Codename Anastasia Novel (End) - Chapter 62

Director Im’s gaze flew to the door at the awaited knock. Though he hadn’t given a specific reply, the door opened, and a man entered.

“…We lost him.”

He slammed the armrest at the significant report. He had only recently learned that Kwon Taekjoo had returned in secret. But he hadn’t sought out headquarters, nor returned to his home. It seemed he was digging into what had happened to him.

An immediate search warrant was issued, and a pursuit began. Surveillance on Kwon Taekjoo’s mother and close associates like Yoon Jongwoo was also intensified. It was then discovered that Yoon Jongwoo had recently been in frequent contact with a particular number. Monitoring the location of that number in real-time had successfully pinpointed Kwon Taekjoo, but they hadn’t managed to apprehend him. After that, his phone had remained off. It was the same in Taebaek; he kept slipping through their fingers right in front of them.

“Alright, so what did he do at the PC bang?”

“We couldn’t tell if he’d even deleted his PC usage history in the midst of it all. What if we use Yoon Jongwoo as bait instead?”

It wasn’t a bad idea, but he shook his head. The opponent was an agent skilled in both pursuit and evasion. His phone was off more often than it was on. Even when using public PCs, he erased his tracks so thoroughly that not even an expert could restore them. He knew perfectly well how headquarters would pursue him, cleverly slipping away. Even if they tried to lure him out using Yoon Jongwoo, there was a high probability he wouldn’t show up.

“I understand, you may go. Report immediately if his location is confirmed.”

“Yes, sir.”

The man bowed respectfully and left. Director Im ran a hand over his face, then checked his watch. It was already late at night. He had practically been living at headquarters for days, not even going home. Now, he had no clothes to change into, so it seemed he would have to go home. He grabbed his coat, which was casually draped over his chair, and left his office.

He took the elevator down to the underground parking lot. Only a few cars belonging to the on-duty staff were parked there. He crossed the empty space and headed towards Section C, where his car was parked.

He was about to pull out his keys to unlock the car when the driver’s side door suddenly burst open.

“I’m back, Director-nim.”

The one who stepped out of Director Im’s car was none other than Kwon Taekjoo. He couldn’t fathom how he, a fugitive, had managed to get into headquarters.

“It’s been a while.”

Only for a moment did Director Im hesitate before greeting him nonchalantly. Kwon Taekjoo gave a perfunctory nod. He didn’t immediately show an aggressive attitude or hostility. From the start, he had no intention of threatening Director Im. He simply wanted to hear him out once.

Director Im pretended as if nothing had happened.

“How’s your mother?”

“I don’t know. I think you’d know better than I do, Director-nim.”

Director Im let out a short laugh at the pointed retort. He pushed himself off the car he had been leaning against. Then he slowly approached, one step at a time. Soon, Director Im’s face was cast in Kwon Taekjoo’s shadow.

He raised his phone in front of him. The screen was filled with a picture of a ring taken at a jewelry boutique. Director Im, once again, played ignorant.

“What’s this?”

“You know this better than I do, don’t you, Director-nim?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Then maybe this will make you understand?”

He brought up a new photo on the screen. It was a CCTV capture image that Yoon Jongwoo had sent him. It had been meticulously enhanced, so the person in the photo was discernible at a glance. Director Im’s perpetually calm expression stiffened.

“When I subdued Kim Younghee on the ferry to Shimonoseki, she was wearing a ring on her left hand, wasn’t she? Even for a layman like me, it looked quite expensive. It must have been something meaningful to Kim Younghee herself. Why else would she have worn it in such a dangerous situation? They say such rings shouldn’t get even the slightest scratch. The fact that it shows almost no wear suggests it was recently purchased. And that ring wasn’t found at the scene, was it? My handkerchief, which I used to gag Kim Younghee, also disappeared.”

“So?”

“So what? I investigated why it disappeared, of course. Starting with where that ring was purchased and who paid for it. It was quite unexpected, you know? I was absolutely convinced that you, Director-nim, were having an affair behind your wife’s back, who’s abroad. But the scale was a bit too grand, wasn’t it? Who would conspire to kill an affair partner and a junior to avoid a divorce? Unless there was an even more irresistible temptation. And then I saw this CCTV footage, and the answer just clicked.”

He paused for a moment, then looked directly at Director Im.

“Why did you do this to me? Did Section Chief One promise you a special promotion if this whole thing got hushed up?”

Director Im remained unmoved by the resentful accusation. He merely looked at Kwon Taekjoo’s phone with a calm expression. The person in the capture, filling the screen, was none other than Section Chief One.

News had recently circulated that the current NIS Director was on the verge of resigning. Rumors were rife that one of the three section chiefs would be appointed to the vacant position. Each department was secretly busy building achievements and laundering their reputations. This was because if a direct superior was promoted, the status of the subordinate departments under their charge would also change. In any agency, any organization, when people gathered, office politics were unavoidable.

In such circumstances, Director Im, who was directly under Section Chief Three, unexpectedly joined forces with Section Chief One. It was clear that he had been promised immense benefits that he couldn’t obtain through legitimate means.

“Now I understand what nonsense you’re trying to talk about. Is that all you’ve managed to stir up after going to all the trouble of returning? Even if, as you say, Section Chief One had a deep relationship with the deceased Kim Younghee, nothing will change. It’s common for even spouses to be completely unaware that their partner is an agent. That doesn’t mean the other party is equally held responsible. It’s not a crime to love someone who deliberately concealed their identity, is it?”

On that point, Director Im was entirely correct. All Kwon Taekjoo had discovered was that Section Chief One had a personal relationship with Kim Younghee. To hold Section Chief One accountable, he needed to find evidence that he was closely involved in Kim Younghee’s death. Or, proof was needed that he had directly received orders from North Korea and had assisted in leaking classified information. It wouldn’t be easy.

Director Im wore a triumphant smile.

“Wouldn’t it be much easier to expose your crimes than his? You can’t even prove that you went to Russia on a mission, can you? Furthermore, it’s a fact that you met Psikh Bogdanov, a member of the Russian intelligence agency, and stuck with him all along. Isn’t this a world where only what’s visible is considered truth?”

“I didn’t come here to see who’s at a greater advantage.”

“Or did you come to say your final goodbyes? I also wanted to meet you once before you were arrested. To advise you to give up early before things get worse. Frankly, wasn’t it just one spy who was stealing in this country and ended up dead? Why are you acting like there’s no tomorrow over such a trivial matter? It’s not too late now. Don’t make things worse, and since you’re here, why don’t you turn yourself in and try to negotiate the severity of your crime or sentence?”

Kwon Taekjoo’s jaw tightened in anger. His eyes grew fiercer.

“If you had even a slight interest in status or power, I wouldn’t be doing this. You always said you hated such uselessly fierce competition. Then you should have left the game, shouldn’t you? Did you really join the NIS just to protect the country? You’re too naive.”

“…Ah, I’m genuinely getting angry.”

It was absurd. This was a superior he had relied on quite a bit, even if not to the extent of respect. It was because they had continuously worked together since he joined the NIS. Director Im was also the only person Kwon Taekjoo had ever confided in about his family matters and his inner thoughts. But to him, all of that was just a nice facade. Something he could easily discard for his own advancement.

With a click, Kwon Taekjoo’s Colt pressed against Director Im’s forehead. His face had cooled to an icy composure. Director Im didn’t even flinch, despite his life hanging by a thread.

“Then you remember this too, don’t you? I can never tolerate my career, which always achieved 100%, crumbling.”

“Are you going to struggle alone?”

“I can’t die alone.”

He pulled the trigger without hesitation. Even the composer Director Im tensed his entire body then. But for a long time, the surroundings remained silent. The magazine was empty.

He slowly lowered the Colt. Director Im, who had clenched his eyes shut, let out a hollow laugh. Kwon Taekjoo glared at him silently, then sharply turned his body. A warning came.

“If you go like this, it won’t just be a charge of leaking state secrets. Illegal entry, forgery of official documents, threats, and even attempted murder will be added.”

What on earth was that sudden remark? He irritably turned around. At that moment, Director Im pulled out his own Colt and squeezed the trigger. The ricocheting bullet grazed Director Im’s own shoulder and shattered a ceiling light. Immediately after, the entire building’s alarm system activated. Director Im stumbled, clutching his shoulder, but a triumphant smile played on his lips.

The emergency exit instantly grew noisy. On-duty staff seemed to have rushed over, hearing the gunshot and successive alarm bells. Anyone who saw the scene now would misunderstand that Kwon Taekjoo had tried to harm Director Im.

He quickly picked up the car keys Director Im had dropped. By the time he got into his car and started the engine, three or four staff members had rushed out of the emergency exit. One of them helped Director Im, while the others unanimously aimed at Kwon Taekjoo.

“Don’t move!”

“Move and I’ll shoot!”

Despite the sharp warnings, he pressed the accelerator without hesitation. As the car lurched forward, the staff members blocking the way scattered to either side.

Delayed shots were fired at the fleeing Kwon Taekjoo. However, the untargeted bullets only managed to graze the bumper, exhaust pipe, or the side of the car. The car soon pushed through the lowered barrier and quickly vanished from sight.

He abandoned the car midway and aimlessly walked along the deserted market street. Occasionally, he heard patrol car sirens from the road. When that happened, he would hide in the darkness for a while and only move again when the sound faded.

It felt as if he had sandbags tied to his feet. His mind was awake, but he couldn’t advance any thoughts. It was because he hadn’t slept comfortably for a single day since escaping from Zhenya’s island. He wished he could lie down for even a moment.

How far had he gone? Suddenly, something bumped into his foot. It was a stand-up sign for a motel. But there was no similar place visible around him. Just in case, he peered into a narrow alleyway. There was an old building, presumably a motel. Without much thought, he walked towards it.

It was so quiet, it was hard to tell if it was even open for business. The counter was dark, making it impossible to discern anyone’s face, whether inside or out. The occasional sound of a television alone proved that someone was there. He slipped a 50,000 won bill through a narrow gap. Soon, a key was poked out.

He took it and went up to the second floor. As he walked down the hallway, voices from other rooms leaked clearly. He began to doubt if he would be able to rest comfortably.

He entered the assigned room and immediately turned on the light. The old fluorescent light flickered once, then didn’t fully turn on, instead repeating frequent blinks. Still, he closed the door without complaining to the counter. He slumped onto the floor without even taking off his shoes. A long sigh escaped him. All the strength drained from his body.

He had suddenly become a scoundrel who leaked state secrets and attempted to murder his superior, albeit unsuccessfully. To prove his innocence, he had to uncover Director Im and Section Chief One’s machinations to the very end.

In the midst of it all, the call he received during the day bothered him immensely. Surely not. He kept denying it, but he couldn’t shake off the growing uneasiness. He was the kind of man who would always retaliate with more than he received, claiming self-defense. He couldn’t guarantee that such a man would have cleanly given up on Kwon Taekjoo himself.

And what about his mother? He hadn’t been able to visit her even once since he saw her being carried out of the police station. With the incident involving Director Im, surveillance would only become stricter, making it difficult even to see her from a distance now.

He slumped back. He kept looking at the ceiling, which repeatedly darkened and brightened, then dragged a hand slowly over his face. He was so tired. His head was so complex it felt like it would cramp.

Running day and night in this noisy and chaotic world, he longed for the silence that had once seemed so daunting. As his consciousness faded, he imagined himself buried in a pristine white snowfield.

The door opened. His body was still touching the hard floor. A cool draft from the hallway crept up his legs. In his sleep, he stirred. But he didn’t immediately get up to close the door. Had he not locked the door properly? His memory of it wasn’t clear.

Suddenly, he felt a sense of unease. It was a question born not of unfamiliarity, but of familiarity. The cold now seeping into his entire body was unusual. Although his eyes were still closed, he felt as if he could see the hallway beyond his eyelids. What lay there was not darkness, but a snowfield.

Thick snowflakes swirled into the room. The surroundings were so quiet that no sign of life could be detected. Yet, a sudden urge to get up immediately seized him. It was due to a vague sense of crisis, as if the situation was about to unfold in an unwanted direction. But he couldn’t find a way to escape this dream. His eyes wouldn’t open with just the consciousness of needing to wake up.

Then, he faintly sensed someone’s presence. He flinched instinctively, but thankfully, it wasn’t a large figure. A young boy stood with his back turned. His appearance evoked a strange sense of déjà vu. The child repeatedly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. He seemed to be crying. Why is he crying? As soon as he asked himself, a memory suddenly resurfaced. And he quickly realized. It was Kwon Taekjoo himself who had made the child cry. Because the child was holding his hand too tightly, and he feared that if he was caught like that, he would never be able to escape.

The child suddenly turned his head. It was a face he had never seen before. Yet, he felt like he knew who it was. Thump-thump. His heart, which had forgotten to beat, pounded violently. At the same time, an ominous premonition reared its head. A black flame named anxiety spread like wildfire.

Run away. He was instinctively backing away when the child suddenly rushed forward. He tried to retreat, but his body, lying like a corpse, wouldn’t budge. The child, who hugged him, was as cold as ice. He flinched and instinctively pushed the child away.

But the child didn’t fall back easily as before. It was useless no matter how hard he struggled with all his might. The grip around his waist only tightened.

‘Taekjoo, why…‘

A faint voice echoed in his ears. He dazedly looked down. Then the child vanished without a trace, and Zhenya, who had appeared, was pressing down on his entire body.

No, it wasn’t him. Even though he saw him clearly with his own eyes, he denied his presence. He didn’t make a voice like that. He didn’t call Kwon Taekjoo himself so mournfully.

By then, the scenery had completely changed into a snowfield. The faint scent of Macallan and birch trees seemed to brush past his nose. The messy air settled calmly. His vision was entirely filled with him. Even though he wasn’t physically bound, he couldn’t move an inch.

Because of this, he had to receive his lingering gaze in its entirety. His crimson eyes overflowed with emotions that didn’t suit him. His heart began to throb erratically again. Everything was merely an illusion, but his heartbeat felt real, suffocating and overwhelming. He couldn’t breathe easily.

Suddenly, his face approached. For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to avoid it. It wasn’t a situation to be swayed by the atmosphere as before, but he lay meekly beneath him. Their lips almost touched, precariously close. A cool sensation spread rapidly from his lips, following every vein throughout his body. His limbs froze.

Why.

A reproaching voice curved like a strong wind. In that instant, an unknown tingling sensation pierced his entire body.

“…!”

His eyes snapped open. Large beads of sweat ran down the side of his face to his neck. His brows furrowed at the terrible sensation.

They say that too many thoughts lead to restless dreams, and these past few days had been a string of nightmares. His heart pounded so violently it ached. Like an autonomic reflex, just seeing him would put him in an unmistakable state of arousal. As far as heart movement was concerned, fear and desire seemed to be separated by only a single sheet of paper.

He heaved his chest, struggling to catch his breath. His whole body was drenched in sweat, making him feel sticky. Despite desperately needing a shower, he remained lying quietly, not getting up immediately.

It was only then that he recognized the dull ache rising from a subtle place. He looked down in surprise, and his lower body was stiff. Even after rubbing his eyes and looking again, its state remained unchanged.

Because of what…?

He tried to find another reason, but the only one he saw in his dream was Zhenya. No matter how many times he thought about it, there was nothing else but their lips rubbing together. Surely not. It couldn’t have been enough to make him stand up, could it? He glared at his unchastened center. But he wasn’t intimidated in the slightest. He merely swayed his body gently, as if mocking Kwon Taekjoo. He irritably ruffled his hair.

“F*ck, am I really a homo?!”

A grumbling voice came from the next room at his angry struggle. Someone even thumped the thin wall, telling him to be quiet.

At that point, he looked out the window, and it was already dim with dawn. He must have slept well for a fugitive. Whether awake or in a dream, he was always being chased. This sucks, he muttered, getting up. He then left the room. Given the time, both the hallway and the counter were quiet.

He quickly moved his steps onto the road, where dawn was just breaking.

There were almost no people in the bathhouse just after rush hour. At most, it was Kwon Taekjoo and a couple of elderly men.

Thanks to that, he practically had the sauna all to himself. The steamy warmth spread languidly throughout his body. He relaxed his neck and savored the momentary peace. It was a luxury he didn’t know when he would enjoy again. Countless drops of water clung to the ceiling. He idly counted them, organizing his complicated thoughts.

The key figure in this case was neither Kim Younghee nor Director Im, but Section Chief One. The crucial question was whether his relationship with Kim Younghee was purely romantic, or something more. If, as Director Im claimed, Section Chief One was also a victim of Kim Younghee, then his culpability would be limited to covering up the incident. However, if he knowingly aided Kim Younghee despite her true identity, or directly received orders from North Korea and participated in intelligence operations, the consequences of his actions could be much more severe. The nature of the evidence needed to uncover the truth would also change.

He recalled Section Chief One, whom he had met at headquarters before leaving for Russia. At the time, he had appeared utterly calm. He certainly didn’t look like someone who had lost a loved one. Could he have been so deep in a relationship that promised a future, yet remain so composed upon hearing of her true identity and death?

It was also suspicious that Kim Younghee had made her move precisely when the NIS and the prosecution were collaborating on the investigation. It could have been a cruel coincidence that an order came from North Korea at that exact moment. Or someone might have intentionally lured Kim Younghee and Lee Cheoljin out. One thing was clear: if Section Chief One was concerned about his advancement, including the position of NIS Director, he would have definitely wanted to avoid any scandal involving Kim Younghee.

If Section Chief One’s involvement went beyond mere participation to include intelligence operations, it was highly probable that he had also contacted Lee Cheoljin. Lee Cheoljin was the only survivor among the key figures in the incident. It would be best to meet him first.

He quickly showered and came out to the changing room. Then, he took out his phone and turned it on. A pile of missed calls and messages had accumulated, all from Yoon Jongwoo. He must have already arrived at work and heard the rumors circulating at headquarters. He called the fidgety Yoon Jongwoo. The call connected instantly, before even a single ring tone finished. Yoon Jongwoo answered, breathless, and grilled him unilaterally.

“Sunbae, where are you? Are you okay? They said you were here last night? The atmosphere at headquarters is no joke right now. They’re treating you like a terrorist!”

“Oh, really?”

“Really? Really?! How can you be so nonchalant, Sunbae! They’re saying you tried to kill Director-nim, calling it attempted murder and all that! The nationwide manhunt has intensified. They’re going to request cooperation from all investigative agencies.”

He seemed to be talking from a hiding spot. His voice was lowered to a whisper, yet his words came out like a machine gun. He bit open the plastic wrapping of his underwear and said, “Jong-woo.”

“Why, what is it?”

He flinched, becoming defensive when called affectionately.

“Do you also think I shot Director Im?”

“Well… I don’t know. If it wasn’t you, Sunbae, who shot him? It’s true you were here last night and met Director-nim. Ah, seriously… what are you going to do now?!”

“Even if others don’t, you have to believe me. There’s no other way now. Director Im must have already figured out that you’re helping me.”

“What? How?!”

“Who else there would help me besides you? You’ve been implicated as my accomplice from the start. Well, who knows. They might clear your complicity charges if you agree to quit the NIS.”

“Aargh! I’m ruined! I’m ruined!”

“So, I shouldn’t get caught, should I? If you don’t want to get into trouble, stop that and tell me what you’ve found out.”

“…Section Chief One, you know he used to be at the Korean Embassy in Washington D.C., right?”

He began to speak in a deflated voice. His tone suggested a premature resignation to his predicament.

“He seems to have met Kim Younghee around that time. Both of them were active in a relief organization called ‘POC,’ and it seems they often went on overseas volunteer trips. I suspect if they had contact with North Korea, it would have been then, when they had a legitimate reason to travel to a third country. It’s highly likely he had contact with Lee Cheoljin, who consistently acted as Kim Younghee’s liaison and courier, once or twice. Coincidentally, the timing and target countries of Section Chief One’s volunteer activities almost perfectly match Lee Cheoljin’s movements.”

“As expected, I’ll have to meet Lee Cheoljin first. You did well. Jong-woo, keep digging into Section Chief One and his close associates. Don’t worry, as long as I don’t get caught, Director Im won’t be able to do anything to you.”

He gave instructions unilaterally and ended the call. As a habit, he immediately turned off his phone.

Around that time, a new customer entered. This time, it was another old man with silver hair. Kwon Taekjoo put on his clothes as if nothing had happened.

He was just about to pull up his pants when he suddenly felt a gaze. The old man was frowning as he looked at Kwon Taekjoo’s back. When their eyes met, he clicked his tongue and turned his head away.

“…”

He looked at his back in the full-length mirror. A clear tattoo was visible just above his buttocks. He had completely forgotten about it, not having had time to look in a mirror.