Nong'Chili 🌶️🌵 Phi'Cactus (TulMax / MaxTul) - FF

#29 - Chaos Prevails

Tay had called Max early the next day and requested him for a meeting. They agreed to meet at Chili's. Tay not only wanted to discuss regarding the case with the poachers and the break in at Max's house, but also wanted to try and clear out any misunderstanding there might be between Tul and Max regarding him.

Tul had fallen asleep on the floor rug in Tay's house. But when Tay had woken up in the morning Tul was long gone.

He had called Tul to check on him, but in the light of day and now sober the man was back to his inane thinking about not wanting to continue pursuing Max, cause he feared he would hurt him.

In the end Tay decided he would intervene and atleast start the ball moving in the right direction for his friend.

Tay was pleasently surprised when Max greeted him with quiet politeness and didn't show any sign of aggression. He wondered if the latter was still feeling unwell and that's why was so quiet.

Max had been surprised with Tay's request to meet him and had wondered if Tay was going to tell him to back off as he was interested in Tul. But if that was what Tay wanted to talk about he would be sorely disappointed, cause Max had decided that he wouldn't give up on Tul that easily. But he knew ranting and throwing his temper would not get him anywhere. He had to be calm and calculating in his approach.

Kao had dropped him off at the restaurant and then he and Gulf had taken off in his big black van. Saying they had some urgent work. Great had come in early to the restaurant too. But when Tay arrived for the meeting he had politely greeted Tay and with a curt "I will be inside" had gone to the office.

Tay had decided to finish discussing regarding the Poachers first and then move on to the personal discussion once Max was a little more relaxed.

The two had been sitting at the VIP table and Tay was showing Max several pictures as he spoke, "So you see, this is what they are after. It is not just poaching."

"This is repousse & chasing work." Max remarked. "I have seen this before. Several years ago. But I thought these goods were all recovered and the smugglers were caught." Max was checking the pictures on Tay's IPad with great concentration and fascination.

"You know what this is?" Tay questioned intrigued. There wouldn't be many people who would know about it.

"Yes sure! I saw quite a few of these before. There were pieces which ranged from a size of a coin to the size of a huge painting," Max showed the approximate size by holding his two hands apart, "and would weigh anywhere from 10-15 grams to 4-5 kgs, some even more, depending on the metal used.

Mostly these were square or rectangular and sometimes round. But the round ones were more like medallions or some bigger ones the size of a dinner plate. Some of the newer ones had intricate calligraphy on it. While the really old ones, especially the few copper ones had some inscriptions on it in Pali script.

But mostly the ones I saw were in silver dating back to the the 16th century. There were a few in gold. And a couple of really old ones in copper. Which the investigators who had come from abroad said were called..." Max frowned in concentration as he struggled to recollect, "Something like  'Tamrapatra' or something if I am not mistaken and dated way back to the 3rd century BCE and had something to do with the Maurya Empire."

Tay watched Max in fascination. He could see why Tul fancied him so much. The man not only was not just good to look at with his sharp Asian features and fair skin, but he even had brains. And Tay was sure plenty of brawn as well under that loose fitting white shirt. Though he was really starting to wonder if all the rumours about Max's temper were true.

Max was asking him something and Tay snapped out of his musings.

"Well it seems when the smugglers were caught back then they didn't reveal the whole extent of the smuggled goods they had hoarded. A few months back their gang leader got out after serving his sentence and now he is back to claim his plunder." Tay explained.