Chapter 30
“It’s really gone.”
“Damn it.”
“Shit, everything has disappeared!”
Jennifer shouted, slamming her fist on the desk. Mate, who happened to be walking around that area, showed interest in the commotion coming from the security room.
“What’s going on? With the door wide open too.”
The hackers gathered in one place all had gloomy expressions, like citizens who had lost their country. It seemed to be a serious situation. What’s the matter? Mate, who was about to go outside in his swimwear to enjoy some sunbathing, raised an eyebrow when he saw Jennifer’s furious expression.
“I told you so. I didn’t like that guy from the beginning.”
Jake said as he walked up steadily behind Mate. His right arm was tightly wrapped in bandages.
“And what happened to you?”
Mate’s expression grew increasingly serious as he looked Jake up and down.
“Choi betrayed us.”
Shane answered, rubbing his head vigorously with his hand.
“Choi? The Asian guy?”
“Yes. Jake’s arm was also Choi’s doing.”
“What?”
Mate looked at Jake’s arm again. That Asian guy did something so bold? Tilting his head, Mate pulled out his phone. It would be quicker to ask Herick. They often hung out together.
However, Herick didn’t answer the phone. Herick usually answered calls promptly, even for work matters. What’s with everyone today? Putting his phone back in his pocket, Mate suddenly recalled something he’d heard from a fellow executive.
Right. Yesterday Herick was beaten up by Michael. Though he couldn’t remember the reason, he’d vaguely heard that Herick was beaten badly. He probably needs to lie down for about three days. Mate shrugged to himself and turned around.
“Where are you going, Mate?”
“To see Michael.”
“Why Michael?”
Jake’s tone became sharp. That guy always gets like that whenever Michael is mentioned. Shaking his head, Mate answered.
“I want to ask Michael. He might know something.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“Suit yourself.”
Leaving the team members sunk in despair behind, Jake moved along with Mate. After thinking deeply for a moment, Mate asked Jake.
“But why did that guy attack you?”
“I guess he did it when I tried to stop him from running away. That rat bastard.”
“Hmm.”
Mate stroked his chin. He didn’t seem the type, that Choi guy. Mate roughly estimated the wound under Jake’s bandage. The bandage is quite soaked with blood. The bloodstain is still red, suggesting it’s a recently changed bandage. It must be quite a long wound, and very deep too.
This is strange.
It was unlikely that the visibly weak Choi would have remained passive until he could inflict such a deep wound on Jake, who had good reflexes. Also, to harm Jake like that in the urgent situation of trying to escape would be impossible unless Choi was actually a master swordsman in disguise.
With these suspicious thoughts, Mate knocked on Michael’s door. There was no answer. He considered just opening the door but knew that what Michael hated most was people opening his door without permission, so he decided to just wait quietly.
“Michael isn’t here.”
Jake, who had been silent for a moment, spoke up.
“How would you know that?”
“I can’t smell Michael’s scent.”
Jake said seriously. Huh. Mate laughed incredulously. Really? Then go find Michael by sniffing the floor like a dog. In response to Mate’s sarcasm, Jake took a deep breath and then suddenly turned around.
“Michael!”
When Mate turned around following Jake, Michael was standing there. Oh, damn. Unlike Mate, who was startled, Jake was delighted like a dog finally reunited with his owner after years of waiting.
Michael’s hair was disheveled like someone who had just woken up. However, his face was hollow as if he hadn’t slept for days. His eyes seemed half-glazed, but his blue pupils were flickering more vividly than anything else.
Standing motionless, Michael muttered.
“I don’t understand why.”
Mate was utterly shocked. Tears welled up in Michael’s eyes and then dropped. Mate blinked several times, wondering if he was seeing things. What? Is he crying right now?
The mighty Michael?
His surprise gradually turned into fear. It was complete chaos. Mate wondered if he was dreaming right now. To think I’d see Michael’s tears in my lifetime. Goosebumps covered his entire body.
For Michael, tears were something that could never happen—at least that’s what Mate thought. Mate didn’t realize he was standing with his mouth wide open until Michael raised his head with an expressionless face.
“Oh, don’t be like this, Michael.”
Jake fell to his knees with a thud. Tears had already welled up in his eyes too.
Mate gave Jake a disgusted look. Since Mate had already seen many people in the mansion who practically worshipped Michael, he wasn’t surprised by Jake’s behavior anymore. Here we go with the worship again. Mate thought, brushing his bangs back.
“Please don’t be sad, Michael.”
“Do I look sad to you?”
Michael’s voice, deep as if his throat was congested, was like a stone endlessly falling into the sea. It was even chilling with its grating metallic sound.
“I’m not crying because I’m sad.”
Michael looked down at his hand. His hand was trembling slightly.
“This isn’t sadness.”
Michael suddenly reached out and grabbed Jake’s neck. As veins appeared on his hand, Jake twisted his body as if in pain.
“I, I… like it, Michael… haha…!”
Jake, whose face had turned bright red as if it might burst, laughed like a madman. He looked at Michael with an ecstatic face. Michael is marking my body! Mate couldn’t hide his astonishment at hearing his muttering.
The strength slowly left Michael’s hand. Only then could Jake breathe again, coughing loudly.
“…”
After looking down at Jake for a moment, Michael turned and trudged into his room without a word. Mate tried to stop him but then gave up.
The door closed. Mate felt as if someone had struck his head forcefully with a hammer. Michael had shed tears. And Jake was continuously coughing while smiling broadly, seemingly delighted for some reason. Even for Mate, who had experienced all sorts of things, this situation was so bizarre that he was dumbfounded.
“This… doesn’t look good.”
***
“Wake up, Hyungoh.”
Theo, who had opened the passenger door, shook Hyungoh awake. In fact, Hyungoh had been maintaining full consciousness. He had just been keeping his eyes closed.
Given the situation, he couldn’t sleep. There were too many things to worry about. While relaxing the tension in his body had somewhat loosened his stiff muscles, it was still too early to let his guard down.
Hyungoh followed Theo into the building. Theo lived in an apartment-style complex. However, it wasn’t tall and elongated like typical Korean apartments. The highest floor was only the fourth floor. Theo’s place was at the end of the corridor on the second floor.
“Come in.”
Hyungoh nodded and stepped into the apartment. The interior was neat and well-organized. As he had noticed before, contrary to his usual behavior, Theo had very clean habits.
“What do you do for work, Theo?”
Hyungoh asked abruptly while staring at Theo’s back as he was unbuttoning his shirt. Theo paused momentarily before chuckling.
“Didn’t Herick tell you?”
“No.”
“Well, it’s nothing good to know anyway.”
Theo, who had taken off his shirt, grinned and answered.
“A loyal worker. The Cenaline Family, which is at odds with your organization, is my workplace.”
“What?”
“Don’t get any strange ideas. I have no intention of selling you out.”
“Wait a minute.”
“What.”
“The Cenaline… Family?”
Good heavens. Hyungoh covered his mouth with his hand. Come to think of it, Joy and Simon had mentioned that Theo was an executive in the Cenaline Family.
No, why did I only realize this now? Being too busy being wary of Joy and Simon, he hadn’t immediately processed their conversation despite hearing it.
“I told you not to make that expression. I’m not going to do anything to you.”
“…Really?”
“This is ridiculous. You’ve just become needlessly suspicious over the past eleven years.”
I’m going to wash up, so just sit quietly. Theo, who had taken off his upper garments, went into the bathroom. He definitely didn’t seem to have any intention of harming Hyungoh. Hyungoh sat gently on a dining chair while still keeping his guard up.
Soon, the sound of the shower was heard. Hyungoh, who had been fidgeting with his hands on the table, noticed Theo’s suit hanging on a coat rack next to the sofa. Hyungoh carefully got up and headed toward the coat rack. When he put his hand in the suit pocket, he only felt Theo’s wallet.
Fortunately, there was no weapon that could pose a threat. Due to the trauma from Jake’s knife, Hyungoh checked whether Theo had a pocket knife too. If he were to threaten him, it would obviously be with a gun, but for the current Hyungoh, a knife felt more threatening.
Finally feeling relieved, Hyungoh plopped down on the sofa and casually opened Theo’s wallet that he had taken out. There were no cards, just a lot of cash. Hyungoh, who had been looking around without thinking, paused. As he was flipping through the numerous business cards stuffed inside, there was one particularly familiar name.
Hyungoh narrowed his eyes. He muttered the name written on the business card over and over. His eyes gradually widened.
This can’t be. Hyungoh’s mouth fell open. His lips trembled.
“Taylor… Scofield…?”
