Angel in the Full Moon. Don Easton

smiled. “Yes. The two foreigners in the apartment in Hanoi!”

      They both giggled but Giang cut them short by stepping closer. “What are you saying about me?” he snarled.

      H

ng stepped back, fearfully tugging on Ng

c Bích’s hand but she remained firm and looked Giang in the eye and said, “Who are you that we should talk about you? We were talking about Hanoi.”

      “That ...” Giang’s response was interrupted by a doorbell and another Vietnamese man hollered to him from inside the house. Giang immediately disappeared, only to return moments later with two more Vietnamese men.

      These two men repeated the pattern that H

ng had seen in the apartment in Hanoi. The remaining women were once more divided into two groups, while she was left standing alone.

      Minutes later, one of the Vietnamese men backed a van inside the garage and the first group of women were driven away.

      The second Vietnamese man pointed a finger at H

ng and said, “You will wait here. My brother will be along soon.” He looked at the remaining women and said, “Wait until I back my van up to the garage and then get in.”

      H

ng realized that Ng

ng’s arm and said, “Only a couple of months. It will go fast.”

      “You are my first friend in America,” said H

ng.

      “No,” chided Ng

c Bích. “We are sisters.”

      H

ng heard the harsh command telling the women to hurry as they climbed into the second van. The overhead garage door closed again and Ng

c Bích was gone.

      H

ng was now in the garage alone with Giang and she fearfully glanced in his direction.

      “Sit on the floor and wait,” he said, and turned and went into the house.

      H

ng was glad to be alone.

      Half an hour passed before Giang returned. “Mister

c drove a car into the garage and Giang closed the door behind him.

      The man got out of the car and smiled at H

ng. “I am here to take you to your new family.”

      H

ng saw that

c, may I ask if the journey will be long?”

      “You may ask whatever you like! No, your journey will not be long. We are in a place called Richmond. It is close to the American border. You will be in your new home in less than two hours.”

      “In two hours!” H

ng felt the adrenalin pump through her veins.

      “I must apologize that you will have to ride in the trunk of my car. It will be uncomfortable, but I have put several pillows and a blanket in there to try and make it more comfortable. There is also some bottled water.”

      “Thank you, Mister

c.”

      “I have a rear seat that folds down and for a little while, we will leave it down so you can talk if you wish. Once we get close to the border you will have to pull the seat closed and be very quiet as I clear U.S. Customs. Leave it closed until I tell you that it is okay.”

      “They will not search your trunk?” H

ng asked.

      

c smiled and said, “Some money will be passed. It is arranged, but it is still better if you are quiet.”

      

ng before continuing, “the training without me.”

      H

ng could not help but notice the harsh tone of

c’s voice when he spoke with Giang, who nodded obediently while staring down at his own feet.

       Mister

c may look like a spider monkey—but he is powerful!

      

ng to get in. She climbed in