That had been the beginning of their long journey, a journey that included stealing clothes and food, bribing border guards with cigarettes, nearly being captured several times, and posing as workers in search of paying labor. Fortunately for them, there were millions of North Koreans looking for work and it was possible for them to become lost in such a multitude.
“It was still very difficult,” said Sook. “We nearly starved. Were very nearly shot. We finally made it to China. I worked my way westward, into India. I saved my money for two years and then, with help, I flew to France. From there I came to America. I have been here ever since.”
“And your friend?” Reel asked.
“I do not know. Once we were in China we parted ways. We thought if we stayed together it would invite suspicion. I hope that he made it to the West, but I do not know.”
He looked at Robie and Reel. “So you propose to rescue these people from Bukchang?”
“Yes.”
“You will not succeed.”
“Why?” asked Robie.
“It may be easier than many believe to escape from the camp itself. There are far more prisoners than guards. It is like a handful of men trying to corral a small city. There are many holes, many ways out. They control the population through fear and the snitching of other prisoners. In that way they have many more eyes looking out for problems.”
“Okay,” said Reel. “And your point?”
“The real challenge begins after you escape the camp. You have to blend in. There are bribes that must be paid. You must show yourself to those who will have no loyalty. Now, they may look the other way if you are North Korean. After all, you are simply filth trying to get by. You can do no real harm. They will let you pass for a few packs of cigarettes. It is done. You may or may not be recaptured. But the border guards will not suffer because of it.”
“But if we don’t look like them?” said Robie.
“You obviously are American. When you open your mouths you will sound like Americans. You are the evil. They will never let you pass. I am sorry.”
“We won’t have to go through the border, Sook,” said Reel. “We have other resources, ones you didn’t have.”
“But still, I will tell you, even with all your resources, they will not let you pass. They will capture you.”
Robie looked at Reel. Reel turned back to Sook.
“Can you think of some way that we could manage it?”
Sook sat back in his chair and considered her question.
“Perhaps if you had a North Korean with you.”
“I’m pretty sure we don’t have any in our agency,” said Robie.
“I will do it,” said Sook.
Robie and Reel exchanged surprised glances.
She said, “You’d risk going back to a labor camp in North Korea to help people you don’t even know?”
“I may not know them, but I know what will happen to them in there. That’s enough for me. Let me help you.”
“That’s not our call, Sook, though we appreciate it,” said Robie. “We’ll have to run it by our superiors.”
“Then do so,” he replied. “Because without someone like me you don’t stand a chance.”
Blue Man was for it. Evan Tucker and Josh Potter were against it.
President Cassion approved it. That negated the two votes against. The president trumped everyone except the collective will of the voters at the ballot box every four years.
National Geospatial analysts had zeroed in on Bukchang with their satellite eyes, and what they reported back, coupled with the results of other intelligence assets, had confirmed that the adopted son and daughter of General Pak were there. They even knew which hut they were living in. And that four guards surrounded the hut.
There was also another intelligence success. General Pak had powerful friends in North Korea. One of them had managed to arrange for a coded message to be sent to the son and daughter in the camp. They would know that help would be coming.
It took another week to prep the mission. Every detail was gone over a hundred times. And every contingency as well in case something went wrong, which they knew was not unlikely.
North Korea was perhaps the toughest challenge Robie and Reel had yet faced. The country was hard to get into and even more difficult to get out of. It had millions of soldiers and a paranoid citizenry well versed in spying on each other. The terrain was difficult, the language and cultural barriers immense, and the country was located in a part of the world where, other than South Korea, the United States had few allies.
They spent a week at the Burner Box doing intense fieldwork in preparation. The rugged mountains of western North Carolina stood in for the ones they would face at Bukchang. A mockup of the prison and the targeted hut was constructed at the facility. During the first few exercises Robie, Reel, and Sook were “shot dead.” They had made great strides since. But none of them knew if it would be enough when they tried it for real.