The Rules: Book Five

Chapter 2

END OF BOOK FOUR

Back in Korea.

Jang, the man who had been hired to dig up dirt on Suki and her group, was frustrated. As many resources he had at his fingertips, as dirty as they were, he was coming up with dead ends. He knew where he needed to go, and he was careful not to cross into territory he would have a hard time getting out of. He had seen it happen before with other underground organizations when they wandered too far out of their boundaries. It wasn't Suki who was the problem. It was Su. More specifically, Su's family. He was going to need some leverage if he was going to press further, and he wasn't exactly sure he wanted to...but still...the challenge and allure were there. He picked up his phone and made a call.

Across the ocean, at a concert in Brazil, the man saw his phone light up. He moved to a quieter space, shutting the door behind him and muffling the music a little more. "Hello?"

"Hey, we need to talk. Are you SURE you want to push the issue with this chick?"

"What?"

"You already KNOW who she is, so out her online. Isn't that her thing? Ruin that for her and her fans, and let it be. The biggest outcome for minimal risk." He stood at his office window and gazed out over the city.

"Jang, this is personal. I need to know she messed with the wrong person. She needs to pay for what she put me and my family through!" He paced around the room as they spoke. "Wait, are you having problems finding information?"

"Yes and no. We know who her people are and about them, but that's a little more public information. You know who she is, so I'm not putting energy into that. You wanted to know where she lived, who she hung out with, her schedule, and all those details that aren't public knowledge." He paused for a moment before continuing. "All our 'conventional' roads were blocked."

"Blocked?" He stopped pacing, "By who? How?"

Jang continued. "Now, blocked doesn't mean there isn't a detour, but this detour comes with considerable risk. Beware of falling rocks if you will...and to be clear, I don't care to be snuffed out by a falling rock this early in life."

"What the fuck are you saying?"

"I'm saying it's not impossible, but you better be 100% sure you want to take this road. Consider it a road without cell service. If you get into trouble you can't call for help, you're on your own. I'm going to protect myself. I'm not coming to save you. I don't know you."

"Jesus fuck. You make everything so dramatic."

"KIJA. You better be fucking sure. This isn't cleaning up a drunken night in college. I'm giving you my professional opinion here. If I push down this path I have no loyalties to you. I'm taking a huge risk, and you need to understand that. I'm NOT the biggest fish in this sea."

"Then WHY are you giving me the option?!" Kija was exasperated, this wasn't the call he was expecting.

Jang smiled, "Because where there is a risk, there is an opportunity for success, to grow, to become more. It's never been done, but that doesn't mean it CAN'T be done. I'm not going to lie. I find it intriguing if a dent can be made."

Kija paused, thinking about what he was being told. "So, if you aren't the biggest fish, who is? Maybe I need to go talk to them."

"You can't."

"And why is that?"

He smirked, "That's who you may be up against."

There was silence on the line. "I'm...sorry...up against who????"