Chapter 01
Zero Gravity“What the hell went wrong with our stocks?!”
The man sitting at the head of the table bellowed at his employees. None of them knew who let out the news about the company going into bankruptcy since the only ones who knew about it were sitting in this very room.
“Now we have zero chance of bouncing back!” He flung his glass of water at the wall. With their company’s investors pulling out, he and the employees are going to be thrown out onto the streets that millions took when the economy fell.
“What if we convince the investors the news were just rumours and they will be the first to know if anything were to happen?” A bald man stood up and directed his opinion to the director while the others nodded their heads in approval.
“If it were that easy, we would have done it the moment this happened.” He looked older than his thirty years of age. Bloodshot eyes with dark eyebags extending down to his cheeks—all from the stress and lack of rest since all hell broke loose. “With the news spreading around the country, they’ll rather save their asses than be in this muddle.”
What will father think of me? A useless son who drove his father’s hard earned business empire to bits? He paced next to the windows and ran his hands through his hair, trying to clear the negative thoughts that were slowly settling in his mind. If he were dead, he’ll be rolling in his grave.
“My god, this headache is not making it any better.” The pulse at his temples continued to throb over the increasing volume of the arguments in the boardroom . “If I could just kill mysel—” he stopped mid sentence and collapsed on the floor.
The room fell into a pin drop silence before a secretary began screaming as she stumbled out of her seat, her face white as paper.
Some were too shocked to move or even make a sound upon finding their boss with his eyes wide open, a bullet shot through his forehead.
❧
“Good shot.”
He squinted at his target and held out his hand for the binoculars.
“Henry.” His secretary stepped next to him with his leather bound book opened and started on the day's schedule, which unfortunately fell on death ears until a name caught his attention. “...progress at 12pm before having lunch with Mrs. Lau.”
“Why does the gold-digger want to have lunch with me, Mr. Kim?” Henry admired his shot with his muffler around his neck, wincing occasionally at the gunshots iat the firing range.
“She’s hoping to discuss something personal with you, Henry," the middle aged man responded softly.
Henry just scoffed, ”Probably about the will.”
❧
A slender figure packed away the sniper rifle without any interest in the chaos surrounding the dead man in the opposite building and with a snap of the case headed for the rooftop entrance, descending down the stairs hurriedly before entering the building’s highest floor, seting off the fire alarm.
“Oh, my super girl Amber,” a man’s voice sang off-tuned into her earpiece when she stepped into the elevator as announcements advising to use the stairwell repeated throughout the building. “Shut up, Kibum.”
“Can’t you humour me?”
“Just deal with the cameras,” Amber said, glancing at the camera currently recording her in the elevator.
“I think I sound good.” Kibum continued, typing furiously on the other end.
“Because you’re tone-deaf,” she muttered, pulling her cap lower lower when the elevator opened its doors to a crowded lobby.
Amber made their way out of the building along with the anxious employees and strode towards an all black tinted Range Rover parked along the road, smiling at a man when she caught his eye as he got out of his own car behind the SUV.
“Oh, that guy is cute.”
Amber closed the passenger car door and took off her leather gloves and wig, ruffling her short hair. “Victoria, to you, any guy on the street is cute," she said matter-of-factly.
“Including me?” Kibum continued without allowing them to answer. “I mean, how is it that you both are able to resist my charms when ladies around me throwing themselves at me?” Amber and Victoria rolled their eyes in exasperation as the SUV eased into traffic, taking them home after the day's work.
Henry watched the SUV in the distance with a smile at the brief encounter and turned back to his secretary who was already filling him in on the situation. “The fire alarm was activated on the highest floor but security believe that there could be foul play because there are missing record feeds before and after the alarm went off.”
“You think someone is causing trouble?” Henry received a nod in response from Mr. Kim. “Well, are there any reports of stolen files or anything?”
“The employees have only returned to their work spaces so it will take a while before we can confirm anything.”
“You have too many worries, adjushi.” Henry playfully elbowed him and turned around to enter his car again. “Cancel the meeting. It seems like there isn’t going to be any today.”
“Where are you going?”
Henry wore his seat belt and replied. “Home. Why?”
“Remember that you have lunch with Mrs. Lau,” Mr. Kim reminded.
“Yeah, I remember," he muttered.
He wasn't used to knowing her as Mrs. Lau. She has always been 'Sooyoung' to him.
He first met her at his high school's alumni night and fell head over heels for her. But after two years of dating and with thoughts of marrying her, she broke up with him for another man.
~~
“Hey, I've ordered your favourite pasta," his step mother said as the stony faced Henry took his seat opposite hers.
“I’m not hungry,” Henry replied, waving the waiter away. “What is it that you want to discuss with me, Mrs. Lau?”
She her pearl earring, a habit that appeared when she was nervous but he already knew that and he didn't feel guilty for putting her on the spot. “Henry, why are you acting like this?” she said, watching on sadly. “We were really close.”
“Why don’t you ask yourself that question, Sooyoung?” Henry said coolly, watching her fidget in her seat. “I wasn’t the one who left for another man."
“I loved you, I really did but you weren’t the one,” Sooyoung said softly, nervously playing with the table cloth. “Don’t hate your father for it.”
“How can I? I didn’t introduce you to each other. He didn't know you were my girlfriend.” He sat back with his arms crossed. “The person I hate is you. I hate you because you can just have a change of heart just like that.” He snapped his fingers.
“I’m sorry.”
“It can’t change the past by saying you’re sorry,” Sooyoung’s lips parted but Henry cut her off. “It’s too late.”
“I married your father because I love him,” Sooyoung placed her hand over his. “Not because of money.”
Henry pulled away and stood up. “I guess I won’t know the truth since I barely know you.”
“Henry, I-”
“Leave me alone.” he said, heading to the restaurant's exit.
Henry took out his cell phone and dialed his best friend’s number. “Siwon, do you want to hang out? I need to talk."
❧
Amber was in the midst of cleaning the rifle when the twins entered her room.
“Unnie!”
“What do you want?” Amber asked lazily, ignoring the funny faces that they were making at her.
“Krystal’s bored.” Sulli nudge her twin sister sideways. “She wants to go out shopping. Again.”
“Why don’t both of you go bug Kibum?” Amber waved them away. “He’s probably in his room trying to hack into the Blue House again.”
The five of them - Amber, Victoria, Sulli, Krystal and Kibum - were a group of strangers brought together by Matsuka Kitaro. He was a well-known businessman respected by his associates but what they didn't know was besides growing rich from his business projects, he is also the head of an underground organisation.
In the beginning no one got along with each other but they eventually forged a friendship over the years of being stuck together. The youngest among them were the twins at twenty years old. They live together in a mansion away from the city, nestled in the woods where they were trained to fight by Matsuka’s people and were rewarded whenever a job well done.
Victoria, the oldest in the ‘family’ specialised in cars. Infamous in the illegal night race ring as the only girl to ever win in the male dominated races but quit racing when she joined them and now involved in planning their escape routes.
The most tech savvy (and the only man) on their team was Kibum. He could hack into anything to retrieve data and considered hacking the Seoul traffic control room as a hobby.
Amber, arguably the most skilled fighter among them, has the strongest stomach when it comes to the gore inflicted on her victims. She has something against men because her father was abusive towards her and her mother during her childhood before he was killed when he wandered drunk onto a busy road.
Sulli, the older twin trained medically and rarely joined them on the field unless they need more hands and usually remained behind with Kibum.
Krystal's skills need more training but her focus lay in fashion and shopping to the extent that they joked that she utilized her credit card better than guns.
“Maybe I should take Krystal shopping,” Amber mumbled and packed the rifle, thinking that she should get some clothes.
Only to regret her decision when Krystal shoved her into a dressing room with arms full of clothes that was selected for her. “Why do I need all these? I could just get a couple of jeans and shirts and we’re done," Amber whined.
“Unnie,” Krystal paused, eyeing Amber’s oversize shirt, jeans and sneakers with pursed lips. “You’re a girl, do you need me to remind you? Plus, shouldn’t you have outgrown the tomboy phase?” she said and flicked Amber’s cap. “You looked nice wearing that outfit I picked out for you this morning.”
“What’s wrong with shirt and jeans? They’re comfortable,” Amber defended her sense of style. “I admit the ones you chose are nice but did you know I had a hard time moving about?”
Krystal rolled her eyes. ”Fine. At least allow me to pick the clothes you’d wear.”
In the end, Amber lost the battle and they walked out of the shop with bags full of clothes that she’d approved, unwillingly. “Let me ask you,” she said as Krystal hooked her arm through hers. “How do expect me to move in those pants? I won’t be starting a catwalk when I’m running from danger.” But the younger woman merely laughed and pulled her into another shop. “Not again,” Amber groaned.
After what seemed like an eternity, they finally emerged from the shop with Amber carrying several paper bags as Krystal walked ahead of her. “You do the least work and yet you spend the most,” Amber grumbled under her breath and hurried after the younger woman.
“Don’t you feel someone is following us?” Krystal pretended to check her shoe, finding a suspicious man enter a convenience store when he noticed them stop.
Amber nodded. “He’s been following us since the beginning but I was hoping it was just a coincidence.” They continued as if nothing happened while Amber whispered instructions. “I’ll walk you to the nearest train station. Call Victoria to pick you up and don’t come after me, I’ll lead him away.”
“You have your gun?” Krystal asked when they reached the station.
Amber patted her jacket, feeling the shape of the firearm. “I’ll be fine. It’s not like it’s the first time this happened.” Amber handed the bags over to Krystal. “Like usual, I won’t be back t-”
“Till things are settled. Yeah, I know,” Krystal finished her sentence and walked into the crowded station, waving back at her.
Amber stood there until she could no longer see her and walked in the opposite direction, making several stops at random shops with the man still behind her.
“Might as well get it over with.” Amber turned into an alley and quickened her footsteps, cutting corners until she lost him and hid in the shadows. She took out her gun, turning off the safety feature and waited for him to appear.
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