And I was about to learn exactly what the Dragon had planned for the Fox.
Chapter seventeen
War Strategy
Nyomi
Twenty minutes later, we finished eating and the guards wheeled in a table—larger, heavier, and draped with a black silk cloth that concealed whatever lay beneath.
My heart kicked up a notch.
They positioned it carefully next to us.
Next, the guard pulled away the cloth.
I sucked in a breath.
It was a board—but not like any chess or game board I'd ever seen. This was a masterpiece, a work of art and strategy combined.
The surface was painted to look like a world map, countries rendered in meticulous detail. But what made my skin prickle were the pieces on the countries.
Tons of them.
Scattered across continents.
Kenji stood and moved to the board.
I rose on unsteady legs and came to stand beside him.
"There’s the world you know, Tora." Kenji pointed to the board. "And then there is the criminal underworld, pumping danger, violence, and vengeance beneath it.”
I swallowed down dread.
“Every piece you see represents power. Territory. Blood." His finger moved to Japan first, where two large pieces sat side by side.
A Dragon, carved from dark jade and eyes made from rubies. Next to it was a Fox piece, sleek and silver, teeth bared in a permanent snarl.
"My father and I. To the world, we rule together in Japan. But now all know in our underworld that I set off those bombs to fully take the throne. For these days of war, everyone will be waiting to see which one of us survives."
The weight of those words settled over me.
His hand swept to the smaller pieces throughout the continent of Asia.
"India." He pointed to a serpent piece, coiled and ready to strike. "The Naga Syndicate controls that country. They run drugs, arms, trafficking. They’re ruthless."
Thailand had a golden elephant, small but ornate. He touched its horn. "This is the Royal Ivory Cartel. At this time, they have moderate power, but could be a problem in the years to come."
Malaysia's piece was a tiny tiger.
Korea had a steel crane.
Then China. . .it had a blue Ace card stood upright, medium-sized, painted with gold trim.
"This represents the Four Aces. While they control China, they operate from the United States. Their business is mainlyweapons, but they dabble in gambling, tech, and money laundering. I would say that the Four Aces are dangerous because they have roots in two continents."
My eyes moved west, across the ocean to the United States where their Four Aces piece stood right next to a massive diamond and appeared to dominate all of the States.
Kenji noticed me looking over there. "That’s the Diamond Syndicate, the biggest criminal organization in North America. The Four Aces is a part of them.”
