The Target

Chapter 69

Who are they?” asked Min.

Chung-Cha glanced at the beach. “Just people. Tourists. They are picking up seashells like we did yesterday.”

“Why are all those men around them? And what are those things in their ears?”

“I don’t know,” said Chung-Cha. “Perhaps they have bad hearing and it helps them.”

In that one glance Chung-Cha had registered the fact that the two people who had been at Bukchang were also here. She did not know Robie’s or Reel’s names, but she wondered if they were here because the Americans had been warned about an attack against the first family. This was certainly a complication that needed to be addressed.

She pulled Min along as they left the parking lot. Chung-Cha sat on a bench and wrote out a note, folded it, and said to Min, “There is a man behind the counter in that store over there.” She pointed. “He is short and bald and Korean. You will give him this note.”

Min took the paper and looked down at it. “What does it say?”

“Just a note.”

“You know this man too? Like at the other place?”

“Yes. Now please go and give it to him. He may ask you to wait while he writes a reply. Go now.”

Min hurried across the street and into the shop. Chung-Cha could see the man through the window as Min walked up to the counter. There were no other customers in the shop. He had gotten this job very quickly, because after the summer season was over, many of the young people who performed these tasks went back to the mainland.

She watched as the man read the note and then wrote out a reply for Min to take back. He took a minute to put together some things for Min in a plastic bag, as though she had purchased them.

Min came back across the street with the bag in her hand. She gave Chung-Cha the note and they walked together back to their car. Chung-Cha sat in the driver’s seat and read the coded note twice over while Min sat looking at her.

“Something is wrong, Chung-Cha,” said Min as Chung-Cha folded up the note and put it in her pocket. “You do not look good.”

“I am fine, Min. Just fine.”

They drove back to the cottage in silence. When they got there Chung-Cha turned on the fireplace and made herself and Min some hot tea. They sat on the floor in front of the fire.

Finally Min said, “Why did you take me from Yodok?”

Chung-Cha kept her gaze on the flames. “Are you happy that I did so?”

“Yes. But why me?”

“Because you reminded me of…me.” She glanced at Min to find her gaze full upon her. “Many years before you were there, Min, I was also at that place. I was not born at Yodok, as you were, but I went there at such a young age that I cannot remember my life before Yodok.”

“Why did you go there?”

“I was sent there. Because my parents spoke out against our country’s leaders.”

“Why would they do that?” asked an astonished Min.

Chung-Cha started to shake her head and then said, “Because they once had courage.”

Min’s eyes widened, as though she could not believe what she had just heard. “Courage?” she asked.

Chung-Cha nodded. “It takes courage to speak your heart, when others do not want you to.”

Min thought about this as she sipped her tea. “I guess it does.”

“Like when you were defiant in the camp, Min. That took courage. You did not let the guards break you.”

Min nodded. “I hated the guards. I hated everyone there.”

“They made you hate everyone, even the ones who were like you. That is what they do, so the prisoners will not rise up against them. Instead, they would turn on each other. It makes the guards’ job much easier.”

Min nodded again. “Because people snitch on each other?”

“Yes,” said Chung-Cha. “Yes,” she said more emphatically.

“That boy on the beach?” began Min.

“What of him?”

“Do you think he would let me pick up shells with him?”

Chung-Cha froze at this suggestion. “I do not think that would be a good idea, Min,” she said slowly.

“Why not?”

“Just not a good idea. I will be back in just a few minutes.”

Chung-Cha went into her room and sat down in front of a small desk set against one wall. She took the note out and read through it once more.

The man had voiced his concerns about the presence of Robie and Reel with the first family. He had broached the idea of calling off the hit and waiting for another opportunity.

As the leader of this mission, Chung-Cha knew that the assassination plan would go forward. They would not get another opportunity like this one. After the Americans were dead a note was to be left behind, written in English, that would detail the crimes that America had committed, crimes that had resulted in the North Koreans taking their revenge on the first family. This, it was believed, would hit the American public very hard. If nothing else, the American media would report anything, whether it made the government or country look bad or not. Such would be unheard of in North Korea.

She glanced toward the door. Min was in there, no doubt wondering what was going on.

Chung-Cha rose and walked into the other room. Min was still sitting in front of the fire, her teacup empty. Chung-Cha sat beside her.

“Would you like me to teach you a few words of English?” asked Chung-Cha.

Min looked surprised but then nodded eagerly.

Chung-Cha faced her and in English said, “I am Min.” In Korean she added, “Now you say that.”

Min’s words came out garbled. But they kept working on it until the three words came out clear.

“Now say, ‘I am ten.’”

Min accomplished this after five tries.

“Now put them together. ‘I am Min. I am ten.’”

Min said this and waited for more from Chung-Cha, who apparently was deliberating with herself, her features perplexed.

“What next?” asked Min eagerly.

Chung-Cha seemed to reach a decision and faced Min again.

“Now say, ‘Will you help me?’”

Min mouthed the words first and then struggled through them. But they kept working on it until she could say them fluently.

“See, now you can speak English,” said Chung-Cha.

“What does that last part mean?” asked Min. “‘Will you help me?’”

“It is simply a nice greeting. If anything happens to me—” Chung-Cha realized at once that she had made a mistake.

Min’s face was instantly full of alarm. “What will happen to you?”

“Nothing, Min, nothing. But one never knows. So if something does, then those words will be good to say. Will you repeat it all again? I want to be sure you remember them.”

They went through the words many more times. And as Chung-Cha put Min to bed that night, she heard the little girl saying them over and over.

“I am Min. I am ten. Will you help me?”

Chung-Cha closed her door, rested her forehead on the wood, and felt her chest and throat constrict and tears well up in her eyes.

She said under her breath, “I am Yie Chung-Cha. I am young but old. Will you help me too?”