Chapter 63: Camp
Samuel was about six years older than his boss, but they had both begun their military training around the same time. President Lee was probably thirteen at the time, but even before then, everyone knew he would regularly stay at the base to hone his skills. Samuel remembered being in awe of the boy who could drop grown men. It was why he jumped at the opportunity to work for the man when he was given the chance. He found it to be the safest option. Someone so capable would not require much of his personal guard detail. Thus far, he had been correct. Other than a few laughable assassination attempts, working for President Lee was smooth sailing. Returning his mind to the current situation, Samuel felt a little guilty and it clearly showed on his face. Observing the guilty expression on the man, President Lee calmly asked.
"Tell me, what's going on between them?" He used one of his clasped fingers to point in the direction of where Mina was being held.
Samuel held nothing back. He told his boss that Mina had been trying to engage them in conversation for a few days before the maid; Tara, gave in and spoke to the girl. He told his boss that while they knew Mina's name, she did not know their names and she called them by names she made up on her own; he was called brother 'A'. Samuel told his boss that the conversations between Mina and Tara were always innocent and that he closely monitored their relationship. He explained that because they were not given an express order not to engage Mina, he allowed Mina to give Tara tips on her schoolwork. Samuel said that he noticed the girl in the room become more coherent and livelier after they started to speak to her and because she, somehow reminded him of his younger sister, he became more flexible. He also told his boss that because the three of them knew Mina would not survive this ordeal, they did not perceive her as a threat.
Samuel dropped to his knees and continued his confession. He did not have any requests other than for President Lee to allow his wife and child to live. He expected President Lee to kill him on the spot but instead the man followed up with another question.
"What made you feel like you could trust that woman?" President Lee asked. In all honesty Samuel did not know why he trusted the girl, but he still tried to explain.
It was not just that Mina was always kind, but it was the fact that she knew she was going to die but she did not let it bother her. He explained to his boss that he had never seen Mina shed a single tear, and when he asked her about it, she said it was because she knew she would die with a clear conscience. In addition, Tara had asked her several times if she needed anything and she rejected her offers every time, saying that a conversation was enough.
Samuel having experience with hostages and captive situations found her behavior odd but admirable. Mina had taken responsibility for her own actions and had fully accepted the consequences. She only hoped to get the polygraph over with and be given a peaceful death. She held no illusions about being released. Her sole purpose for reaching out was because she did not want to go crazy before dying. He told president Lee that Mina's morale aligned with his own, so he sympathized with the girl, but he assured his boss that he was ready to kill her in the next minute if ordered to do so.
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Ian listened to the man speak and believed his words. Samuel was a born and bred soldier, but he could also be sentimental. That is what president Lee liked about the man. He valued the life of others even though he could take a life in an instant. Ian did not like people who killed without consideration. In his opinion those people could be easily bought by an enemy. The man before him had not truly disobeyed orders, in fact, Mina's mental state may have been preserved by Samuel's decision to act independently. Still, he could not just allow either man to walk away unscathed.
President Lee ordered the man to enter an intense boot camp for six weeks. This 'camp' was a form of punishment for soldiers under the Lee group. If they were able to survive, they were given another chance, however not many were able to survive. The man nodded in his boss's direction but did not leave until he was ordered to do so. Before he left, President Lee reminded him to take Bressaw with him, but to leave the maid behind. If either man returned from this ordeal, he was confident that they would not make such mistakes again.
Yes, Mina did not seem dangerous and was probably not a threat to either man, but they had overlooked that she had yet to be given a polygraph and that even if she were completely telling the truth, it was likely that there was someone powerful pulling the strings in the shadows. If they did not learn their lesson now, they would be useless to him in the future, however if they could learn from this, they would be invaluable.
From his laptop, Ian could see Bressaw hugging a still crying Tara. He turned on his audio and heard the girl saying that this was all her fault. If she had not engaged Mina first, then none of the events that transpired would have happened. She cried as she made Bressaw promise he would come back safe. She clutched at his uniform with a grip so tight that, even from the far angle of the camera, Ian could see that her knuckles had turned white. Bressaw of course did not promise. He simply kissed her forehead and pulled himself free of her grasp. He did not look back as he exited the room.
Ian felt a little remorse as he thought of his nan and her husband. 'Why did Lee soldiers always fall in love with Lee maids?' He thought.