06: 'RICH PEOPLE REALLY BE WHACK'

AKA THE TIME THEY ENTERED A MOUSETRAP... WILLINGLY

"WELL OBVIOUSLY IT has to be cannibals," Grayson moaned in despair. His stomach churning in intervals ever since he woke up this morning knowing what kind of people he was going to deal with. "And people's... insides. Because what else is inside nice pink packages? Rings? Flowers? Gifts? Nooo. It has to be people's fucking insides."

Minwoo patted him without much remorse. They sat together in an inconspicuous car, facing a hospital of great repute. If any of it's shiny glass exterior and heavily manned guards - not to mention, rows of expensive cars coming in and out in almost clockwise interval - was to dictate anything.

"Rich people really be whack," Grayson muttered.

"It's a legitimate hospital if it's any consolation to your stomach. And for rich people yes, exclusive to those who can pay some really extensive prices for difficult surgeries usually. It also hosts a cancer research group, a recovery center for ex-athletes and drug-addled celebrities, and I think an indoor infinity pool."

Grayson sighed despite his unease. "Money does make life grander."

"Hmm."

"When are we going in?"

"At a time." Minwoo checked his watch. "As long as the Madam holds her end of the bargain, I don't think we'll be short on moments with people eaters."

Grayson bemoaned at the mention again, while Minwoo smirked. For someone who appeared constantly, annoyingly cheerful with fists that could slap a man into another realm - a boy who has seen almost as much as him, his hamartia was people's insides?

Honestly.

A few more minutes and a sharp rapt came from the driver's window. The two turned and the madam's right hand man, a scarred, willowy man without much of an expression, Minwoo rolled the windows down and and Grayson managed a cheerful wave despite looking parlours paler.

"Hello Mr. Wen." Minwoo was only polite in front of sharks and snakes, those dripping with the same kind of toxins and poisons as he does.

Like comes to like.

"Mr. Park." His voice, like his face, sounded scratched and scarred. Grayson only knew of one thing that could make a voice sound like that - well several things, but the first thing that came to mind is drinking bleach.

"You have half an hour," he continued the pre-established plan. Niceties were for idiots. "If you don't come out without the Madam by them, we come in barrelling guns. No spares."

No spares. No survivors. Not even them.

Minwoo already knew that, but he nodded solemnly nevertheless. "Wouldn't dream of it." Then got out of the car, Grayson in tow, and roved his eye quickly through the black cars that surrounded the little burger joint they parked at. Each one had no plate number, tinted to the souls of the damned, and one that had the insignia of one of the North East clans, contained the Madam.

They walked towards the car, the exchange simple - they would replace two clan members and pose as them. It was a risky move for the Madam to agree on, leaving the comforts of her soldiers for two rogues, but it was the best case scenario.

The Madam was infamously rich and known not just in her sectors, but across the nation. The hospital would let her in without a second thought, and posing as her guards for a 'check up' is the safest bet of entry. But just in case anything went wrong, her soldiers guarding the perimeter would be ready to spring her out, killing everyone in their way regardless of who they are.

Grayson briefly wondered how big of an owe did the Madam had for Minwoo that she would agree to this.

Grayson slid into the driver's seat, Minwoo sliding next to him. His cane was missing for this encounter, but somewhat of a reflection of that was a piece just hidden beneath the folds of his clothes. He could see it in the way he walked - like there was something peeking in between his corners. But he never asked because Minwoo never told his secrets.

Grayson only had one gun and two knives, and that made him anxious, doubling up on the twisty feeling in his stomach. But the hospital only welcomed guards with at least three weapons for safety. It was to create an illusion of trust and serenity in a place of healing. The truth was they didn't want firepower just in case a fight broke between clients and their guards.

The tinted divider rolled down. The Madam's voice was almost as scratchy as her right hand man, but hers held more of a whispering snake quality. Someone that would strike at a pulse without a second thought, singing you a hymn before she did.

"This better be good, Mr. Park."

Minwoo bowed at the rear view mirror. "Of course, Madam."

"Though I have less trust in your skills than of my people," a teasing quality hinted in her tone, the leather rustling with movement. "It's a thrilling idea to do something out of my usual routine. Controlling a crime family really does become a bore after a while. And cannibals at the Apollo. Really. My daughter was just admitted here a few weeks ago."

The Apollo was the codename for the hospital, used only by the dark side of the world. Crooked politicians, crime family members, the likes...

Grayson grinned, feeling a little bit better. "Well, we're sure to make this an experience you would never forget, Madam."

After all, Grayson was very good at making quite an impact on people.

•••

They entered without a fuss. From Agent Kim's instructions, there were three different passwords at the three different guard checkpoints. The first password details why you were there - a password that recognizes you weren't police. The second one confirms your understanding. The third is the last net.

"You know how difficult is to know a password that changes every nine hours, and not just one password but three?" Agent Kim had groaned. "The amount of research, the agents, the numerous wiretaps to phones that change their numbers every -"

" - Bathory, Femur, and Oolong Tea," Minwoo listed with the roll of his eyes.

The Agent quieted, the speakers crackled. Grayson, feeling a little bit better now that they were planning the numbers, crunching the situation, snickered over his hot green tea.

"...I give up on you."

"And here I thought I'd never get to see the day."

"Alright ladies, passwords done, what else?" Grayson set his cup as Minwoo leaned forward on the plans he had finished printed. It was somehow the subterranean outline of the hospital. It had gotten them four hours to finally get them - Minwoo mostly on the phone with contacts - and it was only a vague idea of the floors.

But from Grayson's point, he whistled. If the hospital itself was empirical from above, it felt like a whole other world at the floors below. They winded down and down as if a modernised version of hell itself in weird passageways that mostly have one way in and out. At each turn, you couldn't make another left and see yourself at another route. If you took route one, you only had one way to go.

It was like a damn maze with one surprise - a cannibal room for the matter - at each end.

"This isn't going to be easy," Grayson muttered. "It feels like willingly getting locked inside an intricate mousetrap with nothing but my own tail."

"This is the best scenario to do," Minwoo insisted. "We're not even going to crash their party - we just need evidence that this place exists. They allow at least one phone but only on certain people. Big people. But the reception is poor enough. That's why we need a third party involve."

"The Madam. A woman that controls the North East clans with her pinky finger, and the most dangerous person in the country. Equal in her South East counterpart."

"If you could sound anymore less enthused by the idea, agent, be my guest." Minwoo shifted his cane, weighing it between his palms on both end. It was just a stick with peeling paint on some odd ends. But it was also surprisingly heavy with secrets Grayson still hadn't figured out. It had a intricate silver detail on the head, like some sort of animal encased in vines and flowers. He could make out the face - not what it was really, only the expression of pure agony. Like it was trying to break out.

It was very macabre.

"But this is our only hope of an allowed entrance," he continued. Then snapped his cane sharply to the ground, rolling the agonised face in his palm. "And coincidentally, the Madam owes me enough for a request like this. Though I've only seen her once since my release."

He turned to Grayson. "Do you think I should treat her to dinner or something?"

"Would be very polite yes."

"W-wait, you were in contact with the Madam after your release?" The agent sounded agitated, the ripples of his own anger were felt outside of the phone. "But there was never - you were monitored from day one! There's no record -"

Minwoo waved his hands. "Ghosts disappear when they don't want to appear. And it was a very brief meeting, if I say so."

Grayson coughed over his tea, picking it up again and sipping. "Also you have really poor surveillance gear."

"What was that?"

Gray smiled. "Nothing."

•••

And so that happened. After numerous more arguments in between planning, the agent still begrudgingly agreed that Minwoo's 'best case scenario' didn't involve a death count and would bring him an entire crime ring in a reputable hospital with less of a fuss than normal.

But their plannings can only go for as much. There were still a lot of murky areas in their little plan that set Minwoo on edge but didn't show it. The last thing he needed was for the Madam to get antsy while in their care.

Soon, they were directed to floors down by closed gates and subterranean floors. Red lights flickered each gate that directed to another floor down, and only when they were assessed by hidden cameras did the lights turn green and welcomed them.

Three guard posts, at each at least three guards manning it. Minwoo counted eight floors down, not even the lowest levels, and at each was four cameras and computerised entrances and exits.

There was no going in or out without someone's permission.

Something about the entire thing made Minwoo claustrophobic.

But when the Madam had seen the operation, she had hummed, impressed.

"I sure hope you know what both of you are using me for, Mr. Park and Mr. Wang." All heads turned at the last floor - it was a parking that contained four other vehicles and a single elevator. Two guards and a staff in a suit was waiting to welcome them. "This does not look like an easy task either way. In or out, we'll have to be welcomed to leave as we entered."

"It is a spectacle," Grayson added, one leg bouncing. The car was off - they were preparing to come out. "I have a feeling they can lock us down here very easily and one of us might end up... in a pretty pink box."

Minwoo cleared his throat, his expression as stiff and as impervious. "When have I ever led you two astray?"

"A lot."

"You are trouble, Mr. Park."

Minwoo rolled his eyes but grinned. With cracked knuckles, he opened his door first. "Well, old habits die hard. Let's go. Just remember - you're the Madam that has to have her demands met and we're nothing more but foot soldiers. We need the worst of you to get through this unscathed."

"The worst of me is hell itself, sir," she whispered, grin beguiling and poisonous. There was something about the way her eyes met his on the mirror that crackled a familiar feeling. "I don't think you'd want to see that."

Grayson giggled a little bit, breaking that little feeling that ran down Minwoo's fingers. "We really need hell right now."