Chapter 30 - The Cruise-Conclusion

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.........

Sunye led the group towards the place room where SD had stated the drugs would be in. Even though she did not want to take his help, the situation called for it. Her gut instincts told her that she had run straight into his trap but there was no time to dwell on that matter.

The coast guards were keeping an eye on Hyun who was perplexed. Jonghyun was walking side by side with Sunye. He kept on glancing at her, worried that she was over exerting herself that too after her narrow brush with death. But she was resolute in exposing the minister.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he muttered. "He's a minister. If this turns out to be a bust, he can sue you."

"I know what I'm doing," she stated. They had reached the room on the third lower deck. There were no more yakuza guards there. It was obvious that they had managed to escape after finding out that they were about to be busted.

"Open the door," Sunye demanded. Hyun glared at her before inputting the password on the lock. The door opened with a click and Sunye barged in. She scanned the room until her eyes fell on a particular part of the floor. Approaching it, she stomped on it.

"It's hollow," Jonghyun said in a grim tone. He turned towards the minister, who was now sweating profusely.

"Who are the other members of the Company?" he demanded. "Tell us their names."

"I have the right to remain silent, I believe," Hyun replied. Even if he had betrayed the Company, he could not risk saying their names. The drugs were not the only thing which linked the Company but there were many deep rooted secrets which could cause the whole country to go up in flames. He was not going to risk it.

Moreover, if he dared to speak even a word, the Company would have him killed in seconds. He only knew of a handful of the members but the others were hidden all around the world. It was nearly impossible to shut down the Company.

Jonghyun narrowed his eyes. Hyun was not going to spill the beans and no amount of torture would break him. He had seen many such pawns of the Company. They were not loyal but scared. Whoever controlled them was not an ordinary person. He ruled them with fear and an iron fist. Any betrayal would be deadly to the members.

"We will make you talk," he vowed. "And I assure you, once you do, your friends will follow you to jail."

Hyun smirked. The kid might be the Prime Minister's son but he did not know what he was against. The Company was bigger than the country itself. There was no way to determine who was at the top.

"You can try but you will fail," he whispered.

"Enough chit chat!" Sunye snapped." Tell us the password."

"It's Lim Byungsoo's birthday!" Hyun spat at her. "I didn't kill him! I loved him! I wouldn't do that to him!"

"Your bank account states otherwise," Sunye muttered as she revealed the electronic lock. Typing in Byungsoo's birthday, she stepped back. The trap door clicked open to reveal a bag underneath. Sunye and Jonghyun stooped down to take it out. Upon opening it, there were several packets of white powder.

Jonghyun took one and slightly sniffed it. "This…" he frowned. "This isn't a drug!"

"What?" Sunye exclaimed. She picked up a packet and sniffed it. Jonghyun was right. She picked up more packets and sniffed all of them. The packets did not contain drugs but salt.

"What the hell is this?" Sunye asked Hyun in a calm tone. "These are salt. You clearly stated in the video that you were smuggling drugs. Then where are the drugs?"

Hyun was also shocked by the revelation. Salt? Impossible! He had the drugs packed in the bag and hidden underneath a trapdoor! Then how were they replaced?

He did not reply but kept on staring at the packets in her hand. His head was in a shock. The Yakuza must have betrayed him! They must have stolen the real drugs and replaced them with fake ones. That must be it!

"I've been betrayed," he gritted in a bitter tone. Now the Company was going to come after his life! They would kill him for doublecrossing them.

"Sunye, he tricked us," Jonghyun said in disgust. "He must have had the drugs replaced."

"Doesn't matter," Sunye shrugged. "We can still arrest him for the murder of Lim Byungsoo."

"I didn't!" Hyun shouted. He lunged forward but the coast guards held him back. He struggled to be free but the guards were well trained and strong.

"We'll take him to the ship's cell," one of the guards informed them. "He'll stay there until we reach the shore. From there, he'll be taken to the police station."

"I AM THE BLOODY FINANCE MINISTER OF THIS COUNTRY!" Hyun shouted. "YOU CAN'T ARREST ME!"

"We have enough evidence to press charges," Sunye said in a cool tone. "You have paid the hitman to kill Lim Byungsoo and also confessed to smuggling drugs into the country. We don't know where the drugs are but we'll find them soon. Your confession on the tape will suffice for now. With murder and smugglign charges upon you, the parliament has enough reason to terminate you from your post. Then the case will be sent to the court to decide."

She looked at him with her steely gaze. Even though he was the minister and much above her in terms of hierarchy, she was not afraid to back down. As long as she had evidence, she was not afraid to prosecute the guilty party.

"Take him away!" Jonghyun ordered the guards. They obliged and dragged Hyun away. The minister was still glaring at Sunye.

"They'll now target you," he warned her. "You have ruffled the wrong feathers, little girl!"

"We'll just have to kill the birds directly then," she said in a cold tone. Hyun smirked at her while being dragged away by the guards. The girl had no idea who she was messing with.

But he had little time to dwell on her. He was more worried about what the Company would do to him once they found out about his deceit. Would they have him killed in jail? Did they kill Byungsoo too and framed him for it?

"Please enter the cell, minister," the guard ordered, showing him into the mini cell within the ship which was designed for any potential criminal who would climb aboard. Hyun nervously got into the cell and sat on the floor. The guards closed the gate and stood outside to watch over him.

All that was left was to wait.

….

SD jumped off the boat as soon as he reached the shore. The boatsman had stopped at a nearby beach which was remote. SD shoved some cash into his outstretched hand and the boatsman began to steer the boat away. Soon, he was back into the sea, rowing away until he disappeared completely from sight.

From the darkness, two men appeared in front of SD. A man in his sixties stood there, scrutinizing SD. His partner was a blonde in his forties.

"President Ray Moon," SD greeted. "And Mikhael Zarbowski, Ambassador to Country R. I have what you have asked for."

He took out the bag and held it up for them to see.

"How do we know the drugs are in there?" Mikhael asked, feeling suspicious. SD sighed and took out a few packets from the bag. He threw them at Ray, who caught them and sniffed the packets.

"These are the drugs," he confirmed. "Hand over the bag to us."

"Pay first," SD stated. Mikhael opened a suitcase which was full of cash and helped it out for SD to see. SD smiled and stepped forward. With one hand, he took the suitcase while he gave Ray the drugs with his other hand.

"This is where our end of the deal ends," Ray said curtly. "I assume you have planted the information on Hyun's bank account and the hitman to the Prime Minister's son?"

"I have," SD confirmed. "The coast guard has the finance minister in custody and they'll be sending him to jail. With Han Sunye taking up the case, she'll make sure he gets death penalty at least."

"That's the price he must pay," Mikhael snorted. "What an amateur! Trying to con us. It was a good thing we knew what he was up to and used SD to have him out of the way."

He turned to Ray. "Will the Company kill him?" he asked.

"The Yakuza will take care of him," Ray said coldly. "We have gotten what we aimed for."

He turned to SD and added, "Thank you for your services. I assume that you will not be discussing our plan and involvement in this trade with others."

"If I'm paid to hide information," SD said. "I'll take it to the grave. Not that I'll be going to one this soon. So your secret is safe with me. But if you double cross me…"

He stepped forward to look at Ray directly in the eye. He might be the President of the country, but SD did not care who was standing in front of him.

"I will not only expose all your secrets but also make you get on your knees and beg for mercy," he promised. "Try to kill me, all your secrets will be exposed as soon as I'm dead. I know how to haunt people from the grave. It gives me immense satisfaction to see people in misery."

Ray did not reply while Mikhael was speechless. A mere information broker had the galls to threaten the President of a country?

"Very well," Ray finally said. "We'll not harm you as long as you keep your promise."

Ray was well aware that SD would carry out his threat. The man had backup evidence of all his jobs which could implicate many people of the elite class. He might be charming but was a demon in the flesh of a human.

"Good," SD smirked. He checked his watch and said, "I believe the girl I picked up from the bar last night is still in my house, waiting for me. Normally, I'd tell them to leave in the morning but this one was...good."

A lecherous smile crept on his lips. "I think I'll go and enjoy more rounds with her. She did seem eager to play more with my toys."

"Weirdo," Mikhael muttered.

"I believe the correct term would be connoisseur of love making," SD corrected him. "Now I'm off! Tata!"

He waved at them and walked away, ready for a good night.

"He's dangerous," Mikhael commented at SD's retreating figure. "What's the guarantee he will keep our secret?"

Ray did not reply but kept on staring at the information broker who was whistling happily. There was something about that man which unsettled Ray but he could not pinpoint what it was.

However, there was no point in fretting over that. Only time would tell if SD was a friend or a foe.

Unfortunately, having him as either one of them would be deadly.