CHAPTER FOUR

11:00 A.M.

The control room exploded in a cacophony of angry expressions and bewilderment as soon as the phone line went dead. Kaelyn paid no heed to any of the commotion; instead, she stared at the phone in her hand, wondering just what the gunman meant with his last words.

“How the hell is ‘they’re too perfect for the rest of us’ a good reason for murder?” Mack was yelling, unable to believe what he’d just heard.

“What does he want exactly?” Lance’s voice; he sounded more confused than angry.

Ed was less diplomatic. “The son of a is just ing with us!”

“GUYS!” Phil bellowed to be heard over their noise.

Tommy spoke up. “Cool it, folks. Doc, what’s your call?”

Everyone looked at Kaelyn, who came out of her stupor. She shook her head, as if to clear her mind.

“We know he’s on the edge,” Kaelyn began. “But he’s also calculating. This entire thing was planned by him. It’s wasn’t an accident, it wasn’t by chance, and it sure as hell isn’t random. One or all of those men inside the room have done something to him.”

“They don’t look like they know him at all,” Lance pointed out.

Kaelyn nodded. “I’m beginning to think it’s a perceived wrong on his part. Somehow, he felt that they did something to him, and he wants revenge for it.”

“And judging from the two men he tied up, I’m placing bets on Jiwoo and Eunhyuk,” Ed muttered.

“It’s more likely to be Eunhyuk,” Kaelyn said. “He’s the celebrity and he’s more high profile than his manager.”

“Why’d he tie up Jiwoo then?” Phil asked.

“If it’s Eunhyuk he’s after, then Jiwoo was the first threat to him,” Kaelyn reasoned. “So he took him as collateral.”

She dialled Penny’s number, and the call was immediately answered. “Hello Princess, what can I do for you today?”

“Pen, can you narrow the search down to Eunhyuk? Find out if he’s got any enemies or received any threats recently,” Kaelyn instructed.

“Princess, do you have any idea who these men are? They’re international superstars. Beloved by millions all over the world,” Penny’s voice was chipper; she loved reporting positive news.

“But,” her voice sobered. “The Korean pop culture is also very vicious. I found hundreds, possibly thousands, of hate mail left to each of the boys.”

“What?” Phil, Ed, and Tommy chorused.

Kaelyn sighed. “I’m not surprised.”

“They call themselves the anti-fans, although I can’t imagine why anyone would spend so much effort just to hate someone else,” Penny reported. “They organize themselves into clubs, much like a fan club, except that instead of planning meet-and-greets with their idols, they plot nefarious means to take them down.”

“This is one sick world,” Mack commented.

“And most of these anti-fans, from what I gather, are teenage girls, sometimes boys,” Penny added. “Your perp is older, in the range of 20-35, from what I can see.”

“No luck on his ID yet?” Phil asked.

“Still running the database, sir,” Penny replied. “He doesn’t have a record locally, so I’m checking with Interpol at the moment. I’m also running his mug through immigration records; hopefully we’ll get a hit there.”

“Focus on arrivals from Asia,” Kaelyn told her. “Super Junior is so popular there; maybe our perp comes from Asia too.”

“Sure thing, Princess,” Penny answered.

“Let us know when you have anything,” Phil said.

“Of course, sir.”

“What’s bothering you, Kae?” Phil asked. He’d noticed Kaelyn staring into space, but she wasn’t daydreaming.

“He calmed down immediately once I mentioned that he had the power. That means he’s on a power trip. He wants us – and his hostages – at his mercy,” Kaelyn voiced her thoughts aloud.

“Which tells me that whatever wrong was done to him, it made him feel powerless, less of a man. It was something which he couldn’t control, and he’s attempting to regain some of that power and control now, through his hostages.”

“So you’re gonna continue feeding his ego?” Tommy asked.

Kaelyn nodded. “If I can get him to focus on himself, he won’t be so concerned with his hostages. That’ll buy us some time.”

“Do that,” Phil agreed. “Mack, Ed, where are we on tactical?”

The other two men had been studying plans of the surrounding buildings while keeping an ear on Kaelyn’s conversation with their subject. Mack showed his team leader a blueprint of the opposite building.

“We have vantage point from the tenth floor,” he said. “Should give us a fantastic line of sight.”

Phil gave the go-ahead, and Mack grabbed his gear, ready to head out. Being on tactical point meant that he was the team’s sniper, and he wanted to be prepared and in position before things got worse.

Ed, the other team member on tactical point, outlined his plan to the others. “1003, 1103, 1203 and 1303 have all been evacuated, so Tommy and I can abseil down to the balcony if needed.”

As soon as both men had left, Phil turned to Kaelyn. “Can you try to get a name?”

She nodded. “Patch me in.”

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