Vengeful Desires

25-

The van rumbled along the rain-slicked roads, the rhythmic patter of the downpour providing a soothing backdrop to the tense silence within.

Mi-ok sat in the passenger seat, fingers drumming idly against the door panel as she gazed pensively out the window.

"Wait, are you sure they aren't like...dead back there, Miss Wang?" Mr. Cha's gruff baritone sliced through the stillness from behind the wheel. "I mean, they were choking and convulsing like fish out of water. Dr.Lee might be asleep."

Before Mi-ok could respond, a pained groan emanated from the rear compartment of the van - swiftly followed by the sounds of harsh coughing and frantic scrabbling against metal.

"What the fu--" Diaz's scratchy voice rang out, cut off by another fit of violent hacking. "Sola? Sola, wake up!"

Diaz cracked her eyes open, panic spiking as the unfamiliar surroundings came into bleary focus. This wasn't the prison visitation room...

Before she could fully process the situation, a slight form materialized at her side, features resolving into the delicate planes of Mi-ok's face as the other woman leaned over her with obvious relief.

Diaz blinked slowly, the throbbing in her skull making it difficult to comprehend what was happening. She attempted to lever herself upright, only to find her wrists were bound with zipties.

Mi-ok's eyes widened and she twisted in her seat, already fumbling with her seatbelt as she called over her shoulder. "Omg omg, they're okay! Cha, pull over!"

Mi-ok braced one hand on the van's swaying wall as they hit another pothole-riddled stretch of pavement.

The van had barely lurched to a shuddering stop on the side of the rain-drenched road before Mi-ok was flinging open the sliding side door, ignoring Mr. Cha's protests as she clambered into the rear compartment. Her fingers scrabbled for the interior light, bathing the cramped space in cold fluorescence.

Diaz scowled openly, anger rapidly burning away the lingering vestiges of disorientation. Before she could unleash the stream of invective building in her chest, however, Mi-ok tilted her head towards the van's rear section.

Diaz blinked blearily at the harsh illumination, still hunched protectively over the unmoving form of Sola beside her. As her eyes struggled to adjust, taking in their unfamiliar surroundings, a look of stunned realization bloomed across her features.

"Holy shit..." She lifted her head slowly, fixing Mi-ok with a look hovering between rage and bewilderment. "Bitch, did you drug us?"

Rather than the expected smugness or bravado, Mi-ok's expression crumpled into one of relief as she surged forward - hands fluttering anxiously as she took in Diaz's obvious signs of distress.

"Oh, thank god you're alright!" she exclaimed, chest heaving with the force of her exhalation. "I was so worried we'd miscalculated the dosages, I--"

Diaz recoiled violently from Mi-ok's outstretched hands, nearly toppling over Sola's prone form in her haste to put distance between them. "Don't fucking touch me!" she snarled, eyes wild as they raked over the confined space in search of an escape route. "What the fuck did you do to us?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Mi-ok held up her palms in a placating gesture, shifting back on her haunches despite the lack of available space. "We didn't have a choice, you have to understand! We had to get you out of that place, but you two just...talk so much, you know? Like look how quickly you told us everything?"

Diaz's look of furious incredulity melted into a sneer as Mi-ok rambled on.

" I didn't know how else to get you both out of there without a fuss. I checked and you aren't known for being the most...cooperative," she stated in a tone of forced patience.