A shaking, ashy, cracked hand knocked on the door of an apartment situated in a lower income neighborhood of the city. The junkie dropped his arm to his side and waited patiently. Soohyun undid the deadbolt and peeked through the opening allowed by the chain lock.

The junkie smiled with rotted teeth and began, “Hey, I have something that you’d like to know… for a price.”

“What?”

“Info. But it’s not free.”

“Get out of here then.” Soohyun began to close the door in his face.

“—You’re being watched,” the junkie offered quickly before the door closed completely.

Soohyun stopped in his tracks, closed the door just enough to undo the chain lock. He flung the door open and pulled the junkie into his apartment. “What?”

The junkie extended his open hand. Soohyun rolled his eyes. Nevertheless, he reached into his pocket and threw a small baggie of crystals at him.

“There’s a man staked out outside,” the junkie said with a hint of satisfaction in his voice.

Soohyun’s eyes widened in shock. He walked over to the window and parted a tiny corner of the curtain. “WHERE?”

“In the black sedan across the street.”

“What the— how come I didn’t see that?” He turned back to the drug addict. “Okay, get out.” He grabbed him by the arm and shoved him out of his apartment.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Donghae sat in the car.  He was finishing the last few notes on their next target. The sun was setting and he was more than ready to head home. His lower back was stiff from sitting in the car for so long and he hadn’t eaten a proper meal all day.

He put his camera back in its case. He took one last look at Soohyun’s apartment door before turning the key in the ignition.

The drive back was quiet. He left the radio off. In turn, he could hear the tires rolling on the pavement and the rocks and sand crunching under the car’s weight when he drove through a road that was under construction. The loose dirt raised into a cloud of dust. He was completely unaware of the car that followed at a distance with its headlights off.

Donghae pulled into the driveway and pushed the button on his remote control. The garage door opened to let him in.

Several houses down, Hoon and Kiseop sat in their car. They eased back and made sure to park away from the streetlight as soon as they saw Donghae begin to slow down and pull up to his house.

Once the garage door closed behind Donghae, Hoon turned to Kiseop. “Go check it out.”

“What?”

“Investigate. Go look through the window or something.”

“Oh, no. No way.” Kiseop shook his head nervously.

“That’s what we came here for.”

“I know but why do I have to do it?”

“Kiseop, just go.”

“No-no-no-no.” He waived his hand and shook his head no.

“Fine. Fine… we’ll both go.”

Kiseop and Hoon stepped out of the car. Hoon met his partner on the sidewalk and began giving instructions on how they should communicate once at the house, “This means we are done and should head back to the car.” Hoon did the thumbs up sign. He looked to his side to make sure Kiseop agreed but Kiseop was speed walking away in the opposite direction. Determined not to let him escape, Hoon caught up to Kiseop and grabbed him by the shirt. “Oh, no you don’t. We share the burden… Hey, are you okay?”

Kiseop’s face had lost all its color. He nodded in resignation.

“You’re such a chicken.”

They walked quietly to the house. They first tried to look through the side window but the blinds were closed and the lights were off. It was the same for all of the windows, making it near impossible to see anything inside.

Hoon almost gave up but he stopped in his tracks when he heard some shuffling footsteps coming down the sidewalk. Seconds later, they saw a gangly man in a windbreaker and dirty jeans, walk up to the house. Kiseop instinctively dove into the nearest bush to hide and Hoon followed suit.

The man knocked a four count beat on the door. He slouched while he waited for the door to open. Moments later, Kyuhyun opened the door and slyly exchanged something he hid in his hand with the person at the door. It would have looked like a regular street handshake except for the fact that he just closed the door right after they greeted each other.

Hoon’s eyes widened with what he had just witnessed. As soon as the visiting man was out of sight and the coast was clear he did the thumbs up sign for Kiseop to follow him back to the car. They didn’t waste any time getting out of the neighborhood.

“Did you see that?” he asked Kiseop, who had calmed down considerably.

“Yep. I guess that dude’s not a cop.”

“I thought he was a cop too! I thought they were going to bust Soohyun with whatever proof they got from the surveillance but then that guy shows up and knocks like… like a code or something. It’s too late to have guests over. That was totally a drug deal.”

“That guy that opened the door, could you make out his face?”

“Sort of. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“It’s that dude that Heechul’s looking for.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Soohyun waited for Sungmin to return. He had asked to speak to Heechul and was now standing next to the stairs that led up to the VIP balcony that overlooked the rest of the club.

Sungmin returned and without saying a word he immediately began to pat Soohyun down. He reached into Soohyun’s pocket and removed his keys, putting them in his own pocket. He allowed the bouncers to run the metal detector wands over him.

“Isn’t this overkill? I was checked before I got in the club,” Soohyun half-joked. He smiled at Sungmin, who glared back. He didn’t find it humorous at all that his caution was being questioned. Soohyun wiped the smile from his face.

When he was cleared, Sungmin led him up the stairs and to Heechul’s table.

Heechul had ordered everyone to clear out of his area to avoid any eavesdropping. He was alone at his table and gestured Soohyun to take the seat across the table.

Soohyun smiled awkwardly and extended his hand to Heechul, who ignored the gesture, skipping all niceties and went straight to the point instead. “Soohyun, what is it you want to tell me?”

“I have information on the guy you’re looking for.”

“Let’s hear it then.”

“I had a customer that told me there was a guy staked outside my apartment. I looked out the window and sure enough, there was a dude I’ve never seen before, in a car I’ve never seen at my complex.  At first I thought it was an undercover cop but then I remembered all of the crews that have been jumped and I thought ‘maybe I’m being targeted.’ So, I call my friends and have them follow this guy. They end up at his house. They try to find out who this guy is but while they’re there, someone comes up to the house and knocks on the door. One of the guys you’re looking for answers the door.”

“Did you see for yourself?”

“Yes, I went the next day. It’s the guy. I’m sure of it.”

Heechul weighed Soohyun’s words in his head before continuing, “You have an address for me?”

“Sure do.” Soohyun reached in his jacket pocket and offered Heechul the torn corner of a page of lined paper. It had an address written neatly in the center.

Heechul held the paper in his hand. That address was carrying a great amount of his hope. It was not the first time someone had brought information to him regarding Kyuhyun and his crew but none of it ever panned out.

His hand began to quake. The numbers and letters on the paper shook out of focus causing Heechul to snap out of his contemplations. He tucked the paper in the front pocket of his pants. He looked up to see Soohyun staring at him with concern in his eyes. Heechul shrugged it off and smiled. “Thank you, Soohyun. We’ll be in touch. Leave your contact information with Sungmin.”

“Wait. What am I supposed to do about the target on my back?” he asked indignantly.

“Whatever. That’s not my concern but if you want the reward money, you’ll keep our little meeting a secret.” Heechul stood from his seat and tuned his back to Soohyun, dismissing him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kangin reached Heechul’s side first. He was slightly out of breath. He wanted to be the one that broke the news to Heechul so he raced out of the car and into the warehouse. Leeteuk arrived just as Kangin spoke. “Boss, it’s him.”

The words instantly registered. Heechul tilted his head back in his armchair and closed his eyes. He couldn’t suppress the smile that made its way onto his face. He had been waiting for this.

Kangin stood there waiting for a ‘thank you’ or a ‘good job’ from his boss. When it didn’t come soon enough he began, “Boss— ”

Leeteuk clamped his hand over Kangin’s mouth. “He’ll give us the next order when he’s ready,” Leeteuk said somewhat impatiently into Kangin’s ear. He pulled Kangin aside and told him to remain on stand-by.

After an extended period of time, Heechul finally opened his eyes. “We’re going old school for this one. Classic drive by should do the trick.”

School's been a drag lately. Oh, wait. Was it ever not?