Chapter Eight

Day Eight, Seoul and Pyongyang

Oscar was sat in Ray and Dona's room, explaining to them that he had picked the team and that they all worked for him, picked by him to fit in well with Ray and Dona. He explained that they should not worry at all about them and if they were being friendly, then that was by choice. Ray and Dona said that is what they thought but just wanted to check, Oscar told them that all would be fine and made a promise. Ray laughed at this and set Dona off as well, Oscar then joined in.

"We have a job later today and I also have someone else for you to meet" said Oscar "so as soon as you are ready, can you please come down to the main room."

When they got down in the main room, Oscar introduced Martin to them all, a rather tall middle aged gentleman, saying that he now believed that the team was complete. Martin was their security, he had been a Royal Marine and had worked in the service for the last eight years or so. He was also their new cook, well he and James would be looking after them all with food and drink but it left James free for work with the Artifact. Martin shook every one hand and said he was glad to be working with them all. He then disappeared into the kitchen to get something sorted for lunch.

Oscar then got the others settled on the settees to discus just what they were going to do today. He told them that although this was supposed to be a real (he himself had suspicions that this was all just a test by his superiors), he was not too sure about it at all, but that they should proceed as normal. Ray and Dona are going to jump to outside a bar, a bar close to the British Embassy in Seoul, Korea.

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55 hof, is a bar not far from the British Embassy in Seoul on the main road, a main road with about six lanes of traffic, all going one way. Ray and Dona had appeared just around the corner from the bar and with help from the crew back home, made their way round to the front. It was fairly dark inside and they made there was towards the bar, Dona found a seat and Ray went and bought drinks. This was serious stuff and although Ray was worried he could not help but notice the beers. Some beers he had not seen before, he ordered two beers, a Cass Red for him and a Cass Lemon for Dona, Oscar coughed and said not too drink too much. On his way back to the table a guy said hello to him and asked if he was Ray, again Oscar spoke telling Ray that it was all ok.

Back at the table Ray introduced Steve to Dona and explained that he was from the Embassy, saying he was the one they were here to meet. As they drank, Steve told them just what he needed them to do and it sounded a bit dangerous. Ray and Dona did not show any reaction at all to the word dangerous but they both felt a stab of emotion at the word. Steve knew nothing at all about Ray and Dona and he knew nothing at all about jumping or the Artifact. He was just the person to pass on the task to Ray and Dona.

Oscar was now not so sure that this was a test at all, Ray and Dona would have to jump to North Korea, into the capital Pyongyang, retrieve an object from an operative and get back to London. He told Ray and Dona not to worry and to remember that they could jump back at the first sign of trouble.

Ray tried to act like this was all run of the mill to him and Dona and drank his Cass, as he thanked Steve for the information. Steve gave them a photo of the man they were to meet and Ray thought that it looked like everyone out here. Hopefully he would recognise them and they also got a phone number.

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It was now about 20:30 and it was very dark, that had helped them slightly, although when they appeared everywhere looked deserted. Nothing was moving at all, Terry butted in to tell them that this was normal and that North Korea generally shut down when it got dark. He also told them that Pyongyang was one of the only places in North Korea to be lit at all after dark. Ray was just glad that it wasn't completely dark altogether here.

They had never really been frightened before, well not using the Artifact, shocked yes, if fact very shocked but this was totally different, Ray asked the others if all was working properly and they all said that it was. Oscar asked them to stay in the shadows at the side of the building they had appeared next to and they waited there.

It wasn't too long before Anne said that she saw someone coming towards the building and Ray and Dona moved back slightly, into the shadows. It was a man and he made his way to the side of the building, where he stopped and spoke. He said hello and that he was glad to meet them, Ray recognised him or at least thought he did. He said he was Jin-ho and asked them to follow him quickly, they moved off towards a large apartment building not too far away.

Inside the building, that looked better from the outside than it did inside, they made their way up the stirs to the sixth floor and inside a apartment. Once inside Jin-ho, said that he had to be quick and went into another room, he came back out with a small box, which he handed to Ray. At that moment there was a knock on the apartment door, Jin-ho made a silence motion to that and pointed into the other room. Ray and Dona moved quickly, shut the door and listened to what was going on, Ray also had the Artifact out ready.

The two gentlemen at the door pushed their way in and started shouting at Jin-ho, James was translating to Ray and Dona and it sounded like they should be gone from there. They took hold of the Artifact and jumped, just as the two North Korean security men burst in. The two of them searched the room but found nothing at all, they eventually pushed passed Jin-ho and left. Jin-ho looked into the room and scratched his head and wondered were on earth the two westerners had gone.

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Back in London, Ray and Dona walked into the house and handed the small box to Oscar. It was still only just about one here and it was dinner time, Martin walked in and asked if they wanted anything to eat. Oscar said that they may as well and motioned the other three over saying he would join them all for lunch in a moment.

Oscar went to the front door, handed the small box over to a waiting car and then rejoined the others for lunch. Oscar though this was a very good way to debrief, very informal and very relaxing. He certainly didn't want to put any more pressure on Ray or Dona. Everything in the control room and from Ray and Dona's cameras was recorded, so they could check over everything later. For now they just discussed everything informally as they ate.

After they had gone though what had just happened, all in less than an hour before lunch, Ray asked if he and Dona were required to do anything ells today. Oscar said not and asked them why, Ray said that they would like to jump home for a few hours. Oscar had a quick think and decided that it would be ok for then to jump home. As they were leaving for home, Ray handed Terry a bottle of beer, a Cass Red from Korea and winked at him. Terry said thanks and wondered how he had missed Ray buying it, he would have to concentrate more next time.

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Back up north it was cool but sunny, Ray cut the grass (probably for the last time this year), while Dona went thorough the mail. When they had finished they sat in their front room and started to think about what they were doing.

"We have done something for real now" said Ray, "something rather dodgy, how do you feel about it all now"

"It was a little bit scary" replied Dona, "but I think I liked it, what about you"

"It's far better than what we were doing before we found the Artifact and I am all for carrying on with it, that is if you are Dona".

"Well Ray, it is better than sitting about doing nothing, lets carry on with it for now and if it's getting too dodgy, we can just leave".

Ray agreed with what Dona had said and then went to get some more clothes to weir, he had discovered that they needed plenty of choice, depending on where they were sent. Dona had already packed some extra stuff for herself while Ray had been cutting the grass.

"Is there anything else you want to do before we leap back" asked Ray.

"As we have the rest of what is left of the day the day off, how about going out for a meal up here, before we jump back" said Dona.

"We could go anywhere you know" quipped Ray

"I know but lets just go to the Welly for tea, although we haven't jumped there before but you do have their phone number don't you Ray".

They appeared back in the village were they had been with Oscar, and went strait into the pub, they thought that no one had seen them. It was good to be back here, were they knew what they were doing. They had a really good meal there, before eventually going out the back of the pub to jump to London.

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Latter, back at the London house, Ray and Dona handed the Artifact back over to Oscar and thanked him for the lone. Then went straight to their apartment, for a well earned rest.

That night, Oscar got a phone call to tell him that his superiors were very pleased with the jump and said they had a few more jobs for him and his team.