BEYOND THE LOVE

CHAPTER 6:

When I opened the door, Suha approached and, with a worried expression, touched my face, asking, "You're okay, right?"

I turned to see Kyoto coming up behind me after parking the car. I punched him in the stomach, demanding, "Why did you tell her?"

He doubled over, clutching his stomach, and replied, "That hurt..."

"It should have," I retorted.

Ignoring Suha, I headed towards Juan and Ji Woon, tying my loose hair into a messy bun. "Any updates?" I inquired.

"Are you alright?" Ji Woon inquired.

"Wow, you as well... She'll be fine. I'm more concerned about her attacker. Did they die?"

I hurled the sofa pillow at his face and then stared at him, demanding, "Any updates?"

"They didn't die... She just drove while I shot at them," Kyoto mentioned, intently gazing at the laptop, and adding, "got it"

My eyes widened, asking, "Seriously?"
I moved closer, sitting next to him on the sofa, and queried, "So... who were they?"
"I can't be certain," he replied, "but they're within a 35km radius."

"Juan, get the details from Kyoto and help him"I ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Retrieving it, I saw "chief" on the caller ID.

I answered, "Yes, chief?"

"I need your team to meet someone. Location incoming,," he said, abruptly ending the call before I could respond. The urgency in his tone was unmistakable.

I whispered to myself, "What was that about?"

Juan beckoned, "Check this out, Nara." Pointing to his laptop, he shared,

"This guy's an officer with the eviscerators. Worth meeting."

I questioned, "Got a picture or more info?"

"Some, but pics are so blurry."
"We'll cross-check with the Chief," I concluded.

My phone buzzed again, and I noticed a new message:
"Meet at Neon Nectar at 11 tonight."

Immediately, I asked, "Juan, since he's online, can you send the details of the person we discussed to my phone?"

Done," he confirmed. After forwarding the data to the Chief, I awaited a response.

The Chief soon called, querying, "How'd you get wind of him? He's supposed to meet you tonight. How did you learn about him?"

I explained, "While investigating recent incidents, we stumbled upon him. Didn't realize he was on your list."

His tone was frosty. "Be mindful, Nara. This isn't child's play. He's been undercover for years. His safety is vital."

Gulping, I reassured him, "Understood, Chief. We found him inadvertently. So, Neon Nectar tonight?"

"Yes."
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I relayed the change of plans to my team, emphasizing discretion about the undercover officer. Ji Woon expressed his worries, "What are we diving into, Nara?"

Suha piped in, her voice slightly shaky, "Can we trust the Chief entirely?"

Kyoto answered before I could, "In this line of work, trust is a luxury. But the Chief is still our superior. We do as instructed."

The hours ticked by, and the group prepared to head to Neon Nectar. The ambiance of the club was electric, its neon lights painting everyone in shades of blue and purple.

Time passed until we arrived at Neon Nectar, which felt more like a club than anything else. Initially, Ji Woon tried to enter, but the guard stopped him, extending his hand and asking, "Do you have a VIP card?"

As this happened, I approached with Juan ....Kyoto, Suha trailing behind.

The guard immediately recognized me, lowering his head in a swift bow,

"I'm so sorry, ma'am... I didn't realize it was you." Confused, I started,

"Do you even know me? How do you..." Before I could finish, another voice from inside cut me off, "

Let them in." This came from a seriously built guard with an intense expression.

Upon entering, I was taken aback. This was the very club I had seen in my dream – it had a retro theme, buzzing with electric energy, painted in hues of pink and blue. I hadn't been aware of the VIP membership requirement, so how did I even get in? Lost in these thoughts, Juan's touch on my shoulder snapped me back to reality. "Look over there," he said. Turning, I spotted the chief waving at us. Pushing my confusion aside, I headed over to him.

The Chief greeted me with a subtle smile and a firm handshake, asking, "Where are the others?" referring to the absence of Kyoto, Suha, and Jiwoon.

Juan replied, "They'll be here in a minute."

I noticed a man with his back to Juan and me near chief, holding a vodka glass on the hand adorned with a watch. He wore an ice-blue shirt and white pants.

The Chief said, "Once they arrive, we can begin," and then whispered something in the man's ear, presumably masked by the club's loud music. Just then, Suha, Kyoto, and Jiwoon entered. The man swirled his drink and turned to face us, expressionless.

The club's ambiance grew tense when I locked eyes with him. Never had I imagined encountering him in such a setting. Memories surged, and my eyes brimmed with tears, rendering me motionless. My fingers clenched my dress, and the name "Rein.."

barely escaped my lips, drowned out by the blaring music.