Silent Lies

Lines in the Dark

A day after their tense break-in, Seungcheol couldn't shake the image of the photograph they'd taken. In the dim light of the dusty office, that photo had shown a lineup of men—wealthy, connected, and influential—each with ties to the facility and the disappearances. And although they'd gathered useful evidence, there was still so much that remained elusive.

Seungcheol had arranged a discreet meeting with a source, an informant who might shed light on the identities of the men in the photo. He'd been careful not to reveal this to the others, except Jeonghan, who he sensed would insist on coming along anyway.

They drove out to the agreed location: a rundown bar on the outskirts of town, where anonymity was assured. Jeonghan sat beside Seungcheol in the passenger seat, the quiet between them comfortable yet charged. With every step of the investigation, their partnership seemed to solidify, not only as allies in the hunt for truth but as something unspoken and personal.

"Are you sure about this?" Jeonghan asked, his eyes watching Seungcheol intently. "This could be a trap."

Seungcheol nodded, feeling a familiar determination. "This source is reliable. He's been helping me with information for years. If anyone can tell us more about the people in that photo, it's him."

Jeonghan sighed, leaning back. "Alright. But let's keep our guard up."

As they entered the bar, their eyes adjusted to the smoky haze, and they spotted Seungcheol's contact, an older man with a lined face and eyes that missed nothing. He waved them over, his expression weary yet wary.

"Seungcheol," he greeted him with a nod. His gaze drifted to Jeonghan, assessing. "And you must be the new partner I've heard about."

Seungcheol kept his tone light. "He's more than a partner. We're both involved in this case, and it's personal."

The man raised an eyebrow. "So it's true. You're digging into the big fish." He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "If you're going after these men, I hope you know what you're doing. They're not just powerful; they're ruthless."

Jeonghan crossed his arms, his expression unwavering. "That's exactly why we're doing this. We can't let them keep destroying lives."

The informant nodded, then slid a folder across the table. "This is everything I could find on the people in that photo. Names, positions, even connections to some politicians. They're all in on it together—a network designed to keep people like you from getting too close."

Seungcheol flipped through the folder, his pulse quickening as he saw the names. These were prominent figures, people with spotless public reputations, all connected to the disappearances and the facility's hidden agenda.

Jeonghan leaned over his shoulder, examining the contents. "So they're hiding in plain sight. And they're using their influence to stay untouchable."

The man sighed, his gaze serious. "You're both taking a big risk. These people play dirty. If they realize you're onto them, they won't hesitate to retaliate."

Seungcheol nodded, appreciating the warning. "We're prepared. We'll be careful."

The man gave him a long look. "Good. Because they've got eyes everywhere. Trust no one."

With that, he rose, leaving them with the weighty folder. Seungcheol and Jeonghan exchanged a tense look before gathering the folder and slipping out of the bar, the significance of their discovery sinking in.

Back at Seungcheol's apartment, they gathered the team to review the new information.

Each name in the folder represented a powerful figure who had contributed to the facility's dark history, from backroom deals to cover-ups. It was a network of corruption so deeply rooted that the facility's crimes had gone unnoticed by the general public, buried under layers of bureaucracy and misdirection.