“I didn’t give you permission to touch my body,” she whispered fiercely.
“Don’t flatter yourself. I have no desire to become physically intimate with you.” He sat up slowly, keeping his stern gaze on her. “But never underestimate me again, wife. I have many talents of which you know nothing about.”
Her face settled into a mask of indifference. “We need to leave,” she said, changing the subject. “We’ve tarried long enough.”
“And you need to learn patience,” he said, lying on the floor again.
“We don’t have time,” she insisted.
He closed his eyes, snorting under his breath. “On the contrary. We have all the time in the world.”
Their orders had been simple. Enter South Korea as defectors, then enter the United States, where they would settle permanently as husband and wife. There, they were to assimilate into the Korean-American community and lead average lives as American citizens. They had to lie dormant until the “phone call” reached them.
The tedium of waiting was probably going to be the hardest part of it all.
To Sun Hwa’s ire and Min Soo’s amusement, they ended up staying in China for five full months. He could tell their dirty and cramped conditions were slowly driving her crazy, causing her to take unnecessary risks whenever they ventured outside. Increasingly, she was becoming a liability than a reliable partner.
He wanted to see her arrested and repatriated. It would tickle him to see her sent to prison camp for failing her mission. But there would be a lot more suspicion toward a single male defector sneaking into South Korea than a married couple.
As much as he hated to admit it, he needed her. So he swallowed the burning urge to throw her to the Chinese authorities.
One unusually warm spring day, Min Soo sat alone outside the dilapidated house, practicing his English. The missionary worker had left for the church early in the morning, and the rest of the group were in the kitchen, most likely cooking egg noodles and plain broth for lunch. He tested out a couple of different accents – Southern and Boston. Something about the Boston accent had always charmed him. But as much as he wanted to use it in the States, he would probably have to settle for a typical immigrant’s accent if he didn’t want to attract attention –
The sound of snapping twigs had him jumping to his feet. In an instant, he grabbed the slim intruder and slammed him to the ground.
“Wait! It’s me,” the missionary breathed out, struggling beneath him. His eyes bulged with growing fear when Min Soo wrapped his hands around his neck. “What . . . what are you doing, my friend?”
“Why were you spying on me?” Min Soo demanded. Belatedly, he noticed the dark-green booklets scattered on the ground. The missionary had probably returned home to have lunch and give them the fake South Korean passports obtained from the black market.
“You’re mistaken! I wasn’t spying on you.” He made a gagging noise when Min Soo tightened his grip. “Please, please! Don’t hurt me.”
“You spied on me, and you heard me,” Min Soo whispered, leaning closer. “You leave me no choice, missionary. I can’t let you live now.” Without a moment’s hesitation, he strangled the man until his swollen tongue slipped past his blue lips and his legs finally stopped kicking under him.
After hiding the missionary’s lifeless body behind the house, he pocketed the passports and went out into the streets. It didn’t take long to find the Chinese police patrolling the area. In perfect Mandarin, he informed them that there were three North Korean defectors hiding in a close location. He even led them to the house, then waited a good distance away as the police went in to arrest the defectors.
Minutes slipped by.
Soon enough, sounds of panting reached his ears. “You bastard,” Sun Hwa spat out as she came up behind him. “Why did you inform the police? I almost got caught in there because of you!”
He threw a bored glance over his shoulder. “But you didn’t. So stop ranting.” His gaze returned to the house, where the three defectors were being led away. The younger girl was clinging to her father and crying desperately. But the older girl’s eyes were crazed, searching left and right until they zeroed in on Min Soo standing beside a shabby-looking shop.
He lifted a hand, giving her a brusque wave.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Sun Hwa said quietly, observing them. “They could very well be executed and made examples of by our government.”
“They knew the risks involved when they crossed the border,” Min Soo muttered, pulling out the passports to study them more carefully. “It’s time for us to enter South Korea. We’ll leave tonight.”
Sun Hwa stared at the passports. “Are we going to use them?” she asked.
“Probably not. But we’ll keep ours around, just in case.” And he carelessly tossed the other three booklets on the ground.
She didn’t ask where he’d gotten them, but he was sure she had her suspicions. Nonetheless, she kept quiet as they waited for the cloak of nightfall to descend upon the streets, and continued doing so until the silence between them grew almost unbearable.
“What’s your plan?” she whispered, leaning closer.
“We’re taking the underground railroad. I hear it’s the preferred choice of transportation for North Korean refugees.”
To their luck, everything went without mishap. As they boarded the train and headed toward their destination, Min Soo leaned back into his seat and promptly fell asleep. At this stage, he had no idea what was going to happen next. He didn’t know that it would take another two years before he and Sun Hwa could leave the peninsula for good and settle in the United States.
But the unknown future wasn’t of concern to him now.
It only mattered that he was taking the next step toward his mission.
Chapter 2
The high-pitched ringing phone woke Min Soo from his restful slumber. He slowly lifted his head, staring at the offending object for a beat before untangling the blanket around his legs. Who could be calling on a Sunday afternoon? Releasing a weary sigh, he sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
The phone rang and rang, grating on his nerves.
He snatched up the receiver and pressed it to his ear. “Who is this?” he demanded.
A slight pause. Sounds of soft, even breathing could be heard on the other end.
“Comrade?” The voice was quiet but firm.
Min Soo froze, his eyes widening.
There was a longer pause. “It is time.”
It is finally happening.
“Where do I meet you?” he asked without preamble. His heart was pounding with anticipation.
“I will wait for you at Liberty Park, two o’clock.”
Liberty Park was just ten minutes away from his neighborhood. Min Soo regularly went there in the evenings for some light jogging.
“I’ll be there,” he replied.
“Comrade?”
“Yes, sir?”
The caller exhaled loudly, as if he had been holding his breath. “Bring Agent Yoon with you.” And then he abruptly hung up.
Min Soo frowned, setting the receiver down. Sun Hwa was still at church, and she wouldn’t be back until four. Why had the caller specifically asked for her presence at the park?
Maybe he thinks I can’t handle the job on my own.
It was a ludicrous thought, and Min Soo silently berated himself for allowing self-doubt to creep into his mind. Fifteen years working as a cleaner at Central Creek Mall had turned him soft. It was time to harden up and finally complete the mission, the reason why he and Sun Hwa were sent across the Sino-North Korean border all those years ago.
He picked up the receiver again and called his wife’s cell phone.
“What is it?” she muttered, her voice low and impatient. Min Soo could hear indecipherable voices and the clanking of cutlery in the background. The small congregation was probably having lunch in the kitchen.
“You have to leave now,” he said casual
ly. “Our hometown friend finally called, and he wants to meet us at two.”
She let out a soft gasp, then whispered, “I’m on my way,” before ending the call.
Min Soo stood up, excitement thrumming through his body. Not only was the drudgery of his life coming to an end, but he would finally know the full details of their mission. Two o’clock couldn’t come fast enough.
A rare smile lingered on his lips as he made his way to the bathroom to get ready.
***
To Min Soo’s discomfort, Liberty Park was packed with families picnicking near the ponds and fountains. Loud children threw bread crumbs to the pigeons and ducks, running here and there as they tripped over their clumsy feet. Mothers and fathers smiled lovingly at their drooling spawn, not even aware that their days would soon be numbered.
If he was capable of feeling pity, he would feel it at this moment.
Sun Hwa nudged his side. “I think that’s him,” she said, nodding at the bespectacled, stout man in a pink polo shirt and beige-colored shorts standing beside the hot dog cart.
Min Soo’s discomfort bloomed to outright dismay. The man looked nothing like an agent. If anything, he looked like an Ivy League-educated douchebag who’d paid too many visits to the tanning salon.
One thing was for sure – deep orange did not suit the complexions of East Asians. Or any human being for that matter.
The agent lumbered over to them and plopped down on the bench, smiling widely.
“My friends!” he cried, opening his arms. “It’s so good to see you again!”
Sun Hwa was quick to react. With a returning smile, she hugged the stranger and asked about his family. When she released him, Min Soo extended a hand. He was surprised to find that the agent had a firm, no-nonsense handshake, belying his outward appearance.
“I’m starving!” the man declared, standing up. “I know a great Korean-Chinese restaurant near the park. Why don’t we go there and catch up?”
Min Soo knew the place. And frankly, it didn’t even make his Top Ten list of great Korean-Chinese restaurants in the city. But he smiled again and followed a few paces behind Sun Hwa and the agent, desperation clawing at his heart. If the agent didn’t reveal something soon, Min Soo was afraid he might strangle his meaty neck and toss him behind the restaurant dumpsters.
The agent had quite the appetite. He ordered sweet and sour pork, jajangmyeon, and fried rice. Min Soo and Sun Hwa ordered spicy seafood noodle soup, eating halfheartedly when their orders arrived. They watched as the agent slurped noodles into his gaping mouth and informed them that he now went by the name of Henry Oh.
“My colleagues can’t pronounce my given name, you see,” he explained with a wink. Dark-brown sauce stained the corners of his mouth.
Min Soo set his chopsticks down. “And where do you work, Henry?” he asked carefully.
“I’m a virologist. But I can’t tell you where I work. It’s classified.” The agent smiled genially and brought a napkin to his mouth.
That nugget of information was more than enough to satisfy Min Soo. He felt his body trembling with excitement again.
Henry Oh is an agent of influence.
“My wife and I are cleaners at Central Creek Mall,” he blurted out. “I’m a supervisor there.”
Henry bent his head to slurp at the noodles. “I know.”
Of course he did. Somehow, he had been keeping tabs on them all these years.
After an order of coffee that tasted like brown sugared water, Henry paid for the food and announced that he wanted to see their home. Min Soo was more than willing. This tomfoolery had gone on long enough. It was time to talk openly about their mission and why the agent had made the call.
It took them twenty minutes to reach the smallest bungalow on the cul-de-sac. As soon as Henry sat down on the worn sofa, his genial demeanor disappeared.
“Agent Kang and Agent Yoon, please sit down.”
Min Soo quickly obliged, watching as Henry pulled out a small plastic box from his leather satchel.
“What is it?” Sun Hwa whispered. Unlike Min Soo, she seemed almost afraid.
“I don’t have much time. So please listen carefully.” Henry opened the lid, revealing two glass vials. One was clear, and the other was pale blue. “The clear vial contains a new deadly virus. The blue vial contains the vaccine.” He paused briefly, glancing up at them. “Only one of you will have this vaccine.”
“Why?” Sun Hwa’s voice shook slightly. “I don’t understand.”
They never should have sent her. She’s too weak.
“Because for one of us, it will be a suicide mission,” Min Soo explained softly.
Henry nodded, his eyes glittering behind the wire-rimmed glasses. “Correct. One of you will be infected with the virus. The other will survive the infection and continue on in case the other agents fail to complete their mission. And vice versa.”
Min Soo’s eyes widened. “Other agents? You mean –”
“Yes, Agent Kang. You were not the only couple sent to the United States.” Henry patted the satchel beside him. “There are two other couples who haven’t received the vials yet. They will receive the same orders as you are now.”
“What happens when we’re . . . infected?” Sun Hwa asked, her fingers twisting in her lap. “Is it like SARS or Ebola?”
Henry stared at her, his expression growing hard. “Are you afraid?”
“No, I’m just curious.” She dropped her gaze to the carpet.
“Trust me, Agent Yoon. It’s better if you don’t know. Besides, you’ll find out soon enough.”
There was one crucial detail that Henry had left out. “When do we do this?” Min Soo asked.
“Wait about seven days. That should give me sufficient time to deliver the remaining vials. I’ll call you again during the week.” Henry stood up, smoothing down his wrinkled shorts. “Do you have champagne or whiskey? We need to commemorate this momentous event.”
Sun Hwa hurried into the kitchen and brought out a bottle of whiskey and three tumblers. After she poured them a generous amount, they held their glasses high in the air.
“For the reunification of the two Koreas, under the reign of our Supreme Leader,” Henry murmured. His eyes filled with something close to emotion.
“For the reunification of the two Koreas, under the reign of our Supreme Leader,” repeated Min Soo and Sun Hwa, before all three drained the amber liquid in one go. Soon as they set their glasses down, Henry slung the strap of his satchel over his shoulder.
“I must leave now. Please walk with me.” And Henry headed toward the front door.
Twilight was upon them. The three of them walked down the path, surrounded by the sounds of repetitive bass riffs pulsing from one of the neighboring homes. Min Soo stared at the evening sky, admiring the different hues of swirling blue. He had no regrets. He only felt grateful that he could finally finish what had started seventeen and a half years ago.
However, he had no intention of becoming the sacrificial goat, so to speak.
Henry turned around with a smile, spreading his arms out. “What a lovely evening we had. We must do this again soon.” He hugged Sun Hwa, then reached for Min Soo. When Min Soo fell against Henry’s broad chest, the agent gathered him in a hug and whispered, “Keep an eye on your wife. Make sure she stays on course.” Then he released him and went on his way.
Once Henry was out of their sight, Sun Hwa tugged at her husband’s sleeve. “Let’s go home. We have to talk.”
“I suppose we do,” he said curtly. He was impatient to get things started. Finally, everything was clear to him. Release the virus. Force the American government to withdraw their troops from South Korea. Reunify the two Koreas under their Supreme Leader.
It was so simple. And so perfect.
Minutes later, Min Soo and Sun Hwa sat on the sofa, eyeing the vials before them. He was about to reach for the pale-blue vial when she snatched it up from the plastic box. Taken aback, he shot her a sharp glance.
“What are you doing?” he demanded.
“I’m taking the vaccine,” she said, clutching the vial close to her chest. “You take the virus. After all, you’re the one who’s so eager to complete this mission.”
He curled his upper lip. “Don’t be stupid. You honestly think you can continue the mission if the other agents fail?”
“I don’t care about any of that!” she shouted. “I . . . I don’t want to be a part of it.” She grasped Min Soo’s sleeve again. “We’re comfortable here, aren’t we? We’ve made a life for ourselves. It’s simple, but we have food on the table, and we have friends. Let’s keep it that way.”
She was a fool and a traitor. He stared at her incredulously, then forcibly removed her hand.
“Our lives aren’t real, Agent Yoon. This house, our jobs, our marriage . . . they are only an illusion.” With great care, he reached for the clear vial and held it before his eyes. The glass felt a lot sturdier than it looked. “But this . . . this is very real.” His fingers tightened around the small tube. “I’ll keep this with me for now. We’ll talk again when Henry calls this week.”
When Sun Hwa remained silent, he stood up to get ready for bed. He had a supervisors’ meeting in the morning, and he didn’t want to be late. The mall was getting ready for a massive sale a week from now, which meant more cleaning hours for their staff.
Their charade had to continue, at least for a little while longer.
Chapter 3
The following days passed slowly, leaving Min Soo in a state of terrible agitation. It was torture having to go to work every day, forced to watch all these shoppers and gluttons milling around the mall. When Friday finally arrived, he was almost on the verge of a heart attack.
Henry Oh still hadn’t called. To make things worse, Sun Hwa was convinced that he had chickened out. In fact, she was so sure of it that she soon returned to her old self – nagging at her “husband” and gossiping with her church friends as if nothing had happened.
Min Soo felt his sanity teetering on the edge.
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