"Don't scare her, don't touch her, don't talk to her. It's only me you should deal with."
(Yoo Si Jin)
Moments before disappearance
Seoul
Myeong Joo evaded the 'pursuer' finally, and then she steadily drove out of the neighbourhood road towards the main road. Assuming that it was just her tired mind playing tricks, she disregarded the event as part of her imagination. She stopped for a while at the traffic light, and during that wait that seemed to last forever for the lights to turn green, she sighed before resting her forehead on the steering wheel.
Her heart was still beating erratically from the event. Even though she had told herself repeatedly that she was just imagining things, her mind refused to believe it. While the lady in her tried to cool off, the military senses in her told that the case wasn't so simple. She was struggling to get hold of her conflicted mind that she did not realise that the lights had turned green.
The honks from the car behind awakened her from her thoughts. Quickly, she got herself moving before she made a line behind her.
However, she was not alert enough to notice an incoming jeep speeding towards her way, and the moment she started driving off the junction and about to enter the main road, the jeep rammed the side of her vehicle hard, the shock so great that the car skidded.
And that was all it took to pass her out, as darkness entered her eyes and her mind went black totally.
*****
"Andwae!" She screamed out loud as she woke up, her eyes bulging wide from the hellish nightmare she had just experienced and her breath quick and heavy. Her eyes began looking here and there around the unusually unfamiliar dark, dusty room, and finally when reality struck her, she quickly shot up. However, she lost her balance when she did that and fell hard on the wooden floor.
She wondered what happened to her, until she felt the stiff sensation around her wrists and ankles. As she tried to move, she discovered that she was in fact tied up, which explained for the lost of balance. She tried to break free, but it was of no use. The knot was just too tight, and she felt a strange sensation around her wrists all the way to her fingers.
"Otto...ottoke? How am I here?" She whispered to herself as she tried to break free. While doing so, her eyes scanned the dark room that was lit dimly by the night sky outside through the window. She was in a room, with only a table at the far end of the room and only pieces of newspaper wrappings on the floor. Dust floated around the room freely without disturbance, and the foul smell of urine filled the already stuffy and poorly-ventilated air. She saw two rats roaming around the room uninterrupted.
That freaked her out. At one moment, she was in her car driving back to base, and now, all of the sudden, she ended up in this room filled with rubbish and pests all tied up. The only excess of air was that one and only window that was located way above her height, and more importantly, she had no idea where she was. After some moments of struggling, she finally stopped, knowing that the more she struggled, the more energy she would have to waste. "Yeobosaeyo?!" She called out loudly, hoping that somebody qould hear her screams. "Yeobosaeyo?! Is anyone out there?!" She continued, but received no reply.
Myeong Joo would go on screaming for attention as the night went on. Little did she realise that she was in fact in a small hut surrounded by trees whistling throught the air and only the frogs croaking. There was no one guarding the hut at all, and her call for help echoed aimlessly into the spaces of the trees, only for the nocturnal animals to hear.
*****
Dae Young and Alpha Team were told mid-flight about the incident, and that they were supposed to report to the General upon their arrival. By the time they arrived, the Tier One operations were already being carried out, with all ranks except the small, few groups being excluded from the list, were subjected to interrogation. Dae Young and Alpha Team was the group that was in the excluded list, and upon arrival, they raced back towards Headquarters.
Upon reaching the Headquarters, Dae Young personally marched towards the General's office. He forgo all formality when he simply barged into the room and then approached the table where the General and his staff were discussing. He ignored the stern reprimands of the other higher-ranking officers as he banged desperately on the table beside the General. "Where the hell is she?" Dae Young growled.
"We are still finding for her, Jungwinim." Lieutenant General Yoon replied calmly.
"Then, where is she?!" He asked again, eyes darting straight at the General's face. "Who took her?!"
"Seo Dae Young Jungwi, pull yourself together!" The General's deputy warned the agitated Lieutenant. "We are trying our best to locate our soldier. Search teams have been deployed. I suggest that you get yourself ready too."
"So show me where she is and I'll pull myself together!"
"Enough!" General Yoon banged the table, effectively shutting the Lieutenant up. He stood up, using his absolute power to overrule Dae Young's anger. Dae Young instinctively pulled back, but his anxiousness never subsided. General Yoon turned to the Lieutenant. "I am anxious as much aa you are to find Myeong Joo, Jungwinim, but we can't let our emotions break us down!" He reprimanded. "All Myeong Joo needs right now, is for us to be as one. We in the Special Forces do not allow divisions! I expect you to remember that very well in mind, Jungwinim, because one more insolence from you, you're on your way out." The General looked at the Lieutenant's eyes. "Do I make myself clear?"
Dae Young refused to answer. His anxiety was getting the better of him.
"I said, do I make myself clear, Jungwinim?" The General repeated in a stricter tone.
Reluctance fought against his consciousness, but as a trained soldier used to obeying commands, Dae Young had no other choice. With his fists balled, he complied. "Ye...." He began slowly. "Algaesumnida."
*****
ROK UNMIU Command
Uruk
"Mworagoyo?!" Si Jin gripped his mobile tightly, in deep shock upon hearing the event back home. "How bad is it?"
"Mollayo, Soryeongnim." Dae Young replied on the other line, his voice filled with anxiety and great worry. "I...I don't know what to do! I'm sitting here, waiting my butt off for something!" He fretted. "This is his doing, right? It's him, right?!"
Si Jin knew what Dae Young was talking about. However, Si Jin could not believe that Sun Yang was daring enough to do this. He was unsure of what to do. "Maybe, but–"
"I'm damn sure that it's Sun Yang! Don't give me a maybe! That geseki, I'll kill him for this!" Dae Young yelled out on the line, venting his inner frustration. From the tone of his voice, it was as if Dae Young was prepared for a fight to the death. "Please goddamn tell me that you know where that guy is! I'll fly there and blow that brain of his to pieces!"
"Calm down! It doesn't work that–"
"Don't fucking talk to me about 'It doesn't work that way'! I swear to God, that I will really kill that guy! We shouldn't have left him alive that night! We could have killed him straight in the face with his family!"
"Jungwi Seo Dae Young!" Si Jin had to interject sternly, for his best friend was getting way over himself. Although Dae Young was right, and indeed Si Jin too wanted to end it all, Si Jin knew rationally that it would only benefit Sun Yang more. "Pull yourself together! Now is not the time! What's important now, is to find Yoon Myeong Joo alive."
*****
Upon hearing Si Jin's words, he came to his senses. Instantly, Dae Young realised what he had become. He closed his eyes hard, gritting his teeth as he dropped the phone, tears beginning to fall.
He had let his inner devil controlled his mind, and now, his heart was filled with rage and fury, with his ever-increasing taste for blood–Sun Yang's blood. The anger in him, kept locked and secured from the days of his rebellious youth, was unlocked all of the sudden. There was no way to lock it back now, but to embrace the red tide with a heavy heart.
Tears dropped from his eyes as he broke down, heart shattered to pieces. He had always promised that he would come back to her, and no matter how long it took for him to return plus all the secrecy, she never complained. He regretted badly having her to suffer together with him. Although he swore to protect her, this time, he had failed tremendously. Now, his lover was missing, and he had absolutely no idea where she was.
The greatest possibility for her disappearance was kidnapping, and even a five year-old can figure out who was behind all of these. However, despite knowing so, he couldn't do much, for Sun Yang was halfway around the world, under the safety of his goons. Sitting all alone on the cold, cemented steps of the parade ground, Dae Young crumbled, the weight of guilt and anguish lying on his shoulders as the wind of the night blew solemnly.
Then, at the worst of moments, his phone rang to life. The still-crying Dae Young slowly turned his phone around until his eyes met the screen. It was at that exact moment when curiosity instantly took over when he noticed the number on the screen, his military senses beginning to beep in warning.
'Caller Restricted'–that's what it said on the screen.
*****
Uruk
Si Jin sensed imminent danger lying ahead from that news back home. Suddenly, his heart began to beat abnormally, and his worries for Mo Yeon heightened.
Sun Yang had began his assault, starting off with Myeong Joo. It could be moments before Sun Yang made his next move, and Si Jin was absolutely certain that the time was close.
There was no time left. Mo Yeon must be kept safe.
Urgency immediate, he rose from his table and walked out of the command tent in a rushed fashion. Passing by several soldiers and ignoring salutes, he walked towards the hospital in an effort to secure Mo Yeon and get her out of the country before something bad happens. Along the way, he met up with First Lieutenant Baek and his Delta Team. "Oh, Soryeongnim. Eodiessimnika?" Lieutenant Baek asked with a polite smile.
"Increase security in the hospital! Palli!" Si Jin ordered as he walked passed the team, baffling the five-men team as they glanced at each other in wonder.
Si Jin entered the hospital compound after a ten-minitw walk and began finding Mo Yeon. As he searched the hallways and offices, by barging his way through, he frustratingly discovered that Mo Yeon wasn't around. Brushing his hair anxiously, he approached Yoon Mi and Yeung Joon, who happened to pass by the information counter where Si Jin was nearby. "Jung-sonsaeng!" He called out as he approached, the couple instinctively glancing at him.
"Oh, Yoo Soryeong! What brings you here?" Yoon Mi asked with a polite smile.
"Where's Kang-sonsaeng?" Si Jin asked immediately, his tone urgent. He noticed that Yeung Joon was looking at his anxious face with worry. "I didn't see her anywhere. Do you have any idea where she is?"
"Ah, sunbaenim's at town, enjoying breakfast with Dr Athena."
Si Jin's heart stopped beating for a moment when he heard that reply. Dr Athena, at town, breakfast–bad news. He froze still, probably horrified by the fact that she was alone out there, and Sun Yang's closing in. Out there, she's exposed, and her safety was in great jeopardy. Dr Athena was an unreliable figure, for she had no means to fight Sun Yang off, and that her personal problems with her brother would only serve as a distraction. Who knows–maybe Dr Athena was a double-agent after all. She couldn't be trusted–completely.
That's it. He needed to get her out of the country now. "Where are they at?" Si Jin demanded, holding Yoon Mi's left arm tightly as she began to protest out of displeasure."Tell me quick!"
*****
707th Special Mission Battalion Garrison
'Caller Restricted'–that's what it said on the screen.
Dae Young was reluctant at first, but curiosity got the better of him. Thus, he swiped the 'Call' button and placed the phone to his ear. "Yeobosaeyo?"
A second-long silence followed, prompting Dae Young to ask again.
Finally, an answer came about, but it was the one that Dae Young wouldn't like to hear.
"So, Seo Dae Young-nim, how are you holding up?" The awfully familiar voice, which belonged to the person none other than Sun Yang, spoke in a mocking tone. "Looks like you've been busy."
Dae Young's anger flared up again. "Sun Yang!" He yelled the name out. "Where did you take her?!"
"Relax, Dae Young. Going all out against me like this won't work, you know. Besides, think of your girlfriend, Myeong Joo. I bet she's screaming for help right now."
"You goddamn tell me where you hid her! Or else, I'll personally fly to Uruk and kill you myself!" Dae Young blasted, his fists balled.
His angry demand was met by a sadistic chuckle from Sun Yang, who thought of it as a mere joke. He intentionally did that to agitate Dae Young further, so that he could make Dae Young do something foolish. And to do something foolish, Sun Yang knew exactly what to do. "You can take your time to kill me, but I'm afraid your woman can't wait any longer."
The last line made Dae Young froze. There's something Sun Yang wanted to tell him. Still, he couldn't let his guard down. "What makes you think that I'll believe you?"
"You will believe me....when I tell you where Myeong Joo is."
The words sank into Dae Young's heart almost immediately. Although he never liked it, but the golden opportunity to save Myeong Joo had just arrived.
*****
Taebaek Mountains
Mount Odae National Park
Military units controlled the entire park, as ordered by Lieutenant General Yoon. Every entrances around the park were guarded by troops, while the fenced perimeter around the forest were closely watched. With all of that secured, Alpha Team and Bravo Team were sent in.
Before they were inserted, General Yoon, personally overseeing the progress of the operation, decided to have a light moment with Dae Young. The two men located themselves a silent spot, away from all the ears of the military. "You can pull out of this, Dae Young-nim. You know as I do that this could be a trap." The General worried. "As much as I want Myeong Joo alive, I can't afford to lose you too."
"I made a promise, sir, that I'll protect her no matter what. I made you a promise too, and I shall honour it." Dae Young avowed. "I will bring her back, sir. I swear with my life."
The General could say no more. Among all the people in the army capable of hostage rescue missions, General Yoon could not entrust the safety of his daughter to anyone else other than Dae Young. However, losing Dae Young would be equivalent to that of losing his son, and he didn't want that to happen. After all the unequal treatment he had given to Dae Young in the past, General Yoon realised that Dae Young deserved better. "Ani. I can't let you do this alone." He declared. "I'm going with you." He tried to get himself ready, but as he was about to walk away, Dae Young instantly grabbed his right arm. Instinctively, he stared at the concerned Dae Young.
"You can't go, sir! I won't allow it!" Dae Young rejected sternly, disregarding rank and formality for the safety of his commanding officer.
"It's my daughter we are talking about, Dae Young-ah! As her abeoji, I can't just watch from the sidelines!" General Yoon tried to yank his hand free, but to his dismay, Dae Young's grip held. "That's an order, Jungwinim! Let me go!"
"Andwae! I will not!"
"Are you disobeying me now?! I will go–"
"Wake up, sir!" Dae Young blew, pulling the General before grabbing both sides of the General's arms and shook violently. Although it was rude, but at that time, desperation was thick in the air, and Dae Young needn't want another unnecessary delay anymore. The clock was ticking. "You, of all people, are our commanding officer, the leader we all look up to! This is not a game, sir! It's not the one you decide which unit to move or what–this is about life or death! We need you to lead us till the end, sir! Please understand, or the leadership of this Battalion will crumble!"
"I'm willing to sacrifice everything for the both of you! After all the bad things I have done, this is my–"
"You did not!" Dae Young interjected the stubborn General. "I did!" He said. "I brought all the bad things to you, to Myeong Joo. It's me that an incident like this befell Myeong Joo. I feel guilty for all that I've done to her, for not being with her when she needed me most! I'm the most evil man on Earth, sir, and this is the punishment from God I'm willing to take!" Dae Young's voice choked, his eyes brimming with tears. "I...will definitely get her back, sir. You don't have to. You have done more than enough, as her father. It's my turn now to return you the favour."
The General could not say a word. His mind went numb conpletely.
"Butakamnida, Jungjangnim! We're running out of time!" Dae Young insisted.
The General closed his eyes, fighting his inner feelings to control. He needed to stay focused, for Dae Young was right–the Battalion, Myeong Joo, and all of the men of the 707th Special Mission Battalion, needed him right now. He had a wider responsibility to bear on his shoulders compared to Dae Young, thus, he couldn't die just yet. However, he needed reassurance, just in case something out of the blue happened. He finally opened his eyes. "You promise to save my daughter?"
"Ye." Dae Young replied without any second thoughts.
"You promise to come back alive?"
"I will, sir."
"Then go." The General decreed. "Go bring back my daughter–alive."
Order relayed, Dae Young eventually let go of his grip slowly. Fighting back tears, he stood erect in front of the General as he snapped a salute. "Dangyeol!" He dropped his hand and then walked away, his fighting spirit waving high and mighty.
General Yoon could only look on as Dae Young rejoined his fellow comrades. Regret immediately surfaced inside his heart for sending Dae Young into the unknown, but he knew really well that the biggest bet would be on the Lieutenant to rescue his one and only daughter.
*****
The mission proceeded smoothly as the two teams peered through the forest towards the old hut. The night was cold and the wind was blowing, with the soft swaying of the leaves creating the sounds of the night. Nocturnal insects creek within the bushes. Unlike the Philippines where the tropical jungle was an unbearable memory to forget, the forests in Korea were not so, especially at a high elevation. Guns poised forward and their attached flashlights emmiting the way, the two groups maintained a close gap between each other.
After roughly thirty minutes or so navigating through the forest, the two teams reached the perimeter of the old hut, its area filled with thick overgrowth. Dae Young, the leader of the rescue team, turned back to his comrades and nodded his head; an order for both teams to fan out and secure the perimeter to get rid of any potential threats. The plan was to create a circle around the hut. When they were absolutely certain that there was no threat, then only can the two teams search the hut.
The teams did just that. With their weapons pointing around the perimeter, the teams secured the perimeter. Cautious eyes scanned around the forest–from the thick bushes to the branches of trees above them, but found no existing threat. Dae Young saw the thumbs-up from the leader of Bravo Team at the other side of the perimeter, signalling that the area on their side was clear. A tap on the shoulder by Woon Geun and a thumbs-up from him showed Dae Young that all areas were secured.
Now was the time for the next phase of their plan–to search the hut. Dae Young still had doubts however, for the mission was going way too smoothly. Yet, his main concern was on Myeong Joo and that overruled everything else in his mind. He pressed the PTT button of his communication device. "Wolf to Command, we are beginning the search." Report made, he turned to his team and nodded his head.
The search required Alpha Team to search the interior while Bravo Team maintained the security of the perimeter. As Alpha Team approached cautiously towards the hut, Dae Young could feel his heart beating erratically, and nervous sweat was pouring down on his face. Uncertainty filled Dae Young's mind as he marched ever closer to the small hut.
Whatever that would happen next, Dae Young could only hope that he could get Myeong Joo out of there.
*****
Meanwhile, inside the hut, the already-tired Myeong Joo could hear the sound of grasses being moved. The echo, although soft, was loud enough to let her know that something–or somebody was out there. That elevated her spirits up, recharging it with a boost after several failed attempts to get herself free moments ago. The thought of her being rescued, or at least discovered, was good enough to make her able to get her tired mind moving again.
She tried one more time to free her limbs, but despite her greatest efforts, she still couldn't untie the knot. Frustrated, she decided to go on with the most primitive way of getting help–by yelling out loud. "Yeobosaeyo?!" She called out. "Yeobosaeyo?! Is anyone out there?!"
Silence came by shortly, and the rustling suddenly stopped. Myeong Joo could not help but wonder whether it was just her imagination or not to hear the rustling of grasses. Nevertheless, she tried again. "Dowajuseyo! Somebody! Dowajuseyo!"
"Yoon Jungwi? Is that you?" A reply in a form of an awfully familiar male voice finally came.
Myeong Joo froze for a moment, wondering whether it was her mind playing tricks. And why did that voice sounded so familiar?
"Yoon Myeong Joo, are you in there?" The voice asked, the rustling continued. "Myeong Joo, daedaphaeyo!"
Myeong Joo slowly formed a big smile on her face, as she finally figured out who the person was.
It was Dae Young.
"Yeogi! Seo Dae Young, yeogi! Dowajuseyo!" Myeong Joo let out a frantic yet elated call for help.
However, her elated emotions instantly turned to horror, when she finally noticed something she had failed to detect after all this while, and that was something that can kill them all.
*****
"Hold on! I'll get you out!" Dae Young avowed as he approached the entrance of the door. He radioed Command. "This is Wolf! We've found her! Going for extract!" He ended the transmission as he rushed to open the door.
As he turned the doorknob, he suddenly heard Myeong Joo screaming. "Seo Dae Young, don't! Don't!"
In an instant, Dae Young froze, as the other members looked on in wonder.
*****
Myeong Joo should have seen it earlier on, but she didn't. Her eyes, at that moment, wasn't adapting to the dark yet. Now, with her eyes adapted already, she could see things a little bit clearer. She was lucky that she finally saw it–or maybe it was already too late.
She saw it perfectly–three trip-wires all rounded up to the doorknob. The trip-wires were as thin as thread, and made of non-reflective material–military-grade. That was probably why she misses those lines the first time. Focusing her eyes on one of the wires, she carefully followed the track, which led her to the top of the door, where to her greatest horror, a bomb, probably C4, was planted in place.
"What is it, Myeong Joo?" Dae Young asked outside. She had heard the creaking sound of the doorknob being turned earlier when she saw the trip-wires, which prompted her to stop Dae Young instinctively. Luckily, Dae Young stopped on time.
However, Myeong Joo knew a thing or two about explosives, and this classic use of trip-wires can trigger a deadly domino effect. The trip-wires detach themselves from the pins of the explosives they were tied to when moved, and the sudden pull initiates the trigger mechanism of the explosive which could take effect in less than a millisecond. A human will turn into ash in an instant.
The good news was that despite the turn of the doorknob, which might have not been full due to Myeong Joo's quick wit in stopping Dae Young, the trip-wires remained intact. The bad news was–that if Dae Young made even the slightest of movements to the doorknob, Myeong Joo feared that the trip-wires would react the same way and trip away, thus causing an explosion that would definitely kill them all. The worst thing was that there were three wires, with the other two explosives unaccounted for.
"Dae Young-ah...." She began nervously. "Whatever you do.....DON'T MOVE A MUSCLE...Do you hear me?"
"Waeyo? What's going on?" Dae Young asked curiously.
"This door......this doorknob you are holding....is rigged, Dae Young-ah." She replied. "There are explosives in this hut, Dae Young-ah. DON'T MOVE.......OR WE'LL DIE...."
Outside the hut, Dae Young finally realised the reason for all the simplicity so far–this was a bait, and he fell for it.
*****
Palion
Uruk
Mo Yeon and Dr Athena were enjoying their breakfast at a local cafe, sitting at the verandah on the very top of the building. While eating, they enjoyed the view of the coast above; a majestic sight indeed. "Thank you for bringing me here, Athena. The toast's really good. So is the orange juice." Mo Yeon expressed politely, taking a sip of the juice.
""Glad you love it. This toast here, is the best toast in Uruk!" Dr Athena exclaimed proudly. "I can't let you leave this country without savouring our food, Dr Kang. I can guarantee you that you will be mesmerised."
"Well, I'll be waiting!" Mo Yeon chuckled.
It was a bright Sunday morning in Uruk, and probably Monday night in Korea. Mo Yeon couldn't stop looking at the beautiful coast of the city–from the port to the north to the scenic walkways at the south. Even though Palion was a port city, trading wasn't rampant probably due to the nation still recovering from the effects of war. Anyhow, the lack of large cargo ships allowed Mo Yeon to enjoy the view of the blue sea, its waves acting like mirrors that reflected the rays of the morning sun, thus revealing the sea's greatest glory. Over the horizon was the Vistra Fort, lying majestically like a solitary rose in the middle of a wheat field.
"It's wonderful." Mo Yeon whispered in awe in Hangul.
The view was so great, that she felt like staying in this country. This nation holds a lot of secrets yet to be discovered. Its natural beauty wasn't like anything back in Korea.
They were lucky that they arrived early, fot the verandah would always be full of people during peak hours. During breakfast, it wasn't so, thus leaving the two of them alone as the first customers of the cafe.
The sudden ringing of Dr Athena's mobile on the table interrupted Mo Yeon's thoughts. Dr Athena immediately picked up the call, apologising at the same time to Mo Yeon for the rude interruption. Mo Yeon smilingly shrugged it off, as Dr Athena rose from her seat and went somewhere, probably for a little personal talk. All alone, Mo Yeon continued to enjoy the view in front of her, smile plastered on her face.
If only Si Jin was here with her right now. He would definitely love it. The breakfast could have been their romantic date as well.
She was so stuck in her own wandering mind, that she failed to notice that someone was approaching her table. She was still facing the outdoors when the person–a man in his dark suit, sat on Dr Athena's place. She thought that Dr Athena had returned. "Who's that, Athena?" She muttered.
"Coffee here tastes good, it seems." The guy spoke in Hangul mockingly, taking Dr Athena's cup for a sip.
The voice surprised No Yeon out of her reverie. Not only that, the voice sounded awfully, and dangerously familiar. Instinctively, she turned to the direction of the voice, but once she saw the face of the person, she had the greater shock of her life .
The person–was none other that Sun Yang, smiling wickedly as he took another sip.
Instantly, Mo Yeon shot up, ready to leave. "What are you doing here? How did you get here?"
"Don't worry about how, my dear." He said calmly, placing the cup on the table. Then, he stared at Mo Yeon. "You can try leaving, Kang-sonsaeng, but I think you can't just leave Dr Athena behind." He glanced to his left.
Mo Yeon was curious about what he said, and turned to the direction where Sun Yang was looking. She got hit by the second shock of her life in a span of less than five minutes when she saw Dr Athena being held gunpoint by one of Sun Yang's goons. "Jigeum mwohaneungoya?! Let her go!" She demanded to Sun Yang.
"I can let her go. First, take a seat." Sun Yang showed her the seat.
The sound of incoming footsteps caused all of them to stare at the staircase. The guy, who turned out to be the owner of the cafe, walked towards Sun Yang in what Mo Yeon thought was an unusually calm demeanour. Then, it hit her–the owner of the cafe was one of Sun Yang's men. "I've secured the building, boss."
"Good. Now go. I need a moment with this lady here."
The owner darted his devillish eyes at Mo Yeon, plastering a wicked smile. "Certainly, boss." He talked to Mo Yeon. "Remember to pay the bills." He let out an evil chuckle before proceeding down the stairs.
Mo Yeon now felt increasingly insecure. Completely isolated from help inside a cafe owned by a man serving secretly to Sun Yang, while her foreign colleague was being held gunpoint and Sun Yang sitting on the chair next to her, Mo Yeon could not do anything at all. She wanted to call Si Jin for help, but she couldn't do so, for her mobile was still at the tent.
The only way for her to be safe, was for her to step up her game. Her mind and her mouth would have to work extra hard this time, if she really wanted to keep themselves alive. Throwing the fear away inside her, she dared herself to face the brutal criminal descended from hell. "What do you want?" She put up a brave front.
Meanwhile, Si Jin was driving his humvee like a madman, cruising his way past the heavy traffic while honking crazily. He tried calling her, but he had absolutely no idea that her mobile was still at the tent.
*****
Mount Odae National Park
Republic of Korea
Dae Young finally realised what this game was all about. Myeong Joo's kidnapping was a bait, a distraction. The real purpose, was for him to die. The trap on. The doorknob was a perfect evidence, and now, Dae Young was completely stuck. He could neither move nor breath at all, for he feared that one more move from him would definitely place all of them into wooden caskets this time.
He couldn't let the others suffer because of him, so he called Bravo Team to retreat. He ordered the same for Alpha Team too, but his comrades refused. Apparently, he had forgotten that Sergeant Major Choi Woon Geun was an expert demolitions specialist, and bombs were like jigsaw puzzles to the senior.
"Yoon Jungwi said that there's a window in this hut. If I can bring her out from there as I get myself inside, I might be able to diffuse the explosives." Woon Geun suggested.
"Are you certain, Snoopy?" Dae Young revealed his concern. "If anything goes wrong, not only me, but you will die too." He expressed. Honestly, he didn't really want Woon Geun to get himself into harm's way anymore. He was already too old for this.
"I can get her out, sir. Have faith in me." Woon Geun insisted. "I know bombs better than anyone else, sir. While the recruits are still reading books, I've already known what wires to cut and what's not. I'm well-trained for this, sir. This should be easy." Woon Geun tried to convince Dae Young.
Dae Young was unable to reject Woon Geun's insistence anymore, even though he had the power to do so. The Sergeant Major's right–only he could diffuse the bomb, and bring them out to safety. The only thing he feared was the possibility for Woon Geun to be targeted by the unseen enemy. He could not think of the prospect of losing a loyal comrade like him.
Desperation forced Dae Young to eventually agree with Woon Geun's plan. Time was running out and the longer they wait, the more they're exposed. "Go do this" he said to Woon Geun, giving him his consent. "Make this count."
Without further ado, Woon Geun and the rest of the team immediately went to work.
"Myeong Joo, Choi Wonsa will be entering through the window. He'll get you out from there." Dae Young told Myeong Joo.
"What about you?" Myeong Joo asked back.
"I'll be fine. Harry Potter will do his best." Dae Young replied as calmly as he could.
As much as he wanted to believe it, something in his mind told him...that this would be a long night.
*****
Palion
Uruk
"I just need to say a few things. You know, work stuff." Sun Yang spoke calmly, taking out his cigarette. He lit the tip of the stick. "Please, Kang-sonsaeng, make yourself at home and take a seat."
Mo Yeon, even though she didn't want to, had to comply with his demand. He's not going to shoot her yet if she seats, she thought. She laid her right hand on the table.
"So, Kang-sonsaeng, where did we stop that day?" He began with a reminder of their first encounter at the border. "Ah, I remember now–the part when I said that your namja's not a good guy."
"What do you mean by that?" Mo Yeon questioned daringly, despite her fears.
"We'll leave that out for a moment. For now..." Sun Yang arched forward, closing the distance between their faces. "Let's talk about Dr Athena."
Dr Athena's blood instantly ran cold. Sun Yang had known about her real identity, and he's about to spill the secrets out to Mo Yeon. She was critically alarmed by that fact but there was nothing she could do to stop him. The gunman holding the sidearm on her head looked trigger-happy at the moment. All she could do right now, under this circumstances, was to reluctantly watch as Sun Yang was about to spill the secrets out. She noticed that Mo Yeon was watching her briefly before turning back to Sun Yang. "What about her?" She heard the Korean doctor asked.
Sun Yang suddenly slouched back, chuckling out loud in a mocking way. He decided to wait for the perfect timing to tell her. Dr Athena watched as she witnessed Sun Yang enjoying the rising tension in the air while enjoying his cigarette. At any moment now, her identity would be well-known by everyone in the hospital.
"You really don't know who she is, right?" Sun Yang darted the question to Mo Yeon. He sneered upon seeing the puzzled look in her eyes, an indication that he had hit the right notes.
"She's..Dr Athena." Mo Yeon tried to reply as calmly as possible, but when Sun Yang's words plugged the brain of hers, the curiosity was hard to curb.
Mo Yeon's reply only served to be a joke to Sun Yang, who instead burst out laughing. The puzzled Mo Yeon didn't know what went wrong, while Dr Athena's heart skipped a beat in anticipation for her incoming doom. "Aigoo, poor lady!" He exclaimed. "So naive, so convincing, so...stupid!" He chuckled even more. "I've never seen a lady as dumb as you, Kang-sonsaeng! I really wonder how you ended up being a doctor anyway!"
Sun Yang's rude teasing got on her nerves. Mo Yeon's fists balled as she tried to control her slowly-boiling fury. "Just say it out, Sun Yang! Stop this nonsense!"
"Geurae, geurae.." Sun Yang tried to control his laughter. "I'll tell you–"
"Don't listen to what he says, Dr Kang!" Dr Athena suddenly interjected in English, earning a soft strangle on her neck by the gunman as she choked. Mo Yeon could only watch in horror.
Sun Yang thought that it was time to give this Korean doctor a little bit of 'moral education'. By that time, he had already stopped laughing and had returned to his serious state. He snapped his fingers, signalling the gunman to tighten his grip around her neck. The gunman's tall figure against Dr Athena's small stature ensured that Dr Athena would never get out of his grasp as she choked even more, face showing serious strain and already turning red.
Witnessing what she saw in front of her eyes, anger turned into extreme concern as she instantly glanced at Sun Yang. "Stop what you're doing! Stop what you're doing now!"
"Dr Athena's a CIA agent, Kang-sonsaeng. If I were you, I would have stayed away by now."
Mo Yeon's eyes narrowed when she hears what he had just said. Dr Athena, a CIA agent? "Mw...mw..mwo? CIA? Dr Athena?" She stuttered badly. "A..ani! Ani, this is a mistake!" She glanced to and fro frantically as she tried to make some sense out of what he said.
"See what the world has done to you, Kang-sonsaeng?" He went on in a soft tone. "You've let yourself being so naive. This is what you get." He snapped his fingers again, ordering his subordinate to let go of Dr Athena. As Dr Athena dropped to the floor coughing hard, Mo Yeon, disregarding her safety, got off her seat and went to aid Dr Athena. "Such a punitive lady..." He scoffed.
"Are you okay?" Mo Yeon asked in English as she tapped the doctor's back. Dr Athena, still coughing, nodded her head.
Suddenly, Dr Athena grabbed Mo Yeon's left wrist, and then glanced at her in an uncomfortable state. "Don't...believe him.."
"Her name is Aleya–born at the north, studied well, and became an intern." Sun Yang interjected them as he got up and walked towards the two ladies. He roughly pushed Mo Yeon away. As Mo Yeon tried to get back up on her feet, anger flustered in her from his rough and rude demeanour, the gunman pointed the gun on Mo Yeon's head, causing Mo Yeon to freeze instantly. Sun Yang stared sinisterly at Mo Yeon before crouching down between the two ladies, eyes turning to Dr Athena, who was still struggling to get a breath. "I usually don't hit ladies, but then..." Sun Yang pulled the back of Dr Athena's hair, forcing her face up as Mo Yeon watched in fear. "...I don't like a spy watching my backs."
"Th...think all you want...Sun Yang. I'm...not the one you claimed I am.." Dr Athena protested.
"Oh, really?" Instantly, he slapped Dr Athena's face hard, causing her to fall to the ground grunting in pain.
"No!" Mo Yeon yelled.
However, Sun Yang didn't listen. Instead, he got up, and brutally kicked Dr Athena's stomach–not once, not twice, but six times. For every kick, Sun Yang cursed, while Mo Yeon, who couldn't bear to watch his brutality anymore, begged him to stop as tears of fear began dropping down on her face. His brutality never stopped there, for he lifted the already bloodied Dr Athena up and slapped her a few more times. His left palms gripped her hair upright, thus ensuring that she wouldn't fall even after taking several extra blows on her stomach and finally a slap on her face.
As he finally let go of Dr Athena, she was already a spent soul, falling like a leaf blown freely by the wind.
"You sadistic animal! You deserve no right!" Mo Yeon expressed her ultimate anger after seeing all that nonsensical brutality.
Sun Yang maintained that overtly calm demeanour, smiling widely as if nothing had happened as he crouched in front her. "This is how I treat agents. They will kill me if I don't." He tapped her face softly. "I told you, Si Jin made me this way."
"I think it's you who made yourself so miserable." Mo Yeon retorted. "You are a pathetic piece of crap, a scum of the human race! And you have no right to place the blame on others!"
Sun Yang's response was expected–he chuckled, as if hearing the greatest joke of the century. "Oh, jinjja? No right?" He chuckled a little bit more before he suddenly gave her a tight slap on the face. Mo Yeon instantly fell to the floor from the blast of the slap, palming the slapped region with her left hand in pain. She threw a disgusted stare at Sun Yang. "Let me tell you something, Kang Mo Yeon! Over here, I AM the KING! I have the power to change worlds, and I can just throw you off in a whiff! So don't you ever say that I have no right, because in this country, only the powerful have the right!"
Mo Yeon could only stay silent, her angry eyes doing the talking.
"Si Jin doesn't tell you a lot of things! He never will, because he is a coward! He's a pathetic weakling holding a gun! He claimed he was defending the country, a patriot, but in fact, he cowers behind while he let his dogs do the job! Do you think that he is a good man, Kang-sonsaeng? If you still think that he still is, then think again!" He rapped violently. "I've got everything –money, power, men. However, none of them suited my liking, because for all this while, I was unable to get the only thing that was bothering me for so long–blood, Si Jin's blood!" He cupped her face roughly, forcing her eyes against his. "And you...are the perfect person to get it for me..."
Mo Yeon began to protest. Sun Yang's planning to use her as a bait. "Ani! I won't! I won't–"
"You WILL get it for me!" He interjected, cupping her face harder. "That is unless you want him dead right now!" He smirked. "I bet he's damn worried about you right now. Bet he's on his way here too. I can just give my guys a call, and they will shoot him before he arrives. How about that?" He really liked the overly worried face of hers mere mentioning of Si Jin's life. "Make up your mind fast, Kang-sonsaeng. We don't have much time. If I were you, I would rather say yes if I still wanted to see him. At least you could still be with him during his final days. Or..." He slowly turned his head to the still body of Dr Athena. "You will end up like her. Si Jin too. Just imagine how heart-broken he might be if he loses you. After all the things both of you had done together, are you really certain that you want to sacrifice everything?"
Mo Yeon, fear and desperation clouding her mind as she cried, realised that Sun Yang wasn't giving her much of a choice. Both roads lead to the death of one. The only thing was that if she complied immediately, Si Jin's life would be spared just a little bit longer. If she still refused, she might never see him again. It was a difficult choice to make, and she loved him very much. Refusing or accepting, both of them would only make her a selfish person–the former to safe her skin and sacrifice Si Jin, the latter to sacrifice her morals just to keep one man alive a little bit longer.
However, she knew that the former would be the greatest betrayal she would ever make. At least if she chose the latter, she might still have some time. Her mind made up, despite her inner soul protesting, she reluctantly agreed. "What....do you want me to do?"
"Finally, you understand!" Sun Yang smiled, letting her face go. "Actually, your job's pretty simple. Just open the door!"
Mo Yeon became puzzled by what he said. "I..I don't get you."
"Within the next few days, the officials from WHO is coming. I know that you will be attending the meeting as well, so is the Uruk's President. Colonel Amang, I'm sure you know him, plans to kill the President on the day itself, but it cannot be done especially when Si Jin's around. So, all I need you to do, is to sneak Colonel Amang and his men close enough to get him."
Great, an assasination plot. She shouldn't have agreed to this, but what about Si Jin? "How about the rest?"
"Crew expendable." Sun Yang replied coldly. "And you too."
*****
Hong Guan: Bad news, sir. Kyrstova's a dope.
Si Jin: What do you mean?
Hong Guan: Sun Yang never came here. Every link we got was false. He tricked us from the very beginning. The ones that came here are body-doubles.
Si Jin: So, does that mean....
Hong Guan: It might be, sir–Sun Yang's been hiding right under our noses.
The phone call between Hong Guan and Si Jin not long ago while Si Jin was still on his way towards the cafe urged Si Jin to speed up. By then, he had already broken ten traffic lights along the way and committed several road-rage cases, but thank God for the Uruk police; they were too busy elsewhere to even give that speeding humvee a ticket. For the first time, Si Jin discovered that the city was bigger than what he originally though it was, and the lanes were surprisingly and unexpectedly impassable for a few of them. Nevertheless, after nearly forty minutes of driving, he finally reached the cafe.
He was so preoccupied with the thoughts of Mo Yeon's safety that he even disregarded one of the standard military protocols–whic was to call reinforcements when necessarily needed. Instead, he ventured in a solo quest to bring Mo Yeon to safety. He parked directly in front of the cafe, and then, without turning off the engine, he got off from his vehicle and rushed straight into the cafe.
The owner of the cafe saw Si Jin rushing in, and approached him from his counter just at the right moment before Si Jin could get up the stairs. "Can I help you, sir?" He asked politely in English, hiding his true intentions behind the tone of his voice.
"I'm looking for two women, one of them an Asian." Si Jin responded in English as well as he tried to move out of the way and proceed to the stairs. However, the owner suddenly stopped him by pulling his right arm. Si Jin instantly gave the owner a stern glare. "What are you doing?"
"You can't go up there without making any reservations, mister." The owner responded, changing his tone suddenly into a sinister one. The rather obvious yet devilish smile appeared on his face.
"What do you mean? Let go of–"
All of the sudden, when Si Jin tried to yank his arm free, the owner turned aggressive and pulled Si Jin down roughly until Si Jin lost his balance and fell to the floor on his back. Taking advantage of the officer's vulnerability, the owner took out a small yet sharp kitchen knife, and then pounced on the surprised soldier.
However, the owner had forgotten about the most lethal fact–Si Jin's a Special Forces soldier, and he's well-trained in hand-to-hand combat. His senses recovered quickly as the attacker pounced, and his quick reflexes allowed Si Jin to immediately grab the attacker's wrists just as the sharp point of the blade was about to touch his nose, leaving a gap of only a minute millimeter. Using his right knee, he hit the pelvic bone of the attacker, causing him to yelp in pain as he lost his composure and rolled to the side, realising the knife at the same time.
Si Jin wasn't going to spend precious time on that owner. He tried to get up quickly, but the attacker grabbed the ankle of his leg as he tried to do so. Si Jin discovered shortly after that the attacker was no simple lad, for he quickly got up and pounced onto Si Jin once again. The attacker wrapped his left arm instantly around Si Jin's neck, forcing Si Jin to go down again as the attacker tried to strangle him to death.
Si Jin, in response elbowed the attacker multiple times until the attacker finally relented. Then, he grabbed the attacker's arm, and with all of his might, threw the attacker forwards until the attacker landed his back painfully on a table, breaking the table instantly.
With the attacker subdued finally, Si Jin continued to look for Mo Yeon. He quickly dashed upstairs to the uppermost floor. Once he reached up there with his sidearm drawn, he was extremely relieved to see Mo Yeon alive. However, the moment he saw a still body where Mo Yeon was apparently trying to resuscitate, he rushed to her aid, keeping his sidearm.
He didn't know why he was so shocked to discover that the person lying on the floor was Dr Athena.
============================
End of Chapter Six
Si Jin desperate, Mo Yeon divided, Dae Young in a death row, and Myeong Joo struggling to survive. Can they overcome the odds created by a madman, or lose themselves to his submission?
Find out what happens next. Happy reading!
Korean military ranks
Jungjang=Lieutenant General
Soryeong=Major
Jungwi=First Lieutenant
Wonsa=Sergeant Major
Romanised Korean Words & Expressions
Ottoke: How (What to do)
Ye: Yes
Algaesumnida: I understand
Mwo: What
Molla: I don't know
Geseki: Motherfucker
Palli: Faster/ Quickly
Sunbae: Senior
Yeobosaeyo: Hello
Ani: No
Abeoji: Father
Andwae: Impossible
Butakamnida: Please
Dowajuseyo: Help me
Daedaphaeyo: Answer me
Yeogi: Here
Wae: Why
Jigeum mwohaneungoya: What are you doing now
Sonsaeng: Mr/ Mrs/ Miss
Namja: Boyfriend
Geurae: Okay