Save Me (Part 7a)
Title: Save Me
Author: VampireMadonna
Pairing: YunJae
Rating: PG-13
Length: Undetermined
Summary: Kim Jaejoong is on the run from his crazed ex-husband and Lieutenant Jung Yunho is the only one standing between him and an uncertain fate. Will Yunho be his savior...or will his rescue come too late?
Weeks had passed since the home invasion with nary a word from or sign of Daniel.
Jaejoong didn’t let it lull him into a false sense of complacency, though. He knew that he was out there, always would be until he was caught and locked away for life.
Still, he felt like he could breathe easier. He hadn’t realized until that day that he was suffering from anxiety. He’d known, of course, that he would get nervous at times, maybe even panic, if there was any sign of Daniel in the vicinity. Or simply wondering if he was nearby. But that day, coming home to find the house unlocked and Maya having disappeared within its depths, not knowing whether Daniel was still there or not… If not for the parental urge to protect his cub kicking in, he would’ve had a panic attack right there on his stoop. So now, whenever he felt those fingers of fear skittering their way up his spine, he would walk to the front windows and look out at the police car parked in front of his house. No one could come or go without the posted officer, at the moment Officer Lee, noticing.
“Thanks for helping me out,” Sunye, or Sunny as she preferred to be called, was saying.
Jaejoong smiled as he packed containers bursting with food into a wicker basket.
“It’s my pleasure.”
“I know he’ll enjoy it. He loves your cooking,” Sunny teased. “I swear, if you weren’t a man or if he switched sides, he’d swoop you up in the blink of an eye.”
“I doubt it,” he replied with a chuckle.
“Seriously. You know what they say: ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.’ It’s all too true and with the way you cook, he wouldn’t even think twice.”
“Except for the small fact that he’s deliriously in love with you,” Jaejoong pointed out.
“Well… There is that,” she admitted with a smirk. “So, what are you up to tonight? Is that yummy police officer coming by?”
Jaejoong blinked in confusion.
Sunny stuck her hands on her hips. “Don’t give me that look, you know very well who I’m talking about. He has to drive by my house every time he comes here. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” She cocked a brow for added effect.
He cleared his throat. “Yunho is…just a friend.”
“My ass,” she muttered, closing the basket. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to but don’t belittle my intelligence.”
Jaejoong flushed. “I didn’t mean…”
Sunny sighed dramatically. “I’m kidding, aish!”
His flush deepened.
He had never come out to Sunny and she had never openly questioned his sexual orientation. His relationships, or lack thereof, had never really been a topic of conversation despite the length of time they’d known each other. He’d never told her about Daniel either but he sensed that she knew his life was a difficult one, that he was running from something or someone. Having a police officer sitting on his house 24/7 pretty much confirmed it.
But Yunho… She’d never seen him with Yunho, to his knowledge anyway, so he couldn’t help but wonder what had clued her in.
“You know… There’s nothing wrong with dating. You’re still young, ridiculously attractive I must say, and having a kid isn’t the end of the world. Besides, there isn’t a soul in this universe who wouldn’t love your little girl after meeting her. And, if it helps, she seems to already like him.”
Jaejoong was pretty sure that he resembled a tomato by now. Clearing his throat again, he asked, “Did Maya say something to you?”
“Just that the nice policeman was indeed that: nice. That he was nice to her and made her feel safe. She also mentioned that he made her daddy smile and she liked it when daddy smiled because he didn’t smile much.”
The words cut deep. Not so much how much Maya liked Yunho, which alarmed him somewhat, but the fact that she paid so much attention to his demeanor. He’d thought he’d been doing a pretty good job of giving her as normal a life as possible, sheltering her from the dangers around them. Apparently he was wrong. Is it really so surprising, though?, he asked himself. She went everywhere with him. Saw and heard everything he did. His child was highly intelligent and perceptive. It shouldn’t surprise him that she was aware and took note of everything, even the things he wasn’t aware of himself. Children were extremely observant.
Sighing, he dropped into a chair. Sunny took the seat next to him, taking his hand in hers.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” she apologized.
He smiled wryly. “No, no. I just forget sometimes how smart she is. She’s so young but so wise too.”
Sunny’s face clouded over. “Jaejoong… I don’t know what’s going on but I know it’s something serious. You don’t have round-the-clock police protection for nothing.”
He blanched. “I…”
She shook her head. “No, don’t say anything. If and when the time comes where you want to tell me, willingly, I’ll be more than ready to listen. Until then, I just want you and your little girl to be happy and I think that maybe it’s time for you to dip your foot in the dating pool again. Who better than with a cop? He can romance you and protect you at the same time. Win-win! But seriously, if Maya likes him then he must be golden. He’s already kid approved so why wait? Stop looking for reasons why you shouldn’t and focus on the reasons why you should.”
She was making assumptions about his sexual preference, and seemed pretty darn sure of them. He could deny, he supposed, but what was the point? And frankly, he was tired of lying and being secretive. Sunny was the only real friend he’d allowed himself since he’d begun his life on the run. She’d ingratiated herself into their lives without giving him much of a choice. And he adored her for it.
“I’ll give it some thought,” he finally said.
Sunny beamed. “Great. I can see from the look in your eyes that you really want me to change the topic and so like the good friend that I am, I will. Maya’s birthday is coming up. Any plans?”
His eyes dropped to their clasped hands. “It’s only ever been us, since... I hadn’t really thought about it beyond what to get her.”
“Why don’t you have a birthday party?” Sunny suggested. At Jaejoong’s alarmed expression, she rushed on. “Nothing huge, just a block party of sorts. Not even that. We’ll just invite the kids in the nearest houses. My brats, the ones next to me, the ones next to them and the ones on your other side. That’s not even twenty. You stuff them with unhealthy food, cake and soda, throw in a little party favor and you’re golden. I’m sure Maya will love it. Has she ever had a party?”
Jaejoong’s heart clenched. “No…Not since she was a baby, and she was too young to remember.”
Sunny squeezed his hand comfortingly. “Then we’ll make this one count. It’ll be like it’s her first, okay?”
He briefly wondered if he’d be putting people in danger by inviting them over but the answer was obvious before he even finished the question. Daniel didn’t care about anyone but him. He wouldn’t care enough to attack anyone else. Except maybe Yunho. He still harbored that fear. This was about Maya, however. She deserved a normal life, with friends who could visit and parties to celebrate her birthday. Her formative years would come to an end before he knew it and then she’d be a teenager wanting to get as far away from him as possible. He needed to make as many memories as he possibly could while she was still attached to him.
Squeezing Sunny’s hand gently, he tried a smile. “Okay.”
Two weeks later…
“How did you get access to this?”
There was awe in Yunho’s voice when he asked the question.
Captain Jung leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile settled on his lips. “I know people.”
“I’ll say,” Yunho murmured, eyes never leaving the computer screen as images flashed faster than his eyes could register.
His uncle had gotten access to facial recognition software used by the secret service that allowed them to cross-reference the picture of Daniel that they had on file with that of persons who had come into the country in the past two years. Requesting surveillance footage from the airports would have been pointless because they didn’t know how long Daniel had been in the country, which airport he’d come through or even the country that he’d come from. He was a smart man so there were any number of ways he could have come into the country.
“If we don’t get something off of this then there’s really no hope of finding this guy,” Detective Song said from behind him.
“Stay positive,” Yunho encouraged. “It’s about time we got lucky.”
The minutes ticked by in the silent room as all present focused on the screen with bated breath. After thirty minutes, Yunho couldn’t take it anymore and decided that a break was needed.
“I’m gonna get some coffee. Anybody want? Yes? No?”
Chuckling as he ignored the calls behind him, he made his way to the break room and poured himself a cup of coffee. As he sipped, he allowed his mind to drift. His thought automatically turned to Jaejoong and he hid a smile in his cup as he wondered what he was up to, though he had an idea. He couldn’t wait to see him later, was mentally counting down the hours until he would. It was a special day, one that he was honored to be a part of.
“Yunho!”
Detective Song came racing into the room.
“We got a hit.”
Yunho slammed his mug down on the counter, not noticing that its contents spilled over as he raced back to his uncle’s office.
“What have we got?” he demanded.
“Your mystery man,” Captain Jung purred. “Meet Steven Daniels.”
Yunho gazed at the man he’d been searching for the past five months. He’d dyed his naturally blond hair a murky brown, had covered his bright blue eyes with dull, dark contacts and somewhere along the way, he’d gotten a scar on his left cheek. Had he given it to himself?, Yunho wondered. Was he that far-gone? It was him, though. There was no doubt about it. His basic features were the same and the name was a dead giveaway.
“Gotcha,” Yunho whispered, feeling the adrenaline of the chase coursing through his veins. He was closing in on his prey.
“He came in from Japan,” Captain Jung mused as he read the details of Daniel’s phony passport. “That and the name change are why nothing popped when we ran scans before.”
“Cross-referencing Steven Daniels with hotel reservations, apartment rentals and credit card usage in Seoul,” Detective Song announced.
“You can do that?” an officer inquired, astonished. “They can even find stuff like that?”
“Big Brother is always watching, my friend. Always.”
Yunho watched as names blipped by on the screen before a beep signalled that they had a match.
“That was quick,” the same officer commented, quieting when several annoyed gazes turned in his direction.
“How many Steven Daniels could there possibly be in Seoul?” Detective Song asked, hoping that the idiot realized he was being sarcastic.
Yunho read off the address of the apartment building that Daniel had apparently rented a unit from, eyes widening slightly when he realized that it was less than twenty minutes away from the station.
“All this time he’s been right under our noses,” he muttered.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go.”
“I’m coming with you,” Captain Jung announced.
Yunho paused on his way out of the door, spinning on his heel to look at his uncle like he’d lost his mind. “What?”
“I’m coming with you,” his uncle repeated calmly, rising from his seat.
“Captain, I don’t…”
“Shall I simplify it for you, Yunho? Either I go, or you stay. Your choice.”
Yunho’s brows drew together, eyes narrowing as he ground his teeth, barely restraining the words that sprung to the tip of his tongue. Now was not the time to be insubordinate, however.
“Yes, Sir,” he finally said.
“Very neat. Bordering on OCD, I’d say.”
Yunho glanced over at the CSI, the same girl who had been on scene at his house.
“Why do you say that?” he asked out of curiosity.
“Well… Look at this.” She pointed to a series of picture frames on a nearby table. “To the untrained eye, it just looks organized. But when you take a closer look, the frames are exactly parallel to each other. I mean exactly, like someone measured it with a ruler. You have to have some serious issues to go to such lengths.”
“Huh…” Yunho swept a cursory glance around the room before returning his gaze to his companion. “How about you tell me what you see? Assess the scene for me.”
She flushed bright pink but didn’t waste any time before beginning her analysis.
“From what I observed at the last scene, the obvious signs of a breakdown, the struggle to keep himself together, I’d say that his OCD helps him manage in that it’s one of the few things that he feels like he has control over. Like I said before, he’s very systematic. He needs that organization, something solid that he can hold onto and control, to keep him calm. Safe even. And definitely sane. He doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with him, it’s the world that’s diseased, as it were.”
“Do you think he’s dangerous?”
“We’re all dangerous, Lieutenant. All animals at our core. But in his case, given his psychological state, I’d have to say yes. I mean, he already wrecked your apartment. He bled in your apartment and there were no signs that he tried to stop it. He simply continued doing what he was doing until the rage passed. The rage is what makes him unpredictable. Is it part of his disease or is it inherently his nature? I heard about the man whose house he broke into. He’s the sun: everything revolves around him. This guy is fixated on that one person and is determined to destroy anyone that gets in his way. You got too close so he sent you a warning. Now we’re in his territory. He’s done such a fine job of evading us so far that I would not be surprised if he knows we’re here and is currently surveilling us.”
Yunho’s eyes widened in surprise. Why hadn’t that occurred to him?
He called two officers over and ordered them to do a thorough sweep outside the building and in the street. So far there was no indication that Daniel had rented a car but Yunho knew that he had to have one. There was no way he could get around as quickly as he did without being seen unless he had an independent means of transportation.
“His name,” the girl said suddenly.
“What?”
“His name. He changed his outward appearance but his name was the one thing he couldn’t, or wasn’t willing to, part with . It’s part of his identity and right now he’s struggling to hold onto himself. It’s possible that he has other aliases but I’d bet my rent money that it’s another variation of his real name. He’ll never stray too far from it.”
Yunho cocked his head to the side. “What’s your name?”
“Nancy,” she murmured, face pinkening.
Yunho chuckled. “Nancy?”
“It’s really NaYoung but I’ve idolized Nancy Drew since I was a little girl so I kind of adopted it…” She trailed off as her face flamed a deeper shade of red.
Yunho flashed a grin that was positively lethal. “It suits you. Have you ever considered becoming a profiler? I think you’d be amazing.”
Nancy laughed nervously. “Really? Actually, it’s what I want to do but somehow I ended up…here. No offense,” she rushed to add.
Yunho’s killer smile widened. “None taken.”
“Less talking, more swiping, Nancy,” her superior ordered roughly as he passed by.
“Yes, sir!”
Not wanting to get her into more trouble, Yunho left her to her work.
Daniel’s apartment didn’t yield any clues as to where he currently was but at least they had taken over his home base. It would rattle him, possibly spur him into action or lure him out into the open. Yunho wouldn’t mind a face-to-face confrontation. If the alternative was Daniel terrorizing Jaejoong because of what he and his men had done, he’d gladly square off with him.
Speaking of Jaejoong…
He glanced down at his watch, he was surprised to see that it was almost 5:00pm.
“Shit.”
He looked around, spotted Detective Song and made his way over to him.
“I’ve got something to do so I’m heading out.”
Detective Song raised a curious brow but made no comment about his sudden departure. “Okay.”
“Tell the Captain…”
“Why don’t you tell him yourself,” a voice said dryly from behind him.
Yunho jumped slightly, then winced. Turning slowly, he faced his uncle. “I’ve got something to do.”
“Oh?” His uncle raised a questioning brow.
Yunho glowered. “I’m going to a birthday party,” he said defiantly.
His uncle said nothing for a moment, then, “Have fun.”
Yunho blinked a couple of times in surprise before relaxing his posture.
“I will.” He glanced over at detective Song. “I’ll check in later.”
Captain Jung watched Yunho make his way out of the apartment while Detective Song observed his Captain.
“Don’t you have work to do, Detective?” Captain Jung asked without turning to face the man.
Detective Song cleared his throat. “Yes, sir,” he quickly replied and scampered off.
Daniel sat in his rental car staring at his building, the anger within his chest escalating to a whole other level as he watched one police officer stand guard at the entrance while another walked along the sidewalk, shining a flashlight into the parked cars on the street.
It had only been a matter of time before they found him, he told himself. He’d prepared for it, or thought he had, but the thought of them rifling through his things, things he’d collected and organized so meticulously, filled him with rage. How dare they? Who did they think they were? They had no right.
There was nothing he could do, though, and he knew it. He’d been lucky that he’d been out when they finally tracked him down. He had his essentials: money, fake IDs and license. It would be easy enough to find a new place to rent and start over. But he’d been at that apartment for almost a year; it had started to feel like home, the first home he’d known since he’d been kicked out of his marital home. Of course, once he’d rectified things with his love, one of the first things they’d have to do is find somewhere new to settle in together.
He smiled to himself, thinking of that joyful day.
“Soon,” he whispered. “Very soon.”
If all went like he’d planned, he wouldn’t need somewhere to stay for more than a day or two.
Just then, a familiar figure stepped out onto the sidewalk and exchanged a few words with the officer stationed at the door.
“Well, well,” he said softly. “What do we have here?”
He watched Yunho wave to the officer on the sidewalk before climbing into one of the unmarked vehicles lining the street and driving off a few seconds later.
Smile widening, he turned the key in the ignition and started down the street, humming his special song as he followed Yunho’s tail-lights.
Author: VampireMadonna
Pairing: YunJae
Rating: PG-13
Length: Undetermined
Summary: Kim Jaejoong is on the run from his crazed ex-husband and Lieutenant Jung Yunho is the only one standing between him and an uncertain fate. Will Yunho be his savior...or will his rescue come too late?
Weeks had passed since the home invasion with nary a word from or sign of Daniel.
Jaejoong didn’t let it lull him into a false sense of complacency, though. He knew that he was out there, always would be until he was caught and locked away for life.
Still, he felt like he could breathe easier. He hadn’t realized until that day that he was suffering from anxiety. He’d known, of course, that he would get nervous at times, maybe even panic, if there was any sign of Daniel in the vicinity. Or simply wondering if he was nearby. But that day, coming home to find the house unlocked and Maya having disappeared within its depths, not knowing whether Daniel was still there or not… If not for the parental urge to protect his cub kicking in, he would’ve had a panic attack right there on his stoop. So now, whenever he felt those fingers of fear skittering their way up his spine, he would walk to the front windows and look out at the police car parked in front of his house. No one could come or go without the posted officer, at the moment Officer Lee, noticing.
“Thanks for helping me out,” Sunye, or Sunny as she preferred to be called, was saying.
Jaejoong smiled as he packed containers bursting with food into a wicker basket.
“It’s my pleasure.”
“I know he’ll enjoy it. He loves your cooking,” Sunny teased. “I swear, if you weren’t a man or if he switched sides, he’d swoop you up in the blink of an eye.”
“I doubt it,” he replied with a chuckle.
“Seriously. You know what they say: ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.’ It’s all too true and with the way you cook, he wouldn’t even think twice.”
“Except for the small fact that he’s deliriously in love with you,” Jaejoong pointed out.
“Well… There is that,” she admitted with a smirk. “So, what are you up to tonight? Is that yummy police officer coming by?”
Jaejoong blinked in confusion.
Sunny stuck her hands on her hips. “Don’t give me that look, you know very well who I’m talking about. He has to drive by my house every time he comes here. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” She cocked a brow for added effect.
He cleared his throat. “Yunho is…just a friend.”
“My ass,” she muttered, closing the basket. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to but don’t belittle my intelligence.”
Jaejoong flushed. “I didn’t mean…”
Sunny sighed dramatically. “I’m kidding, aish!”
His flush deepened.
He had never come out to Sunny and she had never openly questioned his sexual orientation. His relationships, or lack thereof, had never really been a topic of conversation despite the length of time they’d known each other. He’d never told her about Daniel either but he sensed that she knew his life was a difficult one, that he was running from something or someone. Having a police officer sitting on his house 24/7 pretty much confirmed it.
But Yunho… She’d never seen him with Yunho, to his knowledge anyway, so he couldn’t help but wonder what had clued her in.
“You know… There’s nothing wrong with dating. You’re still young, ridiculously attractive I must say, and having a kid isn’t the end of the world. Besides, there isn’t a soul in this universe who wouldn’t love your little girl after meeting her. And, if it helps, she seems to already like him.”
Jaejoong was pretty sure that he resembled a tomato by now. Clearing his throat again, he asked, “Did Maya say something to you?”
“Just that the nice policeman was indeed that: nice. That he was nice to her and made her feel safe. She also mentioned that he made her daddy smile and she liked it when daddy smiled because he didn’t smile much.”
The words cut deep. Not so much how much Maya liked Yunho, which alarmed him somewhat, but the fact that she paid so much attention to his demeanor. He’d thought he’d been doing a pretty good job of giving her as normal a life as possible, sheltering her from the dangers around them. Apparently he was wrong. Is it really so surprising, though?, he asked himself. She went everywhere with him. Saw and heard everything he did. His child was highly intelligent and perceptive. It shouldn’t surprise him that she was aware and took note of everything, even the things he wasn’t aware of himself. Children were extremely observant.
Sighing, he dropped into a chair. Sunny took the seat next to him, taking his hand in hers.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” she apologized.
He smiled wryly. “No, no. I just forget sometimes how smart she is. She’s so young but so wise too.”
Sunny’s face clouded over. “Jaejoong… I don’t know what’s going on but I know it’s something serious. You don’t have round-the-clock police protection for nothing.”
He blanched. “I…”
She shook her head. “No, don’t say anything. If and when the time comes where you want to tell me, willingly, I’ll be more than ready to listen. Until then, I just want you and your little girl to be happy and I think that maybe it’s time for you to dip your foot in the dating pool again. Who better than with a cop? He can romance you and protect you at the same time. Win-win! But seriously, if Maya likes him then he must be golden. He’s already kid approved so why wait? Stop looking for reasons why you shouldn’t and focus on the reasons why you should.”
She was making assumptions about his sexual preference, and seemed pretty darn sure of them. He could deny, he supposed, but what was the point? And frankly, he was tired of lying and being secretive. Sunny was the only real friend he’d allowed himself since he’d begun his life on the run. She’d ingratiated herself into their lives without giving him much of a choice. And he adored her for it.
“I’ll give it some thought,” he finally said.
Sunny beamed. “Great. I can see from the look in your eyes that you really want me to change the topic and so like the good friend that I am, I will. Maya’s birthday is coming up. Any plans?”
His eyes dropped to their clasped hands. “It’s only ever been us, since... I hadn’t really thought about it beyond what to get her.”
“Why don’t you have a birthday party?” Sunny suggested. At Jaejoong’s alarmed expression, she rushed on. “Nothing huge, just a block party of sorts. Not even that. We’ll just invite the kids in the nearest houses. My brats, the ones next to me, the ones next to them and the ones on your other side. That’s not even twenty. You stuff them with unhealthy food, cake and soda, throw in a little party favor and you’re golden. I’m sure Maya will love it. Has she ever had a party?”
Jaejoong’s heart clenched. “No…Not since she was a baby, and she was too young to remember.”
Sunny squeezed his hand comfortingly. “Then we’ll make this one count. It’ll be like it’s her first, okay?”
He briefly wondered if he’d be putting people in danger by inviting them over but the answer was obvious before he even finished the question. Daniel didn’t care about anyone but him. He wouldn’t care enough to attack anyone else. Except maybe Yunho. He still harbored that fear. This was about Maya, however. She deserved a normal life, with friends who could visit and parties to celebrate her birthday. Her formative years would come to an end before he knew it and then she’d be a teenager wanting to get as far away from him as possible. He needed to make as many memories as he possibly could while she was still attached to him.
Squeezing Sunny’s hand gently, he tried a smile. “Okay.”
Two weeks later…
“How did you get access to this?”
There was awe in Yunho’s voice when he asked the question.
Captain Jung leaned back in his chair, a satisfied smile settled on his lips. “I know people.”
“I’ll say,” Yunho murmured, eyes never leaving the computer screen as images flashed faster than his eyes could register.
His uncle had gotten access to facial recognition software used by the secret service that allowed them to cross-reference the picture of Daniel that they had on file with that of persons who had come into the country in the past two years. Requesting surveillance footage from the airports would have been pointless because they didn’t know how long Daniel had been in the country, which airport he’d come through or even the country that he’d come from. He was a smart man so there were any number of ways he could have come into the country.
“If we don’t get something off of this then there’s really no hope of finding this guy,” Detective Song said from behind him.
“Stay positive,” Yunho encouraged. “It’s about time we got lucky.”
The minutes ticked by in the silent room as all present focused on the screen with bated breath. After thirty minutes, Yunho couldn’t take it anymore and decided that a break was needed.
“I’m gonna get some coffee. Anybody want? Yes? No?”
Chuckling as he ignored the calls behind him, he made his way to the break room and poured himself a cup of coffee. As he sipped, he allowed his mind to drift. His thought automatically turned to Jaejoong and he hid a smile in his cup as he wondered what he was up to, though he had an idea. He couldn’t wait to see him later, was mentally counting down the hours until he would. It was a special day, one that he was honored to be a part of.
“Yunho!”
Detective Song came racing into the room.
“We got a hit.”
Yunho slammed his mug down on the counter, not noticing that its contents spilled over as he raced back to his uncle’s office.
“What have we got?” he demanded.
“Your mystery man,” Captain Jung purred. “Meet Steven Daniels.”
Yunho gazed at the man he’d been searching for the past five months. He’d dyed his naturally blond hair a murky brown, had covered his bright blue eyes with dull, dark contacts and somewhere along the way, he’d gotten a scar on his left cheek. Had he given it to himself?, Yunho wondered. Was he that far-gone? It was him, though. There was no doubt about it. His basic features were the same and the name was a dead giveaway.
“Gotcha,” Yunho whispered, feeling the adrenaline of the chase coursing through his veins. He was closing in on his prey.
“He came in from Japan,” Captain Jung mused as he read the details of Daniel’s phony passport. “That and the name change are why nothing popped when we ran scans before.”
“Cross-referencing Steven Daniels with hotel reservations, apartment rentals and credit card usage in Seoul,” Detective Song announced.
“You can do that?” an officer inquired, astonished. “They can even find stuff like that?”
“Big Brother is always watching, my friend. Always.”
Yunho watched as names blipped by on the screen before a beep signalled that they had a match.
“That was quick,” the same officer commented, quieting when several annoyed gazes turned in his direction.
“How many Steven Daniels could there possibly be in Seoul?” Detective Song asked, hoping that the idiot realized he was being sarcastic.
Yunho read off the address of the apartment building that Daniel had apparently rented a unit from, eyes widening slightly when he realized that it was less than twenty minutes away from the station.
“All this time he’s been right under our noses,” he muttered.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go.”
“I’m coming with you,” Captain Jung announced.
Yunho paused on his way out of the door, spinning on his heel to look at his uncle like he’d lost his mind. “What?”
“I’m coming with you,” his uncle repeated calmly, rising from his seat.
“Captain, I don’t…”
“Shall I simplify it for you, Yunho? Either I go, or you stay. Your choice.”
Yunho’s brows drew together, eyes narrowing as he ground his teeth, barely restraining the words that sprung to the tip of his tongue. Now was not the time to be insubordinate, however.
“Yes, Sir,” he finally said.
“Very neat. Bordering on OCD, I’d say.”
Yunho glanced over at the CSI, the same girl who had been on scene at his house.
“Why do you say that?” he asked out of curiosity.
“Well… Look at this.” She pointed to a series of picture frames on a nearby table. “To the untrained eye, it just looks organized. But when you take a closer look, the frames are exactly parallel to each other. I mean exactly, like someone measured it with a ruler. You have to have some serious issues to go to such lengths.”
“Huh…” Yunho swept a cursory glance around the room before returning his gaze to his companion. “How about you tell me what you see? Assess the scene for me.”
She flushed bright pink but didn’t waste any time before beginning her analysis.
“From what I observed at the last scene, the obvious signs of a breakdown, the struggle to keep himself together, I’d say that his OCD helps him manage in that it’s one of the few things that he feels like he has control over. Like I said before, he’s very systematic. He needs that organization, something solid that he can hold onto and control, to keep him calm. Safe even. And definitely sane. He doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with him, it’s the world that’s diseased, as it were.”
“Do you think he’s dangerous?”
“We’re all dangerous, Lieutenant. All animals at our core. But in his case, given his psychological state, I’d have to say yes. I mean, he already wrecked your apartment. He bled in your apartment and there were no signs that he tried to stop it. He simply continued doing what he was doing until the rage passed. The rage is what makes him unpredictable. Is it part of his disease or is it inherently his nature? I heard about the man whose house he broke into. He’s the sun: everything revolves around him. This guy is fixated on that one person and is determined to destroy anyone that gets in his way. You got too close so he sent you a warning. Now we’re in his territory. He’s done such a fine job of evading us so far that I would not be surprised if he knows we’re here and is currently surveilling us.”
Yunho’s eyes widened in surprise. Why hadn’t that occurred to him?
He called two officers over and ordered them to do a thorough sweep outside the building and in the street. So far there was no indication that Daniel had rented a car but Yunho knew that he had to have one. There was no way he could get around as quickly as he did without being seen unless he had an independent means of transportation.
“His name,” the girl said suddenly.
“What?”
“His name. He changed his outward appearance but his name was the one thing he couldn’t, or wasn’t willing to, part with . It’s part of his identity and right now he’s struggling to hold onto himself. It’s possible that he has other aliases but I’d bet my rent money that it’s another variation of his real name. He’ll never stray too far from it.”
Yunho cocked his head to the side. “What’s your name?”
“Nancy,” she murmured, face pinkening.
Yunho chuckled. “Nancy?”
“It’s really NaYoung but I’ve idolized Nancy Drew since I was a little girl so I kind of adopted it…” She trailed off as her face flamed a deeper shade of red.
Yunho flashed a grin that was positively lethal. “It suits you. Have you ever considered becoming a profiler? I think you’d be amazing.”
Nancy laughed nervously. “Really? Actually, it’s what I want to do but somehow I ended up…here. No offense,” she rushed to add.
Yunho’s killer smile widened. “None taken.”
“Less talking, more swiping, Nancy,” her superior ordered roughly as he passed by.
“Yes, sir!”
Not wanting to get her into more trouble, Yunho left her to her work.
Daniel’s apartment didn’t yield any clues as to where he currently was but at least they had taken over his home base. It would rattle him, possibly spur him into action or lure him out into the open. Yunho wouldn’t mind a face-to-face confrontation. If the alternative was Daniel terrorizing Jaejoong because of what he and his men had done, he’d gladly square off with him.
Speaking of Jaejoong…
He glanced down at his watch, he was surprised to see that it was almost 5:00pm.
“Shit.”
He looked around, spotted Detective Song and made his way over to him.
“I’ve got something to do so I’m heading out.”
Detective Song raised a curious brow but made no comment about his sudden departure. “Okay.”
“Tell the Captain…”
“Why don’t you tell him yourself,” a voice said dryly from behind him.
Yunho jumped slightly, then winced. Turning slowly, he faced his uncle. “I’ve got something to do.”
“Oh?” His uncle raised a questioning brow.
Yunho glowered. “I’m going to a birthday party,” he said defiantly.
His uncle said nothing for a moment, then, “Have fun.”
Yunho blinked a couple of times in surprise before relaxing his posture.
“I will.” He glanced over at detective Song. “I’ll check in later.”
Captain Jung watched Yunho make his way out of the apartment while Detective Song observed his Captain.
“Don’t you have work to do, Detective?” Captain Jung asked without turning to face the man.
Detective Song cleared his throat. “Yes, sir,” he quickly replied and scampered off.
Daniel sat in his rental car staring at his building, the anger within his chest escalating to a whole other level as he watched one police officer stand guard at the entrance while another walked along the sidewalk, shining a flashlight into the parked cars on the street.
It had only been a matter of time before they found him, he told himself. He’d prepared for it, or thought he had, but the thought of them rifling through his things, things he’d collected and organized so meticulously, filled him with rage. How dare they? Who did they think they were? They had no right.
There was nothing he could do, though, and he knew it. He’d been lucky that he’d been out when they finally tracked him down. He had his essentials: money, fake IDs and license. It would be easy enough to find a new place to rent and start over. But he’d been at that apartment for almost a year; it had started to feel like home, the first home he’d known since he’d been kicked out of his marital home. Of course, once he’d rectified things with his love, one of the first things they’d have to do is find somewhere new to settle in together.
He smiled to himself, thinking of that joyful day.
“Soon,” he whispered. “Very soon.”
If all went like he’d planned, he wouldn’t need somewhere to stay for more than a day or two.
Just then, a familiar figure stepped out onto the sidewalk and exchanged a few words with the officer stationed at the door.
“Well, well,” he said softly. “What do we have here?”
He watched Yunho wave to the officer on the sidewalk before climbing into one of the unmarked vehicles lining the street and driving off a few seconds later.
Smile widening, he turned the key in the ignition and started down the street, humming his special song as he followed Yunho’s tail-lights.