'What?' Taekju asked.
It was Manager Lim on the other side if the phone, asking Taekju where he was without a hint of hesitation. Was it bad to have some difficulties with a mission? If Yun Jong-woo had not met his watery but successful end, he would have been quickly informed of the operation's outcome.
So, why this unexpected call?
Manager Lim's calls had always been pleasant, never out of the ordinary. Because I did everything like I had to, I never failed.
"Where are you headed? I just want to see you."
Was this a mere call to check up on me? What was really going on? All Kwon Taek-joo could speculate about was the mission he had recently handled to eliminate the operatives.
It was supposed to be a covert operation, but there were too many witnesses. Even innocent civilians were taken hostage, causing quite a stir when the report came in.
To make matters worse, the Coast Guard had been alerted. Getting things back on track wouldn't be easy.
Journalists might have caught up by now. Manager Lim was likely to point out that a secret organization like NIS should remain secret for a reason.Even though he knew it would be futile, Kwon Taek-joo attempted to make excuses.
"This operation went as smoothly as it could, you know I always do my best."
'Yes, I know, I always had high expectations for you, Kwon Taekju. Come here and let's talk.'
Alright, this was Manager Lim, never one to beat around the bush. Honestly, Kwon Taek-joo was scared. He loved his job. He couldn't ever imagine a life without his job.
Tomorrow was his mother's birthday, a woman who had only worked hard in her life to survive. All alone. So, no matter what, he had to return home.
What did Manager Lim say to him again? That even if the Second Korean War broke out, Lim promised to send him back to his mother's embrace.
Kwon Taek-joo was pondering when he suddenly remembered Manager Lim was still on the phone.
"Boss, please, tomorrow is my mother's birthday, you know that right? I need to be next to her."
'I know. Just come here, I won't delay it for too long.'
There was no getting through to him. Director Lim was relentless and insistent. Annoyed, Kwon Taek-joo ruffled his wet hair. Then, he said his final argument while gazing at the passing scenery outside the car window.
"I've already left, so what do you want?"
It was around that time. The KTX, which had been running smoothly, suddenly came to a halt. Passengers, who had been listening to music orplaying mobile games, looked around in surprise.
For a while, the KTX remained stopped inside the tunnel. No announcements were made in the train, and no attendants passed by.
KTX breakdowns were not uncommon, and passengers were hardly mad by this.
Most soon lost interest in the sudden stop and drifted off to sleep again.
It wasn't a big deal, or so he wanted to believe. But ominous premonitions lingered like ghosts.
"Get off, come on."
Director Lim instructed with a sly smirk. Just as Kwon Taek-joo was about to ask what this was about, an announcement echoed from the speaker. It mentioned a track problem causing the delay, promising to resume the journey as soon as the issue was "resolved."
'As soon as the problem is resolved', it meant that unless Kwon Taek-joo didn't get off the train, it wouldn't budge.
"Huh? Aren't you getting off?"
A hushed whisper followed. Director Lim's voice rustled, as if he was enjoying the current situation. Kwon Taek-joo didn't feel like resisting anymore. He was going to see his mom. No matter what.
However, without the train moving, Kwon Taek-joo had no way to get home himself. He shook his head anxiously. He angrily ended the call. His phone didn't ring again. And of course, there was no sign of the KTX departing either.
After holding out for a little while, he let out a long sigh and stood up. As he strode down the aisle to exit, the door opened as if it had been waiting
for him. Shaking his head, he descended the stairs. The pebbles on the tracks crunched beneath his shoe soles.As he walked away from the train, he called his mom. Just after having left the tunnel, the halted KTX resumed.
Around that time, a voice on the other end of the phone echoed, "Hello?"
It was his mother, and her voice was quieter than before. She must have been worried that her son, who had promised to come, would cancel their meeting due to urgent work.
"Mom. It's me. There's an issue with the train, so I'll be a bit late. I'll definitely make it this time. I promise you, mom. Just a little late this time."
He stopped in his tracks.
"So, don't light the birthday cake and wait for me, please."
~~~
With a prearranged helicopter, Kwon Taekju arrived at NIS office. An employee waiting for him guided Kwon Taek-joo to the office of the First Deputy Director. Taekju followed silently, his head slightly tilted.
He couldn't help but wonder why it was the First Deputy Director's office and not the Manager's office, considering the operation was under the Third Deputy Director's lead.
As he pondered, the friendly employee knocked on the door of the First Deputy Director's office. Permission to enter was granted quickly.
But it wasn't Manager Lim's voice that he heard behind the door... The employee opened the door and ushered Kwon Taek-joo inside.
Kwon Taek-joo forgot to offer a greeting and instead stared at the First Deputy Director. Wasn't it natural for the First Deputy Chief to occupy the First Deputy Chief's office?
Nevertheless, the current situation was ironic, to say the least. Director Lim, the man who had summoned Kwon Taek-joo, was sitting next to him, gazing him with a weird expression.
Then, Director Lim merely smiled.The atmosphere was peculiar. Kwon Taek-joo, somewhat defensively, glanced between Deputy Director 1 and Manager Lim, both were smiling like crazy. This was bad.
"I called you here, so why don't you take a seat? There's no need to defend yourself. Despite some commotion, it's still nothing compared to a breach of state secrets. Isn't that right, Lim?"
It was almost sarcastic, and Deputy Director 1's words drew a wry smile from Kwon Taek-joo. Despite the commotion that had unfolded during the operation, reprimanding him personally was a clear misuse of authority.
Kwon Taek-joo kept an eye on Director Lim, his skepticism lingering. Director Lim merely shook his head, still wearing that peculiar smile.
Kwon Taek-joo was left all the more puzzled. If not due to the Busan incident, why was he called here, at this hour? He had pondered it all along on his way here, but couldn't reach to a logical conclusion.
Director Lim didn't dwell on Kwon Taek-joo any longer. He placed the tablet he had been holding onto the table.
"What's this?"
"Take a look first."
Kwon Taek-joo shrugged and obediently picked up the tablet. He scrolled through the first page with a bored expression, but as his gaze moved from line to line, his expression became wary.
He read the text silently, his breath growing shallower as he scrolled to the next page. Director Lim, observing him, finally spoke.
"It's high-level intelligence we recently acquired. Rumors have been circulating for a while, but this is the first time we've secured evidence to confirm the truth. As you may have seen, the core of the matter is that North Korea and Russia have been collaborating on developing new weaponry for the past three years. This weapon is said to possessunprecedented firepower that no other nation in the world has ever seen. It could potentially shift the balance of world power once completed. It's also been referred to as 'Anastasia,' though we're not certain if that's the weapon's exact name, a secret agreement between North Korea and Russia, or even the weapon's blueprint or designer. We're not even sure if the weapon has been completed."
Ah, Kwon Taek-joo realized the significance of the presence of both Deputy Director 1 and Manager Lim. If North Korea and Russia were indeed collaborating on a weapon of unparalleled destruction, it would cause trouble for both South Korea and the United States.
"We need to uncover the true nature of this weapon. A lack of information would tip the balance of power. If 'Anastasia' isn't completed yet, and, if possible, we should prevent it from being unveiled to the world."
There was a moment of silence.
"You're probably asking what we can we do for the sake of global and human peace? Sometimes, a little wrongdoing may be necessary to prevent a great evil."
Hence, the mission was to unveil the identity of the weapon on which North Korea and Russia had joined forces. If required, it meant stealing the blueprint or related secrets and, if not, ensuring it never saw the light of day.
And who was the chosen agent for this mission?
Kwon Taek-joo.
Since the beginning of his career at the NIS, overseas assignments had been common. He'd spent more days abroad than in Korea as a spy.
Therefore, the prospect of a business trip wasn't unusual. However, the surprising aspect was the mission's location: Russia. A country he had never visited.
Of course, the language wasn't an issue. Kwon Taek-joo had received training in Chinese, Persian, and Russian immediately after joining the agency. Speaking the language of Moscow wouldn't be a problem for him.
But that wasn't the primary concern. For Kwon Taek-joo, combat experience was paramount. What good is an agent without real-life experience? For this mission, it felt like he was being thrown into a battlefield unarmed.
The choice of Kwon Taek-joo for this operation was bizarre, to say the least. He stared at Lim with an expression of dissatisfaction. Lim nodded, seemingly understanding.
"Strictly speaking, you're not the most qualified for this operation."
"Then why choose me?"
"I did consider other options. I even dispatched someone else."
"So, what happened?"
Lim hesitated, scratching his eyebrow. First Deputy Director 1 also offered a sad smile. They both seemed to understand something that he didn't.
"It seems it didn't go well."
Manager Lim nodded again and spread three photos on the table. The first displayed a hand with all ten fingertips bluntly severed. The skin was bloodless but swollen.
In another photo, a body was covered with a white cloth, and a mysterious pattern was engraved on the forehead. It soon became apparent that it was a tattoo, appearing fresh.
The final photo was a clean ID picture, likely the original appearance of the mutilated corpse. Kwon Taek-joo recognized the person in the photo.
"That-"
"Dominic Morgan. He was an elite agent sent to Russia by the US intelligence agency. His body was found four days ago on the banks of the Nara River. He was tasked with uncovering the identity of 'Anastasia.' He was a valuable asset for gathering Russian intelligence. In Russia, he was treated as an unknown entity. Given his role, it's only natural he concealed his identity. It's questionable whether the Russians viewed him as a mere unknown person."
Kwon Taek-joo had known Agent Morgan only briefly, having met him during the last ROK-US joint training, about a month ago at most.
Coincidentally they were assigned the same room to sleep in.
"Hm."
Manager Lim offered a faint smile, as if trying to ease Kwon Taek-joo's skepticism.
"That's exactly why we chose you, Kwon Taekju. People who are too emotionally attached to the person cause problems. I figured this job wouldn't be that big of a deal for you. I'll let you even schoose your own teammates. Plus we'll provide you with full support."
Shit, why are they always changing the subject so sudden? Of course it's a big deal. There must be atleast one other person in NIS that's more suitable for it... Haah, fuck.
A phone rang and First Deputy Director 1 stood up. "Please, excuse me for a moment."
Just as he went out, I made up my mind.
"I'll accept the mission."
However, Kwon Taek-joo felt his stomach gnaw as he thought of Dominic Morgan's death. While he couldn't deny being affected, his unease extended even beyond that. This was a direct path to hell.
But...Director Lim would always be my immediate superior. When he issues an order, I have to obey. I'm in no position to refuse.
Director Lim's eyes widened. Hah, unexpected, wasn't it?
"...Why accept this mission if you're not interested in power?"
"This is an order from a high-ranking official. Can a subordinate refuse?"
"Of course not, is there another reason?"
"If I refuse this case, my career, which has always been flawless, would crumble."
"Indeed, nothing else?"
"May I leave now?"
"Here, a gift." Director Lim gave him an envelope while he continued talking.
"I've heard that between Gazprom, a Russian state-owned gas company, and
a Japanese energy company, a *LNG facility construction contract has been signed and the expected profit alone is worth tens of trillions won."
*(LNG=> liquefied natural gas)
Now that was interesting.
"The Russian side invited executives from the Japanese energy company, the international trading company, and from a large bank that's responsible for corporate loans. To celebrate the signing of the contract and to allow them to visit the planned construction site. Major officials working under the prime ministers of both countries and big names in politics and business will attend. From what I heard, an international trading company called 'Itochu' played a big role in the signing of the contract. Hiro Sakamoto is an employee in charge of the European region there. His name is also proudly on the guest list for the scheduled to visit to Russia."
"So, in other words, I'll be infiltrating Russia disguised as Hiro Sakamoto.
That plan isn't bad at all. If it's true that Russia and North Korea developed weapons, very few of the leaders know about that secret information.
However, this won't be safe...
"Relax, unless the real Hiro Sakamoto appears, they'll never know that you're not him. Sakamoto is the first one who's scheduled to leave the country a day before the rest of the visiting group. But, in reality, the Tokyo agent will stop him from leaving the country... Our disguise skill is excellent to even fool your own mother."
I looked at Hiro Sakamato's information. 180 cm, a little shorter than me. If you're a normal person, you wouldn't be able to tell a 2-3 cm height difference.
If someone's suspicious of me, I'll try deceiving them by pretending to wear insoles.
If this was a normal mission, I wouldn't have to worry about little things like this. I have no rights to refuse orders from higher-ups unless I resign.
But why do I feel... like something's wrong?
"Kwon Taekju, this is about re-establishing global supremacy. If you succeed and things go smoothly, you could get promoted."
Director Lim smirked.
I did it for money, too. No denying in that. But...
"But I'm not interested in promotions or power, those are unnecessarily competitive."
"And yet, to my surprise, you accepted this mission, no?"
"Like I just said, it's because I have no right to refuse. May I go now?"
"Wait, one more thing. There's something you should keep in mind."
Kwon Taek-joo was getting annoyed, his patuence running out. Lim's expression grew serious. His gaze on Kwon Taek-joo turned cautious as he spoke.
"Psych Bogdanov."
"Psych Bogdanov? Is that a name? Wouldn't it-..."
Kwon Taek-joo furrowed his brow in puzzlement. 'Bogdanov' sounded like a Russian surname, but 'Psych' was certainly not a given name.
Who in their right mind would name their own child 'crazy' or 'asshole'? Probably an asshole themself.
Manager Lim provided clarification.
"I've heard he's usually referred to by his last name."
A name is more used by others than by the person themselves. Therefore, nicknames or aliases often describe a person. The fact that the Russian Director Lim called Bogdanov 'Crazy' rather than his real name suggested he was a formidable individual. Kwon Taek-joo couldn't help but wonder about the person behind that moniker.
"He's like a nuclear figure in Russia."
"If he's nuclear, does that mean he's a dangerous center?"
Kwon Taek-joo asked uncertainly, considering the potential language nuances. 'Nuclear' could mean both a core or center, but it had an entirely different connotation as well. It was hard to believe they'd call a person such a weapon.
Kwon Taek-joo gave Lim a questioning look, who responded with a nonchalant smile.
"Yes, that's what it means."
It seemed 'nuclear' was closer to the kind of 'nuclear' associated with nuclear weapons. Kwon Taek-joo's expression involuntarily twisted in response. What kind of individual goes by the name 'Psych' more than their real name? To the point of being called 'Nuclear Bomb'?
The mention of 'Psych Bogdanov' raised another question. What was his connection to the mission, whose primary objective was to uncover 'Anastasia'?
"Did he have something to do with Morgan's death?"
"We're not sure. There's no concrete evidence, only suspicions. When dealing with the Russian heavyweights, confrontation is unavoidable. 'Psych' is not there for nothing; potential harm lies ahead. But even if you do encounter him, do not attempt to engage. Avoid him no matter what."
Kwon Taek-joo smirked. The more warnings he received, the more curious he became about this eccentric individual. Why was he more curious now about this so called psychotic guy even after being warned about him?
Taekjoo scoffed.
Just then, there was a knocking at the door. Director Lim gave his permission to enter, and the same employee who had ushered Kwon Taekjoo in appeared.
In one hand, he held a large bouquet of flowers, and in the other, a suitcase. Kwon Taek-joo tried to decline, but the employee silently walked out, leaving the flowers with Kwon Taekju.
Taekju looked at director Lim, raising his eyebrow. The director smirked.
"I've got everything you'll need for this mission. It saves time and work. Isn't that convenient for you and nice of me? I even picked out new underwear for you, considering your taste, since you haven't made any purchases since two months ago. No need to thank me."
"You seem to know more about my underwear than I do."
Director Lim coughed.
"Just a little, nothing wrong here. And take the flowers home. It's your mother's birthday, isn't it?"
This man, seriously.Kwon Taek-joo held himself back; the words threatened to spill out of his mouth, he replied curtly.
"I won't tell her they're a gift from you, Manager Lim. If she finds out it's a bouquet from the man who stole her son on her birthday, it might ruin her mood on her special day. And then I might ruin you."
"Thanks for considering it."
Director Lim smiled brightly.
"Don't die out there."
About to turn and leave, Kwon Taek-joo paused momentarily, then gave a casual nod before continuing on his way.
When he exited, the hallway stood empty. Kwon Taek-joo trudged toward the exit. As his footsteps moved along the corridor, sensor lights flickered on and off one by one, dimming as he ventured further.
Darkness followed him like a shroud, encroaching upon him as the lights receded.
"... ... ."
Suddenly, he halted and looked back. As he stood still, even the last ceiling light went out, and Kwon Taek-joo vanished into the thick darkness.
Don't die out there.