Whispers Before Dawn

Chapter 26

Chang In was on his way to Tae-ui and Ilay's home, anticipation building as he looked forward to seeing his nephew again. It had been over a year since Tae-ui had been away on his mission, and Chang In had missed him more than he would admit. He had been thrilled when Tae-ui left a message saying he was ready to meet, so he wasted no time, deciding to visit the very next day.

When Chang In arrived, something immediately felt off. The stationed guards were nowhere to be seen, and the gates were locked. A strange unease crept up his spine as he approached the gate. He called the house, hoping for an answer, but all he got was a voicemail.

"Uncle... the gates are locked. You will need to break them."

Chang In's heart skipped a beat. The message left him in a state of disbelief. Without hesitation, he drew his gun and shot the lock, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent surroundings.

He reached the main door, feeling a moment of hesitation. This was his nephew's home, a place filled with memories, but something wasn't right. Steeling himself, Chang In kicked the door open, the wood splintering under the force.

Inside, the house was eerily quiet, except for the faint sound of a phone ringing somewhere in the distance.

"Tae-ui..." Chang In called out, his voice laced with worry.

"Rick..." he tried again, pacing through the house, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Osamu...?" His voice grew more anxious with each name he called, but there was no answer.

Just as he was about to search upstairs, he heard a faint reply.

"Chang In...? Come to the room" Ilay's voice called out, faint but clear.

"Rick?" Chang In's shock deepened as he rushed toward the sound, pushing open the door to find Ilay sitting on the bed, his wrists still red from the handcuffs.

"What is this? Who did this?" Chang In asked, his voice sharp as he immediately worked to free Ilay from the cuffs.

"Tae..." Ilay replied, rubbing his sore wrists as the cuffs clattered to the floor.

Chang In was momentarily speechless, his mind racing. "What? Why? What is going on? Where is Tae-ui?" he demanded, handing Ilay a glass of water, his voice thick with confusion and concern.

"I have no idea myself" Ilay said quietly, his expression unreadable as he stood up from the bed and stretched, the tension in his body evident.

As Ilay stretched, the persistent ringing of a phone continued, the sound growing louder. Ilay picked it up, his movements slow and deliberate, finally answering the call that had been interrupting the silence.

"Jae..." Ilay spoke into the phone, his voice sharp, tension rippling beneath the surface.

"Rick" came Jeong Jae-ui's calm response.

"Is he alive?" Ilay's tone was clipped, but underneath was an unmistakable edge of desperation.

"Yes" Jae-ui confirmed simply.

"Good. I'll kill him myself" Ilay muttered, his voice cold, though it lacked the finality that usually came with such threats.

There was a pause on the line.

"...What?" Jae-ui finally asked, his tone neutral, as if weighing Ilay's words.

"I won't. I'm just... angry" Ilay admitted, the sharpness in his voice softening ever so slightly.

"Makes sense" Jae-ui responded, his voice still calm, unhurried. "Since you weren't there, I'm assuming you have no idea what happened. I'll explain everything, but to get his location, I need access to Tarten's server."