I looked out the window and up at the highrise buildings surrounding Jackson's car. I hate it. Seoul was always too ostentatious to me. So was Pyeongyang, but I fixed that problem.

"Would Tuan stop f'ing swerving in and out of three lane traffic at 90 miles per hour?! Is he trying to kill himself?" I rolled my eyes at Jackson as he honked the horn. It wasn't at the cars in front of him, but the idiot in the Aston Martin that shouldn't have been given to him.

"Good, then I'd get out of hell."

"Hey," I rolled my eyes and he turned to me, "Tuan might not be the greatest person to you but he's a good person to others. If you were a bit nicer, you might get to see that side of him." I leaned back in my seat.

"I have no intention of being buddy-buddy with Tuan. I also tried to kill him, so I don't think he wants to either." It was Jackson's turn to roll his eyes.

"Youngjae's told us that you're actually really different when you're comfortable."

"Youngjae can kiss my as-"

"He's the only one who trusts you."

"I don't trust him. I'll never trust him."

"Why?" He turned to glance at me.

"Lots of reasons."

"If one of those reasons is because he's a traitor to your country, then that's a pretty bull reason." I huffed and shook my head.

"It goes back past my first steps. Besides, you won't find out. It's before I came to Seoul. I'm not telling you anything before that."

"That's going to be a problem at your interrogation." He took a right turn and the NIS HQ came into my view. The half circle, white building was familiar to me as well as the South Korean flag and that hunk of rock in front of it.

"That's not my problem it's yours."

"If you want to be granted asylum, you have to answer our questions. Youngjae will be fact checking them for us." Tuan drifted into a parking spot with his named marked on it and Jackson parked behind him.

The grounds were busy with agents, official looking people, military personnel, and a few tourist groups. It looked too busy to be a place for National Intelligence. The one in Pyeongyang is strictly off limits to most everyone. No civilian has ever gone in and came out after. It was a place you didn't want to be unless it was your job. even then, I never wanted to be in that place.

Jackson got out first and I took a breath before stepping out as well. Right as I closed the door handcuffs were slapped on my wrists. I looked behind me to Jackson who was putting the key in his pocket.

"We just need to take precautionary measures. You could still kill all of us."

"I have a partially fractured wrist and more than a few broken ribs."

"Youngjae told us stories. You've had worse and taken down battalions. If I wasn't for those battalions you took down, I'd say that's pretty badass."

"Why does Youngjae's word get taken as the trust around here? Li-"

"Because he didn't, a, evade, b, kill, c, try to kill, and, d, plotted against us. You're also an outright . Karma's a to a ." I sneered as a different pair of hands pulled me so gently up the main walkway. I struggle against him and tried my best to kick, but my angle was off and Tuan could dodge pretty well.

"I swear, if there are marks on my wrists because of you, I will murder you."

"Words like that won't get you a spot here." I finally found my footing and started to walk at his pace. He was too worried about looking forward than me. People started to turn and look and tourists have directed away from the scene. Just save me my dignity...

" you, Tuan."

"You had the chance." Tuan's voice whispered this time, but it was still a jab at me. Why did he lower his voice? Because we were close to the door?

Tuan slid a card through a spot on the door and it opened right away. I have dragged in again, but this time, it was to the metal detectors. Jackson was the one to speak up.

"Walk through and they'll have to do a body scan on you. Or a body check. Your handcuffs come off for this long." A click was heard and Tuan let go of the metal chain connecting my restraints. He had gotten oddly quiet.

"Welcome to the National Intelligence Service. Please walk through the metal detector." The man gestured his hand through the detector and I walked through it...immediately regretting it. Leftover shrapnel. The metal detector beeped and everyone looked our way. Great, the North Korean sets of the alarm. ing great. And I'm going to be working for these people?

"Ma'am, I'm afraid you will have to step into the full body scanner." His stupid, gloved hands gestured again and I wanted to break both of them. I took my shoes off and stepped into the blue cylinder. They're going to find a mine inside my body. The thing went around me a few times before stopping and beeping. I stepped out and put my shoes back on. We had a full audience at the clear end of things. Their reactions were great when Jackson and the guards face paled. Tuan didn't even care to look over. He was just death glaring at the crowd.

"Are you aware of the amount of metal in you bo-?" I cut off the guy.

"Training in a battlefield with anti-personnel mines from the 60's gives you character. Each one has its own story, wanna hear? The one in my right arm was because I tried to save a guy whose arm got blown off, but them he landed on another mine. I was lucky my arm didn't get blown off, he was lucky to have died before I had to-"

"You can walk through. That will be all." His face was paler than the gloves on his hands and Tuan and Jackson stepped through after me,not minding that the alarms went off for them.

"You have enough metal in you to be magnetic." Jackson joked and I shrugged.

"It comes with the forced military training."

"Forced?"

"Jackson! Mark! Kim-shi!" A screaming blonde haired boy ran down the hallway towards us and I instantly recognized BamBam. People also stopped to look at him and the mention of my last name. They were probably cursing their last name's because it was the murderous North Korean's.

"BamBam, how was your first interrogation?" Jackson greeted him and so did I, but Tuan stayed stoic.

"The chief said I did pretty well. Graduation is Saturday in two weeks."

"We wouldn't miss it." BamBam turned and walked with us and the chill of metal was felt on my wrists again as he was explaining the tactics he used. Tuan was being so reserved I almost didn't feel it. Is this what Jackson meant by "different person?"

We walked up to another door and Tuan used the hand not dragging me to put his card on the reader.

NIS Special Espionage Unit 1

"Welcome to your office for the rest of your life," BamBam announced and we stepped in. Eyes went to us instantly and I recognized some of them from small run-ins. There were about six men in the room, all sitting at desks or on their phones. This looks a little bleak. The room was an ivory color and the furnishings were all gray or black. The NIS symbol and the photocopier were the only things that gave the room color. Even if it was pretty large, it felt suffocating, just like North Korea, but with fewer pictures of Kim Jong-Un and Il and red messages shouting demanded blind loyalty and patriotism. If I was going to work  here, I needed to change it to my standards. There are only six guys, seven counting Tuan, I could take them.

"Tuan isn't crazy. That's really her. He finally found her." One of them whispered and my head snapped in his direction. His name tag said Wooyoung and he moved his eyes away from me like a child who was just caught. Where's the bold agents like Tuan?

"The rooms ready for her. Just take her in." I turned my head back around to see a tall man with smoothly styled hair. His face wasn't that intimidating along with his weirdly accented Korean. Maybe he wasn't Korean, but he was good looking.

"Thanks, Taec," Tuan muttered again in that small whisper and started walking to the right. I had to stutter step to catch up with him.

"I can walk by myself you know."

"Can you shut up for once?" He whispered.

"What'd Tuan just say?"

"Whoa, that's, like, the second time I've heard him say a sentence longer than two words."

"Daebak, he actually talks in Korean."

"He's not mute?" I raised an eyebrow and Tuan clenched his jaw. That's when I was yanked into another room, away from the six guys. This room was all black but the chairs and table. A camera was laid out on the opposite side of the table where I was being directed to sit.

"We will have some different people come in and out. If you would cooperate and answer questions, it would make this much quicker for all of us. Can you do that Kim-shi?" Tuan pushed me down into the chair and adjusted the handcuffs. I nodded at Jackson and he sighed, almost in relief.

"When we turn on this camera everything you say will be documented for inspection. There are microphones around the room so the others sitting in the observation room can hear. You have all the rights of a South Korean citizen at this point, do you want me to read them to you?"

"No. Let's get this show on the road, please. I have pills I have to take." Jackson nodded and walked out, leaving me with Tuan.

"The first person in Junior. Don't make this a bigger deal than it is." With those words, he walked out, but not before pressing the record button. The light on the top went red and I stared at it. This was all new to me.

The door opened and closed and I glanced behind the camera. Junior looked the same. Jeans, an NIS t-shirt, and a leather jacket. A thick folder was in his right hand and he sat on the table top, looking into the cameras viewfinder.

"Long time, no see. How was your bibimbap?"

"I didn't get to taste it."

"I'll buy you one sometime. Alright, are you ready for the slowest part of your process?"

"Sure. Can you tell me who's listening first?" If Junior was here, Youngjae was. Tuan, obviously, and Jackson, BamBam, and probably some of the other six. 

"I think you can guess, but yes to answer that question," I smirked and leaned back in my chair looking at the handcuffs.

"What's your real name?"

"Do you need to hear it from me or did your resident North Korean fact checker tell you already?" He sighed and I knew it was to hide a laugh.

"I would like to be referred to as Kim HyeIn. My old name won't get you anywhere in North Korea."

"Look, you have to answer all of my questions-"

"Article 21 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, section 1, all citizens have the right to free speech."

". She knows her stuff guys." He whispered low and looked to my right. That's where the room was.

"It's just a name. What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." He rolled his eyes again and looked down at his notes.

"Where did you live while in North Korea?"

"I grew up in PyongYang. I had no permanent housing. Just military bases." I was going to give them short answers, generic ones. I give them what they want, I get my brother.

"How did you come to South Korea? Border slipping? Through China?"

"I was personally escorted during North-South talks. Your security should be tighter."

"Not my fault." He muttered again. It probably was a jab to Tuan.

"I slipped past two guards, put on some different clothes, and went to a house that was bought for me. Aren't the guards supposed to be Special Force personnel?"

"How long were you at the college?"

"As long as Tuan was."

"What were your intentions on coming to South Korea?"

"They weren't my intentions."

"What was your mission?" He let out an annoyed tone.

"To kill Tuan and take down the government. That's why I took a job as a secretary. No one suspected me."

"How many did you kill?"

"Article 21. Also, isn't that a bit of a....a convicting question?"

"Give us a rough estimate. You don't have to tell who."

"Let's see. One, two, three, four....seven or eight. Two in my own defense, the rest were ordered by North Korea. Yet, you have no evidence, but my words."

"We aren't here to convict you. All of us have killed people here under unlawful orders. What is your family line?"

"We don't keep family lines in the North, it's too messy."

"Who is the Great Leader to you?"

"Kim Jong-Un."

"But what is he to you?" I became rigid and looked into the camera.

"He is the le-"

"Give me the answer that you've kept secret. You're safe here."

"There will be people in here who are North Korean spies. If I tell, my life is ended." He was about to say something, but stopped and glanced into the glass. I wonder what the others had to say.

"I'm done." He got off the table and walked out. My eyes widened and I stared directly into the camera.

I tell my opinions I die. And do I have my own opinions? He is the Great Leader. His father The Supreme Commander. It's all facts. Why are they asking me questions they know that answer to? Because they want to make sure I'm not lying.

The door opened and my eyes snapped up. They went into a death glare and he walked over and sat as far away from me as he could on the table.

"I'm next."

"Leave."

"I know you're mad at me, bu-"

"Mad? That's a funny way to describe it." His face went cold as he sighed.

"Do you remember your old house?"

"No."

"It was three houses away from mine and had the best flowers in front of it. You planted new ones every spring, hoping they would grow even more. Remember what you told me when I asked why you did it?"

"Other than get away from me?"

"You told me that you wanted to bring color to the dreary world that we lived in. I didn't understand until I left for South Korea what that really meant."

"What did my 9-year-old words mean to you?"

"Do you ever miss your mom?"

"Yes."

"How about Junhong?"

"Ask me a question about him again and I'll-"

"We're getting him back, you know that. After you go through the training."

"I want Jackson, Tuan, Junior, and myself on that mission."

"Do you remember the day I left?"

"I threw it into the river." His face let slip a bit of emotion and I knew I won this back and forth questioning.

"I saw you do it. I went and got it."

"Give it to someone else. I don't want it." A little bit more emotion slipped and he turns to the wall again.

"No, I need to-"

"I"d switch out. People with sentiment never get the job done right."

"No Wang, I'm no-" The door burst open and hit the wall next to it. Youngjae was grabbed out by the tall guy that I saw before and someone else. Tuan followed closely behind and closed the door from them on the way out. He moved over the camera and sat down on the chair behind it. His folder was bigger than Junior's.

"I didn't mean this quickly." I let out a little laugh and went to cross my hands, but they were stuck.

"Shall we make a deal before we start? Do you want water or anything?"

"I thought you were too good for stupid interrogation tactics." He rolled his eyes and both our faces went into glares.

"You answer my questions and you can get what you want for dinner."

"I can get what I want anyways." He rolled his eyes and looked down at the folder before throwing it on the floor.

"Why aren't you talking?"

"You knew this wasn't going to be easy."

"If you don't answer the questions I ask you, you'll be tried for murder, treason, and probably be sentenced to death like your illegitimate brother." I raised an eyebrow. He remembers KyungIl.

"If it gets me out of living with you." He slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

"What do you need?!"

"You're granting me things now?" He put both of his hands on the edge of the table and leaned over to me. My mind replayed back to the New Year's Eve party.

"You give me no choice, it's your life." He whispered, low and threatening.

"Turn the microphones off and the camera." Tuan grew up in California. He knows enough Spanish to know what that means. His eyebrow raised but then he nodded. He threw out his ear piece and crushed it with his foot. The camera was turned off and he went to the tiny fuse box in the wall, ripping five wires. I wonder how much haywire they're in now.

"Let's start from the beginning. When were you born?"

"Early 1994 in Pyeongyang."

"When was your brother born?"

"Late 1996 in a small town near Unggi."

"How old were both of your parents when they died?"

"My mother was twenty-two and my father was thirty-five."

"How did your mother die?"

"Childbirth. My father was executed." He leaned back in his chair and smirked.

"Here we get to our sob story."

"You say any more sarcastic comments I don't talk." He laughed.

"Are you in the position to threaten me?"

"No one's listening." He raised his eyebrows and looked to the right.

"When did you first go into the military?"

"At eighteen."

"Eighteen?"

"Is my accent too much for you to handle?"

"Why did you go in?"

"For my brother."

"Elaborate more."

"No." He started to glare again. Mine never went off my face.

A banging ripped through the door and I looked to the knob. He locked it.

"I have the key in my pocket. We'll come out when you answer all of my questions and I tell you what I need to. What was your rank in the military?"

"Corporal."

"Espionage ranking?"

"Master."

"Your military rank doesn't match your espionage."

"Women won't go far in the military of the North. I'm one of the highest rankings. Espionage is a different story."

"In your troop, how many women were there?"

"I was in a Special Force Command. I was the only one in my group."

"Give me the names of the people in your group."

"Alpha Troop. 5 members. Bang Youngguk, Jung Daehyun, Moon Jongup, Yoo Youngjae, and I. Three are still in North Korea." I shivered as I said the three names. Those names cut right through my spine. Especially one of them. 

"Are you aware of your brother's spot in the military?"

"I assume he took my place." My mind went to an image of Junhong in a Special Ops uniform or marching in the parade next to those three. I almost threw up.

"Is the North thinking of attacking the South?" Stupid question.

"I have no idea. We get told nothing. I was handed your profile, my new profile, your picture, and a college registration sheet. I was getting instructions monthly from an email. If you think I know something, I don't."

"Then our questioning is done here. I have a proposition for you." My ears perked up.

"I get to pick din-"

"I'm willing to get your brother in a covert mission after your first month of military training. I'll use this month to track him down and find him for you. You also have to help, but the less North Korean spies on the street the better. After the first month, you get a one-week break. We get off the radar then and go with the team you named. I trust them."

"Why are you trying to help me?"

"Like I said, less spices, less of the job I have to do. I'm lazy. Now, I have some pictures here. Tell me who you know is North." He laid out five pictures and I scanned them all. Three of them were. Black hair, high nose, wide face, scar down the right side of it. Dark brown hair, skinny face from lack of food, bloodshot eyes, and a scar on the top of his forehead. The last one had dyed blonde hair, dark eyes, and a permanent scowl.

"Those three. Kim KyungMol, Lee ShiUn, and Hwang Heeseok."

"Good. Any of my guys spies?" I shook my head at his ridiculous question.

"TUAN IF YOU DON'T OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR!" Tuan winced at the loudness of the voice and smirked.

"That's my boss. Too bad they won't ever fire me. We're done. Jackson's going to explain the whole military thing to you and then we go home."

"I don't want to live with you." His face went rigid.

"The feeling is mutual. Now shut up while I get reprimanded." He opened the door and was almost tackled.