Chapter Three: Chess, Not Checkers

The chilliness of the morning air sliced with unforgiving sharpness at the insides of her lungs, conferring an immediate wake up call to her and banishing her previously drowsy state. Jessica squinted into the earliest light of a Winter’s day then began to make her way across the tarmac. The uneven surface crunched loudly under the soles of her shoes and she was glad she had chosen to forgo her usual choice of footwear for something more practical.

‘POLICE’ was printed in large block letters on the side of the building. The white paint with time, had succumbed to the relentless onslaught of the elements. As she walked, her breath came out like puffs of wispy smoke, a testament to the cold. Lamenting for both her loss of sleep and the warm comfort of her bed, Jessica pulled her coat tighter around herself and quickened her steps.

How Krystal could endure this routine on a daily basis was a mystery to her.

When Jessica pushed open the heavy entrance door, she discovered that her sister had beaten her to the station. Krystal had her head bent, deep in conversation with another officer at a desk and like half of the station, her head shot up at the sound of the door opening and the frigid breeze which had swept in with Jessica’s arrival.

Jessica knew her unfamiliar face, like beacon of light, had drawn attention; some was easy to pass off as curiosity, but others weren’t so...welcoming or friendly to say the least. It pricked at her guarded nature, defensive walls erected at the ready and she did her best to appear unaffected, presenting an air of polite coolness.

Krystal pushed off the officer’s desk and approached her at once. The smile settled upon her sister's face helped ease Jessica's tension.

"Hey Jessi." Krystal said. The younger had her hands tucked into the pockets of her jacket, slightly rocking back on the heels of her feet as she greeted Jessica. "Again, I'm thankful that you're doing this. It means a lot to me, and to them." Krystal gestured to the crew of officers behind her.

Jessica pursed her lips and looked around, surveying the open space. A large number of desks were occupied. A chaotic order governed the continual motion of officers, driven by the pulsing of an invisible beat, its tempo insistent and urgent. She caught a few people still staring in her direction and let her gaze sweep over them.

Jessica returned her attention to her sister's face.

"So, where's the Chief?"

"Always straight to the business, unnie." Krystal replied, half in jest, but still, she stepped back, making a move to show Jessica further into the building.

"You wanted me here in my professional capacity, Krys. I'm not here on a personal trip; I'm not here to visit you. I sacrificed sleep for this."

"Sorry, again...I know you don't like mixing business with personal matters."

Even Jessica’s use of her sister’s ‘working’ name further cemented this point.

"It is what it is." Jessica said simply.

They navigated through the chaos, weaving back and forth through maze of desks with Krystal sharing a few words with people here and there. Eventually, Krystal led her to a hallway and the cacophony of the station died down into an empty, almost respectful silence.

"We're here." Krystal said. The important looking plaque on the door, exuding a heavy aura of authority further underscored the statement.

"Alright."

The wooden door sounded sturdy and solid as Krystal's knuckles rapped on it in a respectful manner. Even her posture had straightened out, her shoulders having squared, Jessica noted.

"Come in."

They entered upon receiving the invitation.

The first thing that caught Jessica's eye was Jung Yunho himself. Despite all the memorabilia and the clutter of paperwork that surrounded him, he still stood out, cutting an impressive figure that demanded attention and respect the way only a rank like Chief would. His eyes were bright and intelligent, holding in them a peculiar perceptiveness. Jessica knew people of this type. She was wary of them too.

Yunho stood up, pushing back his leather chair and stepping around his desk to move forward until he was directly in front of them. He was considerably taller than Jessica and remained at a polite distance, so as to not to tower over her.

From beside her, Krystal begun to speak. "Chief, this is—"

Jessica smoothly cut in, stepping forward as well.

"Jessica Jung."

"Jung Yunho." He responded in kind as he took her pre-offered hand and shook it. "I'm glad you could join us this morning."

"A personal favour for my sister." Jessica inclined her head in Krystal’s direction and nodded. She held his gaze unwavering. She wanted to make this clear to Yunho that he had Krystal alone to thank for her involvement—that this was a favour and he was indebted to her sister.

"Yes, of course. Your sister, Lieutenant Jung is a magnificent detective and a great asset to our homicidal unit. I’m sure you are aware that she is the one heading this case, actually."

Out of the corner of her eye, Jessica watched Krystal shift her weight from side to side at Yunho’s words.

"I see." Jessica said, her expression remaining a mask of neutrality, not giving the Chief much to work with.

Yunho regarded her for a prolonged moment, perhaps searching for an opening, an angle to approach this conversation that would simultaneously garner Jessica's support as well as fulfil his requests. Jessica watched him as he seemingly debated something internally, weighing up the options he had.

He was the one who broke eye contact first, turning away to sit back down at behind his mahogany desk.

"Please," Yunho gestured the empty chairs across from him. "Have a seat."

Jessica looked towards her younger sister and they both made a move to sit down.

"Miss Jung—"

"Jessica is fine."

"Jessica," Yunho corrected, "How much have you dealt with inmates or prisoners of the state?"

"Enough to do my job." She thought to appeal to his sense of authority and remembered to add a Sir at the end of her sentence.

"Good, good. We have someone who needs your expertise, actually."

Jessica nodded politely, remaining unsurprised. Krystal had already filled her in on this basic fact. She anticipated what he had to say next, though she made sure to keep her simmering curiosity to herself.

"Her name is Kim Taeyeon. She is an ex-law enforcement officer." He paused, deliberately looking at each one of them with significant weight in his eyes. tone grave. "She's serving time for murder offences." He straightened up and half turned away to flip through a few files—an evasive action, Jessica realised, saving him from having to elaborate on the previous topic. "We can organise a meeting for the two of you today. It’ll be beneficial if we all start as soon as possible.”

Jessica didn’t like the way he assumed she had nothing better to do. Her fists clenched, hidden under the coat she had taken off and was now folded across her lap.

“With all due respect, I have other clients to tend to as well, Chief.” She replied evenly, keeping her emotions reigned in, under tight control. “Unless you can make an arrangement with Blanc and Eclare, I am unable to be ready at a moments’ notice.”

For a split second, she thought she saw a semblance of sympathy in his expression, misplaced and awkward, like he had gotten stuck between the shifting of his masks, but it was gone when she looked again. He waved his hand dismissively, “This falls under a special clause. I can pull some strings and organise that for you. You’ll be on leave with Blanc and Eclare for however long you need with us—consider this a privilege Miss Jung.”

Shocked and a bit bewildered at the sudden resolution of the problem, Jessica found herself truly flustered for the first time in this meeting. Consequently, she could only stutter out a response. “I—I don’t see there being a problem with this afternoon then.”

“Well then, welcome to the team, Jessica. We'll do our best to take care of you.” Yunho said with a smile. Jessica could not determine its authenticity—it was neither entirely fake nor entirely genuine, something she found was a characteristic of his.

She nodded simply.

“Will she be briefed?”

Jessica started at the sudden sound of Krystal’s voice. Yunho had dominated her attention up until now, and because of Krystal’s quietness, Jessica had almost forgotten she was present as well.

Yunho’s lips pulled into a tight line and he brought a hand up to his chin, thinking.

“I’m afraid she does not yet have the clearance to access Taeyeon’s file so I am not in a position to give you any information. When the paperwork goes through—which should be done by tomorrow—Jessica should be able to obtain a copy.”

Jessica frowned. A flicker of something like irritation at her insides. Yunho seemed to present an obstruction to her work at every turn.

“This is awfully inconvenient, not to mention unprofessional.” Jessica said flatly. She was thoroughly unimpressed and finally let it show on her face. “I’m expected to interview my client without preparation?”

“You know how it is. My hands are tied." Yunho said almost helplessly, his palms up the desk in front of him. "I'm sorry, Jessica...I still think that there’s a lot of information you can glean from your client. Perhaps this will give you an unbiased view of her current situation.”

Jessica scoffed.

"Interesting that you should be telling me how I should be doing my job, Chief."

"It was never my intention to over-step."

Jessica stood up, gathering her bag off the ground and putting on the coat she had shrugged off earlier.

"You're right to be angry." Yunho said. She could tell he was trying to placate her. Jessica knew the light in which people like Yunho regarded her in.

“I think we will take our leave now.”

She did not wait for his response and motioned for Krystal to do the same. They continued to the threshold of the doorway in silence.

Yunho called to them just before they crossed it.

“Krystal, you have access to Taeyeon’s files.” There was a long pause as they waited for him to continue. “That is all. I’ll see you both this afternoon at the facility.”

--

Jessica no longer needed to be led as she navigated down the hallway, her legs driving her back towards the main area of the station itself, back into the fray.

"Jessica! Wait up!" Krystal called from behind her, taking longer strides in an effort to catch up with Jessica.

Jessica spun on her heels to face her sister, halting and taking Krystal by surprise at the abruptness of the action.

“What is it?”

“It’s about Yunho and the file, I didn’t know—”

“You know he means for us to access the file u