“Where are we going Uncle?” Tao asked as he slid from the passenger seat of Dustin’s Lancer.
They stepped into the doors of Wired, a gamers club, lounge and arcade. Tao’s eyes widened as he took in the number of games and high tech computer equipment decorating the space. He started towards one of the rooms labeled for XBOX live games and Dustin laughed at his eagerness to play.
“Come on Uncle! You are so dead!” he laughed over his shoulder as he took a seat at one of the kiosks.
He slowly followed after him, checking out the room as he moved. He sat beside Tao and grabbed a controller. “You sure you want to do this? You don’t remember how badly I beat you last time?”
“It was luck! I got stuck with a gimp team member! I mean he just stood there and took shots killing our entire squadron!”
“You have to learn to play with adversity and make the most of your situation. If you have an uncooperative member on your team, and especially in Halo, blow him up and steal his gear,” he laughed.
“Reboot!” a bright haired woman smiled as she approached them. “And here I thought you’d forgotten all about little old me!”
“How could that ever happen?” he asked standing and wrapping his arms around her waist. “Work got a little crazy but I found the time for this place. Besides I’m sure if you ever thought that I’d find a nasty surprise in my inbox right, ‘Cid?”
“Right because you could never spot a virus a mile away? I’d have to be a little more clever than that!” She looked at Tao and smiled. “And who is this little cutie?”
He stood quickly and extended his hand. “Tao, Choi Tao, he’s my uncle, I’m his nephew,” he said frenetically shaking her hand before regaining his nerves and placing a soothing kiss on her knuckles.
She giggled and pulled her hand back. “Well Tao, it is a pleasure meeting you. I’m Acid.”
“Acid?” he asked glancing curiously at Dustin. “I bet your real name is very pretty. You look like it would be something beautiful.”
“Well I don't know about that. It's Soo Kim, but feel free to call me Acid.”
“Or ‘Cid as I prefer,” he replied to his look. “It’s her online handle.”
“Does he not have one?”
“Not yet, he’s still learning.”
“Oh come on Uncle! I can whoop you at any game now!”
Dustin laughed. “He’s also delusional. We're looking into getting him some professional help.”
“Yeah? Well if you are anything like your Uncle, I expect to see your name donning the Champions Wall in no time!”
“Are you kidding? I taught Uncle Dust everything he knows!”
“Have you always been into games?”
“Always! I’m one of the biggest geeks I know. Well, next to your Uncle of course.”
“Are you any good?”
“She’s amazing. You should play her for yourself.”
He stared at her a little, taking in the full features of her face. Dustin cleared his throat snapping him back to reality. “It’s weird you know? A pretty girl that’s really into games.”
“Not only that, I own my own arcade!”
“This is yours? How cool is that?! What are your favorite games?” he stepped closer to her as she spoke hanging on to her every word and nodding his head enthusiastically. He was getting hypnotized by her smile. He watched the way her tongue rubbed across her teeth as she formed certain words and he kept making her repeat them just to see it.
“It’s really great here! I’d love to play you sometime and crush my Uncle’s record with my gaming prowess at the same time!”
“Oh you have to name him now, Reboot! He’s too sweet not to be included!”
“Don't encourage the voices Soo. I hear it's not good for people like him. Besides he is included, that’s why I brought him here. I knew he’d fit right in.”
She looked at him, her honey brown eyes smiling at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Dusty, he should have a name. It’s only right if he’ll be here a lot, which I expect now. There’s no way you can keep him to yourself!”
“Fine,” he sighed. “What do you think about Defrag?”
“Defrag?” Tao scratched his head.
“I love it!” she smiled.
“Defrag it is,” Tao agreed. “So is that how it usually works? Someone else has to name you? Where did you get your name Acid?”
…“Soo, you’re needed upfront…,” an announcement played over the loud speaker.
“The boss’ work is never done,” she shrugged. “It was nice meeting you Defrag. I hope we'll see each other again real soon!”
“Oh count on it! I hope to see you too!” he said waving her off eagerly.
“Uncle, was that your girlfriend?” he asked the minute she disappeared out the door.
“Soo? No, she’s not anymore, we’re just close friends.”
“Oh. Well, does she have a boyfriend?”
He laughed understanding where his nephew was going with his line of questioning. “Besides the fact that she is too old for you, she’s really not into guys.”
“You mean she’s…”
“Gay? Yes.”
“Aww that sucks,” he frowned taking his seat back on the couch. “Ok, Uncle, let’s go! You’re not getting off that easy!”
“You just never get enough do you?” he sat back with Tao and they started up a new game.
Brett and Yve grabbed a rental and drove to the hotel Dustin set them up in as quickly as they could. “Ryan was right, Yve, you really should have let those bruises heal before coming out here.”
“Give me thirty minutes and we’ll see if you feel the same way,” she smiled entering the bathroom with her makeup kit. “Do you have everything ready? When I’m done I want to get to Joey right away. There’s no telling how much longer he’ll be here.”
“I’m ready,” he said patting his gun.
“You’re not gonna shoot him Hon, this is recon, info gathering only.”
“Well then he’d better watch his hands otherwise he’ll leave with a reminder.”
She laughed and finished getting ready. Brett’s jaw dropped open as she emerged from the room. “I’ll take that as a ‘you look gorgeous Yvette’,” she said as she pressed his lips together closing his mouth.
“You look gorgeous Yvette!”
“Good. Now let’s get to the target, Dustin said he’d be having drinks in the bar downstairs.”
Yve scanned the room as she prepared to make her entrance, finding Joey Costello at a table closest to the bar. Slowly she sauntered by and “accidentally” caught her purse on a chair dropping it near his feet. “Oh, excuse me,” she smiled as she bent over to reclaim her lost items. “I’m so clumsy sometimes.”
“It’s ok Beautiful, let me give you a hand,” he said pulling up from his chair and kneeling to reach the items that had rolled under the table. “Are you here alone?”
“Just waiting on my girlfriend but it doesn’t look as though she’s going to show. I was hoping to celebrate my promotion in style but instead I’ll have a few drinks and drag my ass home.”
“Nonsense, let me buy you a drink,” he smiled taking her hand and leading her to the bar. “What are you having?”
“I’d like a Screaming Orgasm, double.”
…“Didn’t I give you enough…?” Brett joked over the comm. She adjusted the ear bud and laughed to herself listening to his banter.
“A woman who likes her vodka? That’s rare.”
“I know what I want. Besides, there’s always room for a nice stiff drink,” she said brushing his arm.
He gave her a slanted smile before turning towards the man at the other end of the bar. The keep sat Yve’s drinks in front of her and she cleared her throat at Joey to gain his attention as she noticed he was still engaged in conversation with the bartender and examining his features.
“Excuse me,” Yve smiled. “I think I actually should get home. I wouldn’t want to overdo it before work anyway. I’d blow the promotion before I even got in the door good. It was nice meeting you.”
“Yeah, take care,” Joey said before turning his drink up to his lips and his eyes back towards the bartender.
…“Yve what are you doing…?”
“This isn’t working,” she said heading towards the exit.
…“What’s not working…?”
“I don’t think he’s into my type.”
…“No, Dustin said he prefers blondes...”
“Yeah blondes, not girls, Brett.”
…“What are you saying…?”
“That you have to…”
…“No. No fucking way Yve...”
“Brett you have to! We need to get into his room and get that security key. It’s the only way to gain access to Luciano.”
…“Yvette…”
“I promise I won’t get jealous,” she smiled as she met him near the elevator.
He sighed his discontent. “I’m gonna get you for this.” He headed to the bar after taking the syringe from Yve.
“Beer please, whatever’s on tap,” he said sliding onto the stool next to Joey. He caught the man’s gaze on him, and shifted uncomfortably, “Better add a shot of whiskey too.”
“Coming right up,” the bartender said as he began dispensing his drinks.
“Sounds like heartache,” Joey said turning towards Brett.
“The worse kind. You know it’s funny I thought it was women that gave men trouble in relationships. It’s why I completely wrote them off. But now I’m starting to realize it’s both sexes. Or maybe it’s just me; maybe I’m the reason my partners all turn out to be cold, bitter bitches.”
“That’ll be $25,” the keep said sitting the drinks in front of Brett.
“On me,” Joey said raising a hand and dropping a card on the counter.
“No, I can’t…”
“It’s fine, I’m Joseph, you can call me Joey. And you are?”
“David. David the dope.”
“Well David, I have a little confession to make. Guys are probably thrown off by your looks. You see when I look at you I see a supermodel playboy and it’s probably your reputation. Relationships are the same no matter the sex. Men want the same thing women do; to feel loved, cherished, wanted but most importantly stability.”
“I am stable. I give my all in any relationship! I’m a great lover, I listen, I sympathize…and still my heart breaks.”
“Maybe you are just finding the wrong men,” Joey smiled and inched closer to Brett, sliding his hand up his thigh.
“Maybe,” Brett smiled back counting slowly in his head to keep himself calm as Joey’s hand got a little friendlier.
…“Good going Brett. Now turn on the charm you seduced me with”…
“Are you staying here?” he asked.
He nodded. “I am, want to get out of here?” Joey winked and waited for the bartender to return his card before escorting Brett to the elevators.
As the doors closed, Joey moved towards Brett, pushing him against the wall of the lift and running his hands in his hair. “I don’t normally do this kind of thing. I’d hate for anyone to consider me a slut, but you look like you could use the company and as I said before, you have supermodel looks I can only assume you know your way around a bedroom.”
…“I can attest to that…” Yvette laughed.
They exited the elevator and Joey fumbled with the contents of his pocket pulling out the keycard and quickly swiping it in the door. “My humble abode,” he said flexing his eyebrows at Brett. He swallowed hard as Joey wrapped an arm around his back and pulled his lips closer.
Brett reached for the syringe and tried to remove the cap from the needle. Closer Joey moved in until his mouth covered his and his tongue parted his lips. Finally he was able to get the plastic safety from the top of the prick. Brett stabbed the tip into Joey’s neck pressing hard on the plunger and releasing its contents into his bloodstream.
It took seconds before the drug took effect and Joey’s limp body fell to the floor. Brett wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and grimaced before spitting a mouthful of saliva into the trash bin.
…“Brett what’s going on…?”
“I’m in the room, what exactly am I looking for?”
…“Joey’s a delivery man, one that would have contact with Luciano. Find anything with an address to his location. We have to get to him and take away the Company’s leverage. If Dustin is right, the mafia is funding my old team which means they are back in operation; hired guns and trust me, that’s not a good thing!…”
Brett went over every inch of the room until he came upon a briefcase. He lifted the top and found it stuffed with cash and a weapon and emptied the contents onto the floor. “You were right about the delivery. Looks like he’d have been seeing Luciano soon, there is a lot of money in here.”
He continued overturning the contents of the case until he came upon a list of names and addresses. “Bingo! Get Dust on the line, I’m on the way back.”
Brett rushed into the room he shared with Yve and emptied the minibar. Bottle after bottle he drank and gargled until he felt himself satisfied.
Yve watched him douse his tongue in alcohol before he turned and rushed for the bathroom. She heard the sink turn on and more gargling noises.
“Brett?” she called entering into the bathroom as he was placing paste on the toothbrush and forcefully scrubbing his mouth out, scouring the touch of the man’s tongue from his.
Yve giggled behind him as she watched him sanitize himself. “It’s not funny,” he said with a mouthful of paste. “I will NEVER, hear me? NEVER do that again!”
“But you make such an excellent honey pot, Love! That guy was all over you! Where’s the list? I need to get the info to Dustin.”
He handed the page to Yvette and she quickly emailed the addresses to Dustin to check. Brett joined her shortly, wiping his mouth one last time with a hand towel he tossed onto the floor near the bathroom door. “While you were…otherwise engaged, I got in contact with your brother. It seems you haven’t talked to him in a few months, bad Brett!” she laughed.
“What did you say to him?”
“Basically that if he were approached by anyone he needs to cooperate anything he knew. He sounds cute; is he single?”
He looked at her and she smirked. Before he could address her there was a loud bang in the hallway. “That was a gunshot,” he said as they listened to the commotion quickly approaching their door.
They rushed to their weapons as the door crashed open. “There he is!” Joey yelled pointing towards Brett as he and four other men rushed through the door guns blazing.
Yvette dove behind a sofa as she returned fire in the direction of two of the intruders. “Brett?” she called watching one of the men fall. She started for the bar on the other side of the room as the glass shattered from the window behind her.
In the scramble she didn’t see where he’d move to. Minutes seemed like hours as the bullets continued flying in the small room past her and the silence from the area she believed Brett sought cover echoed in her head.
Determined to make it over to him, she jumped up from her position again and squeezed off her clip at the man nearest the door before pressing her back against the wall. “Brett answer me!”
She got her response in the sound of his trademark Smith & Wesson M & P .357 popping 3 rounds into the last man standing beside Joey. “Drop your weapon!” he yelled stepping from behind the bathroom door.
Joey tossed his gun to the floor in front of Brett and placed his hands on the back of his head. She released the breath she didn’t realize she was holding and shook her head at him as she rushed forward. “Don’t do that again.”
“I guess that makes us even,” he shrugged as she softly caressed his back grateful that he was alive and unharmed.
“You don’t know who you’re messing with!” Joey said as Brett placed the cuffs on him.
“I have an idea.”
Brett escorted him down to the lobby and waited for the locals to take him into custody as Yvette slipped out the back to avoid the cameras from the hordes of reporters that arrived to get the scoop on the mafia’s fall guy.
“Where to?” Brett asked hopping into the driver’s seat and putting a good distance between them and the media at the hotel.
“1712 Valley Springs Drive,” she said punching the address into the GPS. “Time to pay a visit to an old friend.”
“I’m out of sweet tea, how about an orange juice?”
“That’s fine Dusty. Your nephew is a real sweetheart,” Soo said plopping down on Dustin’s couch.
“Thank you. He thinks you’re cute too; asked if you were single.”
She laughed and took a sip from her drink before sitting it on the table. “You Kimuras love your gamer chicks.”
“Well his last name is Choi but any man appreciates a beautiful woman when he sees one.” He joined her on the sofa and she immediately climbed into his lap.
“Do you hate me?”
“Why would I hate you?”
“Because of what happened between us. I mean I never really knew how I felt about girls until Suni came along. I just feel like I left you high and dry and I never meant to do that, hurt you like that.”
“No, I don’t hate you ‘Cid. You have a preference and I’m not going to force you to be someone you’re not, I wouldn’t be a real friend if I did that. I love you no matter what and cherish our friendship.”
“I’m happy to hear you say that,” she said standing and retrieving her phone from her purse. “Because I have the perfect girl for you!”
“No Soo, not another blind date, please. I get enough of that from Grandma Hua. I don’t need it from you too!”
“Last one I promise because once you meet her you’ll hit it off and you won’t want another!”
“You’re not going to take no as an answer are you?”
She smiled and dialed the number ignoring his protests and confirming a time and day for the two to meet.
“I’m sorry what was that?”
He looked at her and smiled shaking his head. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Hmm…how about a game of one on one?”
“You’re on!”
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