Chapter 13 - Derek
“Derek, think about what you’re saying!” Jake exclaims over the phone.
“I’ve thought about it. I’ve made up my mind Jake.”
“Dude, you can’t go to fucking North Korea! The reason she’s being held hostage is because she went on this idiotic mission in the first place! What are you going to do?? Barge in there and demand they release her?”
“Something like that,” I grumble. I sigh. I know he’s right. I know it’s stupid. I know it’ll probably be futile but I can’t just stay here. I’ve let her walk away from me too many times without saying anything when I should have run after her. I won’t let it happen again.
“How do you even get to North Korea? Do they have flights? I doubt you can just show up and they let you in.”
“I don’t know, Jake. I don’t fucking know, okay?!” I exclaim. I don’t know. I have no plan. I don’t know what I’m doing. I take a deep breath. “I’ve gotten her editor’s contact details, the one they interviewed on the news. I’m meeting him in an hour and he’ll tell me what he knows.”
“Derek, please. This is suicidal. I know that you care about her but you need to take a step back and think about this.”
“I’ll talk to you later Jake.”
I hang up the phone before he can protest any more. I look around my bedroom and turn to my carry-on suitcase. If I pack now I’ll be ready to take the next flight over. I look at the mobile phone in my hand and grin. Jake’s right. I don’t even know if they have flights to North Korea.
Mike is waiting for me in the bar, just like he said he would be. I sit down on the stool beside him and nod to the bartender, who walks over to us.
“Just a beer please, and whatever he’s having,” I say. The surly old man nods and walks over to the tap. Mike turns to me and extends his hand for me to shake.
“Thanks for meeting me,” I say to him. Mike nods.
“Under different circumstances I might be starstruck right now. I didn’t know you knew Ellie so well,” he says as he looks at me sideways.
“We… we grew up together.” I don’t want to tell him about our past, or how I feel about her now. “Listen, Mike. I need to know what happened. I..” I pause. “I’m going to go there.”
Mike frowns. “Go where?” he asks slowly. I turn to look at him as the bartender places our drinks in front of us.
“North Korea.”
I see Mike swallow as his eyes widen. His mouth opens and then closes again and he leans away from me in his stool.
“Listen, Derek. That’s very…. Valiant of you. But with all due respect you have no fucking idea what you’re getting yourself into.”
I ignore him. “I need your contacts. I’ll go over and I can put on a show for them or whatever. An exclusive. I don’t know. I’ll put on a concert for them and then get her out. But I need to get there. And I need your help for that.”
Mike turns to his drink and takes a slow sip. He puts the beer down gently and runs his finger along the edge of the label. It takes every ounce of patience that I have not to knock it down and force him to look at me again. Finally he takes a deep breath and turns to me.
“We planned our mission for months. We had every minute accounted for. We took every precaution, left our phones and computers and made sure our records were spotless. And still,” his voice cracks and he looks over my shoulder as his eyes glaze over. “Still, they found out. Our Korean contact and his family have disappeared and Ellie is in their custody. It’s my fault. I don’t even know why they sent me home and didn’t detain me. The way they operate is a mystery, but I know for sure they’re sending a message by keeping her there.”
His eyes mist and I put my hand on his shoulder. It feels so frail under my palm. I feel him tremble and then straighten himself up.
“I can’t be responsible for you too. I’m sorry, Derek. I just can’t.”
“You won’t be, Mike.” I look at him in the eyes and see the deep sadness that clouds them. “I’m a grown man. I’m making this decision. I need to go. If you won’t help me I’ll find someone who can. I’ve got shitloads of money and I know someone will want to take it in exchange for a plane ticket and access to North Korea.”
“People will take your money but it doesn’t mean you’ll make it there. Do you understand what you’re asking me?!”
I don’t answer. I don’t know how to answer! I obviously have no idea what I’m getting myself into. I have no idea what I’m asking of him. All I know is that I have to go. There is no other option. Mike stares at me for what seems like forever. I can see the conflict behind his eyes as he processes what I’ve said. Finally he nods.
“Ok,” he says, nodding again. His expression is sour and he takes another gulp of beer. “I’ll get you there.”