~_____~

“Namjoo,” Suho called before catching up to her, “you’re really going to go?”

“Of course. I already gave Victoria my word.”

“Donghae’s going to be really upset.” Suho worried.

Namjoo brushed him off her shoulder. “He’s going to have to deal with it. I’m not going to satisfy him by pulling out of this.” Namjoo glanced around before pulling Suho over to the side. “Suho, those men in Wonju, when they kidnapped me, do you know what they said to me?”

“What?” Suho asked surprised at the mention of kidnapping. He hadn’t known about Namjoo being kidnapped. “Wait, wait, what are you going on about? Kidnap?”

“That’s not the point,” Namjoo ignored him, “I’m saying, when they took me they asked for Donghae. That means they want to stop us. Donghae isn’t supposed to find Hyukjae.”

Suho slightly frowned confused. “How does that make sense?”

“Exactly,” Namjoo pointed out, “it doesn’t make sense. A friend is looking for a friend, but they want to put a stop to it. And Hyukjae disappeared from Wonju when we got there. That means something is suspicious.”

Suho darted his eyes around the ground. “Are they afraid we’re going to really nail their human trafficking gang?”

“That too,” Namjoo nodded, “and it might mean Hyukjae is being framed in name, that’s why they don’t want Donghae to catch him.”

“What?” Suho became lost again.

“Someone else is using his identity,” Namjoo concluded.

Suho felt a gasp leave his lips before loud footsteps pattered down the hallway. They both turned to see a stern faced Donghae strutting toward them. An aura that meant business and determination was emitting itself from his body. Suho felt alarmed at the sight.

“Where are you going?” Suho questioned when Donghae began to walk pass them. He didn’t reply so Suho followed and heard Namjoo follow as well. “Donghae! Where are you going!?”

“To find Lee Suk Jin.”

Suho stopped for a mere second before shock hit him. “Donghae! What are you going to see him for!?”

Donghae never went to Suk Jin unless it was urgent business or unless Suk Jin had called him in. Either way, it wasn’t good news. Suho wasn’t getting a good vibe from this.

“What are you going to him for?” Suho continued pacing after him.

“I want Victoria off our team,” Donghae answered in a low grumble.

Suho’s eyes fluttered before he hurried his pace, “Why?”

“Stay here, don’t let Namjoo step a foot out of this building.” Donghae turned to glance at them and completely stopped before pressing the elevator button. Then his eyes darted over to Namjoo who was behind Suho. “I’m warning you, Suho.” He glanced at Suho before stepping into the metal box and closed the doors.

His lips dropped open and he turned to glance at Namjoo. Before running toward the stairs he said, “Wait here.”

Donghae was going too far. Suho needed to talk to him, put some sense back into him. The Donghae he knew wouldn’t do this so rashly. Why he was acting like this, he didn’t know. All that Suho was sure of was that Donghae had become hasty.

His legs brought him down the stairs so fast he almost lost his footing a few times. When he finally pushed the door open Donghae was already starting out the door. Suho took a deep breath before pursuing Donghae again.  

“Donghae!” Suho shouted after him, but he didn’t stop. Suho ran some more and finally stopped in front of Donghae panting heavily. “Don’t. Don’t do this. Victoria hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“Get out of my way, Suho.”

Suho shook his head. “You can't see Lee Suk Jin like this. You know he won’t listen to you, so why are you doing this anyway?”

“Move it, Suho.”

Once again he shook his head, “Victoria hasn’t done anything wrong, Donghae. Don’t be rash, please. Let them go to Yeongwol. We’re going to be following them right after anyway, so what’s the big deal?”

“I’m warning you, Suho,” Donghae’s eyes became fierce, “if you let them go to Yeongwol, I’m going to suspend you.”

His mouth dropped open at the sudden threat. Donghae slightly shoved him and Suho stood there stupefied before he suddenly turned around with a big urge to tell him off.

“No!” Suho shouted after him. “Donghae, you’re in the wrong. You’re just going to embarrass yourself. What has gotten in you? Can’t you see we’re all working hard to find Hyukjae?” Donghae kept walking and ignored him out rightly. Suho gritted his teeth together and drew his hand up into a fist, “Donghae!”

Still, Donghae kept walking on and got in his car finally driving off a second later. Suho’s eyes followed him until he disappeared from view.

~_____~

She was so concentrated on staring at the door leading to the stairway that she only jumped when she felt someone touch the band-aid on her neck. Namjoo jumped in surprise and immediately drew her hand on the falling band-aid before glaring at Tao.

“What?” he asked. “It was coming off.”

With her hand still on her neck she glanced around nervously worried if he’d seen what was under or not. “Mind your own business, would you?”

“Tsh..” he snorted, “why are you acting so suspicious?”

She turned away, “I don’t know what you’re speaking about.”

“Exactly that,” Tao pointed out.

They both turned at approaching footsteps and spotted Victoria.

“Namjoo, can I talk to you?”

Namjoo glanced Tao before following Victoria down the hallway.

“Can I still have your word that you’re going?” Victoria asked her a moment later.

“If this is about Donghae, don’t mind him,” Namjoo stated, “I’m going no matter what. What time do you want us to head out?”

“As soon as possible.” Victoria replied. “I want leave before Donghae returns.”

~_____~

Tao’s eyebrow shot up when Kris started toward him.

“Where’s everyone?” Kris questioned.

His eyes drifted toward the part of Kris’ shirt that was now blocking his earlier mark from sight. “Where do you assume they are?”

Kris stared back at him quietly before he started for the stairs. When the door closed Tao felt a small snort fall from his lips. It wasn’t hard to figure it out at all. All he needed to do was just connect the dots. Kris had answered the phone that morning and Namjoo had a strange band-aid over her neck. Whoever hurt their neck like that? Then he thought back to the night they’d spent at the inn in Wonju and how Kris had turned in the middle of the night to watch her sleep.

Tao was baffled speechless.

~_____~

When Donghae disappeared from the parking lot Suho only turned around to come to a complete halt. Chorong, Namjoo, and Victoria were leaving the building.

“You’re leaving?” Suho questioned.

“I’ll have Chorong call you up with the rest of the plan when we get there,” Victoria promised.

Chorong glanced over at him with quiet worry.

“I’m sorry, Suho.” Namjoo apologized.

“No, it’s fine. Go ahead,” Suho urged. “We’ll be on standby until you call. Whether Donghae’s with us or not, Tao and I will have this.”

Namjoo pursed her lips together and nodded. “And if you need anything, call.”

“Be safe,” Suho cautioned toward the three of them before they walked off.

He shifted in spot to see them go and slightly smiled in comfort when Chorong paused to look back at him. The second he heard loud footsteps behind, he turned to find Kris rushing out of the doors.

“They left?” Kris asked.

Suho glanced up at him and nodded.

“Eesh…that little…”

“What?” Suho frowned.

“Nothing.”

“On the other hand, we have a job to do, don’t we?” Suho asked before walking back inside.

~_____~

“It’s still early. What are we going to do now?” Namjoo asked when Victoria started down the road.

“When we get there lets first look around the neighborhood,” Victoria suggested, “in case anything goes wrong, it’ll be nice to know a route out.”

“How long are we going to be there?” Chorong wondered.

“Until we find something suspicious,” Victoria told, “lets call each other if something pops up. Do you have a gun on you?” Then without waiting for their reply Victoria said, “There’s an extra one in the pocket of the seat.”

“How big is the brothel?” Namjoo asked. “Big?”

“I didn’t ask.” Victoria answered.

“Chorong can take the gun.” Namjoo insisted. “We probably won’t be too far apart from each other.”

Victoria nodded.

“But how…do we get in?” Chorong sounded nervous.

“Leave it to me,” Victoria promised. “Chorong, when we get into the brothel call Lay and have him and Kris come down to Yeongwol. They’re going on be on watch for any suspicious people outside, and if we need to escape, lets hope we can get to them on time. We’ll have Lay and Kris contact Suho for the police at the first sign of danger.”

“The police in Yeongwol?” Namjoo asked.

Victoria nodded, “Lets have Suho’s team wait at the police station for any occurrences. If they pile up in a group, it’ll look too suspicious.”

Both Namjoo and Chorong nodded in agreement.

“Then lets just go with that,” Victoria decided.

~_____~

“Oh, Donghae, what is it?” Lee Suk Jin asked. He had just gotten up from his seat with a binder in hand when Donghae opened the door to his office.

“Can I have a word with you?” Donghae questioned.

Lee Suk Jin’s office was spaciously large. Even the whole set of couches that made up a corner of the room didn’t manage to take up a lot of space. A large circular badge with the government name printed on it sat at his back while he remained seated in his chair. It gave visitors or his employees the feel that a large amount of authority belonged to him.

“Ah, yes. Go ahead,” Lee Suk Jin gestured him toward the seat in front of the desk while he sat back down, but Donghae didn’t take it.

“I came to request for a change of team,” Donghae started. Lee Suk Jin raised an eyebrow. “I want Victoria and her team out of this case.”

“Why?” Lee Suk Jin’s low voice seemed to contradict him. “Has Victoria or any of her team members violated any rules?”

“No,” he replied, “but I don’t want her meddling in my affairs.”

“Your affairs?” Lee Suk Jin repeated in a belittling manner. “Exactly what is this about your affairs you’re talking about?”

“The human trafficking case.”

Lee Suk Jin turned his face to the side and cleared his throat, “Have I not said before that this case will only proceed if you follow the regulations I offer?”

Donghae clamped his teeth together. “Sir, how do you expect us to work together when we have two heads with two different teams!? I don’t like what she’s doing. She’s just dragging my team into more danger than needed. I’ve said before that my team can very well fare with this case. Why don’t you think to give me a chance!?”

A loud echo swooned over the room immediately silencing Donghae when Lee Suk Jin slammed his binder against his heavy oak desk. It was like a loud gushing wind suddenly hushing in the middle of a desert leaving travelers awestruck with the strength it had brushed passed. Donghae had just experienced a mental slap across the face.

“Lee Donghae,” Lee Suk Jin growled, “you will leave my office this instant.”

“But sir!”

“Right now,” he emphasized the two words. Then after half a second he asked, “Did you hear me or not?”

Donghae gritted his teeth upset before he turned around to leave.

~_____~

Shabby pubs, rich night clubs, and the mediocre bars took up the whole street that dominated the wild night life of citizens in Yeongwol. Business signs jutted out awkwardly into the grey street littered with cans, newspapers, napkins, and a whole lot of necessities that had become indistinguishable. It wasn’t yet business hours yet, so not a lot of customers were around. A few young teenagers were prowling around kicking at this or that to look aggressively tough. A stray cat meowed at them from the top of a shingled roof as they passed by.

To be on the safe side, Victoria had left her car at a parking ramp somewhere 12 blocks away and they had continued the walk there. Chorong had safely tucked the gun into the back of her pants and covered it with her jacket. Even though the gun had been given to her, she still felt nervous. She assumed Namjoo and Victoria were more experienced with going into action, but she wasn’t. What if something happened while they weren’t around?

Her head turned to glance the cat on the rooftop and turned away nervously. Her nerves were going haywire. Chorong wasn’t used to the wild nightlife. She didn’t like partying. Rather than going out to enjoy the nights, she would rather stay in and do something more comfortable like reading a book or surfing the net. The thought of being surrounded by the stench of alcohol and sweaty bodies on the dance floor made her uneasy.

Then they finally stopped. Chorong glanced up at the fancy sign, its borders decorated with light bulbs above their heads. It was a sturdy, but private stone structure that stood up to four stories high. In broad daylight the curtains inside had been drawn open and Chorong spotted smoke trails coming from cigars flowing out. A slim woman with painted red lips glanced down at her with steamy eyes before Chorong quickly looked away.

She was quickly reminded that men and women both engaged in dirty business here. All her life, her parents had never exposed her to such things. Chorong had been reared up comfortably. Then she glanced at Namjoo who seemed steady and secure. Her life had been different from Namjoo who had been raised to marry when she aged. Unlike Namjoo who would rebel against her parents, Chorong would always obey hers. Do

Victoria pushed the two wooden doors with framed windows open and walked through them. The brothel smelled like an inn similar to the one she’d shared with Victoria and Lay in Wonju. A dancing blue carpet welcomed them in and once she turned a long brown counter decorated with fresh vases of flowers stared back at her. A woman in a flowery top and red lips greeted them.

“Why hello there, may I ask what I can do for three beautiful ladies?”

Chorong took in the fact that she may look as normal as any woman she might encounter on the street, but her eyes were sharp. Even as she talked, her eyes leveled over their bodies quietly judging them. There was a demeanor of satisfaction and criticism on her face even as she so kindly smiled.

“Yes,” Victoria suddenly spoke in a much more innocent manner than Chorong had ever heard, “my sisters and I are in need of a job. Do you think we might be able to do some business here? I promise you we’ll do our best…but we really need some money…please don’t reject us. We’ve already walked so far…”

“Is that so?” the woman asked without much sincerity in her voice. “Why yes, we do have some open room upstairs. If you don’t mind, do follow me.” Then she turned, “Kyung Ah! Come watch the front counter! I’m going to bring the new ladies up!”

Chorong followed after Namjoo and Victoria as they climbed the wooden stairs up. Identical doors greeted them all the way through before the woman unlocked one door to another directing them where they were to stay and which were their rooms. Unfortunately, she’d placed them on all different levels which meant Chorong would be separated from Namjoo and Victoria no matter what.

“It’s about $70-$100 a night depending on what rank a man wants. Newcomers will start with the first star, $70. Each customer will get you for three hours at max; if he wants more he’ll have to pay more. If you satisfy him and he wants to leave you a tip, feel free to take it,” she explained while leading them toward a wardrobe room. She suddenly stopped and turned to look at them, “I’m telling you, if you don’t satisfy him, there will be a punishment waiting for you. Men exceptionally come here to relieve their stress or to simply enjoy themselves, and my job here is to not let them down. You got that?”

“Yes, yes, I promise you, we won’t.” Victoria sounded determined and even let it climb into her voice.

“Then,” the woman opened a door and a crowd of woman who were making themselves up turned to stare.

All those competitive eyes fired themselves at them and Chorong couldn’t help but gulp. From behind she clutched onto Namjoo’s arm and little did she know Namjoo was comforted by it too. 

***Oho! Tao knows their little secret xDDDD

***And it's obvious Donghae was just going to embarrass himself. And more from the brothel next chapter! 

***P.S. I have a oneshot for HanJoo up!