Summary chapter 12 of the novel VegasPete (original):
5 PM. Pete follows Vegas to an abandoned warehouse. Pete manages to dominate the bodyguards in front, but when he gets in, Pete is surprised by Porsche, Vegas and the other bodyguards. Pete sees Venice's mother tied to a chair and beaten.
Pete gets mad at Vegas for doing that to Venice's mother. Vegas tells Pete that Prim said she had a secret from Korn. That's why they are keeping her. They say Main Family drugged her and will kill her. Vegas says he never intended to kill Venice's mother. Porsche is cold about it.
Pete starts to fight with Porsche and hits Vegas too. Vegas tries to separate the two. Porsche shoots Prim and the bullet wounds Pete's stomach. Porsche drives Vegas away from the warehouse and Pete stays behind. Ray, the bodyguard Pete hired to protect Vegas, helps Pete out of the warehouse.
In the original VP Pete goes to the mansion to find Vegas who has multiple personalities, but before that Kinn follows his car and they park to talk. Pete says he didn't find anyone in the abandoned warehouse. Kinn implies that he knows that Porsche hates his father and that he knows that he and Vegas are up to something. Pete implies they should trust who they love.
My fanfic picks up from this point, where Pete looks for Vegas after talking to Kinn. However, he does not go to the mansion. He follows Vegas elsewhere...
...
Pete's POV
8 PM
"What is this place, Ray?!"
"I'm not sure Khun Pete...I've followed Khun Vegas to this place before. This is an old building turned into a kind of modern studio on the second floor."
"A studio?"
"I haven't been able to investigate further but it appears to be suitable for housing, sir."
"Housing..."
"There are around four bodyguards guarding the entrances, front and back, and other two in the lobby."
"Those bodyguards were in that warehouse...but they are not from the Main Family. Vegas must be inside...main security from the Minor Family Mansion said he is not there."
"Khun Pete...don't you think it's better to wait to talk to Khun Vegas at home?! Before that, you must go to the hospital, sir... you are injured... your shirt is soaked in blood."
"I'm fine. Time for you to go, Ray."
"I won't leave you alone, sir!"
"Vegas won't kill me. Look for Arm at the hospital. See if he and Macau are okay. I've trapped Nop in the mansion. Macau is without the protection of anyone I trust."
"But Khun Pete..."
"It's an order, Ray. Take the car."
"Yes, sir"
"Hey Ray..." I get out of the car and talk to him through the window.
"Yes, sir...?!"
"Thanks."
He nods. The car with its lights off moves to leave.
I carefully observe the surroundings of the old building. A decadent neighborhood where this place goes unnoticed.
I see two guards protecting the back, but I can easily take them down.
I plan to move in silence.
"Why are you wanting to go inside by the back if you can go in by the front?!" Assistant Lee's voice scares the hell out of me.
"What the fuck!" I point my gun to her.
She raises her both empty hands.
"Are you hiding yourself from them?!"
"It was my intention. What are you doing here, Assistant Lee?!?!
"Following you, of course."
"You've been following me since when?"
"Ever since we got off that helicopter, Pete."
"Fuck."
"Yes I agree."
"So you know what happened in that abandoned warehouse."
"I already knew their plans, actually. I was just waiting to see if you would figure it out too. Late, but not bad, Pete!"
"Damn! And about this building, do you know what happens here?!"
"Pete...why don't you listen to your bodyguard and go home...and wait for Vegas there?!
"I want to talk to him now."
"So why don't you go in through the front door?"
"Why...?! Because..."
"Because?!"
"I want to make him a surprise."
"Like a birthday surprise?!" Assistant Lee side-eye to me "You beat the shit out of him in that warehouse (good job, by the way)...don't tell me you're going to make love to him now."
"No! Just talk!"
"Do it at your home, babe"
"You are behaving suspiciously, Assistant Lee."
She sighs.
"Whatever, Pete. You want to get in unnoticed?! Go in through the roof. There is a skylight with access inside. Stupid choice of hiding place, by the way. I'll show you the way."
"Okay."
Assistant Lee guided me through the neighboring buildings to the building where supposedly Vegas is located. We walked over the roofs until we easily reached the roof of the old building.
"I told you this is a stupid hiding place. No wonder Vegas never managed to hide you well."
"So it seems..."
I see the skylight Assistant Lee told me about.
In fact, part of the ceiling is made of glass...the light from inside illuminates the darkness of the roof where we are. I carefully sneak up to look over it.
But Assistant Lee suddenly holds me back.
"Fuck, Pete"
"What?!"
"Don't do this."
"Do what?!?!"
"He is not alone..."
"Have you seen Vegas getting in the building ?!"
"No. Not this time. I was following you, remember."
"So?!"
"But every other time I followed him here, he wasn't alone."
"He was with Porsche. Is that what you mean?!This is their hideout, I guess."
"You're pretty calm."
"It's obvious they have a hiding place if they're plotting against Khun Korn. It would not be safe to speak at the company or the mansion."
"Sure..."
"I'm not afraid this is a love nest, Assistant Lee. Vegas would never do that to me. Not even Porsche. He is my friend."
"If I'm not mistaken, he shot you, Pete."
"He shot Madam Prim..."
"They left you wounded, lying in an abandoned warehouse filled with smoke."
"They were running away from Khun Kinn. Besides, this is just a scratch."
"Tankhun is right."
"About what?!"
"You are a typical miserable wife of a useless husband."
"I'm not a wife! And Vegas is not useless. He has been lying to me...that's true...but he has his reasons! Everything he does, he does it for our family."
"Alright. Go ahead. Don't say I haven't tried to warn you."
"Vegas is not cheating on me."
"Are you trying to convince me or yourself, babe?"
"How do I get in, Assistant Lee?!" I ask resolute.
"Past the skylight there's a staircase... you'll go down and jump to the balcony. I will wait for you here."
"Okay."
"Hey, Pete!"
"Yes."
"Don't hate me for this."
"..."
I crawl towards the skylight.
I feel an apprehension looking through it...
My heart races.
I take a deep breath and look.
Fuck.
There is nothing to be seen. Just an empty industrial-style living room.
I sneak down the metal stairs, carefully so as not to make any noise. I jump to the balcony as Assistant Lee said.
The balcony doors are made of glass. Thin white curtains partially block the view.
But I can see.
I can see them.
I can see the room.
I can see the bed.
I can see Porsche getting up from the bed, naked.
I can see him kissing Vegas.
And then going into the bathroom.
I see everything in slow motion.
As a mere spectator.
I push the glass door inwards.
And I walk to the bed.
Vegas is over there.
Sleeping
Also Naked.
There are condom wrappers on the floor.
His size.
His favorite brand
His psychiatric pills resting on the bedside. (1)
His phone aside showing my missed calls.
My gaze narrows...
...and the next thing I know my gun is already pointed at his face.
It would be so easy...
I feel no emotion.
There's no commotion.
I withdraw my gun.
I remove the Minor Family ring from my finger and place it on the bedside table.
I look at the bathroom door.
I look at Vegas.
And just as I entered the room, I left.
...
Assistant Lee's POV
What a cheap trick. Seriously?! Am I here taking part in this cheap trick?! No gun shoots until now at least...damn...
"Assistant Lee?!"
"Pete?! So soon?! Have you talked to Vegas?!"
"No"
"No?!"
"Let's go."
"Why haven't you spoken with him?!"
"There's nothing to be said."
"There's this endless "hide and seek" thing between you guys."
"Now that you're saying...should I go back and talk to him?!"
"Maybe..."
What is happening to me...for the second time in my life, I'm going against my orders. Maybe he hasn't seen much...
"Okay..."
"No!" I can't disobey Lian though. "Better not. You are going to argue. Give yourself some time to cool down." Although he is weirdly calm... "Are you sure you are okay?!"
"Yes."
"I know how to help you. Couple therapy...I can give you both a free session."
"Are you a couple therapist?!"
"Sort of..."
"Are you married?!"
"A widow."
"Oh...I'm sorry."
"I killed him."
"Oh."
"But, still...I can help you!"
"Never mind, assistant Lee."
"Where are you going, Pete?!"
"WE are going to Chumphon Island."
"Chumphon Island?!Why WE?!"
"Aren't you following me?!"
"Ok, stupid question."
"We're going to pick up Venice."
"Then what?"
"I don't know yet. But I'll think about it on the way."
"Okay. Are you sure you are not going with Vegas?!"
"Don't talk to me about him now, Assistant Lee."
"Did the two of you have a fight??!"
"Not quite."
"It's not good to keep your feelings inside, Pete. It gives you depression."
"You're really curious, aren't you?!"
"I'm a woman. What can I say?!"
"I left all drama in that abandoned warehouse earlier. That's all I can say."
"I see...hey...we should treat your wound. It's bleeding."
"Later...I need to see Venice first."
"I have some bandages inside the car. I drive us to the pier."
...
Vegas' POV
["Pete...Pete?! Are you hurt?!"
"You shot me Vegas."
"No! No!"
"You betrayed me."
"No, Pete! I couldn't tell you! You were going to object our plans! As you actually did. Believe me! Everything I do is for us, Macau and Venice... for you!"
"Lier. You do it for yourself! For your revenge!"
"Pete, come with me. You are hurt...you're bleeding."
"You haven't changed Vegas!"
"Pete, please..."
"You're still a monster."]
...
Pete?!
PETE!
I'm out of breath.
Sweat running down my face.
I'm so sick of those nightmares.
Where am I?!
The studio?!
I look around. Last thing I remember is Pete lying on the floor at the warehouse.
And then the smoke making him disappear before my eyes.
What stopped me from going to get him?!
I left Pete alone, wounded!
I need to go back to that warehouse and look for him.
I get up from the bed, but I feel a dizziness that makes me sit up again.
My head aches so much.
I'm naked. Why?!
On my phone are several missed calls from Pete. 10 pm?! I slept since late afternoon?!
I get up, put on a change of clothes that are in the wardrobe and go to the living room.
I try to call Pete, but the call goes to voicemail.
There is no one in the studio but some trustful bodyguards.
I call Porsche. No answer either.
"Where's Porsche? How did I get here?" I ask one of the bodyguards.
"We brought you here, sir."
"I do not remember this."
"You were not feeling well because of the smoke. You got unconscious."
"And Porsche?!"
"Khun Porsche left over an hour ago, sir."
"Get my car keys, quick!"
I need to find Pete. I try to call him one more time.
Where could he...?!
Oh My God...
I realize one thing.
I desperately run into the bedroom again.
On the nightstand where my phone was... something shines brightly.
The Minor Family Ring...why?!why is it here?!
"Guard! GUARD!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Has anyone else been here? Was Pete here??"
"No...no one but you and Khun Porsche, sir"
"Send someone to check that damn warehouse now!I have to find Pete!"
"Righ, sir."
What's going on?! What's going on?!
Fucking Porsche doesn't answer.
Suddenly my phone rings.
I don't even see who it is.
"Pete?!"
"This is Nop, sir"
"Where are you?! Is Pete with you?!"
"No, sir. Pete locked me in your bedroom until just now. Khun Macau released me. He and Arm are here. Are you alright, sir?!"
"Pete is missing. I left him... I ...I left him alone..."
I still feel so confused.
"Calm down, sir."
"PUT ARM ON THE PHONE!"
"Okay, okay"
["Hello?!"]
"Is your brain back?"
["Yes...thank you...I guess."]
"Where's Pete?!"
["I haven't seen him yet...we just got from the hospital, Khun Vegas."]
"The tracker!!The tracker, Arm!"
["Oh! The tracker!"]
["What tracker?!"] I hear Macau asking.
["When Pete dressed as a girl, I gave him earrings with trackers. I made those earrings as requested by your brother. He would give them to Pete that day Pete and I went to Taipei. When we came back to Bangkok, your brother convinced him to keep using one of the earrings. But since I lost my memory, I didn't set the device for Khun Vegas to track Pete."]
["Oh...you are a genius, babe.]
"ARM! THE DAMN TRACKER!!" I yell to them.
"Hold on a minute... Macau, get me a laptop."
"I give you 10 seconds, Arm...10...9...8..."
["Okay, okay, okay! Pete is on...Chump..."]
"Chumphon Island...He went to pick up Venice. Nop, meet me at the pier. I need the speedboat ready in 10 minutes."
"It can take longer, sir..."
"DO IT IN 8 MINUTES NOW!"
...
Assistant Lian's POV
"What the fuck, Lian!"
"Why are you so mad, Lee?! What is that noise? Don't tell me they threw you a welcome party. So typical."
"You said you had a deal with THEM!"
"You said that Pete entered the building. I understood that Porsche complied with the agreement. You said Pete was weirdly calm. This is Pete's true self. He gets pretty cold in hostile situations... when he's already done with everything. How is he now? We are very close to..."
"Grandmaster said we could never come here, Lian. We promised him that we would never set foot on this island again."
Lee keeps talking randomly.
"Don't be so dramatic, Lee. You just went there to get a baby."
"He made us promise that we would never attack the island for a reason!! We promised him."
"Attack the island?!"
"You promised, Lian!"
"What's going on?! Why are you panting?! What is this noise?!"
"Those are bombs, idiot!"
"Where's Pete?"
"Get your ass right here, Lian! Chumphon Island is burning in flames!"
...
Author's note:
Reference:
(1) Although in this fanfic Vegasdoesn't have multiple personalities, the psychiatric meds mean he's emotionally unstable and maybe Porsche takes advantage of that.
Remember we are reaching events before chapter 18...so this whole drama was expected.
See you next chapter! Thank you so much!