PERSONAL JUSTICE by Ramlee Awang Murshid

44

CHINATOWN, NEW YORK

15 October 2000 - 12.45 p.m.

GABRIEL knocked on the door many times, softly. However, there was no sign to show that the door would open from inside. He thought for a while. Just a while ago... when he arrived at the hotel, he went straight to the counter and asked for the room key. The Chinese woman told him that no one had left the room key at the counter.

"Hilman... Hilman." Gabriel called softly, knocking on the door. Like before, his knocks were unanswered. Has he fallen asleep like a log? His heart griped. 

Hmm... looks like I have to sleep in Daljit's room. Gabriel's heart grumbled. He walked further to get to Daljit's room not far from his. It was when he was about to knock on the door he heard Daljit's trembling voice. Gabriel cupped his ear to the door. 

"I don't know where he has gone."

A punch. Then Daljit groaned in pain.

"I said... I don't know where he is now!" Daljit shouted. 

"Shoot him." A voice said.

"No... please! Please... don't kill me." Daljit pleaded.

Gabriel quickly drew his gun out and shot at the knob. He kicked the door open. Shots were fired. Bullets flew, shattering anything in the path. Gabriel and the men hid and sometimes laid on their stomachs to avoid from being hit. Daljit screamed in fright. 

One of the men grabbed a chair and threw it at the glass window. The glass shattered to pieces. The man jumped out. Turned back to fire a few more shots towards Gabriel. The bullets missed. It was just a cover to let the other man made his escape through the broken window. The two men quickly disappeared. 

Gabriel ran to the window and hid behind the wall. Now and then he peered out the window and fired a few shots. But the two men had already disappeared in the dark night, brightened by neon lights. 

After he was sure it was safe, Gabriel got to Daljit. 

"Daljit... are you alright?"

Daljit, who was still tied to a fallen chair, lying face up, slowly opened his eye. His chest waved up and down as he breathed rapidly. His heart throbbed. His face turned white. 

"Daljit," Gabriel called.

Slipping his gun between his waistband, Gabriel loosened the knots on Daljit's hands. 

"Yes, I'm okay... I'm okay," Daljit stammered his reply. He stood up slowly. He tried to walk, but his legs was shaky, like he was drunk. He sat on the bed edge. He ran his hands over his head and let them stayed there. He looked like he had just awoken from deep sleep.

"You're sure you're alright?" Gabriel asked again.

"Yes... yes." Daljit nodded. "We have to leave this hotel. They might come back again." Daljit's voice stammered though he was no longer scared. 

"You know them?" Gabriel asked.

"They were the one who ransacked my house." Daljit still remembered. They were the intruders who broke into his house in Washington D.C. and took Jack William's photos. "They're the president's men, right?"

Gabriel nodded.

"They were looking for Hilman," Daljit continued.

Gabriel wasn't surprised.

"Come on, let's go. Pack up and..." Gabriel pointed a finger to Daljit's wet pants.

Daljit was astonished to realize that he had wet himself during the shoot-out. Heaving a long sigh, he grabbed a new pair of pants and headed to the bathroom. He reappeared five minutes later to see several curious hotel guests peering at the door.