December 4, 2030

  From a building rooftop, Jung Min-ju watched the police truck drive away through binoculars and called Suzumura. “…It’s moving now. Did they not notice because we blocked all electronics except one phone?” Suzumura’s voice came through. “…Not yet. First, we need to lure him out. He’s capable of installing wiretapping devices on our phones in ways we don’t understand. Blocking electronics won’t solve it.”

  Suzumura Hideki was a cautious man. Sitting in the police truck, he monitored the situation closely, ready to deploy officers if anything went wrong. He handed the phone to Kang Min-chul, who spoke to Jung Min-ju in a trembling voice. “…Have you spotted Gamamusa?” Jung Min-ju remained silent. Kang Min-chul shook with fear. “…You don’t know where he is, do you? He was able to release sleeping gas through the prison vents because the guards couldn’t pinpoint his location. To catch that lunatic, we need to know where he is.”

  Jung Min-ju stayed quiet. Kang Min-chul felt a strange premonition. “…Agent Jung?” Meanwhile, Suzumura, pouring hot water into cup noodles for dinner, sensed something off. It seemed he’d have to skip his meal and start the mission. “…I’m heading to Agent Jung’s location. Turn off the tracker we placed on her. Gamamusa might hack it and kidnap her.” Kang Min-chul swallowed hard and hung up.

  …

  Ugh… Gamamusa carried an unconscious Jung Min-ju over his shoulder as he descended the stairs. Checking below and seeing no one, he dropped her on the third-floor landing. “The agents will pick you up later.” He quietly continued down, entering a mall inside the building on the second floor. Soon, Cabinet Intelligence agents and police stormed the third floor, finding Jung Min-ju. As they caused a commotion, Gamamusa slipped out to the lower floors. Moments later, Suzumura arrived, checking her pulse. “…She’s still alive. Get her to an ambulance.”

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  Left alone in the police truck, Kang Min-chul stared at the road. Undercover police and agents in several trucks watched the area. Kang Min-chul quietly pulled out his phone and made a call. Beep. A voice answered. “…Well, it’s been a while. What’s up?” Kang Min-chul sweated profusely. “…I think Gamamusa’s onto us. He seems to know the Cabinet Intelligence is working with the Reconnaissance General Bureau and that I was sent here.” A sigh came from the other end. “…He knew before he even came to Japan. The fact that Japanese and Korean intelligence are aware of him proves he’s drawing attention. His crossing into South Korea instead of going straight from North Korea to Japan was all to attract scrutiny.”

  Kang Min-chul was puzzled. “…So, he deliberately drew in the NIS and Cabinet Intelligence? Why would he do that?” The voice lowered. “…Probably to keep us in check. If Gamamusa is caught in Japan or South Korea, they won’t hand him over to the Reconnaissance General Bureau—they’ll investigate him themselves. If that happens, the murderer from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will become a hero in Japan and South Korea. If a court convicts him of murder, people will condemn the court. Even if he escapes, no one will turn him over. He’s too dangerous—not just for our country, but for the whole world. If he follows in his lunatic father’s footsteps, who knows what’ll happen to the globe?”

  Kang Min-chul tensed at the voice. “…Then what should we do, Director Ri Man-hui?” Ri Man-hui spoke quietly. Vroom! A police truck sped past on the road. Kang Min-chul stared, startled. “…I’ll call you back, Director. Something’s up.” He rushed to the scene. Police pried open the truck’s door, but no one was inside.

  “…What? That’s impossible!” As the police stood baffled, Kang Min-chul felt an eerie déjà vu. “…No way…” He turned to the road, uneasy. Vroom! His face froze in disbelief. “That crazy bastard… he’s at it again…” Gamamusa, with a long wooden plank over one shoulder, roared toward them on a motorcycle. As he neared the police truck, he propped one foot on the handlebars, stood, and threw the plank onto the truck’s roof. He rode the motorcycle up the plank, across the roof, and as it dropped to the front, he sped off. The police stared, dumbfounded. “…He got us. Stopping the truck was never the issue.”

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