Trapped : The Island of Torment

Chapter 37 : Cheongdam-Dong

The fleet of armoured cars departed from the airport's arrival hall once their passengers were picked up. Lee, the long-serving chauffeur and bodyguard if necessary for the Kim Family, was driving in the lead vehicle, while Uriah and his wife Kassandra sat in the back seat. His daughter and son-in-law travelled behind him in the second vehicle while some of their grandchildren joined them. Alice was behind the wheel in the said vehicle, with their two infant grandchildren installed in child safety seats. Their three eldest grandchildren followed them as well, leaving the others in the third vehicle. Before departing Uriah had handed the address of his residence in the Cheongdam-dong District to Damian.

As much as he and his family had accepted Damian and Duke into the family Uriah did not show the same hospitality towards his grandson-in-law's other children following the revelation and kept them out. The cars travelled down the streets, joining the long lines of traffic exiting the airport. Uriah did not show any interest in asking for a motorcade escort and he did not. 

Sitting next to Alice in the passenger seat in the second vehicle Jeffery had an elbow on the vehicle door, showing boredom and frustration due to the traffic jam. "Everything alright honey?" Alice asked. "You seemed to have something in your mind." 

"Nah, just thinking things." he said, brushing the question off. "Is the traffic in Seoul always like this?"

"Seoul is one of the major metropolitan cities here in South Korea Jeff." Alice said, honking at a vehicle that was blocking her way. "It was a busy city from dawn till dusk. And when figures such as you arrive for a diplomatic visit you have a police escort to make travel easier."

"Hey, I don't mean to ask but..."

"What?"

"Did you still retain your driving licence in South Korea? I remembered that you have to learn to drive again in the United States."

"I'm still holding it but it had expired when I... well... you know what I'm about to say. And I got an International Driver's License." she said. 

"You sure that the kids wouldn't know a word we say?" he asked, as they were conversing in Korean. "She would have tutored the children in the language." 

"Let's test them." Alice smiled. "See if they're capable of understanding their mom's native language." The traffic soon cleared up and Alice continued driving down the streets. The rain had fallen from the heavy clouds while they were stuck in traffic, prompting Alice to reduce speed and activate the wipers. This weather reminded Alice of the day she died, as it was while she was driving on the rainy roads her killer crashed his vehicle into hers causing it to fishtail out of control, but her vehicle's brake line was sabotaged. Revenge was on Alice's mind when she was brought back, but after learning that the man who ordered her demise is already dead and the assassin was a brainwashed man Alice had to reconsider whether should she carry out her revenge or not which in the end the plans did not come to fruition. 

As they travelled along the rain-slicked roads Damian and his adopted siblings followed in a conspicuous taxi cab. Damian had been well aware of what happened after noticing the interaction between his adopted siblings and Selina Kyle at the Wayne Enterprises gala and had predicted the reaction Isabella's family would have shown when this news reached them. He can tell that Isabella's family was a close-knit family unit, and would have tolerated no one who harmed any of their members. After Isabella had a miscarriage following the news her family cut ties with them, refusing to recognize them as part of Bruce's adopted family.

The Kim's Residence, Cheongdam-dong District

The residence of the Kim Family is a manor house with lush gardens and water fountains installed. The automatic gates parted for the vehicles to enter before closing back. Stopping at the lower end of the staircase Lee got out, holding the door for Uriah even though he had opened it. The manor house was built by Uriah's grandfather before succumbing to tuberculosis. His son and only child Solomon inherited the estate before he was forced to flee to the United States when the Japanese occupied Korea. 

After the Treaty of San Fransico came into effect Solomon was able to retire from his role as a member of the Military Police Corps due to his posting to Post-war Japan. He enjoyed his retirement at the manor house with his beloved wife and Uriah's mother Christina Kristensen, while their three surviving children began to leave the nest. The couple's eldest daughter was the first to leave when she married into the British aristocracy, bagging a Duke, albeit unknowingly, as her husband. 

A team of staff were waiting by the main doors, headed by Jacqueline Kim, the butler to the Kim Family. Despite being minor aristocrats they are still able to accumulate their wealth through shrewd investment decisions and careful spending, as Solomon and Uriah were both students at Harvard University, graduating with finance degrees. 

Alice and Jeff exited from the vehicle they were in and went to help the children, placing the infants in travel baskets and leading the children out. This is also the same place where Isabella had grown up, attended school and left to join the military. The entrance hall leads straight to the living hall, where a man was sitting on the couch and watching television. "Baek." Uriah called out to his grandson. 

"Grandfather." the man got up. "Grandmother, Uncle Jeff, Aunt Alice." Alice nodded in return to the greet, but the man's expression changed when he saw Damian and the gang behind his uncle. "I thought they were not allowed to step foot here grandfather."

"It was, but I do not want to be reminded of Isabella's pleading to not let the matter become worse by interfering." Uriah said. "She was already unwell yet she is still pleading for me to do nothing." The man understood and said nothing, continuing to watch the television. Another man entered the hallway, dressed in biker's clothing and holding a motorcycle helmet. 

"Aunt Alice!" he greeted. "And Uncle Jeff." 

"Hello Se-hun." Alice smiled, greeting her nephew. "Going out for a ride?"

"Yes. With Brian." he smiled, showing her a set of keys. "If Isa's okay I would have liked to go riding with her as well."

"We should wait patiently until she is declared fit to do so." Alice said. "And then I'll let her decide."