VegasPete : Chess Room (The Way You Taste sequel)

56 - Chumphon Island

"I can't reach Pete, Khun Vegas. He doesn't answer my calls. It goes to voice mail." Arm says.

"Grandma Jui and Grandpa Tai aren't answering my calls either. Phi must have asked no one to answer our calls. Wow, what have you done this time to make him so mad?! Did you handcuff him in an awkward situation again?! "

"...I wish I had, Macau..." I limit myself to say this.

What have I done?!

I need to muster up the courage to tell Macau too.

I've been lying to Pete and to Macau ever since I woke up in that hospital after the car accident (1). Porsche and I have teamed up to destroy Uncle Korn...by whatever means possible...and to that end we have never measure the consequences of our actions. Pete must have felt betrayed that I hadn't told him anything about our plans...

Besides, we left Pete behind in that abandoned warehouse. Why did Porsche take me from there? Why did he leave an injured Pete alone?! What happened in that warehouse after Pete was hurt? I feel relieved that Pete has gone to the island. I want to believe he's okay. But how did the ring I gave Pete end up in the building Porsche and I have been using as a hideout in all this time?! Damn Porsche isn't answering my calls. Bodyguards said Porsche would meet with Kinn after he left the old building.

After the accident, in stressful situations my mood changes dramatically...a noxious and uncontrollable self that Dr. Top tries to tame it with psychiatric medication which in turn causes me to have blackouts. (2)

I think that's what happened.

After the last time I tried to kill Arm, the dose was increased (I mean, THAT last time before THIS last time no one knows about).

That medication prevented me from acting impulsively in many situations in Taipei...mainly when I saw Pete being slapped by master Chen or when he was almost naked inside that cage in the chess room. It kept me from killing Jade as well. But this afternoon, seeing Pete so distressed and disappointed over everything I'd done gnawed me. It's been a while since I've felt such pain and despair at losing Pete...through my sole and exclusive fault. There's no one to blame or kill besides me.

I look down at the ring on my finger...I need to get it back where it belongs. At Pete's finger.

"What is that bright spot?!" Macau asks curiously, pointing in the distance.

"Where?" My thoughts are interrupted, and I try to pay attention. We are all looking in the same direction.

"Have they prepared a welcome party for us, brother?! Is that why no one answered us?! Macau says excitedly. "Arm, don't be scared! People from the island can be a little over the top, but they're really nice! We will be treated like kings! You will see!"

Arm strokes Macau's face, but his countenance says it all. He looks at me with worriedness in his eyes.

I also already know what that luminosity means. My heart aches so hard.

"Put on the belts." I shout.

Nop immediately complies.

Arm quickly fasten Macau's belt and then his own.

I increase the speed almost to the limit.

"Are you so excited to get to the party bro?!"

"It's not a welcome party, Macau." Arm holds his hand tight. "Those lights are flames. Look up the sky...although it's dark, there's a darker area just above the island...it's smoke.

"And this smell..." Nop starts to sniff the air...

The burnt smell becomes more prominent as we get closer.