Rogue Ranger

Chapter 26 The Bluejay and the Mockingbird

"No sign of them. They seem to have vanished without a trace." Andrew said, waiting for Ji Hoon to respond. He and Ji Hoon were standing in the garden at Fort Estienne, talking. Their stances couldn't be more different; Andrew stood with his weight on one foot, his shoulders relaxed and hands in his pockets. Ji Hoon stood with his back erect, feet apart and hands tied behind him. His eyes were fixed on the east facing window where the early rays of morning bounced off.

"They can't even find any evidence that the OIS were ever in New York, let alone that they were working with Vultaggio." Andrew continued.

"That's to be expected." Ji Hoon said finally. "They wouldn't be good at their job if they left any trace." Andrew bit the inside of his cheek.

"Baek Hyeon must've cut his ties with Vultaggio... When do you plan to expose him? You've been hiding evidence on the OIS's corruption for a long time now. Don't you think the time has come to make them pay for their crimes?"

"I will." was Ji Hoon's short answer.

"When?" Andrew was itching to know.

"Soon." Andrew sighed, knowing that Ji hoon's one worded answers were an indication that he was not going to discuss the matter any further. He changed the subject.

"You're lucky Vultaggio survived." Andrew told Ji Hoon in a dry voice.

"No, he's lucky I didn't wring his head off his neck." Ji Hoon replied coolly. "I'm serious, Hoon." Andrew said, his voice wrought with tension. "You could have been deported or imprisoned if he was dead. A murder charge is not easy to get out of."

"They might have put it down to manslaughter."

"Not with evidence of the three lead bullets that they dug out of him!" Andrew burst with impatience. "Self defense only counts if you shoot once! And since you shot him only after he shot Laura..." Ji Hoon's hands clenched into fists on hearing that.

"And then where would you have been, huh? If you had been convicted, you'd have been out of Laura's life faster than the Interpol could blink. And she would've never forgiven you for that." Andrew continued more softly. A slow exhale left Ji Hoon's throat.

"She needs you, Ji Hoon. You two are meant to be together. Even Mr. Talavera knew it."

"What?" Ji Hoon sounded surprised and his eyes left the window to glance at Andrew. Andrew pulled out a letter from his breast pocket.

"Mr. Talavera's last will." he said as he handed it to Ji Hoon. "He'd been watching you these last few months. He was impressed by how you handled the assignment. He wanted you to continue taking care of her should - anything have happened." Ji Hoon scanned the document with slow perusal, not missing out a single word. When he finished, he folded it up and returned it to Andrew.

"It doesn't say in so many words -"

"It says what he meant." Andrew finished for him.

"He wanted me to take care of his daughter as a bodyguard." Ji Hoon insisted despondently.

"He wanted a good man for his daughter. And I believe he found it in you."

"That's a fanciful assumption." Ji Hoon said obstinately.

"Why are you so piqued about it anyway?" Andrew asked in surprise. "You love her; and she loves you. I don't see what the problem is."

"The problem is, I'm just a fugitive from a distant country who has no right to ask for Laura's hand." Ji Hoon turned back to stare at the east window. Andrew frowned.

"That never bothered you before." he stated.

"Mr. Talavera survived. He'll be out of the hospital soon. I'm sure he'll be eager to see Laura. And now that Vultaggio is behind bars -"