Chapter 211 - Rescue Arc (8): Saving Eli

N2 was waiting for them when they arrived at the beach. 

"CEO," he greeted Mirae as they approached him. "I've put him under medications. These will alter his brainwaves and make him tell the truth." 

"A truth serum?" Hyun Jung asked sharply. He turned to Mirae. 

"That's illegal!" he accused. 

"Do you have any other way to get information out of him?" she snapped. "We can't waste any time." 

"I agree," KJ said as they walked into a small fishing cabin along the coast. 

"But-" 

"Detective Lee we have only six hours," Mirae informed him. "My spy within Ziko's gang has sent a message that they've already poisoned Soo Bin. We have less than six hours!" 

Hyun Jung pursed his lips. Even though he did not agree with the method, saving Eli and Detective Goo was more important. He followed the others to an underground bas.e.m.e.nt. Mirae stopped in front of a wall. She pushed a brick. 

The wall began to shake and slid open. Behind it was an automated door with an electric lock. Mirae put on a pair of gloves and typed in the password followed by an eye scan. 

The door opened. They entered to find a prison. Series of cells were on both sides, each containing a bed and toilet in it. KJ and Hyun Jung looked around. There were no prisoners in them. They expected Abyss' cells to be full of Cartel's men. 

"These are only temporary accommodations for the prisoners we capture," Mirae said, reading their minds. "Once they reveal any information to us, we send them off to regular prison."

"Teppei is still here?" Hyun Jung asked. 

"Yes," Mirae sighed. "He's a tough nut. Even after going through...all that, he didn't fess up. The truth serum is not something we use. It's a method the USA use on imprisoned terrorists. If the situation was not dire, we would not have used it at all." 

She led them further into the prison until they reached another door. 

"This might be a little disturbing to you," she warned them as she pushed the door open. 

Teppei was bound in an x-shape. His hands and legs were spread out wide. The bones on his body were visible as his skin hung loosely. He was haggard and balding. It looked as if he had aged by a hundred years. 

But the most disturbing aspect was the bloodied area between his legs. It was bandaged yet the red liquid seeped out. 

KJ squirmed a little inwardly. He felt no sympathy for the man but the sight still disgusted him. 

Hyun Jung, however, remained unaffected by the sight. Even if he did not agree with the method as a police officer but whenever he remembered what that monster had done to Somi, he felt no remorse for him. 

"Is he ready to talk?" Mirae asked. "Is the truth serum working?" 

"It is, CEO," N2 replied. He turned to Teppei. 

"Tell us about the interior of Ziko's asylum," he ordered. 

Teppei looked as if he was in a trance. His eye sockets were almost white and cloudy. 

"There…are fifty cells…in it," he whispered. "There…are thirty guards…" 

"That corroborates with Eli's observation," KJ muttered. 

"The doctor, Kim Dojoon runs the place," Teppei went on. "There is only one prisoner…Goo Soo Bin." 

"How can we get in there?" Hyun Jung demanded. 

"It's…impossible," Teppei said. "The… place is… highly secured. Goo Soo Bin…he's not in the main cells… He's in…a secret bunker. Behind a bookshelf on…second floor…but sometimes, he's…also kept…underground…"

"We can use the sewers," Mirae said thoughtfully. "But we'll have to blast our way in." 

"That'll attract the attention of the guards," KJ pointed out. 

"It's a chance we'll have to take," Mirae said. "A confrontation is inevitable. Riggs, call in the entire team. I'll lead this operation myself. We're about to enter a warzone." 

Riggs nodded. 

"You can't just shoot your way in!" KJ said heatedly. "It's too dangerous." 

"KJ, it's not my first time!" Mirae exclaimed. "Eli got caught because of me! I have to save her and Detective Goo."

"You don't have to go yourself!" 

"I'll go with you," Hyun Jung stepped in. "Eli is my partner. I want to help too." 

"Alright," Mirae nodded but KJ was not done. 

"Mirae it's too dangerous and you've not recovered fully yet!" he slammed. "I cannot let you-" 

"KJ I'm the leader of Abyss!" Mirae exclaimed. "In case you have not forgotten but I'm responsible for my men! I can't sacrifice them."

They glared at each other. Riggs and N2 excused themselves. They did not want to fall in the middle of a couple fight. Hyun Jung, on the other hand, shook his head. These two are hopeless, he thought. 

"KJ, you're overreacting," he said. "All of us here are trained in combat. We can handle this." 

KJ was outnumbered. There was no stopping them. "Do whatever the hell you want!" he yelled and exited the room. Mirae tried to call him but Hyun Jung held her back. 

"There's no point in talking to him," he said. "KJ won't listen." 

Mirae bit her lip. She could not explain it to him but she was responsible for Eli. If anything happened to her… Mirae shuddered at the possibility. Please be safe, she prayed. 

…. 

Dasom was still outside the asylum, keeping an eye on it. It had been almost two hours. No doubt Eli was caught. He did not want to think about what may have happened to her. 

He edged closer towards the gate of the asylum, taking cover behind the bushes. The front entrance was heavily guarded. Entering through it was impossible. He also doubted that there would be any other entry point. 

"How do I get in?" he whispered out loud. 

"Let me help you." 

Dasom froze. He turned around to see a thin man standing there. The man was staring at him with steely eyes. 

Dasom was about to open his mouth to make up an excuse but the man closed his mouth. 

"Shut up and listen!" the man whispered. "If you want to help that girl, then do as I say! I work for Abyss and I'm here to help you!"