Chapter 108 - Destined to Die

Mirao felt the ground beneath her moving. Her head was wrapped with a block sack and her hands were tied behind her back. Her head hurt but it was not bleeding. However, if she was bleeding internally, then it will be disastrous for her baby.

The grey haired man had hit her head to knock her unconscious. He must have carried me into some vehicle, she realized. She did not linger on how he had found her. He must have kept tabs on them for a while and attacked when he got the opportunity.

But Mirae was worried about her baby. If the man kept an eye on them, he must know that she was pregnant. For the first time in years, she was scared. Please keep my baby safe, she prayed. Please…

"What are we to do with her?" she heard a thin voice ask. 

"Take her to the clinic first," a sly, smooth voice came. She recognized it. Ziko.

"We'll have Doctor Jisook tear out that fetus from her," Ziko continued. "And send it to Kwon Jiwon as a small present."

Mirae stiffened at those words. She must get out of there!

"As for the girl," he turned around to find Mirae, who was still pretending to be knocked out. "She'll keep me company for a while till I feel like getting rid of her. Young girls like her are exciting."

Mirae felt the bile reaching her throat. The very thought of what he wanted to do to her was making her gag. She must escape! But she could not figure out how to do that. 

Suddenly, she felt the car stop.

"We're here," Ziko said out loud. He went towards the back of the van and opened the door. Mirae was lying there, still as a rock. Ziko hoisted her over his shoulder and put her on a stretcher. She held her breath, listening intently. The only way to escape would be when they steer her into the operating table.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain on her arm. 

"AGH!" she shrieked. 

"I knew you were awake, girl," came Ziko's cold voice. "Don't worry. This is a paralyzing drug. You will see and feel everything but won't be able to move. You will feel the blade of the knife pierce your soft skin and watch your baby being ripped apart from your womb."

He touched her stomach. Mirae wanted to back away but her body would not move. 

Jiwon, where are you! She pleaded inwardly. But he was miles away, unaware of what was happening.  

"After I'm done with you," Ziko went on. "I'll go for your dear husband. After all, we have a debt to settle."

So Jiwon is his target, Mirae concluded. She had to escape but it was almost impossible with the drug rendering her motionless.

Ziko's phone began to ring. Picking it up, he greeted, "Hello sir."

He listened to the other person on the line.

"I understand," he finally said. "I'll be there."

"Take her to the doctor," Ziko ordered the other man, hanging up the phone. "The boss called me. Take the girl to the operating room and afterwards, bring her to my mansion."

"Yes sir," the man said.

Mirae felt the stretcher being wheeled around. She tried to move her muscles but they would not move at all. Someone help, she cried inside. Someone save us!

But no one was there to hear her pleas. Finally, the stretcher stopped. Someone took the sack off her face.

Bright lights blinded her. Moving her eyes around, she could tell she was in an operation theater. A doctor stood there, in a surgical mask. With him, there was a tall, dangerous looking man.

"Ziko must have given you the instruction," the tall man said.

"Yes, Teppei," the doctor replied. "I know what to do."

The men were discussing the surgery procedures in a corner. Mirae desperately tried to move her head. Move! She ordered herself. Mustering all her willpower to fight the drug, she forced her neck to crane.

The slight movement caused something to slide down her neck. A sparkling locket with a jade stone landed near her neck. Painfully, turning towards it, she recalled what it was. The jade locket she received from the Shaman months ago!

For some reason, she never found the Shaman but kept the locket with her at all times. 

"Wish for what you really want…" the Shaman's words echoed in her ears.

Closing her eyes Mirae prayed desperately to it. I wish to be saved, she prayed. Now!

Nothing happened. There was no one. Tears fell from Mirae's eyes. No one was coming, she thought. 

The two men had stopped conversing and nodded at each other. 

"Call me when it's done," Teppei said. "I'll be right outside."

"Alright," the doctor said. Teppei exited the room while the doctor stepped towards Mirae.

The doctor was now standing next to her. A small surgical knife was  in his hand. 

Please don't...Mirae begged. Please!

The knife was descending towards her womb. It was almost touching her navel.

Save us...Mirae pleaded as she watched the knife touched her stomach.

An earth shattering sound startled them both. The doctor dropped his knife in surprise.

"What the-"

Out of nowhere, the green divider inside the operation theater was flung across the room. Standing there, was a woman in her late twenties. She was dressed in very expensive red suit and hat. Her Jimmy Choo Stilettos clinked elegantly as she walked towards the doctor. She held a regal walking stick in her hand, taking each step as if a royal queen was entering the room.

"Who-who are you?" the doctor demanded. "Don't you know you're not allowed in here? Get out!"

"Tsk," the woman twitched her nose in disgust. "What a rude man."

She turned towards Mirae, who was staring at the mysterious woman in shock. 

"Girl, you interrupted my shopping spree," the woman said in a sarcastic tone. "This better be important."

Save me, Mirae tried to say.

"What was that?" the woman leaned in closer to her. "Save you? Is that what you wish for?"

Yes! Mirae exclaimed in her head. You can hear me?

"No," the woman replied. "You're just predictable."

She turned towards the the scared doctor. "See, I hate violence," she went on. "But my shopping was interrupted because of you. I am going to make sure you pay for everything I buy from now on."

The doctor lunged at her but the woman pointed her walking stick at him, making him pause midway. "I am going to take the most important thing away from you," she vowed.

Jisook could not move. He was still as a statue. 

"What is going on?" he sputtered. 

"You can't move till I allow you to," the woman said. "Take that knife from the floor."

In spite of his will, the doctor felt his body move down to pick up the knife.

"Now cut your thumbs with it," she ordered him. 

Widening his eyes in shock, the doctor felt his left hand rising in the air.

SWOOSH!

An ear piercing scream echoed throughout the room. 

"AHHHHH!" the doctor screamed. His screams brought Teppei running in.

"What the-"

But his words were interrupted by the swishing of the woman's walking stick. He fell on the ground, completely motionless.

The doctor, meanwhile, felt the remaining finger on his right hand take the knife.

"No, spare me!" he pleaded. "Please!"

"Too bad, I'm in no mood to spare you," the woman. The doctor's hand sliced through his left thumb, resulting in another painful shriek.

Mirae was watching all this, horrified at the sight. Blood gushed out of the doctor's hands as the woman forced his body to remain standing in agonizing pain. She then turned towards her.

With an indifferent expression, the woman pointed her stick at Mirae. Immediately, Mirae felt movement return to her muscles. Flexing her hands, she stared at the red woman in fear and awe.

"You don't have to be scared of me," the red woman said. "I came here because you summoned me."

"Summoned?" Mirae asked in confusion before realizing it. She held up the locket on her neck.

"You came here because of this?" she asked in awe. "But how-"

"That doesn't matter," the woman waved her off. "We'll have to get you out of here."

She began to swish her stick again before Mirae cried out, "Wait!"

The red woman paused. "Is it possible to modify their memories?" Mirae asked her. "If they wake up and tell Ziko that they failed their mission, he'll come after us again!"

"You are smart," the red woman complimented. "Alright. Let us tweak their memories. But then I'll have to fix his finger."

She sighed at the monumental task in front of her. Raising up her cane, she made a circular motion.

The doctor's severed thumbs reattached to his fingers. She then pointed at his head, muttering an incantation under her breath. Next, she turned the stick towards the unconscious Teppei and repeated her movements. 

"There you go," she said at last. "They'll inform their boss that they have performed the operation but you managed to escape afterwards."

"Thank you!" Mirae bowed down gratefully. "You saved us…"

"Your ordeal is far from over," the red woman said. "You need to save your husband."

"What? What happened to Jiwon?"

Mirae's voice was full of panic. 

"That Ziko is off to kill him," the red woman informed her. "The Cartel has given their final word. Kwon Jiwon is destined to die tonight."