15. Reunited

The dragon shrieked then shot green flame toward the ground, burning the vehicles on the streets as it traced a flaming line toward JJ.

JJ ran as fast has he could. The flame and the dragon right behind him. He has got to reach the corner several meters away and try to duck somewhere. He hoped. He tried. He can save himself from the flame. At the dragon's speed, it and the flame will overshoot JJ once he makes a quick right.

And it did when JJ made a quick right, the heat searing through his clothes while the flame barely grazing him. He saw a door. He turned the knob. It's locked. Horror gripping him, JJ turned to look for another way in only to find out that one of his assumptions was wrong. The dragon was able to make a sudden stop. It is now hovering in front of him, large wings flapping.

The dragon with its long neck, moved its head near JJ and shrieked. At first, JJ smelled the foul odor of sulfur from the dragon's breath blow at him. Then everything grew bright green as a blast of flame engulfed him.

JJ screamed. But he does not feel any heat. He opens his eyes and looks around.

He was feeling disoriented. He tried to make sense of where he was. The last thing he remembers is seeing a bright light at the end of the dark basement of JFK International Airport.

He looked up the ceiling. It looks old. The wooden materials is stained. He can hear the sound of busy streets outside.

Where could he be, he asks himself. His bed is comfortable enough though he can feel the springs push on to his back.

Then he remembered the dragon.

Quickly looked at his arms. No burn marks.

He touched his face. No burn marks there either.

Then he remembered about the joke they used to talk about in high school. It is about a cream locally called "sebo de macho."

Maybe they have a very effective one here, he thought. And asked himself, where is here?

Then the door knob clicks. He sat up, anticipating what will come through the old delapidated door.

What came in made him smile. It's his son, Albert, and wife Katrina.

Albert ran up to his father and jumped on his bed. He was so excited to see his father.

Katrina was less excited even with the smile on her face. JJ quickly saw the reason why. Behind Katrina is the Chinese who saved him back at the airport.

"Good to know you are well now," said Quan Tie now wearing white Chinese clothes. "I was worried when you collapsed on our way out."

JJ sighed. "Well, should I thank you," JJ asked. Katrina just standing there, seeming nervous but still smiling.

"All will be explained," assured Quan. "Right now, I leave you with your family."

With that, Quan stepped away and closed the door. JJ heard the lock click. They are locked in from outside.

As soon as the lock was in place, Katrina slackened and ran to her husband.

"Oh my God," she whispered, tears running down her face. She was shaking. "Who are these people? Why do they know us by name? Why did they bring us here?"

Albert, oblivious to what is happening, just stared at his parents.

"I don't know," answered JJ wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I don't know baby. We will find out soon."

Katrina sat up. "They said they are keeping us here. To be safe. But safe from who?"

"I am not sure," said JJ still cuddling Albert. "I am confused. Are you guys alright?"

"They gave me McDonald's," Albert said gayly. Of the three of them, he is the only one who does not seem to mind what is happening.

"It also came with an action figure," he said fishing out a small Doc Ock toy.

"Where are we," JJ asked his wife. "Do you know where we are?"

"We are somewhere in downtown Manhattan," she answered. "The van that took us here was heavily tinted. I was only able to take a peek through the windshield. I think it's Manhattan. I recognized the bridge."

"How long was I out?"

"Not long. We missed our flight. They will be waiting for us in Manila."

"Did you see any phones around here?"

"Just the one at the lobby."

"Is this some kind of a hotel?"

"I think so, but it looks deserted and old," said Katrina scanning the room.

"I just had the wildest dream," said JJ holding his head. Albert now sat on the chair near the bedside table playing with his toy.

"It's the same dream," JJ said. "I have been having this dream for days now."

"What dream," asked Katrina.

JJ narrated his dream while Katrina listened.

"I remember you waking up at night screaming and sweating," Katrina said. "Why are you having this dream? Have you consulted anyone?"

"No. I was going to ask an albularyo when we got to Tarlac but now we're seem to be stuck here."

Katrina moved closer and hugged her husband.

There was a knock on the door and the locked clicked again. Both waited for the door to open not knowing who may come in.

Quan opened the door. His face still without expression.

"Time to go. It is time you know who you are, why you are here, and what is your destiny."

10. Rain of Fire

Kamay-Kainan is a restaurant located along the southbound lane of the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue or EDSA in Metro Manila. It boasts of buffets with Filipino, Japanese, and Western dishes. They offer eat-all-you-can buffet discounts to their customers.

It was a bright sunny day in the Philippines and JJ and his family are having a mixed meal of Asian and Western cuisines.

"So," JJ asked his six-year old son Albert, "did you have a nice chat with lola today?"

"Yeah dad," Albert replied before taking a bite at the tempura he got from the Japanese foods area of the restaurant with his mother, Katrina. "She told me about you joining the ROTC and was worried so much because you were as thin as a stick."

"Well, he was brave enough to put himself to such punishment, he thought he can get through my father's barrier when he courted me," added Katrina.

JJ smiled and helped himself to his bowl of dinuguan when an explosion suddenly rocked the building.

People stopped what their doing and looked at each other. Some asking what was happening or where the explosion occurred. While most began to check on their belongings and their companions, a few stood up to look at the window facing the wide street. One of them is JJ. A shadow that appears to be caused by smoke blocking the summer sun began to descend upon the street blown northward from where the explosion seem to have come from.

"What is that hon," inquired Katrina clutching Albert.

"Wait here," answered JJ asking his wife to sit tight as he began to walk toward the large window walls along with several others. People can be seen running from the direction of the flyovers less than a kilometer southward from the restaurant. They are running for Cubao, away from something that terrifies them. Cars, jeepneys, and buses have stopped, occupants and passengers getting out running northward. Some tried to turn back but could not move out of the deadlock.

JJ was about to walk through the glass doors to take a look at what is happening when a burning car, a Toyota VIOS, suddenly dropped in the middle of the four lane southbound side of EDSA. The car crashed on a Honda CRV rolling off to settle on top of a taxi. Two more cars, a bus and a truck, all burning, dropped down on the stopped vehicles and running men as if . Some of the people died instantly from the impact while others ran around, their clothes burning from the fuel coming out of the vehicles and die from heat, shock, and suffocation.

Several explosions followed from vehicles the burning ones fell or had rolled on shattering the window walls and the glass door. A shard of glass nicked JJ on his cheeks and arms. The rest flying toward the ducking patrons of this popular restaurant. Then they heard a roar.

JJ stepped out of building just to run back to the safety of its canopy when a military helicopter, a UH-1H Huey being used by the Philippine army, its crew dying from sever burns, cooking off ammunition, and suffocation.

JJ looked inside the restaurant looking for his family. He found them near the back wall, Katrina holding Albert against her.

When JJ stepped out again, he looked for the source of the explosion. He saw smoke rising from buildings half way to Shaw Boulevard. The building of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration is burning. So is Robinson's Galleria in front of it, the Lourdes school behind the mall, several building behind POEA as well as one of the branches of the local mall chain, SM. His gaze was suddenly turned towards the UnionBank Plaza tower that appears to be the target of several OV-10 Broncos and three Huey helicopters. He strained to see their target. Suddenly his vision focused on what appears to be a lone figure near the top of the building. It seems that his eyes have zoomed in on the figure, a circular area around where his gaze focused blurred as if looking though a spy glass. Then what he saw horrified him.

The figure JJ saw was not standing on top of the building but was floating in front of it near the top. He can see tracer bullets ricochet around the person who seems to be covered by an invisible shield. The man is half naked wearing only a pair of dark blue cargo pants and black rubber shoes. His body is covered with tattoos up to his head. Only the area around his eyes, his cheeks, and his chin are without tattoo. His eyes are fiery red.

JJ tried to zoom in some more and saw that there appears to be markings around the pupils of the man.

Then JJ saw the red eyes lock on his. Taken a back, his vision zoomed out a little. Now the floating man seems to be looking at him. The man moved his right arm forward. His fingers closed except for the index finger as his arms raised. And it stopped. The man was pointing at JJ. Then he said something JJ could not understand.

A load roar made JJ close his eyes. Then he heard wings flapping. When he looked at the direction of the man again, jets of green flame came from either side of the building. Alternating as it moved up. The flames engulfed the slower Hueys and missing the much faster Broncos. The helos spun and fell. Soldiers on board surely dead.

Suddenly, wings flapped over the building as a huge red dragon emerged from behind, nesting on the top of the tower. It let out an ear shattering roar then turned its head toward the direction the floating man pointed to. Toward JJ.

The red dragon bore marks around its body almost similar to the marks borne by the man. JJ stood frozen on the pavement.

The dragons shrieked. It flapped its wings, pushed him self up from the tower with its powerful hind legs and gave a roar. The dragon dropped, gliding towards the direction its master ordered it to go to.

JJ suddenly got pulled out of his trance when the dragon roared yet anew. He suddenly realized that the dragon was going for him. He has to move, he told himself. He willed his body to move as the dragon flew toward him, turning his head from time to time toward the direction of the attacking aircrafts and shoot off jets of green flames. One Bronco caught the flames on its starboard wing and began to descend. Then it focused all its attention to its target, the immobilized JJ.

His heart pounding, beads of sweat trailing down his face, JJ was suddenly able to move his legs. He turned and ran. He did not run toward the restaurant as his wife and son may get caught in the flames but instead run toward the direction of the dragon. He then turned right into a nearby street.

The dragon shrieked then shot green flame toward the ground, burning the vehicles on the streets as it traced a flaming line toward JJ.

JJ ran as fast has he could. The flame and the dragon right behind him. He has got to reach the corner several meters away and try to duck somewhere. He hoped. He tried. He can save himself from the flame. At the dragon's speed, it and the flame will overshoot JJ once he makes a quick right.

And it did when JJ made a quick right, the heat searing through his clothes while the flame barely grazing him. He saw a door. He turned the knob. It's locked. Horror gripping him JJ turned to look for another way in only to find out that one of his assumptions was wrong. The dragon was able to make a sudden stop. It is now hovering in front of him, large wings flapping.

The dragon with its long neck, moved its head near JJ and shrieked. At first, JJ smelled the foul odor of sulfur from the dragon's breath blow at him. Then everything grew bright green as a blast of flame engulfed him.

9. Fire and Ice

Amidst the complex machinery, wires and pipes of the basement of the John F. Kennedy International Airport, clanging and swishing sounds can be heard.

Then there was a crash.

Moments later a thud.

And the clanging and the swishing returned.

"Daga!" This was chanted by Nigel Smith, an American who claimed to be from the Immigrations Office, as he threw a dagger bearing symbols on its blade and pommel when he lost one of his axes to his Chinese opponent, Quan Tie.

Quan jumped over the flying dagger, twisting in mid air just as Lucas Jorgen, an African-American associate of Nigel, held both his hands in front of him as if holding a basket ball, thrust them and chanting "Magliyab" to release a fireball toward the still descending Chinese.

The Chinaman was himself forming a ball in his left hand and as he finished his 360 degree twist in mid air pushed it toward the fireball chanting, "Nyebe!" A snowball flew to the fireball liquefying on contact and extinguishing the flames while JJ Junco, a Filipino that is being accosted by Nigel and Lucas watched the battle in horror.

When Quan Tie landed, he was met by a right hook from Nigel that avoided by twisting his body by almost a quarter. He then pushed his upper body forward, left hand striking toward Nigel's right deltoid muscle are with palms open, fingers extended and joined, its tips thrust like a cutting knife to the American's muscles soliciting pain in the process.

Quan followed this move by a punch in Nigel's solar plexus kicking the air out of his opponent. He then stepped back to avoid a drop kick from Lucas.

Lucas, now standing between the pained Nigel and Quan swung his right hand to drive a right backhand punch at the Chinese.

Quan blocked the strike with his right arm with a backhand block. He then turned his hand to seize Lucas by the wrist, pulled his enemy's hand to the right while he pushed his left hand, palms up toward Lucas' elbow breaking the joint with the heel of his hand. Letting go of the now injured right hand of the American, Quan pushed his right hand to the right side of Lucas cracking some ribs. He then repeated the left hand attack hitting Lucas by the jaw with the heel of his left hand.

Lucas went down on one knee from the pain. His movement cleared the way for Nigel who delivered a flying side kick toward Quan, hitting the Chinese square on the chest pushing him backward.

As he swung his arms around to regain his balance, Quan chanted "Shuriken" as he released one throwing star after another from each hand as he continued to swing them alternately.

Three of the stars hit Nigel in the chest and arms while he was able to avoid the rest.

Quan then move his arms in a circle in front of him ending with his right hand pointing upward, palms open, fingers extended and joined over his left hand with palms up assuming a Buddhist praying pose. He then chanted "Bomba." This chant blew up the shurikens he released causing sever physical damage and shock to his American opponent.

Just as the blast reverberated on the basement walls, Quan and JJ heard what appeared to be a hand slapping the floor and the injured Lucas chanting "Alon." A wave of concrete flooring then began to form rushing toward the Chinese. Concrete rubbles flew toward Quan including pieces of steel as they break up from the flooring.

Quan again moved his arms in a circle in front of him but instead of ending in a praying pose, he ended with both hands in front of him, palms open, facing the flying projectiles from the debris.

"Kalasag," Quan chanted as a circular shield with symbols and drawings materialized in thin air blocking the deadly debris.

JJ, still trembling from shock jumped back when he heard Quan Tie saying, "I believe we should leave."

"What," asked JJ. "Who are you? Who are these people? What have I got to do with you?"

"In time Mr. Junco," Quan said assuringly. "All in good time. But for now, it is time for us to leave. The explosion could have caught the attention of airport security and they are probably on their way down. And besides, you don't want to be here when their friends arrive," pointing to the now unconscious Lucas and Nigel.

"What about my wife and son," protested JJ. "I have to get back to them," he said as he started to rise.

"They have already been taken cared of," said Quan stopping JJ from standing,

"Taken cared of," said JJ worried for his wife and young son. "What do you mean taken cared of?"

"So many questions, so little time," mused Quan.

They hear footsteps and commotion outside the door above them.

"We must be going," urged Quan. "Like I said, all in good time and our time here is not going to be good."

JJ looked up at the door to the airport lobby and contemplated on what he should do. He then looked at Quan who is waiting for him and urging him to come along with him.

"If those security personnel catch you, they will think you are a terrorist and put you in jail," explained Quan and then turned his back on JJ as he walked toward the dark.

JJ needed to decide fast and he decided to try and trust the Chinese. He walked down the steps and followed the Chinese disappearing in the in the dark amidst the machinery, wires, and pipes in the basement of the JFK International Airport.

8. Eagle vs Dragon

The John F. Kennedy International Airport located in New York City caters to more than 19 million passengers a year. Its service areas provide its guests with conveniences while waiting for their scheduled flight. The passenger terminals are located in circular arrangement in the middle of the airport. Below grounds, machines work round the clock to provide support to the massive structure. In its bowels, three men stood frozen. Their gaze directed upon a small glow on their right amidst the concrete pillars, pipes, and metal structures.

The sound of something whipping through the air broke their silence. From the direction where the sound came from are two large curved swords spinning in the air like boomerangs. An ax thrown by a white American wearing a dark pin striped suit stopped one of the swords. The other one was diagonally parried by another American, an African-American, and spun towards the wall only to vanish in thin air much like the ax and the first sword.

The white American known as Nigel crossed his hands in front of him and drew two axes from thin air. His comrade, Lucas took a step to stand beside him holding his saber ready.

"Who the hell are you," demanded Nigel. "Show yourself!"

The soft steps of Kung Fu shoes can be heard as a man in black traditional Kung Fu uniform emerges from the dark holding two Chinese swords.

"I am Quan Tie," he introduced, "and I claim Mr. Junco."

"Like hell you are," said Lucas, advancing on the Chinese.

Quan stopped with his right foot leading his left, feet on 90 degree angles and shoulder width apart. His right hand holding the dao in front of him as his left hand held the other dao upright behind him, his left fist level and pressed against his lower back.

Lucas swung his right hand, palms up, horizontally to strike Quan in the chest.

Quan bent back while twisting his body to his right to avoid the strike while maintaining his stance. With fluidity, he raised the sword in his right then thrust at Lucas, his trailing left leg pushing his body forward while he bent his leading right leg.

Lucas' recovers the strike and parried the thrust with his saber while side stepping to his left. Once he had pushed the sword some distance away from him, he reversed his hand movement to strike Quan in the neck.

Quan bent his head to his left while Lucas' saber whizzed through barely grazing his ear. He then moved his trailing left foot wide diagonally to his left assuming a crouching position while reversing the blade of his sword to face his black opponent and swing it toward his opponent's abdominal area.

Nigel saw and opening and stepped forward, his right hand raised to slam his ax on the Chinaman's neck.

Quan recovered from his strike and pulled his body with his left foot while sliding his right along the floor just in time for the ax to pass inches from his heard. He continued his movement sliding his right foot behind his left foot as Nigel turned to swing his ax-wielding left hand horizontally to the Chinese.

The Chinese bent his body on his waist to avoid the ax while twisting his right hand by the wrist to move his sword blade from his right hand side toward his left, the face of the blade resting on his left shoulder, cutting edge pointed leftward. He then swung his right hand toward Nigel who jumped back away from him toward his right.

As Nigel moved, Lucas came into view. His hand no longer holding a saber but held in front of him, his fingers extended and apart. His other hand is held in the same way as if holding a battering ram pushed against him. Light flowed from both his arms towards his hands.

"Shockwave," yelled Lucas and pushed his hands forward as a ripple of air escaped from them and hurtled toward the Chinese.

Caught off-guard, Quan only had time to cross his arms in front of him and braced for impact. The impact threw him off toward the pipes and machinery behind him. The Chinese crashed through them, his head banging on a pipe running horizontally.

The two Americans paused and observed. Waiting for something to happen. Then they heard footsteps scurrying up the steps.

Nigel and Lucas both looked at the direction of the noise saw their target, JJ Junco clambering up the stairs.

"Stop him," Nigel shouted toward Lucas who as nearer to the escaping Filipino.

Lucas took a step forward with his left foot, held his hands together, fingers curled close, his left hand palms down while his right hand was held palms up. Both hands were held together, his left index finger and thumb next to his right pinkie. He then pulled his right hand toward his back while pushing his left hand a few inches forward. Light crawled from his arms as a rod of light formed between the separating hands. A spear with metal edge and iron rod materialized from the rod of light. As his right hand reached its farthest point backward, Lucas released the hold of his left hand on the spear, slid his left foot about four inches forward and heaved the spear toward the fleeing JJ.

Just then, a sai flew through the air, catching the spear between its main center prong and its tsuba -- one of the two unsharpened shorter prongs. The force the sai was thrown was so great that the spear was pushed away from its trajectory. Both weapons vanished in thin air.

"As you Americans say," a voice from the dark said. "It is not over until the fat lady sings," Quan continued as he emerged from the dark patting dirt from his clothes.

"The hell with the fat lady," Nigel sighed as he rushed toward the Chinese. Behind him, Lucas produced another saber and started after Nigel.

7. Basement

John F. Kennedy International Airport. Van Wyck and JFK Expressways lead to and from the airport's rotund. The JFK Expressway runs through the space between Terminals 7 and 8 from the North while Van Wyck runs through between Terminals 9 and 1 from the East. The airport is also served by the AirTrain JFK that operates between the airport, the New York Subway and the Long Island Rail Road including. It is connected to the terminals as well as rental car facilities, hotel shuttles and the parking lots.

It is a vast complex of people, machinery, and electronics that supports 19 million passenger a year that go through its terminal that are constructed around a rotund. On the ground and upper levels are service areas for the passengers like restaurants, lounges, check-in and customs areas, and the baggage claim areas.

Underneath it are baggage and cargo handling facilities, electrical machines, plumbing, and back-up systems that will keep the air traffic controller operational in case of power outage. These sections are connected to several access doors through stairs, elevators, and ramps.

An exit door opens and three persons came in. One of them is holding another one in front of him while the third closes the door behind them.

"Don't worry Mr. Junco, you will not be harmed if you fully cooperate," assured the African-American holding the man who is much smaller in height and build. The smaller man's name is Jeffrey or JJ as his friends call him.

They take him down the stairs toward a darkened area beneath the moving conveyors and large pipes.

"Please," demanded the white American with them, "don't make this hard on yourself."

The white American introduced himself to JJ at the check-in area as Nigel Smith. He also introduced the person now holding JJ as Lucas Jorgen.

Nigel pushed his dark pinstriped coat aside with his right hand and drew his Glock-9 semiautomatic pistol and pushed it at JJ's chest.

"Now, stand still," Nigel ordered. "We only need to talk to you."

This time, Lucas loosened his grip on JJ's mouth and slowly released his left arm.

"What," asked JJ. "Just talk? Why bring me all the way down here for just a talk," he demanded.

By this time, Lucas has left his place behind JJ and joined Nigel. JJ tried to step back but he hit a concrete column that supported the airport's structure.

"We need you to answer a few questions," Nigel explained holstering his pistol.

"We want to know if you had any unusual experiences lately," asked Lucas.

"Well," JJ began to explain, "this is the first unusual experience I had. First, you introduced yourselves as immigration officers and then you suddenly drag me down here which does not really look like an immigration office. Yeah, this is my first unusual experience."

"That's not what we meant," interrupted Nigel putting his hands on his waist. "Have you had any unusual dreams? Have you seen any unusual things happen in your surroundings?"

Before JJ could answer, Nigel's cellphone rings. He fishes out of his pocket, looked at the display and open's the clamshell shaped phone to answer the call.

"Yes," he said turning his back and walking away while Lucas stayed to watch over JJ. "We have him. He's right here where we told you we'll take him."

Lucas turned his head to look where Nigel is holding his hand out as if to signal JJ to stay put.

JJ took this little distraction and tried to run for the stairs.

"Hey! Come back here," shouted Lucas as he started to run after JJ while drawing his 9mm Beretta M-93.

"Shit," muttered Nigel. "I'll call you back, our subject is trying to run away," Nigel told the caller as he began to run after JJ also drawing his gun.

JJ was two flights up the stairs when a bullet hit the handrail just above his right hand. He froze on his tracks.

"Freeze a*****e," Lucas shouted after JJ.

Just then the three men noticed a small glow on their right amidst the concrete pillars, pipes, and metal structures. Then they heard something whip through the air. They looked at the direction where the sound came from as two large curved swords spun in the air like a boomerang from the dark toward their direction. One of the spinning swords was stopped in mid flight by an ax thrown spinning towards it while the other one continued its spin towards Lucas.

As JJ watched the sword in flight, his eyes caught a glimpse of light shining from Lucas' direction as he drew a saber with his right hand. Lucas continued the drawing motion swinging the sword diagonally and clockwise toward the sword to parry it. As the saber hit the sword, JJ saw the other sword and ax separate from their impact and vanish in thin are along his left peripheral vision. The second sword was successfully parried and spun away and vanished into thin air.

Nigel crossed his hands in front of him to draw two axes from thin air as Lucas took a step to stand beside him holding his saber ready.

"Who is that," demanded Nigel. "Show yourself."

The soft steps of Kung Fu shoes can be heard as a man in black traditional Kung Fu uniform emerges from the dark holding two Chinese swords known as the Dao.

"I am Quan Tie," he introduced, "and I claim Mr. Junco."

6. JFK International Airport

John F. Kennedy International Airport is located in Jamaica, Queens, in southeastern New York City. It is about 19 kilometers from Lower Manhattan. It was known as the Idlewild Airport, before it was renamed in 1963 in memory of the late President John F. Kennedy. People usually refer to it as "Kennedy" or "JFK" airport.


The JFK caters to almost 20 million passengers each year. The biggest number is during the holidays when the weary workers of New York flock to the airports for well deserved vacations.

Among the would be passengers is Jeffrey Junco, a naturalized American born in Tarlac, Philippines. His friends from college calls him JJ using the first letter of his first name and family name. He finished his biology course from a state-run university and took up medicine right after graduation. Since his mom has retired from being a nurse in UK, JJ aspired to work abroad like his mother. He immediately took up additional subjects in nursing after passing the medical board exam. He applied for and got a job at the New York University Medical Center. It is where he met his wife Katrina, a nurse working in the same shift as he is.

"O, Albert, stay with your mama," JJ called at his six year old son as the boy started to walk away towards the kiosk selling toys while his mother let go of him to check their passports on her purse.

"But I want toy," Albert told his father while twiddling his fingers and looking cute.

"We'll get you one once we arrive in Manila," reassured Katrina now holding their passports as they fall in line to check-in for their flight to the Philippines.

"I can't believe I will be home again after almost ten years," sighed JJ. "I can still imagine what it feels like to be in the Philippines."

"Well unlike you, mister I-need-to-do-this-first," upbraided Katrina pressing her index finger at JJ's chest, "I try to call my parents every now and then," she said smiling.

JJ has always loved the way Katrina smiled at him. Her dimples and her mole above her right eye is what attracted him to her. They were married in the US since they were still starting up then and are not able to return to the Philippines. Only Katrina's parents were present. At that time JJ could not afford yet to have his mother with them. But some of JJ's college and high school friends who are based there were able to join. His uncle and auntie served as a proxy to his parents.

"I can still remember the time when I was about to board a flight from Manila," JJ muses. "I was so excited. And I can feel that same excitement now," he said smiling at Katrina.

"I am sure you do my dear," she lovingly told him.

They are now three persons away from the check-in counter. Katrina, with Albert in tow, is carrying a large shoulder bag with all their essential needs -- food, change of clothes, toiletries, and some reading materials. Albert has a backpack with his toys while JJ is pulling behind him a rolling traveling luggage and his laptop bag strapped on his back. They will have to have the luggage check-in and hand carry the rest.

"Mr. Junco," interrupted a muscular American wearing a dark pinstriped suite and pants. He was standing with his feet about shoulder-width apart and his left hand over his right casually placed in front of him. He has a clean-shaven face and is wearing dark glasses.

"Yes?" replied JJ turning to his left where the caller stands about a meter away from him. With the muscular American is an African-American with the same build and wearing a suit and pants identical to his companion. The African-American also wears dark glasses but displays a thin lined mustache connected to his beard forming a shape around his mouth and chin. He kept on scanning the area as if there will be a threat somewhere else.

"What is it honey?" asked Katrina a little worried.

"Daddy, are those the Men in Black from the movie?" asked JJ who was then pulled aside by his mother to put herself between the two men and the boy.

"It's okay honey," JJ said trying to assure his wife.

"Is there a problem?" he asked the two men now turning his attention from his wife to them.

"Sir, if you could step aside please," requested the clean shaven suit.

JJ took two steps forward leaving the luggage standing on its own while holding his wife back in line saying, "Just go ahead and check us in. This may be just a little misunderstanding," referring to the recent reports about mysterious killings in the New York area involving victims mostly of Filipino ancestry.

"Is there a problem -- ah -- sir?" asked JJ somewhat confident that he has nothing to worry about.

"I am Federal Agent Nigel Smith and with me is Federal Agent Lucas Jorgen," said the clean-shaven agent introducing himself and his companion both flashing their badges. "We wish to speak with you for a minute regarding some matters we would like to discuss in private. And don't worry, we will assist you through check-in and hold the plane for you if we find everything in order."

This statement caused some whispered comments among the other lined up passengers. Nobody would dare question a federal agent lest they would attract suspicion on themselves.

JJ looked back at his wife and nodded. Katrina, now left to hold Albert and the luggage with both hands, nodded back then looked from one federal agent to the next.

"This way please," ushered the clean-shaven agent motioning JJ to the side and starting to take a step forward. JJ followed him and the thin bearded agent trailing behind him.

They walked across other lines of passengers waiting to be checked-in toward the far side of the airport's departure lobby.

JJ's mind was wondering what the problem could be. He had been a good citizen, paid their taxes on time, no payments missed on his credit cards and their loans. He had surfed some websites on terrorist organizations but that was merely for information and not for any other purposes that may be considered a threat to national security. JJ kept on looking back to see his wife and son. She has now reached the check-in counter and presented their passports and tickets to the attendant. She seemed to be explaining why she is holding three passports since there are only two of them there. JJ could see his son staring after him standing idly beside his mom.

When they reached the far side, the clean shaven agent opened a door.

"But this is the exit door," protested JJ.

The clean shaven agent opened his suit to reveal his Glock-19 semi automatic pistol and said, "Please, if you will cooperate, no one else will get hurt."

"No one else?" asked JJ now beginning to feel panic. "What do you mean no one else?"

The thin bearded agent then clamped JJ's mouth with his massive right hand, pulling JJ towards his body while his left hand bent JJ's left arm toward his back.

The agent then pushed JJ toward the open door and the clean shaven agent looked around before following them inside.

Katrina has finished the check-in procedure and is now holding their boarding passes except that of JJ whose passport was withheld at the counter. She tried to look at the direction JJ and the two agents took but could not see them anywhere.

"Please follow me," a woman with blond hair whispered as she brushed by Katrina.

"What?" Katrina asked but the woman continued walking away without looking back.

Puzzled and alarmed, Katrina followed the blond woman.