Roseanne's Summer Vacation- Chapter 32
Only two military backpacks were inside, one of which had an ugly yoghurt stain, but none belonged to Tae-jun. There was no sign of the wooden boxes he was after. The spy lost his composure and began screaming. Raw fury made him imagine standing disgraced in front of the Bureau 39 committee. He apologised and apologised, but no words could make up for his failure. Ultimately, the Bureau decided to send him to the Pukchang concentration camp, where he is going to work in a coal mine for the rest of his life.
“I CANNOT GIVE UP!” His face turned red from anger.
Tae-jun ran out of the room and rushed to the elevator. He needed to get back to the car and continue the observation. Maybe Roseanne had the backpack with her. Even if the stupid police arrive after the stupid receptionist comes around, he doesn’t care. He will keep a safe distance. He…
The elevator doors opened. Roseanne Juzynski appeared right in front of him. They were standing face-to-face, startled in disbelief upon seeing each other.
***
“You!”
Tae-jun pushed the girl back into the elevator. The doors closed. He didn’t realise, however, that the tiny space was also occupied by Natasha, Thally, Milena, Nika, and Mr Orville. A scuffle ensued within the tight crowd.
“Leave me alone!” Roseanne shouted when Tae-jun grabbed her by the T-shirt.
“Beat it!” Natasha attempted to grab his hand, but his foot shot up in the air and pinned her neck to the wall. She couldn’t even grab the firearm, which was holstered at her ankle.
Mr Orville unexpectedly jumped on Tae-jun’s back, initiating from the spy a series of elbow blows and bounces that hit all the girls around. They began screaming at the top of their lungs.
In the meantime, the elevator was slowly descending. The counter displayed: 3–2–1–0. An automated speaker announced their arrival on the ground floor. The doors opened, and they all fell out like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle from protective wrapping.
Tae-jun’s elbow finally found its way to Mr Orville’s side. The Korean freed himself while stunned students tried to regain composure. Seeking to turn the tables in his favour, he reached for his pockets. It was a matter of a single blink, but Roseanne couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Tae-jun lifted Mr Orville by the arms, chloroformed him with a pre-prepared handkerchief, and put a gun to his head.
“Everybody stays where the fuck they are!” Tae-jun ordered.
Thally lifted her hands to signal surrender. “Okay, whatever you say, Mr Jackie Chan.” Stunned, Nika and Milena did the same.
Then with one single move, Natasha took out her Beretta. “I will shoot your ass off right now!”
“No! Mr Orville will get hit.” Roseanne grabbed her friend’s gun by the barrel.
“You, Juzynski!” Tae-jun addressed the girl.
“What?”
“You have something that belongs to me: a backpack.”
“I don’t have it with me. I gave it away! The lost-and-fond office will give it to you!” Roseanne cried out the truth. She couldn’t bear the sight of Mr Orville being taken hostage.
Tae-jun let out a slight hiss while losing his temper. Droplets of sweat formed on his forehead.
“Then you will get it and bring it to me. By the end of the freaking day. You follow?”
“Say what?”
Tae-jun fired a shot up the ceiling. Everybody fell on the floor.
“I said you will bring what’s mine by tonight. 9 p.m., a train crossing near the ferry terminal that you saw today. Your teach here is an insurance policy. If any of you go to the cops, he will never wake up.” He gasped as he carried the unconscious Mr Orville toward the exit. Roseanne watched closely. “Don’t try anything stupid.”
As soon as he disappeared from the lobby, Roseanne and Natasha sprang up from the floor and ran after him. Unfortunately, it was too late when they reached the exit. The rental car’s rear bumper was the only sight they caught a glimpse of.
Natasha aimed the weapon again, but Roseanne snatched it from her hands.
“We should off this douchebag,” the friend protested.
“And leave bullet holes in Mr Orville? I’m not taking that risk.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
Roseanne paused for a while. She didn’t have a plan yet, but it was clear she had to have a bargaining chip.
“I’m going to retrieve that goddamn backpack. You can collect the Marx sisters from the lobby and call an Uber. We will meet here in ten minutes.”
Roseanne started running as fast as she could down an alleyway. There was a shortcut behind neighbouring high-rises that led to the railway station.
Natasha asked behind her in confusion, “Hey! What about my gun?”
“Don’t worry about your gun. We’ve got less than three hours to save Mr Orville!”
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