Tears in the Visitation Room
The Doctor, who had been crying for a long while with her face drenched in tears, wiped her swollen eyes and spoke. “This is a procedure I absolutely cannot understand. When you get out, I’m going to raise hell about it…”
“Raise hell? How exactly?”
“With… Dr. Jennifer Cash’s name…”
She meant she would use the name of the person in charge at headquarters for my sake.
“No. That would reveal a connection between me and headquarters. Just get me out.”
Grit!
The furious Doctor’s teeth ground together audibly. Good. Get even angrier. Direct your hatred at the humans who did this to me. Then turn that hatred toward all of humanity.
“I have to question it no matter what. I’ll make sure no one links you to headquarters.”
“To do that you’ll need to silence people, right? Are you going to kill every human who’s seen my face?”
“….Anyway, just hold on a little longer. I’ve identified every governor tied to the criminal organization. I’ve also caught evidence that the Mississippi governor framed you, an ordinary civilian.”
“You have to move carefully. Don’t rush into anything.”
“How am I supposed to move carefully when you’re in this state!?”
The Doctor’s voice suddenly rose to a shout. She flinched at her own outburst and quickly apologized. “S-sorry… You’re the one suffering the most…”
“It’s fine. I’m really doing well, you know?”
“Does that look like the face of someone doing well?”
“This is actually pretty good. The guy who came in with me got raped on his first day.”
“…..”
The Doctor shuddered at the horrifying words. But was he actually raped? Whatever.
I gave her a bright smile. “Don’t worry too much. I can take care of myself.”
“I’m too worried… Every single day feels like hell… I’m terrified something’s going to happen to you…”
She looked ready to cry again. Clank! I tried to take her hand, but the handcuffs fixed to the desk stopped me. When I frowned, the Doctor hurriedly placed her hand over mine. I offered her an awkward smile.
“This is really uncomfortable, isn’t it?”
The Doctor, on the verge of tears once more, nodded silently. As I slowly stroked her fingers, I asked, “How are Sehwa and Yuria? Do they know about my situation?”
“They still don’t know. No contact from them. The lie I told before coming to America for sightseeing seems to be holding up. But it’s only a matter of time before they find out. If that happens, Yuria might be fine, but Sehwa… she’ll be furious. So I have to get you out before then…”
“Remember this. You must never use the headquarters’ name.”
“I’ll handle that part…”
“Sister.”
My tone was gently scolding. Normally the Doctor would yield when I spoke like this, but today was different.
“I said I’d handle it… Listen to me. Seeing you like this really breaks my heart. There are five visitation passes, so I’ll come once every two days and stay with you for three hours each time. Of course I’ll make sure it doesn’t interfere with your release.”
She was doing this because she feared I would be assaulted by criminals in the general population. She didn’t know I was in solitary confinement. Of course I planned to move to the general ward eventually, but I would need to instruct the bribed guards to keep quiet.
I let out a sigh, letting my complicated feelings show. “All right…”
“I won’t… I won’t meddle anymore. I’m truly sorry…”
“What meddling? It was my own decision. But I miss the lasagna you make, sis.”
At those words the Doctor, who had been crying, burst into a small laugh and nodded frantically. “I’ll make as much as you want… Once you’re out of here, let’s go straight back to Korea… I love you, Jihyeok.”
“I love you too. I’ll hold on strong.”
Two days after parting with the Doctor, Sinclair led me to the warden’s office. The man was sipping coffee with a somewhat benevolent expression, but I could read the ugly intentions hidden behind that hideous face. I chuckled.
“You’ve decided to accept the proposal.”
“I reached the conclusion that refusing would be a loss. That said… can you pay in cash?”
He couldn’t reveal the source of the funds. He probably thought cash would be safer. As if you people could ever trace Marcela’s arrangements.
I nodded readily. “Straight to the point, I see.”
“Seems we’re the same in that regard.”
“Let’s do it that way. You can receive it wherever you want, or I can have it delivered directly to your home.”
“Good. What do you want from us? Staying in solitary doesn’t seem so bad. We can send female inmates on a regular basis too.”
That sounds tempting. Cuffing a violent female inmate’s arms and… Just imagining it was arousing. But I wasn’t a stray cat that ate whatever was thrown at me.
“There are exactly three conditions. First, the lawyer who visited today will come again. Never speak to her about me. Second, transfer me to the general population.”
“And the last?”
“The third is… You seized some drug contraband, correct? Give it to me whenever I ask for it.”
Only when properly drugged could one truly be called broken. The warden’s eyes sparkled with interest.
“Planning to get high before you leave? You don’t look like an addict.”
“Your answer?”
“The first and third conditions are more than doable, but the second won’t work. If something happens to you, we’ll be in trouble. The money pipeline would dry up.”
As he spoke, the warden rubbed three fingers together rapidly. This bastard is insanely greedy.
“Do I look like someone who would die in a place like that?”
“Plenty of guys who acted as relaxed as you ended up screwed.”
“So you refuse?”
When my voice dropped, the warden subtly avoided my gaze. There was nothing to gain by angering him. Just agree already. I’m giving you a fortune. Of course, once I got out he would die before he could spend it all.
“If you really want it, I’ll move you to Section A. It’s relatively safer than the other blocks. I’ll assign more guards there as well.”
He was worried other inmates might attack me. I shrugged.
“As long as you don’t interfere with what I do, it’s fine.”
“I have no intention of interfering. Is this satisfactory?”
“Good. Discuss it with the other guards, set the date and location, and call me.”
“You’re giving it to all of us at once?”
“Yes. My secretary is busy.”
“You said you’d give enough to satisfy us, right?”
“Of course. Consider the two hundred thousand dollars I gave last time a service. It’s for the warden who works so hard on the rehabilitation of criminals.”
The warden showed a greedy smile, pleased by my words. The faint glint of his gold tooth made him look like a toad steeped in desire.
“We’ll do it that way. Has the commissary money arrived?”
“I forgot about that. But I don’t really need it. I’ll be out soon anyway. Just put in a few daily necessities.”
“Understood. Though it’s a shame you’ll be leaving soon.”
“I’ll put in plenty before my release, so don’t worry.”
At those words the warden stood and extended his hand. This son of a bitch wants to shake hands with the same fingers he just picked his nose with. I simply lifted my cuffed hands in reply.
“As you can see, my hands are like this.”
Two days later, in a hotel near the prison.
“Haah…”
The Doctor let out a heavy sigh as she attempted to hack the prison system. She had wanted to breach the cameras to see how Jihyeok was living, but even with her skills she couldn’t get through. Of course she wasn’t a professional hacker, but she had penetrated core government institutions of other countries before, so she had assumed a prison would be manageable. It proved too difficult.
The security was simply too strong to break with a single laptop.
Still, there was one piece of good news. She would be able to get Jihyeok out fairly quickly. Using Jennifer Cash’s name, she had sent information on corrupt governors to key American agencies. She had also demanded the swift release of Alex Song, who had been unjustly framed. She even added that if they wished to act as the world’s police, they should first uproot the rot within their own ranks.
Since America was a major pillar of the World Coalition and maintained good relations with the Beast Slayer Headquarters, they would have no choice but to comply. They would probably even thank her for the information.
The Doctor closed her laptop, changed into a suit, and left the hotel. Praying that nothing had happened to Jihyeok, she used her forged ID to enter the prison.
She slid the prepared name tag across the counter. “Visitation, please. Section H, Alex Song.”
“Understood.”
The visitation desk staff typed on the computer, then tilted their head. “Alex Song has been transferred to Section A. There’s only one inmate by that name… I’ll prepare the visitation room.”
“Thank you. When was he transferred?”
“Two days ago.”
“Reason?”
“Trouble with another inmate.”
The Doctor’s heart plummeted. Trouble…? Had he gotten into another fight after meeting her? She asked urgently, “What about his condition? Is Jih… I mean, is Alex Song all right?”
“There’s no record of him visiting the infirmary.”
“Ah…”
Then it was probably nothing more than a simple scuffle. Thinking it was a tremendous relief, she let out dozens of internal sighs and followed the guard’s instructions. After depositing everything except documents, she was led to a private visitation room.
Walking down the narrow corridor with her eyes on the floor, the Doctor asked the guard, “Will Alex Song be handcuffed today as well?”
“….It’s mandatory for all inmates in this facility. Please understand.”
“Yes…”
Consumed by worry for Jihyeok, she failed to notice the guard’s slightly awkward tone.
Once inside the visitation room and seated, the guard told her, “It will take about fifteen minutes.”
“All right.”
After the guard left, the Doctor tried to hide her anxiety and waited. Time that had flown by in the blink of an eye when she was with Jihyeok now stretched out like eternity. She sat biting her nails until the door opened and Jihyeok entered with the same guard from last time. She immediately stood up.
Looking at the face she had missed so desperately, the Doctor thought, Thank goodness…
Jihyeok’s face showed only the previous wounds healing; no new injuries had appeared. His complexion looked healthy and he didn’t seem to be in pain anywhere.
As she fidgeted, the moment the guard secured Jihyeok’s hands and feet and left the room, she sprang up and rushed to him.
“Jihyeok…!”
“Have you been well, sis?”
Jihyeok’s voice was bright, almost excited. Probably because she had come. The Doctor hugged him tightly and sniffled. She hadn’t wanted to cry, but seeing him looking increasingly haggard brought the tears on their own.
After savoring the touch of her beloved for a long while, the Doctor sat down again. Jihyeok stared at her with a pleasant smile. His pupils were dilated; it looked as if he had only woken up recently.
“Were you sleeping? I’m sorry…”
“No. I was just resting in the cell. I made a friend, too. A friend who treats me well. Thanks to him, I’m living comfortably.”
Prison life had become comfortable thanks to a criminal friend… The feeling was strangely complex. She felt grateful yet distrustful at the same time. Still, since the friend had made things easier for Jihyeok, she decided she should reward the man’s family later.
With that thought, the Doctor spoke. “I sent the list of governors involved in this matter to the government departments. We should receive a reply soon. I’m confident it will be positive. I used the headquarters’ name.”
“You did well.”
“Once you’re out we can take a plane right away…”
The Doctor trailed off. Jihyeok had always been reluctant to solve problems using the headquarters’ name. Yet now he said she had done well. Was prison life so unbearable that he was willing to accept any method?
As she pondered this, she grew puzzled when Jihyeok kept wrinkling his nose even while smiling. What is that? The Jihyeok she knew had no such habit.
“Why are you doing that?”
After speaking, Jihyeok took a short breath through his nose. His hands trembled so faintly that it would be unnoticeable unless one looked closely. The Doctor, watching intently, narrowed her eyes.
Dreamy gaze, a face smiling as if in pleasure, a nose that wrinkled and inhaled at random intervals. Now that she paid attention, the area under his eyes was sunken and he seemed unable to focus on their conversation. Putting it all together, the Doctor’s lips trembled deathly pale.
N-no way…!