Marsha looked down at Hunter for a long time. His expression, which had always appeared fierce, seemed peaceful for the first time.
Looking at him sleeping without making even the slightest sound, she carefully lifted his wrist to check his pulse. Fortunately, she could feel a faint heartbeat.
Knock, knock.
Marsha, who had been absently pushing back her disheveled bangs, instinctively placed her finger on the trigger of the gun hidden at her back.
“Good evening!”
Making her tension seem unnecessary, a man dressed in blue nurse’s uniform greeted her energetically. He chattered away about trivial matters, saying that the fog was particularly thick today.
“I haven’t seen your face before.”
Marsha carefully observed him as he skillfully replaced the IV drip, then blocked his path warily.
“I’m Felice Scott. Hunter-ssi’s attending nurse has been changed to me… Oh dear, you haven’t heard?”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Well then! It seems one of the residents made a mistake.”
Despite her still frosty attitude, he continued speaking grumpily, as if feeling wronged.
“Today, we have a simple examination scheduled, so we need to move rooms. It’s quite a tight schedule, so I’d appreciate if you could trust me and follow along?”
“I haven’t heard of any such schedule.”
“Like I said, that too was the resident’s mista—”
In the blink of an eye, a heavy piece of metal was aimed at his forehead.
“Please leave now.”
Felice’s eyes widened as he raised both hands. He didn’t seem particularly threatening, but it never hurt to be cautious. Given the situation, she needed to be even more vigilant and suspicious of her surroundings.
“So…”
As he was carefully backing away while gauging the situation, he let out a deep sigh. Marsha drew in a short, sharp breath as she spotted dark silhouettes appearing beyond the slowly opening door.
“I told them I can’t act.”
A group of men in black suits rushed in and surrounded Marsha all at once. She aimed at Felice, who was casually passing through them to move Hunter’s bed, but she dropped her gun when pain spread from her back.
Whistling playfully and even waving his hand, Felice then took the elevator down to the basement. Standing askew, he checked the quickly changing floor numbers before turning his gaze to look down at Hunter.
The underboss of Gostin. Felice observed his features thoroughly, like a curious child. He didn’t look particularly special. It was almost hard to believe this was the infamous man who had crippled the boss.
The metal doors opened smoothly with a mechanical sound. The empty lobby was not only quiet as a mouse but also so dark it was uncomfortable to see. Felice narrowed his eyes, looking around cautiously before spotting a place where faint light was leaking through, and his lips curled up.
There it is. Smiling widely with a sense of accomplishment at having arrived safely, he hurried his steps and was greeted by a sign for the CCTV control room.
The burly men guarding the door glanced at Hunter lying on the bed, then pushed open the thick iron door. Felice quietly exhaled in admiration at the sight of dozens of screens attached to the walls, illuminating the room.
“I told you not to cause a commotion.”
“…I’m sorry, Father.”
A coolly low voice resonated through the quiet stillness. Sensing the definitely unfavorable atmosphere, Felice quickly bowed and entered.
So he was watching the situation through the screens. Taking a glance around, he saw that unlike other areas continuing their ordinary routines, only Hunter’s room was in noisy chaos with Marsha and the men.
“What are those guys doing, unable to handle one woman?”
Biting his lip while watching Federico, who was silently observing the screens from his wheelchair, Felice muttered out of frustration. Federico laughed.
“She’s a child Hunter chose. Of course she’d be capable.”
Federico, who only then turned his head, moved closer to Hunter.
“He was a friend with a good eye. Skilled at picking out people who would benefit him.”
In the end, he took much from me. Federico, who had been reaching toward Hunter’s face, hesitated. For a moment, a sorrowful emotion flashed across his seemingly impassive gaze. Since it was an agitation he had never seen before, Felice doubted his own eyes.
Federico, with a heavy look, suddenly focused on one monitor. It showed only an old truck parked in a spacious parking lot.
There, two familiar men appeared. Despite the still acrid fog, the eyes that shone like a beast’s couldn’t be hidden. So it is Michael. He even smiled faintly, as if he knew they were watching.
Federico, withdrawing his hand from Hunter, smiled as if he had expected this.
“Bring him here.”
* * *
“Come with us.”
Hyungoh swallowed hard as he watched men in black suits block Michael’s path as soon as they arrived at the hospital.
Michael, who had been silently looking at the darkening sky and windows starting to turn off their lights here and there, opened his firmly closed lips.
“I’ll be back.”
“I want to go with you.”
“It’s dangerous, so wait in the car.”
“That’s exactly why I’m saying we should go in together.”
“Choi.”
Carefully removing Hyungoh’s grip on his wrist, he whispered so the men couldn’t hear.
“Don’t worry. Federico can’t hurt me.”
“But still…”
“Trust me, Choi.”
You need to stay here. After staring intensely into his determined eyes, Hyungoh finally nodded.
He swallowed dryly as he watched the men and Michael’s retreating figures. Walking into the hospital entrance, Michael emitted an ominous aura, as if he were someone who might never return.
