Saturday

Chapter 5

Just after dawn, a car drives into the trading camp. From the distance, Tony, Gibbs and Cal watch with their binoculars. The car stops in the camp. A man, wearing, in what seems to be an expensive suit, steps out of the car. The driver remains inside. A Korean man approaches the man in the suit. They shake hands. The Korean man motions for someone to come over. Another Korean man approaches; a translator. Through the translator, the two men are able to communicate.

They walk to the slave pen. The man in the suit points to Chioke as he's interested in purchasing him but wants to examine him first. The Korean man motions and tells the guard to take the kid out of the pen. Chioke is taken out.

Right in front of the slave pen, the man in the suit begins to examine Chioke. The man picks and pokes at Chioke. He lifts Chioke's shirt in order to get a better look at what he might purchase. Chioke is frightened as he doesn't know what's going on. The man in the suit looks up at the Korean man. He starts shouting. The translator tells the Korean man what is said. The two argue back and forth through the translator over the price of the child. After a couple minutes, a price is agreed upon. Chioke is shoved back into the slave pen. The three men, the Korean, the translator and the man in the suit, walk away in order to speak about where and how the child will be transported to the designated destination.

Finally, the man in the suit leaves the trading camp. The Koreans received part of the purchase cost up front. The rest of the money will be received upon arrival of the purchased child to the destination.

The Koreans take Chioke out of the slave pen. Chioke is brought to one of the huts. He will be prepared in order to leave and be taken to his destination. Chioke is given a bath, clean clothes and food.

About two hours later, Chioke is placed inside of a truck. Once inside, the Koreans bound his hands and feet. They also place a blindfold over his eyes. Chioke can now hardly move since his bound hands and feet are tied to the wall of the truck. Two men finally get in the truck; driver's seat and passenger's seat. The truck drives away and out of the trading camp.

The truck is heading north, up toward the China boarder. Chioke will be transported through China in order to reach the destination.

Already an hour away from the trading camp, the van suddenly stops. The men begin yelling in the Korean language. There's a log blocking the road. The men are forced to exit from the vehicle in order to move the log. They leave their weapons in the truck. The two Koreans approach the log. As soon as they place their hands onto the log, Tony, Gibbs and Cal pop out from the brush. Guns are immediately pointed at the two Koreans. With being unarmed, they raise their hands into the air and plea for their lives in their native language.

"What do we do with these two?" Tony wondered.

"There's only one thing we can do." Cal answered.

Tony wants to go into the truck to see Chioke, but the two Koreans need to be dealt with first. The two Koreans are escorted deep into the brush. They're forced to kneel. Cal places his assault rifle over his shoulder. He takes out a handgun and attaches a silencer. The two Koreans know what's about to happen so they plea for their lives. Cal walks behind the Koreans. He points the gun to the back of one of their heads.

"You can go now, Tony." Gibbs said. "There's no way these guys are getting away now."

Tony bolts away as fast as he can. Gibbs looks away. Cal pulls the trigger. The first Korean drops to the ground. Cal points the gun to the second Korean; to the back of his head. He pulls the trigger. The second Korean drops to the ground. Together, Gibbs and Cal gather leaves in order to cover the bodies.

Tony approaches the truck. He opens quickly opens the back. Tony's heart beats rapidly as he sees Chioke bound and tied to the side wall. He enters into the vehicle. Chioke begins shaking as he doesn't know who is approaching or what they're going to do to him. Speechlessness takes over as Tony feel so relieved that Chioke is now safe. Tony gently lifts the blindfold off of the shivering Chioke.

"Hey Kiddo." Tony said with a smile as Chioke is now able to see him.

Chioke turns his head in order to look away. Tony begins untying Chioke. Once Chioke is fully untied, Tony tries to wrap his arms around him. Chioke is pushing Tony away as he's confused and unsure if this is real or not. Tony's heart breaks as Chioke is pushing him away.

"Chioke… Please stop." Tony said. He continues to struggle. "Chioke…" Tony is finally able to wrap his arms around Chioke. Tony starts crying. "I'm sorry I couldn't rescue you sooner. I'm so sorry, Chioke." He becomes emotional at this point. "I'm so sorry this happened. Please forgive me, Chioke. I should've been there to protect you." As Tony continues holding Chioke tightly, Chioke's eyes become watery. "Your safety is all that matters to me. If you never forgive me, I'll understand. I really hope you do cause I can't lose you again, Kid. You're a part of my life. I love you."

With the sincerity of Tony's voice, Chioke finally wraps his arms around Tony. He holds onto Tony as tightly as he possibly can. After a minute, Chioke leans back; away from Tony.

'Love you too.' Chioke signed with his hands. 'I left wonder if you really love me or not. I hated you for not coming get me. I sorry I doubt you.'

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about." Tony wraps his arms around Chioke again.

Chioke twitches as Tony's hand brushes against his lower back. With the look in Chioke face, Tony can tell he's hurt. Tony gently lifts Chioke's shirt. He looks at Chioke's back. Tony sees two marks. The mark on the middle of Chioke's back isn't as bad as the lower one. Tony's heart breaks because where Chioke was hit on his lower back, it tore the skin.

"Oh God…" Tony cried.

'I try give others food. I get hit.' Chioke signed as a couple tears falls from his eyes. 'They make back hurt.'

"I'm so sorry." Tony cried as he wipes Chioke's tears away.

'Not you fault.' Chioke signed. 'Say sorry is sign of weakness.'

"Next, you'll be smacking me on the back of the head." Tony chuckled. Chioke leans up and smacks Tony on the back of the head. He smiles innocently. "You little rascal."

Tony wraps his arms around Chioke again. For Tony, he's happy, yet sad at the same time. Tony's happy he has Chioke back, but sad because Chioke is hurt. For Chioke, he's just happy to be in the loving arms of his father again.

Tony lifts Chioke into his arms and carries him out of the truck. Cal sits in the driver's seat of the vehicle. He puts the key in the ignition. The engine starts. Cal drives the truck deep into the brush in order to get it away from the road.

Gibbs, Tony and Chioke enter inside Cal's van which is hidden behind a nearby hill. Once in the van, Chioke and Tony move all the way to the back. Tony lies on the floor and Chioke curls up next to him. Gibbs lies on the floor behind the driver and passenger seats.

After a couple minutes, Cal finally returns. He enters into the driver's seat. The key is placed into the ignition. The engine starts. The van is now in motion to get back onto the road. The vehicle is moving south. They need to cross the boarder into South Korea before being clear of danger.

While driving, Cal reaches into his pocket. He pulls out a key from his pocket.

"Mr. Gibbs…" Cal tries to get his attention. Gibbs moves his position and looks at him.

"Yes?"

"Take this key." He hands the key to Gibbs. "When I drop you off at the airport in Seoul, go to locker number one hundred, fifty-six. Inside you'll find all the most recent Intel I've collected on the slave trading. Transporting the slaves through China is the key to it all. The North Koreans have to transport the slaves through China because the South Koreans patrol their waters and would try to put an end to it. There's too much tension between them. So their only option is going through China. If your government puts enough pressure on the Chinese government and acquires the aid of Japan, then the slave trade out of North Korea will end. It's very important your government receives…"

"I'll make sure my government receives the Intel."

The vehicle continues moving south. Gibbs and Cal continue to talk to each other since it will be a few hours before they reach the boarder. In the back of the van, Chioke remains curled in Tony's arms.