Fortune’s Fool | 3

Summary

Blood Will Tell — Episode 3: "Fortune’s Fool"

Host: Jen Miller (Campside Media)
Release Date: March 19, 2026

---

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the precarious double lives of Vietnamese-American identical twins, Trung and Ahn, whose involvement with gang life in San Jose unfolds against the backdrop of family expectations, cultural ties, and the haunting weight of violence. Through pivotal memories and present-day consequences, listeners witness the mounting pressures and pivotal choices the brothers must face—a journey that sets the stage for a life-altering event.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Allure and Danger of Double Lives

• Trung’s Double Life (01:02–04:00)

  • Trung recounts breaking into a Vietnamese family’s home and feeling guilt—quickly replaced by envy and resentment toward people who seem to have what he was denied.
  • Quote: "I looked away, just tried to not look at the family pictures and completed what I was there to do." (03:41, Trung)
  • The moment illustrates the internal struggle Trung experiences, swinging between the innocent kid his father wants him to be and the hardened criminal fueled by resentment.

• Scouting vs. Street Life (05:31–08:15)

  • Both brothers take pride in their roles in an all-Vietnamese Boy Scout troop—Trung even runs for Senior Patrol Leader.
  • Trung proudly wears "drug money shoes" to the election, symbolizing his successful compartmentalization of both worlds.
    • Quote: "Every single week I would wear a different pair of shoes. And the kids are all commenting on that." (07:24, Trung)
  • Trung is effortlessly elected, while Ahn, despite his promotion, struggles with the public shame of an ankle monitor.
    • Quote: "One of the kids told the parents and then the parents told my Scout master. She cried." (09:10, Ahn)
  • Ahn’s self-awareness and longing for acceptance are palpable, especially as he points out: "I enjoy listening to Rihanna, Beyonce, Green Day, like, that’s not gangster." (09:44, Ahn)

2. Loss, Violence, and Consequences

• Loss of a Friend (10:25–11:15)

  • Ahn learns of Vincent’s stabbing during a Boy Scout trip—a wake-up call to the truly life-or-death stakes of gang affiliation.
    • Quote: "That’s the first time I realized that this is some serious stuff." (10:57, Ahn)

• Escalating Paranoia (13:36–14:00)

  • As friends are killed or arrested, both brothers are drawn even deeper into gang life, feeling abandoned and isolated.

• Brutal Betrayal & Self-Harm (15:09–17:59)

  • Trung is beaten by friends on Bobby’s orders—a brutal lesson in gang loyalty. Ahn feels helpless.
    • Quote: "I just like kind of felt helpless in a way that I couldn’t do anything." (15:46, Ahn)
  • Trung’s isolation and desperation surface in a private act of self-harm.
    • Quote: "I felt very lonely. I felt like there was like nobody there when everybody was there." (17:01, Trung)

3. Seeking Redemption, Facing Reality

• A Glimpse of Hope (18:41–19:44)

  • Trung meets a mentor-like figure named Tim at a diversion program, who speaks openly about change.
    • Quote: "He was being vulnerable." (19:03, Trung)
  • But Bobby nips this connection in the bud—Tim is from an enemy gang, and even mentoring is poisoned by gang politics.

• The Tragedy of Being Identical (21:59–23:11)

  • During a violent confrontation involving Tim, the twins realize their indistinguishable faces make them easy targets for retaliation.
    • Quote: "Because he recognized my face being a twin, consequences happen. Significant consequences." (21:59, Trung)
  • A "green light" is put out on them, marking them for death—a chilling reality.
    • Quote: "So many people have been ordered to attack. And oftentimes that means with very severe violence that can be fatal." (22:56, Trung)

4. Parallel Tracks: Normal Life and Threat

• Attempting ‘Normalcy’ Under Threat (24:48–26:04)

  • Despite intense paranoia, the twins graduate, start community college, and try to build ordinary lives—but the looming threat never dissipates.
    • Quote: "Like maybe I can do something different. Maybe I don’t have to try to invest into this kind of lifestyle." (25:19, Trung)

• The Ambush at the Club and Escape (26:04–29:35)

  • Trung is attacked at a club by Tim’s crew. In a movie-like sequence, he escapes through a wall, through several rooms, and finally out the back door into the night.
    • Quote: "I could just be executed right there. That was what was going through my mind. Just keep going, keep going. Forcing my legs to keep running." (28:27, Trung)

• No Protection From the “Family” (30:01–31:02)

  • Trung expects his gang to rally for him—only to be told he should have stood his ground and taken the beating.
    • Quote: "Man, next time, just take it. Just stand there, get fucked up, right, and then get them back." (30:01, Trung)
  • The crushing realization: the organization expects ultimate loyalty but guarantees nothing in return.
    • Quote: "I feel like I inherited something that was so much bigger than myself and the organization. I don’t think they even prioritize my protection." (30:20, Trung)

5. Inevitable Tragedy Looms

• Sacrifice On the Horizon (31:02–32:38)
  • Desperate to prove himself, Trung is drawn toward a fateful decision—one that will cost another person’s life and ultimately, his own brother’s freedom.
    • Quote: "Trung will end a man’s life. And then he’ll sacrifice the one and only thing he still holds close. The person who is most important to him. His brother." (31:40, Jen Miller)
  • Trung reflects, after the event: "I knew what he wanted to say. Why are you out? And why am I in here? He was crying and begging to get him out." (32:30, Trung)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Trung’s guilt and envy:
  "I was hit with a wave of shame and guilt. I was like, damn, I'm doing this to my own people." (02:05, Trung)

• The moment a fun day turns dangerous:
  "I had always seen trampolines in the backyard of somebody's house...I hopped on and just started jumping..." (00:35, Trung)
  "The trampoline doesn't belong to a friend. It's not even in the backyard of anyone he knows. He and some friends have come to this house to rob it." (01:23, Jen Miller)

• Loss of innocence and realization of consequences:
  "That's the first time I realized that this is some serious stuff." (10:49, Ahn, after Vincent’s death)

• Survival and escape under threat:
  "Just keep running, keep running. I could just be executed right there." (28:27, Trung, club attack escape)

• Crushing recognition of expendability:
  "What I expected from an organization like that was having backup...But it wasn’t like that at all. I don’t think it was ever like that for us." (30:20, Trung)

• Foreshadowing the next devastating chapter:
  "Trung will end a man’s life. And then he’ll sacrifice...his brother." (31:40, Jen Miller)

---

Important Timestamps

• Trung’s Breaking Point over Family Pictures: 02:05–02:48
• Boy Scout Election, Trung's ‘Double Life’: 05:31–08:15
• Ahn’s Arrest & Ankle Monitor: 08:52–09:31
• Death of Vincent: 10:25–10:57
• Trung’s Beating: 15:09–16:22
• Self-Harm After Beating: 17:01–17:54
• Meeting Tim (Diversion Program): 18:41–19:44
• Green Light on Twins: 22:07–23:11
• Assault at Club & Escape: 26:04–29:29
• Gang’s Response & Trung’s Realization: 30:01–31:02
• Foreshadowing the Crime & Sacrifice: 31:40–32:38

---

Episode Tone & Style

Gritty, vulnerable, and reflective. The speakers alternate between matter-of-fact storytelling and raw emotional confession, lending both immediacy and gravity to the narrative. Jen’s narration stitches the events together with literary flair, frequently invoking Shakespearean tragedy to frame the brothers’ doomed trajectory.

---

Summary

Episode 3 paints a vivid, unsettling portrait of twin brothers entwined in the dangerous contradictions of immigrant expectation, American opportunity, and the inescapable code of the street. Through betrayals—by friends, by circumstance, and ultimately, by themselves—the episode explores how bonds of blood, once the strongest protection, become both a target and a tragic liability. The cliffhanger ending signals that the ultimate, irreversible sacrifice is near, as Trung’s next desperate act will forever alter both their lives.

Transcript

[Narrator/Announcer]

Audible subscribers can listen ad free. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

A quick note that this episode contains descriptions of self harm. Campsite media. It's a weekday afternoon and 15 year old trung should be at school. Instead, he's bounding up and down on an outdoor trampoline.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I had always seen trampolines in the backyard of somebody's house in different movies and all that stuff, seeing the kids having fun. So I hopped on and just started jumping, trying to do some back flips. There was like a good maybe 30, 40 seconds. I was like, I forgot what I was doing. I'm just jumping on this trampoline.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

For just a moment. Trung is carefree, feeling the rush of air as he bounds toward the sky, the drop in his stomach as he falls back to earth.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

And then right away after that, I was like, oh, shit. All right, can't be here too long. I gotta get going.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

The trampoline doesn't belong to a friend. It's not even in the backyard of anyone he knows. He and some friends have come to this house to rob it.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Just doing what we always do, you know, ransacking the house.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Since getting involved with Bobby, Trung has been busy selling drugs and providing backup to the big homies. He's been in fights and volunteered for missions, mostly busting up property owned by rival groups. And he's also been doing a lot more of this, breaking into people's homes. He runs through the house, grabbing whatever of value he can. Only then, something stops him short.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I passed by this cabinet and there were pictures of the family members. I had a good feeling that they were Vietnamese. Seeing that, I was like, oh, shit, it could be somebody I know. I was hit with a wave of shame and guilt. I was like, damn, I'm doing this to my own people.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

For a moment, Trung is flooded with remorse, an understanding of how wrong what he's doing is. But only just for a moment. Because as he looks at the photos of this Vietnamese family in this very nice house, a second thought follows closely on the first.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Oh, why can't I be this? Why wasn't I born with this kind of lifestyle?

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

In this moment, Trung is hit with the unfairness of it all. How hard his parents work and how limited. And that unfairness quickly turns to jealousy and resentment. An internal struggle is quickly taking shape between Trung, the kid who still wants to earn his dad's approval, who's thrilled by the chance to bounce on a trampoline, who knows better than to do any of the things he's doing and the Trung who feels like he's been dealt an unfair hand, that he deserves more, and who is actually getting more by working for Bobby and the big homies. A 15 year old kid who is getting better and better at turning off the voice that tells him not to do bad things.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I looked away, just tried to not look at the family pictures and completed what I was there to do.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Trung gets out of the house and he doesn't look back as he and his friends drive further and further away. Trung still believes that he can be both versions of himself. But if he's going to continue following Bobby's orders, he'll have to find a way to keep these conflicting desires separated. Because if he can't, he might end up with nothing. From wondery and campside media, I'm jen miller and this is blood will tell. This is episode three Fortune's Fool. It's a Saturday morning. The twins groan as their alarm goes off. They rolled in late after partying with their cliques. Ahn out with Kevin, and Trung with Bobby. Ahn's been burgling and beefing with rival crews. He's landed in juvie a couple of times and his parents are forced to pay restitution for one of his burglaries. An astronomical sum that will take them years to fulfill. Trung spent time in juvie too. If the twins are in competition for who's rolling harder, it's a tough call. But this morning their top priority has nothing to do with their crews. Trung gets out of bed and fumbles around for his uniform.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

We were really pushing to get our Eagle Scout.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Their father put the twins in scouts when they were little and they've been marching in step ever since. Their troop is made up of all Vietnamese kids with a name that comes directly from Vietnam's military history.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Din Bolen, a historical figure. A child riding a water buffalo.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

A child military prodigy celebrated for leading an army to victory when he was just 14 years old. Duck wants his boys to be as fearless and honorable, as dedicated to their Vietnamese community as their troops namesake. And today Trung is poised to make his father proud. He's running for senior patrol leader or spl, the highest position a scout can hold in his troop. They can't be late. Trung quickly irons his olive green pants and khaki button down shirt with the sleeves that just cover his tattoos. An can't be bothered with the iron and he's missing his neckerchief again. The twins Head to a local high school where a few dozen Scouts assemble at the base of a grassy hill.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

All the younger Scouts kind of sat around the hill looking into like the top of the hill where the speech happened.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

All eyes staring up at the top of the hill while the candidates deliver their speeches. Truong is up last.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

That was my first experience to like promote myself in that way, to try to win some kind of election. I'm here talking to them as their senior and it's a moment to impress them.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

They may be impressed with what he's saying, but he can also see them looking at his brand new Reebok classics.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Every single week I would wear like a different pair of shoes. And the kids are all commenting on that.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Trung is not at all concerned about the contradiction of this moment that he's wearing drug money shoes to a Boy Scouts election. Because Trung has figured out how to make his double life work, put up a wall and ignore the contradictions whenever it suits him. When he's running with Bobby, he's not thinking about Scouts or homework. And when he's with his troop, he pushes away any thoughts about the criminal side of his life.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I blocked a lot of that out. It didn't cause me a lot of like dissonance.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

It's as simple as that. And sure enough, when the votes come in that day, Trung's elected.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Yeah, it was a really proud moment for me to be able to get that position.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

He said spl, like wow. Trung was like a leader. He's in charge of the 40 kids. And I was like, damn, could I do that?

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Ahn and Trung might be on even footing now when it comes to the lifestyle. But with Scouts, school girlfriends getting respect from grownups, Trung remains in the lead.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

Yeah, everyone thinks my brother's maybe even better looking or smarter or can get more girls this and that. I was like, dang man. This guy always like getting everything. I just thought he was better than me.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Today at the Scout ceremony, Ahn receives a promotion too, from an assistant patrol leader to patrol leader. But it's short lived. He soon gets caught fleeing from a house he robbed. And he has to wear an ankle monitor. He struggles to conceal it under his Scout's uniform.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

I'm running around and it was showing. One of the kids told the parents and then the parents told my Scout master. She cried, you know, she's like, what's going on? Like why? You know, why, why, why? That's when like they know, you know. My image is different now.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

A Visible ankle monitor speaks much louder than a shy kid like Ahn can. He wishes the scouting community could see him as a good kid the way they see Trung as good, because that's who he is too.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

I don't disrespect my parents. I have manners, you know, because, like, I enjoy listening to, like, Rihanna, Beyonce, Green Day, you know, like, like, that's not gangster.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

But people can only see Ahn in relation to his brother. The better Trung does at scouts and school, the more everyone focuses on how much trouble Ahn is getting into. But not even Ahn understands just how dangerous the lifestyle is, though. He's about to get a wake up call. It's the last weekend in May, and the Bay Area's foggy summer is just setting in.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

We went to a Boy Scout camping trip.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

It's a big trip with the entire scouting community, including everyone's parents. On the last afternoon, while Ahn's at the barbecue pit waiting for lunch, he gets a call from a friend, Vincent. The guy who first introduced Ahn to the lifestyle, who Ahn has looked up to for years. He has been killed.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Whoa.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

Like, he's dead.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Vincent was stabbed right around the corner from the twins apartment.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

I just seen him the week before, and I find out, like, he got killed. Just heartbreaking. And he dies so close to home. I was like, oh, shoot. Like, all this is actually real. That's the first time I realized that this is some serious stuff.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Until now, the lifestyle has felt a little like play acting. Yes, they're doing illegal things. They know they're hanging around menacing people. But it's never really hit this close to home before. Now, though, their friend is dead and everybody is really frightened and on high alert.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

I mean, I was sleeping on the couch during that time, and then I had a knife and a gun under the couch.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

A gun that one of the guys in his crew had given him just in case his parents find it.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

My dad was, like, freaking out. He was like, what the heck? Like, why do you have this? You know, like, oh, my. You know, like, he was just thinking all kind of stuff. And my dad broke that gun apart like, military style. He just, like, drove around to many different neighborhoods just to throw different pieces around.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Duk is forced to face what's been right there in front of his nose for nearly a year now.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Some people who knew him warned me that my son might be getting involved in some gang. When I asked him, he just said he was hanging out with friends.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

But after Vincent is killed, there's no more denying the truth.

[Narrator/Announcer]

I told him, if you have a gun, the police could arrest you and even arrest your parents. They just kept nodding and agreeing, yes, yes, but that was it.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Ahn and Trung are in too deep to heed their father's warning or slow down. Bobby's got Trung on constant call, so much so that his position in the Scouts is starting to slip.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Because it was in the midst of, like, my other life, I was getting so deep into it that I really was letting go of scouting more and more.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

And not long after losing Vincent, Ahn loses Kevin, the leader of his clique.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

Kevin got locked up.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

And it doesn't stop with Kevin. A handful of Ahn's homies are also arrested.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

Oh, my God. This is my crew and everyone just slowly breaking apart. I don't have my older homie anymore. And I thought I had, like, an identity. Now it's like I'm on my own.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Alone, without Kevin, without his crew. For a moment, Ahn is lost. And so he gravitates to the one person he has left. The person he looks up to the most. The person who always used to be chasing after him, but who he now feels five steps behind his brother. But with his brother comes Bobby and more danger than either twin could have imagined. Trung is on a day trip at the beach with a group of friends from school. It's an afternoon of relaxing and goofing around. Trung's been clocking a lot of time for Bobby lately, and today, he thinks, is a much needed day off. Before Trung has the chance to open another bag of chips, a text from Bobby arrives. Get to the Denny's. Now. Trung doesn't know what's going on, but when Bobby tells you to show up, you show up. He quickly packs up the towels and snacks and rushes back to town. As Trung pulls into the parking lot, he sees friends from his crew. Bobby's there and an too. Bobby doesn't say much. He just directs the group toward a fence.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

And it seems like kind of everybody is looking at me like I'm this worthless. That's a piece of shit.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Bobby says it has come to his attention that Trung royally screwed up a job for him a while back. And because of this, Trung needs to learn a lesson. Bobby instructs the group to go for it. Ahn stands still. They ran and pushed him, pushed Trung to the ground.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

And they just started hitting him, kicking him.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Ahn can't do anything but watch their friends beat the crap out of Trung while Bobby looks on.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

I just like kind of felt helpless in a way that I couldn't do anything.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

An doesn't dare do anything.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

The anger of Bobby was just like so overwhelming.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

What have they gotten themselves into

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

with

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

Kevin and that crew? It felt like a family hanging out with my homies. And we are putting in work or doing whatever, getting each other's back.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

But suddenly an understands just how different it is with Bobby and the big homies.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

It felt like I was just a little homie, like little soldiers.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Finally, Bobby makes the call and they all back off. Ahn and some friends help Trung up. He's bloody and bruised. And Ahn hears Bobby tell Trung, you know I love you, right? Later that day, the whole crew is back at someone's house. Everyone is drinking and talking like nothing happened, including Trung and An.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

We actually did not talk about much, you know, how we felt, how we deal with things. Never, you know, like, hey, you know, are you okay?

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

But under the surface, Trung is spiraling.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I felt very lonely. I felt like there was like nobody there when everybody was there.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

He goes into the kitchen and finds a knife. Then he locks himself in the bathroom.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I just want to disappear.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

He presses the knife edge to his hand. Not too hard, just hard enough to draw blood. It feels terrible to get beat up by your friends. But it feels even worse to know that your brother, the one who has always stood up for you, can't help because you're both living by these rules. My enemies are your enemies. And that doesn't just apply to the rivals. If Bobby says we're all against Trung, then we're all against Trung. It feels like the lifestyle comes before blood.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I felt like there was nothing else left for me.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Trung cleans his hand. He joins his crew in the other room. And he doesn't speak a word about how he feels. But in his head, questions start popping up. Should I be doing this? Is Bobby my mentor or just an asshole? What kind of life will I have if I keep following him? And as Trung is wrestling with all of these doubts, he encounters someone new. After one of his arrests, Trung is sent to a court mandated diversion program. It's specifically for teens involved in criminal activity. And there he meets a guy we're calling Tim.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

He looks like me, he dressed like me. He was Vietnamese.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Tim is a guest speaker, speaker at the program.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

He was this person that came from this particular lifestyle and had gotten in trouble, had gone through a lot of stuff, very similar things that A lot of us go through.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Tim talked about turning his life around, putting crime and violence behind him.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

It was inspiring. He was being vulnerable.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Trung's thinking maybe he should be trying to be more like Tim. Maybe there's a clip, clean way out of some of this mess he's gotten himself into. But that hope is very short lived because when Bobby picks Trung up that afternoon from the program, he sees Tim and the look Bobby gets on his face. Trung knows that look. Bobby tells Trung, oh no, that's, that's

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

not who you want to be friends with.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

This isn't friendly advice, it's a warning.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

So I realize, oh, you know, that person is actually not all totally away from that lifestyle.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Not just not totally away from the lifestyle. Tim is actively part of a gang, an enemy gang

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

that is someone that I'm forbidden to be friends with.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Because Trung is after all, in his own San Jose version of fair Verona, where everything is tainted by these warring houses and their ancient grudges. Once he learns that Tim is essentially a Capulet, he should know better than to push his luck. But for some reason, he just can't. And so every time Tim stops by Trung's part time job at a boba shop and wants to chat, Trung does.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Each time I saw him, I greet him with respect.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

When he's talking to Tim, Trung never mentions that he's a Montague. He never lets on that he knows about Tim's affiliation. He keeps up their appearances, that he's a wayward teen and Tim's a potential mentor who might set him straight. And despite Bobby's warning, you might even call them friends.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

These people that I hang out with now are enemies and it's just all by association.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

And just like Romeo and Juliet, it's only a matter of time before their true identities are revealed and the grudge between their warring houses leads to disaster. One night, Trung and An are summoned to a throwdown with some rivals. They have no idea which rivals will be there or what this fight is about. But they drop everything and go. Because that's what you do. I'm not going to tell you exactly what goes down. I've promised my sources not to share details that might compromise their safety. And that includes this event. But as you can probably surmise, it's two rival gangs. There's a confrontation, there's violence, and Tim is there. And it's likely that he sees Ahn because Ahn is out in front ready to fight. And Trung, cautious as Always hangs back. But it doesn't matter, because in the lifestyle, their identical DNA is a liability.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Because he recognized my face being a twin, consequences happen. Significant consequences.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

In other words, it doesn't matter which brother Tim saw as twins. They are more easily identifiable, easily interchangeable, and even more so because of the foundational rule of the lifestyle. My enemies are your enemies. Which means if Tim thinks one brother has deceived him, then the other brother has too, by default. And Tim and his crew will seek revenge against both. Not long after this, a friend tells the brothers to be careful. Tim and his crew have put a so called green light on their backs. Truong has heard this term he knows to be scared of would mean no

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

matter where I go, who I ran into. So many people have been ordered to attack. And oftentimes that means with very severe violence that can be fatal.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Trung knew he was taking a risk with those friendly conversations at the boba shop. But he couldn't have imagined that Tim, the guy who was meant to lead him away from his life of crime, would become the brother's biggest threat. Trung may have gotten himself into this situation, but now both brothers might have to pay with their lives. The green light is a mark that means death or something close to it. And now it's one more thing the twins share that binds them even closer and separates them from everyone else. Because with a hit on their backs, there's only one person each brother knows without a doubt that he can trust the other. Trung becomes paranoid that almost anyone else could be a threat.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

It seemed like everybody that I know or like acquaintances were on the other side and on.

[Ahn (Twin Brother)]

I always had a knife on me. I'm always looking over my shoulder.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Because the twins know a key rule of the lifestyle. Don't get caught slipping.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Being in a place where you are seen by people from the other group and just not being prepared.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

It's a heavy burden. Always being vigilant, always being ready for someone to attack. And it's a burden the twins have to carry for at least a year. All while they try to live their lives. The brothers graduate high school. Trung actually finishes a semester early. They move out of their parents apartment and move into the family home of Trung's girlfriend. They start community college and Trung gets a better paying job at T Mobile. Day by day he feels less like a gangster.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Like maybe I can do something different. Maybe I don't have to try to invest into to this kind of lifestyle that hasn't really been paying off in

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

the past few years, Trung has convinced himself that if he feels like a regular college kid, then he is a regular college kid. This kind of denial can put him in perilous situations. And it does. It's a typical weekend night and Trung is standing outside an underground bar in a warehouse outside of town. He knows he shouldn't be here without a crew, but lately he's worried less and less. This club has lots of different rooms, each with its own music and vibe. Trung barely takes two steps into the lobby when he feels.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

A pair of hands grabbed my shoulders, turned me around, and then I just felt Bink. A big glass bottle hitting me in the face. And I was just dazed for a second.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Chaos ensues. I saw Tim and his crew is there too.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

All those guys ran out. I'm like, oh shit, I'm fucked. You know, I got no backup. There was a door behind where I was standing.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

The club's owner tries to pull Trung out of harm's way, pushing him behind the door and slamming it closed.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

It was a small room. There was a couch, table and a tv. I looked over to see a bunch of random people. They're like, what the f, you know, what are you doing here? And I can still hear on the other side, people are yelling. You can hear the commotion. The boss was yelling, hey, just stay in there, Stay in there. Don't try to get out.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Truong is terrified, his chest heaving. He feels sick.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I imagine the worst thing I imagine my family is going to find out that I was just left for dead in the morning. I know these businesses were. They're not really well made. It was probably put together pretty quickly. So I just felt the wall and I felt like it was hollow. So I took a chance. I just punched it real hard and it made a hole. And I was able to see the other side like there was another room. So I just, as hard as I can. I kept punching, punching, punching. Made like a huge hold. I don't even know all those people are watching me thinking during that time, probably like, damn, San Jose, man. Just adrenaline running, like, not even feeling the pain. It was just all survival mode.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

As soon as the hole is large enough, Trung pushes through.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

And again, there's another group of people in the next room.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Trung hurries to the door of this room and peers out into the hall. The guys who'd come at him are still there and arguing about where he'd gone.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

It was like one of those movies where, you know, there's just like so much commotion. Everybody distracted into, like, thinking that the person is, like, right in front of them. But they just slipped out in the back. And I was like, oh, shit, that's the exit door right there. So I just slipped away slowly, holding

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

his breath, eyes on the exit.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

If they had just turned around, like, any single one of us just turned around, they would have just been able to get me.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

So quickly he makes it outside, and he's off.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Just ran as fast as I could. I don't even know if those guys are chasing me. So I'm just like, just keep running, keep running. I could just be executed right there. That was what was going through my mind. Just keep going, keep going. Like, forcing my legs to keep running.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Trung reaches a junkyard behind a fence.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

It was like a very open street, so I was like, if they decide to get in their car and just drive by right now, like, I'm fucked. So I decided to hop a fence, and instead of hopping down to the ground, I decided to hop onto, like, a roof area. And, like, within three seconds, it all just collapsed right under me. I landed, like, on my back. Once I hit the ground, I couldn't breathe for, I don't know, 10, 20 seconds.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Trung finally picks himself up, calls Bobby and explains what happened.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I got caught slipping. Like, I need y' all to come get me right now.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

He hangs up, catches his breath, and keeps his eyes open for anyone who might still be on his tail. A car rolls up, and Bobby pops his head out. Finally, Trung has backup. Bobby's got a few friends with him. Trung gets in the car, but Bobby doesn't say much. They go to meet one of the older bros to get his take on the situation. His position is clear.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

Man, next time, just take it. Just stand there, get fucked up, right, and then get them back.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Trung can't believe what he's hearing.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I had a feeling like I was going to be killed.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Finally, Trung understands what I expected from

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

an organization like that was having backup, that if something like this were to happen to me, they'll round up everybody to go get revenge. But it wasn't like that. It wasn't like that at all. I don't think it was ever like that for us. I started to feel like I inherited something that was so much bigger than myself and the organization. I don't think they even prioritize my protection.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

Forget protection, because after this night, the big homies tell Bobby to give Trung another message.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

If you don't do something back, then we're gonna get you.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

If Trung looks weak, it reflects badly on the whole organization. But the organization doesn't care about Trung enough to help him be strong, let alone to have his back or his brothers if either are caught by the green light again. It's a crushing realization. He owes this organization everything. His own life, if necessary. And they owe him nothing. Trung is desperate to walk away, but he can't. The green light and the big homies, they have too great a hold on him. And he's also trapped by this futile quest to prove himself to be man enough to avoid shame at all costs. So Trung will keep trying to balance the double lives he's leading. He'll continue to sacrifice his sanity, his agency, his very sense of self until he can't balance it any longer. And that moment will come on another night when he lets his guard down, when he hears about a party out in the suburbs and he convinces his brother to come along with him in an attempt to prove himself. Trung will end a man's life. And then he'll sacrifice the one and only thing he still holds close. The person who is most important to him. His brother.

[Trung (Twin Brother)]

I knew what he wanted to say. Why are you out? And why am I in here? He was crying and begging to get him out.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

That's coming up on the next episode of Blood Will Tell.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Audible subscribers can listen to over 200 podcasts ad free, including hit shows like Dr. Death, Business wars, and Over My Dead Body. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.

[Jen Miller (Host/Narrator)]

If you or someone you know needs support coping with thoughts of self harm, text the word connect to 741741, for free. Confidential support from a trained volunteer crisis counselor. Blood Will Tell is a production of Luandury and Campside Media. This series is reported, written and hosted by me, Jen Miller for Campside Media. Our senior producers are Lindsey Kilbride and Ashley Ann Krigbaum. Our producer is Annie Nguyen. Our story editor is Ashley Ann Krigbaum. Sound design and mix by Ewen Lai Tramuin and Mark McAdam. Fact checking by Tracy Lee Consulting by Thomas Liu. Translation by Tran Vu Voice acting by Tam Duong for Wondery. Managing producer is Sarah Mathes. Letta Pindia is senior managing producer. Senior development editor is Rachel B. Doyle. Executive producers are Josh Dean, Vanessa Grigoriadis, Adam Hoff and Matt Sher for Campside Media. Executive producers are are n' Jeri Eaton, Julia Lowery, Henderson Marshall Louie and Jen Sargent for Wondery.