In The Dark (SNOWDROP)

"geonbae"

❄︎ — chapter 28 — ❄︎

The small, old car with faded and chipping paint slowly drove up the winding driveway leading up to a large estate nestled in the mountains around Seoul. Sitting at the wheel was Kim Mandong, no longer dressed in his nurse's uniform but in a crisp business suit. He looked up with apprehension at the mansion coming closer into view as he drove. After successfully capturing the Black Tiger, he'd radioed the command in the North, who'd ordered him to come to this particular estate. He didn't know much about the owner of the property, only that he was a prominent South Korean politician. That just made Mandong more confused on why he was told to come here with his victim, whom he had bound and sedated in the trunk of the car which an accomplice had acquired for him.

But Mandong was loyal to the Party, and they'd never let him down before. So he'd come here to the estate of the Jang family.

He pulled up in the circle in front of the front door. A middle-aged woman in a cream-colored blouse and black skirt came out to meet him as he stepped out of the car.

"Annyeonghaseyo," Mandong bowed politely. "I'm here to meet with Jang Inseong."

The woman nodded. "Are you Kim Mandong? Mr. Jang has been expecting you."

Mandong nodded, and the woman led him inside after he locked the car. He followed her up a set of stairs and to a small home office.

"Gamsahamnida," he told her before knocking and pushing the door open.

A man who looked only a couple of years younger than Mandong sat behind the desk, on the phone as the Northern agent entered.

"—and tell Jang Hanna that I want to speak with her as soon as she is discharged..."

He looked up and saw Mandong standing in the doorway.

"I have to go now. Annyeonghaseyo."

He hung up the phone and stood to greet his visitor.

"Kim Mandong," he bowed politely, but not too respectfully. "So you're the Haegeumseong 1 I've been hearing so much about."

"Yes, sir," Mandong replied. "Are you Jang Inseong? Or would you prefer I use your code name?"

The man laughed as he sat and gestured for Mandong to do the same. "I have no code name. I'm not a spy, just an assemblyman. Jang Inseong."

"Why did the Party order me to come here?" Mandong asked.

"Straight to business," Inseong noted. He reached under his desk and pulled out a small burlap sack, sliding it across the table to Mandong.

"Your payment for completing the mission," Inseong said. "As well as some extra equipment for future ones. The North wired the money to me to get to you. After all, I am the one who suggested the Black Tiger be removed from power in the ANSP. Removed entirely."

"You did?" Mandong asked, opening the sack to see wads of money, a spare radio, batteries, a pistol, several rounds of ammunition and a bag of sleeping pills. He didn't ask any further questions, but Inseong continued without prompting.

"Lee Kangmu and I have some personal history," he said. "He keeps getting in the way of schemes planned by my friends in the ANSP. Having him kidnapped by the North is the easiest way of getting him out of the picture without damaging the agency's reputation. The ANSP will pretend to search for him, but not for long. It will soon be assumed he is dead or imprisoned in the North. Which he will be. And furthermore, his presumed 'sacrifice' for the country will inspire strong patriotism in the people."