Chapter 210 - Rescue Arc (7): Six Hours

KJ and Hyun Jung were in deep worry. Mirae was typing away furiously on her laptop, a map of Seoul visible on the monitor while Riggs was making phone calls. 

"CEO, I've called our security force," Riggs informed her. "They'll be here in an hour for the briefing." 

"Tell them to go to the seaside," Mirae said. "We'll question Teppei there. Does N2 have the medicines ready?" 

"Yes, he does."

"Where is Dasom right now?" she asked, turning towards KJ. 

"He's keeping an eye on the building," he replied. 

"I'm sure Ziko knows by now that Eli has been snooping there," Hyun Jung said. He was tensed for Eli. Even though she was instructed not to do anything other than look around, she still ended up being caught. 

"She must have found Detective Goo," he stated.

"Look for a bookshelf," KJ parroted. "He must be in some sort of secret chamber behind a bookshelf. How are we gonna get in there?" 

Suddenly Mirae's phone beeped. She picked it up. 

"My spy in Ziko's team is currently accompanying him," Mirar said excitedly. "He sent me the blueprint of the building." 

She opened the mail on her laptop. The interior plans of the building popped up on screen. 

"All these are the cells for patients," Mirae said, pointing at bar-like rooms. "This one here…" 

She zoomed in to indicate a room on the second floor. "This looks like the doctor's chamber. There's a plus mark on it." 

"But which floor is she on?" KJ asked. 

"We'll have to check both the floors," Mirae replied, scrunching her eyebrows in tension. "Let's take this and go to the seaside hideout. The rest of the security force will meet us there." 

The three men nodded and followed her out of the house. Time was running out. 

…. 

Eli winced as her consciousness stirred up. Her head was throbbing in pain and her muscles ached. Her eyes were heavy with sleep. For a moment, she wanted to go back to her slumber but the floor was uncomfortable and cold. 

Slowly opening her eyes, she tried to remember where she was. It was a dark cell with nothing but a small door. Confused and dazed, Eli looked around frantically until she remembered the events before she was knocked out. 

The asylum! She was at the asylum looking for Goo Soo Bin! 

But he was nowhere around. No doubt she was kept in a separate room. 

"F.u.c.k!" she cursed out loud, clutching her hair in frustration. 

"Are you awake?" a hoarse voice came from behind the wall. Eli was startled. She edges closer to the wall. 

"Who are you?" she demanded. 

"I am Goo Soo Bin," came a whisper. "Who are you?" 

Eli bit her lip. Was it really Goo Soo Bin behind the wall? What if it was a trap? 

"Is that really you, Detective Goo?" she asked. "How do I know you're not trying to trick me?" 

"Wait." 

Eli held her breath as she heard shuffling sounds from the other end. The wall was starting to grind a little. A single brick was moving until finally, it was completely removed, creating a hole. 

Eli scrambled over to see an old, frailing man peering from the other side. He was so skinny that his bones were visible and his hair had turned completely white. If Eli had not seen his picture, she would not have believed it was Goo Soo Bin. 

"Who are you?" he demanded. 

Eli took out her badge and handed it to him through the hole. 

"Detective Eli," she replied. "I was sent here to find you by Kwon Jiwon!" 

At the mention of KJ's name Soo Bin's ears were apt with attention. 

"He sent you?" 

"Yes!" she replied. "You have valuable information about the Cartel! We've been looking for you." 

"What about my daughter?" 

"She's safe," Eli assured him. "She's been taken under Abyss' protection." 

Soo Bin let out a sigh of relief. "We have to get out of here," he said urgently. "I must tell Kwon Jiwon the truth! The Cartel… The President… He won't rest until he kills Jiwon." 

"Why is he so adamant on killing KJ?" Eli questioned. But before the old man could answer, they heard the sounds of someone approaching them. 

Soo Bin quickly put the brick back in the wall and moved backwards. The door to his cell unlocked to reveal Dojoon. He was accompanied by some guards. 

The doctor took a step towards him. Soo Bin looked on without a hint of fear in his eyes. He watched as Dojoon squat before him. 

"You are testing our patience, Detective," he stated in a soft tone. Eli pressed her ear against the wall, trying to listen in. 

"What are you hiding?" Dojoon asked as he filled an injection with a silver liquid. 

"I don't know anything!" Soo Bin spat at him. 

Dojoom sighed. "So be it." 

He motioned the guards to hold the old man down. Soo Bin tried to protest but his body was weakened by years of medication put inside him. The guards grabbed his right hand and pulled it forward. 

"Let me go!" Soo Bin struggled but it was futile. Dojoon injected the serum into him. 

Immediately, Soo Bin began to shake violently. His limbs were out of control and he fell on the ground, writhing in pain. 

"You are now a liability to us," Dojoon stated calmly. "Now that Abyss knows you're here, they'll come for you. Ziko decided there's no point in keeping you alive. The serum you've been injected with is a slow poison. It's a special concoction of mine. It will kill you within six hours. I could have given you an easy death but where's the fun in that?"

He smirked as he saw the detective squirm. 

"As for the lady detective," he grinned. "Ziko has some very special plans for her." 

Eli shuddered at those words. She knew what torture lay ahead of her. They must escape that place quickly.