Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

Vikram pushed against one of the wall panels, and it opened to reveal a well-lit tunnel.
Nick, Astrid, and Colin entered with mouths agape, stunned by the existence of such a
space.
“No. Fucking. Way!” Colin exclaimed.
“This tunnel leads to Tyersall Park, doesn’t it?” Nick asked excitedly.
“It goes right under Adam Road and puts us within the grounds of the house. Let’s go,
we don’t have much time,” Vikram said.
As they made their way through the tunnel, Nick looked around in wonderment. There
were spots of mold along some of the concrete walls and the ground was caked in a layer
of dirt, but overall the tunnel was remarkably well preserved. “When I was a little kid, my
father used to tell me stories about how there were secret passages in Tyersall Park, and I
just thought he was pulling my leg. I begged him to show me one, but he never would.”
“Did you always know this was here?” Astrid asked.
“Not until yesterday,” Vikram said. “Ah Ling told me about it. Apparently this tunnel
was used during the war by your great-grandfather Shang Loong Ma. That’s how he got in
and out of the property and was never once caught by the Japanese.”
“I’ve heard there are tunnels similar to this. There’s supposedly one that leads from
Uncle Kuan Yew’s house on Oxley Road to the Istana,” Astrid commented. “I just never
imagined Tyersall Park would have one too.”
“Incredible! I can’t believe this whole elaborate plan—just to see your grandmother!”
Colin remarked to Nick.
“Yes, apologies for all the cloak-and-dagger. Ah Ling and I needed to devise a way to get
messages to the both of you without incriminating ourselves. Tyersall Park has been on
complete lockdown for the past few days, as you are well aware,” Vikram said with a grin.
“I’m so grateful, Vikram.” Nick smiled back at him.
They arrived at the end of the tunnel and faced another set of rungs. Nick went first,
and when he was out of the shaft, he looked down at Astrid as she climbed up. “You’ll
never believe where we are!”
Astrid climbed out of the shaft and found herself standing in the middle of hanging
orchid plants. They were in their grandmother’s orchid conservatory, and the large round
stone table carved with griffins at its base in the middle of the conservatory rolled to the
side to reveal the entrance into the tunnel.
“I’ve spent countless hours sitting at this table, having afternoon tea with Ah Ma!”
Astrid exclaimed.
Standing on lookout at the door of the conservatory was Ah Ling. “Come, come, let’s get
in before it gets light and people start waking up.”
When they were all safely ensconced inside Ah Ling’s room in the servants’ quarters,
she wasted no time in explaining her plan. “Colin, you should stay here in my room, out
of sight. I will take Astrid and Nicky up to Su Yi’s bedroom. I know a special route that
will let us enter from the balcony outside her dressing room, and Astrid, you should go in
alone first and be with her when she awakes. She will usually wake up after you draw the