The Memorial Day Murders

Chapter 39 : An early arrival

Reagan National Airport, Washington DC

It's already five o'clock in the afternoon when Korean Air Flight 300 landed on the runway of Reagan National, carrying 290 passengers and 17 cabin crew along with 3 pilots. The first class cabin of the plane have only five passengers. Admiral Kim Han Dong occupied the first row of the seat while his son and nephew, Jun-myeon and Baek-Hyun, sat at the third row. His parents sat across him, both are taking a shut eye when the plane touched down and taxied on the runway. The admiral came in person as his son and nephew received an invitation to train with the Navy SEALs, a big surprise as they are in the prime of their musical career and they accepted. The cousins all served in the navy branch during their mandatory service and trained with their country's equivalent of the American Navy SEAL. 

They decided to crash at their cousin's house at Washington DC but decided to visit their uncle first in the White House. They're lucky enough to catch the flight piloted by their cousin Brian, Chan-yeol's older brother. "Chan's picking us up at the arrival hall." Brian said. Once outside they easily spot the man himself, leaning against an MPV while dressed in a semi-formal outfit. "Hey, Silicon Valley guy." Brian said, handing him his hand-carry. 

"I always work from home okay?" he clarified. "And you're leaking my job location to grandmother and grandfather."

"Whoops." Baek-hyun said.

"And what are you two doing here?" Chan lifted a brow.

"Got letters from the Navy SEALs." both cousins managed to retrieve the letter they received. 

"And you're crashing at Isa's place?" 

"Yup."

"Uh, bad news. Isa's been missing for days now." hearing this Brian's expressions changed. "You knew something bro?"

"Not sure but could be the gig in Afghanistan."

"Gig? Wow, more Americanized a bit." Chan teased. "And what about Afghanistan?"

"Wait a minute, my father didn't tell that Isa came back once?"

"Except me I guess." Brian said. "I fought alongside her in the warzone."

"Han Dong, why did you not tell me about Isabella's activities in the military?" Kassandra Castellanos, Han Dong's mother and grandmother to the young men asked. 

"We'll need to settle down first, then we discuss about what is going on." Baek-hyun offered. 

"Okay, let's go." Chan said. "But, don't crash on Isa's home first."

"We have booked a place at New York. Go there first." Han Dong was the one who said that. 

New York (Hours later)

Baek-hyun, Jun-myeon, Chan-yeol and his brother Brian got out from their rental and entered a pizza shop as their parent and grandparents are reluctant to indulge in fast food. A waiter greeted them and took their order as soon as they sat down. "So, what happened to Isa at Afghanistan?" Jun-myeon asked. 

"It was years ago." Brian said. "Back in the day Isa went to West Point for her studies and they sent her to Afghanistan before her graduation."

"Was it the war America is fighting in?"

"It is. She was drafted into a team of black ops soldiers, code named Elite Alpha and I am part of it too." he said in a low whisper. "I think this is the reason Isa is targetted, along with the guys she went missing with."

"What did she do?" Baek-hyun asked. 

"Killed a Taliban lieutenenant."

"She did not." Chan said.

"You didn't watch the announcement of the death of Sayyid Bin Masir didn't you?" Brian asked. 

"Was that-?!" Brian nodded and motioned them to keep their voice down. "Oh my god." Chan muttered.

"And I thought she is only just studying there." Baek-hyun said. "I think we're wrong about her."

"She doesn't want the family to worry, which is why she won't tell." Brian said. "We partnered with her team and the SAS fighter jet pilots."

"She was the leader?"

"No Chan, they have two commanding officers. Your father knows them Baek."

"He normally keeps his military work apart from our conversations." he said. 

"Still the both of us decided to join the Navy SEALs." Jun-myeon said. "My father cannot believe it when the Navy SEALs wanted me and Baek to join."

"And he came." Chan deduced. 

"Now what? Isa's gone missing and we can't do anything to find and save her." said a disappointed Brian. 

"We can only leave the problem to the authorities." Jun-myeon said, releasing a sigh in the process. "But I think that our grandparents came here for a reason."

"Heard that grandfather has friends here in the States, saying that he intends to visit them."

"Was the bunch of friends he made during Vietnam?"

"I think so." Chan-yeol said.