12 months ago….

“What did you just say?” Ha Ji Won looks at the doctor.

“You have barely have a year to live.”  The oncologist replies calmly. “This particular type of tumor is very aggressive and does not  easily respond to treatment. Surgery is also not an option.”

“So you just want me to lie down and die.” Ji Won exclaims as her fist hits the table. “You don't know me very well.”

“Calm please - this is the tumor in your brain talking.” The oncologist puts his hands up and motions for her to sit down. “You can explore unconventional methods of medication that are now acceptable. Ways to alleviate the pain. You should spend the remaining time wisely.”

When she summoned enough courage she told her family. Her mother cried so much that she had to be sedated.  Her brother blamed her lifestyle. She didn’t tell her niece who was studying in Korea.

Ha Ji Won was a career FBI agent.  There was no man in her life except for an occasional one night stand and that was 2 years or so ago. She wanted to save enough money to go and live in South America when she reaches 40.

But she was going to be 38 years old in a month’s time and her doctor just told her she wouldn’t last a year. She had finished crying - there were no more tears for her. Ha Ji Won just felt sorry that she would cause her family further grief when they buried her.

She was discharged with honors and her colleagues were sorry to see her leave. Only her immediate supervisor knew of her condition and she threatened to kill his dog if he ever let anyone in the office know. But she knew he would keep her secret - he and his wife were was crying when she said goodbye to them at the Richmond International airport.

8 months ago….

Inactivity was driving her insane - 2 months living in LA was getting boring. She ran everyday and kept the strict regimen that she followed ever since she became an agent. She kept up her skills by going to the firing range and going to her kickboxing club. She was normal except when the headaches came.

She had been feeling very bad that day.  Her head felt like it was going to burst. Her pain medication was steadily increasing and so was her consumption of medically prescribed .  She was holding herself steady when she got a call from her brother.

“Noona -” He starts sobbing. “Noona - “

“Speak English” She snaps. Her brother was horrible in Korean. He got the tenses wrong - verbs etc. - she had no time to spare in correcting him - not when he sounded hysterical.

“Jin Ae -”

“What about Jin Ae?” She sits up and clutches her mobile. Bile rose up and she swallows. Something did not feel right.

“Dead….she’s dead!” Her brother starts sobbing and talking incoherently.

She was in her brother’s house 2 hours later.

“She’s - she’s coming home tomorrow morning.”  Her sister in law looks at Ji Won. “There’s an officer accompanying her.”

Her 19 year old niece was found in an abandoned building  6 blocks away from the university that she was studying in. She and 4 other students were found dead of an overdose. And it was not just any drug - it was the latest in the market - vampire blood mixed with crystal meth.

“Ji Won - our little girl was killed by vampires! Ji Hoon said that she was - ” Her mother starts shaking and Ji Won holds the frail woman in her arms.

“That’s stupid - there are no vampires!  That’s only a street name!“ Ji Won shouts at her brother. “Why are you telling these things to Omma!? You know she’s not well!”

With the help of her sister in law they put her Omma to sleep.  Ji Won sits at the foot of the bed and watches her mother sleep.

Her heart was breaking - Ha Jin Ae was her only niece, her brother’s only child, her Omma’s only grandchild - the joy of their lives.  Lovely and vibrant - they didn’t want her to go to Korea to study but the child was adamant. She was going to major in Korean Studies and there was not a thing they could do about it.

Bright, beautiful Jin Ae - the only relative she felt close to.  Ji Won found it easy to talk Jin Ae even when she was still little.  Jin Ae loved her - cheered her on, defended Ji Won from their family, never told her that she was different.

When they came to know about what happened, Ji Won could feel her relatives censure. She was the one who told Jin Ae to go and study in Korea - that Ji Won would pay for all her studies including living expenses.  There was no one else to spend all the money Ji Won earned.

Her niece was her sunshine.

But now Jin Ae was dead - found in a crime scene with other students. It was bizarre and unreal.

The next day in the county coroner’s morgue Ji Won could not relate the cold, grey body that was on the morgue’s metal slab with the funny and warm girl who left 1 year and half ago - laughingly embracing her and telling Ji Won to come visit her.

Thankfully the South Korean officer they sent spoke English. Detective Cha Young was a tall man - with unshaven cheeks and a gruff manner.  He took her brother’s shouting and grief in stride - like he was used to it.

“Well you talk to him - he’s like you isn’t he?”

The detective looks at Ha Ji Won and she wanted to punch her brother’s tear streaked face.

“Are you with the police?”  He asks.

“Uhm not quite.” She murmurs. “FBI.  Well, X-FBI.”

To his credit the detective just nods and gives them a more detailed police report on the death of Jin Ae.

“You are aware of this street drug?” He looks at them.

“A vampire’s blood killed my little girl!”  Ha Ji Won’s brother whimpers when she kicks his shin and tells him to shut up.

“Blood mixed with crystal meth - street name is Dark Angel’s Blood. It’s the latest and most deadly street drug to hit Asia at the moment. Vampire blood - well we’re not really sure about that. Toxicology has informed us that it is blood plasma to be precise.”

“Why do you think blood plasma is needed as a carrier for the meth? I mean it could be injected or inhaled.” Ji Won asks.

The detective smiles and nods.  At last he found an intelligent person to talk to. Ha Jin Ae was the 3rd victim he had to deliver to their respective families.  The first 2 families just cursed and ranted at him before taking the bodies. They refused to cooperate with the investigation and the request for an autopsy.

“Dark Angel’s Blood is ingested. No unsightly needle marks or sniffles. It’s termed as recreational but lately there is an alarming rise of Asian students taking this drug. Mostly high school and university students. It enhances memory and allows the user to stay up for long periods without experiencing fatigue. And since it’s consumed in controlled doses the user can have it everyday - IF they can afford it.  This drug has been in the black market for 5 years.”

“If it’s such a lifesaver why did these children die? “ Ji Won asks.

“Lately - in Korea, Manila and Hong Kong - there were reports of fatalities because of  overdosing. But our theory in Seoul is that the original formula was enhanced - having more meth than blood. Or in this case - saline diluted blood and meth.”

“And how many deaths have been reported?” Ha Ji Won asks.

“A considerable number in several campuses in Seoul, Suwon and Busan. The families refuse to talk about it and term it as suicides. What happened to your niece is one of the isolated cases.”

“In what way?” Ji Won asks.

“Most victims - those that we were allowed to examine or do an autopsy - died alone - in their rooms.  Your niece died with other students and as far as our investigation knows - they are not linked to each other and all were foreign students.”

“You mean she died with strangers?” Ji Won asks.

“Yes - that’s why we’re trying to ask the families to let us do an autopsy. However, your family said they wanted her back.”

Ji Won rolls her eyes. Protocol always took precedence over common sense in investigative line of work. She’d been thru this type of hindrance before in her former line of work.

“We’ll do the autopsy and give you the report.” Ji Won tells the detective. “Thank you for bringing her home. Please give me your card and we will be in touch.”

“You’re not cutting her open!” Her sister in law screams. “Jin Ae! Jin Ae!”

“I’ll deal with them.” Ji Won looks at the detective. “Safe flight back.”

“She’s our daughter and we’re not having her cut up!” Her brother shouts.

“Ha Ji Hoon! Stop right there! Don’t make me slap you! We are going to know how she died and that’s final!” Ji Won shouts at her brother before losing consciousness.

“Unnie - unnie.”

Ji Won heard her sister in law’s voice from the thick fog in her head.  She gets up and felt like she was going to die - her head was pounding so badly. She reaches for her backpack and takes the plastic bottle that contained the pain pills. She takes 3 pills and refuses to look at her sister in law -  the recommended dosage was only 1 pill every 4 hours.

“Talk to me.”  Ji Won lies back and doesn’t open her eyes.

“The autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Do you want me to take you home?”

“Thank you - I can manage.”

2 weeks later…..

She would never have gone to Korea if she had a choice.  She avoided being assigned to Korea even for short stints except for that one time that her Section Chief had to go to Pyongyang and he dragged Ji Won with him. Then he got irritated with Ji Won because she couldn’t translate Pyong’an fast enough.

While she could read and write in Hangul, speak the Seoul dialect fluently as well as Japanese and Mandarin- Ha Ji Won never wanted to live in Asia. She was content to live in the USA - despite the racism, the stupid system and increasing taxes. She was born in the USA, studied there up until her masters degree  and except for overseas assignments lived all her adult life 4 blocks from her place of work.

When her time came she would have left her condo in Los Angeles and gone to back to her mother’s house in Santa Monica. She would have been content to die in a hospital in LA surrounded by her family.

But as usual life wasn’t so simple.

“Some things never change.” She murmurs to herself.

Sighing she stands up and follows the man to the men’s washroom. A few minutes later she comes out with a pink bag. She blows at her hand and shakes it.

She walks up to woman who was crying in front of 2 airport security personnel.

“Excuse me - this is yours I believe.”  She hands the woman the bag and looks at the 2 security guards. “ He’s in the 4th stall.”

“Thank you - thank you so much! I -” The woman exclaims.

“Next time - don’t put your money inside your passport case!” She tempers her remark with a smile.

PHILIPPINE AIRLINES FLIGHT 1038 NOW BOARDING FOR SEOUL SOUTH KOREA.

“That’s my flight.” She tells the woman.

“Have a safe trip and thank you so much!”

“Thank you Ma’m” The 2 guards nod and let her pass.

“It’s Miss.”  She tells them.

“I don't look that old!” She mutters. “Hmph!”

It was a warm night when she lands in Seoul-  3 hours and 35 minutes later. It was just was humid as it was in Manila.  She felt her clothes sticking to her back. Passing thru Customs was easy and she was glad she only had a hand carry.

“Why do you need to go to the Philippines first Noona?” Her brother asks.

“So that Omma will think that I am there taking a vacation. I’ll buy my ticket to Korea from Manila. You are not to tell her anything - I mean it!”

“Alright no need to shout! I swear you go around with a dark cloud over your head!”

“Welcome to Seoul Miss Ha Ji Won.”  The immigration officer hands her American passport.

“Thank you.” She smiles back.

“Hello, Seoul.” Ha Ji Won looks around as she steps out into the night. She hails a cab and tells the driver to take her to Myeongdong.

“Mianeyo  I don’t speak Korean well.”  She tells the driver when he starts talking to her in Korean.  After a while she gave up and just listens to him. He told Ji Won he was working overtime because it was his daughter’s graduation and he wanted to buy her the latest mobile phone so that maybe she wouldn’t be so ashamed having a taxi driver for a father.

“How much? American.” She asks.  She holds up 2 $20 US dollars and wasn’t really surprised when he took both bills. He thanks her sincerely.

There were many reasonably priced hotel rooms in Myeongdong and she took the one that was nearest to the Myeongdong Cathedral. After checking in she puts the rest of her money and valuables in the safety deposit box inside the cabinet. Stepping out into the crowded streets she was able to exchange her USD dollars to KRW dollars and spent until the wee hours of the morning  walking around trying the street food. She bought a couple of tees, 2 pairs of jeans, 3 short shorts, 3 miniskirts, skincare and makeup.

“The perfect tourist.” She mutters as she smiles at the hotel’s night staff. She would give it a day - for her body to rest, to check on the leads that she had, to know the streets and alleys, the night life especially the underground nightlife.

Just before the sun rises she looks at Seoul.

This was the place. The place to finally know how and why her Jin Ae died.

Her time was running out so Ji Won had to know or die trying.

So here she was - looking out at the street below.  Her mind going back to the autopsy report. Her niece died because she ingested contaminated blood  - part human, part animal together with the meth and poisoned her body - over a span of 2 weeks.

She still couldn't wrap her head around it. Ji Ae was a good girl - a studious girl.  Why she needed that drug in order to study still rankled Ji Won.

Every night for the next 3 days she goes out - to the club scene, to the underground basements where drugs and were rampant - the ugly face of Seoul. Sometimes her questions were met with stares, rebuffs and even violence. Also during this time she was able to buy a handgun and ammunition from a Russian small time arms dealer. She never left the hotel without it.

“Of course it’s vampire blood dear. Are you stupid?” A very y woman tells her. “It does wonders you know.”

That much Ji Won learned in the first week - in Asia - there was a supply of vampire blood. It was used to enhance beauty, intelligence, drive and since it was easily ingested - the perfect carrier for drugs.

“Are there really vampires? You’re not joking” Ha Ji Won asks and immediately felt that she was indeed stupid when the women start