Macau's POV
"Let me get this straight. Are you recruiting your potential employees into our clan?!"
Tankhun approaches Vegas and Assistant Lee, followed by Pol close behind, holding his gun, ready to protect my cousin from anyone.
"Hmm... I hadn't thought about it that way...interesting...but yeah...you could say that, MAIN FAMILY ELDEST."
"Mhmm...so If it wasn't enough for both Vegas and Macau stealing Pete and Arm from me, now you are stealing them from THEM?! GOOD! GOOOOOD!" Tankhun pointed his finger at Vegas and me, rattling it.
"You're really crazy, cousin! What's good about it?!" I ask, feeling like shooting him. He's all in red, anyway. The color of blood suits him!
"This is Karma, you two brothers!!K-A-R-M-A! KARMA!"
"Arm is still your employee. Technically she is stealing from you." My brother responds with sarcasm.
"Ow." Tankhun turns to Asssistant Lee. "You guys should invest more in your recruitment process instead of stealing our bodyguards! Give them back!"
"Do you want to check my pocket?" assistant Lee asks Tankhun.
"Why?" he asks, confused.
"To look for them in here!! Come on! Do you all see Pete and Arm around here? I already said they ran away. Look...I had a mission to take Pete with me. I failed. I will be scolded for this. End of story."
"They're flying to Taiwan, aren't they? Pete is going to the chess room meeting."
"Probably...but I don't know how...He left behind his key to the chess room. His key you can find inside my pocket."
Vegas move his head for me to check Assistant Lee's pockets.
"Here they are, brother... the white knight and king."
"What's so special about these chess pieces?" Thankun asks, looking down at the red piece in his hand.
"Where did you find the red queen, Tankhun? What are you doing here?" My brother asks.
"Well, I made Nop bring us here."
We look at Nop by Tankhun's car, all embarrassed.
"Don't scold him, Vegas. I warned Pete that if he did something dangerous without telling me, I would come to talk to you."
"Pete?! He talked to YOU about this...?! How much do you know?"
"Yeah... how much do you know?!" Assistant Lee turns her ear to try to hear what Tankhun and Vegas are saying.
"..."
But they stop talking.
"Hey, come on! I said a lot of things to you that I shouldn't."
"It's ok...speak up, Tankhun. We have nothing to hide from Assistant Lee. If she's being sincere and her intentions are good towards Pete, I just want us to work together to find Pete and Arm safe and sound."
My brother stares at Assistant Lee.
"For now, we want the same thing, Khun Vegas." Assistant Lee releases his wrists.
"For now." My brother pulled back his knife.
"I guess we have a truce then. Well...that day at the hotel I saw the white king chess piece next to Pete. He asked me to hide it from you, Vegas. You are a jealous psycho, you know...he feared you would be mad and not listen to him properly. We met the next day at Dr. Top. Pete said he would look into that and asked me to keep it to myself for a while. However, in my childhood memory, I remember seeing a chess piece made of crystal and diamond in my Dad's office. I've got curious. I made Arm and Pol break into the safe while Dad is out on a trip.
"You what?! Your father is going to kill you all!"
"Don't worry, Macau. My dad won't even notice it. Arm made a replica of this piece and left it in the safe."
"Unless he tries to use it." My brother said.
"Use it?!Use it how?! Well, to me it's just a chess piece with these little numbers appearing and disappearing, I don't know why...."
"Give it to me, Tankhun"
"Why, Vegas?! I can not. I will return it to its place."
"Didn't you hear what the lady said? This chess piece in your hand belongs to the minor family. Now I wonder why it was in your father's safe box.
Vegas turns to Assistant Lee.
"See, Assistant Lee...that key was not with us. It was with the main family all the time. We weren't the ones who traded Pete's murder order. "My brother looks back at Tankhun "It looks like it was the main family."
We all look at Tankhun, who is startled.
"No! What order?! To kill Pete?! No! My Dad loves Pete...he loves his loyal ones."
"Pete chose me, Tankhun!"
"He blessed you two..."
"Didn't you hear everything she said? I wonder if you are that oblivious to what goes on around you. Give the red queen to me." (in English)
My brother says slowly but firmly, extending his hand to Tankhun.
"You are wrong!" Tankhun holds the piece with both hands close to his body. "I'll prove it to you! This red piece stays with me. Besides red suits me better than boring black. Black is for you."
"Okay." Vegas sighs.
"Good." Tankhun keeps the chess piece in his pocket.
"Shoot Pol, Macau."
"WHAT?! Tankhun jolts.
"ME?!WHY ME?" I ask my brother with astonishment.
"Because you are already holding a gun."
"But I'm aiming to Assistant Lee"
"Forget Assistant Lee, shoot Pol...unless Tankhun hands me the red queen."
Pol looks scared at Tankhun and me, still holding his gun, now pointing it at me.
"You heard your big brother, turn your gun that way." Assistant Lee points to Pol.
"Tankhun, give hia that damn chess piece! I don't want to shoot Pol!"
"You wouldn't dare!" Tankhun responds impassively.
"Damn you, stubborn Tankhun!"
"Macau maybe not, but I do." Vegas pulls his own gun from his holster and takes aim at Pol.
"Pete would hate you!" Tankhun yells at Vegas.
"He can hate me as long as he's safe. You know I don't care."
"Fine!" Tankhun says.
Just as Tankhun is about to hand the chess piece over to my brother, a gust of wind distracts our attention.
"Oops...my ride!" Assistant Lee says happily.
"OH-MY-GOD!" I'm so excited.
"Those guys lying on the ground are Sanya's bodyguards. My team is that one over there." She grins, pointing to the biggest military helicopter I've ever seen.
"Your ride is an MIL MI-26 HELICOPTER? Seriously??? OMG!!!You're so lucky to have one!" I'm amazed.
"Do you like these things, boy?"
"Are you kidding me?! Arm and I can spend hours talking about anything involving military toys."
"I see sparkles in your eyes."
I get distracted and Assistant Lee smacks me over the head with her hand.
"Hey!"
"You deserved it! My boy is heartbroken because of you, kid!"
"I swear I didn't do anything, ma'am! It was a misunderstanding!!"
"Actually, you don't strike me as the type to cheat...."
"Arm was my first and only, I swear!"
"Are you guys really talking about this right now?!"
"I'm sorry, bro..."
"I'm leaving... I'm sure Khun Vegas knows you can't against that monster in the sky there, right?!...
My brother puts away his gun. Tankhun pulls Pol to stand behind him.
"I'm not stupid. (in English). I won't try to hold you here.
"..."
With great dexterity and speed, Vegas locks his wrist in a handcuff and the other end in Assistant Lee's wrist.
"I'm going with you." He smirks.
"Damn!! You really know how to put on handcuffs as well as I put on my shoes every day."
"These handcuffs are special. You will have work to break them. And the key is not with me. You can search if you want. If you shoot me, it's going to be a lot of work to carry dead weight, literally. And don't even think about threatening to shoot my little brother. None of us will get out of here alive."
"You are making things difficult for me, sir."
"I'm just asking for a ride."
"What?"
"You're going to Taiwan, I'm sure. I'm going there too. Pete and Arm will look for the chess room in Taipei. If you really have been watching Pete all this time to protect him, help me find him. I will not object to his helping you find who you are looking for. You're smart. You already know who cares and who doesn't care about Pete."
"You're good at convincing people, aren't you?! Okay, it will be a pleasure to have you on board, Khun Vegas. But once we reach the capital, we'll go our separate ways. My boss won't be happy to hear that I took extra load."
"I'm going too!" I grabbed onto my brother's arm.
"You are not going, Macau!"
"Yes, I am! I'll save P'Pete and Arm too." I let go of my brother's arm and take Assistant Lee's hand. I swear I won't get in the way, ma'am! Please let me go, let me go."
"Okieeee!"
"Tankhun is coming too" Vegas said categorical.
"ME?!Why me?"
"Give me the red queen then"
"No"
"So you're coming."
"Okay...I'm going with you...but Pol comes together. I need a bodyguard."
"I don't have a suitcase, Khun Noo."
"And you see me carrying a bag, Pol?! I'm filthy rich, for God's sake. We'll buy everything new. The autumn collection in Taiwan is superb."
"Too crowded!" Assistant Lee objected.
"Come on, Assistant Lee! Look at that helicopter! Our private jet fits in there."
"HE will so kill me, Khun Vegas."
"Just tell the white king you've made new chess friends."
...
Vegas' POV
Once we were on the helicopter and it took off, I removed the handcuffs.
"You said you didn't have the key looking straight into my eyes!"
"I lied."
"Aish, I'm getting bad at detecting lies...you're good at this, Khun Vegas...telling lies...hiding truths..."
"I guess...but I can't lie about who a really love..." I raise the wine glass.
"We'll see..." She raises her glass as well.
...
Tankhun demands drinks, snacks, a full course meal and Macau rushes to get to know every millimeter of the helicopter.
"Y'all think this is some kind of tourist trip and I'm the flight attendant?"
Assistant Lee rolls her eyes but complies with every request.
"Please, Assistant Lee, don't be mad! This is so cool!" Macau hugs assistant Lee, all smiles.
"Ow...you are a puppy, kid! Go look around then!" She pats his head.
I wonder how happy Macau would have been if our mother was alive and she could take care of him lovingly. He got attached to this woman within an hour.
My brother looks like a happy child inside a giant dream toy. He even seems to have befriended some members of Assistant Lee's team. They let Macau go to the cockpit.
I prefer it that way...everyone relaxed. Because I don't know how things will be once we reach the destination.
I texted Nop to get Venice out of the main family mansion and take him to Grandma and Grandpa on the island and stay there with them and the ghost team for protection.
If my uncle negotiated an order to assassinate Pete, what prevents him from doing the same thing to Venice... poison him... cause an accident while we're not around...
In addition, I order Nop to investigate the helicopter's origin. How many mafia clans can use a MIL MI-26 for cargo transportation?
My head aches.
"Take this." Assistant Lee throws some painkillers. "Don't worry, it's not poison. I'm too tired to do anything with you all."
"Thanks" (in English)
Assistant Lee sits next to me.
"In two hours we will arrive in Taipei, Khun Vegas."
"Just call me Vegas. We're intimate now."
"Do you always use a seductive tone, Vegas?"
"Unconsciously, yes. It helps me to deal with people, but it never works with..."
"...those you love."
"I always try to fool myself that Pete will do what I want just because I want it."
"He would. If he thought you would be safer that way. The truth is, you do everything for him, and he does everything for you. But both of you still can't do this for each other together."
"Are you a psychologist?"
"No, but I strongly recommend you to look for one."
"Huh..."
"I'm serious... I go to therapy myself. Otherwise, I would have already killed the whole world, sir. I have issues."
"You seem cool with it. I'm sure you're cold to kill, lady."
"But I'm not a psycho. I was not born like this. I was raised to be so. Just like you."
"I live a hell since I was born. I'm not but a servant of the main family. There's not such a thing like happiness between main and minor family."
"Each mafia family works with a dynamic of self-preservation. Theerapanyakul uses main and minor family dynamics. The white clan...well...you would be shocked, honey. There's always something worse."
"Are you a member of the white clan?"
"I'm a slave."
"We all are..."
"I mean, literally. I was negotiated in the chess room when I was a young girl. You can say I was from a 'minor family'. I was trained to do what I do...to be what I am. Tianshi, the Angel, was even younger when he was purchased. I trained him to escort purple clan's heir, Khun Sanya. Tianshi wanted freedom...he ended up dead, as you know."
"Sanya is a disgraceful son of a bitch."
"He is. I didn't imagine that he would kill Tianshi and Wei on that island before I could kill him. I was watching Pete while Sanya went there. I should have thought that sick mind would do that. I wanted to make him pay, but unfortunately Sanya was still needed. I was really happy when Pete kidnapped Sanya and tortured him. I was rooting for Pete to kill him. I guess I'll have to do that myself when the time comes. And it will be painful, believe me. People like him have no cure. They were born that way. Sanya was so obsessed with Tianshi. Take care that your obsession doesn't hurt your loved ones, Vegas.
"You are really sharing your thoughts, Assistant Lee."
"Maybe it's the wine."
"Who is the white king?"
"Try another question."
"How did you get the black king key and why did you give it to me?"
"Your father."
"My father?!"
"Yes. Khun Kan came to Taipei last year...just before he was killed."
It feels good someone acknowledge that my father was murdered.
"I don't remember this. He went to Hong Kong to take care of business with suppliers. He told me to stay and take care of business localy while he was away.
"On the way back, he stopped in Taipei to meet the white king. He asked my boss to keep the black king key and give it to you if something happens to him."
"Did my father and the white king know each other?"
"We did business with the minor family...but there's no point in looking because you won't find any records. We do business with the main family as well...with all the mafia families. that's why we are so powerful."
"But why would my father hand over something so important to a business partner? It makes no sense."
"In the past, your father helped my boss. My boss was indebted to your father."
"What did he do?"
"I can't tell you. It concerns my boss."
"Why did my father have the black king, which belongs to the main family, and my uncle the red queen, which belongs to the minor family?"
"That was a surprise for me too. I don't think he ever entered the chess room though. At least, the white king never told me so. Only father or a firstborn can enter the chess room as the king. The second can enter only if the first is dead."
"Is that so? Tankhun would have to die for Kinn to enter the chess room then."
"That dressy boy? Probably."
"What are you talking about me?"
"Your suit is beautiful, babe." Assistant Lee winks to Tankhun.
"You look like the China flag." Macau approaches Tankhun to tease him.
"Ow, shut up Macau! Why don't you go fly outside without a parachute!"
Macau and Tankhun tease each other like two children, while Pol tries to appease them.
I turn to talk to Assistant Lee.
"Do you hate your boss as much I hate my uncle?"
"No! I love him. He is a slave too...we are chained to each other for the same reason...for the same purpose."
"How can he be the boss of a clan if he is a slave himself?"
"Based on the concept you said before...in the end, we are all slaves of a system hard to break. We're all pieces in a game, Vegas. You must know this one rule..."
"Which one?"
"The real rulers are those who move the pieces on the chess board. Those are our real enemies.
"Do you know who they are?"
"Not quite. But eventually I will find out. Do you know why I'm telling you so many things, Vegas?!"
"Why?"
"Because I want to kill whoever moves us."
"Sounds like a fair wish."