Phoenix

11. Bulldog

​There is a proverb in Hangul: "Danger arrives exactly where it can smell fear." It was a hauntingly perfect fit for the situation.

​Of all the people in the intelligence community, how was it that Douglas Bullock had become the Bureau Chief here?

When Jin was rushing to leave the agency, he hadn't bothered to check who was in charge of the Los Angeles branch. He hadn't felt the need; he assumed any high-ranking CIA official would recognize a global emergency and cooperate.

​But seeing the name "Douglas Bullock" engraved on that mahogany door shattered Jin's faith. He knew, with sinking certainty, that he would find no help here.

Douglaa ​Bullock was a man of a singular, venomous breed. Jin had rarely encountered someone so vindictive and stubborn. Even if the world were collapsing, Bullock was the type of man who would let it burn if it meant finally settling a personal score. And to him, Kim Seokjin was the ultimate enemy.

​
​Douglas Bullock had once been a highly decorated officer. He had headed the FBI's Counter-Espionage Department and the Counter-Terror and Organized Crime Division.

Juniors feared him like a boogeyman, calling him "Bulldog" behind his back for his relentless, bone-snapping tenacity.

His competence eventually landed him a prestigious role at the CIA as the Special Assistant Director of the Operations Branch.

​The only red spot on his stellar career was put there by Jin.

​Years ago, during a bi-national treaty summit in New Orleans, an ambush was laid for the Presidents of the United States and South Korea.
Jin, in charge of the South Korean President's security, had been framed as the culprit by a shadow cell within the CIA called Ramdein.

​Bulldog had been in charge of the coordination between the FBI and the security teams. Tasked with catching the assassin, he failed miserably.

Blinded by the false leads left by Ramdein, he became obsessed with his belief that Jin was the culprit. He ignored every piece of contradictory evidence, even suspending a fellow agent, Eric Stern, who tried to bring him the truth.

​When Jin finally went undercover and dismantled the conspiracy himself, Bulldog's incompetence was laid bare before the eveeyone.
The President of the United States personally authorized a double demotion.

He was stripped of his rank and exiled to a small, dusty branch office in Kansas.

​Jin hadn't heard from him since. He had no idea the Bulldog had managed to claw his way back to the Los Angeles bureau.
​

​The middle-aged secretary smiled at them as they stood in the outer office. It was already noon.

​"Good afternoon, Mr. Kim. Please, take a seat," she said, gesturing toward the sofa.

​"We don't have time to sit," Jin said shortly. "Is Mr. Bullock in?"

​"Yes, but the lunch break has just begun. You'll have to wait."

​"For how long?"

​"The break just started... perhaps you can see him in an hour?"