Ambivalent

38. The Final Act

Akara

Rune was nervous. So nervous that he was shaking. In order to calm him down, I circled my arm around his shoulders.

"You're gonna be fine, I will be there with you," I said, pointing at his earbud.

Rune nodded, biting his lower lip, but apprehension in his eyes didn't falter. "If they understand-"

"I will get you out of there immediately," I completed his words and he smiled at me warmly.

"I am going then," Rune said and gently saved himself from my arm. He took a few steps forward, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him back to my waiting arms. Then my hands moved to his blushed cheeks, cupping them lovingly.

"We got this," I said and brushed our lips in a quick peck. Although my initial intention was to divert his anxiety, that small kiss caused a butterfly race in my stomach.

Gosh, how much I missed his petal-like lips!

"That was... encouraging..." Rune whispered, his face flustered beautifully.

I nodded with a grin, too happy that his reaction was positive. After calming our raging hearts down a bit, I fixed his black uniform and checked the camera in his horn-rimmed black glasses.

"Ready?" I asked as it was almost nine pm.

He nodded and got into the elevator with Panit's card which I stole for the second time. Then I sat in my car with the laptop on my lap, watching everything Rune was seeing while checking the other camera facing the elevator.

Ten minutes later, I watched the owner of the biggest hospital chain in Thailand walk into the elevator. Another five minutes and the minister of Tourism entered the elevator under my shocked eyes. The third one was someone I didn't recognise, but the fourth one was one of the richest businessmen in Thailand.

All of them were old, rich, powerful, and they all had black bags in their hands.

After another ten minutes, four sick-looking girls with long blonde hair and revealing clothes walked into the elevator with dazed expressions. Through Rune's glasses, I saw the girls enter through the golden-ornamented door where the old-yet-rich men entered before them.

A few minutes later, I saw glasses of alcohol on a moving tray as Rune looked down. He and another man with the same uniform entered the room and my eyes widened with the sight.

The four 'gentlemen' were sitting around a square table, the girls almost on their laps. They were playing mahjong and money bundles were on the table. Two of them had weird looking cigarettes, dangling from their lips.

Gambling, smoking marijuana, prostitution...

This must have been enough evidence to expose the illegal business.

After Rune and the man finished serving and left the room, I sent the videos to the prosecution office and called the superintendent whom Rune heard his father was always cursing at. When Rune joined me, he changed his clothes and we went up to Kamol's office.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Kamol asked with a cynical expression, lowering his glasses.

"I heard some disturbing news from Panit," Rune lied smoothly, "when did this illegal business start?"

Hearing Panit's name as the whistle-blower, Kamol's eyes twitched for a second, but he recollected himself quickly. "What illegal business?" he feigned clueless.

"Gambling? Prostitution? Providing drugs?" Rune listed with an all-knowing attitude, "I am pretty sure you even do black-mailing."

Kamol laughed sardonically, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

I got a bit tense, but Rune was calm. He smirked at his uncle and said "I should have guessed that, my father was the brain in the family and you managed to get rid of him only because of my stupidity."

I was speechless while Kamol was boiling with anger. Then Rune turned his face to me, "let's go, he doesn't even know what is under his nose."

A step towards the door. It was the necessary time for Kamol to take the bait.

"YOUR FATHER COULDN'T DO ANYTHING IF I DIDN'T BUILD A SECRET FLOOR!"

"What secret floor?" Rune asked with feigned shock.

Luckily, Kamol fell for it. Snorting, he said "I came up with the idea of building a secret floor to gain the money which we couldn't even dream of earning from the hotel! But do you know what your bastard father did after we set up the system? HE GOT RID OF ME!"

"I guess betrayal runs in the family," Rune said aloofly.

"It was mine from the beginning," Kamol snapped at Rune, so I took a step forward. He looked at me with disgust, then continued "your father lacks the imagination and the courage. He couldn't even dream of expanding this illegal business this good! Do you have any idea who comes to the hidden floor? Politicians, ministers, businessmen... all because of my system!"

"Very nice, uncle," Rune clapped his hands, "I hope you don't mind repeating the same in the police station."

"You are so naive, Rune... just like your father. The police will never get me."

"It is you who is naive... or maybe it also runs in the family," Rune said and directed me out of Kamol's office.

Holding the door, I looked at Kamol, "I wish we had never met, good luck in your new life," I said and closed the door.

One last time.