The Agents

The Tigers

Lee sat down on the couch, reaching for the remote control.

It was a sunday evening.
The last rays of sun shone through the wide window, revealing a spectacular view of Shanghai.

He focused on the bright flat screen TV.
A reporter appeared on the screen. He was talking about renewed devastation incidents. The picture behind him showed a museum that was very destroyed. smashed glass panes, shattered showcases,exhibits scattered on the floor...
Now the camera panned to a white wall, that seemed to once been full of picture frames. because there were slight traces of it all over the wall.
Further back, there was a huge black spot on the wall. The camera zoomed in on it closer. A symbol sprayed with black paint. A tiger head.

Lee tightened his grip on the remote and formed a fist with his right hand so that his own nails dug into his flesh.
"The Tigers." He spoke his thought out loud. He let the remote control fall on the soft material of the couch. "Fuck!"
He stood up and walked towards the kitchen.
"Fine, that's good." He said, reaching for a glass and filling it with water. "Then i have to plan a mission soon. I'm not gonna let them slide through my fingers. Boss Chen will be impressed. And i can finally be a secret agent."
He said with a sunken gaze, the water glass firmly in his right hand. "Or...,will he get angry? Will he fire me, for independently deciding to catch one of the most dangerous gangs with my own hands? Or will I die and he will stand in front of my grave and blame himself? Will I be able to do this alone, without any help?"
He emptied the whole glass without stopping and sat back on the chouch.
"Never! I need someone to help me! But-"
He leaned back , cross-legged. "I'm gonna find someone! I won't dissapoint you boss!"

It was 10 pm already. Lee sat on the kitchen table, eating rice with fried egg and tomatos.
He poked at the bottom of the bowl with his chopsticks, lost in thought.
Why did they suddenly appear in Shanghai? The last time he heard from them was at least a year or two ago.
he thought hard. It should be exactly a year. Yes! At that time he also saw it on television and there were reports of a theft and a murder by the same perpetrators. but the incident was in France. If he remembers correctly. And they weren't that well known back then. The only sign that pointed to them was the black tiger. They left it wherever they had committed an act. Whether sprayed with paint on a wall or a little figure.

Lee lived in a big apartment. It had two floors. Downstairs was the large livingroom and the kitchen. Upstairs the bedroom and the bathroom. Everything very luxury and extravagant but still comfortable. He wasn't a rich guy. His father bought him the apartment before he died. Lee was his only kid, he always took great care of him. Lee's mother disappeared after his birth. He had never met her. His father never spoke of her either. So Lee just assumed she ran away. His father was the boss of a large company and had always been very busy. But he was always there for his son, and when he became seriously ill he bought a large apartment for him. He originally wanted to buy him a villa. But Lee had refused. He had never been a fan of houses like that and he simply had something against rich snots. So he didn't want to seem like one.

Lee took a long cold shower. He was probably one of the few people who love cold showers. Thereafter, he tied a white towel around his waist and went to his dressing room to get his pajamas.

He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his hair dry. Suddenly, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. He put the towel down on the bed and reached for his phone. A new message. It was from Wuhao, his bestfriend. He unlocked it and opened Wechat.

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Wu: Hey Bro!
Lee: Hey, what is it?
Wu: Why so cold? Just wanted to know how you are. Didn't hear much from you for quiet a time.
Lee:I'm good. Didn't hear much from you either. What else? I know you. There is something that you want to ask.
Wu: Eh..yea. Are you gonna come to Nico's party next Saturday? It's gonna be cool.
Lee: I'll see. Not shure yet.
Wu: What's wrong? Bad mood?
Lee: No, i'm just not shure. It's late. Going to bed now. Call you tommorw!
Wu: OK. Please come! good night!
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