XIV

      Too easy.

It was the only thing Eric could think about when Hyesung got him an address after localizing Minwoo's cell phone. Something felt wrong, mostly when same cell phone's GPS was out of the radar when they tried to localize it only an hour ago.

Maybe Minwoo had escaped, or had got his hand on his phone. Eric did not know, and when Andy parked the car in front of an isolate factory, he doubted for a second it could be the place.

Sharing a look with the younger man beside him, he did not waste much time and got out of the car. Andy followed him without a word. It was a bit unnerving this calmness with which he was moving around, but the guy was a trained soldier with experience as a spy. It was no surprise he was so good at hiding his emotions and keeping a poker face. As annoying as it could be.

      The wind was strong and sneaking under his clothes, and pulling the collar of his coat up to protect his exposed ears, he stepped to the closed door and slid it open. The metal creaked loudly and echoed through the place, but once the way inside freed, all Eric could focus on was the form on the floor across from him.

.

Hurrying to Minwoo's side, he hoped he was alright. He could not tell because of the way he was curled on the ground, motionlessly, and when he arrived at his side he could not help this dull panic forming inside him.

He was not one to care so much about the people he was using in his job -he was not even caring that much about Hyesung and Junjin- but with Minwoo, without knowing why, he was worried. He caught himself fearing the shorter man was badly hurt, or maybe dead, and this only thought made him uneasy.

"Minwoo." He called lowly once crouched beside the man, and with a hand on his shoulder he turned him around to reveal his bloody, bruised face.

The sight made Eric gasp quietly and stare in disbelief.

"Minwoo !" He urged, shaking the unconscious man's body, and after a second Minwoo eventually woke up.

His face twitched in pain and a low moan rolled in his throat before his eyes opened slowly. His gaze was hazy and confused, and the way he stared straight at Eric for a spreading moment let the detective know he was certainly trying to piece the situation together.

"Hey." He grinned, trying to swallow the emotions forming inside him.

Blinking several times, Minwoo his cut lip, winced then spoke, "Eric ?" His voice was hoarse and strained.

Eric felt like shushing the man and tell him everything was alright, but he did not and just smiled.

"Yeah. The one and only." He answered and did not miss the annoyance crossing Minwoo's gaze, but it was quickly gone at his attempt to move.

Hissing in pain, the shorter man squeezed his eyes shut and stiffened in place.

Eric did not need to be a doctor to know he was beaten. How badly, he could not really tell, but it was bad enough for Minwoo's body to hurt at every movement. At such fact he felt like killing whoever had targeted the shorter man.

      He remembered Andy's presence only when he heard him talk over the phone, and snapping his head around to look at the man, he thought at first he was calling Dongwan, but then he realized it was in fact an ambulance. He could not believe such person was calling for help, and he wondered what would be his explanation to the situation.

"You should go." Told him the younger man.

Blinking, Eric argued back, "What ? I…"

"I can explain I found him while walking along the river. But I can't explain your presence." He cut off, ever so calmly that Eric wondered if this guy was even human. "Leave the car wherever you want. I'll find it." He added, throwing the car key in his direction, and catching them by reflex, he was so confused for a second that he found nothing to say.

Glancing down at Minwoo staring at them with a deep frown on his face, he felt the need to stay with him and go with him at the hospital, but he knew better than get attention on him either. There was no doubt the police would be involved, and Eric could not get dragged in the case. He was sure Andy did not have this concern, and gritting his teeth, he unwillingly stood up before staring at the younger man.

"If you hurt him…" He began through his teeth, and Andy smirked coldly.

"Funny coming from the man responsible of this mess." He answered, and Eric swore he could have punch him. "Mister Kim Dongwan won't let anything happen to him. You can go now, we've the situation under control."

How he hated this guy and his so freaking paused attitude. It was like nothing could get to him, and as a hot-tempered man by nature, Eric could even less understand how someone could be so calm all the damn time.

Glaring at Andy for another second, he glanced down at Minwoo on the floor before eventually making his way outside the factory. He caught in the corner of his eyes the worried expression on the shorter man's face on the ground, but forcing himself to ignore it, he disappeared from the place and drove away.

On the road, he crossed path with the ambulance, and watching it in the rearview mirror, he hated the fact he could not be the one at Minwoo's side at the right moment.

Andy did not even care about Minwoo. He was sure the guy would disappear at the first opportunity and abandon the shorter man at his fate. Kim Dongwan was maybe Minwoo's friend, but Andy was not, and Eric was sure the guy was busy. He did not know what he was doing -yet- but he was sure it required most of his time.

Like him, Kim Dongwan would want to get his hands on the people behind Minwoo's kidnapping, and he was sure Andy would be in charge of such task. However, they were lacking something Eric knew would get him what he wanted first.

Hyesung.

He could not help grin at the thought, and arriving in town, he parked the car in a random street before getting to the subway.

 

---

 

      The only time he was admitted in the hospital was when he was thirteen and hurt his leg. Before that, he had never put a foot in the big, particularly smelling place, and his stay had not left a so bad memory behind. The nurses at the time were nice and had taken care of him perfectly, and the fact they were all crazy about his eye-smile had got him some privileges.

All in all, his first and only stay at the hospital was a good experience in itself, but today, twenty years later, all he could feel about this place was nothing positive.

His mind was continuously crossed by the past events leading him here and it was making him so sick in his stomach that he was not sure he would be able to keep the content down.

It was not much what had happened to him that was tormenting him like that -even if the beating had been an horrible experience letting him fear he was about to die- but the fact these people had his baby girl… he could not handle it. Knowing she was away from him, taken by such monsters… the only thought made his stomach turn and cold sweat cover his skin.

Laying in bed, he felt the urge to get out and get his daughter back. He could not stay here and wait for them to hurt her. He had to get out and get his hand on this damn notebook this man wanted. The sooner he would be done with his task the sooner Hyeri would be back in the safety of his arms.

He could not stay a second longer in this hospital room, and even if it hurts, he managed to get free from the perfusion and sheets before getting on his feet. He was a bit unstable, but it was nothing he could not handle.

Stepping to the closet, he opened it and was glad to find his clothes. They were maybe dirty, and his shirt was stained by blood, but he did not care. He needed to get out of this hospital and save his baby girl.

      He was buttoning up his shirt when the door opened and Kim Dongwan appeared.

.

He could not help panic, and trying to calm down, he realized how shaky his hands were. He knew he should not react like this in front of the man he was supposed to backstab for the second time, but he could not help it. It was like the only sight of Dongwan was enough to remind him how real this mess he was trapped in was.

"What do you think you're doing ?" Frowned the attorney, and in a couple of long steps he was in front of Minwoo. "Go back to bed."

"No." He snapped back, freeing his arm from his friend's grip. "I… I need to go."

Dongwan snorted then asked, "Where ? You were just admitted to the hospital for a severe beating and broken wrist. You think they'll let you go so easily ?"

Minwoo stared down, his lips and tried to think. "I…"

"Just take some rest. What happened to you was…"

"You don't understand !" He cut off, maybe to aggressively than he should. "I… I can't stay here."

Okay, he needed to calm down before crying his heart out. He was such an idiot sometimes, and reacting like this in front of the man he should not get too worried about him nor concerned was the stupidest thing he could do.

"Listen Dongwan…" He resumed with a sigh. "I can't stay here. I…" He bit his lip then said. "I hate hospitals. I just want to go home."

A silence passed, while the attorney stared through his soul and made him feel like a little boy lying to his parents about the reason he was punished at school.

"Fine." He said and wrapped a gentle hand around Minwoo's elbow. "I'll drive you home, come on."

He could not believe it, and relaxing, he almost cried at the fact he was about to screw his friend's life. He did not know what all this nonsense around Dongwan was about , but he had a feeling it had no other goal than destroy the famous man's reputation, and maybe his life.

As horrible as this was making him feel, he could not let his baby girl get hurt in these people's hands, and as much as he loved his friend and was grateful for his kindness, Hyeri was his priority, and she will always be.

 

      Minwoo did not notice how awkward it was in Dongwan's car. He was too preoccupied by everything happening to him to care about the thick silence in the vehicle. Naturally, most of his thoughts were directed towards his daughter these people had and were doing God knows what to. He wanted to believe they would not harm her while he was doing his part of the deal, but he had no guarantee and was almost sure these people were capable of the worst. Even towards an innocent little girl.

The fear invading him at the thought of his scared, hurt baby girl might have shown more than he wanted, because suddenly Dongwan was looking at him suspiciously.

"Ok, spill it out. What's going on !" He spoke and almost gave him a heart attack.

"Wha… what are you talking about ? Everything's okay."

Dongwan sneered and looked at him. "I've never thought you were taking me for a fool, but I'm starting to wonder."

"Huh, I…" He had no idea what to answer to this and was almost certain the attorney already knew something was up.

"It's written all over your face, Minwoo. There's something on your mind, something I know you've no control over and feel terrified about."

How he hated when his friend was reading him so easily, and hearing from someone else how scared he actually was made him even more afraid. If not for the little control he managed to keep, he would have freaked out and babbled about everything tormenting him.

"I know who kidnapped you." He said then for his greatest horror. "I know this man and I know we would've never found you alive if he didn't want something from you. So…" He shifted on the leather seat and made Minwoo stiffen. "What is it ? What do you have to do for this man ?"

"I…" He knew he could not say it, but he could not lie either, Dongwan knew already. "I… he… he's Hyeri." He began and saw the tension forming in his friend's shoulders. "He wants me to get something for him." He barely dared to glance at the attorney before continuing. "Something belonging to you."

Dongwan sighed and crossed his arms over his chest before looking at the passing streets at the window.

Minwoo was scared he had just signed his baby girl's death warrant. What if Dongwan would not help him ? What if he did not care as much as he believed about Hyeri ? What if whatever this man wanted was more important for the attorney than Hyeri's life ? What if…

The tears blurring his vision broke his spinning thoughts and forced him to look away from his friend. He did not want to cry. It was no time to break, but… with Dongwan's silence he felt like all hope was gone and he had just lost the reason of his life.

"What is it ?" Eventually asked the attorney, and Minwoo was so far gone in his frighten thoughts that he did not understand what was said.

"Huh ?"

Dongwan looked at him and stared in determination, "What does this man want ?"

"Huh…" He gathered his senses, his lips and answered. "The black notebook in your safe at the office."

His friend was pensive following his confession, before he asked, "Were you planning to steal it from me ?"

Minwoo looked down in shame and did not answer. Dongwan did not need to hear it anyway, Minwoo's reaction was enough of an answer and he could not help the annoyance bubbling inside him. He could not tell if it was more towards his friend or this damn man he had thought was out of the picture a long time ago, but this all nonsense was starting to get on his nerves.

"Okay." He resumed calmly, and Minwoo tensed up beside him. "When is the trade ?" He asked, and Minwoo could not believe it.

He had thought everything was over, that his life would never be the same and Hyeri would never be in the safety of his arms ever again. He had really thought his friend would let him down this time.

He almost cried at the thought he was not alone in this anymore.

---

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