East

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

March 07 | 10:00

Ryu Ji-Mun had given Park Ye-Jin four days to complete the work. It took her two. When the job was done, Rae-Won called a meeting of the three partners.

"So, Ye-Jin, what do we know about the mission?" he asked.

Ye-Jin had the documents arranged in front of her on the table in the kitchen and she looked them over to put her thoughts in order.

"The documents are for a woman. I don't recognize her. According to the package, she is 31 years old, her occupation is given as a teacher. I made a British drivers license and a credit card from a British bank."

"Did you make copies?" he asked.

"Yes."

Sora leaned over and touched the passport.

"That is a British passport issued to residents in Hong Kong before it reverted to the Chinese," said Ye-Jin, pointing to the document. "The picture they supplied was created to look like an average passport photo, but this woman is not ordinary. I would guess that she is very good looking in person."

Rae-Won picked up the passport, looked at the picture and nodded in agreement. "Yes, they tried to hide that fact, but I think you're right. Very pretty."

Ye-Jin took back the passport and placed it on the table. "I'll get you a copy of the photo if you're that interested," she said.

"Just professional curiosity," he protested.

Sora had got used to their bickering even in the short time she had known them and took it in stride.

"Anything else, Ye-Jin?" asked Rae-Won.

She shook her head. "No. Nothing left in there accidentally, no stamps requested from a recent trip. Assuming that the mission is in the UK, then she might be traveling from Hong Kong."

It was Rae-Won's turn to shake his head. "Let's not assume anything, it could be anywhere in Europe. Did the NIS say how they wanted the documents sent to them?"

"I'm supposed to call when they are ready. Should I do that now?"

"No, we'll wait until nearer the deadline." Rae-Won leaned back in his seat. "We need to decide what to do next."

"Next?" asked Sora. "Isn't it finished?"

"The best thing that can happen is that they pay Ye-Jin and forget that she exists. But this operation seems as though it might be off-the-books, in which case the fewer people that know about it, the happier they will be."

"Is this where Ye-Jin gets thrown out with the kitchen waste?" asked Sora.

"Well ... possibly," he said, looking at Ye-Jin.

Ye-Jin looked back and forth between the other two. "Let's make a plan that can't fail."

Rae-Won smiled. "Naturally. But it will involve preparing to run. We should think about where we can go and what documents we'll need."

"We? Isn't it enough for just me to go?"

"It might," he replied teasingly, "but someone has to look after you!"

"Do you think they know we have kept in touch with each other?" she asked.

Rae-Won shrugged. "I don't know, but I don't want to assume. We haven't broadcast that information, but if they ask around or check local cameras they might be able to put two and two together. And we have Sora to consider, too."