Season One, Episode Twelve: Made in Taiwan

Charlo' had parked her car on the top of a multistory parking lot in the financial district. Markus had put a cheap pair of dark jeans over his swimming trunks. He was leaning against the hood of her car, Charlo' standing next to him, her hands in the pockets of her jeans.
The sun was softer than usual, even if Markus was sweating.
‘Do you need a maid to do your dirty work in Taiwan just like you wanted me to here?’
‘It's not like that. I just need someone to watch my back.’
‘Nice. Who's paying for all of this, for the tickets, the hotel?’
He offered her a piece of marzipan.
‘I've got enough money for both of us. Taiwan isn't that expensive.’
‘How long are you planning to stay? Remember the shooting range. I've got a job here. If I don't show up in a week's time, they'll find some other good-looking chick like me.’
‘No, they won't. Two weeks is all I need. If after one week, you don't like what you see, you can come back. I won't hold you back,’ Markus said.
‘Isn't it going to be as dangerous as our dip into the pool?’
‘Admit it, you had some fun.’
‘Fun being used as a shield while you shoot people and dive into a pool? No thanks, I don't call that fun.’
Markus Bentley bit off a piece of marzipan.
‘Whom are you going to kill in Taiwan?’ she asked.
‘Nobody if I can avoid it,’ he said, looking down at the car's front bumper.
‘You did I don't know what to that guard in his home, you killed a whole battalion by the pool, and now you're off to kill people overseas. How many people killed your sister?’
Markus wiped the sweat off his face with the sleeve of his T-shirt.
‘The man in the hotel told me where to go and how to find what I'm looking for.’
‘The man you killed after he gave you the gun?’
‘I didn't kill him. The people in the helicopter did.’
‘Explain one thing to me. With all the carnage that's been going on around you, how come the police still haven't found you?’
Markus shrugged.
‘They don't know me, I'm not on their radar.’
‘What about your sister's funeral?’
He sighed.
‘It's too dangerous for me now. Her friends and colleagues will take care of that.’
They remained silent for a few seconds.
‘One more practical thing, Markus. Your sister was killed, you killed her killer. What does that make you? A fugitive from the law at best, a murderer at worst. How do you think you're going to get through customs onto your flight to Taiwan?’
‘If you're afraid, we'll travel separately. We'll have seats together, but we'll check in as if we're strangers, if that's what bothering you.’
Now it was her turn to sigh.
‘What's bothering me is that you expect a woman you're not familiar with to travel with you half the way around the world on what might be another murderous outing. I don't want to be sitting on your lap when they fire up the electric chair.’
‘I need a smart woman to babysit me.’
‘Filthy sexist pig.’
‘Now we're talking.’
They both bended double laughing.
‘What is there to see in Taiwan?’ she asked.
He turned away from her and delved into his bag on the back seat of the car. Out he came with the Chinese statuette of the three old men.
‘Charlo', meet the Three Elders.’
‘So this is your way of telling me we are going to Taiwan because of some cheap souvenirs?’

NEXT: Markus Bentley and Charlo' arrive in Taiwan in Season One, Episode Thirteen before January 22.