Road To Reelection : Fragile Relations

Chapter 22 : Right on target

Brooklyn, New York (Present Day)

Sitting in the operations room in his brownstone in downtown Brooklyn Kim Moon Dae stared at the headlines of the American newspapers in disbelief. His attempt to kidnap the Vice President of the United States has failed and because of his lost journal she might already know his identity. You don't screw with the Kim Family and leave unscathed, his agents warned him. Especially Alice Kim, she worked for the South Korean Intelligence. 

But no one told him to not mess with her daughter as well. And now he knows that she's former FBI and former soldier. The Supreme Leader won't be pleased. Maybe he'll defect after all. Looking at his laptop containing the blueprints and everything on the latest development of the nuclear program he knows that he'll be a valuable asset to the Americans, but for how long? Maybe he'll end up in the infamous Guantanamo Bay Prison for life. If he want to defect he must do it now. Looking at his fake South Korean passport one last time he threw it into the fireplace and watched as the fire burn away the identification book. As the fire dies down he left the brownstone, holding the keys as he is the sole person who has access to the residence and waited a cab outside in the freezing night. New York City is truly a City That Never Sleeps, he mused to himself. But instead of a cab a black SUV pulled up to the curb. Men in black filed out and grabbed him. He screamed in protest with his native tongue but they never give a damn and shoved him inside, zip-tied him and pulled a bag over his face. 

His thoughts returned to the man he once called Supreme Leader, as he believed that he was the one who sent these men but he didn't look at the badges clipped to their clothing. When he thought that he's been captured by his own people but actually, it's the United States Secret Service, the federal law enforcement agency in charge of protecting the leaders of the nation. "We have him." one agent spoke. 

"Good, bring him to Cactus. Boss wants a word with the bird." another voice replied, through a radio device. Kim understood English but he was confused by the code names as he knew nothing about his captors as he listens to the entire conversation between the men in the vehicle. "Sentry's thrilled but Lone Star's more than eager to interrogate this HVT."

"Yeah, what about Lone Star's cousin?"

"We've got Pilot."

"We finally got the man whose agent killed Scarlet. Luckily that Saber's not around, might've killed this dude."

"Should Safe and Saber know this?"

"No, what happened in the Cactus stays with the Cactus unless Lone Star or Sentry says otherwise."

"How did Lone Star know?"

"Sentry knows first. Don't forget, Lone Star was nearly killed by this SOB."

"Oh yeah, that incident."

"Bird's been silent."

"He's probably thinking that North Koreans nabbed him."

"Unlikely." 

"The feds at Cactus said that the HVTs were granted asylum."

"Really?"

"Lone Star gave the green light. Not her choice, she hates it."

"Probably's the reason that HVT 2 told her years ago that this bird tried to kill Sentry."

"Code Red ordered it right?"

"Yup. Thank God that Lone Star survived."

"But what that SOB did to our country... he has to pay." sweat starts to trickle down Kim's face as he recoiled in fear about his fate. "That SOB sold plutonium to Code Red. Can you even believe that?"

"At least Hawkeye's been honest."

"He had no choice back then. I won't blame him." the vehicle stopped to a halt after a calm ride, and hitting bumpy roads. The men dragged him out of the vehicle and Kim smelt a breath of fresh air. He deduced that he has been brought somewhere else in nature but the agents kept bringing him with them and stopped. Because of the hood covering his head he has no idea where he is until one of his captors banged on the door. "The bird's here."

"Ok. Take him to the cabin. Sentry and Lone Star would like to do this, with them watching." again Kim had no idea what was the other man talking about but he is then brought into somewhere and was zip-tied again to something after one of his captors forced him to sit. 

"You move and I'll shoot you." the man warned. Kim trembled in fear, as he is still not sure where he is and what will the group of men do to him, along with the people that they called Sentry and Lone Star. Before he can say anything the hood was ripped from his face, exposing him to the bright lights and realization dawned in him. He was taken to a room with six flat-screen display televisions installed in the wall opposite him and he is chained to a table. Then a man and a woman entered, with a few armed man in suits carrying assault rifles. The men in the room saluted and the man nodded in thanks. Both the man and woman were wearing casual outfits but the jacket had his fear materialized. He now finds himself facing the nation's top leaders he had tried to kill before. But the Vice President is staring down at him hard in the face, almost like she's going to do something. The President has the same feeling as she does but double the amount as he knew that one of his rogue agents is responsible for killing his mother.

"We've searched him sir. No dangerous substances, only a laptop bag and confidential paper documents." another man reported. Two men are standing very closely to the leaders though, giving Kim the indication that they are the main bodyguards protecting the President and his daughter, the Vice President."