to capture a killer

new priorities

EIGHT

Everyone is already in the meeting room when Lisa walks in with a coffee in her hand.

"Good morning, Lisa. You're late." Jisoo speaks sternly while everyone else remains silent. She thinks about how Bambam would have had a cocky remark for her.

"Sorry. The line was busy." She raises her coffee slightly and takes a seat.

"Well, you need to go back home anyway. We're going to Sri Lanka."

"When?"

"Tonight. Go home and pack. I'll brief you on the plane."

"You could have texted me so I didn't come in."

Jisoo ignores her comment and goes back to talking to the rest of the group. Lisa huffs and goes home to pack.

+

Lisa is still in a mood when they're on the plane, but now, it's because Jisoo won't listen to her.

"There's no way you can sit there and tell me she's useless. She's the key to this whole thing!"

"Ruby Jane is just one of the many puppets, Lisa. She does as she's told and gets paid. We need to get the people who are paying her."

"We could get that through her."

"She is literally a psychopath. We have a lead on another assassin, one that's mentally stable." Jisoo pauses. "Somewhat. And we're going to follow that up."

"Meanwhile, Ruby Jane is out there killing more people. If we can get her, then why wouldn't we?"

"Because she's not our mission. This thing is so much bigger than her. What is your obsession with her?"

"What? I don't have an obsession with her. What are you talking about?"

"Is this about Bambam?"

"No!" Lisa wasn't sure whether she was telling the truth or not. All she knew was that she felt a gravitational pull to Jennie and wanted to see her again, to feel that same thrill again, but, of course, she couldn't tell her boss this.

Jisoo eyes her sceptically. "Well, whatever it is, it's got to stop. You need to do your job, Lisa. Forget about Ruby Jane."

But that was exactly the problem. Lisa could not forget about Jennie. It wasn't even a revenge thing anymore, not since the last time they had been face-to-face. Although she really should have been, Lisa was not fixated on Bambam's murder anymore.

Her every thought was demanded by Jennie and everything about her. Her personality. Her voice. Her touch. Her smell.

Lisa didn't know what any of it meant, and she didn't care really. All she wanted to do was chase Jennie and capture her. How could she rest whilst she was still out there? And what was she doing out there? Was Lisa just one of the many people who had become enthralled by the cat-eyed killer?

She hoped not.

She chews on her nails and thinks of the deadly assassin all through the plane ride and without a break until they land.

The assassin Jisoo has the lead on is currently doing life in a maximum penitentiary. Both detectives are waiting in a private questioning room for the prisoner. When the door opens a few minutes later, they see her for the first time, led by two other guards. Her handcuffs are checked again before they both leave the room, leaving the three women alone.

"Seulgi Kang, it's nice to meet you. I'm detective Kim and this is my colleague, Detective Manoban." Jisoo gestures to Lisa, who maintains a tight-lipped, straight face. "We have a few questions for you, and we would really appreciate it if you would cooperate."