32. Guardians

Em is waiting with a gurney and two other members of medical staff as Rome pulls up to the hospital’s emergency entrance. Talay is also there, keeping his distance so the medical staff can work. Kai’s body is completely limp as Rome lowers him onto the guerney.
“Where did you find him?” Clearly, Talay had filled Em in because she immediately begins her assessment, checking Kai’s pulse and breathing.
“In OmniVentures’ break room.” Rome’s hands are clenched so tight the muscles ache. “With Nail.”
“Kai?” Em gently lifts one of Kai’s eyelids and gets a whimper in response. “What was he given?”
“I don’t know.” Rome’s jaw is as clenched as his hands. “But Nail put it in the coffee. Whatever it was hit Kai hard.”
“I can see that.” Em turns to the other medical personnel, saying something about an IV drip and other things Rome doesn’t quite understand. “We’ll have to run tests to figure out the proper antidote, but I’ll make sure he’s ok.”
“Thank you.” Rome forces the words out around the guilt searing through him. He’d promised to keep Kai safe, and that barely lasted a week. “He’s allergic to alcohol, so be careful.”
“I know,” Em nods in acknowledgment. Her forehead wrinkles when she sees Rome’s expression. “Hey, this is not your fault. Everyone concerned knows that.”
Rome nods, throat tight, unable to take his eyes off Kai’s slack face.. Em signals to the other personnel and Kai is wheeled into the emergency room, leaving Rome and Talay to follow when they’re ready.
Talay comes up beside Rome. “Do you want me to ask if you’re ok?”
Rome doesn’t even try to smile. “What do you think?”
“That Kai’s lucky you got to him in time. We can wait here until Em updates us on how he’s doing. You hungry? The cafeteria menu here is pretty good.” Talay puts a hand on Rome’s shoulder as he sees the expression on the other man’s face. “Rome, you did exactly what you were supposed to.”
“Doesn’t feel like it.” But Rome doesn’t shrug Talay’s hand off. Just imagining the looks on Jet’s and Mali’s faces when they find out Rome broke his promise makes his insides twist up.
Talay’s gaze drops to the folder in Rome’s hand and they enter the hospital and walk down the hall. “What’s that?”
“It’s Kai’s.” Actually, Rome has forgotten he’s holding it. “He had it in the room with him. We found concrete evidence of my uncle’s fraud the other night. Kai was looking for more. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s why he ended up—like that.”
“Oh?” Talay’s head jerks up. “Why is that?”
It takes the entire walk to the cafeteria and two additional cups of coffee before Rome has caught Talay up on everything he and Mali and Kai found. They’ve chosen a table in the corner so they won’t be interrupted, and Talay takes a couple of minutes to process before he asks his first question.
“Does Jet know about any of this?”
Rome shakes his head. “Kai and Mali said they’d tell him, but I doubt they have yet.”
“If what’s in that folder is corroborating evidence of Chalam’s slush fund, then we might have enough to get a search warrant.” Talay extends a hand. “Can I see?”
Rome slides the folder across the table and Talay flips it open. Even reading it upside down, Rome knows what it is: OmniVentures public financial records. Talay was right, all they had to do was get this to Pepper and she could interpret what they needed.
Chalam had known that.
He had counted on that.
Which was why Kai had ended up in the hospital.
“This is exactly what we need.” Talay is voicing Rome’s thoughts. “I mean, not exactly, but it’s close if you can give me the rest of it.”
“Mali has the SD card.” Rome’s response is automatic. He keeps glancing at the door to see if Em or Mali or Jet has come to find them yet. “Or Pepper. You’ll have to get it from them.”
Talay nods, running his gaze over the columns of numbers in front of him. Rome texts Jet first, and then Mali just as he promised Kai he would, sending them the location of the hospital. He doesn't have Pepper’s number.
“Rome,” Talay watches him. “Replaying it doesn’t solve anything. Nobody is going to blame you for any of this.”
“So you keep telling me.” There’s no anger or annoyance in Rome’s voice, only regret. “You repeating it won’t make me feel better.”
Em comes into the cafeteria, glances around, and goes over to their corner. Her face is clinically expressionless, but her eyes are full of apprehension and sympathy. Talay closes the folder and both he and Rome meet Em’s gaze.
“Is Kai ok?” It’s Talay who asks the question.
“We got him stable.” Em looks like she wishes she had better news. “ He’s not conscious, but he’s not dead either. They have to run more tests to see what Nail spiked him with, but once we do that he’ll be fine.”
Rome has the ability to take a full breath again, and he gives Em a silent nod of thanks.
“So,” Em takes a seat next to Talay, sliding the folder toward her in spite of Talay’s squeak of protest. “What is it that you two are up to, and why would Kai’s involvement in whatever it is lead to hospitalization. And don’t say it’s nothing. I’ve weaseled information out of Talay before and I can just as easily do it again. But this time I want to take the straightforward approach.”
“Ok.” Talay exchanges a silent glance with Rome, who nods. “I got roped into another freelance investigation.”
Em raises her eyebrows at her boyfriend’s explanation, but she looks intrigued, rather than surprised. “More or less ‘freelance’ than the last time?”
“More?” Talay glances at Rome again. “This one is for Interpol--or rather, Kit asked me to do a favor for a friend of a friend who is an Interpol agent.”
“Not this friend, then.” Em gives Rome the once over. “Are you trying to tell me that Kai is an Interpol agent?”
“Related to one.” Rome corrects her. “The agent leading the investigation, which is why Kai was targeted.”
“Don’t volunteer to help again.” Talay says before Em can open her mouth. “You’re doing enough right now.”
Em looks like she wants to protest, but after a minute, she nods. “But you are going to tell me everything you’ve been doing so that I can help if I need to.”
She stands up, giving Talay a quick kiss before she leaves the cafeteria. Rome looks up to see Jet glaring at him from the doorway, with Luca standing beside him, a restraining hand on his elbow. Jet shakes Luca’s hand off as is across the cafeteria in less than two strides.
“Where’s my brother?” Jet’s voice is low and barely controlled, his fists knotted at his sides. Rome forces himself not to flinch at the storm in Jet’s eyes. “Rome. Tell me where Kai is. Right now.”
“He’s ok.” Rome can’t think of anything else to say. I’m sorry doesn’t seem to cut it. “Em is making sure he’s taken care of.”
“This is why I didn’t want him going back.” Jet raises a hand, but instead of grabbing Rome, he runs it through his hair, fighting to keep his anger under control. “How could you let this happen? Kai could have died!”
“You think I don’t know that?” Rome’s nerves are rapidly beginning to fray. “It was supposed to be a quick in and out--Kai would go to the records room and Mali and I would keep an eye on him with CCTV. How was I to know Nail would spike Kai’s coffee?”
Jet lets out a low growl, and Luca places a restraining hand on his shoulder.
“Jet.” Luca pulls him gently but firmly away from Rome. “If you want to get confrontational, let’s do it somewhere other than a public hospital cafeteria, all right?”
“I know I was supposed to keep Kai safe.” Rome meets Jet’s gaze steadily. “And I know what happened is on me, I’m not denying that. I’m sorry I didn’t get to him in time, but Em says he’s stable and they can figure out the antidote.”
“Kai is still alive, and he found something.” Talay puts in, holding up the folder before the confrontation can boil over. “Something we can actually use.”
Jet’s expression softens, but his eyes remain hard. “Something that was worth Kai’s life?”
“Worth Kai’s life, and yours and Mali’s.” Rome confirms. “Concrete evidence of fraud for a start.”
Jet is silent for a minute, processing everything Rome and Talay have said. “Show me.”
He sits down next to Talay, who reopens the folder, and listens as Talay talks him through it. Jet’s expression changes from fury to understanding, and then tentative hope. His worry about Kai is still evident, but seeing what his little brother found seems to make him feel just a tiny bit better.
“You sure it was Nail who spiked Kai?” Luca sits down next to Rome, leaning close enough that no one else can hear his question. “It couldn’t have been someone else?”
Rome shakes his head. “It was Nail. I saw it on CCTV. Why?”
“No reason.” Luca shrugs but there’s an unreadable expression in his eyes. “Just needed to know, that’s all.”
Though they know that no one will be able to easily get to Kai without going through hospital staff and security first, Jet, Luca, Talay and Rome stand guard in the hospital waiting room. Mali texts to see if Kai is really ok, and Rome assures her that everything will be fine, and she should just go home and not come to the hospital. It’s so easy to sound confident in a text message.
An hour passes, and then two. Rome has a quiet word with the appropriate hospital staff and pays extra for Kai to get a private room--which is the least he can do, given the circumstances. Once the testing is complete, Kai is moved into said private room and hooked up to an IV. Em sends Talay and Rome home, only allowing Jet to stay because he’s Kai’s family. Luca stays too, the look in his eyes daring Em to make him leave.
Kai is no longer tossing on the hospital bed. Instead, his body occasionally twitches and his eyeballs move softly under closed lids as the IV drip helps him come down from the involuntary high. Luca leans against the wall, staying out of everyone’s way, watching Kai on the bed and Em and Jet next to him.
“You’re sure he’s going to be ok?” Jet addresses Em, but his eyes are on Kai.
Em nods. “We were able to determine what the drug was and administer the antidote. The good news is, once he comes all the way down we just have to keep him one more night for observation, and then he can go home.”
One of the machines next to the bed starts beeping as Kai’s breath suddenly increases. His arms and legs jerk, pulling at the IV tubes. Jet’s heart rises into his throat. Em’s face remains calm, but her eyes dart over the readings on the machine, fingers pressing the buttons needed to make the necessary adjustments.
“Kai?” Jet moves back to Kai’s bedside, grasping his little brother’s twitching hand. “Can you hear me?”
“Jet,” There’s a wild look in Kai’s eyes as they snap open. “Jet, the folder.”
Em shoots Jet a confused look, but Jet shakes his head. He leans closer, so that he can look Kai in the eye. “What about it?”
“Give it to Pepper.” Kai’s voice is urgent, eyes still panicked. “She needs it. Important.”
Jet nods. “Ok. I’ll get it to her.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.” At this point Jet is willing to say anything to get his brother to calm down. “But right now, you need sleep.”
“Jet.” Kai’s fingers tighten around Jet’s hand, gripping like a vice. “Have to tell you something. Important—”
“You can tell me whatever you want.” Jet reassures him. “After you get some sleep.”
Kai shakes his head. “Don’t—don’t disappear, ok? Ok?”
“Shhhh,” Jet strokes little brother’s hair with his free hand. “I’m not going anywhere. You know that. Go to sleep.”
Kai’s eyes flutter closed, but he doesn’t let go of Jet’s hand. His breathing slows, and the frantic beeping of the machine stops. Em makes a couple of notes on Kai’s medical chart and Jet nods his thanks to her before she silently leaves the room. Jet pulls a chair up next to Kai’s bed. Luca pushes himself off the wall and comes to stand next to his boyfriend.
“You’re next.” Luca’s voice is quiet.
“Oh yeah?” Jet scoffs. “Which horror ripoff did you get that line from?”
“I’m serious.” Luca leans forward. “Nail’s already put Kai in the hospital because Chalam saw him as a threat. Will he put you in the hospital or in a grave?”
“Neither,” Jet reassures him. “Because I know you won’t let him anywhere near me.”
Scotch was Nail’s drink of choice. He was careful not to indulge while working, as the practice was one Chalam discouraged, but off the clock, Nail was up to two Scotch and sodas a night, with one extra on really bad nights.
Tonight had been a really bad night.
For so many reasons.
Nail’s condo is located in Phrom Phong, one of the most luxurious neighborhoods in Bangkok. Chalam had given him the keys the day of his promotion, and Nail was determined not to lose it. He’d recently had the entire interior redone, turning it into a palace of glass and marble and sophisticated white furniture that made him the envy of the building’s other occupants.
The familiar weight of the key in his hand feels oddly satisfying—the one thing he had absolute control over. He turns the key slowly; the click of the lock sounds louder in the quiet hallway. Pushing the door open, he steps inside.
Darkness greets him, which isn’t unusual. Nail has never liked curtains and the condo is high enough that he can catch panoramic views of Sukhumvit Road but no one on the streets can see him. Moonlight dances across the surface of the glass coffee and end tables, catching on the marble sideboard with the whiskey waiting to greet him the same way it did every night. The aromas of expensive cologne and newly cleaned leather fill his nostrils.
Cologne?
Nail doesn’t wear cologne, he never has. The housekeeping team didn’t either. They used cleaning solutions, but the condo doesn’t smell like bleach. The smell reminds him of something else--spicy and earthy and slightly dangerous.
Only one person Nail knew of wore cologne like that.
“You decorated in white.” A low voice sounds in the darkness. “Makes the whole place look anemic.”
Nail flicks the light switch and the ceiling lamps turn on. Luca is lounging on a pristine white couch in the middle of the room, a full whiskey glass in one hand. Ice clinks against the side of the glass as Luca gives him a mock salute.
“The fuck?” The words are out of Nail’s mouth before he can stop them.
“Hello Nail.” Luca’s smile is grim. “We need to talk.”
Nail has seen that expression on Luca’s face only once before. It’s the same expression Nail makes when Chalam sends him to work someone over. No one ever looks pretty after they see that expression. They end up stomped into the ground, hospitalized or dead.
Nail swallows hard against the ball of dread clogging his throat. “You’re not my type.”
Luca isn’t annoyed by Nail’s retort. Actually, he looks amused. “That’s not the conversation we’re going to have. You should probably lock the door so we aren’t disturbed. I know you’re terrible at coming up with explanations for awkward situations.”
“This is not awkward.” Nail locks the door, surprise turning to irritation. “How the hell did you get in here?”
“You forget.” Luca sets the half empty glass down on the coffee table with a clunk. He hasn’t used a coaster. “This condo, and everything that goes with it—including the position you currently hold at OmniVentures—used to be mine.”
He holds up a key identical to the one in Nail’s hand, his grim smile turning deadly cold.
“From head of security to one of the most powerful CEOs in the city, to a bartender living off tips.” Nail sneers at the key, his face twisted into mockery.“You’ve sunk low.”
“Is it really ‘sinking’ if I still have my moral code?” Luca retorts. “Truthfully, I kept it out of spite, but tonight it was a convenient thing to have.”
The reminder of Luca’s previous ownership stings, reminding Nail how tenuous his position actually is. Rather than join Luca in the middle of the room, Nail walks to the sideboard. No soda tonight. He’ll just take the Scotch straight. With ice.
”Do the Saetangmasawats know?” Nail’s smirk widens. “That someone else they trust is lying to them?”
“I know what you did to Kai.” Luca’s expression remains calm. “I know you drugged him.”
The ice tongs clink against the rim of Nail’s glass.
Nail scoffs. “Where’s your proof?”
Luca is on his feet, standing so close to Nail their noses almost touch. His movements are slow, deliberate, and his earthy, spicy cologne tickles Nail’s nose, giving him the urge to sneeze. Nail’s feet skid against the polished wood of the floor as he takes half a step back in spite of himself.
“I don’t need proof.” Luca’s voice is as icy as his eyes. “I have something better. A promise.”
Nail laughs in his face. “You’re not exactly in any position to threaten me. Do you really think I’m afraid of you?”
“You should be.” Luca takes another step, forcing Nail backwards. One of the end tables catches against Nail’s thighs, making him stumble. “Provided you want to stay vertical and warm, that is.”
Fear flickers momentarily across Nail’s face, but is just as quickly replaced by mockery. “You know my sister’s already tried and failed to scare me off?”
“Pepper makes threats. I carry them out.” Luca cocks his head as Nail finds himself up against the locked door. “You know what being a bartender has taught me? Patience and creativity. Also introduced me to the ice pick. ”
Nail’s mouth dries out in spite of himself. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
Luca looks amused at Nail’s question. “You’ve threatened Mali, you drugged Kai. If anything happens to Jet, I promise I’ll use that ice pick on you. It’s sharper than you think. One little nick in the right place, and you could bleed out before you’re even aware of what’s happening.”
Something hard and sharp is pressing into Nail’s side. Nail tenses, fighting the urge to look down. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Don’t tempt me.” Luca’s eyes are boring into Nail’s, and the pressure against Nail’s side increases, forcing his gaze to drop.
One of Luca’s fingers is pressed hard between Nail’s ribs.
“I don’t usually carry ice picks around with me.” Luca’s chuckle is dark and icy cold. “But I do know where to find one if I need it. And I will use it.”
Luca isn’t bluffing.
Nail can clearly see the resolve in the other man’s eyes, and it takes every ounce of his own resolve to keep his voice from shaking. “Get out.”
“Gladly.” Luca drains the remaining whiskey from the glass. His grimace isn’t because of the burn of the alcohol. It’s a grimace of disgust directed at Nail. “One little nick, Nail. Just one.”
He walks out, leaving Nail alone in the front room of his condo. Nail seizes the empty whiskey glass and hurls it against the wall, feeling a wave of satisfaction rush through him as it shatters.

"33. Revelation" 

Read from beginning: "1. Ignored"