CHAPTER 9
UNIT: Dawn and Olaedoen
SITUATION: Create an Escape Plan
LOCATION: At the Top of The Stairs
TIME: 0330 hours Local Time, Current Date
Olaedoen sat on the dirt floor and removed his shoes. He sat cross legged with his shoes between his crossed legs. He leaned out from under his hiding place and stared upward. His eyes searched the darkness for a light, any light that would free him from his self-imposed confinement.
As he sat looking upward, he muttered. “I must be out of my mind. How could I let her use my own words against me? But they weren’t really my words. Anyway, where did I get them from? I’ve got to stop that. Will she really signal me to come up or has she abandoned me to the night time dragons?” Then, he saw Dawn’s signal. His almost shout of, “Salvation!” was louder than it should have been. But it was out and there was nothing the two of them could do but continue their efforts to extricate themselves from certain discovery if they stayed.
Olaedoen clutched his shoes to his chest. He unfolded himself from his hiding place and stood upright as he felt for the handrails of the stairs. With no care for who might hear him. He took the stairs two steps at a time. His feet hit the stairs with such force that dawn could feel the stairs shudder with each pounding step. She could hear his steps as well as they shuddered with Olaedoen’s panicky climb.
He reached the top of the stairs and opened his mouth to vent his emotions. She grabbed him and clamped her hand over his mouth. His sudden rush over with, he stood confused while she explained the situation. “Listen to me. Several men are in the next room having a political discussion. They are communists, and they are plotting some sort of mayhem. We’ve got to come up with a plan to get past them and out of this building. Do you understand?”
Olaedoen nodded his understanding. Dawn took her hand from his mouth. She ordered him, “Now, put your shoes on and try to think of a plan for us to get out of here.”
Until that moment, they had been under ground level and out of touch with the utility van. Mungo’s voice jarred their thoughts. “We’ve been trying to contact you. We’re coming in.”
Dawn’s strong whisper was quick and firm. “Don’t. So far, they don’t know that we’re here. Let’s try to figure out a way to slip out of here without being seen.”
Slover’s voice came through her radio earbud.
“Is there a back door near you?”
“We haven’t been able to find one. The small room next to us is a prayer room, but we didn’t see any other doors in it.”
“What about windows in the room where you are?”
“No. we are at the top of some stairs that go down to one of Jagwi’s infamous tunnels, and he is down there with the meat shop owner planning political misery for South Korea.”
Mungo’s voice intervened. “I thought those tunnels were collapsed.”
“This one is not, and no telling which others that are not collapsed that it might be connected to. But let’s deal with the problem we have now. Jagwi and Mafzue are down stairs and could come back up at any moment because we’ve made enough noise. The men in the other room might decide to go down stairs in the next moment.”
Dude added, “In Chicago, we’d say. ‘Looks like you’re screwed.’” He snorted.
Slover jumped in, “Hold on. That gives me an idea.”
She sighed. “I’m willing to listen.”
He continued, “Look, we’re on Yalu Street. This street is known for its prostitutes…”
“Wait a minute. I’m not going to…to…be a…:”
“Relax. I’m not saying you should be one. I’m saying act like one. Let Olaedoen act like your customer and see if you can fake your way out of there.”
“But I don’t even know how a prostitute acts when she’s not…you know, horizontal.”
“That’s Okay. Just think about movies you’ve seen that have prostitutes in them, and remember how they acted. Remember the one about the girl who worked at the business called Rosie’s place?”
“I was hoping for more than that.”
“Well, I would have to go into detail.”
“Oh, no. Your suggestion was bad enough.”
Mungo asked, “So, what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to take a few seconds to think.”
Olaedoen whispered, “I like the one about Rosie’s place. I can be your John. Listen to me. You just follow my lead this time. Untuck your shirt, I’ll unzip my pants.”
“Oh, god. You’re not going to….”
“No, no. Just pay attention. Then we’ll both walk out there. You’ll begin tucking in your shirt, and I’ll start zipping up my pants. You’ll say something to the men like, ‘Come see me at Rosie’s,’ and we will continue walking out of here. Remember how you flummoxed the communist prison guards when you saved Slover?”
“Oh, my. But I was desperate.”
“And you’re not desperate now?” he whispered in a low voice.
“Um…ah…okay. Let me think about what those women do arouse a man.” She blushed. “Oh my god.”
“Remember, its only pretend. You’re just playing a part.”
“That doesn’t help.”
“Would you rather those men out there beat you, and possibly kill you because you’ve discovered where their hero now is?”
She held her palm up. “Okay, okay. You’ve convinced me.
“Then, let’s dress for our parts.”
He unzipped his pants. She turned from him and pulled out her shirt tails. She took a deep breath, then she expelled in a soft hiss. He shook his shoulders and mussed his hair.
“Now, put a smile on your face.”
“Me? What for?”
“Remember your part. You’re a pro…a professional. Here, take my hand and lead me out of here. Are you ready?”
She stopped for second, shook herself. She nodded a firm nod.
“Then, smile. And don’t forget to speak Korean.”
Her smile was painted on.
He opened the door and pulling her hand, propelled her into the room with four men in it. She slid to a stop in front of one of them.
His mouth dropped open.
She oozed the words in Korean as she tucked in her shirt tails. “Oh, hello handsome. Why haven’t I seen you at Rosie’s Bar and Girls?”
His eyebrows shot up on his forehead as the other men in the room turned to watch him, their mouths agape also.
She stepped up close to him. She rubbed her breasts against his chest. In a husky voice, she murmured, “You must come and see me at Rosa’s.”
Olaedoen zipped his pants and grinned. “Come on Lola, Let’s go to my car.” He grabbed her hand again and dragged her out of the meat shop. Once they were clear of the meat shop, he turned toward the corner where he knew the utility vehicle would be nearby.
Mungo, with the others, had monitored Olaedoen’s and Dawn’s conversation. He drove the vehicle to meet them. At the curb, they jumped into the van. Olaedoen pulled the van’s sliding door closed,
Cowboy spoke in a voice that was loud in the van. “Lola, huh? Man, I would have liked to have seen that action.”
Dude turned to face him, his voice fierce, “Don’t. She’s had enough for one night.”
Behind Dude, Slover’s voice was hard. “And don’t you ever tease her about it again.”
From the driver’s seat, Mungo ordered, “End of story. Tomorrow, she can give her After Action Report in whatever edited version she chooses. Now we gotta get out of here before they realize they have been duped and come after these two.”