VegasPete : Chess Room (The Way You Taste sequel)

31 - Taipei

"You don't talk like you would have a lot of trouble deciding otherwise."

"I'm willing to do anything for my family."

"...but your family is Theerap..." Assistant Lee looks at me, confused.

"Pete, Macau and Venice only."

"I see...I wish you luck. We are also willing to do anything for our family, Khun Vegas."

"We'll only have a problem, you and I, if you harm mine to do so."

"..." Assistant Lee just smiles and enters her car. She leaves.

My phone rings.

["Khun Vegas, Venice and I are already on Chumphon Island. The ghost team is with us. I told Pete's grandparents you two are traveling."]

"Good."

["I'm sending you now a list of mafia families who own a Mil MI-26 helicopter and addresses."]

"Well done, Nop."

...

Assistant Lee's POV

"Finally back home! I was missing speaking my own language." (Speaking Mandarin)

I throw myself on the couch at Lian's office.

Lian doesn't take his eyes off documents he's signing, but he talks to me with attention.

"How do you want me to believe that Pete tricked you and ran away?! You alone would have detained Pete and his friend easily. You let them get away on purpose. Why?"

"Let Pete go through the way he wishes, Lian. It will be the fastest way for the white queen to return. For now he doesn't know anything...but I'm sure he'll figure it out for us if he gets a chance to put the pieces together. Let's give him time to do his job. He was purposely trained in that family for that. He'll lead us to the white queen without even realizing it. Not even the Theerapanyakul family will realize that in time."

"I hope it happens soon, Lee. You disobeyed my orders. And most of all you brought Vegas and Tankhun with you."

"I've never let you down before, cousin. Vegas was going to come here anyway. At least we'll know every step he takes. Oh! By the way, I think I've found a good bishop...their tech guy...Arm...a genius...he got your name for Vegas based on a shadow!!Amazing... but don't worry...he didn't have time to tell him...so...you're safe...for now...at least."

"Should I feel relieved he didn't get the time to report to his boss?!"

"Technically, Vegas is not Arm's boss... he's kind of his in-low ... but yes, you're lucky. Macau is dating him...or trying to...that kid...he wants to save his boyfriend and Pete. I don't think they want Pete dead. The red queen was not with Vegas. In fact... for all I've seen all these months, Vegas is obsessed with Pete...I think he really loves P..."

"This is irrelevant, Lee. Vegas can't change the past and he can't stop the future."

"True, but..."

Lian stops signing those documents.

"He can't even solve his problems within his own family. I don't want us to get involved in other people's family affairs."

"Pete is investigating this on his own..."

"So he better start investigating what really interests us. Shouldn't you be looking for him and his friend to guarantee that?"

My boss motions for me to get up from the couch.

"I just arrived ..."

"Once you find him, watch from afar and see how far he goes on his own."

...