The Kingpin's Possession

29: Enemy’s Enemy

Kim’s P.O.V“The Russian’s aren’t locals,” Kim cursed out. “How the hell did they come in contact with him?”

And when had the Russian mafia made base in Thailand without the knowledge of any of the Chao Pho families?

Some traders now and then weren’t unheard of. In fact, some of the suppliers that came from overseas to trade weapons and drugs were members of the Bratvas. But an entire clan with a don residing here in Pattaya? That wasn’t something Kimhan had expected to hear.

“At the south of the Central Market area, the Russians have set up their base in one of the warehouses.” Aawut informed Kim. “The base didn’t exist until about two months ago, but according to the locals here, one of the gang leaders was killed in an open fire between the gangs and they had taken over both the gang’s members and their hideout as well as their remaining stash.”

“And now they’re operating out of that base while using their men to do their dirty work.” Kim grit his teeth together in anger.

Kim couldn’t risk it this time. He needed to tread carefully while dealing with a foreign gang. And he definitely needed backup.

“Aawut, fall back.” He ordered his man. “Come back here and call in a meeting with the other gang leaders, anyone who is willing to side with us. We need more information before we enter their lair.”

“As you wish, Sire.”

The call disconnected and it left Kim grasping at thoughts to deal with this new crisis.

The first thing he did, however, was to call Kanaphan Channarong.

He hit the number on his cell phone and let it ring. However, he didn’t have to wait long. The call was received on the third ring.

“Did you find him?” The voice seemed to be forced out through gritted teeth.

“P’First…may I ask you….how much money did Ayan Ritthirong steal from you?”

“This isn’t time to ask, Kim!” P’First snapped out at him. “You were supposed to help me catch that son of a bitch! What are you doing rubbing salt on my wound ai Hia“I’m not rubbing salt on your wound, but I need to know the amount when I recover it.” Kim sighed. “Besides, we seem to have run into a little…problem.”

“What kind of problem?” P’First scoffed. “I thought the Pattaya trade was your specialty?”

“It was until the Russians started to interfere.” Kim sighed; debating whether asking him for help was the right thing to do.

However, an enemy’s enemy was supposed to be a friend, and no matter how many differences there were between Kim and First, the Russian or any foreign trader for that matter, who wanted to establish power under their noses, was a threat to the both of them.

“They’ve set base by the Central Market and from what I know, they’re using a local gang to do their dirty work.” Kim finished and listened with interest as a stream of curses escaped P’First’s lips.

“One son of bitch wasn’t enough to deal with and we have the Russians on top of that?”

Kim understood the anger, which was why he needed to know exactly how much amount Ayan had stolen, because it had clearly been enough to tempt the Russians to offer him protection. And if Ritthirong’s past desecrations were of any indication, then he had a vague idea of what he had offered to the Russian leader here in Pattaya, to make him offer shelter for a longer period of time.

“The amount, P’First.” Kim said again. “I think there’s no point in your withholding information at this point.”

“Fine, ai sat“Dollars?” Kim raised his eyebrows at the sum.

“Baht.” First corrected.

Kim was tempted to ask why he had twenty million just lying around in his mansion where it would be easy for anyone to steal, but he resisted the urge. It wasn’t any of his business. However, he was still curious as to if P’First had insanely loyal men or was the punishment for being caught greater than the temptation to steal?

He had a hunch it was the later.

“I see,” Kim nodded. Yes, a sum of twenty million was definitely going to be more than enough to tempt even the sincerest of politicians into sin. “Do you want me to take them on myself or are you going to help at all?”

First paused for a few short instances, probably weighing his options. Kim waited patiently. Since Aawut hasn’t returned yet, he could only guess that he was gathering more information about the Russian Don in the area and will arrive as soon as he had something important to report. So he had all the time in the world.

“Fine.” First sighed, agreeing to the deal finally. “I’ll arrive in three hours. And then we’ll pay those scums a visit…together.”

“Very well.” Kim’s lips tilted up in a smirk. “I’ll wait for you.”

Kim ended the phone call and placed it on the night stand before getting up from the bed and pacing around the room, waiting for Aawut to show up.

Yes, he now had an option to overthrow the Russian drug traders and establish his reign once again and he was sure that P’First will help him now that his own money was involved. However, the Pattaya trade had always been his playground and he had just invited the Channarong clan into his territory.

He had no doubt that P’First was now going to try to establish his own trade in this area as well, further strengthening the rift between their two families.

Not that the Ayutthaya and Channarong would ever be friends or see eye to eye in anything for that matter, but in order to defeat one enemy, he may just have given way for another to exploit him.

“I still have leverage.” Kim told himself. “P’First may not always follow the mafia’s codes of conduct, but he isn’t a complete nutjob. He doesn’t kill women or kids, and he still knows how to honor a debt of gratitude.”

Reassuring himself, Kim was about to call Kit so he could know how he was doing. Of course he wasn’t going to tell him what he was really up to, but at times like this, it felt nice to hear the voice of someone he cared for and he knew Kit had become an important part of his life as well.

But that was when he heard a familiar pattern of knocks on the door and opened it to find Aawut standing outside with his hand on his chest, panting.

“Aawut what took yo-”

And that’s when he noticed the blood.