~_____~

They were quiet, very quiet. Victoria resented the fact that she had to go back to Yeongwol in Donghae’s car, but this time around she would come back in her own car. She couldn’t wait until then.

Stark red flames were bursting from Donghae again. What exactly was with him and Eunhyuk? The fact that Donghae wasn’t saying anything wasn’t helping her simplify all this down at all. It was only becoming more and more twisted and Victoria was getting confused. There was no chance she would blame herself if she doubted Donghae. He was suspicious to begin with. She really believed that he was hiding more than he was saying, because if he and Eunhyuk were as close as Namjoo had claimed Donghae had to know something.

Or was it that he was protecting Eunhyuk? But what did Eunhyuk have to hide? Victoria felt like ruffling up her hair in confusion. She didn’t know where to begin. She should list Eunhyuk as a wanted criminal in her book or a person who was being framed? And the sole fact that Hyukjae was Eunhyuk’s real name was something else, but why did they seem like two different identities?

Who is Hyukjae? And who is Eunhyuk really?

Victoria peered at Donghae through the corner of her eyes. This was the biggest mystery behind the human trafficking case. If she could just nail who was really who, then this might really end, or would it?

She had a feeling that even if they found the girls, the whole case might not come to an end. This Hyukjae or Eunhyuk would have to first be discovered.

The thought of another long day in Yeongwol wasn’t as exciting as it had been yesterday. Now that Donghae was there she had a feeling she would be forced to abide by his orders. It had been more relaxing with the girls. Victoria couldn’t wait to get everything done and over with. She really wanted to lie down in her bed.

“Where did you lose him?” Donghae began when they drove into the city.

“At the inn on the other side of the brothel.”

Donghae turned his head to shoot her a stare which said more than what he was allowed to say. Victoria stared back with a small glare, but chose not to say anything. She had a feeling if she opened at all they would end up colliding into another heated argument and that was the last thing she wanted that morning.

He finally stopped the car outside in the lot and suggested that they scout the area for any possible trails that might lead to other places. Donghae was adamant on questioning people who passed by and to keep everything well detailed. Well Victoria decided she would be a sore for him if she couldn’t remember details. She decided it was a good thing they split up at least. At least in the end she had her own air.

The inn they had slept at was near the corner of a quiet street in downtown Yeongwol. It had a post office across from it, a stop sign at the corner of the street, and some other small businesses that had weekly visitors. Obviously most of them had been closed during the time she and Hyukjae made their trip there. No one would have sighted him entering or leaving.

Or had there?

If she recalled correctly, Hyukjae had been careful about looking outside the window. Yes, definitely there had to be something going on she didn’t know about. Had someone tailed them? Or had someone been watching them? Them…or him? Victoria couldn’t decide.

Victoria stopped beside the stop sign and looked around. There was a long winding road to her right and it led into an area of restaurants and apartments on the second floor that were closely knit together by buildings. She ran her eyes up and over the open rooftops. If a fire happened to spread, the rest of the buildings down the street would be doomed.

Hyukjae could have disappeared down this area too. Yes, it seemed more likely an area for him to hide in. With gut instinct she started down her right. There was a creepy feeling crawling up her neck and it told her she had to really keep her surroundings in view. Since it was almost noon, she supposed most people should be up and about getting ready for business. If something were to happen, she wouldn’t be alone here. Someone would have to at least see her.

But Victoria was so wrong.

In less than a split second she was forced to the ground with her arms and legs held down. Under a really quick command she was turned over and sat on by a man supposedly larger than her.

“Who are you looking for here, Miss?” the man slightly tapped her cheek to make her head turn.

Victoria found herself glaring up into a man with a large bald head and tiny dark eyes. He was big and rounded. The breath was almost choked out of her.

“What do you think we should do? Bring her in?” the big man looked elsewhere and that was when Victoria realized he had three other men with him.

“She’s been in this area since yesterday,” one of them said.

“If you let her go now, she’s just going to come back,” the other one agreed. “Lets bring her in.”

Victoria tried to urge up some strength into her arms that were currently tied down and only managed to raise them up inches off the ground before they were forced down again.

“Who are you?” Victoria grumbled with restrained anger.

The big man got off her and Victoria felt a load of burden being relieved from her body. With the ability to breathe again she was pulled off the ground, but still held prisoner.

“I asked you who you are!” she shouted.

The big man didn’t reply nor did the others and she watched him pull out a white handkerchief from his jacket pocket. He unraveled it before her and shook it in the air. That was when Victoria caught a sniff of the chloroform on it and realized what they were probably going to do with her. Her first thought was to look for Donghae, but he was nowhere in sight. Her heart panicked. She would really be doomed if they took her elsewhere while she was unconscious.

Victoria resorted to her last strategy and belted out an ear deafening scream.

~_____~

Suho did seem to know Namjoo well. By the time Tao found her she was sleeping on a couch with a laptop on her lap. He glanced up at the bright lights above and wondered how she was able to sleep when the lights were still on and the room was bright. Namjoo seemed as lonely a child as he had been now that he was looking at her again. The cold look of her apartment appeared in his mind again and he realized they were probably more alike than he thought. The only difference between them was that Namjoo had been given a better and promising education.

He took the laptop from her and took the cushion beside her. There was a list of links about reports of missing children Namjoo had pulled up from police records. Tao grazed his eyes over them before turning to look at her. With a soft sigh he reached his hand out to put her head against his shoulder.

“You’re really a lot of work,” Tao mumbled before scrolling down the list on the laptop, but really he was feeling light hearted again. It felt just about right with her leaning against him.

~_____~

Which computer lab was Lay talking about? Kris was confused. He was already halfway down the hallway yet he couldn’t find Namjoo. There was a slight groan from him before he paused by a door that had been left a crack open. Quietly stepping toward it he glanced inside from the side window before felt a small snort climb out from his lips. Kris was meagerly surprised that after their conversation Tao had gone to find Namjoo. Who would have guessed the criminal offender would start taking his work seriously as well as his team mate?

This sight was a new one, however. What Tao was really up to lately, Kris had no idea. Since when did Tao start caring about other people? The only thing Kris knew was that he didn’t like this. Clearing his throat he kicked the door loudly and glanced through the side window to see Namjoo jolting awake from the noise. A smirk climbed onto his lips and he pushed the door open.

His and Tao’s eyes first met before he glanced at Namjoo who was currently rubbing her eyes.

“Sleeping on your job?” Kris started.

Namjoo shot him a tiny glare. “What do you want?”

Taking another step in he shoved the first aid bag into Namjoo’s hand, “Other than this, don’t you think you still owe me something?”

Her eyebrows knotted themselves together.

“You’re going to owe me a home cooked meal each week until I get that shirt from you,” he said, “you memorized my size, right?”

Namjoo’s face twisted up amusingly and Kris caught sight of Tao rolling his eyes in the back.

“You should have…” Kris continued before Namjoo slapped her hand over his mouth and glanced at Tao before pulling him out into the hallway.

“Would you quit it!?” Namjoo scolded wiping her hand against her pants. “What are you trying to boast about?”

He assumed being flatly straight out with her would embarrass her and stop her remarks rather than continue to . If he continued on like he was, Namjoo would only get really angry with him. The last thing he wanted was for her to go back into that room with Tao. This game of attraction still had its rules whether they were both in it or not.

“Yes, I’m boasting,” Kris bluntly stated, “why? I can’t say we didn’t do anything when I was at your place. We’re friends with benefits anyway.”

Namjoo snorted and mumbled, “Really…” before she shoved him against the wall. “You better watch what you’re saying. It’d be nice if you have a sense of shame.”

“Oh ho, look at this,” he eyed her hand and smiled, “What kind of embarrassment are you talking about? Pushing me against the wall?” Then he cocked his head with a smirk, “Isn’t this…the second time now?”

There was this kind of frustrated shout from her before she slammed her hand against his shoulder. “Just shut up!”

He just laughed at her. Seeing Namjoo flustered gave him some satisfying enjoyment, but then they turned at the sound of running footsteps. Lay appeared from down the hall looking slightly anxious.

~_____~

A few minutes later with Lay’s call everyone gathered in the meeting room.

“Han Dan Bi, 12 years old, missing two weeks ago on the fourteenth. Five feet tall, long black hair, a very skinny girl, and a diabetic. She was possibly heading out to her friend’s by foot, never made it there, she must have gone missing somewhere in the suburbs of Yeongwol. Hard to say where, but lets estimate that she must have been heading toward one of the bus stops,” Lay explained reading off a sheet he’d received from the fax machine. “If we focus our search on her, we might be able to trace the others as well. And we should do it fast, that girl will need her meds if she’s to keep living.” Then he turned to Suho, “What do you think?”

Everyone in the room was quiet as if lost in their own strategic thinking. Lay turned when Namjoo spoke up.

“If we’re to search for her, lets start by going to the brothel,” Namjoo suggested.

Everyone turned to look at her, but only Kris was the first one to speak up, “You’re not going back there.” He sounded defiant and his deep tone only added to it.

“It’s the only place we can start from,” Namjoo grounded her voice with determination.

“You think you can face what almost happened to you there!?” Lay became almost taken aback with the subtle anger in Kris’ voice. He didn’t think there was a need for Kris to oppose Namjoo’s suggestion so powerfully, nor did he think they needed to create an argument out of it.

Lay watched Namjoo turn to stare at Kris with an angry silent frown.

“Then, how about this,” Lay compromised, “Namjoo and Tao can stay back…”

“No,” Namjoo raised her voice, “we need to split up in Yeongwol. I think it’s a better decision that way. I met a woman at the brothel who told me about that note; I need to talk to her.” She glanced over at Chorong, “Victoria disappeared somewhere on the first floor, she can investigate the headmistress there, but you’re not going without me.”

Lay felt almost conflicted and for once he thought he also didn’t like the idea of Chorong going back to the brothel. She had come out looking distorted and what if she came out looking like that again? For some silent reason he turned to glance at Kris who seemed to be staring him down as if to get him to agree.

“Then lets do that,” Suho agreed. “There’s six of us, we can split up evenly. There shouldn’t be a need to worry, since Chorong and Namjoo won’t be the only ones entering. As long as they have a partner while searching around, everything should remain under control.”

“Lets do that,” Chorong nodded, “it sounds reasonable.”

From afar, Lay could hear Kris heaving an angry sigh meanwhile his eyes darted after Chorong who was following Suho out.

~_____~

Another assignment with Suho sounded exciting no matter what it was. The thought of them working together again was enough to exhilarate Chorong.

Before she climbed down the front staircase Kris stopped her, “You really want to go back?”

She stared at him blankly, “It’s the only choice we’ve got.”

“At the brothel? Really?!” he sounded angry and Chorong didn’t understand why.  She found herself staring up into his fuming face. There really was no need for him to feel so bitter about going to the brothel. Chorong found herself amusingly wondering that Kris should feel it an honor for him and the guys. At the back of her head she could hear her own laughter.

“If Namjoo found something there, there’s bound to be something else lying around there,” Chorong pointed out, “anyways, we won’t be the only girls going. It’ll be a lot safer with you and the other guys, and the brothel doesn’t upon up till 7. So what are you worrying about?”

Kris turned away to heave a livid sigh before his eyes landed on Namjoo and Suho in the parking lot.

“Forget it,” he muttered before walking away.

Chorong turned to stare after him still confused and quickly followed.

~_____~

“Lets team up, with you, me, and Tao,” Suho said leaning his arms over the roof of his car from the driver’s side, “though I doubt anything will happen, but our side will be safer if we have Tao. For some reason I feel like if we use his skills, we’re guaranteed safety.”

Tao, who was leaning against the back door snorted, but said nothing.

“Sounds good,” Namjoo nodded in agreement. “You think we’ll run into Victoria and Donghae?”

Suho shrugged, “We might if they’re not too far off from where we are.”

They turned at the sound of a car being unlocked from a hand beeper. In a few seconds time Kris appeared from down the pavement and stopped by the passenger’s door of Suho’s car where Namjoo was currently standing. Suho immediately sensed another commotion coming into being.  

Suho watched him stare her down before ordering, “Get in.”

Kris had this distressed expression on his face. Now that Suho was thinking about it, Kris hadn’t looked upbeat ever since they talked in the meeting room. Curiosity overtook most of Suho as he continued to observe them. He raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Tao who had now turned around to closely watch.

This was an extremely awkward and disturbing atmosphere for people who were just at work, but Suho felt if he said something he might cause trouble.  

“You go with them,” Kris ordered taking a glance at Chorong and gesturing his head toward Suho.

Chorong stared at him then at Suho perplexed for someone who seemed to have just walked in on an affair.  

“It’s fine, Tao and Namjoo can go with me.” Suho called out in a chill matter.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Namjoo’s face fluxed with annoyance.

As expected, he was ignored. Pressing his lips together he glanced over at Tao again. No one was probably going to try to interfere, he assumed. Kris and Namjoo seemed particularly close lately, even if it looked like they were always at each other’s necks. Suho concluded it must be because they’ve been doing missions in teams lately. But there was this unsettling feeling he had about Kris that couldn’t be specifically described.

Luckily Lay’s appearance toned things down even if Suho seemed as lost as anyone else.

“What’s going on? We’re not going yet?” Lay questioned with a silly look on his face. Suho glanced at Lay with a smile and concluded that he always had this blank look about his face.

Tao loudly cleared his throat and turned to Suho, “I’ll go with them.”

Suho opened his mouth to speak, but Tao was already walking away.

“What’s with them?” Suho muttered to himself and watched Tao open the back door of Kris’ car.

“You riding shotgun or am I?” Tao asked Namjoo who turned to him then rolled her eyes baffled.

“What are you doing?” she questioned.

“Going with you,” Tao answered. “Now, back or front?”

Suho felt an amused smile crawl up onto his lips when Namjoo groaned. She walked toward Tao and pushed him away, “You get the front.”

“Then lets meet up in Yeongwol,” Suho called out before he turned to Lay and Chorong. “Lets get going.” 

***Last update till maybe Fri

***OMGAWD have I told you I much I hate math!? ugh...it's like living the dark years of high school again ~__~ and just ugh!