After Dark (Prompts)

Be With You - 16

Warning: Chapter deals with Im Cheol-Ryung being taken so please proceed with caution. 

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Ha Chae Yoon rarely had to deal with family members in the recent hostage situations she had been involved in. She was usually upfront in the discussions and her team was the one in charged with the relatives.

From what she knows, it involved a lot of consoling and speaking to them to trust the police and some assurance that it will turn out okay.

She was finding out today what it was like to be on the other side of the situation - to be the one who received the terrifying news; the one dealing with the uncertainty of whether she would see her loved one again; the anxiety of not knowing his current condition; the fear that their earlier meeting would be the last moment she would ever see him alive.

Ha Chae Yoon heard the words meant to console but they did nothing. She was so frightened she couldn't move.

When everyone started filing out to take up their stations, Detective Kang and the Chief approached her. "Ha Chae Yoon, we'll have an officer guarding you and the team will set up the recording machines in your home. Are you okay with that?"

"Yes, of course," she replied, not bothering to ask how they knew about them. "But we haven't told anyone about us. I'm not sure they would call me if they... if they needed ransom."

The Chief nodded. "We know. We're covering our bases. There will be a line set up here at the office as well."

When they returned to their desk to gather their things, Lee Da-bin approached her and asked quietly, "Are you okay?"

Before she replied, Ha Chae Yoon had to take a deep breath to steady her feelings. "NO. But this is not the time to break down." Giving her subordinate a hard stare, "You're in charge now.  Please make sure he comes back to me."

*

Because of her personal involvement, Ha Chae Yoon had to wait for further instructions so she was sent home for the day.

At first, she was disoriented as to where she was going. She and Cheol-Ryung would usually exchange messages during the day to figure out which apartment they were spending the night in. 

Not having him now left her strangely bereft. 

Thankfully, the decision was taken out of her hands by the Chief's decision to set up recording machines at her place and the officer who would be watching over her. Detective Kang was the one who informed her that this set up was planned by Im Cheol-Ryung as soon as the threat became apparent. 

Her small flat felt even less spacious with a member of the negotiation team and the officer/bodyguard present. Watching them go on with their duties, she suddenly felt the exhaustion creep up on her. 

"Go rest," the officer told her kindly.

"They might call," Ha Chae Yoon returned, rubbing her eyes and trying to keep them open. 

"We'll wake you if that happens."

Fatigue claimed her into a dreamless sleep but she was thankful for any rest. A few hours later, early in the morning, she was up checking her emails and phone messages for anything. The officer handed her a cup of coffee.

"Nothing? Until now?" Ha Chae Yoon asked.

The officer shook his head.

"That's not good."

There were no other words exchanged. They both knew Ha Chae Yoon was right. No demands for this long could mean that Im Cheol-Ryung could already be gone. Shaking her head, she reminded herself to stop speculating. It did not help anyone now and was not helping her Detective.