Rogue Ranger

Chapter 15 A Spy's Secret

Laura couldn't sleep. It was well past midnight but her eyes refused to close. She stared at the lampshade beside her bed thinking over everything Ji Hoon had told her. She pitied him with all her heart and wished she could do something for him. But what's an endangered heiress able to do for an ex-spy?

Nearly two years; that's how long Ji Hoon had been on the run. That's what he told her. She could only imagine how hard that was for him, alone in the world, trying to survive, hiding and wondering what would happen next... her heart ached for him. Especially at his final words when she asked him a question earlier.

"Why are you telling me all this now?" she asked. A lost look flickered in his expression.

"Just because. I didn't have anyone else to tell. Even Andrew doesn't know all the details." He said.

"Then – why me?" she asked. He smiled wanly.

"I wanted to trust you with my secret. And because you were trying really hard to get it out of me all this time." he chuckled softly at that. "But mostly because I want someone to know in case anything happens to me." he gave her his chain.

"Keep it for me. For the time being." He said.

Laura clutched the chain around her neck. She vowed she would help him get justice somehow... but she would make sure it would be without anything happening to him.

She got up and went to get a glass of water. Ji Hoon was curled up on the couch, fast asleep though the lamp was still on. His quilt was half on the floor, the other half twisted between his legs. She sighed at the sight of him.

"I'm not the only one who needs protection." She said, going over and covering him properly. She sat on the coffee table for a minute, watching his peaceful face.

"Ji Hoon, I'll protect you too, no matter what." She said brushing a strand of hair out of his eyes. She took in his form.

"He looks so uncomfortable... I knew he was way too tall for the couch. Why does he insist on sacrificing?" she asked herself, feeling put out. She rubbed her eyes and turned off the light, going back to bed. Ji Hoon opened his eyes and gazed at the bedroom door.

"What are you doing to me Laura?" he asked himself. "You're making it so hard for me."

Andrew squeezed the stress ball in his hand, his chin resting in the other. He was seated outside the VIP rooms in the waiting area, thinking. Mr. Talavera was in a coma and had not yet woken up and Laura and Ji Hoon were still missing. The CIA had gotten involved and found out by investigation that Vultaggio was indeed behind the bombing. But they could not find him yet. They would get Interpol involved to speed up the process but in the meantime, Vultaggio was still at large. But the thing he had been dreading hadn't happened yet – there was no ransom call saying Laura's life was on the line; which means Ji Hoon was keeping her safe, he hoped.

But if they had been caught, he had to report them as missing persons; so far he had been keeping their disappearance secret. If Vultaggio was searching for them too, the Interpol's finest wouldn't help keep their hiding place secret.