Play For Your Team

Jack now needs to decide if he should get up from behind the counter and show himself. He is caught, right? According to Nitte, she has super hearing and a super sense of smell. In that case, she must have noticed he has been following her.

No wonder she didn't look back earlier when he was running behind her. She was intentionally pretending that she didn't hear him. At several points, he was sure he would be discovered but she acted like she didn't hear a thing.

Or should Jack play dumb right now? If Nitte was playing dumb, he can play dumb too. Yes. Jack is going to play dumb now.

"So what did Keith want Jack to do?" Jie Ai continues to ask, not sensing anything.

Nitte lets out a small laugh, "Keith is just so obvious. He wants Jack to look into a missing girl in New Hampshire. I'm pretty sure Keith wants Jack to suspect the FBI and the state police are trying to find a missing person because authorities think this girl to have ties with a Middle Eastern radical group. Jack is not going to be able to really find out any details, but he will think so."

"What would that benefit Keith, by creating that doubt?" Jie Ai asks. That's the same thing that Jack wants to ask as well.

"So Jack will do things for Keith, thinking he is helping to defeat the stereotypical radicals."

Jack wonders if Nitte is saying this on purpose, knowing that he is listening.

Jack does suspect that the missing PhD student, Jamila, is getting the FBI's involvement so quickly because she has Middle Eastern background. And then Kasim Bashar is arrested because Kasim Bashar is investigating some threats to rural America. Kasim Bashar also has a Middle Eastern background. There seems to be a common theme going on here.

Squatting in the kitchen is making Jack's legs sore now, so he decides to switch his position and sits on the floor instead. But after sitting down, he kind of wants to leave and talk to Bob about this. He would have not minded to discuss this with Nitte, but he would rather do so if Jie Ai isn't around.

Nitte continues to explain to Jie Ai: "Keith is plotting something about the crude oil pipelines along the rural America. He wants to make the police and the FBI think this is all the Middle Eastern group's scheme. I even think he purposely make your witness, Mr. Lai, see and hear the talks about bombs and explosions intentionally. So that he could throw suspicions onto Middle Eastern communities even more."

"Oh... and probably throw suspicions on Eastern Europeans. Because two witnesses say they hear those talks from men with heavy Eastern European accent."

"Yes, good point. Creating and casting doubts on the usual suspects. The stereotypical bad guys. Wouldn't it be more fun if you turn out to be the bad guy?" Nitte laughs.

"Me?" Jie Ai sounds surprised. "Why would it be more fun that I am a bad guy? I don't even look like one."

"Exactly my point! I feel like there are not enough polite Asian men who turn out to be villains."

"Really?" Jie Ai makes a noise, "I haven't thought about that. Ha ha."

"Please let me know if you turn out to be the bad guy," Nitte says in a cute voice, patronizing him.

Hearing this almost flirty voice, Jack is a little annoyed.

"Well, I am not. I am trying to help you. Because I also want to solve the mysteries you have mentioned to me." Jie Ai's voice sounds very gentle.

"Aww. Thank you."

Jack realizes that Nitte never really explains to him what mysteries she wants him to help solve. But she has apparently told Jie Ai.

Ugh. Jack wants to leave now. What is he doing here, hiding in a kitchen, eavesdropping.

Jack decides that he will tell Bob what he hears about Keith in the morning. See what Bob thinks. And then, he will call..., um, no..., just send some messages to Nitte, asking to meet her, asking her to explain what she wants to do. He wants to tell her that he can help, too. Although he is not entirely sure what Nitte is up to, Jack wants to be on her team.

Nitte and Jie Ai talk a little bit more about some history stuff about Jie Ai's great grand father and such, and Jack is starting to feel drowsy. Jack hear something that suddenly makes him more alerted.

"So, you want to go to a desert with me to bury the Fox Tail? So the Fox Fairy will finally have peace?" Nitte asks.

"Yeah. I can take time off. I am thinking we can either go to Las Vegas or somewhere in Arizona, make it a bit of a fun trip. You say Fox Fairy doesn't mind which desert, right? As long as it is a desert in America, right?"

"Right. I don't mind either way. We can go to Las Vegas, I guess. "

What!? They are thinking of taking a vacation to Las Vegas together? And, Nitte has revealed her secret power to Jie Ai? Maybe Nitte decides to tell Jie Ai why she needs to take that Fox Tail from him-- which is to complete Fox Fairy's wish. If Nitte finds Fox Fairy's tail and buries the tail in a desert for Fox Fairy, in return, Nitte will have a forever and even stronger seduction power.

What does Jie Ai have in him that Nitte includes him on her team? Simply because he could speak Chinese? Does he really speak Chinese, though? It's not like anyone has really heard him say it. He just claims he does. Or is it because Jie Ai's family has the Fox Tail?

"Well, I am glad that you are willing to help me with my little missions." Nitte says, "We need to eventually find that 'Legend' who seems to never die. I can't believe you have met someone who had personally seen 'The Legend' when he was in China. That is such a big clue!"

"Yeah. But we must be careful. We cannot let Keith find 'The legend.'" Jie Ai replies.

Oh. Nitte recruits Jie Ai because Jie Ai has some clues about 'The Legend.'

Hmm. To be honest, Jack thinks he has some clues about 'The Legend' as well. Jack just doesn't think he should tell anyone about it.

"Well, I think you should go to sleep, Jay," Nitte says tenderly.

"Sure. I should go to bed. Help yourself with anything. Have a good night. Talk to you tomorrow." Jie Ai says, standing up, walking upstairs.

Nitte also stands up. Some chair noises and then the sound footsteps. Jie Ai then disappears into the staircase. Nitte casually walks over to the kitchen.

But by the time she reaches the kitchen, Jack is not there anymore. Nitte smirks.

Indeed. Jack has secretly slipped out of the kitchen using the back door.

As Jack walks away from Jie Ai's house, he tries to summarize what he knows so far.

1. Nitte is putting together a team of talents. She has recruited Andyo and Jie Ai. She is doing this because wants to solve mysteries and compete against Keith.

2. Nitte trusts Jie Ai enough to tell him about her secret powers.

3. Nitte is also looking for 'the Legend' and she doesn't want Keith to find 'the Legend.'

As Jack walks back to his apartment, he thinks he sees a shadow from the corner of his left eye. Jack turns slightly.

Oh shit. It's a red fox standing under the faint street light. A beautiful red fox that doesn't belong in the streets of New York City. Of course, that's Nitte.

"Hello Nitte." Jack says, hands in his pockets.

Nitte changes herself back into a human. "Why didn't you say 'Hi' earlier at Jay's house? So rude."

"Nah. I was just gathering information. Didn't want to interrupt you guys."

"OK. Good. I said all that for you anyway." She smiles.

"Well. I was going to contact you again tomorrow." Jack looks at her face.

"For what?"

"To touch up on my shapeshifting skill. I am a little rusty already. I'd like to practice how to do that again. Also, just wanted to let you know I want to play for your team."

Nitte chuckles a little.

Damn it. Why does she look so pretty now. Jack never thinks of her that way, but he does now.

Nitte walks a little closer to him. "No problem. Go home. Get some sleep. I'll talk to you soon."

"Can you stay with me tonight? I won't be doing anything to you. Just.... If you need a place to spend overnight, you can spend it at my apartment." Jack says softly.

Nitte suddenly punches Jack's chest, "No. Your apartment is a mess. I'd rather sleep at Jie Ai's guest room. Oh. Get ready to be on a trip at some point. My boss will be paying for the expenses, so don't worry about the traveling costs. Just try to ask time off. You won't be going to Las Vegas with me. But I do intend to include you on other trips. After I train you a little more."

"Oh." Jack is a little surprised but also quite happy to hear that.

"Bye." Nitte takes a step back.

"Wait. Boss? Who is your boss? Who do you work for?"

Nitte walks away, as a human. The pair of shorts she wears make her legs look longer. Her hips sway left and right a tiny little bit as she leaves. Jack can't help but think of how her legs wrapped around his waist and how he pouts his hands on her hips.

Suddenly, a pop song Jack heard on the radio the other day comes to Jack's head. Usually, Jack doesn't listen to any popular songs, but he doesn't know why this song is in his head now. He's not even sure who the singer is. The lyrics go "I need you to stay, need you to stay, hey."