Elixir

Chapter 30

           

29th November, 2017

Helena kept the cup back in its tiny white saucer and stared at the brown steaming tea that danced in it. Bang Shi Hyuk breathed with an exemplary feebleness and watched her tugging her copper gold strands behind her ear with shaky fingers. The café was empty, it was past the closing time. It snowed in Seoul that evening, and the cold pricked her exposed neck.

"I can't excoriate the IPO Head's decisions, it's none of my business. But from my part, I tried convincing him that this was a very risky objective. And he has faith in you, we all do. The reason for you to get chosen for this deadly mission was your courage and devotion. You will be alright, Bora."

Helena took the cup back in her hands that were demanding the warmth of the smooth ceramic, and took a tiny sip as a response to Hitman's sore talk.

"A-are you listening to me?" he eyed her with apprehension

"I am not sure about how I feel, sir. But I won't restrain anyone's decisions. I am an agent and I have to do what I've been assigned. I am grateful for your time and concern."

"It's almost the end of the month, Bora, and the attacks had reached an alarming hazard. The Head took his decisions, and I took mine."

Helena looked up at that sentence, the director studied her for a moment and took out a stamped file.

"This-" he placed it on the table, beside her empty cup which was still held by her hands, "is the temporary solution I figured out for the boys."

She flipped through the file, and her stare enlarged.

"I've signed the contract already, they'll move to Hannam in the next two weeks. The staff will be made aware tomorrow. This was the only option I thought could keep them safe for a while."

"This is a wise choice, sir. What will happen to the previous dorm?"

"It will be sealed, but not sold. We will probably need it later. The apartments that I've picked are secluded and privacy-oriented. I made provisions to have the highest of the security around them. It would ease your job when you will be away for this worrying next objective."

"I see" Helena left the cup and covered her neck with her left palm, "Thank you for taking this step. But I have this doubt- where would I stay until the objective?"

"you stay with them at the first-floor of the apartment. I visited the place myself- I put my thoughts behind choosing the right building. The layout is similar- they live on the higher floors and each floor above them will be functional as a filming room, dance room, gymnasium and meeting halls. It's a complete package-"

"I will stay WITH them? there?" Helena bit her lip, she couldn't believe what she just heard.

The director smiled, "Yes. That's one of the things you are provided with, this was planned by the Head again. There's one catch- there will be 15% deduction from your payment, which again is partly done by my company."

"I'm really grateful."

"Be grateful to the Head" Hitman pulled back the file and kept it in his briefcase, "He's doing a hard job of sending his daughter for a chancy task, he never kept the adoption barrier when it came to you. It's a mental turmoil he's facing because of this operation. The idea itself shivers him."

At that instant, Helena felt her eyes burn and tears cluster her vision. She looked at the table and swallowed her salty reality. No matter how much she tried to push behind, but the fact that she was adopted by the IPO head always hit her hard. Her helpless mother's face appeared in her mind- she recalled her cries when her cousin revealed that he was going to take away Helena as a spy. 'She's worthy' he had said to her.