An Oshin of Trouble

Within three days, they were in the bank vault.

The safety deposit box sat on the table between the three men.

Oshin inserted the key.

He paused.

For just a moment, he looked at VW.

Then he turned the key.

The lock clicked.

Oshin opened the box and slid it across the table.

The agent looked inside.

There was the Idol Master Key.

He reached for it.

Oshin let go.

The agent picked up the idol and examined it carefully.

“This is it?”

“That is the key to open the shrine.”

The agent smiled.

“Then Mr. Wong will be pleased.”

He slipped the idol into his pocket.

VW watched him.

“You seem very confident.”

“I have every reason to be.”

The agent closed the box and stood.

Oshin remained seated.

The agent stopped.

“You aren’t coming with us?”

Oshin shook his head.

“No.”

A faint smile appeared on Oshin’s face.

“You won’t need us anymore.”

The agent studied him.

“What does that mean?”

“Nothing.”

The agent turned and walked toward the vault door.

VW waited until the agent was gone.

Then he looked at Oshin.

“You’re smiling.”

“Am I?”

“You know something.”

Oshin stood and straightened his jacket.

“I know the key works.”

VW stared at him.

“And?”

Oshin looked toward the door through which Wong’s man had disappeared.

“And I know what happens when the key is used.”

VW’s expression tightened.

“You never told me.”

“I wasn’t sure.”

“You’re sure now?”

Oshin nodded.

“Yes.”

“What happens?”

Oshin started toward the door.

“Wong gets exactly what he paid for.”

VW followed him.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Oshin stopped.

“No. It doesn’t.”

He looked back at VW.

“But it will.”

Three thousand miles away, Mr. Wong was already preparing his men for the return to the shrine.

He had the key.

He knew where the shrine door was.

He believed he had won.

He had no idea that the first turn of that key would begin closing the shrine forever.

Later, in The Pier, VW finally asked the question again.

“You knew something was wrong with that shrine.”

Oshin looked out the window.

“Not wrong.”

“Then what?”

“Carefully designed.”

VW waited.

Oshin continued.

“When we opened the passage, I noticed something about the stone.”

“The door?”

“It wasn’t a door.”

VW frowned.

“What was it?”

“A mechanism.”

Oshin picked up the idol’s photograph from the table.

“When i picked the lock to the opening, the stone moved. But it didn’t simply slide aside. It shifted.”

VW thought about it.

“I remember.”

“There was another groove underneath it.”

“The trap.”

Oshin nodded.

“The people who built that shrine expected someone to find it someday.”

“And they built a trap?”

“They built a mechanism to close it.”

VW stared at him.

“What’s the difference?”

“A trap is meant to kill you.”

Oshin put down the photograph.

“This is meant to keep you out.”

VW was quiet.

“So Wong gets there, uses the key, and opens the shrine.”

“Yes.”

“And then?”

“The idol has to be placed in its proper position.”

VW’s eyes narrowed.

“And when they remove it?”

“The mechanism resets.”

“How long?”

“Not long.”

“And the people inside?”

“They’ll have time to leave.”

VW let out a breath.

“Then Wong doesn’t lose anyone.”

“That isn’t what I want.”

“And the shrine?”

Oshin looked back out the window.

“It closes.”

“Permanently?”

Oshin smiled.

“That was the intention.”

VW was silent for several seconds.

Then he understood.

“Wong paid thirty million dollars for a key that leads him to a treasure he can’t take.”

Oshin shook his head.

“No.”

VW looked at him.

“He paid thirty million dollars for the privilege of closing the shrine forever.”

Oshin turned away from the window.

“And he doesn’t even know it yet.”