Everybody Wants to Rule the World

47

Trigger Warning(s): discussion of mental illness

Find You by Ruelle

~ Emira's Point of View ~

1:03 AM, MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2028 (5 DAYS LATER). NIS HEADQUARTERS, NAEGOK-DONG, SOUTHERN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA.

I was so sick of staring at a white wall. They hadn't given me a computer to distract myself, but the office was filled with the steady hum of keys clacking. Everyone was busy at work, and I was twiddling my thumbs while spinning on a chair.

"Mirie?"

I stopped spinning by jamming my foot on the floor. Arlie looked absolutely exhausted as she approached me. Unlike the others occupying the office, she was dressed in sweats, and her gray sweatshirt had a stain that looked to be Tabasco sauce. Her hair was messily pulled back from her face, and dark bags shadowed her eyes.

I was the complete opposite. I jumped up from the chair and immediately spouted off a series of questions, "Is he alright? Did you apprehend everyone? How did the autopsy go? Can I see him? Are they going to detain him? He's not a criminal, right? They're not punishing him, yeah?"

"They want to talk to you," she said, wearily dragging her hand down her face.

"What?"

"The NIS. You were the only witness of Anesa's death, so they want to talk to you."

"Interrogate me, you mean."

"Yeah. But they told me not to say that."

"Do I have a choice?"

She shook her head. "My hands are tied here. The CIA's power is being undermined because we're on foreign ground."

An interrogation was the last thing I wanted, but I could see the helplessness in Arlie's eyes, so I simply nodded and stood for the first time in what felt like hours, wincing at the numbness of my legs. We walked through the full office, her haggard appearance and my presence drawing many employees' glances. Arlie and I hadn't had much time to speak since everything happened, but she mentioned that the NIS – South Korea's National Intelligence Service – was rarely so occupied. In other words, this was a big deal.

Because the compound was so large, it took ten minutes just to reach the elevator. "What should I say?" I asked, nervously clutching the hem of my shirt.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm sure there are some details I shouldn't reveal, right? To make sure Jimin goes free?"

She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Jimin's not going free no matter what we do. He ignored our most important instruction, and not even because she was a security threat. He killed Anesa with selfish motives."

"Does he... is he starting to realize he's schizophrenic?"

"I haven't talked to him. I've only seen him over security cameras."

"Is he okay? Does he look well?"

She didn't respond. It could have been because the elevator doors opened abruptly, but I sensed that her silence was intentional. I wondered if a heart could break from worry. "Just... don't say anything that will get you incarcerated," she said, pausing in front of an enclosed office. "Don't say anything that could reveal a potential bias."

"What do y–"

She cut me off with a sharp jerk of her head when the door opened, giving way to a stony-faced man. He was dressed formally, in a blue suit, and he nodded at Arlie before extending his hand to me. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me." Arlie didn't hide her eye roll. "Would you please have a seat?" He gestured to the chair inside his office, and I looked to Arlie for confirmation before complying.