CHAPTER 21

Andrew stirred from unconsciousness when he felt the cold water touch his skin. He quickly snapped his eyes open and a cold breeze of air and a drizzle of rain greeted him. He shivers and instantly hugged himself. He heard nothing except the uneven beating of his heart and the sound of the rain that hit on the ground.

He sat up and pulled his knees on his chest and hugged it tightly. His vision was getting blurry, and his whole body was sore and hurt like hell. His wounded arm is now swollen, with dried blood covering it, his shirt ripped in half, and he was soaking wet. He chuckled bitterly to see his condition.

"I failed." He murmured touching the necklace around his neck, but he stiffened when he couldn't feel the silver necklace around his neck where he makes the key chain as the pendant. He touched his neck again, but he felt nothing. That's when he started to panic. He quickly stood up not minding his sore and aching body.

He limped looking around. "I can't lose it, It's the only thing I had that reminded me of Matthew ." Andrew thought while looking around. "Where did it go?" he hissed.

He continued to look around, not minding the rain that was pouring heavily. He was trembling because of the cold at the same time his whole body was in pain, but he ignored it. He continued searching around, crawling onto the ground, but he found nothing. He let out a frustrated sigh, cursing. His tears fell from his eyes, but he wiped them instantly.

He stood up, with a heavy heart. "Maybe I lost it somewhere, or maybe at the office." he thought, hoping that he could still find the keychain.

He limply left their old house and went to his car. He felt weak and he felt his body so heavy that it made it hard to move. He dragged himself inside his car, and leaned his body to the seat, closing his eyes, hoping that he would feel a bit better after. He opened his eyes after a minute, but what he felt got worse. The wound on his arm started to throb in pain, and cold sweat formed on his forehead, although he was soaking wet.

He took a deep breath, and started his car, hoping that all of it would fade away later, but as he was on his way, he felt that his surroundings were spinning. He gripped the steering tightly and shook his head trying to clear his vision, but failed.

He blinks his eyes many times hoping that it can help, but nothing changes. He was just thankful that it was two in the morning and there are few cars on the road, if not he might already run into an accident, because of the way he drives. He kept changing lanes because he was too weak to control the steering wheel.

He heaved a sigh of relief, after driving for one hour, he finally arrived in front of their house unharmed. He quickly got out of his car and walked toward the front door like a drunk man. He felt strange like he was floating, and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and lay down on his bed.

He quickly keys in the code, then pushes the door open, but it still locks. He frowns and keys in the code again, but the door still locks. He badly wanted to collapse right now but the damn door won't budge.

He took out his phone inside his pocket and dialed his mother's number.

"Andrew.." Mrs. Choi answered in her sleepy voice.

"Mom, please open the door," Andrew answered. Mrs. Choi frowned. "You forgot the code?" she asked. "NO, Mom, I don't know why it won't open." He whispered, he leaned his back onto the wall for support, everything around him seemed moving, and the cold breeze of air made him shiver.

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute." Mrs. Choi said then hung up. Andrew hugged himself trembling while leaning against the wall. He felt suffocated and it was hard for him to breathe. He felt dizzy and his vision went foggy, and the last thing he remembers, was the door opening, and the scream of his mother when he saw him fall on the ground in front of her.

***

Andrew stirred from his sleep when he heard voices, he slowly opened his eyes and saw Jasper, Daniel, Derek, and his parents sitting on the couch talking in a hushed voice. He opens his mouth to call his mother but stops when his ear catches something about what they're talking about.

He heard his father talk about the scorpion tattoo. Andrew closed his eyes again and pretended that he was sleeping, and listened to them.

"I know someone that has access to their organization." He heard his father say. I have known him since he became a police officer. I'll arrange everything, to make them join your team. They're in the tactical team right now. I'm sure they're a great help in solving the case about Mr. Mizuki, and how to break this organization," Gen. Choi said.

"What access does he have to them?" Daniel asked.

"He has a spy inside the organization." Gen. Choi answered.

Andrew quickly snapped his eyes open and sat up. "Andrew." His mother said and went to his side. "What happened, why do you have wounds and bruises?" his mother asked instantly.

"I just help someone on the way home." He lied. Mrs. Choi looks at his husband. She knows that Andrew was lying. She wants to know the truth, but they always can't force him if he doesn't want to tell them. Mrs. Choi just nodded her head.

"How do you feel.?"

"I'm fine Mom, don't worry. It's just a small wound." Mrs. Choi sighed and fixed her eyes on her lap. Andrew looked at his mother, and he knew that she didn't buy his lie, but he can't tell them the truth. He scooted closer to her and hugged her. Mrs. Choi's tears instantly fell from her eyes and she hugged him tightly.

"Mom, don't cry, I'm alright." He whispered. Mr. Choi also went beside them and patted Andrew's shoulder.

"Please stop it already Andrew." Mrs. Choi whispered.

"Mom."

"I don't want to see you like this, I don't want to lose you, Andrew, so please I'm begging you." Mrs. Choi sobbed.

Andrew broke the hug and looked away. "I can't Mom, I'm sorry." He whispered. His mother held his hand. Gen. Choi just sat beside them quietly, and his friend also just sat there and sadly looked at them.

"Mom, please don't cry," Andrew whispered. Mrs. Choi quickly dried her tears and hugged him again. "Promise me that you stay safe." She whispered. Andrew nodded his head, although he was not sure about it. His mother broke the hug with a fake smile on her lips.

"I'll just go out for a while to buy food, what do you want to eat?" she asked, smiling.

"Anything Mom." He answered.

"Okay, I will choose for you. You guys, what do you want to eat?"

"Choose for us too, auntie." They answered.

"Okay," she answered. " Honey..... choose for me too." Mr. Choi said smiling. Mrs. Choi nodded, smiling, and headed out of the door.

" I'm sorry Dad," Andrew whispered. Mr. Choi sighed.

"Seems like we can't stop you, no matter how we tried, maybe it is better to help you so that you can make it fast." Mr. Choi said.

"What do you mean Dad?" Andrew asked.

Mr. Choi sighed again. "That scorpion tattoo, I knew about them." He answered.

"What?"

"Listen to me first. Your father and I were the ones who were given that case back then, we tried hard to break that organization but we failed because that organization was protected by the big personalities. But one day your father killed the brother of Mr.Park, and he killed your family in return."

"Dad, why didn't you tell me about this?" Andrew asked angrily.

"Andrew, I'm just protecting you, I don't want you to end like your parents and brother." Mr. Choi explained.

"Protect me, I don't need it Dad, I can protect myself." He exclaimed. Mr. Choi was hurt by what he said but shrugged it off.

"Who's that guy who has access to their organization, I want to know him." He asked.

"Get well soon and I'll introduce him to you. He's the one that gives the information to us, remember about the drug shipment that your team intercepted, his spy was the one that gives the information." Mr. Choi said.

" I want to leave the hospital tomorrow," Andrew whispered.

"No... you can't." Mrs. Choi said who just stepped inside the door carrying a paper bag with food inside.

Andrew heaved a sigh and covered himself with a blanket.

***

Matthew was laid on his bed after treating his wound and bruises. He held the two keychains above his face, and a sad smile formed on his lips. He put it together and then placed it inside his drawer.

He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, boss." The man on the other line answered.

"Gather all the information that you can get about Inspector Choi." He ordered.

"Why boss?"

"Just do it," he said and hung up.