The Red Wedding

By MQ Hana

The year was 1980 – it had been five years since the Vietnam War ended. Retired Marine and CIA agent Thai Wynn took his wife Trina back to their hometowns in Vietnam for an anniversary celebration and their cousin’s wedding. During the ceremony, an unexpected horrific event occurs, leaving the Wynns fighting for their lives. 

A once happy tourist couple is now tangled in a web of politics, power, and corruption, as well as personal anguish, revenge, and torture. Thai’s quest to save his loved ones is beyond any other dangerous mission that he was ever taken on in the past. Thai must now venture into dark territory and be met with lethal forces – what awaits him is the surprise of a lifetime… 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781649526229

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

Trina Hoa Wynn

The next morning, Thai and I took the next flight to central Vietnam, DaNang city. I was eager to visit Thai’s childhood hometown where the wedding was being held. The good news is, unlike Saigon, I’ve read that DaNang has tropical weather that averages eighty degrees all year round and is one of the most scenic beach tourist destinations in the country. The town is known for its many modern displays of beautiful artifacts that are filled with deep cultural richness.

So far, DaNang is very much how they described it. The buildings, the streets, and the neighborhoods are not as dirty or congested as Saigon. The housing conditions are a lot more habitable, and I immediately felt better with the surroundings here than I did in Saigon. Nonetheless, it was hard to get used to the overall lifestyle. I’ve been accustomed to sanitary conditions all my life, so this is not something I could get acclimated with overnight.

In order to not spoil our plan, I wanted to ensure that our four-week visit will be as close to the conditions in the US as possible, Thai assured me.

We rented a room in a five-star hotel to have US-like amenities, dined in fine-cuisine restaurants, and only rode around in premium automobile taxicabs. Whatever I felt comfortable with, Thai was more than willing to accommodate me.

I love you very much and want nothing more than to make this trip as memorable as possible for you, Thai also once said to me before we made our trip.

I could tell that Thai was trying hard to make sure I was able to look beyond these environmental setbacks in order for us to experience a wonderful hometown visit. He was determined to fill our schedule with family fun events and destination hotspots.

For the first few days, we set aside our time to spend with relatives before the wedding, specifically with Thai’s brother Dan’s family. In the Vietnamese culture, getting together after work or on the weekends, drinking and eating exotic food, singing, and gabbing were the top socializing activities. That was exactly what we did to celebrate our reunion. Relatives, far and close, were taking turns inviting us to attend their shindigs; they were very hospitable and treated us like royalty. It was the type of treatment that could only happen once in a lifetime.

I was having a lot of fun and enjoyed the time getting to know Thai’s family that he had talked about so much. To reflect on Thai’s sentiment earlier, the trip was going pretty much how we had wanted so far.

For a while, I wasn’t as preoccupied with the living conditions as much anymore; in fact, I was hoping to be able to duplicate these good times with my own family as well. Thinking about it was making me more anxious and excited. I was looking forward to flying to Quy Nhon City the day after the wedding to visit the hometown of both my parents.

Growing up with my parents, I’ve heard a lot about my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and the rest of my cousins on both sides, though I only saw them through pictures, years of collages and photo albums. It was inconceivable that I would be able to recognize any of them on the street if our paths crossed.

However, I was more anxious because of our life experiential differences and the language barriers. Unlike Thai who speaks fluent Vietnamese, I don’t really speak it very well. Normally, I couldn’t carry on a conversation in Vietnamese with my parents without a mix of English to it, so I was expecting this visit to be awkward for me. Still, I was prepared to make the best of it. I could imagine that I was going to have a great time with my own family just like I was having with Thai’s. It would be a great honor to represent my parents when I visit my grandparents at least once before they pass. I could hardly wait! This trip was turning out to be pretty wonderful so far.

CHAPTER 2

Thai Main Wynn

Trina and I were in a festive mood and were so excited to attend the wedding that we could hardly sleep the night before. We woke up a couple of times, passionately making love in the hopes of becoming pregnant. In fact, we have been making love more and more in recent memories than ever before trying to conceive. I’m not sure why it seems so easy for people to conceive left and right, yet we’re struggling over here. It is not due to lack of trying, I can tell you that.

Everything was going so well too and our love life was kicking into high gear. So often, especially during a special occasion, we would adventurously spice up our romance by planning a creative fun date night.

Just about a couple weeks prior, July 12, we were out celebrating Trina’s thirty-eighth birthday. That evening, we decided to role-play. We agreed to meet each other at the bar and pretended to be total strangers. We made up new backgrounds and identities to see if I could pick Trina up. As the night went by, we really enjoyed the compliments, flirting, and focusing on our relationship. The date was wonderful because it reminded both of us of how important it was for me to woo Trina and how special Trina felt to be courted by me.

It had been a long time coming, but finally I wasn’t far and away from home so much anymore. I can proudly say that twenty-two years of service with an impeccable record had earned us a very nice cushion of government pension and a generous severance package for my retirement. Trina had also just picked up a part-time position as an administrative clerk at the local city hall. So, with everything considered, we were all set as far as our financial situation was concerned.

Ever since my last near-death experience several years ago, it was a dream of mine to be able to spend more time with Trina or to do what we desired most. I guess two decades of always living on the edge made me value our little time together even more. Our marriage up to this point had been great so far and my dream was finally being realized. All signs were leading to a high prospect of us having a happy and wonderful life together.

So, in the spur of the moment, we decided to accept an invitation and fly back to Vietnam to celebrate my cousin Anh Ha’s wedding. The wedding invitation came from my younger brother Dan, who I have kept in touch with often over the years. In fact, Dan was the only immediate family member that I had left. When I left Vietnam as a teenager, Dan was still an infant, ten years my junior. Since our parents passed away over a decade ago due to their chronic illnesses, Dan and I had become closer than ever.

I didn’t really know my cousin very well. I figured it would be a great opportunity for me to go back to see my brother and allow Trina to see her hometown once before settling down for a long time, especially if we were expecting a baby soon. The upcoming month would also be our ten-year wedding anniversary. We would love more than anything to seize this opportune occasion to celebrate our marriage decade milestone in Ha Long Bay, one of the top tourist destinations in the world.

In the morning, while we were getting ready to go to the wedding, Trina stepped out of the hotel bathroom, turned my way, and I was mesmerized. Trina looked stunningly glamorous in her ankle-length blue dress. The slit-sleeve pleated maxi dress uniquely hugged every inch of Trina’s body. Along with the dress was a well-matched, elegant pair of lace-patterned heels. The intricate and sparkly pattern of radiant crystal necklace matched her two large stone diamond earrings that illuminated her wistfully gorgeous face.

Everywhere Trina goes, I could see that bright shining halo following her around like a beautifully decorated statue. Trina was even more attractive to me today than the day I met her. Her intrinsic beauty is immensely alluring and sexy. If we weren’t pressed for time, I would strip her naked and make love to her all over again.

Trina paused for a moment and asked with a meek grin, How do I look?

You look stunningly exquisite, baby! I pulled Trina closer to me and pecked her lips with a smile. I wish we could just skip the wedding and stay in bed, making love all morning. As I whispered softly into her ear, I could feel excitement growing below my belt.

Oh, stop it! Stop messing, you! Trina retorted with a little giggle. Let’s go. We’re late already. She straightened my tie and gave me a couple of taps on my chest. Save your energy for tonight. Your wish will come true, she said with a wink.

We both couldn’t help and let out loud laughter as we closed the door of the hotel room behind us.

CHAPTER 3

Thai Main Wynn

We arrived at the wedding hall, which was at a historic-looking manor located inside the Trinh Vuong Garden. The garden was built on a hill looking down to the main boulevard on one side and a beautiful tourist destination, Bach Dang Lakeshore, on the other. Prior to the Vietnam War, this garden was one of the most elegant and serene tourist destinations in DaNang. It was the third-largest tourist attraction and rapidly became the most significant sculptural experience in the country. It earned a reputation as a cultural site of local significance and has been revived slowly in the past few years since the end of the war.

The outskirts of the garden contained a large courtyard with nicely decorated sculptures, roses, petunias, and other cultural exhibits that provided a preview of the upcoming attractions. Leading up to the main entrance were rolls of golden apricot blossoms vibrantly displayed all year round. This decoration mainly represents the most celebrated holiday in Vietnam: the Tet Festival tradition that had been adapted from the Chinese Lunar New Year for generations.

Trina was so impressed with the scene and mesmerized by the adornment of the long passageway that she vowed to come back for a real tour after our trips to her hometown and Ha Long Bay. She wanted to explore the actual garden, which is located about 250 feet farther behind the manor.

We stepped across the threshold, looking around in awe at the spacious globular hall. About every twelve feet were expansive Victorian-style windows. The round room had a huge double-door entrance located between every other window. I could just imagine the summer breeze from the lakeshore flowing through and giving off this gentle cooling comfort that would just put me to sleep like a baby.

In the middle, toward the back of the building, was a classy curving stairway going up to the second level with a lofty domed ceiling. Next to the stairway were elegantly decorated bridal party tables; though at the moment, it was assembled as a mini altar for a Catholic wedding ceremony. The furniture was also being set up to resemble the church setting with the walking aisle in the middle and two pathways along the walls. I imagined whoever designed the layout of the room to be quite creative actually; the whole assembly could be easily converted into a ballroom for the reception later on. Overall, the room was adorned with a nice traditional wedding theme and it was starting to fill with guests.

That’s what happens when you’re trained to survive as a CIA agent. Even though I was retired, I would always be observant of my surroundings. Everywhere I go and no matter where I am still, I must know my paths out; I always have to have an exit strategy. Trina thought I could relax a little, be a bit less paranoid, and try to completely retire for once, but how could you just turn off what you’ve been conditioned to do for so long?

As we walked around greeting the guests, I surreptitiously took my time checking out the back room, the kitchen, and the restroom to observe all the windows and exit points. I wanted to be sure that I at least completed my trip around the manor once just so I didn’t miss anything.

Sorry, baby, it’s part of my DNA, I unabashedly told her.

Once I had finished my routine, we briefly greeted my brother and his family. I noticed that Dan was busy getting ready to host the event as an MC. I was actually very excited for Dan; it would be the fondest moment for me to actually see a public display of his talent. I heard about him and have seen pictures over the years though I’ve never really seen any of his live performances like this in person. My baby brother is all grown up now.

This wedding ceremony is going to be eventful and we’re going to have a blast, I said to Trina as I turned and gave her a kiss on the side of her forehead.

It’s going to be great! I love you!

I love you too! My lips gently met hers for a simple kiss.

CHAPTER 4

Thai Main Wynn

As Dan was set to make an introduction and call on Father Giuse Thuan to preside over the ceremony, an array of lights from the back wall shone brightly and the three main front entrance doors loudly burst open with a resonating thud. I quickly turned my head back and instantly pushed Trina down underneath our round table and yelled out loud, Get down! Nằm xuố ng dan! Get down! Nằm xuống!

I saw my brother duck to the back while also yelling out loud through the microphone that he was holding, Cướp dặc! Cướp dặc! Có súng! Có súng! translated as Terrorists! Terrorists! There are guns! There are guns! Then with a muffled squeak sound of the microphone dropped on the floor, there was nothing else from him after that. Replacing his loud warnings were people screaming and running in mazes. Skkra, kot kot, squibby do pah pah, and boom boom! Gunshots being fired thunderously like firecrackers during the Vietnamese Tet’s celebration.

Glancing back through the small sliver of the lights, I saw about nine nefarious men: three at each entrance in masks wearing green camouflaged military-style fatigues with their automatic rifles. People ran frantically as guns fired indiscriminately onto the crowd and continuously pierced their backs.

On one end of the wall, a couple could be seen in their bloody attire with their hands stretching for the doorknob, only to be stopped in their tracks by more gunshots. Some who followed suit, trying to reach for the exit were also met in the crossfire as victims kept piling up like building blocks, leaving others to be trapped and slayed inside. On the other side, I spied a man trying to shield bullets from hitting his daughter. Unfortunately, they penetrated through him and hit the little girl as well, resulting in both fatalities.

Bodies were dropping onto the floor like flies, especially those sitting at the tables closer to the front doors. The ones that still survived trampled all over one another, panicking, and running aimlessly trying to get out. Everywhere you looked, the bloody carnage could only be imagined and seen in horror movies. On top of the human slaughter, the blasts of centerpieces, drinking glasses, champagne bottles, and tableware shattered all across the ballroom, adding to the chaotic scene. Tan-colored tablecloths that were once adorned with roses and flowers are now stained with blossoms of blood and wine.

As bullets flew our way, I could hear Trina’s heart pounding. She paused a few times screaming, yelling, and crying. What’s happening, Thai! I’m scared! I’m scared… What’s happening? Aaah! Aah!

Keep moving toward the back! I yelled out loud. Do not stop. Keep moving! I kept a hand on Trina to encourage her to crawl along under one table after another. With my other hand, I reached up and collected a few silverware sets as we made our way toward the direction of the bridal party tables.

I have been in many battles throughout my twenty-two years of service for the US government and I have done plenty of training to survive any life-threatening situation that could come my way. My thick skin can even endure any bullet wounds; however, I had never dealt with the danger of bullets crossing Trina’s path at the same time. She has never been close to being shot like this before. The shots were getting louder and I could hear noises approaching closer and closer. I had to protect her at all costs or my life would have no meaning without her.

Keep ducking and moving under the tables! Whatever you do, do not stop. I’ll be right there!

No, Thai! No! No! Trina paused and cried. She kept shaking her head. I can’t! Where are you going Thai? Don’t leave me! she begged.

I pulled Trina back and held on to her tightly for a