Chasing in the dark

CHAPTER 17

"I'll speak to you again once I know more of the details... talk to you later" I drop the call when I see X and the rest of the big guns make their way towards me as I am waiting for them at the container.

X is sporting a sly smile on his face as they make their way towards me "Jae-a... where were you the last couple of days?" He throws his arm around my shoulder. I fake a smile at him "I had to take care of a few personal things... it's sorted out now"

He smirks and motions to me that I should follow them inside. We walk towards the entrance of the fish factory.

As we go inside, the smell instantly catches me off guard. How people have to work in such conditions just to earn money is ridiculous. We are walking towards the backroom that is located at the far end of the factory.

He holds the door open for me so that I can go in first.

I step inside. It's dark and cold in here. X and the other bosses walk past me. I follow right behind them. I don't have a good feeling about this.

We enter another room. I had to pinch my nose as the smell was overbearing. It smells like urine and old fish oil. X suddenly stops me. "Is something wrong?" I ask him. He calls one of his guys over and he starts patting me down. "What's this?" I cannot help but ask with annoyance in my voice.

"You can never be too careful in this line of work. Gotta make sure there are no flies on the wall you get what I am saying... the guy shakes his head no and steps back "now that we have that out of the way... Jae-A, we can finally discuss some business with you."

I pull my jacket straight and follow X through the revolving door. I have to adjust my eyes to the dimmed light and when I finally did, what was in front of me made me stop in my tracks.

"Welcome to the future Jae-A!" X and the other bosses start laughing. There are girls everywhere I looked. Some girls are laying on the dirty looking mattress that's tucked in the corner and the others girls are sitting in a huddle looking drugged and dazed out.

Is this...?

Are they...?

"Take your pick Jae-A. You can have any girl you like. You want a girl from Mexico? Or Ghana? What about Brazil? We have a variety and you can pick and choose whichever country you are in the mood for!"

What the hell? It's a ... human trafficking ring.

X looks at me and throws his arm around me "You're not having second thoughts are you Jae-A?" I take my time to scan the area, clear my throat and smile... "Of cause not. I just didn't think it was this type of deal." They start laughing again as they sit down. X motions that I should sit down as well.

I try to scan my surroundings without them catching on while trying to get my breathing under control. As I look up, I notice someone familiar.

Walking around with a whip, hitting the girls if they are even remotely dosing off, is none other than Dae-Seong's mother.

Mrs. Kim!

As she approaches us, I try to look away to avoid her recognizing me.

What is she doing here?

She is walking towards us, stops and turns around. She disappears into another room. Seconds later she comes out, pulling at a young girl, who cannot be older then 12 years old. "Sit down, you wrench... I have a fresh one for you"

She throws the girl down onto the floor in front of our feet. And at this point, I think I am about to be sick to my core.

Mrs. Kim is a part of this sick enterprise?