At that signal, Jeong Minsu, who was stationed by the door, called out.
“Come in.”
Rattle.
The door opened, and Colonel Clark and Squad Leader Sam entered.
The startled helicopter medical team quickly rose from their seats.
“Director.”
“Is everyone all right?”
“Thanks to Squad Leader Sam and his squad members guarding us like an iron wall, we don’t have a single scratch.”
Taesu’s answer was lengthy and detailed.
Even though he surely understood the meaning behind it, Colonel Clark’s hardened expression did not change.
“I received the report, but I wanted to ask once more regardless.”
“This time, we escaped perfectly unharmed. As you can see.”
“That is how it appears to me as well.”
Colonel Clark answered stiffly.
At that moment, Jeong Minsu closed the door and, standing on Taesu’s side, added a word.
“We wouldn’t make the same mistake twice— Huh?”
Thud.
When the door, which had been closing smoothly, was stopped, Jeong Minsu was startled.
Then the owner of the hand holding the door revealed his face.
It was Dr. Isaacson.
“Safe… are you?”
“Isaacson.”
“Hi, Dr. Jeong. I think you’d better leave the door open again.”
Rattle.
Dr. Isaacson opened the door again as he spoke.
And the moment he stepped aside, James entered.
Step. Step.
His footsteps were hurried.
Entering the conference room, James quickly swept his gaze around.
“Hm.”
Whatever he had found, the anxiety on his face vanished as if it had been a lie.
Only then did he exchange greetings with Colonel Clark.
“You arrived first.”
“I just got here.”
“Thank you for coming despite how busy you must be.”
“What could be more important than this matter?”
A few quiet words passed between them.
Afterward, James looked at Dr. Schmidt and said,
“We should clear the room a little.”
“We’ve finished greeting everyone, so we’ll take our leave.”
“You’ve worked hard. Oliver and Casey, too.”
At James’s call, Dr. Oliver and Nurse Casey only smiled brightly.
A short while later.
The commotion in the conference room had ended, and the atmosphere turned somewhat heavy.
They were seated on three sides, divided by affiliation.
James and Colonel Clark, head of PKO External Cooperation.
The two were leaders in the NGO and PKO respectively.
Moreover, this was an official setting.
The fact that the helicopter medical team was present at such a meeting was enormous.
But they had more than enough right to be there.
Because they were both victims and witnesses in this incident.
They had every right to know how the matter had been unfolding until now.
That was why this meeting had been arranged.
James, seated in the center, announced its beginning.
Slowly.
He turned his gaze to the right and asked Brad Kim,
“Dr. Kim. Did you finish what you went to do?”
“Yes, Doctor. And it was good that I could check their health while treating them.”
“I’m glad if that’s the case. Then let us move on to the main subject with slightly lighter hearts.”
Contrary to his words, James’s tone was weighty.
As if he had been waiting for that moment, Colonel Clark lightly raised his hand.
“Doctor, may I speak first?”
“If you step forward, Director, I believe the conversation will become much easier.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Colonel Clark gave a light nod.
Then he turned his gaze toward the helicopter medical team seated opposite him.
“First of all, I am relieved that all of you are safe despite the sudden danger.”
“We apologize for making you worry.”
Only after they had exchanged mutual courtesies did Colonel Clark speak in a deliberately subdued voice.
“To get straight to the point, two days ago, I met with the key commanders from both military sides.”
“What did they say?”
“We wasted time without any particular results.”
At those words, Taesu’s brow furrowed sharply.
‘These bastards really…’
Clench.
Irritation surged up, and strength entered the hand resting on his knee.
If he had acted according to his temper, he might already have leaped from his seat and shouted.
But this was an official meeting.
Brad Kim, the team leader, was right beside him, and he could not disregard him.
Kim Hyeokgwon and Jeong Minsu’s expressions also turned cold and stiff.
Brad Kim was no different.
Even so, he knew he was not suited for an intense debate.
Taesu, with his sharp temper, was the perfect fit.
For that reason, Brad Kim said to everyone,
“Regarding this matter, I think Dr. Choi will be able to have a more flexible conversation than I can.”
“No problem.”
“Then let Dr. Choi speak.”
Brad Kim respectfully put Taesu forward.
Grateful for the consideration, Taesu first gave a slight nod with his eyes.
Then he immediately asked Colonel Clark,
“I don’t quite understand what you mean by saying you only wasted time.”
“It means they did nothing but pass responsibility back and forth.”
“I suppose they don’t know who fired the mortar first, either.”
When Taesu sneered at both militaries, Colonel Clark nodded.
“That is correct. No one claims to have fired first.”
“Then did they say it was a meteor?”
“We do not believe them either. That is why the PKO intends to formally dispatch an investigation team.”
“Which side opposed it first?”
Taesu’s question was sharp.
After all, being the first to oppose it would be no different from confessing.
Colonel Clark answered with a bitter expression.
“Both sides expressed dissatisfaction.”
“Dissatisfaction? Are you saying they didn’t even apologize to us, who were in the middle of that bombardment?”
“They glossed over it vaguely. Rather, they said the PKO interfering in every little thing like this was meddling.”
At those words, Taesu flared up until his face reddened. Still, given the setting, he could not show all of his temper.
“What kind of dog— filthy people are they?”
“Their answer regarding those who formed the encirclement was even more outrageous.”
“I can hardly wait to hear it.”
Taesu ground his teeth as he spat the words out.
But the answer far exceeded even Taesu’s expectations.
“They say it was the work of terrorists.”
“That… Does that make any sense?”
“We naturally did not believe it either.”
Colonel Clark answered without wavering.
The claims from both sides were so absurd that Taesu pressed him.
“And yet they passed off the responsibility? Even if those bastards aren’t in their right minds, does it make sense for them to interfere in a large-scale battle?”
“They say they believe it was an operation to cut off straggling troops.”
At the same time as Colonel Clark’s answer—
Bang!
In the end, Taesu slammed the table and growled.
“If they’re going to act like this, aren’t they basically saying they want to go all the way?”
“That is how we judged it as well.”
“If you say judged, does that mean nothing has been concluded yet?”
“Someone felt their life was threatened, but the perpetrator does not exist.”
It seemed no different from the situation that had occurred at the tea leaf storage warehouse.
So Taesu asked with a look that said he hoped he was wrong.
“Did they perhaps try to turn it around by saying they felt moral responsibility?”
“That was also in Squad Leader Sam’s report. Yes. They tried to muddle through with words like that.”
“And after that?”
“It seems the next step will proceed only after the results of the on-site investigation come out.”
At that, Taesu bit his lip.
“Those damn bastards.”
He muttered bitterly, but everyone could hear it.
So Colonel Clark opened his mouth again.
“Until this incident is made completely clear, the PKO has decided to intervene more actively in the conflict.”
“Is that so?”
“They will likely pay a steep price for it.”
Colonel Clark spoke firmly.
Even recalling that moment seemed to make his displeasure surge.
Only after Taesu caught a glimpse of that emotion did his irritation ease.
“I know very well what kind of person you are, Director.”
“Once responsibility is made clear, the faction in question will have to taste bitterness. Of course, the opposing faction will not be much different.”
“Please take good account of our resentment and our boiling hearts.”
“You absolutely do not need to worry about that.”
Colonel Clark declared in a resolute voice.
Reading the mood, the helicopter medical team bowed their heads together.
“Thank you for your active concern and assistance.”
With that greeting, the conversation with the PKO came to an end.
If they went into detail, there would be no end to the issue. But because Colonel Clark knew Taesu and his colleagues’ personalities, he had selected only the absolutely necessary points for them.
No results?
That was not the case.
There was simply nothing visible at the moment.
Colonel Clark was certain to tighten the noose around both militaries from every direction.
His call sign of Red Fox was not for nothing.
Half-baked schemes would not work on him at all.
They eased the heavy atmosphere by taking a sip of their drinks.
After that, Dr. Isaacson opened his mouth.
Since it was an official setting, he also spoke respectfully.
“The criticism is already pouring in worldwide.”
“They deserve to be cursed at.”
“Opinions have even emerged suggesting that the Kashmir camp should be withdrawn.”
“Is that so?”
Taesu had not expected the outcry to rise to that level.
Dr. Isaacson nodded and continued speaking.
“It is an extreme opinion, so it is not under consideration.”
“That’s how it should be.”
“Still, we are reorganizing the medical volunteer teams to make every effort toward safety. And…”
Dr. Isaacson added several more points.
They were matters that applied to all NGO camps.
They did not have much to do with Taesu and the helicopter medical team. Still, as members of the NGO, they clearly needed to know how things were progressing.
After receiving those reports.
Dr. Isaacson suddenly spoke with a completely subdued look in his eyes.
“As of this moment, the helicopter medical team is restricted from all dispatches.”
“What?”
Everyone who had been listening quietly widened their eyes.
It was news like a bolt from the blue.
Whoosh!
Their gazes immediately turned to James.
However, the words that followed came from Dr. Isaacson.
“We concluded that pressing forward would be unreasonable when a serious gap has been found in the safety of the medical staff.”
“Is this how it just ends?”
“With the current situation, that is difficult to guarantee.”
“Still…”
As the words were about to continue, James cut in with a low voice.
“We will discuss that again later.”
“…Yes. Understood.”
When everyone reluctantly accepted it, Dr. Isaacson brought it to a close.
“That is all.”
Then he quietly sat down.
James, who had been listening calmly, began to speak.
“I believe we have covered everything that has progressed so far.”
“Yes.”
“How things will unfold from now on is entirely uncertain. As we have done until now, let us proceed by exchanging opinions closely and swiftly.”
“Understood.”
Everyone answered in one voice.
The atmosphere strongly suggested that the meeting was about to end.
Before that happened, Taesu lightly raised his hand and called to James.
“Dr. James.”
“If you have something to say, by all means.”
James calmly yielded the floor.
Taesu took a moment to compose himself, then spoke to everyone.
“Even now, when I think back to that time, I tremble with anger at how powerless we were.”
“…”
Nod.
Everyone showed that they felt the same.
After seeing that, Taesu continued.
“Honestly, I feel like smashing everything to pieces.”
“Mm? Mm…”
“Especially if the bastards who sat at that negotiation table were in front of me, I’d want to tear them apart.”
Taesu revealed his honest feelings exactly as they were.
The atmosphere was almost murderous.
Fortunately, however, it lasted only a moment.
In an instant, Taesu’s demeanor changed into one of calm composure, and he opened his mouth once more.
“But realistically, that’s impossible.”
“There is that aspect to it.”
“Still, I’m angry. That is why, from here on, I promise to actively cooperate with every investigation or testimony the PKO requests.”
“Thank you.”
Colonel Clark answered solemnly.