The Cabinet

by Un-su Kim

  “You’re more fun than I thought you’d be. I like that,” the man said with a smile.

  The man lifted me up as I gasped for air, leaned me up against the operating table, then with one hand pressed down gently on my chest as he grabbed my belt with the other hand. Then, as if he were a cornerman standing in front of his boxer at the end of a round, he pulled my belt toward him as he said, “Breathe–”

  After he did this about ten times, I finally raised my hand to tell him I was fine. The man laid me down on the operating table and restrained both my arms and legs to the rails. This time I didn’t fight him. To be honest, I had no more strength left in me, so I didn’t really have a choice in the matter. Once I was resting on the table, the man started inspecting the drugs and operating tools. He then shoved the cart to the wall, went over to the blinds to look out as he had earlier, and lit a cigarette. He came back toward me after he finished.

  “Let’s get started, shall we? Quick and easy, for both you and me. The longer things like this take, the more uncomfortable and tiresome it’ll be. I’m not asking for any help. Let’s just do what’s best for both of us. I know this isn’t the most pleasant situation for you, but we should avoid making it any worse. Don’t you agree?”

  I couldn’t quite place my finger on it, but the man’s gentle tone was somehow reminiscent of a soldier’s.

  “Here are the rules for this little tête-à-tête. First, I want short answers. Avoid as much as possible any unnecessary modifiers or conjunctions like ‘but,’ ‘however,’ ‘nevertheless.’ And, if possible, don’t use adverbs or adjectives. I don’t like overly descriptive language. So, answer in the simplest, most concise sentences you know how to make. Understood?”

  Lying on the table, I nodded my head.

  “Second, tell me as much as you can. And if you have any secrets that you must guard, you better hope they’re kept perfectly hidden in a place I can’t find them. Because if I get even the slightest inkling that you’re hiding something, it’s going to be a long day for you. And you will tell me all your secrets, believe me. Just for your information, I’ve been professionally trained for this. From my experience, there’s only a handful of people in the whole entire world who could walk out of this room with their secrets. In other words, if you aren’t one of those people, you better just tell me everything from the get-go. If you make me wait, you’re going to pay the price. Understood?”

  Again, I nodded my head.

  “Third, don’t change your story in the middle. If you change your story, we’re going to need to start over again so I can get the real story. That means we’ll need to go through everything a second time. It’s only going to result in more pain, for the both of us. Understood?”

  I nodded my head once more.

  “Please remember these rules. If you follow them closely, we’ll be able to finish this without any pain. My teacher taught me that good questions result in good answers. I’ll try my best to ask you specific questions. I only ask that you try your best to give me good answers. Are you ready?”

  I nodded my head. But ready for what? I had no idea what I was nodding for. The man walked over to the desk and brought over a document. He then began his interrogation.

  “Are you familiar with the chimera files?”

  “Yes.”

  “Have you ever seen the chimera files?”

  “No.”

  “Do you know a man by the name of Kim Woo-sang?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you remember for how long you were in contact with Mr Kim?”

  “From July of 1998 to October of 2001. We met once a month.”

  “Good. You’re doing great. Just keep answering just like you are now. According to the report I have here, you managed Mr Kim’s lab data for three years. Is this correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “The name of the file you managed for Mr Kim – its title was ‘CHIMERA D303417 – GINKGO TREE MAN KIM WOO-SANG.’ Correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, isn’t that strange. Didn’t you just say you have never seen a chimera file? So, which one is it?”

  “The documents I wrote up were consultation logs and records of observation. Basic documents. They’re not the chimera files the syndicate is looking for. What the syndicate wants are documents containing genetic engineering technology for hybrid humans, right? I’ve never been involved with any such research. I didn’t even know Professor Kwon was doing such research.”

  “So, let me get this straight, you did basic research together, but you didn’t know the goals of that research or where the data is? Is that right?”

  “I’m not a scientist, so I was never actually capable of doing any research. I didn’t do any basic research together with Professor Kwon; I only organized the files.”

  “You’re the only assistant to Professor Kwon, are you not?”

  “I am.”

  “There were no other assistants?”

  “None.”

  “That must mean he destroyed forty years’ worth of data. And because you were only his assistant for seven years, you don’t know whether those files still exist?”

  “Yes.”

  “You’re aware that those files are immensely valuable, yes?”

  “I don’t know how valuable they are precisely. But I was offered two billion won.”

  “Were you aware that fourteen years ago, Professor Kwon attempted deals with the former Soviet Union once, and with a German company three times?”

  “I was not.”

  “Then what exactly do you know about the chimera files?”

  “I know that they no longer exist.”

  “How can you be sure they don’t exist anymore?”

  “Because Professor Kwon told me that he burned them all.”

  “I’m a sensible man. And a sensible man would not be able to understand the things you’ve told me up to this point. Professor Kwon cancelled the contract during negotiations with the German company because the price and terms were not to his liking. And you’re telling me he just threw them in a fire?”

  “As I said, I wasn’t aware that he tried to make deals with the Soviet Union or some German company, as you say. I wasn’t even employed at this company at that time. All I told you was what Professor Kwon told me.”

  “Then why did he burn them?”

  “He thought that they weren’t of use to humanity. He might have thought that the syndicate would use them for evil; or maybe he finally realized later that he had made a monster, like Frankenstein.”

  “How romantic. Fourteen years ago, he tried to sell them, and then over the next fourteen years he changed his mind and burned them – those files that were worth trillions, maybe tens of trillions of won. I have a hard time believing that.”

  “Believe it or don’t, that’s what he told me.”

  “Then I’ll ask you again. Are there any chimera files?”

  “I told you, they don’t exist anymore.”

  “Perhaps they do exist, and you just don’t know where they are.”

  “They don’t exist.”

  “Professor Kwon didn’t give you – his only successor – any clues?”

  “How many times do I have to say it? He gave me no such thing.”

  “And everything you told me is the truth?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you have no interest in changing your story?”

  “Obviously. It’s the truth.”

  “Tell me, do you know that hot water freezes faster than cold water?”

  “Come again?”

  “It’s really strange. How can boiling water turn to ice faster than water that’s been sitting in the refrigerator? I’ve never been able to wrap my head around it.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  The man didn’t answer my question. Instead, he dragged the cart with its surgical tools next to the operating table. He then put on some latex surgical gloves. On the cart were an assortment of surgical tool
s, six neatly aligned bottles of medicine, and an icebox with packs of blood used for transfusions.

  “It says you’re type O blood on the chart. Is that correct?”

  “What are you doing?”

  My question clearly made him annoyed.

  “What I asked of you was simple. Anyone could do it with a bit of care. If you followed my rules, no harm would come to you. Just give me straightforward answers. Everything in order. Is that such a difficult request? You’re really starting to get on my nerves. You better watch it. I’ll ask you again. Are you type O blood?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I’m now going to perform a little experiment with you. Don’t worry. I’ll use anesthetic so you won’t feel any pain. I don’t like playing stupid games by beating people to a pulp with a club or giving them electric shocks. It’s a waste of time. And that’s because easily repeatable injuries never made someone talk. No, I plan to cut off a part of your body. But don’t worry, it won’t be a vital part. I’ll take a toe, a finger, an ear, your nose, then your cock – in that order. Think about it carefully. Think about whether what you’re protecting is worth it, Mr Kong. Think long and hard about how much you can take. If what you’re saying is true, you better try everything in your power to convince me of it. If I believe you only after I’ve cut off a finger or a toe, it’ll be a damn shame for the both of us.”

  At that moment, I should have spoken up, but everything the man was saying was so unreal, and I was so overcome with fear. As my surroundings started to fade into blackness, all I could see was the man’s lips as they moved on their own like some cartoon character. I couldn’t understand what he was saying anymore. Strangely enough, I thought to myself how good of a talker he was. Why was he explaining everything to me in such detail? The man lifted my foot and stuck my pinky toe with an anesthetic needle. He then poked at my toe with the needle and watched my expression. All the feeling in my pinky toe had been lost. He picked up the shears. I heard a metallic snip come from the shears as one of my toes fell to the floor. As there was no pain when the toe was severed, it didn’t feel like it had been my toe that had dropped off. I looked at the toe, then back at the man with utter astonishment. The man had no expression on his face as he picked my toe up off the ground with a pair of forceps and showed it to me.

  My god. He had really cut if off! My toe!

  “Felt like nothing, didn’t it?” he asked with a smile. I just continued to look at him with a blank stare. Everything felt so surreal.

  “I use anesthetic,” the man began, “because I value efficiency. The pain caused by cutting off toes willy-nilly only wastes a bunch of time. People kick and scream and do all sorts of unnecessary whining. That only prolongs the interrogation. And I hate loud noises. It all makes for a very tiresome and bothersome experience for me. But if you numb them, they can approach pain and loss more rationally. To help you, I’m going place each of your severed body parts here for you to see.”

  The man placed my severed pinky toe atop a white illuminated table. The toe, which changed to a strange color in the fluorescent light, was still trickling blood. The man took off his latex gloves and went over to the blinds again for a smoke. I continued to look at my pinky toe on the illuminated table. As I stared at it, my chest felt like it was going to burst with fear. The man returned to the operating table after he had finished his cigarette.

  “Let’s start from the top again. Where are the chimera files?”

  “Just tell me what to do. I’ll do whatever you want.”

  I was discombobulated and desperate.

  “All you need to do is tell the truth. That’s all I need. I’ll ask it again. Where are the chimera files?”

  “I don’t know. But if they do exist, I can find them for you. Really.”

  “I hate when people repeat themselves. And you changed your story. That’ll cost you. This time, it’ll be a finger as punishment.”

  The man put anesthesia in my left pinky. He then checked with the tip of the needle to see if the anesthetic had kicked in. “I’m sorry! Please give me another chance,” I screamed as I twisted my body. The man didn’t answer. Instead, he started to scowl as though my screaming was annoying him. The man took the sheers and cut off my left pinky with another metallic snip. He then picked up the finger with his pair of forceps, showed it to me, and placed it alongside my pinky toe on the lit table. And just as before, he took off his gloves, went over to the blinds, peered out for a quick glance, then began smoking another cigarette. When he finished the cigarette, he read the document on top of the desk again, then tapped the document twice with his finger. Walking over to me again, he adjusted the operating table by raising my legs and the arm rests. He then tied a rubber ring tourniquet around my ankle, and then my wrist.

  “To stop the bleeding. Well, shall we? From what you divulged just a minute ago, it seems there’s a possibility there are some chimera files after all?”

  I thought for a moment about how I should answer. My mind was working faster than it ever had. I thought about countless scenarios, my speech habits, his possible reactions. What did he want? Did I have what he was demanding from me? How could I avoid losing all my fingers today? If I said now that there were chimera files, won’t he chop off my ear? On the other hand, he’ll probably chop it off if I say there aren’t…

  “Yes, there might be,” I said shaking.

  “Since I’ve already cut off one of your fingers, let’s get things straight before continuing. First, you said there were none. Now you say there might be. So, which one is it? Are you going to stick with that there might be some chimera files?”

  I nodded my head.

  “So, the chimera files could exist; you just don’t quite know where they are. There are only two people who handle Cabinet 13, but, being one of them, you still have no idea where they are. Is that what you’re telling me?”

  “At least until now. I mean, until now I haven’t really given the chimera files much thought.”

  “A man named K offered you two billion won for the files, and you’re telling me you still didn’t give the chimera files much thought? You didn’t even try looking for them?”

  “I did think about it, but I didn’t try too hard to find them. I thought they might not even exist. And because I have a steady income, I didn’t really need all that money. Of course, if I did have them, I would have sold them. But Professor Kwon’s such a scrupulous person that, if he had decided to hide them, they’d probably be hidden in a place I’d never be able to find them. And–”

  “You’re talking too much; you’re not getting to the point; and you’re contradicting yourself. Tell me the truth. That’s the only way out of this. You’re going to leave this place in pieces if you play tricks trying to save a few fingers.”

  The man numbed another toe and cut if off with the shears. I closed my eyes as he cut off the toe. My entire body was shaking. When I opened my eyes, another toe had been added to the growing collection.

  This torture continued for the better part of a day. The man asked the same question again and again, and I said whatever I could trying to get out of the situation. Sometimes I spoke carefully, sometimes I fumbled with my words and contradicted myself, sometimes I mumbled to him in utter despair, and sometimes I cursed at him in vain. Sometimes I said I knew where the files were, sometimes I said I didn’t, sometimes I said I was sorry or asked for forgiveness, and sometimes I said I would get revenge on him if I ever got out of there. And each time, the man just shook his head as he cut off another one of my fingers or toes. After several hours of this, five toes and four fingers were congregating on the table. The man showed me his collection of fingers and toes as he spoke:

  “It’s been five hours and I still haven’t heard any of the answers I’ve been looking for. You have five toes and six fingers left. Do you know what that means? It means if you can’t figure it out soon, you’re doing to lose all your toes and fingers. How many fingers can you have cut off before
you cease to be human? In my experience, about four. Up until that point, you’re still a human, but once you’ve lost five or six, you’re more monster than human. Mr Kong, how do you see yourself now?”

  I was so paralyzed by fear, so foggy in the head with disbelief. I was lost in a maze. It felt like I was playing a game of Russian roulette and had lost more than half my fingers and toes in the process. I was so beaten down. I didn’t answer the man’s question. I had no answer to his question, nor could I even understand what it meant. I couldn’t form thoughts because all the words in my head were shattered like broken glass.

  “You bastard, you should have just cut off the whole fucking arm,” I spat at the man.

  The man turned my face toward him and look into my eyes. He then shook his head in disapproval. The man took the cart to the wall cabinet and took several minutes to pick out more medicines. The vials he returned with were different from what he had been using so far.