Jeha shook his head when his parents and his grandfather all leveled their expectant gazes at him.
“First, it’s unkind of you to threaten Ryan with his job,” Jeha said to Yisu. “He is my good friend. I would be the one to suffer and miss him if he left. Stop threatening me with him.”
“You deserve it,” Yisu said. “He is in charge of your safety and you got him to lie to your family. Now we discover you’re keeping important information from us.”
“I needed to,” Jeha said.
Jeha moved closer to his grandfather’s bed, wishing he understood the numbers on the monitors above the bed. Instead, he studied his grandfather’s face, searching for signs of pain, relief filling him when he saw none.
“Grandpa, how are you feeling? I was at the office and discovered something that needs your permission. I’m sorry to have brought work to the hospital when you’re ill.”
“Don’t worry so much. I’m doing better, Jeha,” Chae Wook said. “Find a seat. What do you want to ask me?”
Jeha pulled a chair from near the wall and arranged it on the right side of his grandfather’s bed. He unbuttoned his suit jacket and tugged his trousers up as he sat.
“If you are about to talk about the reasons why someone is trying to kill you, don’t leave anything out,” Yisu said, his glare enough of a warning.
“Yes, Pa,” Jeha said with a nod. “Grandpa, Uncle Chung’s son, Moon, is manufacturing a synthetic drug called Rapture. He is pushing it out through the three Raven Clubs under their family’s care. Rapture’s formula is unstable. Moon has dropped off overdosing clients in our emergency room downstairs to handle the aftermath of use. I have my men cleaning up after him to keep our family’s involvement out of an ongoing police investigation. The worst of it happened a week ago. Three people died, and one is still in a coma.”
“Damn it,” Yisu cursed. “This means there are victims who did not make it to the emergency room.”
“There is a possibility,” Jeha said. “The police have engaged help from one of the doctors downstairs who worked a shift on a particularly bad night. Dr. Graysen has an agreement with the detectives in charge to call in any influx of patients to the ER with symptoms caused by Rapture. I had hoped I would be able to clean up Moon’s mess before I brought the situation to you.”
“Moon is bringing the overdosing clients to the emergency room to share the blame,” Yisu said. “The clubs have been clean. Why would he start selling drugs again?”
“I don’t know. Right now, I’m working on controlling him with the power that Grandpa warned him last time,” Jeha said. “If any of the clubs sell synthetic drugs, they will revert back to our family. Unfortunately, Moon has refused to listen to my numerous reminders.”
“Damn it,” Yisu cursed. “What have you done to contain the problem?”
“We are watching the emergency department downstairs,” Jeha said. “We’re making sure the patients don’t have a clear name on who sold them the drugs, just until we can deal with the source of the problem. On the outside, I’ve been chasing down Moon’s chemist.”
“Is that why you’re in trouble?” Yisu asked.
“Partly,” Jeha said. “Moon was using one of the Wuga Hotel warehouses along the docks for manufacturing. I shut the factory down and took over all the hotel’s warehouses. Moon retaliated with a grenade delivered to my apartment on Moven Street.”
Maria gasped, and Yisu wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Thankfully, Ryan neutralized it before it could cause damage. We could not track the package back to Moon, but I know it is his doing. The last few days have been full of adventure. There have been gunshots on the street. Poisoned food at my favorite noodle joint, and the brakes cut on my car.”
“Move home,” Maria said, her eyes filled with worry. “Move back home right now.”
“I can’t yet, not until I clean this up. In any case, I’m no longer at my old apartment. Ryan insisted I move to the new apartment building we have on Main Street, near the Anastasia Grand Hotel. The building is waiting for a housing code inspection. The top floor is complete and I’m the only one using it. Ryan feels it is the easiest place to keep security tight.”
“Does Moon want to start a war?” Yisu asked, his voice rough with anger. “His father has yet to pay back the loan he took from me last year. Uncle Tae Wook should take charge of his sons. The clubs were not a gift to misuse, but a means for them to live. Jeha should not be managing Moon’s mistakes.”
“You’re wrong,” Chae Wook said. “Yes, Tae Wook’s grandson is misbehaving, but Jeha is going to manage our Wuga Group in the future. He should be able to control Moon if he hopes to keep the rest of the family in line. Managing his cousins is not easy work, but he has to do it. What do you need from me, Jeha?”
“I’m doing my best to close Moon’s factories, but it’s not enough. He just sets up a new one. Rapture has flooded the Raven Clubs. I’m worried Moon will start distributing in other clubs around Capital City. We have closed three factories this last week,” Jeha said. “So, what I need to do is find Moon’s Master Chemist and shut him down before the authorities move on the clubs.”
“Do you want a meeting with Airam the Spaniard?” Chae Wook asked. “Assure him that Wuga is not trying to encroach on his market share. Our alliance with Airam is still delicate.”
“We are not ready,” Jeha said. “Moon needs to be under control before we sit at the table with Airam. Our house will look dysfunctional if Moon then approaches him after our meeting”
“I understand. You need Moon’s Master Chemist to stop production. Then, we need to cut off distribution access, which means taking control of the three Raven Clubs,” Chae Wook said. “Jeha needs me to meet with my little brother, Tae Wook, and his two sons, Chung and Minho.”
“Yes. If you can get Uncle Chung to manage Moon, I will be glad,” Jeha said. “Only then can I meet with Airam to appease him in case Moon has encroached on his sales avenue.”
“And to warn him not to take on Moon’s product offers,” Chae Wook said. “Our family does not make money from drugs.”
“Grandpa understands me. I did not want to make a major move against Moon without your permission. I’ll need force to take control of Moon’s Master Chemist,” Jeha said. “Moving on my cousin this way will trigger a retaliation response. I came to ask for permission. You’re here in the hospital and we’ll need to secure the floor in case Moon gets his ambitious ideas.”
“So much trouble,” Yisu sighed.
They all sat in silence for another moment, then Chae Wook shrugged.
“Moon has already made his first aggressive move toward you. Jeha needs to show strength in response. You don’t need my permission. You have my full support. Yisu,” Chae Wook said. “Place the men in your team under Jeha’s command. We need to help Jeha secure our businesses.”
“Can you handle a fight with your cousin?” Yisu asked Jeha. “It’s not easy to put your family under threat, Jeha.”
“He must learn,” Chae Wook said, his tone decisive, his dark brown gaze hard. “Wuga’s industries cannot be dragged in the mud so lightly. Moon is using our hospital’s emergency room as a means to manage his overdosing clients. He is clearly causing us harm and painting a clear target on Jeha. The clubs make good money, but if they have a dirty business, it will spill over to the rest of the family’s growing businesses. We have no choice but to clean up after him.”
“Why don’t they ever think of the bigger picture?” Yisu complained.
“Because it is your job, and Jeha’s job,” Chae Wook said. “Jeha take over the clubs. Re-brand them or lock them down if needed. Find a way to manage Moon’s people. Yisu, use the hospital’s administration team to manage Dr. Graysen. If possible, get the team to do a piece on the doctor’s heroic fight for the victims in the paper. Give the hospital positive PR and cover up our involvement with the Raven Clubs.”
“Dr. Graysen does not look like he appreciates the spotlight,” Jeha said, fighting a small smile at the memory of the crying doctor on the roof a week ago. He had wanted so much to pull Axel into his arms to offer comfort.
“We’ll see what happens,” Yisu said.
“Jeha, Moon’s father will interfere. Chung is not easy to deal with. He feels his family is on par with ours. It will place you in a difficult situation,” Chae Wook said. “Protect yourself, even as I hope we can have an amiable result. Don’t hurt him too much. They are still family.”
Jeha nodded and got up.
“I will do my best,” Jeha said.
“We’re all depending on you,” Chae Wook said.
“Yes, Grandfather,” Jeha said. “Please get well soon. I look forward to having a meal with you when you get home.”
Chae Wook smiled, reaching for Jeha’s left hand. His hands shook and felt fragile when they gripped Jeha’s strong hand. Fear squeezed Jeha’s heart at the sight of his grandfather looking so frail. The dark signet ring he wore on his left middle finger looked as though it was swimming, highlighting his grandfather’s weight loss.
Jeha suffered a moment of panic. This man always seemed larger than life to him. It was too difficult to see him in a hospital bed.
“Eat more while you’re here,” Jeha urged.
“Don’t worry so much,” Chae Wook said, giving him a small smile. “I’ll be out of this room soon. I’m hoping to play a round of golf with you. Will you make the time?”
“Always, Grandpa,” Jeha said.
“Good,” Chae Wook said, patting Jeha’s hand, he let go with a light squeeze.
Jeha started to leave and his mother got up.
“I’ll walk you out,” Maria said her tone not leaving room to protest.
Jeha let her lead the way out the door.
Sui Writes 
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