Belligerent

12 - Taerin

I awoke to the sound of a door closing. I opened my eyes only to see nothing but feel the fabric wrapped around my head. 
I tried to move but felt the metal, cuffed behind my back. The footsteps echoed outside, and I couldn't help but feel uneasy about the eerie atmosphere slowly settling in within the room. The footsteps were getting closer and closer until there was a brief pause, followed by a muffled 'Is she awake?', then the sound of the door unlocking. 
The door finally opened, along with the sound of a flicker. I heard the footsteps come closer until I felt a pair of cold hands brush through my temple. 

As my eyes slowly adjusted to the light, I felt the fabric fall down to my lap. I sat in silence as my eyes adjusted to the now-lit room. Whoever was in front of me was now slowly walking away. The footsteps were faint as my eyes finally adjusted to the now-lit room. The first thing I saw was a man's silhouette behind what seemed like a bar island. They had their back to me but it seemed like they were fairly built and tall. "I know you want answers," the man behind the island finally said along with a deep, yet raspy tone to his voice. I watched as he slowly made his way toward me. Now that light was revealing who it was, I clenched my fists and felt my blood boil. 

Dami scoffed, "Do you know how adorable you look handcuffed right now?", followed by a stupid chuckle. 
"Okay I'll stop, I couldn't help myself," he said, grabbing a chair from the side and planting it right in front of me.
"Now then," he said while sitting down, "let's get right to business, shall we?" 
It felt as if the world shifted from light to black and grey. Tensions were clearly rising and the mood of the room became rather...serious. 
"First off, I'd like to apologize for all of this," he said making a gesture with his fingers, "Gnarly yet convenient", I looked at him, confused. 
"However, I want you to understand that this was the only way we could get you," he continued. I unclenched my fists and let out a sigh. 
I sat there silently, head down low and all, waiting. "I will let you in on a secret," Dami said, hearing the movement of the chair, followed by faint footsteps towards me. "A little birdy told me your brother is alive," 
That's when I froze. 

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. 

"That's impossible, I saw his body," I said, pausing, "be buried six feet under that day," I continued. I felt as if a lump was in my throat, hindering me from talking properly "What do you mean he's alive?" I added, feeling my fingernails dig into my palm as I clenched my fists. There was a slight pause, "You see, your brother wasn't always the 'good cop'," he replied. 

"Bullshit," I retaliated. "You don't get to say shit after what you did all those years ago," I said straining from the handcuffs behind me as I tried to move. Dami simply looked at me without any expression on his face. I had never felt this sudden urge, this rage, to make him feel what I was feeling. I wanted him to feel what it was like to lose someone, not just anyone, but a person you cared about. 

"So that's how it is," he finally said. I watched as he slowly made his way to the counter and pulled out what seemed like an enclosed, brown envelope. I heard the sound of rustling as he opened the envelope and walked back to me, tossing it on the table in front of me. I tried to glance at him for any reaction at first but he had his back towards me facing the glass, then I looked towards the piles of paper in front of me. 

It looked like an ordinary article to me at first however, as I read through, I noticed that the author of the article was from one of our district's publishing offices. To the side was when I also noticed a picture of a man who looked a lot like my own brother, alongside his picture from the police academy, walking out of a convenience store that was captured with a low-quality camera. I quivered at the sight of the picture and my senses perked up right then. 

"My own team has been on close watch with this man but recently, we couldn't anymore," Dami spoke with a certain tone to his voice. "We believe he has gone completely off the radar the minute he sensed he was being watched," he continued. 

"Don't you think it sounds too coincidental...that the murders have declined in your neighborhood area, too?" he added. I looked at the other articles on the table and saw how many there were indeed in the past few months or so. "And how do you suppose I'm related to whatever your team is onto?" I said. 

"I have doubts myself, however, we can't continue on with our own findings," he said, still his back towards me, "and neither can your district," he continued.
"Unless we work together, is that it?" I added. 

I heard him scoff, "Not your district and my team," he replied

"You and I, only," he said.

"After all, you Kim's are highly intelligent but one of the fortunate ones happens to be the most dangerous but also... I got the other half," he finally said.