A/N:

As noted before, I won't be posting the action scene for plagiarism issues and relevancy to the main plot. I might change my mind once I go through the second draft and include it. For now, we'll settle this cannibal business to an end since it's a subplot.

But... there is a reason why the first subplot case is about cannibalism. Let's just say we may never know who we meet on the other side of the street... or face to face. That's all I'm saying because that already gives a big hint :-)

dedicated to maybemarvel for all the wonderful comments and support :-)

07: 'AS LONG AS HE'S NOT DEAD THEN'

AKA THE TIME THEY WEREN'T PRECISELY DISCREET

"MADAM."

THE GUY in the middle with a nondescript suit just like the two guards flanking him bowed, his hands holding a gold tablet with APOLLO on the back of it. "We are pleasantly surprised at your arrival. If we had known you were a potential client of the Pink Box business in advance, things would've gone much smoother."

They stop just in front of them. The Madam was short, barely passing Minwoo and Grayson's shoulders with their rigid stances and empty gaze, but she held an aura that demanded authority. Everyone else around her were foot soldiers with nondescript faces.

But the two can feel eyes assessing them, no doubt going through records and facial recognition to check who they were.

As far as Minwoo was concerned, they weren't going to find any. It was standard for the Madam to have her soldiers' records wiped, and all the agent had to do was clean up their records so far after release, leaving only bits where it could be interpreted as being under the Madam's employ.

Minwoo almost smiled at the reminder of that little fact.

"Do you even know how hard is to remove all records of you under the main database? How are you even sure these criminals have access to nationwide -"

"They have political clients and conglomerate families, obviously. Their names are listed on the file I sent you, and since there's a forty percent chance that one of those high profile clients are lying about why they need the particular hospital - it's most likely because they're part of the underground clientele. They can have access to nationwide database if one political people eater wants assurance of his little secret kept a secret."

It was really odd sometimes, how some things made the agent's mouth snapped shut in shock. They were living in the world were monsters ran high and dry, almighty at the throne made of the working class. And these things still shock the boy silly.

Minwoo almost rolled his eyes, but remembered he was posing as a soldier and re-captured his plans, sorting through them as the exchange continued. Layers upon layers, his cards, ready at his hand.

He had pulled the strings and offered a few chumps. Now it was a waiting game on who would take.

Even without looking, both boys knew the smile the Madam wore was sharp as it was charming. She also had a habit of making her eyes look dead enough to pierce human souls.

"It's a new thing," she said, her voice as quiet as a mouth but as prominent as any man who raised his voice. "I have... let's say family members, who are interested in the business."

"Of course." He bowed. "By the way, my name is Clarence Park, Madam, and I am at your service."

"I really don't care, boy. Just get on with it and we shall see if I am to be a common client." Her eyes glinted as he blinked. "I need to see everything. From your private rooms to your grittiest places. I don't shy away from gore, boy. And I need to make sure I know what I am getting into."

"Um, that's..." he swept eyes with the guards. This obviously wasn't the usual protocol for clients. After a silent communication, he bowed again, only this time he didn't raise his head back. "I'm sorry, Madam, but we cannot let you access anywhere else but the private rooms for clients. It's standard procedure that everyone else must adhere. Even our high profile clients -"

"- I'd rather to talk to someone above you," she cut in swiftly. "You are now moving around a very dangerous territory, one that demands the wrath of the North East clans. I'm pretty sure your directors would appreciate not to get mobbed by my men. Now. Get me someone who can show me the damn rooms if you're not going to do anything about it."

The guy blinked.

This was clearly not the type of situation he would find himself in today.

Then one of the security shouldered him hard.

No matter what type of clients they have, the North East wasn't someone you should have the good, dumb graces to try and start a war with. Half of the politicians in the country have her soldiers as protection. Those whose business and dealings in her sectors go through her first before anything else.

She held the cities at her hands. If it wasn't for the old treaty between the North East and the South, one of them could long ago actually become president.

"I'll... get someone." He bowed and one of the security pressed the elevator and promptly stepped in. "Excuse me."

As soon as the numbers went up, the Madam raised her hand... and waved.

A frazzled ping went all around the room.

The left security blinked as the cameras went down. "What -"

" - I'm so sorry," Grayson said just as he clocked him right on his throat, held him against the wall and and slammed an injection down his thigh. Within two seconds, he was fast asleep.

Minwoo raised an eyebrow and checked his watch. "He should've went down for at least five seconds. Maybe the formula was too concentrated..."

Grayson checked his pulse. "As long as he's not dead then." He nodded to the other security to help him.

The other security bowed low to the Madam, pulling out his security hat and raising the side of his hair to show a tattoo hidden under it. The North East's insignia - a curled green dragon over a large red ruby and the name of the first leader.

The Madam nodded and the security helped Grayson carry him halfway. Minwoo followed to open the trunk and another foot soldier stepped out. He nodded at them then started to replace his clothes with those of the passed out guard.

As this was going on - with three seconds to spare - Grayson nudged his partner. "You didn't tell the agent about this did you? That we're not going through with just gathering evidence? That we're... infiltrating?"

"Nope." Minwoo turned to him with a teeth baring grin. "Isn't it funnier this way?"

"Please stop smiling." Grayson shivered. "You're disturbing the children."

Minwoo closed his mouth and emotions. "We're also hear to amp up the points. Gathering evidence isn't enough, obviously, as well as human trafficking. We have to bring the entire thing down in the name of Agent Kim Donggu."

"Then his superiors will get involved, and he would have no choice but to give out extra points and recognition. It's brash, cocky, and entertaining... I like it."

Minwoo checked his watch again and slowly pulled out the pieces and parts of a weapon he had stuck inside parts of his suit. It wasn't metal, so it passed by undetected. Nowadays, weapon can come in any sort of form and make.

And Minwoo was very good at finding alternatives.

He started assembling them as the seconds ticked by. "It will also give those higher ups something to clean up. Once the news for this blows up, they'll have to make sure this appears like it was all the government's idea. We'll get their attention and those superiors of his will have no choice but to look into our situation."

As the pieces assembled through deft fingers, Grayson raised his eyebrows at the gun that formed out of it. It wasn't like anything he'd use before. Though guns nowadays can be thin enough, this looked more like a rod made of plastic with a few clickers, open panels and twisted, multi colored wires.

It didn't look the most sophisticated, but as long as it did the job...

"What is that?"

"A gun that doubles as four individual bombs when you disassemble them in a certain way." Minwoo turned it over his hands. "It's a first of its kind. The bombs can't be destructed until after all the bullets ran out - fifty in total, and they only have a two minute detonating time limit. The explosion won't be as grandeur as a C4, but it's enough to blow up an entire floor to ashes. Didn't have enough time to make a self-destruct button, so I didn't tell the agent. He would've blown a fuse if he knew."

Grayson raised an eyebrow. "How did that not set off an alarm?"

Minwoo popped open a portion and showed him a tiny vial - the size of Grayson's pinky. "A very promiscuous experiment. I was going to save it and maybe work on it a little bit more, but as you saw that morning the prosecutor came - it has natural effects. All I had to do was make it a little bit more concentrated so the explosion part of it lasts longer than the bad smell."

"And the smell is still there," Grayson mumbled.

Minwoo checked his watch again, and turned to the member who had finished off knotting his tie. "Take his weapons too. You'll pose as the other guy - " who is now safely tucked in on the car's trunk - " - for as long as you can. Just keep your head down and do as the other one does. Both of you keep the Madam safe and Grayson and I will head to the, well, disembowel rooms." He turned to the Madam. "I can trust you can take care a couple of celebrated people eaters in the private rooms?"

The Madam grinned, fishing out a phone. "Leave them to me."

Minwoo nodded. "Alright, let's go."

As the cameras started to come back to life, Grayson shifted slightly closer to Minwoo as they all went back to their positions. Fifteen seconds. That was enough to warrant a little bit of suspicion, but in a place so deep underground, they can have a few malfunctions.

Or at least, that's what Minwoo's betting.

"Wait, so you're letting the Madam get the politicians? Does that mean they won't be publicly ostracised?" Grayson frowned. "I thought she owed you?"

"I'm a mythomaniac. How could I possibly owe a North Eastern crime leader? That's impossible. I offered her a fifty fifty take on this. We get the operation itself, she gets the politicians, celebrities, etcetera. It's a good offer in itself."

"And how does the agent feel about this?"

"Pretty sure he has no idea. So shut up. He's going live once the cameras are up, remember?"

"What's going on?" The agent called out as soon as he finished his sentence. Minwoo twisted his lips, the weapon he made awkwardly tucked in inside his coat. "This is Agent Kim. Status?"

"The elevators just started working. It's go time." Grayson grinned slightly. "Who knew it would be that easy to hack an entire hospital?"

"For the record, it isn't," the agent grumbled. "Just get me the evidences to send a unit. It's important this case is handled very discreetly."

Grayson took a peek at Minwoo who met his gaze with a calm exterior. Then turned away. Grayson chuckled lightly. The elevator pinged.

"Yes. Discreet."