6 Chapter 6

Seoul, Korea

Outside The Noodle House

A news van pulled up to the end of the block and Jae could see the cameraman sitting inside, waiting. It wasn’t a very reputable news team, they were considered freelances that sold their stories to the highest bidder. But they were a thorn in the side of NuStarr Talent Management and Myo Mi-Sun.

“Why the concern, Chairman Hu?” Lula asked.

They had prepared three contingency plans in case something happened.

Nothing sold a job better than showing readiness and allowing the client to see firsthand what you can do.

“The one responsible for the invasion of this event,” Jae said, motioning towards the van, “is Ong Se-Ri, and she’s a problem. The reporter for their entertainment news segments was a childhood friend of Myo Mi-Sun,” he explained. “They were both signed to NuStarr at the same time and went on many casting calls together. Problem was, Myo Mi-Sun always got the job. Resentment bloomed in Ong Se-Ri’s heart, and instead of being happy for her friend’s success, she resented her for it. Every tasteless and slander ridden story Myo Mi-Sun was the feature of, it was because of Ong Se-Ri’s overly active and hate-fueled imagination. Most certainly they will twist my niece’s intentions with seeing the firemen and thanking them personally into something scandalous.”

Lula nodded her understanding. “Lucky for you, Chairman Hu, we came prepared for just this type of situation. Notify your son via mobile phone that whatever Fire Inspector Bae Kwan tells him to do is at your request for Myo Mi-Sun’s safety,” she instructed, watching out the windows.

Jae did as instructed.

Lula knew that Kita would have already made the call to Fire Inspector Bae Kwan, and that he was nearly in position.

As if on cue, Kita appeared behind the idling van, as if he just suddenly appeared out of thin air like a magician’s assistant.

“How did he… Wasn’t he just here?” Jae stammered, looking around the empty noodle house. “What is he doing?” he asked.

Lula smirked. “Do you know what the easiest way to contain a threat that has inadvertently trapped themselves within in their own vehicle is?” she rhetorically asked.

He shook his head.

“By doing just that,” Lula mused. “Trap them within the confines of their vehicle.”

Kita was behind the van, and he pulled long zip-ties from the inside of the sleeve of his suit jacket and went to work. He pulled one through the handles at the back of the van, wrapping it around the other then pulled it tight. He repeated with the doors next, tying the front to the sliding side door, securing them together.

Jae watched with wide eyes, impressed that those in the van didn’t even notice the man that was locking them inside it.

Kita stayed low and flat against the sides, his black on black suit causing him to seemingly blend into the dark vehicle’s exterior.

The windows in the van were up, and they needed to stay that way.

Kita pulled a leather billfold from the inside of his jacket pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a metal credit card. He folded it in half then slid the thin metal strip along the window and weather seal on the door before folding down one of the strips, wedging it in there.

“Ingenious,” Jae said, impressed. “How are they going to get-” his question cut off when the siren from a firetruck split the quiet ambiance of the noodle house.

A red and white firetruck pulled out and turned onto the road and went the opposite direction of the man in the black on black suit that was walking away as the back tires on the news van rapidly deflated from the slices in each.

In under sixty seconds, the strangers applying for the job of security for his niece seemingly took care of a potential situation with impressive ease.

“You’re hired,” Jae said, pocketing his mobile phone.

Lula smirked, fighting the urge to say she knows.

On the speeding firetruck, Dae-Ho used his mobile phone to get some picture of his smiling cousin that was wearing a fireman’s jacket and helmet. His father texted him and said to follow the instructions of Inspector Bae Kwan because Ong Se-Ri’s goons were out front.

Rain had no idea that the trip on the firetruck and outfit wasn’t simply to fulfill a childhood dream. She had always wanted to play a fireman or first responder in a film, but could never land the role; she was too girl next door to be considered the savior. Myo Mi-Sun was jumping up and down with excitement that Inspector Bae Kwan suggested they go for a ride on the truck, and they even let her use the siren and horn.

Truth was, Inspector Bae Kwan had been approached earlier in the day by Myo Mi-Sun’s “security team” and knew this was a potential exit strategy. The woman in charge of security provided him with very specific instructions for security when Myo Mi-Sun was on site. Those instructions were for three different means of extraction and another two for crowd control if needed. The instructions were simple enough, and seemed completely legit.

Inspector Bae Kwan didn’t know that those giving him orders weren’t sanctioned to do so.

The letterhead the orders were on Lucien got by simply walking off the elevator at NuStarr Talen Management and asking if he could get a couple pieces of paper because he forgot his resume at home. The flirting interns were more than happy to give him whatever he wanted, and that included letterhead and business cards that were altered by his sister at the hotel.

Utilizing the firetruck would allow them to get the target out of the area, and take them to their waiting car five blocks over.

Lucien notified the hired driver of where to pick them up, and gave them Myo Mi-Sun’s mobile phone to give back to her. In his mind, that would translate to the driver being exactly where they were because Chairman Hu directed them to be there.

Lucien would stay back in the shadows and make sure it was a clear getaway. If needed, he’d stage a distraction in the street so they could get away. He only hoped it didn’t involve getting embedded in a windshield again, like the last time, but when his sister was involved it was usually painful.

Kita wasn’t as theatrical as Lula, and preferred the inconspicuous method.

Lucien, he was in the middle; inconspicuous when possible and over the top when needed.

It was what made the three the best at personal security there was.

Lucien only hoped it wouldn’t blow up in their faces if the truth came out as to why they were there now and what it was that forced them to South Korea of all places for a job.

avataravatar
Next chapter