Chapter One.
I reached the end of the road and saw the line of traffic, my heart sank as I realised that the rush hour was at its height. Five taxis crawled past, their drivers staring obstinately ahead. My appointment with Mr Na Sang-wha was for six. It meant that precisely. I glanced at my watch, saw that it was barely five-thirty, and decided to walk.
As I weaved my way towards 40 Sejong-daero I wondered what Na had in store for me. He hadn't been any more communicative that usual on the telephone. When I'd asked what my next assignment was he'd replied, somewhat curtly,
'The Chang Chu-chu Affair - if that means anything to you'.
It hadn't, of course, and I'd hung up on a dead line, wondering what kind of a fool I was to have let myself be caught up in the cloak and dagger business of the secret services. I should have gone back to engineering, and had fun and games arguing about health and safety regulations and staff tea breaks.
Searching frantically for Park Song-yong - my ex business partner, whose extravagance had sent our engineering business into freefall and eventual liquidation - I had suddenly come into close contact with Na Sang-wha and his operatives. Na was also looking for my ex-partner and, realising that my knowledge of Park and his association might prove more than useful, he had enlisted my help and put the full resources of his department at my disposal.
I caught up with Park eventually, discovering in the process that I had a hitherto unsuspected streak of ruthlessness in my make-up. To be honest with myself, my conceit was flattered when Na offered me a position on the staff of his undercover department. Perhaps if I'd been married … But I wasn't. As the clock ticked past six I turned into Sejong-daero.