Jiyong

I look over at my brother, his knuckles white as he grips the wheel of his car. The Professor spent all day going over the different scenarios, just in case Devlin or any one of his guys decided to go back on their word and start shooting at us.

When we met last night, the Professor arrived at Seunghyun’s place in a black turtleneck and blackpants, as if he were Zorro. I think the poor guy misses whatever covert military operations he used to be involved in, because his raw excitement couldn’t be more obvious.

Don’t ask me how Park came up with the idea of making a deal with Devlin. I spent an hour arguing with him, telling him there was no way in hell I’d let him pay tens of thousands of dollars of his own money to get me out of trouble. I argued until my throat was sore, but Park insisted. He said he’d negotiate with Devlin with or without my consent.

Before he made the deal with Devlin, Park and I sat down for a long talk. He was willing to offer to buy Devlin off for whatever it took . . . on one condition.

I’d have to enter the military or go to college.

That was it. The Professor was willin’ to take a load of cash out of his own bank account to buy my way out of Devlin’s chains, with rules attached. “It’s like slavery,” I told him this afternoon as we went over the plan in detail.

“Cut the crap, Jiyong. Is it a deal or not?” he’d said.

I shook hands with him, but to my surprise he pulled me forward into a bear hug and said he was proud of me. It feels weird to have a guy who knows the truth about who I am and what I’ve done still care about my future and want me to succeed.

Devlin gave the Professor twenty-four hours to come up with fifty thousand dollars to buy me out, but only after I showed up at some secret location in Nowon-Gu and proved to have a united front with SeungHwan in front of WN (Warriors of the neighborhood). I guess some big deal is about to
happen, but the American suppliers don’t trust Devlin. I wonder if the street war with the Beasts has already started.

We’re in the car on the way to meet with Devlin and SeungHwan in Nowon-Gu. Park has the cash in a duffel between his feet. I’m in the backseat, looking at the two guys who’ve become my posse. My heart is beating strong and hard at the prospect of bringin’ my brother and the Professor. I was supposed to be in this alone, without draggin’ anyone down with me. Devlin is my problem, and they’ve made him theirs.

I remember when Dara brushed her fingers over one of my tattoos. Dragon. (Chapter 16) I’m not that strong like a dragon if I need an old man and my big brother as my posse. And while havin’ them with me doesn’t sit well in my gut, I admit I don’t know what the hell I’d do without ’em.

“There’s still time for both of you to back out. I can go in there alone.”

“That’s not happenin’,” Seunghyun says. “I’m comin’ with you, no matter what.”

Park pats the duffel filled with money. “I’m ready for this.”

“That’s a helluva lot of money, Professor. You sure you want to part with it? You can wipe your hands clean of me and keep the money. I wouldn’t even blame you.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not backing out now.”

“If one of us feels that somethin’ is off, get out fast,” I tell them. “Devlin makes sure he’s got numbers on his side.”

Seunghyung drives slowly through Nowon-Gu. The streets remind me of Busan, our town back then. We didn’t live on the richest side of town. Some people refused to drive through the side for fear of being carjacked, but it was home to us.

A bunch of guys our age are standing on the corner, eyeing Seunghyung’s unfamiliar car suspiciously. If we look like we know what we’re doing and have a purpose, we’ll be just fine. If we act like we have no clue where we are or how to get where we want to go, then we’re toast.

As Seunghyung drives down a winding driveway and ends up in front of what looks like an abandoned ware house, chills race up and down my spine. Why did Devlin insist on us meeting him here?

“You ready to do this?” Seunghyun says as he puts the car in park.

“No,” I say. Both Park and Seunghyun turn back to look at me. “I just wanted to say thanks,” I mutter. “But you think Devlin’ll take your money and run, or shoot us dead and take the money anyway?”

Park opens the car door. “Only one way to find out.”

We all pile out of the car, our senses heightened and on alert. As much as I made fun of Park for wearing all black again today, he does look like a badass. An old, balding badass, but a badass nonetheless.

“There’s a guy on the roof, two more at two o’clock, and ten o’clock,” Park tells us. What was his nickname in the military, Eagle Eye? A guy is standing at the entrance, waiting for