Bazim was staying in Saga, a rural locality near the hotel, while maintaining a discreet and close connection with the Kremlin.
The president had strictly warned him to prevent any details about the conference from leaking to the public.
He wasn't concerned about his own
reputation...
he simply wanted to keep the newly discovered microorganism from Mount Baekdu secret until it could be carefully analyzed and its potential applications evaluated.
The microorganism transported from North Korea was to be taken to the Far Eastern Federal University laboratory for further analysis and animal experimentation.
Of course, before reaching that stage, many arrangements still needed to be coordinated with North Korea.
The Kremlin was eager to leverage Russia's technological superiority in their joint efforts.
If the microorganism from Mount Baekdu met expectations, they would try to claim exclusive rights, while North Korea would expect significant financial compensation in return.
Therefore, it was crucial to determine if the organism was truly worthwhile.
Bazim had reviewed the content of North Korea's report several times.
In summary, the new microbe discovered in Mount Baekdu was similar to a pathogenic bacterium or virus.
It posed no threat when in the wild, but if inhaled by animals, it was a different story.
After testing on laboratory rats and pigs, North Korean researchers discovered that between 6 and 24 hours after exposure to the microbe, all test subjects died from severe sepsis.
Of all the subjects, only one survived, but even then, it couldn't breathe on its own.
Could it work on humans too?
That was the first question that crossed Bazim's mind as he read the report.
North Korea had not included specific details about human testing, but it was evident, given that they operated
detention camps where human rights violations were widespread.
Every day, dozens of bodies were removed from these camps for mass burial or incineration under the supervision of the Ministry of Security, ensuring that the causes of death remained a secret.
Likewise, North Korea wouldn't have requested a collaboration if they weren't somewhat certain about the potential uses of the microorganism from Mount Baekdu.
It was logical to assume they had already tested it on humans, and it had proven lethal, unless, of course, they
were trying to deceive Russia.
Naturally, not even an ally could take North Korea's statements at face value based solely on a document.
Since a significant amount of money was at stake in this exchange, Russia
needed to verify the quality of the product.
That was why they had transported the latest samples to Vladivostok, despite the risks posed by public opinion.
Bazim began skimming through the North Korean report to minimize any potential errors during testing when, suddenly, his phone rang.
It was a message from an intelligence agent who had infiltrated South Korea.
Disguised as a diplomat, the agent had been assigned to the Russian embassy to keep an eye on Zhenya, known for his unpredictable nature.
"What? At this hour?"
A wave of unease swept over Bazim.
Reports about Zhenya usually arrived once a day at a set time.
Receiving a notification so late meant that Zhenya had done something unexpected.
For instance, not long ago, he had visited Ajinoki Island to tamper with the weapon he had developed.
Bazim quickly checked the message.
Bazim frowned.
He reread the message in disbelief, but the content remained unchanged.
"Yevgeny is coming here?"
Zhenya had no direct connections to Vladivostok.
Even if he came for matters related to his
arms business, it didn't make sense.
Zhenya rarely handled administrative affairs in person.
Most of his business was conducted through professional intermediaries.
What could be drawing his interest to Vladivostok now?
As his mind filled with questions, one thought surfaced.
"Is it because of that Korean spy again?"
That single suspicion was enough to answer all the questions.
There were only two reasons why Zhenya would leave South Korea...
either he was visiting Ajinoki Island for personal matters, or he was tracking Kwon Taekjoo on another overseas mission.
Most of Kwon Taekjoo's work, or rather, the South Korean government's, was detrimental to Russia and its allies.
Zhenya repeatedly got involved in these missions, putting the Bogdanov family in a dangerous position.
As his brother and a Kremlin representative, Bazim had warned him clearly to stop, but Zhenya hadn't bothered to listen.
Even when Bazim warned him that he wouldn't be able to avoid Kremlin's consequences if he persisted, Zhenya seemed entirely unphased.
In the end, Bazim had no choice but to challenge him to go ahead.
And now, Zhenya was heading to Vladivostok, a place with no concrete ties for him.
Bazim couldn't shake the feeling that it had something to do with Kwon Taekjoo.
It wasn't clear how South Korea had obtained confidential information or what they had discovered, but finally, all the puzzle pieces seemed to fit together.
"Ah... Yevgeny, finally, you..."
Bazim was utterly stunned.
Zhenya wasn't only involved with a man, but he had also betrayed his own family and country.
Both in the past and now, Bazim simply couldn't comprehend it.
In any case, it was too late to cover up his efforts now, not when they were so close to the finish line.
Besides, Bazim's suspicions about South Korean intelligence operations were just guesses, as he lacked solid proof.
As it stood, he could set a trap for them.
If everything went as planned, he could kill two birds with one stone.
Lost in thought, Bazim made a call.
Despite the late hour, the person on the other end answered immediately.
"It's me, sir. We'll have the test subjects ready soon, just as you asked. There's no need to worry about the consequences. After all, none of them have identifiable identities. Even if they disappear without a trace, nothing will come of it. Yes, I can guarantee that personally. Ah, as for the exact time and date of the experiment... that remains uncertain. But rest assured, the subjects will willingly enter the test tubes. All we have to do is incubate the samples for them."
A wide grin spread across Bazim's face.
His previously calm eyes now gleamed with a sharp and sinister light.
With a complicated mix of emotions on his face, Kwon Taekjoo stared intently at Director Kwak through the screen.
After deciphering Park Jeong-ho's message, he had requested an
emergency meeting with the director via an unofficial channel.
Although Kwon Taekjoo was technically in charge of the operation, saving Park Jeong-ho was beyond his jurisdiction.
He needed a final resolution and the board of directors' approval.
An unexpected turn of events had occurred during the mission.
Typically, the NIS dealt with such situations in one of three ways:
continuing with the operation as planned, adjusting their plans based on new information, or withdrawing after assessing the risks.
None of these options were within Kwon Taekjoo's authority.
Director Kwak had already grasped the essentials of the situation from Kwon Taekjoo's previous message, but he still seemed skeptical.
["What do you mean Park Jeong-ho asked for help?"]
"Did you review the video I sent you?"
["Of course I did. It seems like he's asking for help, as you said, but we might be misinterpreting his words. Considering how critical this situation is, we need to cross-check. I'll pass it on to the relevant teams for further analysis."]
"Haaa... We don't have much time."
["Don't worry too much. Nothing will come of it. It doesn't hurt to be cautious. Honestly, our goal isn't to protect Park Jeong-ho anyway. Who knows if he's trying to set a trap to get our attention?"]
"If he was, he would have reported the hidden camera to the North Korean security guards and put them on alert about someone spying, instead of disposing of it himself. Also, if others
had found out they were being spied on, the hotel, train maintenance workshop, and university wouldn't be as calm as they are now."
["...That's true, but let's not jump to conclusions yet. When did Park Jeong-ho realize he was being watched?"]
"Actually, I had a hunch about that and wanted to ask you. The spy camera supplied for this operation was disguised as a cockroach. Was it custom-made to fit the local environment?"
["I'm not sure. We don't usually go to such lengths with our devices."]
"That could be why he noticed. Park Jeong-ho is a biologist. A Korean cockroach wouldn't look exactly the same as a Russian one, right? An expert like him would notice the difference easily. I think he got suspicious because it didn't look native to Vladivostok, and then realized it wasn't a cockroach at all. Since he knew both North Korea and Russia were closely watching him, he might have suspected that a third party was secretly observing him too."
The current situation of Park Jeong-ho wasn't much different from being imprisoned.
It was clear from the tight surveillance imposed on him by the North Korean guards since his arrival at the airport, and from the way he sat quietly, fully aware of their scrutiny.
He had probably discarded the camera after sending his distress signal, in case his message didn't go through or the guards caught him in the act.
If that was the case, it explained all the doubts Kwon Taekjoo had about Park Jeong-ho.
And it raised a new question.
What exactly was threatening Park Jeong-ho?
There was only one reason that could explain why a renowned biologist was being kept under strict control...
likely, his academic convictions conflicted with those of the ruling party and the national interests of his country.
Director Kwak began to mutter under his breath.
["Alright then. Let's suppose Park Jeong-ho opposed the government's leadership, and that's why they're treating him this way, just as you said. You're right; if we can ensure his safety,
we could immediately uncover the true purpose behind the upcoming talks between North Korea and Russia and identify the object they've been handling so carefully while transporting it from Pyongyang."]
"It would also eliminate any risks that other agents might face."
["Sure. But even so, this situation is unpredictable, so we need to proceed with caution. We have to clearly outline what actions we can and cannot take right now. After all, we're on Russian territory. Your mission was to uncover the secret between the two nations, not to
rescue someone. They must never find out you were there."]
"I understand, sir. But if we can secure Park Jeong-ho's safety, we could wrap up this operation immediately. It would also save us the trouble of intercepting the object on the special train and analyzing it ourselves. If it's as dangerous as we suspect, we could devise a plan to neutralize it before it's too late."
Kwon Taekjoo insisted eagerly, but a heavy sigh came from the other side of the call.
["Do you think rescuing Park Jeong-ho would be the end of it? His family is likely being held hostage in North Korea. If that wasn't the case, he would have asked for help more urgently. We don't have the resources to safely rescue both him and his family right now. And even if we contact him and reassure him, there's no guarantee he would leave his family behind to join us. All of our efforts could go to waste, wouldn't you agree?"]
"Ah... yes."
Starting a large-scale conflict now, when they were short on manpower and firepower, wasn't feasible.
Rescuing Park Jeong-ho without leaving a trace was nearly impossible, especially
with both North Korean and Russian forces closely watching him.
"So, you want me to just sit here and watch?"
["We don't have many options at the moment, do we?"]
"Sir, if Park Jeong-ho has defied the government's demands, as we suspect, then he'll be executed once he's served his purpose at the conference. Needless to say, his family will face the same fate. Don't you think you might regret this decision later?"
["Listen, G1. Right now, we're in a joint operation with our allies, which means we need the approval of both the U.S. and Japan before making any decisions. Coordinating between three nations will be challenging, and convincing them will take time. All we'll achieve is to increase confusion and distrust among everyone. To be frank, our allies wouldn't care if a
North Korean biologist died during our mission. And there's no guarantee that just because Park Jeong-ho has shown enmity toward the adversary, he would be more cooperative with us. Defecting from his country doesn't mean he'll immediately side with us."]
Kwon Taekjoo couldn't find a response to Director Kwak's words.
He also couldn't be sure Park Jeong-ho would fully support their cause.
"So, should I proceed with the operation as planned?"
["For now, yes. We haven't found anything that justifies deviating from the plan. But stay on high alert in case our operation is exposed. We'll discuss whether we can safely extract Park
Jeong-ho, so focus on identifying the object that was transported from Pyongyang by train."]
"Understood, sir,"
Kwon Taekjoo replied reluctantly as his communicator beeped.
He immediately used his binoculars to scan for any unusual activity around the hotel.
There was nothing visibly out of the ordinary, though that could be due to the darkness of the night.
The situation with the other agents might be different.
"Sir, I'm receiving a radio call, so I'll have to hang up for now. I'll update you if anything changes,"
he said, ending the call with Director Kwak and putting the communicator back in his ear.
["Hunting."]
The voice requesting the keyword was none other than the American agent Foxtrot.
For some reason, his tone sounded more urgent than usual.
"Two tigers."
["This is Foxtrot. The Russian bastards are unloading the goods from train 677. It's in an icebox and being transferred to a specialized freezer truck."]
"An icebox and a freezer truck... Whatever they're transporting, they can't afford to let it thaw, huh?"
["Seems that way. So, what's our next move? You're not planning on making me sit around and watch again, are you?"]
"Wait for now. There's no movement on our side yet, and I need to check with Sierra..."
A heavy sigh exploded from the communicator.
Foxtrot began venting his frustration at
Kwon Taekjoo.
["Come on, Alpha. What are you waiting for? We're so close to our target. The fact that there's no activity on your side means they've let their guard down. We should strike while we can!"]
"We don't know how dangerous that object is."
["Damn it! Cut the nonsense, coward! How long are you going to analyze every little detail? Do you think they'll just sit there waiting for us? Once we have the object in our hands, it's only a matter of time before we figure out what it is and how dangerous it is!"]
"Why don't you stop yelling in my ear? The guards will hear you. And I've told you over and over: our goal is to find out what North Korea and Russia are up to, not to steal the object they're delivering."
["Oh, yeah? Why don't you stop spouting that damn crap? Once we secure the object, it'll all be over anyway."]
"Let's say we do get the object, just as you want. Then what? How do you plan to get it out of the country?"
["We'd hide it in the embassy and figure out our next moves."]
Kwon Taekjoo laughed incredulously at his careless response.
"The embassy? That's the best you've got? You couldn't be more ignorant of the Russians. They'd storm a foreign embassy without thinking twice."
["Against the U.S.? They wouldn't be that reckless unless they wanted to start a full- scale war with us. Even though they're Russians, they're not that stupid. And if they are, I'll blow their brains out myself."]
Kwon Taekjoo couldn't tell if Foxtrot was talking nonsense out of excessive patriotism, naïve optimism, or if he simply wanted to show off his nation's power.
He didn't have the strength left to argue with someone who clearly just wanted to brag.
"Great, good for you. But let me remind you again, don't act recklessly and ruin
everything we've been working for."
["Ruin everything? Like you're in any position to say something! If we keep going like this, all we'll do is stay on their heels. I don't know how slow you've been with your work, but as a leader, you shouldn't ruin everyone else's progress!"]
Foxtrot shouted, furious.
Kwon Taekjoo knew all too well that he was dealing with a hotheaded fool, and he was well aware of the risk that came with someone acting emotionally during a critical moment in the mission.
However, he couldn't just sit back while Foxtrot blatantly disregarded his orders.
In any espionage operation, the leader's orders were absolute, especially when the failure of the mission could cost team members their lives.
If one member was acting independently
out of defiance, there was only one way to handle it.
"Foxtrot, you're out of this operation,"
Kwon Taekjoo said calmly.
His final order to Foxtrot revealed not a trace of emotion.
["What?"]
A scornful laugh came from the other side of the communicator.
Foxtrot's next words were even more enraged.
["Oh, so now that you've bossed me around, you want to tell me to screw off?"]
"A team member who refuses to cooperate is a ticking time bomb that endangers everyone else. It's only logical to eliminate any potential risks, no matter how small."
Kwon Taekjoo didn't let a hint of anger slip into his voice.
He remained firm, with a determined and calm attitude, immune to any words of persuasion, compromise, or threat.
Foxtrot let out another sigh and clicked his tongue.
["Fine, I'm out. Why don't you two Asian buddies figure it out yourselves?!"]
Foxtrot made sure to leave with a sarcastic and biting remark.
A sharp, crackling static burst in Kwon Taekjoo's ear.
Apparently, Foxtrot had smashed his own communicator in a fit of rage.
Kwon Taekjoo frowned and took the device out of his ear, the unexpected explosion of noise rattling his brain.
"That racist jerk! Talking like a damned idiot."
Kwon Taekjoo's breathing grew heavy with anger as he vented his frustration.
If Foxtrot had said those words to his face, he would have gladly punched him.
As he expected, working with others didn't suit him, especially when he didn't have full control over the team and his
colleagues came from different countries.
Irritated, Kwon Taekjoo ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath to calm himself.
With a frustrated gesture, he opened the team's messaging app.
Despite his anger, he knew he had to do his job right.
He needed to report to Director Kwak and the backup team about Foxtrot's departure from the operation and contact Sierra, as the item in question was still in transit.
As soon as he sent the message, his work phone began ringing.
It was another call from headquarters.
Kwon Taekjoo let out a tired sigh before answering:
"Yes?"
["What's this about you suddenly expelling Foxtrot from the operation?"]
"It is what it is. He refused to follow orders and kept crossing lines. If I had let that bastard continue, he would've caused trouble sooner or later, endangering both Sierra and me. Please
convince those fools in the U.S. that they either need to withdraw as defensive support or replace him with someone who actually listens."
["That's not even remotely reasonable. How are they supposed to find a replacement right away?"]
"How would I know? If they really can't do anything, just tell them to sit back and enjoy the ride."
["Let's not complicate things when we're at a crucial point in the operation. We should ask them to convince that agent to return and..."]
"If they can manage to convince him, sure. He's as stubborn as a mule. Honestly, it would be a relief if he doesn't cause any..."
Before Kwon Taekjoo could finish his sentence, a thunderous explosion echoed in the distance.
He jumped to his feet and rushed to the window, aiming his scope in the direction of the sound.
Soon enough, a small but unmistakable flame was burning in the distance.
["What happened? What was that sound just now?"]
"It came from the southeast direction, from an overpass 18 km away... it must be the Russky Bridge. Something exploded on the access ramp."
["Are you sure?"]
"Yes. All traffic on the Russky Bridge has been blocked since midnight, so it couldn't have been an ordinary accident. I need to check it out. I'll report back later."
He quickly ended the call with Director Kwak and watched the growing flames with anxious concern.
His heart pounded in his chest, and an unsettling chill crept up his spine.
Trying to shake off the uneasy feeling, he left his hideout and headed to the rooftop.
After kicking through the worn-out door, he turned in the direction of the explosion.
It was unmistakable... it had come from the Russky Bridge.
"What the hell is going on... don't tell me it was Foxtrot?"
Had Foxtrot gone rogue because Kwon Taekjoo had ordered him to stay out of the operation?
He debated what to do, his mind swirling with ominous thoughts, when suddenly his communicator buzzed.
It was a message from Sierra.
["Alpha. What was that explosion?"]
Sierra sounded clearly shaken, demanding an explanation without even asking for the usual passphrase.
Before Kwon Taekjoo could respond, they began urgently reporting the situation at the Far Eastern Federal University.
["Things aren't looking too good here either! All the soldiers and guards are outside inspecting the area."]
"I think Foxtrot did something on his own."
["What?"]
"That damned bastard went and screwed everything up!"
Kwon Taekjoo gritted his teeth.
Just then, a siren began wailing not far away.
Police cars, fire trucks, and special forces vehicles switched on their emergency lights and rushed to the
scene.
The enemy also seemed to go into crisis mode upon seeing the unexpected situation.
Black vans quickly surrounded the hotel, and armed security guards poured out of them.
If the explosion on the Russky Bridge had really been caused by Foxtrot, as Kwon Taekjoo suspected, it was only a matter of time before their operation was exposed.
In fact, it might already be compromised.
He needed to wrap things up
immediately.
"Sierra, hide now. I'll contact you later."
Kwon Taekjoo abruptly ended communications and turned around.
He had to destroy his hideout and flee before the enemy could corner him.
Suppressing curses in his haste to get downstairs, he yanked open the rooftop door when suddenly his vision darkened.
It was as if a massive wall had appeared in front of him.
".....!"
Kwon Taekjoo's entire body froze, but he instinctively aimed his gun at the intruder.
However, as he did so, a pair of pale hands covered both his mouth and the barrel of his gun.
Kwon Taekjoo tensed, ready to pull the trigger, but hesitated.
The hand restraining him felt oddly familiar, and the figure appearing in his peripheral vision seemed recognizable.
The touch and pressure of the hand against his face, combined with a familiar scent wafting into his nose, confirmed his suspicions.
"... Zhenya?"
he murmured in confusion.
Suddenly, a sharp sting pierced his neck. The unmistakable scent of a drug overwhelmed his senses, making him feel weak and dazed almost instantly.
"Uugh, what are you...!"
"You're going to want to take a nap for a while, Taekjoo."
Kwon Taekjoo writhed in the grip, but the man only held him tighter.
Every detail—from the intensifying scent, the body heat, the touch, and the voice—was unmistakably Zhenya.
But why? How?
The questions swirling in his mind quickly faded as he lost consciousness.
As he slipped into a deep sleep, the shrill wail of countless sirens drilled into his ears.