Pete's POV
"Just kill me...but before you do, tell me who hired you so that I know who I must wait in hell."
"Fool!" He says preparing to shoot me. "Urg!"
The masked man falls on the ground, shot.
"Professional killers don't know who their contractors are, Pete."
"Assistant Lee?!"
"Get your baby and let's get out of here."
I reload my gun, get Venice and my backpack.
As we are about to leave the room, two shadows appear pointing guns at us.
The four of us aimed at each other, holding our guns firmly.
"Hey! Don't shoot!" Nop yells.
"Pete, are you ok?!" Arm points his gun at Assistant lee while talking to me.
"I'm okay, but you two look like trash..."
"Well...there's a bunch of guys trying to kill us in the house, you know."
"The mansion was invaded, Pete! I fear we are the only ones alive." Nop added.
"This mansion is surrounded. More mercenaries will come. We must leave fast." Assistant Lee says calmly still holding her guns as neither Arm nor Nop lowered their guns.
"How did you get in here?" Nop asks.
"I'm sorry, guys. The security scheme of this mansion is no match for world class assassins. Now follow me. There's a passage to exit 500 meters far from the mansion, under the ground."
"I've been working here for many years and I've never heard of a secret passage. What if it's a trap, Pete?!
Nop asks, looking suspiciously at Assistant Lee.
"What choices do we have?! Let's go." I nod to Assistant Lee.
Assistant Lee takes the lead while Nop and Arm close the circle around me and Venice.
Amid the white smoke of the gas bombs, mercenaries appear who are repelled by us.
The mansion is very large, with lots of stairs and corridors, like a maze. But surprisingly Assistant Lee knows all the way without needing to see properly, as if she had the mansion's blueprint scanned in her memory.
We hurry through the corridors, trying not to make too much noise.
We reach the dungeon, where Assistant Lee shoots two hooded men guarding the place.
"We have around 3 minutes until the mercenary leader checks the guard posts through the wiretap and finds that these guys have been shot down."
Assistant Lee says, rushing us into the dungeon.
"The dungeon is sealed on all sides. That's why we bring the prisoners down here. There's no way out. It's a trap!" Nop warns us.
Nop and Arm point their guns at Assistant Lee again.
Assistant Lee smirks at us.
"Nanny Jenny spent a lot of time mapping the entire mansion as she walked with this baby around the property...especially the dungeon."
Assistant Lee slowly walks through the dungeon as guns accompany her.
"Stand right there!" Nop yells at her.
"We now have 2 minutes until a team shows up here." She looks at her watch. "
"I trust you. Where's the exit, Assistant Lee? I step in front of Nop and Arm, much to their surprise.
"Look at the ceiling, Pete!"
Assistant Lee lights up the ceiling with her phone.
"OMG..." Arm says in awe.
"Down here is so dark that we never notice it before...it's a chess board." I point out.
The outlines of chess pieces are scattered on the whole board.
"On each pillar there is a candlestick. Each candlestick will make a stone block move on the ceiling. Only three pieces move. We need to move the pieces to open the passage." Assistant Lee says.
I give Nop to hold Venice.
My baby awakes and silently watches.
The rest of us go to a pillar and reach for the candlestick.
"Are we in some pyramids and mummies movie??!" Nop questions, astonished. "Which side? Which piece?!"
"Well...good question... we couldn't find out...but we can try some moves. Do any of you know how to play chess?" Assistant Lee says ironically.
"WHAT?! I told you not to trust her, Pete! How will we know what to do?" Nop despairs.
"Let's calm down. I'm sure the answer is on the chess board." I speak calmly, so we can focus on the ceiling.
"I think I know how." Arm stares at the ceiling. "We have to win the game." Arm speaks thoughtfully. "Only three pieces can move. And these three pieces are in the same position as the pillars. I think it's checkmate in three moves..."
"We have 60 seconds" Assistant Lee warns.
"Assistant Lee, you move the pawn in front of the queen one square forward on the chess board.
The block changed places on the ceiling spectacularly.
"It's like we're looking at three moves ahead, Pete. My candlestick moves the pawn in front of the king. I have to push forward two squares. We have to follow this order."
"30 seconds..."
"Move the queen now, Pete!! Pull the candlestick slightly to the right. The queen will walk diagonally! The black queen will checkmate the white king."
Suddenly a small passageway behind a large sculpture opens.
"It worked!Wow! You are a genius Arm! Let's go guys! Hurry!" I point to the passage.
I take Venice in my arms and we enter through the dark passage. The passage closes.
We hurriedly walk through the dark and narrow passage.
"Assistant Lee...you knew what to do, right?! I think you were just pretending you didn't know...why?"
"Your friend is really very smart, Pete."
"Damn! Why did you put us through that stress?!"
"To test your leadership, white knight" She smiles at me.
I feel some apprehension.
"You are definitely more than an efficient assistant...Sanya sent you to watch me?
"No. HE assigned me to work for Sanya to make sure you would be all time watched, protected and delivered, Pete."
"HE?!...the whole time?!Since the first time I've met Khun Sanya? Who are you?"
"Nice to meet you, Pete Phongsakorn...
... I'm Lee Meiling...The White Tower."
...