We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar

Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion;

- T. S. Eliot, "The Hollow Men"

VI.

Three years ago…

There was a distinct chill and odour of open sewer in the air and Sol hadn't the faintest idea where she was. All she knew was that she was somewhere unfamiliar judging from the smell and the low hum of white noise in the background.

The last thing she remembered before losing consciousness was her strolling down the home strait to pay Mum and Byeol a visit. Someone, ill-intentioned must have been acquainted with her movements and knew the route home. She was worried about being missed.

They must be wondering where I am.

As she quieted her emotions, Sol heard the sound of voices nearby. A heated exchange as far she could tell. In all likelihood two men in sharp disagreement over something. Unfortunately for her she wasn't within earshot to make head or tail of what they were saying. Except for the occasional expletive. Or the word "crazy".

Well, at least I'm not dead. Not yet at least.

As poor a consolation as it was, Sol reasoned that if these entities were out for blood she wouldn't be still around wondering why she was abducted. She'd be quite dead. If this was indeed the afterlife, it was in dire need of some kind of lighting.

The realisation that her hands and legs were bound hit home as she made an attempt to move.

Of course. Duh. I've been kidnapped.

This sent her into a state of confusion. Her younger self would have screamed but her present self sensibly overruled. Surely her kidnapper wouldn't be so asinine as to leave her somewhere open to discovery. But the why question bewildered her. Kidnapping suggested that she had to be a person of note. She, on the other hand, had neither status nor wealth to tempt anyone. Then it occurred to her that she could have offended someone… perhaps a disgruntled former client. But there weren't any as far as she could tell. She hadn't practised law long enough to accorded that kind of badge of honour. Then her imagination working overtime caused her to speculate over the notorious doings of sex slave trafficking that she'd only seen documentaries about. Then her mind wandered off to the publicity she'd been getting on social media about being a key figure in the Pyramid indictment. Could it Pyramid be behind this?

If this is Pyramid's doing, they are much bigger morons than I thought. It makes no sense. Why now? What's the point? They won didn't they?

Anyway, I can't die yet. I have a nice dress and a wedding to attend. Besides I made a promise I intend to keep.

When she had come to the end of her musings she noticed that the two individuals who had been engaged in verbal sparring had stopped for some reason. For a brief few seconds, it was as if someone had pressed the mute button. Then the unearthly stillness was broken by a metallic creak followed by a clang. A series of evenly paced footsteps followed. They became clearer the closer they got to her. They were the kind of footsteps made by well-cushioned sneakers.

With no warning Sol felt the warmth of Sneakers' arm moving across her back to lift her. The cologne lingering on his person was also faintly familiar but she couldn't place it immediately.

"Is there some reason why I've been subject to such demeaning treatment? Article 276 of the Penal Code stipulates that a person who illegally arrests or confines another, shall be punished by imprisonment…"

"I apologise for my colleague's lack of manners but I will explain everything soon."

Where have I heard that voice before? Is Sneakers someone I know? At least, he's not trying to kill me. Yet.

"Hang on a sec, Dan was recruited by the NIS? The NIS. The National Intelligence Services? My Dan? My sister… a spy?"

"Yes," was the very succinct reply. "A field agent is the technical term."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"I know this is hard to take in right now. But it's true."

Sneakers aka Nick Cho slid an identity card across the table as proof of this unbelievable piece of news. Standing next to him in what appeared to be an interrogation room right out of the dramas was a burly figure in a black suit with his arms crossed.

Sol took a long hard look at the ID. She went from being flabbergasted to scepticism in a space of minutes.

"You're messing with me, aren't you? You people are from Pyramid and you're trying to confuse me in order to find out what I know."

"If we were sent by Pyramid, believe me, you'd be dead. Erica is proof of that."

Sol's entire face was a reflection of the horror that she felt. "Someone from Pyramid tried to kill her?"

"I think they were aiming for me but she got in the way." The guy who introduced himself as Nick seemed genuinely upset by that. "It's my fault. I should have been more careful."

"Who are you? Really."

"I am really Nick Cho. I work for a temporary FBI - NIS joint task force. I met Erica while working together on a case and we really hit it off. She… I. We started dating 6 months ago."

So this is the mysterious boyfriend?

"She mentioned she was seeing someone when I saw her last."

Nick nodded. "Yeah, at the Moments in Time cafe. I was there too."

Sol sighed. She didn't know what to believe. This Nick guy could be making things up as he went. Like those experienced mentalists, he was perceptive enough to be dangerously clever. But her generally reliable intuition told her that there was something about Nick Cho that made sense where her sister was concerned. Dan didn't trust easily and it wasn't because he was an FBI agent that it gave credence to his claims. His personality and that boyish earnestness when he spoke… all that fit.

"So why am I here? Why are you telling me all this if this is all classified? Aren't you breaking protocol? Aren't you putting a civilian in harm's way by revealing state secrets?"

"I'm sorry to have to say this but we need your help."

Her sister was lying in ICU hooked up to half a dozen machines and all Sol could do was stare in wonder at her unconscious sister hoping and praying that Dan would wake up and confirm all the incredible facts she, Sol, was now privy to. In truth Sol hadn't wanted to know anything. She wished she hadn't been told anything. Other people's secrets were bad enough but spy stuff was too much for a humble lawyer to deal with. There were good reasons Dan didn't want to tell her either. But the fact that her sister was lying in a hospital bed in on knife's edge recuperating from a gunshot was verified by doctors. Something had gone down and it could have ended far more tragically.

Her first impulse was to call Joon-hwi but she remembered in time that she had against her better judgment signed a non-disclosure document. Now she was wracked with doubt and guilt because whatever justifiable reasons she had for staying silent, the entire notion that she was keeping secrets from the man she was going to marry was giving her a throbbing, persistent migraine. As it was they were practically living under the same roof. What's more the wedding was mere weeks away. But this was really not her secret to tell.

She was however much more in conflict over not telling her mother. To be ignorant of her own daughter's plight especially when the prognosis was uncertain, would be potential scenario for lifelong regret. Sol gritted her teeth. Dan had to survive. Sol was certain of it. if not for herself but for everyone else barracking for her.

The timing was unquestionably terrible. Woeful. But Sol's conscience and overdeveloped sense of duty was pushing all the usual buttons. Neither of the Kang sisters would ever back down from a fight. And of course the words "Pyramid Pharmaceuticals" came up more than once during the briefing. It was enough of a hook to make her bite.

The fact that there was a strong element of danger in the mission occurred to her but didn't deter her. Instead she reasoned that time was of the essence and no one could predict when Dan would wake up.

"Believe me, Kang Sol, this was not my idea. I didn't want you to be involved. It's not how I operate and Erica would have my hide if she knew."

Nick Cho had been profusely apologetic and looked the part. There was no reason not to believe that he was sincere.

"But sorry to say, my colleague saw you at the hospital and he did a bit of digging. He went to the director. To be honest I can't entirely blame him either. There's a lot riding on this for us Two years of planning down the drain if we miss this chance."

"I want to help. Of course I get how important this is but… I'm just a lawyer."

"You don't have to do this, Kang Sol. You can say no."

"Can I? I'm not so sure. That other guy looks like he's about to drag me off kicking and screaming even if I say no."

"Don't worry about Carl. I can handle him."

Sol was lost in her thoughts and Nick's comment fell on deaf ears.

"The thing is I understand what this is about. Dan and I… we had a rough time growing up."

"I heard."

"You must have heard about our dad and step-dad."

"Yeah. Your mum really knows how to pick'em."

"Then you'll know. She probably told you… 'it's for Byeol and for the kids' or something along those lines."

"She did."

"That's our problem. My fiancé says I can't say 'no' to a needy cause. But I just think nobody should have to suffer like we did especially if we can make a difference."

"You know, you two are more alike than I thought."

"There's a reason why we both became lawyers."

I'm rambling now. Must be nervous.

"I want to help but I'm scared. What if I mess up?"

"I heard you've done undercover work before."

"Oh that. That was 4 years ago. The only undercover work I do these days is when I scam ex-husbands who refuse to pay child support."

Away from the fantastical tale she was now privy to, Sol was sitting on the edge of the bed staring at her mobile phone fighting an itch to ring back and say that she'd change her mind. It wasn't too late. The mission was two days away and they could easily find a replacement. But then she had a panic attack about Big Carl, and then felt a pang of guilt about letting Nick down and remembered the reason why she even said yes. Fact is she was picked because she was Dan's clone. The seemingly capricious hand of fate had struck.

"What's wrong? You look like you've just lost a case."

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't hear Joon-hwi enter the room.

"Oh, do I?"

"You haven't picked up all day. I've been worried. Did you switch your phone off?"

"Did I? I haven't checked."

"What's the matter? Did you lose a case?"

"No. Nothing like that."

"Then what? Do I have to pry it out of you?"

"Oh… it's… it's Dan."

"What about her?"

"She's not coming to the wedding."

"I see. And you're disappointed."

"Yeah. I see so little of her, you know."

"What's her excuse? Work?"

"Something like that. A project. She was fuzzy on the details. "

"Sounds weirdly mysterious."

"Yeah."

"I know it's hard but didn't you think she might not make it anyway?"

"Yeah. But I didn't think…"

She bit her tongue. The tears that Sol had been holding back thus far came trickling down. Joon-hwi was taken aback by the sudden change in mood.

"I had no idea that you would take it this hard."

Sol suddenly threw her arms around him and started blubbering. "I really miss her."

Joon-hwi sat in bewildered silence as Sol buried her face in his chest and the muffled bawling set his ears on fire.

Is this code for Han Joon-hwi's timing is lousy?

Present…

"So Doc, what do you think?"

"It is odd. If you hadn't said anything, I would not have looked. But a temporal lobectomy was performed. Definitely done post-mortem."

"Temporal lobectomy?"

"Uhm yes… The removal of part of the anterior temporal lobe with the amygdala and hippocampus. A surgery usually performed for people with temporal lobe epilepsy."

"So are you saying that someone was doing epilepsy surgery after he died?"

"That's what it looks like."

"Why?"

"Curiosity maybe."

"Curiosity about what?"

The medical examiner shrugged his shoulders. "You're the detective here."

"Doctor, aren't the amygdala and hippocampus related to memory?"

"Yes." The medical examiner looked the young prosecutor, the questioning look on his face gradually twisted into one of repugnance. "You don't think…"

"You are the expert, you tell me."

"What is it, Doc?" Detective Kim glanced at both men quizzically.

"Prosecutor Han, you can't be suggesting that someone was experimenting with this man's explicit memory centre."

"I don't know. I'm just guessing."

"But why?"

"Immemoratio… wasn't that what Lee Do-hyun wrote in his notebook? He wanted to forget."

"It's crazy."

"Probably." Joon-hwi was nodding slowly. "It would explain a few things though."

"Like the mystery heart attack."

"That's one of them."

Detective Kim who had been silent spoke up. "Is it possible, Doc? To help someone deliberately lose their memories?"

"It is possible. But this surgery was done after the deceased died. What would be the point of that?"

"What about… let's say… a drug?"

"I don't know of any."

"What if it's experimental still?"

"It's an interesting question. I haven't heard anything. But it would create an entire ethical minefield."

"Maybe that's why you haven't heard anything."

"Who in your professional opinion would do something like this, Doc?"

The medical examiner contemplated some moments before speaking.

"Someone with medical training and would have to have access to a lab. A reasonably good, well-stocked one. Well-funded too. Finding subjects for a clinical trial would be the biggest hurdle, in my opinion."

"How would someone go about finding subjects?"

"If it were me, I suppose I would be canvassing the psychiatric facilities or clinics. Homeless shelters. That sort of thing. Mental health support groups etc."

"Would this be the work of one person?"

"Unlikely."

"While Munchausen Syndrome is notoriously difficult to diagnose, I'm not convinced that Lee Min-seok is suffering from Munchausen. I've also checked with the prison authorities and he hasn't been to the sick bay once the entire time he's been in Yi-jong Penitentiary. Before he was brought up on medical malpractice, he had no history of any serious illness, real or otherwise. The prison guards report that he has the occasional nightmare and he generally keeps to himself in a depressed state. So in all likelihood the PTSD is a viable diagnosis. If you want, I can get another opinion."

"No need. This will do for now, Doc. We just wanted to confirm a few suspicions that's all.

"Dr Song, this is Prosecutor Han Joon-hwi here, do you know of any kind of experimental treatment that can help PTSD victims eliminate nightmares or forget their trauma."

"None that I know of. The difficulty with that would be isolating those memories although there are theories that suggest that the brain's own forgetting mechanisms related to an inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA (y-aminobutyric acid) can be manipulated for such a purpose."

"That's interesting. Thanks Doctor. I'd like to talk more to you about this in future, would that be alright?"

"No problems. I'll send through Lee Seok-min's report when I get off this video conference."

"Looking forward to it, Doc. Thanks again."

Detective Kim logged off and gave his attention to the rest of the RIU briefing.

"We've been talking to the hospital about the medical malpractice incident and it seemed the professor who was also his supervisor was finally forced to leave the hospital last year despite his connections. It exactly wasn't the first or last time he committed medical malpractice."

"So Lee Min-seok's story checks out."

"Apparently."

"What an elaborate scheme to do a frame-up job! A lot of people lied."

"A lot of people were paid to lie. The professor was the brother of Gasung's CEO. He donated a healthy sum to the hospital. But he became too much of a liability."

A number of frustrated sighs were accompanied by eye rolls. Someone piped up and said what everybody was thinking. "People with money they think they can solve every problem with money …"

"We will definitely have to look into that Dr Jeon again and do an extensive background check right down to where she does her grocery shopping and what toilet paper she buys. She has got to be the key."

"And Lee Min-seok's lawyer. He reeks of rotten fish."

"And Lee Min-seok's lawyer."

Glancing around the table Kim Ju-Hyuk noticed Joon-hwi's glum expression. He was looking grave and hadn't been contributing to the conversation.

"Why what's wrong, Han pro?"

"I'm really hoping that no one in the prosecutor's office was also involved in setting Lee Min-seok up."

Detective Kim let the implication of that statement sink in before saying, "Same. Or from the police."

On saying so, the two men turn to face the rest of the team with uncharacteristic grimness.

Detective Kim Ju-hyuk's portly figure made for a fascinating silhouette in the deputy chief prosecutor's window. It made for an interesting backdrop in a room already filling up with tension. He had his back to Lee Jun-ho so he couldn't see how livid the other man other man's tone of voice however gave it away.

"You must have gone mad. You don't really believe I was involved in some kind of conspiracy, do you?"

Detective Kim turned to look at his former classmate squarely in the eyes. Although he had his doubts he was showing no mercy.

"Were you… involved in some kind of cover-up?"

"Of course not! It's ridiculous that you're even thinking that."

"Well, I have to ask because the case against Lee Min-seok is not as watertight as you claimed. Your lot were either really sloppy or you set him up really neatly."

"These are serious accusations, Kim Ju-hyuk."

"Do you think I don't know that? I have proof, Deputy Chief Lee Jun-ho."

"Did Han Joon-hwi put you up to this? Some kind of pay back for taking him off the case?"

"If you think that, you don't know him as well as you think. You might not know this but the world doesn't revolve around you or this prosecutor's office."

The deputy chief must have seen the sense of this because he went on to say,

"Prosecutor Oh only followed up on what you cops did."

"Don't worry I'm looking into things at my end as well. But Prosecutor Oh had better get his story straight if he wants to hang on to his head and his job."

"I did follow up on the evidence. Dr Jeon Dong-kyung claimed that Lee Min-seok was faking his PTSD. She is one of the leading PTSD experts in the country."

Prosecutor Oh was immediately on the defensive. Han Joon-hwi was spoiling for something. He was a dark cloud that boded something sinister. A fight or a tongue-lashing. Prosecutor Oh couldn't be sure but he had his elevator speech ready.

"You didn't think to get a second opinion? Experts can get it wrong."

"I didn't think I needed to. Her diagnosis made sense and I never imagined that she would lie about that. What reason would she have to do that?"

What reasons would she have to do that indeed?

"And did you even look into his story — the hospital incident?"

"I questioned the staff and they all insisted that the surgical malpractice was his fault. They told me the same story. He was an arrogant jerk who thought he was better than everyone else. Some even thought he might have been drinking."

"And you didn't think all that raised any red flags? A resident in that condition should have been thrown out before the surgery started. The professor should have been held responsible for that as well. Do you know that the professor in charge of that operation was sacked last year for another medical incident?"

"But that was after the trial. How was I suppose to know that Lee Min-seok was being set-up? He also seemed mentally unstable."

"Mentally instability doesn't mean that a man's murderer. It is our job to investigate thoroughly and pick up on any kind of suspicious clues."

"The pressure was on to indict. The higher ups, the politicians were all on our case. So were the media. We aren't all geniuses like you, Prosecutor Han Joon-hwi."

"So that's your excuse for not doing your job well?"

Prosecutor Oh had a feeling that he'd crossed some kind of line and retreated. "It's not an excuse. I just… You don't understand. Everything comes easily to you."

"Everything? Comes easily? What makes you think that? The Lee Min-seok case? I was taken off that, remember?"

Prosecutor Oh had nothing to say.

"Do you think it's easy being me?" Seeing the downcast and remorseful look on his colleague's face, Joon-hwi was a lot calmer. "Getting into trouble for asking questions. Accused of being nosy. Being treated like an outcast for doing my job. Known around here as the resident troublemaker. Which part of that is easy? Tell me."

Three years ago…

She was pacing up and down at the far end of an enormous room like a nervous cat. The meeting place: an abandoned building which once was a textile factory that fell prey to an offshore move. There were plenty of those dotted around the region to testify to a bygone era of prosperity. For Sol the ambience around the dilapidated building was entirely unnerving.

"Erica Shin?"

Sol was a bundle of nerves ready to explode or implode. She couldn't decide. Her state of mind was such that anything could be possible. So she stuck her hands into her jacket pocket to hide them so that no one could see how much she was shaking all over.

"Black Bear?"

The plan was to make contact with the informant and grab the package — some inside scoop on Pyramid Pharmaceuticals — and just take off. She had rehearsed this numerous times. It wasn't hard to copy Dan's mannerisms. She had managed to fool her study mates once and convinced a corrupt assemblyman. A stranger should be much easier. Plus she was wearing an earpiece so that Nick Cho could come in and save the day if needed. Nevertheless she was fevently hoping that no rescuing would be required.

"You have something for me?"

The informant had consequential intel that Pyramid was nvolved in some kind of illegal dumping of falsified or substandard drugs in Africa. These drugs not only drain important financial resources in cash-strapped states but they compromised the immunity of those who consume them. Most of these drugs purport to be antibiotics and anti-malarial treatments but are often medications that had gone past their used-by date. There were also of experimental drugs being circulated in the populations. The informant had reached out to Dan via her website claiming to have incontrovertible proof that Pyramid was involved. But he wanted money for his trouble. He had medical bills piled as high as Mt Halla. Or so he said.

When she heard this, the passionate heart of Sol was moved to act. She couldn't not. It would be her undoing eventually but she didn't think it would happen so soon in her still young life.

The informant dressed in a black face mask and a dull gray hoodie jacket waved the prized manilla envelop around. He was standing a few metres away. Which should have been a cause for suspicion.

"Do you have the cash?"

Sol waved a small brief case around tentatively. The adrenaline must have kicked in because she was feeling more confident, "Show me the envelop first. I have to be sure before I give you any money."

Black Bear obligingly slid the envelope across the concrete over to where Sol was standing.

However, when she bent over to pick it up he reached for his back pocket and pulled out a menacing looking hand weapon — a Parabellum, standard military issue — and aimed it directly at her.

"Give me back the envelop and the money," he demanded. The realisation that Black Bear wasn't interested conducting a mutually beneficial transaction sent shock waves through pistol was certainly not part of the deal. It was a variable that could only end in tears for her.

"Why?"

"I need the money. There's someone else prepared to pay more."

What a nuisance. Money. Don't people do anything just because it's the right thing anymore?

Despite the bravado and the piece of armament to support his cause, Black Bear, however, was not well-served by them. On the contrary his hands and legs were quaking.

"Put that gun down, you idiot, before one of us gets killed."

Sol made her move towards him. She took one slow step and then another.

"Don't come any closer Ms Shin. I'll shoot."

The threat worked. Sol stopped in her tracks and nervously raised both hands up in a posture of surrender.

In her earpiece Sol could hear Nick Cho saying to her. "Stay where you are Kang Sol. I'll come to you."

"He's going to take everything and leave."

"He won't. But don't do anything to agitate him."

"Too late, he's already agitated."

It was a moment or two before Black Bear realised that Erica Shin (or the woman he thought was Erica Shin) was not alone.

"Kang Sol, stay put."

"What if he shoots before you get here?"

"Who are you talking to?" Black Bear was looking around. He was waving the pistol around erratically which only made Sol even more anxious than she was.

"Do you know how to use that thing?"

"I know enough."

"Just don't shoot yourself in the foot."

"Keep him occupied but don't provoke him."

"Somehow that doesn't inspire a lot of confidence."

"Are you talking to someone?"

"Yes, you."

"I could swear you were talking to someone else."

"How much is the other buyer offering you?"

"Enough. More than enough."

"Take the envelope back. Go ahead. But the money stays with me."

"Aren't you afraid I might shoot? You might die." Black Bear was fanning the pistol carelessly indicative of his state of mind.

"Of course I don't want to die. I'm too young and I'm going to get married. But you're more likely to shoot yourself in the foot. You're bluffing."

"I'm not."

"Shoot me then."

As if on cue, Sol heard a whip-like crack from a distance and Black Bear was down. Instinctively she followed suit. Gradually she noticed was a puddle of blood forming around Black Bear.

Damn! That Nick Cho. He didn't have to shoot him.

Speaking of the devil, the man himself appeared on the scene. "Kang Sol! Are you alright?"

"You didn't have to shoot him. He was just greedy."

"I didn't. It was a long-range rifle probably from another location coming at your 1 o'clock. "

Before Sol could react she heard another crack but this time it was too close for comfort.

"What the heck is going on? Why is someone trying to kill us? I'm not a bad person even if I'm a lawyer."

"Kang Sol, we need to get out of here now."

"Can we do this without getting killed?"

"Help should be on the way."

Before she could say another word, a large dark-coloured van came crashing through the main entrance, screeched round the corner and stopped right in front of them.