Manjae Faction (2): Rooftop Raid
6 PM. I was on my way out of Cheonho Pharmaceuticals after clocking off. Heading for the subway, a car suddenly pulled up right in front of me and stopped.
"Hey, get in."
"Shay?"
The rear door swung open, revealing Shay. I slid into the open door and sat beside her.
"What's this? Where'd you get the car?"
"It's a covert vehicle I bought under another identity."
The driver's seat was empty. These days, only hobbyists or vintage car enthusiasts drove manually.
I buckled up, and Blackie's voice chimed in from the car.
"Don't head straight there. Circle the area first."
"Blackie?"
Blackie seemed to shrink around Shay somehow. Shay rested a hand on my shoulder for a moment.
"You... if you pull any more weird shit, I'll kill you. Got it?"
"Shay, it was a misunderstanding."
She still didn't trust me. With a sigh, she pulled out her phone and projected a video onto the car seat, just like I'd done at Korea University.
The projected image showed a building layout.
"This is the Manjae Faction office we found. Five stories, first and second floors vacant."
"Whoa... that's an office? More like a fortress."
I was stunned by the Manjae Faction office's setup. The third floor had guards on watch, checkpoints, cameras everywhere.
Blackie must've been manipulating the image—her voice came with changes to the screen.
"So... even if we breach the third floor somehow, from four up we're going in blind?"
I clicked my tongue at the insane difficulty. Luckily, Shay had reassuring info.
"Not necessarily. There are windows, right?"
"Hmm... that's the Manjae Faction vice president, right?"
A man labeled vice president sat in what looked like a fifth-floor conference room. Helpful info, but tons of blind spots meant we'd need to be extra careful inside.
Our goal was intel, so snagging the vice president for interrogation would do. Which made me think...
"Starting from the fifth floor would be ideal..."
"B2, that's a good call. Let's go with your plan."
"Huh?"
They both jumped on my musing. No time to argue—the car stopped, and Shay hopped out.
"R-right. Got it."
I stepped out cluelessly. Shay had the trunk open, handing me a large bag.
"Let's go."
"Where to?"
"Fifth floor first, right? You're... joking again?"
No way... A bad feeling hit me. Sure enough, Shay headed into a building—not the Manjae Faction office, but the one next door. I followed.
Climbing the stairs, Shay said, "Did you scout from the office already? Talking about it right away..."
"Uh... how about we hit the third floor classic-style?"
"Not bad, but I'm getting bored playing with these punks."
We're screwed. That look on Shay's face meant no arguing. She wouldn't get my concerns anyway.
Before I could dwell, the rooftop door loomed. Shay picked the lock with a metal pin—click, click.
"Guess having a mob office nearby keeps this place empty."
"Ha... ha..."
The sky was pitch black on the roof. This building was close to the Manjae Faction one. Shay peeked over the railing.
"...Jumping's out."
"Yeah. Let's just start at the third floor..."
Thwack! Ignoring me, she fired something from the bag—a grapnel line launching device. The cable arced across, hooking a pillar on the Manjae Faction rooftop.
Shay tugged it taut.
"Huh? What'd you say?"
"N-nothing... let's hurry."
Line's launched—better move fast. People don't look up much, but getting spotted would suck.
And so... Shay and I ziplined across to the Manjae Faction building. I'd done it in Chase Field, but real life was new. Windy and dizzying, but manageable.
"Lucky. Let's wrap this quick and head home."
I geared up with harness and line. Time to rappel into the Manjae Faction office. Shay unpacked the rest, hooked the bag to the line, and dropped it to the ground.
"You've used this before, right?"
"The sleep dart gun? Or the suppressed pistol?"
"Heh, that joke landed."
Neither in real life. Shay chuckled, grabbed the line, and scaled the wall. I sighed inwardly, holstered the pistol, and gripped the sleep dart gun in one hand.
Normally I'd bail, but no need for spec-ops speed here. We descended slowly, hugging the wall to avoid window sightlines.
The rooftop-to-fifth-floor gap was short; soon, lit windows neared. Shay's radio crackled.
"Got 'em. I'll take two on my side."
"Okay."
Quick comms set targets. I cracked the window stealthily, aimed, confirmed.
Pfft! Pfft!
"Urk..."
"Ngh."
"Confirmed."
Wind nearly threw me off, but pistol would've meant bodies—bad idea. No need to weaken Manjae Faction against the yakuza either. Neither side was friendly.
First rappel success—I mentally cheered, moving to enter.
"Uh... what the..."
The window stuck midway. I shoved harder and got pushed back.
Whoosh! A gust hit. I straightened to balance but drifted farther—right into a small side window. My body slipped through!
"Huh?"
"What the..."
Feet first into the tiny window—no stopping. Heavy thud on my soles; I unclipped the harness.
"Gah!"
Thud!
Inside: mobsters. One took both my feet to the head on entry. In their panic, I fired.
Pfft! Pfft!
"G-gun!"
A thug bolted from my dart—sprinter? Tough angle. I timed his run, nailed his leg.
Pfft!
"Urk..."
Close call... Sound was minor. Freed the line, reset it, stood.
"Wh-who are you?"
A familiar face: Ma Yongtaek from Cheonho Pharmaceuticals.
Ma stared pale.
"Yeah?"
"Sure..."
As I replied to Blackie, Ma flinched. Oops—gun still aimed reflexively. I lowered it, pulled back my hood slightly.
"Uh... came to rescue you."
"Y-you're... Ibitu? Wait, Gong Isa..."
"Yes. Situation's urgent—come with me?"
"Alright..."
I hustled Ma out. Opened the conference room: vice boss down. Shay spotted me.
"What took you so long?"
"Well..."
"Who's this?"
"Ma Yongtaek—the one we came to save."
Shay nodded at my hint, gestured at the vice boss.
"He's heavy—your turn."
"Got it."
Hauling him toward the window, Ma's face looked off.
"N-no way? Down like this?"
"Why not?"
"I can't! I've got acrophobia!"
"Shh!"
Terror made Ma louder, babbling about stairs. Dropped the vice boss, grabbed his shoulders to calm him—forgot the pistol in hand.
Ma twisted; pistol butt clipped his head.
Crack!
"Urgh..."
Light tap, but he crumpled. Shay grinned.
"Good call. Was about to do it myself—you're quick."
"...Let's descend."
Dunno anymore—just wanna go home. Shay checked them.
"Don't wanna ride with these losers. Tie 'em and lower."
"...And you?"
"You've got me."
Shay trussed Ma and vice boss together, dropped them to the first floor. Then snuggled into my arms.
"Hold tight. Drop me, you're dead."
"We can go sep—" Words died grabbing her. Woman who pummels grown men—her arm lock was unreal. Arm under her chest, I blanked on harness adjustment.
"L-let's go."
"Ah... tired..."
Shay smelled of sweat, not Conal's apple scent. Line control was fine, thankfully.
Thud! Grounded, coiled the line. Blackie's car pulled up.
Trunk for zip-tied vice boss; Ma in back. Car rolled out.
We drove ~40 minutes to an abandoned warehouse. Tied vice boss in a small container room; propped Ma against the wall.
"Waking soon. Interrogation?"
"Shay, you won't?"
"Me?" Shay smirked. "I can torture. Start with fingers?"
"Hmm..."
"Kidding. Real torture doesn't get confessions well. I can if needed..."
Vice boss twitched in his chair.
"Waking?"
"You do it?"
Me...? Blackie again.
"You... NIS?"
"Uh-huh..."
Guess I'm on vice boss duty. If I flop, Shay's backup. Entered the container.
"Ugh..."
Vice boss stirring. Dragged a chair opposite, sat.
"Y-you..."
He gawked. I froze, clueless.
We just stared forever.
...Can't do this. Let Shay handle it. Started to rise—
"I see... you already know everything."
"Hm?"
"Us teaming with Gong Isa to take the company. Even... that Gong Isa hooked up with yakuza, so you cleaned house?"
He spilled willingly. I crossed my legs, stared coolly.
"How much does your group know?"
"..."
"Boss was right. We were just pawns..."
Vice boss unloaded everything. Midway, Shay radioed.
I silently thumbs-upped inwardly.
This works...