East

Epilogue

June 05 | 21:00

Hong Kong International Airport

Kim Ji-Min was the only person not moving on the rail station at Hong Kong airport. She had just arrived from the city and her fellow travelers were swarming around her on the way to their flights. She stood, phone to her ear, one bag over her shoulder and another pulled behind her.

The voice on the phone seemed stressed.

"The mission is confirmed, you are cleared for travel. Operation parameters remain as discussed. Do you have any questions?" said Ryu Ji-Mun.

"I have a lot of questions about your groups' management of this operation so far ..."

"Do you have any questions regarding phase two?" he interrupted.

"What happened to the fugitives, the ex-agents and the girl?"

"They have gone to ground and are no longer a threat. The first phase was a success and you are cleared for phase two."

"So you don't know where they are or why they were involved? This sounds like a loose end."

"The police have been alerted to their identities and are looking for them. The girl was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was coincidence. They can not possibly have any knowledge about the operation."

"You had better be right ..."

"And you had better perform as we need you to. Remember what is at stake for you."

She did remember. "I will complete the contract."

"This is the last target and then you are finished."

Perhaps not, she thought to herself as she ended the call, she might make an exception and perform one more job.

Checking the time she hurried to her flight.

***

Waiting at the gate to board her flight she wondered, not for the first time, if this really was the end. It was her last contract, she knew that. Having been forced to take this job by the NIS she was determined to finish it as quickly as possible and return to the life she wanted.

Ryu Ji-Mun was not as concerned about the three that had escaped as she was. But he did not know everything that she knew.

They did have some knowledge. They knew what she looked like, knew that she was the shooter, and may even have photographic evidence. From her point of view this was a problem. A big one.

Of course there were people that knew what she looked like and some of them even knew what she did for a living. But there were very few and all of them were on her side of the fence; unlikely to disclose that information.

She really, really wanted to be back in Korea searching for these three people.

Was it enough that they had to keep their heads down while the entire Korean police force was looking for them?

What was to stop them releasing the camera footage to prove their innocence? Not that they were really innocent, they had killed federal agents. If the police did find them, they might be beaten to a pulp or simply shot before they could say anything in their own defense.

She hadn't told the NIS about the camera for one important reason: two lives would be in danger. Her own, because the NIS would throw her to the wolves and she would become one of the loose ends that she was being paid to tidy up. And her sister, who until a few months ago had been hidden away at university.

She really was in the middle, between the fugitives and the NIS, both having information about her that they should not have. Perhaps after this trip her last mission should be to remove one side of this equation?

An announcement interrupted her thoughts.

"Ladies and gentlemen, flight zero two six to London is ready for boarding ..."

THE END

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