p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongemspan style="font-family: Times, serif;"A/N: Hello everyone! Hope everyone is doing well, is safe, warm in the summer weather, and happy./span/em/strong/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongemspan style="font-family: Times, serif;"Lookie what I have-an update! Please enjoy some attempted plot and angst~/span/em/strong/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongemspan style="font-family: Times, serif;"Also IT'S THE TWIN'S BDAY! Happy Bday, Saeyoung and Saeran!/span/em/strong/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongemspan style="font-family: Times, serif;"Now onto the chapter…/span/em/strong/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"As expected, a slew of swears greeted Saeyoung the moment he and MC emerged into the disheveled computer room. Never did he imagine being grateful for his ex-supervisor's complaints, but the deadness that followed them three flights of stairs dissipated in the wake of the high-pitched clamor./span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""What the hell did you do?" Vanderwood spluttered. He kicked at the wires that hooked around his boots as if they were snakes instead of plastic. "I just cleaned. Just cleaned!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""I told you I couldn't find my phones," Saeyoung sung, knowing the faux innocence exacerbated the man's state. After several large paces around a batch of abandoned hard drives, he stretched a hand towards MC. "Watch your step, honey. I don't want you to slip."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Vanderwood released a strangled cry. "So you give her a warning but not me!"/span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung shot MC a wink, pleased at the soft smile it produced./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Vanderwood grumbled a few more choice words under his breath before tossing his equipment bag onto one of the empty chairs. Seeing his collected colleague helplessly distressed in an untidy room usually lifted Saeyoung's spirits, but the somber shadow tainting the man's face hampered his enjoyment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Chasing away the dread swelling in his chest, he returned his attention to MC, ensuring she really didn't harm herself in the clutter./span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"She hadn't ventured past the staircase, however, her foot indecisively hovering above the floor. Her eyes trailed from the wires beneath her to ravaged drawers on the wall. /span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung's face heated. It wasn't that he was embarrassed she'd seen the disarray. After being locked in an apartment together, she was privy to the worst of his disorderly tendencies./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Rather, he was ashamed of the pity and guilt unfolding across her features when her gaze lifted to him. It was as if she was watching his outburst in real-time, witnessing his sanity splitting under the weight of stress, and to Saeyoung's displeasure, that deep wrinkle of concern slowly resurfaced between her brows./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"He cleared his throat before she could comment. "I needed to toss this stuff anyway. It's better that it's out." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"It wasn't a lie. He'd planned to purge his home of any agency-related files once his arm fully recovered. His past had tainted his present enough…/span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Regardless, we don't have time for that now," Vanderwood grumbled. He had waded to a decently clean spot in front of the tracking program and was now subjecting the code to his own scrutiny. "How much longer will this take?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung peered over the man's shoulder, pride stinging upon seeing the meager 1% progress since the last check. "I don't know. It shouldn't be taking this long. The person who called must have layered security."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Another piece of damning evidence that someone in the Agency was indeed after him. Who else would have that much security on a phone?/span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Vanderwood let out an ambiguous hum. His focus narrowed around each numeral of that wretched phone number. Soundlessly, his mouth moved in the air, and if Saeyoung didn't know better, he would've thought the man was praying./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""You told me to send it earlier," Saeyoung said, causing him to startle. "Do you recognize the contact?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Vanderwood raked his fingers through his hair, but offered nothing but a deep exhale as an answer./span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"After eight years of working with his ex-supervisor, there was one thing he had come to know painfully well: Vanderwood never restrained voicing the truth—whether good or bad, success or disaster./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"The fact that he was so reluctant now…/span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" "MC," Saeyoung said, abruptly turning to the girl who seemingly decided to sit on the staircase instead of hazarding the chaos. "C-can you give us a second?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Suspicion seeped into her features at the request. Her glance flickered between the two ex-agents, silently searching for further explanation—though neither men acquiesced./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Sensing the dispute on her parted lips, Saeyoung lowered himself in front of her, a fond smile tugging at his mouth when her fingers gripped the stairs underneath her pre-emptively. Was she expecting him to drag her from the spot? Gently, he pried her hands away and brushed a soft kiss against her knuckles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""I'll let you know if anything important happens," he said. "But you're safe here. There's no need to worry about anything else."/span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Unpersuaded, she scanned his face, investigating every feature, no doubt for signs of distress or pain. Saeyoung knew if she found even one, he'd find himself drowning in her caring stubbornness, and any argument would be a lost cause./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""I worry about emyou/em," she said, finger jabbing at his shoulder emphatically. "I understand the need for caution, but if there's something going on, I want to know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Even knowing is dangerous," Saeyoung countered, though that wasn't his sole reason. His attention flitted across the reddening webs around her pupils, and he barely quelled the temptation to trace the dark circles underneath. "This situation…Let me handle it. Just rest for now. Who knows what'll come next?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""But—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""MC," he pleaded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"The girl had endured too much already for his taste. She'd been through hell and back for him and bore it as only an angel could, but this was different. This was the deep underworld of unseen cockroaches who did dirty work so people like her could live unscathed by the shrouded corruption around them. For his sanity's sake, he couldn't allow her near it./span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"To his relief, her obstinacy withered under his imploring gaze, though a pout remained on her lips as she rose to her feet. Adorable as it was, Saeyoung refrained from commenting lest he really incite her wrath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"He followed after her, kicking away stray items so she could reach the door. Her hand caught the edge of his shirt when he paused near the threshold. "Hey…Don't take all the burden on yourself. And don't plan anything rash. Please."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"He gave her a short peck on the lips in agreement, though judging by her deep frown, she wasn't convinced. "I promise," he conceded. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Her eyes flayed him with one more tacit warning to uphold his word before she slid past./span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung barely waited until the door clicked shut behind her before scurrying to the security feeds against the back wall. Darkness still bathed most of the bunker, but he managed to decipher MC's shadowed form treading into the living room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"A lump of pillows and blankets, which he assumed was Saeran, blocked the couch space. The younger twin likely buried himself underneath after their argument./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Is it okay?" Vanderwood muttered absently from his spot. His attention was still fixed on the tracker. "For them to be together out there, I mean."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Admittedly, the thought weighed heavy on Saeyoung's mind since MC arrived, and even as she approached the twin, his heart pounded in his ears./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Last time didn't end well. And while, Saeyoung trusted himself with his volatile brother, he wasn't sure how the latter would react to her—or the other way around./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""It has to be for now," he replied more as a prayer. He released a disgruntled huff when MC bypassed the couch altogether and ventured into the kitchen instead. There would be no encounter, but he had hoped she would rest…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"But he could address that later./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"After another glance to his unstirred brother, he tore away from the feed and faced Vanderwood. The man hadn't moved a muscle, but his forehead gleamed with a sheen of sweat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""You didn't answer before," Saeyoung said, once again disturbing his brooding. "The number…whose is it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Another despondent sigh drifted from Vanderwood's mouth, and another moment passed with nothing more than the muted hum of overheated monitors. Irritation wound through Saeyoung's veins at the untimely reticence, but fear kept him from prodding./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Vanderwood's arm fell against the desk with a soft thud. "You know Agency protocol when any agent defects."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung nodded. "There's a security reset for safety."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""New numbers, new passwords, new systems," Vanderwood said. He grimaced at his open palms as if recounting the brutal all-nighters that occurred with every rare incident. No doubt, the agents endured worse when Saeyoung defected—a higher level agent. "Same thing happened when you left."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""And?" Saeyoung said, impatience leaking into his voice. "You got new numbers. So, whose is this one?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""You're not going to believe it. I still don't even believe it—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" "Just tell me!" Saeyoung burst, unable to restrain his frustration any longer. Trepidation trickled into Vanderwood's previously hardened features, and his posture deflated./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""It's Boss," he bit out. "Our emBoss/em."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"The single word drenched the room in thick, foreboding silence. That complicated things. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Agents weren't allowed names for their directors. It was all ranks, pseudonyms, and meetings held under the dark of night. No faces. No solid identities. Just cold, gruff whispers with subtle threats woven between syllables./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"To confront Boss…they would be chasing a shadow darker than Saeyoung himself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Okay," he said, releasing the breath that caught in his throat. This was complicated, but not impossible. He'd out-hacked the Agency before. He could do it again, if needed. At least, that's what he told himself lest the scarce hope left in his battered soul fled entirely. "But I don't understand. Why would he call me? And how could he get my new number?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Vanderwood snorted. "How? You blackmailed the Agency with their own information. You didn't think at least some agents would come after you? I would hunt you down too."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung's cheeks burned. The move was necessary to retrieve his brother, but he never imagined it would come to this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Still, that's not how agents work. They don't send threats through calls, they just—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"He didn't finish that thought, let alone that sentence. "It doesn't make sense."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""emThat's/em not what doesn't make sense," Vanderwood said. His teeth dug into his lower lip so hard that the color drained, and soon his whole face mimicked its pallor. "Seven, Boss is dead."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"There were many appropriate reactions to that kind of news. Astonishment. Relief. Sickness. Yet, as his brain attempted to compute that sentence, the only thing that tumbled from the red head's mouth was laughter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"It poured from his lips, shaking his whole body until his sides ached and tears streamed down his face, though from amusement or agony, he couldn't tell. His past was calling him from beyond the grave—literally haunting him. The situation was ridiculous./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""You're lying," he said. No, he prayed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"The hysteric mirth died as he anchored his gaze on Vanderwood, waiting for some announcement that this was a big, uncharacteristic, cruel joke to get back at the hacker for years of comical torment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"But the wrinkles creasing the older man's forehead promptly shattered that fantasy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""That's impossible," Saeyoung scoffed. He expelled a sharp breath, only to have difficulty taking in the next. "Y-you can't know anything for sure. Agents are always changing identities and lives and—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""I checked," Vanderwood interrupted. "When the Agency disbanded, I kept track of what was happening—for our sake. Once the media got ahold of the info, naturally, the Agency was targeted by old clients, other Agencies, enemies. Who knows? But a lot of them ended up dead. Boss included."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung swore under his breath…once…twice…It felt like the only thing his brain could conjure to express his escalating frustration. He always understood the repercussions of a compromised Intelligence Agency, but for some reason, the reality was hitting now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Human hard drives—that's all agents and hackers alike were to their clients. Storage for information until the data was retrieved or compromised and the hard drives were useless. Then…a full swipe from existence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""That was why," Vanderwood continued, finger massaging his brow. "I approached your girlfriend when I did about this whole thing. When I found out your background, I knew you couldn't be safe." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung swallowed the bile stinging the back of his throat. His father aside, he had gathered numerous enemies in just the first few years at the Agency. It could've easily been him dead in the middle of nowhere had Vanderwood not acted preemptively./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Uncomfortable with the wave of gratitude, he forced his mind to focus on the present issue. "So, if Boss didn't call me, then who the hell did?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Again, silence threatened to swallow the answer into obscurity, nearly sending Saeyoung into another fit of exasperation. But fortunately for the young hacker's sanity, Vanderwood didn't delay long./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Whoever killed him, I assume," he answered emunhelpfully/em. He swiveled back to the tracking program which still ticked forward at its agonizing pace. "But whoever it was…I'm sure they were with the same people who came after me." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung was reminded why Vanderwood was in the bunker at all. He stepped forward, ashamed at himself for only now checking his colleague's state of being. Nothing physical seemed wrong—his clothes were intact, and there were no bruises or cuts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""What did happen?" he asked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Vanderwood procured his laptop from the large bag at his feet and set it atop his legs. "I got into the government servers. This morning."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"For a second, Saeyoung's head surged in a mix of shock and elation, but logic quickly squelched any rising bliss./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"It had taken emhim/em days to hack into the national registry the first time. These were government systems—with heavier protection. Even with his created virus, it was strange for Vanderwood to gain access that easily./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""So," Saeyoung began. His voice quivered around his next question, both longing and dreading an answer. "The investigation files…they're gone?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"He held his breath until Vanderwood's gaze reluctantly withdrew from the screen and met his. A silent apology flashed behind his unblinking eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung nodded. He had already expected failure. When Vanderwood first brought the idea to him, he braced himself for news like this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"So why did it feel like his chest was being torn to pieces?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"The disappointment continued to claw at his ribs in the following silence, but he chased it away, forcing himself to concentrate. He could grieve later…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""The system was syncing when these men in suits appeared at the hideout," Vanderwood explained, too preoccupied with his computer to notice the redhead's internal struggle—or maybe he purposely spared Saeyoung the embarrassment. "Five, at least. They showed up right after you called about a potential threat from old headquarters. I didn't want to stick around if they were agents. If they caught me, it really would have been over…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung dug a finger into his chest, kneading at the tightness making it difficult to speak. "But you were chased, right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""For a bit," Vanderwood said. He set his laptop aside and resumed his search through his bag's contents. "But, not by the same people. They came out of nowhere."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung furrowed his brows. "Even if they were ex-agents, there wouldn't be that many of them in one place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Though the Agency had their people all over the country, it was rare for agents to know each other enough to form any coalition./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""You find it strange too," Vanderwood said./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""They appeared shortly after you got into the system, right?" he said. "Almost as if…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""They tracked me?" Vanderwood finished gruffly. "It occurred to me—which is why I ditched my phone, but..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"He brandished a small, black hard drive in the air before tossing it towards the redhead. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""What is it?" Saeyoung frowned, barely catching it between his trembling fingers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""It's the little I managed to sync from the files," Vanderwood said. "I couldn't delete everything, but...well, you should take a look."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung released an unsteady breath. He flipped the device between his palms, its weight more noticeable now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" If what Vanderwood said was true, it held most of his life—years dedicated to the Agency within one small box. Identities, possessions, weaknesses…all embedded in strings of code, ready to be deleted from existence if he messed up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"The fact that his father could have that same information…that same power…It made him sick to his stomach./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Despite his head now deciding the world was better upside down, Saeyoung managed to lower himself in front of a computer and shove the drive into the port./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Shakily, he flicked the mouse wheel, bracing himself for his life as a cockroach to be laid out in pages along with a handful of other miserable agents who happened to catch his father's attention. However, even with the preparation, the numbers that lined the screen nearly snapped the last string of his sanity./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Coordinates, locations, IP addresses—each number representing a grocery store, a hideout, all traces of him scattered across the country. emOnly/em him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""How did he get this?" The question fell breathlessly from his lips. Unbidden anger replaced his devastation the longer he registered the numbers. "How emcould/em he get this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"His heart to sank deeper into his stomach at the dates that neatly aligned with each point./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"These files were barely months old./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""The agency tracked our every move," Vanderwood explained. "All it took was getting to the right person. And I think in your case…that person was Boss."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung pressed a hand over his mouth as his gut took a sickening twist. It took all his strength not to hurl when he saw the city where Rika's apartment was. So that was why Vanderwood retrieved MC…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""How did he narrow it down so quickly?" he rasped. "There were at least a dozen agents on that investigation file. He couldn't have figured who I was in mere weeks, unless…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Unless, even during all that time in the Agency, his father was lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce whenever his bastard sons decided to stray too far into the light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Like I said before, the Agency had deep ties with the government," Vanderwood muttered. "He must have been more well-connected than we thought."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Then this wasn't the Agency at all," Saeyoung said, the realization settling comfortably in the turbulence of his churning emotions. "If my father has this much already, he was always waiting until I made a false move—waiting for me to slip out of the Agency and show up on his stupid map again. Is that what you're telling me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Vanderwood didn't reply, but his resigned sigh was enough./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Those were emhis/em men that showed up when you entered the servers," Saeyoung nodded slowly. "He was watching all along. And, he wouldn't even need to continue the chase if I went to him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"It all made sense. Saeyoung had done it a thousand times. Hold onto someone's precious data long enough until they got desperate to steal it back themselves. Then, it was easy as following the trail back to the prize./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"If it was him at that hideout instead of Vanderwood…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"A hundred emotions ripped through his chest in that moment. That previous sting of disappointment morphed into something more uncontrollable, coursing through his limbs like electric volts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"On its own volition, his injured hand slammed against the desk, the jolts of pain barely fazing him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Hey," Vanderwood half-scolded. Numbly, Saeyoung looked up at the man, surprised to find his figure blurred in his vision. "I know you're in shock, but don't let your emotions fog your judgment. There's still things that don't add up. Who called you then—and why call you through Boss' phone? Concentrate on getting to the root of that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""We found the root," Saeyoung snapped, embarrassed when his voice cracked. He swiped against his burning cheeks, catching the few tears that leaked past. God, he felt like a child…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Vanderwood raised a brow in the same manner he did right before scalding the redhead with a lecture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""You summoned Boss' ghost, did you?" he challenged. "He told you who was on the line?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"A cool expression settled across his features, and subconsciously, Saeyoung sat straighter in his seat. "N-no."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""Based on your history, if your father wants you dead so badly, he could've just tracked you with the info he had and be done. Most likely, he hired a middleman, and now they want blackmail," Vanderwood said, standing. "You jammed the phone before anyone could tap or trace it, which means we still have the upper hand. If we can back-track to them first, we can always intercept the rest of the info. Are there any other computers running that might be draining bandwidth?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Saeyoung shook his head. He envied the man's ability to remain so poised. His life was almost compromised too, yet he managed to think clearly. Still, all his logical reasoning didn't calm the torrent still raging inside the red head's brain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""I'll check your monitors downstairs in case," Vanderwood said. His features softened as he paused in front of Saeyoung. "I'll give you half an hour to collect yourself. If we're going to put up a fight, you should prepare yourself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Did he look that pitiful that even Vanderwood was trying to galvanize him?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Thankfully, the man offered no more lectures before leaving Saeyoung alone in midst of his scattered thoughts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Dull pain reverberated behind his ribs, twisting around his neck and head and creating a trail of throbbing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"It wasn't fair. From leaving Saeran to joining the Agency, everything he had ever done—all that pain he endured for years—it was for nothing in the end. Just like before, one wrong step, and his father would eradicate him from the world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"It felt as if someone else was writing his story, and he could do nothing but watch his happy end disintegrate before his eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"emspan style="font-family: Times, serif;"It wasn't fair./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"His hand swatted at his keyboard, banishing the data glaring at him. The longer he stared, the faster this would overtake him. Despair, disappointment, anger—whatever this sick sensation was./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"He wasn't sure. He didn't want to be sure. To know his emotions meant he had to feel them. And he wanted to do anything but feel./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Vanderwood was right. He should collect himself—channel the energy into something useful./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Gathering his meager strength, he pulled himself to his feet long enough to collapse in the chair his ex-supervisor had left. The phone number of his mysterious caller cruelly taunted him from the screen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"Anger rose in his chest—a deeper anger than he'd ever felt before. Deeper than he felt for the Agency, and deeper than he had ever felt towards himself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"He prayed they could feel it—his father, his minions, whoever it was that stole his hope of happiness. He prayed they could feel the raw fear of the two children whose lives they destroyed. He prayed they'd feel it in their every, twisted nerve./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"As if fueled by his emotions, the progress bar ticked forward as soon as his fingers brushed the keyboard./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"One percent…another percent…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"With a scoff, Saeyoung whipped off his glasses and rubbed his burning eyes. Was he hallucinating now?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"But the blurred bar continued to fill before his sight, its speed rapidly increasing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;""What?" he hissed, fumbling to replace his spectacles. They sat crookedly on his nose, but it was clear enough to see the progress trickle forward. He nearly collapsed from his seat when the bar jumped to 100%./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"A map of South Korea popped into view, and Saeyoung barely calmed his trembling fingers enough to reach for the mouse. His eyes weaved through the lines and markers in search for the tiny blip he'd been begging God to reveal—the identity of his mystery caller./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"He found it—tiny, red, and flashing in a rapid pace that soon matched his pounding heart. And, it was right over the Prime Minister's Official Residence House./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;"He was going to be sick./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"span style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongemspan style="font-family: Times, serif;"A/N: Phew! Tbh I can't wait until the plot is over so I can just write their happy enddddd! I want the fluffff—but I do hope you enjoyed the chapter : D Thank you so much for reading and for your continued support!/span/em/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongemspan style="font-family: Times, serif;" /span/em/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"strongemspan style="font-family: Times, serif;"Until next time! Stay safe, everyone!/span/em/strong/p
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