How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

When lunch came to an end, President Cho Seokchin left the safe house to continue with his afternoon schedule. Advisor Graff and his people also departed. Aside from me, only a few people remained at the residence.

At that moment, Chairman Gomez addressed me in a smooth voice.

“Managing Director Cha, I have something confidential to discuss with you. Do you have a little time?”

‘What is he planning to talk about?’

“Of course. I’m entirely at your disposal.”

Chairman Park Yeongil, who had been watching our exchange carefully, intervened.

“Chairman Gomez, this safe house belongs to a government agency.”

“Ah, that’s true.”

“Our company’s office is nearby. Why don’t we continue the conversation there?”

***

The chairman’s office at Korea Investment.

Chairman Bongard settled onto an empty sofa and spoke to Park Yeongil.

“The scenery outside the window is simply magnificent.”

“Haha. Thank you.”

While Chairman Park Yeongil smiled gently, a secretary served drinks. After taking a sip to wet his throat, Park Yeongil asked Chairman Gomez a question.

“It seems you’re on rather close terms with President Douglas. Is that true?”

“Close terms? Please don’t say that.”

“...?”

“That man and I grew up in completely different environments, so I don’t have the slightest desire to be friends with him. It’s just that I once saved his life, and we’ve had strong ties ever since.”

“Would you tell us what happened?”

Chairman Gomez closed his eyes, sinking into his memories, then slowly began to speak.

“That man made quite a few enemies because of his loose tongue.”

“I know that very well.”

“Then it will be easier for you to understand. Back when he was serving in the House of Representatives, he introduced a bill for the forced deportation of illegal immigrants. And the illegals who suddenly found themselves facing deportation decided to eliminate him.”

Chairman Gomez paused for breath and continued.

“The illegals hired a gang operating in Chicago to get rid of him. That gang happened to have its own grudge against him at the time, so they accepted the job. They kidnapped him and were just about to drown him in the Atlantic Ocean, but I saved him at the very last moment.”

“How did you find out about the kidnapping?”

“His advisor came running to me, begging me to save his boss.”

“Wouldn’t it have been faster to go to the police or the FBI?”

“Absolutely not. Our police and the FBI are famous for being slow.”

“With all due respect, Chairman Gomez, aren’t you an ordinary businessman?”

“Ha-ha-ha!”

Chairman Gomez suddenly burst into loud, satisfied laughter. Not understanding what was so amusing, we stared at him. A moment later, he finished laughing and continued.

“Chairman Park, thank you for thinking so highly of me.”

“Could it be...”

“Yes, that ‘could it be.’ I lead the largest mafia organization in our country—the Gomez family.”

“Hm, as I thought.”

Chairman Gomez looked slightly bewildered. Usually, when people heard that he was a mafia boss, they were terrified. Yet, for some reason, the Koreans were sitting there completely unfazed. With a trace of surprise, he cautiously asked Park Yeongil why they were so calm.

“In truth, I also control the underworld of our country.”

“Ah...”

Only then did Chairman Gomez nod in understanding. Seeing that their exchange had come to an end, Chairman Bongard turned to me.

“Managing Director Cha, did you know who Chairman Gomez was?”

“When you mentioned Chairman Gomez during my business trip to the United States, I only had vague suspicions. But last night, while drinking with Gloria, I became certain.”

“Vague suspicions? What do you mean?”

“The only ones capable of removing former Vice President Addams without causing any noise or leaving any traces, then sinking him in the Pacific Ocean, would be either an intelligence agency or a gang. But intelligence agencies had no reason to eliminate him.”

“Correct. Continue.”

“The subject of the mafia came up at the table, and Gloria reacted surprisingly calmly. When I asked her why, she avoided answering and said I would understand everything in time. That was when I concluded that Chairman Gomez might be the head of a mafia clan.”

“Hm, quite logical.”

Chairman Bongard nodded, agreeing with my reasoning. To clear away the last of my doubts, I turned to Chairman Gomez himself.

“Chairman, does Director Nevers know your true status?”

“Of course he does.”

“Then I’m curious why American law enforcement still hasn’t touched the Gomez family.”

“I decided that if the organization remained purely criminal, it would have no future...”

To briefly summarize Chairman Gomez’s lengthy explanation, the essence was that the Gomez family did not do anything that would give the intelligence agencies or the police an opening to corner them.

“But even a monkey can fall from a tree.”

“Exactly. That’s why we cooperate closely with intelligence agencies and law enforcement.”

“Are you saying you pay them bribes?”

“Of course not. How could we?”

There was only one way for the Gomez family to maintain friendly relations with intelligence agencies and the police. Staying in the shadows, they simply did all the dirty work for them and saved them from headaches. To verify my guess, I cautiously asked Chairman Gomez about it.

“That’s correct. We not only provide them with necessary information, but also resolve matters they cannot approach themselves because of the law.”

“To be honest, I don’t quite understand your last point.”

“Hm...”

Chairman Gomez hesitated, as if weighing whether to continue. Fortunately, he did not think for long.

“Let’s suppose a gang kidnapped an influential politician. The laws in our country are structured in such a way that rescuing him requires going through a great many formalities and procedures. Naturally, during that time, there is a high probability that something irreversible will happen.”

“Ah, now I understand what you mean.”

“Well then, let’s end this topic here.”

I still had more questions, but if Chairman Gomez did not wish to elaborate, what could I do?

“Understood.”

“By the way, do you understand why I wanted to meet with you, Managing Director Cha?”

“I have no idea.”

“I had two reasons for this meeting.”

“I’m listening carefully.”

“New York is the economic center of the world, and many gangs are looking for any opportunity to establish themselves there. The Lucino family, which controls neighboring Philadelphia, is currently eyeing our territory in New York. What should we do with them?”

I understood that Chairman Gomez was testing me. His question was so simple that even a schoolchild could answer it.

‘Yeah. Thinking too long will only make it worse.’

“Personally, I truly dislike it when someone reaches for my belongings.”

“Haha, it seems I asked too empty a question.”

“I’m glad my answer was helpful. What is the second reason?”

“Two years ago, Golden Health was put up for sale. Our company immediately began reviewing the possibility of acquiring it. But then, out of nowhere, people from the Triad appeared and bought it out from under us. We would like to take Golden Health for ourselves. Is there any effective way to do that?”

In truth, as soon as Chairman Gomez said it was an important matter, I had immediately guessed that it would be about Golden Health. After all, Gloria had already mentioned it while we were drinking yesterday. After briefly thinking over how to phrase my response, I continued the conversation.

“Why don’t you simply acquire Golden Health legally?”

“Managing Director Cha, you know that the Triad manages that company. If the FBI and the police arrest its leadership, Golden Health will fall into chaos.”

“I suppose it would.”

“The stock price will collapse, and the shareholders will suffer enormous losses. I want to minimize the shock and absorb Golden Health quietly.”

“I understand your point. Now listen to what I think about this.”

“Please, go ahead.”

Chairman Gomez even leaned forward impatiently, waiting for my answer.

“If you make a deal with the FBI, you can take Golden Health quietly.”

“A deal with the FBI?”

“For the FBI to clear out the American branch of the Triad, the American side must accept the three conditions put forward by our country. And to carry out those conditions, representatives from South Korea and the United States must first sit down at the negotiating table.”

I paused briefly to catch my breath and continued.

“Let’s assume the negotiations end successfully. After that, the FBI will begin preparing to eliminate the Triad.”

“Naturally.”

“I believe it will take the FBI at least two weeks to prepare for the elimination of the Triad’s American branch.”

“The FBI is nowhere near as fast as people think.”

“Fine, let’s say it takes a month. No one knows what could happen during that month while they’re dragging their feet.”

“Hm... That makes sense.”

“So I have a counterproposal. Why doesn’t the Gomez family do the FBI’s work for them and clear out the Triad’s American branch on its own as quickly as possible?”

Only now did Chairman Gomez fully understand exactly what kind of deal Cha Jiham meant. He was proposing that they destroy the Triad in the United States, then demand that Director Nevers hand over Golden Health in return. It was an excellent idea, but one concern remained.

“Managing Director Cha, Director Nevers will surely object. Such an achievement would be taken away from him.”

“We were the ones who eliminated the Korean branch of the Triad, but the press still believes it was our police’s achievement.”

In other words, everything simply needed to be presented as though the FBI had been the one to crush the Triad’s American branch.

“And if Director Nevers still gets stubborn and refuses?”

“Hint to him that there may be a rat inside the FBI working for the Triad.”

“Ha-ha-ha!”

Chairman Gomez laughed loudly, having perfectly understood the hidden meaning behind my words. When his laughter died down, Chairman Bongard, who had a question of his own, joined the conversation.

“Managing Director Cha, but if the Gomez family eliminates the Triad in the United States, couldn’t President Douglas go back on his word and withhold the concessions he promised Korea?”

“He doesn’t care much about the destruction of the Triad’s American branch.”

“I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

“What he’s interested in is Governor Brant, the man protecting that very Triad.”

“Hm, knowing his character, that does sound like him.”

“And we’ll only hand over the compromising material on Governor Brant to the American side after we receive every promised concession.”

“Ah, now everything falls into place.”

Leaving the satisfied Bongard behind, I dialed Commissioner General Choi Dongyeong. After a few rings, his surprised voice came through the phone.

[Managing Director Cha, did something happen?]

“Commissioner, I need to discuss an important matter with you.”

[Yes? I’m listening.]

“Right now, I’m speaking with Chairman Gomez and Chairman Bongard.”

I explained the entire conversation to Choi Dongyeong in detail and revealed Chairman Gomez’s true status.

“...Chairman Gomez is planning to clear out the Triad’s American branch instead of the FBI.”

[And Director Nevers will agree to that?]

In the end, everyone was thinking the same thing.

“Chairman Gomez will handle that problem himself.”

[Understood. What help do you need from us?]

“As soon as Director Nevers gives his approval, simply hand over all of our analytical materials on the Triad’s American branch to them.”

[That’s only natural.]

“Oh, right! And don’t forget to squeeze the two billion dollars included in our three conditions out of Chairman Gomez.”

[But wasn’t that amount supposed to be paid by the American government?]

“Chairman Gomez will collect that money from the White House himself afterward.”

After discussing a few more details with the Commissioner General, I hung up.

“Chairman Gomez, we’ll prepare all the transfer documents on our side.”

“So all that’s left for me to do is obtain Director Nevers’s consent?”

We understood each other without needing to say another word