Run answered the phone.

"Hello? Fah?"

"Yes, are you here?"

"Yeah, we arrived a while ago. I called but you didn't answer, so we checked into a bungalow."

"We? Who's we?" As soon as he spoke Fah regretted the brusqueness of his tone.

"Mek and I."

"Does anyone else know where you are?"

"We told everyone we're taking a couple's vacation to test our compatibility. We said we were going to Koh Samui and after we meet up with you that's what we'll do. We'll drive back to Bangkok and fly out the same day, I have an aunt who owns a hotel there."

"Oh, okay."

"Where do you want to meet?"

"Open your door."

"What?"

"I said open your bungalow door." Run opened the door and found Fah standing on his doorstep. They hung up their phones and hugged.

"Hi, Fah!" yelled Mek from inside. Joining the other two at the doorway Mek said, "Fah, you're a good friend but you need to find something to occupy your time tonight. I was about to make a man out of your brother!" All three laughed although Run's ears turned red.

"I do have something to occupy me tonight. Come next door and I'll show you." The three men headed to Fah's bungalow.

"Is it a clue to where Lom is?" asked Run.

"Sort of...," said Fah as he opened his door. "Go on in."

As soon as they were inside Mek cried out, "Lom!"

"Hey, Mek," said Lom. He groaned as he stood, his hand on his stomach. "Don't hug me, I haven't healed all the way."

Although Lom's condition improved each day, his body was still sore.

"You found him? Why didn't you tell me?" asked Run, his mouth agape.

"He found me, at the Aloha restaurant that day. He was in the bathroom stall with me," said Fah.

"Oh my god, did I walk in on my brother having sex," laughed Run.

"No! Lom could barely stand, he'd been shot twice. Also, I wouldn't leave a business lunch to have sex in the bathroom; I do have some standards," said Fah, laughing.

"Who shot you? Why didn't you go home and tell your dad? I'm sure he'd make them pay," said Mek.

"That's the problem; he's the one who shot me."

"What?" Run and Mek said in stereo.

"Yeah, he was in bad shape. I called a friend who picked us up behind the restaurant and drove us here. I removed the bullet from his stomach, patched him up and we've just been relaxing while he heals and gains strength," said Fah.

"Why don't you go to the police? They've gone from suspecting you of shooting Lom and blaming you for his disappearance to naming you as a suspect in his kidnapping and murder. If they see he's alive, they'll leave you alone," said Run.

Hearing this, Fah said, "Are you kidding me?" He took several steps away before he stopped, turned around, and stood with his arms crossed. After a moment he said, "That's hilarious."

"Why do you say that?" asked Lom.

"Ton spent his whole life making a living from illegal businesses. I'm a lawyer, working for another lawyer, and I'm the son of an upstanding judge. The police believe Ton and go after me for murder." He shook his head.

"It is a bit unbelievable," said Run.

"What happened that day, Lom?" Mek asked.

"After Fah left the condo I followed him to the police station and then to your house where he reunited with all of you. Once I was sure he was safe, I returned to my parent's home. I came through the gate and parked. It was unusually quiet and no one was around but I didn't think too much about it. As I rounded the back corner of the house, my father was waiting for me with a gun and shot me in the stomach. I turned and ran to my car, and used it as a shield. When I heard him reload, I ran to the woods. He shot at me several more times and grazed my shoulder before I tripped and rolled down a hill."

"Holy shit," said Mek.

"It was so unexpected and confusing. I kept running deeper into the woods and when I reached our property line I got worried. Dad had our land surrounded by an electric fence to keep us inside when we were kids. Luckily, the electric current was off - birds were sitting on it and they were fine."

"I forgot about that fence. We still got out, Lom built a ramp over it at a spot with a low tree," said Fah.

"After climbing over the fence I kept going until I found a road. As kids, we used to explore back there although Dad would have killed us for leaving the property. Once on the road, I stopped a car and paid the driver to take me to my condo. I had him drop me off a few blocks away and I hid behind cars and trees as I approached. Sure enough, Ton's men were on the street and in the parking garage."

"Wow, I asked Khun Korn if he could get permission for me to stay in your condo until you came back. He didn't want me to, and now I'm glad I didn't. Ton would have probably killed me while waiting to kill you! I'm sorry for interrupting, Lom, go on," Fah said.

"I walked to my bank and got money out, as much as possible without closing the account. I took a Grab ride over to Fah's office because I wasn't sure if Fah lived with your family (he nodded at Run) or if he had his own place. Overnight I sat in an alley between two businesses with a good view of the office door." Lom paused to drink some water.

"The next day I saw you guys arrive at the office and then go out a bit later. I called Fah's name several times but he didn't hear me. I followed your group to the Japanese restaurant but I couldn't walk fast enough. Besides, there was no way the restaurant would have let me in as I was covered in blood and dirt. My clothes were torn and I hadn't showered so I'm sure I smelled. I waited and sooner than I expected everyone came out and headed to Aloha. I went around back, snuck in with a delivery, and waited in the bathroom."

"What if I hadn't gone to the bathroom?" asked Fah.

"At least I had air conditioning and could make calls using their phone after they closed. That way the police couldn't track my calls to Fah or Mek."

"Wow, you planned that out," Mek said, impressed.

"Except for the part where you were too weak and passed out," Fah reminded Lom

"Yeah, that was a surprise," said Lom.

"Fah, how did you know Lom was in the bathroom?" asked Run.

"I didn't! He scared the hell out of me. I went to the bathroom and thought I was alone. The next thing I knew, someone whispered my name softly. I opened the stall and found Lom. When I discovered how hurt he was I called a friend to pick us up."

"You could have told us. Mek, Uncle Korn, and I, we would have helped you."

"No offense but I had no idea who else was in the restaurant or if Ton was friends with the owner or any of the staff. I didn't want Ton to find out about Lom. Also, and please never repeat this because as friends and coworkers I love them, but Ohm and Win were with you. Ohm is too gossipy and I didn't want anything on social media."

"Are you going to take Lom home with you now?" asked Mek.

"I want to bring Lom home but he's afraid Ton will do anything to silence him. Since Ton was already after Khun Adi, and he wants me dead as well, Lom's afraid he wouldn't hesitate to send someone to kill the whole family," said Fah.

"That's why you should go to the police first and alert the press to be there as well. Let them know he's alive. If it's all out in the open Ton would have to be careful. He might give up," said Mek.

"The police should arrest Ton for lying to them about the shooting and disappearance. After all, so many of them have been working on this case," said Run.

"You have no idea how many police and government officials are on Ton's payroll. I won't risk anyone else getting hurt or killed because of me," said Lom.

"What's your plan then?" asked Mek.

"I want to run away to another country and live with him," said Fah.

"The murder accusation will never go away if you do that and you'll be in trouble. No one is going to hire a lawyer suspected of murder," Run reminded Fah.

"Exactly! I want Fah to stay with me another week until I'm strong enough. After that, he can go home and speak with the police. I'll go into hiding for a year. Fah and I can use burner phones to check in with each other every week, but we can't see each other during this time in case Ton or the police follow us," said Lom.

"A year is such a long time," said Fah, his shoulders dropped as his voice trailed off.

"I know, but after a year Ton will assume either I wandered off and died somewhere or I'm too afraid to fight back and no longer a problem."

"What's Fah supposed to do while you're apart? If he's alone, doing nothing, it will seem odd. Do you want him to date someone so everyone thinks he is over you?" asked Run.

"No!" yelled Lom as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I would never date anyone else. Not only because I love Lom, but I'd feel awful using someone else. I don't want to play with another person's feelings. I'll say I'm in mourning over Lom abandoning me and using my time to re-learn my job after the amnesia. I have to do that anyway so it wouldn't be a lie," said Fah.

"Are you going to date anyone, Lom?" asked Run, a hint of accusation in his tone.

"No."

"You better not. My brother is a great guy who deserves the best. For some reason, he's in love with you despite everything that happened. Don't ever let me hear you've hurt him again or I'll make sure our parents never accept you!"

"Hey, hey, calm down Run. We're speaking in hypotheticals. Let's be happy. Lom is alive and safe and right now we're all together. How should we celebrate?" Mek said, patting Run's back. He wanted the tension to end.