Twisted Rope

The Longest Day

New York, Friday

Jeong Hyeok tried his phone and Seri's number was unobtainable. He had tried many times since the alert had arrived. He felt conflicted. On the one hand, he wanted her to be unobtainable, after all that most likely meant she was on the plane, but at the same time, he wanted it to ring and for her to answer. He just wanted to hear her voice and make sure she was safe. She must be on the plane, he told himself. But surely she wouldn't have turned her phone off without messaging him first? The last message he'd had from her was several hours ago, when she had texted to say she would cut short the holiday and go back to work early. He had been furious with her when he read that. Maybe she would have realised how he would have felt about that message and so didn't message again? Maybe she hadn't caught the plane? Had she changed her mind again and decided not to bother coming at all? Maybe she had turned her phone off early to avoid him? None of those options were reassuring.

But that security alert had really spooked him. He needed to know she was safe. He had tried calling the NIS for more information on the alert, but he'd got the night team and no-one seemed able to help. He was desperate to call Seri's office to make sure she had got on the flight, but it was too early in Seoul for that yet. 

The safety of the girls was at the front of his mind too, so he had called Lim Sun-Hee and spoken to her about the alert. She had reassured him she would keep them close until their own flight. But worryingly, she hadn't heard from Seri either. Apparently Seri had called the girls earlier in the day and had told them she would message from the airport, but then she hadn't. That really made him start to worry. He couldn't believe that she would have neglected to inform Sun-Hee about the alert, or not called the girls before she took off. When he'd spoken to Ka-youn and Yeji later, it had taken all his self-control to keep his voice light and casual. They were excited and looking forward to joining him and he ached to hug them in his arms, to know that they were safe. The last thing he had wanted to do was freak them out with his fears.

And fear is what he felt. Nagging away at him. What if the reason she hadn't messaged was that she hadn't boarded the plane? What if Kang Sung-ho and his thugs had snatched her? His logical brain told him that was unlikely, but it didn't stop him worrying. And he couldn't think of a reason why he couldn't reach her. He had sent several emails and internet messages - surely she could access those on the flight. Even if she was cross with him, surely she wouldn't refuse to answer his messages, just to let him know she was safe? He couldn't believe that of her. So where was she? Why had no-one heard from her?

Park Hyun-ki had spent most of the day with him, and he didn't know how he would have managed without his support. The security alert had shocked Hyun-ki too. He'd never shared with his friend the full details of what happened when Seri had crash landed in the North, or what had happened in Switzerland. But he had shared enough for him to understand Kang was a threat still and this wasn't to be taken lightly.

He could always rely on Hyun-ki to get things done, and between them, they had tried everything they could think of. He had left another message at the security centre, but had had little response. They clearly had more urgent priorities. "Just let us know when she lands," they had said. He had even tried to call Senior Director Kim directly, but the number was unobtainable. Jeong-hyeok wanted to know if she had checked in ok, but the airline wouldn't tell him. Data protection. Hyun-ki tried the Korean Embassy in the States. They said they would pass on the message about the alert, and someone would be in touch if there was anything to worry about. It seemed like a brush-off. Despite all their efforts, by lunchtime they were no further forward.

"Jeong-hyeok, if anything had happened to her, they would have notified you. Her driver took her to the airport. There are security cameras and lots of people about. She couldn't disappear without people seeing." Hyun-ki had tried to reassure him.