President Min Yeongsu took Taeho’s hand.
“Director Kang. You worked hard in Congo. Thank you for returning safely.”
“Thank you. I only did what I had to do.”
“There’s no need to be modest. I’ve heard about the situation as well. They say you stayed to the end and produced results in a place even the WHO team leader fled from out of fear. You have no idea how proud the people are of your courage and nobility.”
The president’s hand was warm.
“Thank you.”
Taeho smiled faintly, then continued.
“But Mr. President, it isn’t over yet.”
“What do you mean?”
Taeho took a tablet from his bag. When he turned on the screen, encrypted text appeared.
“What is this?”
the president asked. Taeho placed the tablet on the desk.
“It’s a message hidden in the RNA base sequence of the Prometheus virus. I converted it into binary.”
The president picked up the tablet and stared at the screen.
As Taeho explained the meaning he had decoded from the base sequence, the president’s face gradually hardened.
“December 25?”
“Yes. Christmas. Simultaneous bioterror attacks will occur in fifty cities around the world.”
“......Is the evidence certain?”
the president asked. His voice trembled despite himself.
“It’s data extracted directly from the viral RNA. It was cross-verified at WHO headquarters. A one hundred percent match.”
The president asked in disbelief.
“Who would leave information like that, and why?”
“That part is still under investigation.”
“Then which fifty cities are they?”
“We haven’t identified them yet. But there is a high possibility that Seoul is included.”
“Do you have grounds for that?”
“I believe the creator of the virus is Korean.”
“Korean?”
President Min Yeongsu held up his palm, signaling for Taeho to pause, then summoned the NIS Director.
A short while later, NIS Director Hwang Gitae entered the presidential office.
“I heard about your achievements in Congo. Director Kang.”
“Thank you.”
President Min asked Taeho to explain once more.
Taeho said,
“The most suspicious place at the moment is BioSynergy Korea. It’s a listed company located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The CEO is a man named Han Jaehyeok, a former professor at KAIST.”
“BioSynergy? We had our eye on them as well.”
At the NIS Director’s reply, the president’s eyes widened.
“Oh, is that so?”
“When did you become aware of them?”
Taeho asked the NIS Director.
“A week ago. The route of foreign funds flowing in was suspicious. Circumvented investments through a paper company in the Cayman Islands, and the Prometheus Capital Fund as well.
“They were registered as a pharmaceutical company, but such fund flows aren’t common, so we were keeping watch.”
“You haven’t taken action yet?”
“We don’t have enough evidence. We can’t move on suspicion alone. It’s a listed company with thirty thousand shareholders. If we touch them carelessly, there’s a high chance public opinion will spread out of control.”
Taeho looked at the president and said,
“Please trace and freeze their funds. Make it so they can’t move.”
The NIS Director also looked at the president.
“Mr. President. We must be cautious. If we move rashly and something goes wrong, public opinion will boil over. They’ll say the government oppressed a perfectly legitimate company. The opposition party won’t sit still either.”
Taeho said in a cold tone,
“What’s going wrong is happening right now. There are only ten days left until December 25. We have to stop them before they move.”
The president closed his eyes. A brief silence passed.
At last, the president opened his eyes and said to the NIS Director,
“.....Director Hwang.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“Freeze all of BioSynergy’s accounts and place its executives and employees under a travel ban. Let’s proceed with a search and seizure of their headquarters as well.”
The president’s voice was resolute.
The NIS Director rose from his seat.
“Understood.”
The president nodded.
The NIS Director gathered his documents and left.
Only the president and Taeho remained in the office.
“Director Kang. You came straight from Incheon Airport, so you haven’t seen your wife yet, have you?”
“That’s right.”
Taeho had not even told Amira his return time, worried she might make the long trip to the airport for nothing and wait there anxiously.
“You must have suffered a great deal in such a harsh place. Your wife must miss you terribly.”
“I imagine so.”
“It seems all of us have placed far too heavy a burden on one man’s shoulders. Set this matter aside for now, and rest with your family, even if only for a short while.”
“Understood. Then.”
The president nodded.
Taeho left the office and walked toward the parking lot.
The cold wind struck his face.
His phone rang in his pocket.
When he looked at the screen, it was an unknown number.
Taeho hesitated for a moment.
Most of the calls he had been receiving lately were from WHO headquarters or the health ministries of various countries. But all of those were registered numbers.
‘Who is it?’
Taeho answered the call.
“Hello.”
........
Silence flowed from the other end of the line. Only breathing could be heard.
Taeho frowned.
“Hello?”
“......Director Kang.”
A voice came through. A low, rough voice belonging to a middle-aged man. And yet, it sounded somehow familiar.
“Who is this?”
“.......Do you remember me? It’s Park Seongu.”
At that moment, a face surfaced in Taeho’s mind.
The box man?
The homeless man he had discovered when he went to see the abandoned school that would become the site of Geumsan Research Institute.
He had been suffering from Itai-itai disease, but Taeho had saved him through chelation therapy.
When he was discharged, Park Seongu had said he would go to meet his daughter in America.
“Mr. Park?”
Taeho’s voice softened.
-You remember me.
“Of course. Where are you now? Are you in America?”
-No. I’m in Korea. Seoul.
“Ah, you came back?”
-Yes. A little while ago. Director, could you spare me a moment? There’s something I need to tell you.
Park Seongu’s voice was serious. It was clear he had not called simply to ask how he was.
“Did something happen?”
-I thought you should know about this, Director.
“Can you tell me what it is?”
-Well, over the phone.........
Park Seongu trailed off.
-I’d like to meet you in person and tell you.
“........”
Taeho tilted his head.
What could be so serious?
***
The car carrying Taeho headed for Samcheok.
They left Seoul and got on the Yeongdong Expressway. As they passed through tunnels and crossed mountains, the sky grew dark.
“Oh? Snow’s starting to fall. The road will be slippery, so I’ll have to be careful. Please understand if we go a little slower, Director Kang.”
said the driver dispatched from the presidential office.
“Yes. That’s fine. I’m grateful enough that you’re driving me all the way home.”
“No, what are you saying? Director Kang Taeho, you’re the pride of our Republic of Korea. If anything, it’s an honor for me to be able to serve you.”
The driver laughed as he joked.
Taeho sat in the back seat and smiled.
Beside him lay an elegantly wrapped bouquet.
Taeho looked down at the small velvet box in his hand. It was a necklace he would give to Amira.
‘Will this be enough?’
Amira did not like anything flashy. So he had chosen as simple a design as possible... The clerk had strongly recommended it, but it was his first time buying a woman’s necklace, so he had no idea whether she would like it. He hoped she would not be disappointed...............
Taeho’s heart felt heavy at the thought that he had left Amira alone.
And now that she was pregnant, he could only barely imagine how great his absence must have felt.
It was not until deep night that the car arrived in Samcheok.
The brilliant lights of the Samcheok Grand Hotel, standing tall on the cliff, were clearly visible even from afar.
The car stopped in front of the hotel.
“We’ve arrived, Director.”
“Thank you for your hard work. Why don’t you come in and have a meal before you go?”
“No. I’d rather set off right away before the road freezes over any more. Please go in safely, Director.”
“Thank you. Drive safely.”
The moment Taeho opened the door, the cold wind struck his face. He smelled the sea. Only after taking in that salty scent did his heart finally settle. It felt like he had come home.
Taeho carried the bouquet and the bag into the hotel lobby.
The lobby was lavishly decorated with Christmas ornaments.
The front desk employee’s eyes widened in surprise, then he smiled with a welcoming expression.
“Welcome, Director Kang.”
“Nothing happened while I was gone, right?”
“We’re truly glad you returned safely.”
“Thank you.”
Taeho received his key card and walked to the elevator.
Looking at himself reflected in the mirror, he did look quite haggard. There were shadows under his eyes, and stubble had grown along his jaw. Taeho ran a hand down his face and stepped into the elevator.
At last, he arrived at the penthouse.
The thought that he was home made the tension leave his body.
The living room lights were off, and a faint glow seeped out from the bedroom.
Taeho took off his shoes and went inside.
The door was half open.
When he looked in, Amira was sitting on the bed.
She was looking out the window. Her long black hair spilled down over her shoulders.
As he watched quietly, Amira stroked her stomach with her hand and was talking to herself. It was Arabic, so he could not understand.
He tapped Rema, and Rema interpreted.
-Baby. Daddy will be back soon. Maybe tomorrow. I have a good feeling. Yes. I think he’ll definitely come back tomorrow.
Taeho held his breath.
The sight was as beautiful as a painting, yet at the same time, it made his heart ache.
‘While I was gone, Amira sat there alone like that.’
Taeho lightly knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
Amira turned around.
Her eyes widened.
“Habibi...?”
Her expression was one of disbelief, as if she were dreaming.
Taeho smiled and said,
“I’m back.”
Amira tried to rise from the bed. In her urgency, her body swayed.
“Careful.”
Taeho quickly approached and caught her. Amira leaned against his arm.
“Are you really back, habibi? Is it you?”
“Yeah. It’s me.”
Taeho held Amira tightly. Amira buried her face in his chest. Her shoulders trembled faintly.
“Ah............. Do you know how many times I imagined this moment?”
“I’m sorry I left you alone.”
Taeho wiped the tears running down Amira’s face with his thumb.
Amira buried her face against his chest again and took a deep breath. As if she meant to breathe in her husband’s scent to her heart’s content. Then she looked up at his face with a radiant smile. Only to look as if she might cry again.
“Was it very hard?”
“No, just a little.”
Amira stroked Taeho’s back.
“You worked so hard, habibi. Thank you for coming back to me safely.”
At those words, Taeho’s throat tightened for no reason.
It felt as though Amira’s single sentence melted away everything he had endured until now.
Taeho held Amira even tighter. He could hear her heartbeat.
“Ah!”
As if he had just remembered, Taeho knelt down. Then he brought his face close to Amira’s stomach.
“Hello, baby. It’s Daddy.”
Amira smiled and stroked Taeho’s hair.
Taeho’s heart grew peaceful.
Even if only for a moment, he wanted nothing more than to forget all about epidemics and pandemics and stay by his wife’s side.
But for the sake of the child who would soon be born, there was something he had to end at once.