Taeseok's Fate
Min Taeseok's fate (4)
The next day, Jaehyuk waited outside Taeseok's apartment to head to the PC bang with him. But gaming wasn't his only reason for the invitation. 'Nothing happened on the eleventh, the day he was supposed to die. Still, these people won't give up after one failure. They'll try something else to kill him. I can't let my guard down yet.'
Just then, the apartment entrance opened and Taeseok stepped out in a casual black sleeveless shirt and light jeans. He spotted Jaehyuk, grinned, and waved enthusiastically.
"Hey, kiddo!"
Jaehyuk waved back. Taeseok asked, "What made you suddenly want to hit the PC bang with me?"
"It's more fun playing with you."
"More fun because I hard-carry you, right?"
"No. Because you play like someone who stopped thinking and just enjoys the game."
"Ah… is that so…? Hahaha…"
Taeseok laughed awkwardly while Jaehyuk scanned the surroundings, checking for anyone who might be targeting him. 'Would they really try something in such a crowded place? They don't seem that reckless. As long as we stick to busy areas or I stay right beside him, it'll be hard for them to make a move.'
Behind them, a white man with black hair followed silently. Denis Komarov studied Taeseok walking beside Jaehyuk, calculating how to eliminate his target. 'Should I push him into traffic when a big car passes? That's the only way to stage an accident in this environment, but with his companion and so many people around, it's not feasible.'
While pondering the best method, Denis pulled out his phone and sent a message in Korean. [Must the target be dealt with today?]
A reply came shortly after. [The sooner, the better.]
[Will it take long?]
[Moving only through crowded areas makes staging an accident difficult.]
Kim Gyeonggeun, on the other end of the exchange, bit his lip anxiously. 'Damn it… We got the data through Ki Sangjun, but Min Taeseok might have made copies of the files on that USB. We need to eliminate him and secure the data as quickly as possible…'
Impatient and uneasy, Gyeonggeun sent another message. [There's no need to stage an accident.]
Denis raised an eyebrow and replied, [As long as he's dead, it doesn't matter?]
[Correct. If you finish the job today, I'll add another five million rubles.]
Five million on top of the original ten million rubles came to fifteen million rubles—roughly two hundred million won. Denis answered, [Understood. You'll have good news by the end of the day.]
Then he made a call. "This is Denis. Could you give me the contact information for the reporter who met with Min Taeseok?"
Jaehyuk and Taeseok were deep into their games at the PC bang when Taeseok stood up. "I'm heading to the restroom. My stomach's acting up."
"Sure. Go ahead."
Once Taeseok left, Jaehyuk glanced at the charging phone on the desk. Hours later, after they'd played their fill, the two stepped outside into the growing dusk.
"Man, what time is it?"
"Nine thirty-four."
"We were in there forever. No wonder my eyes hurt."
"You should've taken a break earlier."
"But it was too fun. Did you see how I played?"
"I saw plenty. How many times did you charge straight off the edge?"
"But I still won, didn't I?"
Taeseok's phone rang. He checked the caller ID and his expression tightened slightly.
"What's wrong? Who is it?"
Jaehyuk tried to peek at the screen, but Taeseok quickly turned the phone away. "It's nothing. Just some annoying friend I know."
Jaehyuk had caught the name before the screen disappeared. 'Reporter Ki Sangjun…? Why would a reporter be calling him?'
"Give me a second. I need to take this."
"Go ahead."
Taeseok stepped away and answered. "Yes, Reporter Ki. This is Min Taeseok."
"Min… Detective Min…"
"Reporter Ki? Is something wrong?"
Ki Sangjun's voice sounded weak. Then a different voice came through the line.
"Min Taeseok?"
"…Who is this?"
Inside an abandoned factory, Denis Komarov sat beside the bloodied and bound Ki Sangjun, pressing a knife to his throat. He spoke into the phone.
"You don't need to know who I am. Bring the copies of the data from that USB you secured. Come to the location I'll give you."
"Who the hell are you?"
"Do as I say. Otherwise, Reporter Ki Sangjun dies."
Denis ended the call before Taeseok could respond.
"What? Hello? Hello!!"
Taeseok stared blankly at the disconnected screen, then sighed. He turned to Jaehyuk, who was watching him with concern, and forced a smile.
"It's… nothing serious. You head home. I've got something to take care of."
"What kind of something?"
"Nothing a kid needs to know about."
Taeseok flagged down a passing taxi and climbed in. Jaehyuk watched the car drive away, then pulled out his own phone. 'Good thing I installed it earlier when I had the chance.'
While Taeseok had been in the restroom, Jaehyuk had secretly installed a tracking app on his phone. Now the app displayed Taeseok's real-time location. 'Something feels off. I need to follow him.'
Several hours later, Taeseok arrived at the location Denis had provided, laptop in hand. He carefully opened the factory door and saw Ki Sangjun tied to a chair, covered in blood.
"Reporter Ki!! Are you all right?!"
As Taeseok rushed forward, Ki shook his head frantically and tried to shout, but the tape over his mouth muffled the words. Taeseok understood the warning anyway. 'It's a trap.'
The moment he turned his head, Denis lunged at him with a knife. Taeseok barely dodged. 'Using a gun would've made this easier… but firing on an active police officer isn't an option.'
Taeseok kept his distance while Denis eyed the laptop. "Is the copy on that?"
"…It is."
"Hand it over. I'll spare the reporter's life at least."
Taeseok hesitated. Should he sacrifice an innocent civilian to expose the crimes above? If he escaped with the laptop, he could reveal everything and prevent worse atrocities. But what about the civilian whose life depended on him right now? Was he really supposed to let an innocent die for the greater good?
"Make your choice. The reporter dies otherwise."
Denis twirled the knife. Taeseok finally set the laptop on the floor.
"…Keep your word."
"A fine policeman."
As Denis stepped forward to retrieve the laptop, a voice rang out from the entrance.
"Hyung!!!"
Jaehyuk had burst into the factory. Both men turned toward him.
'What…? How did that kid get here??'
'[Is that his little brother?]'
Jaehyuk spotted the knife in Denis's hand, grabbed a nearby steel pipe, and charged. Taeseok shouted, "Park Jaehyuk!! Run!! That bastard has a knife!!!"
Jaehyuk ignored him and swung the pipe. Denis dodged effortlessly, then stepped back and tucked the knife away.
"Go home, kid. I don't like using weapons on children."
"Screw you, you son of a bitch."
Jaehyuk attacked again. Denis merely evaded, looking annoyed. 'What the hell is with this guy?? It's like he's reading every move I make.'
After dodging several strikes, Denis closed the distance, seized the pipe, and kicked Jaehyuk's knee, momentarily disabling him. He followed up with a flurry of punches and elbows. Jaehyuk blocked some but took a solid hit to the jaw.
'He's fast!!'
Staggered but still gripping the pipe, Jaehyuk faced Denis's relentless assault. Every attempt to create space was met with strikes that piled on damage. 'This is the first wall like this since Ju Taeyeol!! How do I break through?!'
Denis landed a right hook to Jaehyuk's jaw, then drove an elbow into his head. Jaehyuk collapsed.
"Jaehyuk!!"
Taeseok charged at Denis, but the Russian blocked the punch and countered with a knife-hand strike. Taeseok deflected it, only for Denis to close in again. The brutal exchange continued until Denis finally dropped Taeseok with a punch to the solar plexus.
Lying on the cold concrete, Jaehyuk watched through fading consciousness as Denis advanced on Taeseok.
"I only need to destroy the copy you have and take your life. I'll let your brother and the reporter live."
Denis drew his knife to finish Taeseok—then froze. '[What…? When did—?!]'
Sensing danger, Denis dove behind a pile of materials just as several suppressed gunshots rang out. Bullets slammed into the wall and debris.
'Tch… There were other interference factors.'
Seo Gyuhak, Baek Junghwan, and three subordinates emerged, SIG P226s with suppressors in hand. Jaehyuk, barely clinging to consciousness, asked, "Who…?"
Gyuhak ordered, "Move those two. I'll handle this one."
"Yes, sir."
Still dazed, Taeseok asked the men helping him up, "Who are you people?"
"Doesn't matter. Come with us."
As Baek Junghwan moved to untie Ki Sangjun, Denis aimed his Walther PPQ M2. Gyuhak fired, forcing Denis back into cover. Taking advantage of the opening, the team extracted everyone—Taeseok, Jaehyuk, and Ki Sangjun—along with the laptop.
Alone again, Denis sighed. '[No choice. I have to retreat for now.]'
He tossed a smoke grenade and opened fire while sprinting for the exit. By the time the smoke cleared, Gyuhak found only an empty factory. 'He got away… Damn it.'
With a displeased expression, Gyuhak holstered his pistol and walked out.