Anya POV:

It had been 6 days since my talk with Ye Jun. The condition to help, with me actually buying multiple hybrids, was a bit difficult for me. There is a reason why even after being this wealthy, I never had any hybrid in my life. My parents had 3 hybrids, so in a way growing up I had been around them. How could I not? Meeting a hybrid is about as common as having a cat or a dog. Maybe even more so as the amount of care given to the pets is also higher than a hybrid.

The reason of my hesitance to have hybrids stemmed from the type of personality I was. My parents are really good people. So is my brother. They really are. But the unquestioning way they have adopted this attitude towards the creations makes me a little uncomfortable. Because I have not.

My parents still have the 3 hybrids. They are all canine. Yes they are treated well in the mansion they reside in with my parents. They are given food, room and clothes. But that is it. Nothing else.

The rooms are small, the clothes are always basic and the affection is always zero. They are treated as guard dogs who also take care of the house. Yes they are allowed to roam freely within the compound, provided they have their heavy collars on. Those collars are locked. During their heats, they are either given suppressants or locked away in the basement to ride it out. They do tell me that they are living quite a better life than others and I know that to be a fact. Its just that, treating them that way just makes me uncomfortable.

Why might you ask? Simply because they feel too. Added to it is that unlike animals, they actually do understand what is wrong and can actually communicate. Them thinking themselves to be lower beings than even common house pets is abnormal. Its wrong. But no one in the society ever thinks about that. Except for a few sects of Hybrid protection organisations, which are sadly few in number.

As it is I am considered to process the world, situation and society in a tangential manner. I guess everyone says that it's a side effect from being the way I am, they way my brain works, being a genius they say. Which is why my family and also perhaps the world accepted my contrasting thoughts. So for me, taking on a hybrid had a completely different meaning. To me it meant taking complete responsibility for a person. And till now, I really never wanted to take that heavy duty. I know the way I would treat them will be a complete diversion from the usual norm and the consequence of that was also something I just did not want the headache of dealing with.

I sigh shaking my head a bit. I guess I will have to take that on now. No way could I step back from helping out for this cause. Not only was it because of the wrongful murders of the hybrids, but catching this group would also help in the trafficking case of the children.

I step out of the elevator I was riding in at the desired level and walk out to the meeting room I know my friend and her colleagues are in. I am simply dressed in a navy blue sheath dress which reached just below my knee. It encased and showed off my figure. With my hair gathered and tied back in a loose knot, I knew I looked good. Sometimes, my clothes offer me a protection against situations where I might need a few minutes to pause and decide how to act. This might be one of those.

I walked on my heels and slowly reached the glass doors of the meeting room. Inside it was a long white table with black chairs. Ye Jun was seated there with 3 other people whom I recognized. As I opened the door, all the three males got up from their seats to come and greet me. Out of the three, I could feel the eyes of two looking me up in male appreciation. They checked me out discreetly. I ignored the moment. I was used to it.

The older of the group extended his hands to me and smiled at me warmly.

"Hello Anya-shii, am so glad to make your acquaintance again."

I took his proffered hand in mine and felt his big hand envelop mine in a handshake which was firm with no hints of pressure or clammy sweat. A handshake could actually tell a lot about a person. This person was all business with no personal interest vested in me. A little part of me which was guarded relaxed a bit. I smiled back at the gentleman and replied, "Hello Gong Yoo-shii. The pleasure of making this acquaintance again is all mine." At my reply, the tall man's smile softened a bit.

He ended the handshake and pointed towards the other two men at his side "I assume you already know both of these men? Park Hyung-sik and Park Seo-joon?"

I turned to face both men and noticed their slight smile. I laughed openly and replied. "Of course I know them Yoo-shii, these both have been partners with Ye Jun for more than 5 years now. They are close to what I would call my friends."

At this Hyung-sik dramatically clutched at his chest "You wound me Anya, I thought we already classified as your friends!"

Ever the charming person, I thought with a smile. "You would be, if only you actually met with me in situations in which you were not still working in your capacity as an agent." I said with a fond smile. Instantly his eyes darkened a bit. When he spoke now, though the teasing lilt still remained, his voice lowered a little. "Would you like to meet me in circumstances where no work was involved? Would you be agreeable for a date then?"

Before I could process his words as a light flirtation as it was meant to be was, Seo-joon interrupted smoothly "AH haah friend, Anya surely does not need a man asking her if it would be okay for him to even start thinking about asking her for a date. You just blew your chance man." He said jokingly, gently ribbing his friend while winking at me. I smiled again at his words.

"Okay enough with the nauseatingly long introductions of already know people in this room. Can we now proceed with briefing her so that Anya and me can go to our promised shopping trip?" Ye Jun piped up from behind in a long suffering tone.

We all acknowledged her grumbling and broke apart to head towards the end of the table where she was currently seated, in a friendly manner. Seo-joon reached the seat closest to her and pulled it away from the table and gestured for me to take it. I smiled and nodded to him while lowering myself to the seat. Damn, but chivalry and his gentlemanly manner always impressed me to no end. He nodded back and headed to the front of me to sit down in the chair opposite to mine while his eyes lingered on my smiling lips.

"So, Anya you already know all about your part in the mission and the details have already been discussed with you. That's correct?"

I shifted my eyes from Seo-joon to focus on Gong yoo who had just spoken to me. While nodding to give the answer to his question i relaxed myself fully in the chair. "Yep. All is already explained. Ye Jun told me this meeting was more to inform me of the measures taken and what to expect in the auction?" I phrased my answer as a question.

Gong Yoo lowered himself to his seat, focusing all his attention to me while all traces of friendly personality got wiped from his face. He was all business now. "Yes. To start off I need to remind you that you will not know the identity of make any kind of contact with our undercover agent. This is done to keep his cover intact because he will be monitored constantly we believe by the smugglers. Any kind of suspicious interractions and he will not be approached by the smugglers for the hidden auction."

I knew this already. It made sense. Also, it made me feel a little better. Essentially it was as if I was simply going to the auction to buy some hybrids without having any pressure or tension of the success of a undercover mission of great importance being carried on. I was going to do just what they wanted me to do. To be a distraction due to my reputation. That was easy for me.

"I know that." I replied. "Basically its just that I am going to a legal auction, will be pandered by the simpering people, will buy hybrids that I want, then come back. Now all that remains is for you to tell me is there anything else that you would like to do to maximize the distraction."

"Yep. There is. Make a grand impression." This came from Hyung-sik.

I turned my chair around to face him sitting by my side. He was relaxed.

"Make an impression?" I asked.

He sligltly leaned forward while keeping his legs crossed while loosening his tie. "While we are fairly sure that to check you out the real ring of smugglers will be present in the auction but we can not be 100% about it. They can still send trusted servants to serve as their eyes and ears. In which case, you need to act in a manner to lure them out."

"And what is gonna lure them out?" I asked.

"Extreme power and hold." He said smiling openly at me.

I understood at once what he was hinting at. Frankly that was something I was worried about because that was a part of my personality and I did not know whether to suppress that part for this mission.

Ye Jun clarified further "You are well known for being utterly ruthless to people who displease you. Whether it be your cutting words or your sometimes.... Questionable actions. This is a place where you can be unrestrained in the use of your power and wealth because all of the attending people will be the lowest of low of humanity. In fact we need you to be at you utter biting shark personality for the smugglers to WANT to make you their client thinking about the money they will make." She paused. "Also cuz it will be more believable that you wanted to take part in the depraved acts going around in your surroundings."

Being in the position I was in was by no favour or luck. I know I was good, brilliant even in my work but there are always people who try to find ways to weasel through and take any advantage they can find or to constantly try to topple you down. But never could they best me. All because I knew this human nature. And I was never afraid of letting them know how very foolish it would be to cross me. I was worse than my brother. Crossing me or fooling me would end up to a heavy mistake on the person's part. The whole world knew of this fact.

"Depraved surroundings? I get the point you are saying but what about surroundings are you mentioning?" I aksed quietly. I paused a bit and added mischievously "Also the questionable acts that you mention, might I remind you that I do not even lift my fingers or have anyone harm them? They do that to themselves with no coercion from me. How am I accountable for it then?" my eyes twinkled as I know I vexed her. But seriously, I never did touch or force anyone to do the things the willingly did to please me.

Ye Jun rolled her eyes at me. Well whatever, I knew that she knew the truth. It kinda amused me. Huh. What do I know, maybe there was a bit of sadist in me.

Gong Yoo cleared his throat for me to shift my attention on him. "This auction is no ordinary auction Anya. Let me tell you a bit about it. This meeting was after all to prepare you for it. We have already spread the word that you will be attending it and frankly it has created a high level buzz on the streets. More so than we anticipated. All you need to know is what to expect from the auction, what to do, how to bid, when to come back and you are all set."

"Before you say all that, tell me when is the prelim for auction?"

"Tomorrow."

A/N: Finally the real bit of the story will start from the next chapter. Although again fair warning there will be darker themes and triggering elements in the coming chapters which are already mentioned in the starting of the book. We will also start getting the boys POV from the next chapters.