The Avatar's Master

7. Speakeasy, Love Hard

After the presentation, everyone was scrambling to get a piece of the heiress turned CEO. Thank the spirits Asami had hired an assistant to field most of her questions, a cunning woman of 26 named Daisuke who was extremely detailed and savvy with public affairs. Asami wanted strong women flanking her at all times and permeating the powerful positions in her company, and she likewise wielded her influence to scaffold young women and girls into positions of leadership and self-reliance.

Asami winked at Daisuke and gave her a thumbs up, thanking her before slipping away behind a secret door only a handful of people knew about, though it hid in plain sight. Varrick had owned this facility and designed several secret doors and rooms and hallways leading to even more secret rooms and straight to the bay where his yacht was docked because he thought it was fun and cool. No doubt Zhu Li – now President Moon – had arranged all of it back when she was Varrick's assistant. Asami never forgot Varrick's insensitive but bitingly true wisdom that people only see what they want or are expecting to see, and so she was able to slip away with nary a person noticing her, except for, of course, the man himself – Mr. Iknik Blackstone Varrick-Moon.

She walked down a narrow hallway that led to a private car garage for important guests. As she approached her car, she heard Varrick's voice call from behind, and she stopped short, crossing her arms and turning around. She was about to say something snarky to the man who once betrayed her but later became an ally out of necessity to save Republic City from total domination, and perhaps even annihilation by Kuvira, but stopped herself.

Varrick stood there, tall and lanky as ever with longish wavy hair parted to the side and a thin mustache on either side of his long face; he was smiling in that goofy yet sly way of his. Next to Varrick stood a slightly taller and broad-shouldered man with khaki skin and wavy dirty blonde hair, a five o'clock shadow, and hazel eyes. The man was smiling at Asami not quite eagerly, but hopefully if not expectantly.

"Asami, this is Chai Son. He wanted, no -- had -- to meet you after your marvelous presentation. He's interested in starting a racing team here in Republic City." Varrick cleared his throat and not so subtly snorted "cough, investor, cough, big money, cough cough, handsome and rich eligible bachelor."

With that last retort, Asami shot Varrick a stern look that suggested How dare you? And How did you know?

Varrick leaned in, patting Asami on her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "I knew everything that went on in this city before my wife became the president." He turned back to the man and clapped his hands together in a renewed burst of energy. "Now, what do you say," shall we all rendezvous tonight at say, eight o'clock?"

"I would love to discuss business with you – in a casual setting – and besides, from what I hear, you also love racing," Chai Son added. He smiled at her, confident. "I was a gear head and paint licker growing up, and I remember clearly the day my parents came home with a Satomobile; I was an awe-struck little boy – yes, I admit I grew up privileged, but I never cared about money. I just wanted to drive."

This was enough to pique Asami's interest. All of the investors so far only wanted to talk mass production of family station wagons and trade with other nations, never expressing interest in what she considered her art. To take her mind of her dull but steady heartache, she relented. Maybe a night out in town with Varrick and this mystery man would keep Asami from pining for her. The CEO wondered about Varrick's motive of this little arrangement – he had divested most of his assets when he became the First Gentleman after all. She would have to be on guard but had also learned that this world she moved about required a certain sensibility, and she wasn't about to be fooled by this genius eccentric inventor again.

Asami sized up Chai Son, handsome enough but not her type.

"Alright, I'm in."

"Great, I'll have a driver pick you up," Chai Son said.