VegasPete : Chess Room (The Way You Taste sequel)

34 - New piece of the puzzle

"Am I being dumb?"

"Totally dumb."

"..." Tom gets even more sad.

I need to be tough with him. If this person is old Vegas, then Tom has really been fooled. Besides...that guy is already taken, pal.

"Come on, Tom...don't be like this...I'm just saying it for your own good."

And maybe because I'm a little jealous...very little...almost nothing...

"I know, Anong...Mr. Andy tell me the same thing almost every day. He wants me to be free too...in all senses."

"Tom, how are people purchased so easily here?"

"In the underworld it's not so difficult... but the elite families don't take so many risks. There is a specific place where those kinds of things are traded. But I can't tell you more."

"In the chess room?!"

"How do you know about the chess room, Anong?"

Tom looks at me in surprise.

"Let's just say my life was negotiated there too. I'm looking to find out by whom."

"Oh God...Why? Do you guys have debts too? Shouldn't you be hiding yourselves? Are you hiding here? You picked a bad place, Anong!

Tom tells me apprehensively.

"'Cause of all the mobsters that come here? Isn't it safer to hide where it's most dangerous and unlikely?"

"Hmm...maybe so. But that's not the only reason...please, don't tell anyone..."

"You can bet my life I won't put you in danger."

"I heard Master Tang Yi comment to Mr. Andy that the next chess room meeting will be held here in Taipei in a few days. It is very likely that some chess room members will come to the nightclub."

"Is Master Tang Yi a member?"

"Probably. The young master faction is very powerful here in Taipei. Maybe it's just not stronger than the white clan."

"White clan?"

"Yes... The white clan is the most powerful mafia faction in the country. Have you heard of the white clan?"

"I don't think so..."

"The white clan is not well known outside the underworld...that means the police don't have much information about them"

"Does the head of the white clan usually come to De Light?!"

"No, no... people say the head of the white clan never gets involved with any of that. He's like an urban legend. People say he's an intelligent and very attractive man... as you say Anong, it's the rule, right...?! haha...maybe he is an exception..."

"Yeah...don't believe urban legends...he must be fat and ugly."

Oh well, Lian Wang seems to be clever and is good looking indeed.

"But the white clan is very reserved. I've never seen the head of the white clan and I don't know who he is. I don't think Mr. Andy either. Maybe Master Tang Yi knows. It may sound strange, but you remind me of one of their members."

"Me?!"

"I explain. Chess room meetings take place each time in a different country. I was actually bought in Beijing."

"Oh! Are you not Taiwanese?"

"No, I'm Chinese. Master Tang brought me to Taiwan. I spent a couple of days in the chess room in China, before coming to Taipei. One day I saw a boy around eighteen... He was accompanying a pretty girl, a few years older than he was. I was told that girl was the White Tower...an important member of the white clan, a favorite of their Master. By that time I didn't know exactly what that meant. I only knew that the white clan members always wore white... they had a strict, polished and elegant posture, unlike ordinary mobsters. Very good-looking. I don't know what they were doing there, but I remember that day quite well because that boy was very handsome. The most beautiful boy I had ever seen. Master Tang told me that Chinese boy was sold to the white clan many years before, when he was very young, and trained to be their member, but it was a very hard training...Master Tang said I was not the kind of boy to that kind of environment. It seems he was chosen mainly because of his looks ...he was a beautiful kid. Even so, he had to go under a surgery to change some physical features to comply with the white clan's requirements."

"Are you serious?! This is sick, man!"

"I cannot deny or confirm it for sure. That's what Master Tang told me. For some reason Master Tang felt comfortable telling me things."

"Why do I remind you of that boy?"

"I'm sorry, Anong. Perhaps for a girl to hear that she looks like a boy is not a compliment. But what I mean is that you two have delicate features that look a lot alike. Both are very beautiful! But you are not identical, of course.

"Do you know his name?"

"Not his real name...but he was known by his nickname...related to his ethereal beauty but gloomy face... it's Chinese...Tianshi...the dark angel. (2)"

...

Author's note:

(1) It does not represent a personal opinion. The point of view that may seem sexist to some is just to add humor to the dialogue.

(2) Refers to the character Tianshi featured in the first fanfic, The Way You Taste.