serenity, motionless all around.

Finally, "May I speak to Your Honorable Mayor Bernard James, please?" Kelly conceded defeat.

"And may I know who am I speaking to?" The "great pretender" in Mayor.

"Thought you come over for dinner at 9, forgot already Mayor?"

"Oh Kelly; I thought we were only joking, Kelly; you mean you waited¡­¡­?"

"No Mayor, just to be doubly sure because I have guests in so¡­.." How fast and smart Kelly turn around.

Being a veteran politician that he is; Mayor James have "seen it all" with the opposite sex. Coupled with what he'd learnt thru' his close allies' fall from stepping onto the Pinkish Land Mine; here's how he disciplined himself when handling the opposite sex, especially bitch like Kelly.

"When a lady says no she means maybe;

When a lady says maybe she means yes;

When a lady says yes she is no ordinary lady!

Worst, when a lady says nothing, she's fully convinced you're trapped."

Mayor was too alert and conscious to have lasted this long politically; avoiding Pinkish Land Mine whenever and wherever possible! Real surprise right?

Kelly blew her top but who cares? Who saw? Who bothers?

What went wrong then?

"The art of warfare were to first put ourselves beyond being defeated; than on the offensive." "Where did I go wrong?" Kelly wondered. "Where were my flaws shit?" She swallowed her cold dishes in disbelieved. "I did not loose, did I?"

Notes:

1. Chapter Seven: The Storm Before The Calm - tai zien ¨C Mandarin word referring to eunuch.

2. Pinkish Land Mine : Sex conspiracies.

Chapter Thirteen

When Zero is not having Nothing

By the way, Melissa was to sleep alone, again tonight; now that Gary's away in Hong Kong. She'd better utilized these few days to herself, of course unpacking those languages ¨Cthe shopping maniac.

What then with the ¡®poor' Gary?

"Hi! Alone? May I join in?" A familiar voice from Gary's rear; ad mists the sound of the Elite Clubhouse's 5-piece live band, where the Charity Gala Dinner's just been held.

Turning back, Gary shouted "My forever lovely and charming June, where the hell have you been? I thought the last time we met were the launching of Jonker Walk, right?" Gary he himself was too high to recall.

"Our Casanova Gary, you'd never changed with your mother gifted tongue, never failed to seduce just about any chicks, except me?"

"Came on, long time no see, not that cold on me, ok? Especially so far away from my home; where all homely men like me shall belong, right?" June smiled sarcastically to Gary's socializing moves. "Come over hear, June, lend me your ear, I'll share you a top secret!" Gary tried to pull June closer.

As for June, how would she ever refuse a macho like Gary; more so when he would probably be the only one she knew in this entire ballroom!

Gary must had whispered something "real funny" that June instantaneously tried to push away but to no avail of Gary's muscular arms; pulling her even closer, with her reactions appeared to signal ¡®no, no way'!

And just what exactly did Gary whispered? The answer: Your guess is just as good as mine! K.I.V.

The 5-piece band had just played "Unchanged Melody", favorite of both June and Gary that within no time they two were hugging and slow dancing on the floor already. Songs that follow were "Do that to me one more time", and "How deep is your love" all songs that could lead couples down memory lanes.

No wonder they say loners could easily fell prey to and lost within sentimental love songs, those lyrics!

"I'll tell Melissa about your cheekiness, I am not kidding!" June warned.

"I'll tell Mike then about you're looting around these wee hours." Gary reiterated.

"Let's square up and tell nobody OK? Our lips were more useful doing something else, like¡­" "Singing?" June interrupted. How true!

Chapter Fourteen

The Spy Who Loves Me

"Is that sis Melissa, sis this is June!"

"Hi June, where the hell are you, those loud noise from the background?" Melissa wondered.

"I'll let somebody tell you then¡­." June obviously passed her handset to Gary.

"Darling, I happened to bump into June, all the way in Hong Kong, how unlucky!" Gary said jokingly.

"Better behave yourself or I'll cut away your little John." Melissa obviously felt the frustration and loneliness.

"What can I possibly do with your spy sister June around? My hands are tided!" How thoughtful of Gary. " (It's) kind of noisy here, call you tomorrow, good night darling."

"Good night." Melissa just wished she could appear right there in Hong Kong.

The morning sun must have shine brightly through the window now that Gary's felt the heat on his body. "Who'd opened those curtains? It was closed when I left for the ball last night!" Gary jumped out of bed only to be met by the wonderful smell of his favorite breakfast ¨Cscrambled eggs, sausage and cappuccino.

When noticed he was naked all round in front of his sister-in-law; he'd quickly find cover with whatever he could find; only to be met by June following comment: " Seen them all last night now then you pretend shy. You, the great pretender!"

"When, I must have?" Gary tried to recall about last night.

"You must have drank too much and (I) got to get help from few guys to bring you back here. And before anything else you'd vomited so I'd to do all the cleaning, you know." June continued. (Nothing special to me; June uttered to herself.)

"Oh I got you; thanks anyway, otherwise Melissa would slice me to pieces." Gary expressed externally a sense of relieved but deep down inside he knew that he did not vomit.

By now June had already rushed into the washroom, tears in her eyes, tormented as she went searching for the condom wrap that she must have threw into the waste basket in the washroom. She flushes it down the w.c. (water closet) on the double; all with intention to forget about the drunken B-I-L she slept with the night before.

In actual fact, Gary met June before marrying her sis Melissa. And June's infatuation towards Gary who is now her brother-in-law had never subsided; and last night was a God-given opportunity for her to ¡®know' Gary better. The fact that Gary was "too drunk" to even recall anything must have left June broken hearted and tormented. How sober of Gary!

Chapter Fifteen

"Morning ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our monthly Board Meeting; first let us invite our Chairman Charles to say a few words, Chairman please?" Gary initiated.

"Morning guys, happy morning to you all, last year, with Gary's charismatic leaderships, we'd achieved our preset company target by 124.8%, congratulations to each and everyone of you present here; keep up the good work momentum.

And just one last thing, for the last few days when your MD Gary and myself were away, we're indeed happy to have Kelly overlooking the general administration, sales and warehousing dept. and from what I know everything ran perfectly well. Henceforth, Gary would you have any objection(s) if I were to proposed and minute down that in future during any similar occurrences, this arrangement with Kelly shall continue, ok?" Chairman asked.

"Most certainly, Chairman! And thank you for having faith in Kelly!" how silly of Gary. (Chairman have had more than just mere faith with her already.)

"Thank you very much Chairman and our MD." Kelly finally broke her silence with delighting mood. "Little announcement ladies and gentlemen. Everyone, staffs and spouses included are invited to karaoke at Heeren Club tonight; on the house as part of the celebration." As if she's already put on her dancing shoes.

"Kelly, my office please" Gary intercom. "Honestly honey, would you mind if I were to bring along Melissa tonight? Seriously?" "Who am I to dictate what and who so on so forth? No comment! If there's nothing else I got to go perm my hair and dress up for tonight ok?" Melissa said with style of her own while leaving the MD's room.

For once a dejected Gary felt Kelly so near yet so far away. Fears started to creep into this lonesome mind as to whether the intimate relationship thus far is over for good? Or far from it?

Gary's intuitive mind almost leads him immediately down the drawer for the book: The Sun Zhe Art of War by JK and began glancing through.

Victor first ensures victory, and then seeks to conquer;

Loser first conquers, and then seeks victory!'

At this juncture, where all things were going our company's way, so upbeat, I had better consolidate further my position before I deviate away. What then was the most important factor now that could bring me higher to another pedestal in this industry? Image-positioning, right?' Gary wondered?