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Back No Going Back: a Novel Save as PDF
Chapters (84)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Part 1
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. Part 2
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. Part 3
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. Part 4
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. Part 5
  60. 53
  61. 54
  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. Part 6
  67. 59
  68. 60
  69. 61
  70. 62
  71. 63
  72. 64
  73. 65
  74. 66
  75. 67
  76. 68
  77. 69
  78. 70
  79. 71
  80. 72
  81. Acknowledgments
  82. About the Author
  83. Also by Sheena Kamal
  84. About the Publisher

“David, stop,” says Lam, perhaps sensing the change in Dao that I now witness.

Dao replies in a language I don’t understand. Whatever he says, it’s not hopeful. I see shock cross Lam’s face.

Dao pulls the trigger.

Lam falls.

Dao points at Ivan and shoots, but he has overestimated Ivan’s loyalty to Lam. I guess money can’t buy everything after all, because Ivan’s already turning away to run back inside. He falls, too, but just in the door.

As Dao is turning to me, there’s a commotion inside and the men led by the protester come charging out. They must have entered through the front.

They see Ivan slumped over. Lam on the ground and Dao standing over him. They begin to shout in confusion and move toward Dao.

I feel a tug on the back of my shirt.

“Run!” Brazuca hisses into my ear. He reaches for my hand as a hail of gunfire pelts after us.

42

I don’t try to turn back, but as I run away from the person I came here to find, I feel a keening sense of relief and loss at war with each other. The battle is internal, but Brazuca must sense it because he tugs harder at my hand even though I’m faster than him and should be pulling him along. But he’s doing pretty well, even with his bum leg.

Then we are in the hotel and I’m surrounded by staff, who shove me and Brazuca into the ballroom where a handful of other hotel patrons gather. Apparently, the word of a security threat has spread throughout the hotel. I hear some muttering about a gang.

Brazuca is still holding my hand. Neither of us seems to be able to let go. A woman in a wedding dress is sobbing in the corner, in the arms of her groom. Various people in semiformal wear are scattered about the room casting concerned looks at the bride and groom. Two men are slightly damp and wearing swim trunks. They look too tired to speak.

“The protester from the photograph, the one Dao beat up . . . he was there,” I say quietly to Brazuca. “I think he must have followed Dao to the hotel.”

“Someone he knew may have seen Dao go in and called him. Those security guys from the bar said Dao had been laying low.”

“Maybe the protester’s not just some innocent activist after all. Not with a group of armed friends like that.” The AC is cranked, and a shiver passes through me. “They don’t stand a chance against Dao.”

“You don’t know that. He was heavily outnumbered. Maybe . . .”

I know what he’s thinking. That maybe my problem has been taken care of. Maybe Dao is dead. I want so desperately to believe it. Something of that desperation must be showing.

“Nora,” Brazuca says. “You can’t . . . you couldn’t save Lam.”

“Lam?”