“What's the situation?” Doojoon said urgently into his blue tooth. He was speeding down the highway that took him quickly to the office. All he heard from the other side was inaudible conversations from different people.

“We're preparing everything right now. Once the last minute touches are done, we're planning to head there.” Minhyun answered while checking all their gears. “Did you see Zero?”

“No, she wasn't at home.”

“She wasn't? Where would she be?”

“It would be helpful if you knew.” Doojoon sighed, “Is the Chief there?”

 

“He isn't. He stepped out a few minutes ago.”

“I needed to talk to him. He's not picking up his phone either.”

“...Wait. Doojoon, what if Zero already found out where the meeting was? What if she's already there?”

Doojoon swerved out of the empty lane towards the opposite direction from the office. “Send me the address! I'll meet you there!”

~-~

Zero was impatient. She wanted her answers as soon as possible so she could make her escape. Every second she stayed next to the leaders were risky. It seemed like the men were stalling for time or they couldn't recall what happened that many years ago. None of them looked like they knew except the one she was pushing to answer.

The metal gates slammed open to a group of men in suits. “Bosses, we hear – who are you?” They took their attention to Zero. She calmly turned to face them and prepared herself to take someone next to her as hostage. It was her only choice if the guards showed hostility.

“Me?” She asked them. An object jabs at her back between her shoulder blades. She looked over her shoulder to see Younggyu with a straight face holding a gun. She sighed loudly and raised both of her arms up. When the other leaders were about to congratulate him, she turned around and took hold of the gun. She managed to swipe it out of the man's hands and place him in a headlock. Even though her hands shook to be holding a gun, she forced herself to not think about it. She had to coax herself to know that it was for her safety.

“Boss!” Three of the younger men shouted at the top of their lungs. They already had their guns out and ready.

“Now, boys let's not act too rash.” Younggyu chuckled and followed Zero backing up. He peacefully looked at her and then at the men. He wanted to talk without violence involved.

“Tell them to drop their guns.” She said into his ear with a low voice. Yonggyu waved them to do so and they listened obediently. She watched them kick the guns a few steps away. Police sirens went off nearby and they all knew they were about to close in on them.

“What should we do? We can't let our new partner be taken like this, can we?” Ilbok teased and stood up from his chair. 

“Don't worry about me, friend. I'll be fine.” Younggyu smiled and listened to the foot steps approaching. The squads of police rushed in and pointed their guns at them. Younggyu grabbed a hold of Zero's hand in the midst of chaos and shot a warning fire which became a shooting spree. The leaders ducked and ran behind a wall to avoid the bullets. Their guards hid and began to fire back. Younggyu grabbed Zero and took her to the far back where it was much safer. He wanted to tell her that he'll talk, but they both began to struggle for the gun, but in the end, Younggyu let her win. He picked up the sunglasses she dropped in the middle of the fight and held it out to her.

“Why did you shoot?” She glared at him. She couldn't suppress her anger any further. “Get down.” She pointed the gun at him. He smiled a bit and did as told. She tucked the gun at the back of her waist and crouched down to check his blazer pockets. He looked at her lovingly which made her feel uncomfortable. He reached out to her, but she grabbed his wrist to stop him. She looked down to see that he was trying to take the ring that she turned into a necklace. “What are you doing?” She growled.

He rolled the ring between his finger and blinked the tears away from his eyes, “You... You said you wanted to know what happened fourteen years ago, right?”
 

“Yeah...” She locked her eyes on him. He doesn't seem threatening. Why is that?

“It is you.” He blinked hard with his lips quivering, “It is you, Lee Yeonwoo.”

Tears welled up in Zero's eyes. No one has called her full name so warmly before. Her thoughts were telling her he was the man that she was looking for, but she couldn't accept it. No matter how hard she tried to blink her tears away, they kept returning. She thought it was pathetic of her to be showing her emotions in front of an enemy. The more she stared the more she wondered if it was really him. The word forming in was difficult for her to say. “D-D...” She felt closing in on her. “Dad?” She managed to force the words out of . She never would of thought she would say those words as long she lived.

Yeonwoo stared at the rain washing away the blood. She didn't realize how long she stayed sitting in the rain. She was shaking uncontrollably from head to toe and her hands and feet felt ice cold. The pain and numbness made it hard for her to focus. To her, it was like slipping in and out of consciousness. The water splashing made her lift her head to see who was standing in front of her.

“After witnessing that, do you still wish to stay with me? To stay by my side?” The man was drenched as well. “A child should of never seen something like that. I wanted you to grow up prettily and brightly. Not for you to be around people like me.” He placed his hand on her head, “Live, Yeonwoo. My beautiful daughter.”

“That's right.” Younggyu nodded his head repeatedly and allowed his tears fall, “It's me.”

“D-Dad...Are you really?” She hiccuped and pulled down her mask. “ ...Do you know how long I've searched for you?”

“I know.” He cupped her face and wiped her tears, “Dad knows.”

“Why did you abandon me?” She cried and grabbed his shoulders, “Why?”

“I had no choice, honey. The reason why I left you and your mom back then... it was because it was too dangerous for me to be around you. It was all to protect you.” He her head. “I didn't want to do it. I regret it to this day.”

“Was your profession more important than us?” She held his wrists and squeezed them tightly. “Do you know how much I hated living each day? It's not fair.”

“I didn't know your mother placed you in an orphanage. I went to look for you the very next day. I love you so much Yeonwoo. I didn't stop thinking about you. Not even for a second.” He sobbed. The gun shots sounded closer by the minute.

“But, dad.”

He lets go of her and wiped her tears again before wiping his own. He tried to put a strong look on his face, but she knew it took his all to do it. “Listen to me.” He swallowed hard and took out his key and cellphone, “Your dad died fourteen years ago. His duty as an undercover was interrupted and he died as a double agent. He's not a hero nor is he a good person. Let him stay dead, okay? The man you see now is a different person. A person who had killed and stole for his own gain.”

She shook her head, “No. I don't want that. I don't believe you killed anyone.” She took his hand, “I finally found you. I can't let you go back. Return to us. I'll protect you. Don't leave me.”

“Yeonwoo...” He hugged her tightly. “Don't do this. I can't go back now.”

“I already loss mom.” She sobbed and felt her heart break, “She's living her own life now. I can't lose you too. I need you with me.”

“Yeonwoo, know that dad never forgotten about you and loves you with all his heart. Forever no matter what.”

“Dad, you can't go back to them now. Please!” She begged. He pulled her mask up and her head again.

“Go, Zero. Escape now.” He caressed her cheek. A shot fired behind them and all she saw was the widening of his eyes. Her instinct was to scream knowing that he was shot through the back. She caught her dad as he lifelessly fell over with his hand over his heart.

“NO! NO!” She held him and screamed. She covered his wound desperately to stop the blood, “DAD! NO! YOU CAN'T DIE. YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!”

The shooting ceased and the entire gang managed to escape in their stolen getaway cars. While the cops went around to make sure there was no one left behind, Doojoon was wanted to double check by himself. He needed to find Zero. He had a gut feeling that she was still around. In the distance, Zero continued to scream and he ran in her direction after hearing her. What he saw stopped him in his tracks. Zero was sitting in a pool of blood crying with a dead man in her arms.

“Inspector Yoon, is there anyone there?” A voice came from the radio at his waist. He didn't know what to do, but he had to answer. He fumbled for the button without looking and answered.

“No one.” He said and went to Zero. He cringed at the sound of the blood he stepped on. “You have to leave. They're looking around. Zero, you have to leave.” He pulled her arm, but she only held her dad tighter. “Zero! You have to leave or they will find out!” He yanked her to his feet. He looked her straight in the eyes in hopes he could snap her out of it. Chief Lee heard the commotion and went over. He immediately went to the body to check for a pulse, but he felt nothing.
 

“Go, Zero.” Chief Lee sighed. Zero wiped her tears away and weakly went out the back. She staggered a bit and just kept going.