Final chapter

   Part 2

“Hyung! Hyung! Are you sleeping? Hyuuung!!”.

The door opened a little more letting a strip of light intrude into the darkness of the room. He could have pretended to be asleep. After all, he had been watching the ceiling for what it seemed like forever not being able to shake off the horrible feeling that had attached to him since morning and he could use some hours of sleep. But it wasn’t like him to lie and even less if the person who came to seek for him was his best friend.

“I’m sorry, hyung. Thought you were awake.”, Jungmin muttered under his breath.

“I’m awake…”, Kyu Jong opened his eyes and got up slightly bothered by the light. “Close the door, will you!”

The other man did as told and then went to sit on the bed near his friend.

“So, I wasn’t wrong after all. What happened?”

“What are you talking about?”, Kyu Jong asked not clearly distinguishing Jungmin’s figure.

“Ever since we left the restaurant you have been acting really strange. You don’t talk, you don’t complain, is almost as if you’re captured into your own little world. I know we have an important mission ahead but let’s be honest, for you, facing some guys with a bunch of guns and some personality issues has never been a problem.”

“I was just thinking, Jungmin. No need to exaggerate!”

“That’s how it’s called now. Thinking? Look, hyung. I promised myself that I won’t ask you anything and that I would wait patiently for you to feel ready to tell me but if you’re acting like this you leave me no choice.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Your father.”, the silence that covered the room in that second almost suffocated Kyu Jong as he could feel his partner’s glance piercing through him. He wanted to explain. There were many times in which he had imagined this situation, thousand of explanations already completed and revised to the point of no mistakes and still he wasn’t able to utter any words.

“I found your file in the NCA database.”Jungmin watched the man tensing as he was going on.” At the beginning I really thought you didn’t know about it but judging from your reaction just now I guess I was wrong. Name: Kim Kyu Jong, Occupation: Police officer Parents: Mother, teacher at Daegu Science High School, Father, agent at the National Anti-Corruption Agency, currently searched for corruption and thought to have been selling state secrets to the Chinese government.”

Kyu Jong laid down on the bed turning around to face the wall and closed his eyes.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. You already know all this.”

“Don’t mess with me, Kyu! His record stated that he left NCA a few years before he disappeared and that the charges were made by Yoon Ji Wook , Kae Yin’s father. Also, when did you plan to tell me that your father was Byun Hyun’s man?”

Kyu Jong bit his lower lip in frustration.

“Somebody erased his file long before I managed to annihilate the firewalls but I did access to the evidences Minwoo gathered against Byun Hyun’s crimes. How do you explain that most of those that occurred before your father’s disappearance had his names all over them? What’s going on in here? What haven’t you told me?”

What a stupid yet intriguing question to be asked. He himself had thought about that several times. Jungmin had been his friend ever since they met in the police academy. They were lucky enough to be assign to the same police station and if that wasn’t enough, they were made partners. While Jungmin had never been a man of action, he couldn’t even remember the number of times the man had saved his life. He had understood him when he told him his connection to the NCA or rather his father’s but somehow, Kyu Jong never found the courage to tell him that all those accusations proved to be true. He himself had only found out about a year ago when by mistake he found the file of the Diamond Ace when working at a case with the state department. At the beginning it was only curiosity. A masked hero working underground was not something you see every day in the 21^st century but it all took a turn for the worse when he found out that all that the hero left behind were evidences against his father’s wrong doings. Of course, by that time the name of Byun Hyun had no relevance. Not even when he was kidnapped by Young Saeng and stumbled upon that name again, did he remember. It was hard to explain the Diamond Ace’s connection to his father and at some point Kyu Jong was convinced that his father had something to do with his sudden disappearance or maybe the other way around, but then again he often doubted if any memory he had about his father was ever real.

“Stop ignoring me!”. Jungmin grabbed his arm and forced him up.

“I can’t…I just can’t. I don’t…”

His eyes softened at the sight of his best friend falling to pieces right before his eyes but still managed to whispered the question that has been torturing Kyu Jong for quite some time now.

“Did your father murdered Kae Yin’s parents?”

“I don’t know, Jungmin. I don’t know!”

“Then tell me what you know!”

In the centre of Taipei

“I’ve already told you: No! Just because you keep pestering me around it doesn’t mean I’m going to agree.”

“But it’s a great plan. Come on Manse! We can’t let boss have all the fun!”

“Are you trying to get me killed? Hyun Joong told us clearly to stay out of troubles and focus on gathering all the evidence we can against Byun Hyun. I am not going to listen to you.”

“We can still do that and at the same time track down that idiot and lock him before he takes any more innocent lives.”

“But Hyun Joong said…”

“Again with that! Hyun Joong also told us to go back to Korea and here we are. You don’t seem to be following his orders that well. One more broken order won’t kill you.”

“You know very well why I stayed, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to do something foolish. We are going to help him but not in the way you suggest. Now where is everybody else?”

“Sanghyun is at the city’s achieves trying to relate Byun Hyun with major transactions that took place in the last 5 years and his sister and Kwanhee went out to get us something to eat. They sent me to convince you to take a break. You haven’t left that computer for almost 12 hours now. I’m starting to consider that you aren’t human.”

“Ok, then. You go and find Sanghyun. I want you both in the NCA headquarters. If anyone asks, tell them that you two lost the flight to Seoul and that Hyun Joong asked you to retrieve some files about the last mission. I am counting on the fact that maybe Byun Hyun informed some of the agents there that you work for him. And send Kwanhee and Sunmi here as soon as they arrive.”

“So not fair! How do I always get teamed up with Sanghyun? What are the other two going to do?”

“That’s not your problem. Another thing…take this!”, Manse handed him a pink cell phone.

“Interesting colour but…”

“It’s mine. I’ve changed the signal to make it seem that we are in Korea. If you must contact me use only this phone only. Now remember, NCA has to go down as well in order for the guys to stop Byun Hyun and others like him.”

“Wow, you are so cool. No wonder the boss likes you.”

Manse flashed him a big grin and went back to the computer signalling Minwoo that he’s free to go.

“Let the games begin!”

Meanwhile

“Where have you been? I’ve been trying to locate you for hours. You were supposed to get here this morning.”, Byun Hyun shouted at the man who had just entered his office.

“I’m sorry, father! I met with the agents from NCA. They are all here.”, Young Saeng bowed with respect not a bit affected by the man’s outburst.

“Are you sure? The girl too?”

“Of course!”

“Good!”. The older man smiled pleased. “Take care of everything! I still have to get things ready for the meeting with Xiao Chen. By the way, you’re not coming. I need you here.”

“But father…”

“If you get killed tonight then you’re no use to me. Just do what I said and bring me the girl.”

“As you wish!”

Young Saeng got out of the office and signalled the guards to follow him.

“I need one of you to accompany me somewhere.”

“But sir, the meeting will be in 3 hours.”

“I already know that. Don’t worry, I’ll send one of my people to replace you. Now, come! There’s not much time left and I’m afraid that if we make any mistakes, Byun Hyun will have our heads.”

“Yes, sir!”                            

Back at the house

“How are you feeling, hyung?”

“I’m okay, Jungmin. Just a bit tired. I can’t wait for this entire nightmare to be over. Promise me one thing…”

“What is it?”

“All I’ve told you tonight stays in this room, okay? If Kae Yin finds out, I don’t need to tell you that hell will break loose.”

Jungmin laughed casually as he smacked jokingly Kyu Jong’s arm. “I do value my life. Do I look like a fool to you?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?”

“How dare you?”Jungmin tried to attack the older man but got pushed out of the bed with the help of a pillow. “If that’s how you want it. It’s war now!”

The hits and threats could be easily heard even from the most isolated room and didn’t fail to bring laughter at least to one of the residents.

 “Who do you think will win? My bets are on Jungmin. He may be younger but when did age mattered in a battle.”

“Hmm…”, she noted absent-mindedly still looking outside the window.

“That’s an interesting guess. However, I doubt that Mr. Hm is involved in the fighting.” The women just rolled her eyes.“Bad joke, I know. So what do you plan on doing now.”

“What I had in mind from the beginning, putting an end to this all this charade.”

With that Kae Yin took her gun and left the room. What followed next was at least unexpected. Everybody heard the sound of front door being knocked to the ground and soon after gunshots started devastating the entire first floor. Kyu Jong and Jungmin grabbed their guns and immediately went outside only to be met by a sleepy Hyung Joon.

“What’s going on in here? Where is my sister?”

“I don’t know! We just came out as well.”

Kyu Jong heard steps coming from the stairs and pushed the two men back in the room. “We can talk about this later. Hyung Joon, take this and get cover. Both of you! I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He handed the younger man his gun and went to the other part of the house to search for his partner. Some of the doors were closed and with the intensifying shots downstairs time was quickly running out. He finally reached the door at the end of the corridor and bumped his head into the barrel of a gun.

“Hey, it’s me!”

“Damn it, Kyu Jong! What are you doing wondering around like a lunatic.”, Hyun Joong grabbed the man and pulled him in the room locking the door. He breathed relieved for a second and then it hit him.

“Where is Kae Yin?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I left the room, to search for you two.”

“I thought she was with you?”

“Why would she be with me? The last time I saw her, she went to sleep but all the rooms are empty.”

“That’s not good.”, Hyun Joong unlocked the door and peeked outside.

“You don’t think that she went downstairs, don’t you?”

“She’s not a fool. Where did you leave the other two?”

“They are in the second room to the right.”

“Okay, I’m bringing them here. Don’t move.”

“But Kae Yin?”

“We need to analyse the situation and think of a plan before acting. Besides you are unarmed. Wait here and lock the door!”

With that, the leader left in a hurry. Kyu Jong searched the room for a weapon but had to settle for a piece of wood ripped from a chair. He looked outside and saw three cars, one of them carrying the NCA seal. If that was supposed to calm him, it definitely didn’t work. The seal could only mean one of two things: they were here to help or finish them once and for all, with the second being far more probable. However, Kyu Jong didn’t have time to even consider his options as he heard steps approaching his room. Taking cover under the bed, he almost breathed his soul out when he heard the door opening and two pairs of legs entered the room. One was clearly a woman and the other one seemed rather a man but judging from the size of the shoes, he was a short one.

“He’s not here. Go search the other room!”

His heart stopped when he recognised the voice as being Kae Yin’s. Could she…? No that was out of the question and as soon as the other person walked away, he got out, the noise drawing Kae Yin’s attention.

“I’m here!”, the man whispered.“We need to get out before…something is definitely wrong.” Kyu Jong dragged the rest of his body from under the bed when a striking pain hit him in the chest. He never got to see what happened as his vision blurred leaving behind a shocked Kae Yin that was holding a gun and a shadow that knocked her down.

Author's Note: Wow, that was a long wait, wasn't it?!! I'm really sorry...I thought of writing it a lor of times but I didn't found the time or the inspiration. I'm sorry if it's short or confusing. I'll try to make things clear next chapter. ^_^