Chapter Two

Pyongyang, North Korea


"There's a ring around the moon," Park Jin Hua said aloud. He was a tall slender man in his late thirties. Appearing gaunt...almost malnourished, but as sharp and intense a mind as Chang Chi Lee had ever encountered.

"There's a storm approaching," Chang Chi Lee responded as the wind wiped through the trees in the park outside the Revolutionary Museum. He continued to adjust his old overcoat, first searching for the pockets that weren’t there, then sticking his hands under the pit of his arms.

Chang Chi Lee, recently released from prison after a decade of hard labor for conspiring against the Chinese government, dreamed of the night where he could walk freely and view the stars without fear of punishment for being awake after hours.

"I cannot see the stars Jin Hua. Perhaps they too are afraid to show themselves."

"Or perhaps they too are storing up energy for the right time to show themselves, Chang Chi Lee...You have nothing to be afraid of. You have the support of your followers as you echo their cries for deliverance. They have lived with the shame of oppression for too long."

"It is not for them to feel shame."

"No, but many feel they should have acted sooner than now. You are only viewed as a catalyst for what has been inevitable for many years. Kim Jong Il..."

"Jin Hua!" Shouted a man approaching after spotting the two in the dim light of the moon.

"Yes, Kwang Soon. Over here!" Jin Hua replied directing his friend over with a wave of his hand.

Yeung Kwang Soon, an old and trusted friend of Jin Hua, approached the two men as the clouds moved past the moon casting eerie shadows in the night. Lightness from the moon faded quickly past the trees and pond and darkened the face of the statue of Kim Il Sung which presided over the park.

A shiver ran up Kwang Soon's back as he approached, gazing at the statue as if it watched his every move. His overcoat could not prevent the cold of the night from slipping through. His hands were in his pockets until he arrived, and with a smile, he greeted the two. "Jin Hua, my friend. How are you?"

Chang Chi Lee watched in unbiased observation. He noticed a day or two of growth on his face, but generally a well-dressed man of apparent wealth. Somewhat rotund, he wore a cashmere overcoat that was probably worth more than Chang Chi Lee’s uncle had earned as an officer in a year.

"Kwang Soon," Jin Hua greeted him, grabbing his shoulders with both hands, "so good to see you, old friend." Then turning to look at Chi Lee, "...and this, this is Chang Chi Lee."

"Who I have heard so much about. It is an honor to meet you Chang Chi Lee," Kwang Soon said as the two men extended hands in greeting.

"The honor is mine, Kwang Soon," Chi Lee began, "Jin Hua has told me of your ambassadorship and has recommended that we enlist your talents. We will need your communication skills, if we are to create strong liaisons with bordering countries and distant ones alike."

"Well, in all honesty,” he stated with shagrin, “Jin Hua has never really seen my work, but perhaps is basing his recommendations on our past friendship."

"We must learn to go on trust Kwang Soon. We have no time for formalities. Jin Hua and I have worked together, not only through our correspondence during my imprisonment, but for the months that followed. If I cannot trust the people whom I intend to lead, then I am not worthy of their leadership."

Jin Hua could hear the distant conversation of two patrolmen on foot at the edge of the park exchanging notes. He gestured to Chi Lee and Kwang Soon to lower the noise level. Outside of the patrolmen though, the streets were empty, and as the surroundings slowly faded from eyesight, only the rustling of trees were proof of their presents, and the smell of the crisp air a solace reminder of the bitter cold.

"Your work is well known to me and those who I have preached to. I would not partake in such a mission unless I had complete confidence in your capabilities."

"As I was saying Chi Lee," Jin Hua continued. "Kim Jong Il is quietly, but rapidly losing the support of the once very strong members of the Kim Il Sung reign. Several military leaders have already defected to South Korea for fear that Kim Jong Il is creating too many enemies with his nuclear program."

"It is suicide for him to continue with this, yet he feels driven to finish his father's work, lest he lose the confidence of his dignitaries," Kwang Soon interjected clenching his fists.

"Yet moving blindly into a situation which only provokes what were once allies to North Korea rather than providing assurances of calm and peace can only lead to the country's ruin. Kim Jong Il has an ever weakening grip on the current political agendas of China and South Korea," Chi Lee rebutted.

Looking up at the sky again, Jin Hua saw that the clouds were moving past the moon were thickening and the three men were losing the ever dimming light from the moon's reflection that they had depended upon that night. "I feel that the storm will soon be here Chi Lee, perhaps we should go home and continue this tomorrow."

Chi Lee did not reply, but stared directly into Kwang Soon's eyes and saw something...then the clouds were covering the moon once more and the lock that Chi Lee had on his eyes was broken, yet in that moment Kwang Soon could feel that Chi Lee had reached into his soul and discovered everything there was to know about him. Kwang Soon jerked back ever so slightly as if he were naked to the world for just that instant, and then the moment passed. He hoped that his momentary loss of composure went unnoticed.

Chi Lee seemed indifferent and continued to think as he looked away from the two men. "You will go south, Kwang Soon. Let no man deter you. I am entrusting you to enlist the last people of North Korea needed to see this all through."

"But I was hoping to work with you to accomplish your mission, Chi Lee," Kwang Soon stated surprisingly.

"It is not necessary for you to stay here."

"But the recruits are still limited in Pyongyang..." His hands raised in desperation.

"They will know soon enough who to follow. As if getting their first bite of food, once they have tasted freedom for the first time, their hunger for democracy will be insatiable. Jin Hua will assist you. He feels you have the strong connections needed to make them understand. If by our strength we can introduce democracy to this totalitarian regime, then we will never again walk in fear. As it stands now, we can never be together for too long considering the governments desire to see my demise. Once the calls for freedom echo through North Korea, then much of my work will have been completed. Our job is to get the process started. After that it will be up to the will of the people and I shall never hide again...Good luck, Kwang Soon," Chi Lee said as he offered his hand to Kwang Soon. "And God be with you too Jin Hua. I know you won't disappoint me."

The tapping of the ground around them drew questions in Jin Hua’s head, until he could feel the maple leaves falling on his head and back, as the change of the season took hold. His heart rate slowed as he realized what he had frightened him.

Chang Chi Lee simply turned away from them and walked towards the center of the park...away from the streets, which would lead to local shelter.

"Chi Lee..." Kwang Soon began to say before Jin Hua stopped him by grabbing his arm. Looking at Jin Hua, Kwang Soon began again, "but it will storm soon, Jin Hua."

"I think he knows, Kwang Soon," Jin Hua stared into Kwang Soon's eyes.

Kwang Soon looked perplexed, but then realized that perhaps no matter what the circumstance, there was generally a reason for everything and perhaps Chi Lee was more aware than he knew. Questioning Chi Lee's motivations or methods was not a matter for Kwang Soon, at least not for the present.

The rain started in a slow drizzle as the noise of the drops could be heard by Chi Lee as he walked farther into the dark park. The area was lined with trees, and benches were visible periodically as he passed them by. By now most of Pyongyang had either gone to bed or were delighting in the company of their families after a long day of labor. Certain things brought peace of mind to the masses in many different ways. For Chi Lee, the nights were the only times during his recent imprisonment in a North Korean concentration camp that the torture and humiliation would dissipate.

Remembering back to Tiananmen Square, Beijing, brought forth memories of a youth filled with hope and energy. It was apparent that the opposition was stronger than the demonstrators, yet the will of the young people had one of the strongest governments in the world scrambling for resolve.

"Join us, Chi Lee," he remembered his friends saying.

"Come-on Chi Lee, it is our only way out," his girlfriend begged.

"You are asking me to give up the only way I know. My uncle's reputation will be tarnished forever."

"Your uncle is dead now Chi Lee. We are all that you know and have. I know you love me Chi Lee. I need you to guide us to victory. We are only twenty strong in our group, but combined with the masses, we will dominate Tiananmen Square. The government cannot control us forever."

So faded were the memories of his life before his imprisonment. Even painful memories of his fallen comrades that had been killed before his eyes brought back little recollection of the carefree days that preceded the student demonstration.

In a local pub, down a narrow alley off of what was by day one of the busiest streets in Pyongyang, Kwang Soon and Jin Hua chatted over a beer. The streets were supposed to be completely empty after sundown, a law imposed in order to reduce crime, yet people were willing to risk being caught and punished to fulfill their instinctive desire to mingle and meet.

The pub was packed and the two men, though seated at a table, felt claustrophobic as patrons jammed every square foot of space and filled the air with constant chatter and laughter.

"...I don't understand, Jin Hua. He speaks as clearly as if he were born into our language. You’re telling me he learned that in prison?" Kwang Soon questioned.

"Is it necessary that you question Chi Lee's integrity at every turn, Kwang Soon," Jin Hua turned to face his old friend. He did not know why, but he felt himself becoming defensive if not only for the nature of his questioning.

"But he is free to go back to Beijing. We are not his people, yet he has risked assassination to promote democracy in the land that imprisoned him?"

"Don't you think I have had my doubts too? Given little reason to stay, he has awoken every high-level government bureaucrat and politician in this country to his cause. I have never seen the country so alive with discussion of becoming more democratic. There has not been a legitimate threat to the government of North Korea in years, let alone one driven by an outsider such as Chi Lee. But that is to his advantage. All Kim Jong Il knows is..." Jin Hua leaned over to whisper just loud enough to be heard over the noise in the room..."all he knows is he wants Chang Chi Lee dead. Chang Chi Lee scares him, but no one can tell you exactly why. Yet people see the fear in the President's eyes, particularly in light of his struggle for survival during the recent political infighting. This fear shifts the power to Chi Lee. Chi Lee may not know himself just how powerful an icon he has become, though intuition tells me differently. Somehow, Kwang Soon, I don't know how, but he planned this whole damn thing."

"I...I don't know," Kwang Soon through his hands in the air.

Jin Hua reminded how animated Kwang Soon could get and thought it best to subtly wave him down, in order to indicate not to draw attention to him.

"His work from prison was phenomenal,” Jin Hua quietly spoke. “From a labor camp just thirty miles to the north, he formed a small following from within, and that gave root to a larger and more formidable force originating down in the southern region near Kaesong. Three of his followers who lived down in that region, after being released from prison, spread the word that an up and coming leader was quickly gaining power. From Kaesong, the word spread south to business leaders in South Korea. So instead of being chastised by the North Korean prisoners as the Chinese had hoped for, the prisoners looked to him for hope and a better way of life."

At just that moment two North Korean soldiers walked through the door, each brandishing AK-47's strapped over their left shoulders. The patrons immediately stopped talking. Wondering what was causing all the stir, Jin Hua and Kwang Soon turned towards the door to get the scare of their life.

Quickly realizing the commotion they were causing, the two rather timid looking soldiers worked their way over to the bar to order a drink. People again began talking amongst themselves, still partially curious as to why the crowd had not been broken up for the night, or why the troops were still in uniform and frequenting a local pub. The soldiers scanned the room, probably searching for a supervisor that was waiting to bust an unsuspecting young soldier, while downing a few beers for himself. It was a great way to make rank while still enjoying one’s self.

The plywood walls could barely be seen through the mist and the two slow turning fans acted more as a distraction than actually being functional.

Jin Hua breathed a sigh of relief as he could see the soldiers were not looking for anyone in particular, and cared even less about any political ties anyone may have, but only needed the company of a cold beer and conversation.

It seemed ironic to Jin Hua as the two of them sat there, that perhaps this was a place where all things became equal, and that rank and profession were left behind upon entering the pub.

The two soldiers eventually found bar stools up against the counter manufactured from some slapped together pieces of tables and cabinets. The people shifted and mingled and fell into conversation with the crowd.

Kwang Soon reacted to a signal from Jin Hua and as nonchalantly as possible they both got up from the small table for two, still completely surrounded by people, and slowly worked their way through the crowd, as the soldiers remained preoccupied by their conversation.

Closing the door behind them, they stepped out into the wet alley, looking relieved as they had escaped the tension caused by the soldiers in the bar. As they proceeded down the alley towards the main street leading to the government buildings, the sound of the bottom of their shoes hitting the pavement reverberated off of the walls of the buildings to each side of them. They were old brick buildings with much of the paint that had been placed on them years ago either faded or warn away from the weather. The remaining water from the recent rainfall dripped from the windowsills above, hitting the puddles the rain had formed as the men walked by. The rain had subsided during the time they were in the bar and the quiet of the night allowed for Jin Hua to plan out their strategy.

"We shall head for Kaesong, my friend. The leaders of the southern group are awaiting our arrival. From there, if the spirit is on our side we will start our course North with two groups. Since your connections are more towards the Sea of Japan, you will go North from Ichon, to Wonsan and then to Hungnam. I will follow the path to the north closest the Korea Bay. We will meet in Pyongyang again, but you will wait for the signal from Chi Lee in Hungnam."

"Well...what is Chang Chi Lee going to be doing all of this time?" Kwang Soon again questioned. After no response from Jin Hua he again interjected, "it just seems peculiar that we seem to be doing a lot of the footwork. Will..."

"Kwang Soon, we have been friends for a long time. Do you not trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then have faith my friend. There are hundreds of supporters that would dream of being in your position, yet Chang Chi Lee entrusted me in choosing the right man for the job."

"Of course Jin Hua, I'm sorry."

*****

There were multiple items that Chang Chi Lee had to attend to before the final day would come. It only seemed normal as he continued to walk in the dark park that he would feel the anxiety from within. Was he again afraid of the dark as if he were a child. The night had been his only source of recourse to the cruelties of the days past. Yet something bothered him as he pondered his recently concluded meeting. The people chosen to become leaders of his cause had to be strong, and Chi Lee could not help but have doubts about Kwang Soon. He had no real reason for feeling this way, except for the discomfort he felt when he had stared into the eyes of his new recruit. Kwang Soon was scared and he knew it. But anyone would be, lest he be a fool to go against the formidable force of the North Korean government. Chi Lee convinced himself that to ponder the matter further would be superfluous and best be left aside so as to deal with more important issues. Again the days of his labor were haunting his thoughts as he slipped into the recesses of his mind to find the atrocities brought against him in prison.

"You will now endure the discipline of communist rule. It is quite possible that you may never see the outside again," one guard warned him as he watched Chi Lee from outside his cell recovering from a fifteen hour work day in the mines of Suncon.

"He seems so weak. I don't think this little Chinaman is going to make it," the second guard said as he laughed. He threw Chang Chi Lee his bread and placed the one glass of water allotted him on the floor in front of the cell. It was as cold and damp as any fruit cellar. Chi Lee was already shaking from the bitterness, and his teeth chattering. The smell of mildew was staunch, and as the guards harassed him, a rat ran behind them clenching a piece of bread in its mouth. Chi Lee could hear the distant prisoner yelling for his lost, unattended food.

Chi Lee stood up in defiance, not willing to take the laughter directed at him from the two guards. He did not understand their language yet, but knew he was obviously the butt of a joke.

The guards were surprised with the energy that Chi Lee displayed after the day of labor in the mines and were undoubtedly caught by surprise when he darted up to the front of the cell and reached out to grab one of the guards.

"I shall kill you, little man," the first guard said.

The second guard quickly put his hand out to stop his friend and said, "No use getting in trouble over this little rat. In the days to follow," he said looking at Chi Lee, "you will learn to respect. I promise you," he stated angrily.

As the guard pushed his friend forward to leave, but only wanting to stay and beat the prisoner, he picked up Chi Lee's cup of water and slowly spit into it, then placed it down in the same spot. Chi Lee knew now not to react, and only expected the worst for the days to follow.

The concentration camp was in a well wooded area fifteen miles upstream of the local logging community. Once the prisoners released the timber, the logs flowed with the current until they were channeled into one of three processing plants further south along the riverbank.

As the time passed he learned the local language quickly, mainly for purposes of survival. It was a well known fact in the labor camp that Chi Lee was one of the leaders in the failed Chinese revolution, though he had only led a small group within the masses.

As he worked next to people in the camp he would talk of freedom, and his dreams of turning around the hold of communism on the people. He knew his fight had been lost in China. And to return in humiliation would be too much for him. No, there were new lands to spread the word of democracy. It was very apparent to Chang Chi Lee that North Korea was starved of individualism, production, and achievement. The government had a stranglehold on people's freedoms, just as it did in China.

The prisoners came to him speaking softly under their breath, so as to avoid being overheard, continuing to labor as they spoke.

"It doesn't seem right that they should cast you out as a leper in society's eye," one prisoner spoke to Chi Lee quietly as he sawed the lumber. "We have similar dreams of freedom here, but here too the military is strong and the will of the people have been broken by the government."

Chi Lee was not willing to give into the conversation, not only for fear of being overheard by the guard, but he had been through so much already with the trial in Beijing, and the humiliation before his fellow countrymen.

"I know I speak of freedom, but maybe I am getting too wise for this now. I find myself conceding to the will of these damn bureaucracies," Chi Lee stated somberly.

"You mustn't give in. I have already heard of your work, and..."

"My work?"

"Your..."

"Get to work, peasant!" the guard blasted.

Later, as the men carried the two-by-fours over to a woodpile followed by fully armed guards, the prisoner once again stretched the limits of his conversation with Chi Lee. "Your words of freedom have been honey to the ears of the people who have lived their whole lives in a nation which denounces and forbids all such notions. Your work is simply what has been bestowed upon you, my friend. I could have said what you have said, and danced the very steps that you took, and found no followers to hear my voice. China has placed you here to die, and for that very same reason, the people here have seen you as a source of power, lest China would not have cast you out."

"My work is that of the past..."

"Look at the laborers as we speak, Chang Chi Lee," the prisoner said as he laid the lumber down, giving him a reason to look around while in full view of the guard. As Chi Lee laid the timber down he gazed around the camp and noticed the workers inconspicuously gazing his way; watching his every move.

"They think you have come to save them. This camp is cruel and harsh my friend, yet the people are used to the cruelties that the government has bestowed upon them in the past. But they do not want that for their children."

"I am not North Korean..."

"It will not matter in time where you came from. These people are faced with death, even if they make it..."

"Get to work," another guard bellowed from across the lumberyard, slapping his club on top of a wooden crate.

As the two men headed back to cut more wood, out of viewing range of the guard, they continued their conversation. "Even if they make it out of camp, the chances are great for a dismal life ahead." Bowing his head and squinting slightly, there was more pain than he realized in those words.

Chi Lee seemed only more disinterested in the far-reaching idea that his new friend was bringing before him. Chi Lee had seen all the bloodshed that one could withstand in a lifetime. He was not willing to venture into another almost seemingly pointless crusade.

"These are labor camp prisoners. Their level of desperation cannot reflect that of the everyday person."

"You have much to learn, which is not surprising, given the fact that you have lived with your rich uncle your entire life."

Stopping the prisoner walking beside him with the back of his hand. “He was not rich, only highly ranked in status due to his military standing.”

"In a communist country, my friend, that is the same thing. As the wood we are carrying will support the walls of the mine we work in, the workers inside don't care if it is oak, or even pine, yet they depend upon it for support. Each is better than the other for various reasons, but if it keeps the walls of the mine from crashing down upon us, who are we to say the wood is from the wrong part of the forest. The workers for pay may be more choosing of the wood that they pick, but when no support has been offered, a man carrying the word of democracy with him, is analogous to the first pine support beam offered in an empty mining shaft."



His feet tromped the wet leaves into the pavement of the park sidewalk as Chi Lee was straining to remember the words that had caused him to stay in the country to the south of where he once lived. There was a reason to justify his insanity of bringing forth an impossible mission. No one man is made for such a task, nor would dare dream of trying to achieve it. It was suicide. What answer could he derive walking aimlessly through the Revolutionary Park? It was time to rest for the night. Tomorrow was his only hope for new answers. Being wet and cold from the storm just past, he walked toward the far side of the Park and onto the streets, heading towards his apartment on the far side of town.

*****

"Cognac!" Kim Jong Il yelled as he escorted his military advisors out of his office after a three hour discussion on defending against coup attempts.

As his advisors made their way out, a very attractive secretary to the President ran in the office and over to his liquor cabinet to quickly pour the disgruntled man a drink of Paradis. One of the advisors turned around to see his secretary pouring him a drink as the President slammed the door shut behind her, shutting out anyone from outside his office. Another advisor, the head of military affairs, turned to see the slammed door and both just shook their head. "Does he think he is impenetrable?"

The two men continued towards the elevator on the seventh floor of the presidential office building. The second man, the advisor on nuclear armament, simply stated, "I would recommend that you keep your personal views out of the advisory...That is all I was hinting to you in the meeting."

"It just seems irresponsible to continue to threaten the South when we have still not fully reestablished ties with Hong Kong...I mean, what the hell is his point?"

"Shhh. That is what I mean. You have always been outspoken with Kim Il Sung, and that is why he came to you, but you have yet to earn that respect from his son."

"He knows nothing about world politics let alone...!" he quieted himself. "Hong Kong is fighting against Chinese control, while still trying to appease the western world with low priced products. China has evolved ten fold in the past three years. They no longer care about North Korea's quest for world domination or any other of Kim Jong Il's extremist ventures." The elevator arrived and the two men stepped on and rode in silence until they were greeted by five fully armed security guards prepared to escort them out of the building.

"Truly," the Head of Military Affairs said, "if we were on the path that his so called 'people' wanted him to follow, then why...?"

Just then two of the security guards grabbed the arms to the Head of Military Affairs and proceeded to escort him out of the building.

"Hey!? What are you men doing?"

"No!" The Advisor to Nuclear Armament yelled at the guards. "Stop, guards!"

They did not respond to his call and by that time the Head of Military Affairs was fighting and kicking for his life, but to no avail as the two strong guards made their way outside and along the side of the Presidential building. Just then one of the guards brought out a signed piece of paper, and read the following..."it is by order of the President that his Head of Military Affairs be sentenced to death for his treasonable actions towards the..."

"Nooo!" the doomed military commander cried, as he looked death straight in the face.

At the same time, Kim Jong Il had worked the clothes off of his secretary and was proceeding to massage her breasts as he stopped himself to look down from his seventh floor office window. He was able to view the sight of his soon to be ex-military commander struggling for his life in futility.

"It is by governmental decree that the sentence be carried out immediately and let no man speak on his behalf," the guard finished as he stepped back in a military fashion and then did an about face, signaling three other guards to approach, lock and load. At that time the military commander stopped struggling and decided it would be best to die in a dignified manner. He straightened up into a stance of attention, almost simultaneously as the guard yelled, "Fire!"

Kim Jong Il watched from the his office as a slow sinister smile formed around his mouth. Slowly as the body of the Military Commander slipped down the brick wall of the building, he left a trail of blood indicating the bullets had gone clear through to the other side of his body and into the wall. The Advisor on Nuclear Armament looked on in horror. Then one of the guards grabbed his arm and he jumped out of reflex, but he simply pointed towards the limousine waiting to take him home. A slight sigh of relief came to him while making his way to the waiting car, as the loss of a comrade he had worked with for years under the Kim Il Sung reign slowly crept in to haunt him. As the car pulled away with the advisor inside, he looked back at his old comrade as he leaned lifeless up against the wall.

Kim Jong Il simply turned to look back at his secretary who at this time was totally oblivious to what had happened below, and was now dancing around the office in just her underwear with a glass of cognac in her hand.

"You drink slowly, my lovely," he said to her as he watched the beautiful young lady succumb to the alcohol. "That bottle is worth more than you earn in a year. That is a lot of work."

"And what hard work did you have planned for me today, Mr. President," she said as she giggled, dancing over to the fifty-eight year old leader of North Korea.

"I think a little hard labor might be in order," he said as he approached her.

She giggled again and then gave into his needs.

The body of the military commander was now being dragged away as innocent by-standers looked on in horrifying disbelief. They had experienced a great deal of cruelty in the years past, but the grotesque display they had just witnessed could not be ignored. Most of the citizens were horrified and angry. But by looking at them it was hard to tell. Fear was the typical emotion experienced by the people of Pyongyang walking the streets that day, but an anger from within was growing more difficult to harness. The constant display of open disregard for mankind was becoming too much for even the most hardened of men. The military had now shown up to break up the crowd that was slowly gathering around the scene, dissipating any thoughts of a display of remorse and anger towards their abusive government.



Three kilometers east of Kaesong

The meeting room was nothing more than a shabbily patched together shed that looked no less appealing than any other structure that lined the streets outside the city of Kaesong. The people in the town were simply a small sampling of the thousands of other struggling North Koreans trying to earn enough to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. News of Chang Chi Lee had trickled down years ago from ex-prisoners released from one of the main labor camps outside the city of Pyongyang. It was news that was representative of so many other far fetched hopes brought to the little villages outside of the cities, which usually lead to great disappointments, but were always worth pursuing, given one day, by the grace of the spirit, the villagers would be given a better chance to give their families food every night and a higher standard of living.

The meeting room was overflowing with more people than could be held by the twenty by thirty-foot hut. People jammed in close to each other in an attempt to get as close to the speaker as possible. Park Jin Hua stepped up in front of the people once he thought it was time to begin. The dirt floor below him was unstable and he was cautious to maintain his footing. The demographics of the people before him were painfully simple. They were surviving on a daily basis. Torn jackets for those who had them, or layered clothes, barely adequate for the climate.

"Kim Jong Il has killed the head of the military!" A voice shouted from the crowd.

"I have heard," Jin Hua replied to the concerned citizen.

"What are we going to do? Kim Jong Il is quickly tightening his grip around the political circle, and doing away with any and all opposition. If we..."

"We are aware of this and..."

"What will Chang Chi Lee do about this?" Another crowd member yelled.

"I was just personally contacted about the news this morning. This concerns me as much as it does you, but what concerns me even more is who the ex-military commander will be replaced with."

"Jin Hua," a deep voice of reason was heard over the crowd as the low resonating tone carried farther than the intermittent yelling. "I still don't understand why after all this time, that someone such as Chang Chi Lee, being Chinese, can think he could actually help us out. Personally, I have a hard time coming to terms with this."

The room became quiet, as the voice of reason obviously echoed the concerns of more than just one person.

As quickly as the shouting and shoving had began, silence had now fallen inside the hut, and the only thing that could be heard was the creaking of some wooden crates some of the villagers were using either as seats, or stands to see Jin Hua better.

Jin Hua paused for a moment, overtaken by the anticipation of the people so desperate for a better way of life. "...I have a hard time explaining..."

"He will help us won't he?!" Another voice echoed.

"Yes..."

"Then how…?

"How do you explain what seems incomprehensible? How do you explain that the world will be a better place because of the efforts of an outsider from a country that is now considered to be a non-alliance. A single man that is no son of god, no prophet from the holy lands, but simply a messenger of hope, freedom and peace. He does not claim to be able to help our country alone, but simply guide us on the path in which we will all take in our everyday lives. We do not have to exert any more energy, or travel to distant places to improve our lives and the lives of our children...people, we are here and we have the means by which to achieve our goals. I am only here to invite you to hear his words, and let no surprise come upon you; the government will be listening as well."

"Will we be in any danger, showing our forces in Pyongyang? I have only a small parcel of land, but it is still mine to grow crops," a villager spoke out.

"It is yours as long as the government deems it necessary for you to have it. You are a farmer, because you have always been a farmer, but what of your young?" Jin Hua questioned.

"They will be farmers too. I find no shame in that."

"Of course not, but just because you have been this for years does not mean that all that follow you must. Don't you think they should be afforded some choice in the matter. The wealthy remain wealthy, because that is the way it has always been…and the poor alike. But because it has always been that way does not make it right, in fact it has placed our society in a losing position. There is a better way. Join us to listen and let each person judge for himself."

Just at that time, a young girl ran up to Jin Hua handing him a notice. Jin Hua stood back and away from the front of the crowd to read the message. It only read that a bomb had exploded inside of Chang Chi Lee's apartment, destroying the apartment and several others adjacent to it. The letter ended there. Jin Hua was in shock.

He then looked down at the little girl and with a shaky voice asked, "Who delivered this message?"

"It was a man, that is all I know. I have never seen him around here."

"I must go," Jin Hua said to the people in the hut as he crinkled up the note in his hand.

"What is the problem?" A member of the gathering asked.

"I cannot say at this time...I" Jin Hua could not continue and darted out of the room. It was too much to bare, and for all the work that he had dedicated to the cause, it seemed suddenly wasted. Every logical possibility ran through his head, as to why he should not feel the loss that he felt as he rode the train back to Pyongyang, staring out the window...Then why did he feel so empty?

The anticipation mounted inside of Jin Hua. As the train pulled into the station, it let out a loud whistle announcing its arrival, then released hundreds of pounds of water vapor pressure through the narrow hole atop the whistle on the engine car. Steam also shot out from both sides of the engine and above the front wheels as the brakes were applied, forcing the train to come to a slow malingering stop.

Jin Hua quickly stepped off the train as he then noticed several members of the military and police approaching the on-ramps to the train's cars as if they were searching for someone. Jin Hua panicked, knowing that it was probably inevitable that he would one day be linked to the underground drive towards democracy. Luckily, he was situated in one of the first cars, and there were not enough police and military personnel to cover the entire train. Taking advantage of the situation he darted out of his passenger car, and directly into the bathrooms of the train station.

Hiding in one of the bathroom stalls for no less than an hour, Jin Hua finally peaked his head out. Once having determined that it was all clear, he walked out of the bathroom, swinging the door open.

"There he is!" an enlisted soldier shouted.

Jin Hua jumped. His heart was racing and every fear that he had ever repressed simultaneously rose to the surface. It was all over for him now. The plan, the new government...What a fool he had been. Then as he looked out into the lobby of the train station, he noticed a man racing across the floor, as two soldiers pursued him. Jin Hua watched the man looking back to see how close his pursuers were when he tripped over a piece of luggage that an older lady had just placed down, sending the fugitive and the luggage flying across the floor. The two soldiers quickly caught up to him, and began beating him with their clubs. Once the man was subdued, the soldiers were met by the officer in charge. He began reading off a piece of paper to the beaten man. Jin Hua was curious as to what he was reading him, yet he was too far away to hear.

The fear of fleeing had dissipated only for that moment as the surrounding people, including Jin Hua, were captivated by the soldiers’ activities.

As they dragged the man outside, having finished the decree, Jin Hua made his escape out the opposite exit. He briskly walked and made it no more than a block and a half, before he heard the sound of several rifles being fired in the distance. And then there was silence.

There was no time for grieving, nor did he want to be next. Walking several miles through alleys filled with overflowing garbage cans and trash on the ground. An occasional rat was seen scurrying across Jin Hua's path, trying to find safety or continuing its constant search for food.

Jin Hua had one piece of five pound luggage that was feeling more like thirty pounds in his right arm now. Even in the cold, he was building up a sweat and was quite hungry, having not eaten a bite since the news arrived about Chang Chi Lee. It had been several weeks since he had spoken to Kwang Soon and wondered how his mission had been going, but just the same...It didn't matter anymore. As Jin Hua took the last turn around the corner of the building leading out of an alley, he was stopped in his tracks by the reality of the destruction to Chang Chi Lee's apartment building. It was more than just Chi Lee’s apartment and the adjacent apartments. The whole top floor where Chang Chi once lived was completely destroyed. Scattered pieces of charred dry wall and brick lined the sidewalks below, having caught the falling debris from the immeasurable force of the blast. There was no doubt in Jin Hua's mind that people had died that day.

"It happened early in the morning yesterday. Such a shame," an old lady said to Jin Hua, having taken notice of his observance. "No one is safe from terrorist activity...no one." She continued on her way down into the alley from which Jin Hua came. The alley was filled with clothes lines and clothes draped out from the small cramped apartments from within. Jin Hua wondered momentarily why she had chosen the route he had taken, and where her apartment might be located. To take such a short cut was dangerous for her, but she did not seem the kind to be afraid of the unknown. It almost seemed ironic that she would be so afraid of terrorists and so oblivious to the dangers she exposed herself to. Perhaps she had taken the same route for the eighty or so years she had lived and was only waiting for destiny to take its toll.

Hungnam

"Jin Hua!" Kwang Soon stated in an excited manner, as he held the phone to his ear. "Good to hear from you my old friend. How is your mission going?…Oh my god...no I had not heard...I see, yes, of course. I will be on the first train to Pyongyang once I have canceled my speaking appointments scheduled for today. It just seems so unfair, Jin Hua...Of course; give me an hour to close my engagements, and then I will be on my way," Kwang Soon closed sadly, then hung up the receiver.

Then as dramatically sad as Kwang Soon had become over the news of Chang Chi Lee, he seemed to perk up after the phone conversation ended with Jin Hua. He thought about what he had said to Jin Hua for a moment about canceling his appointments and just smirked. Grabbing the keys to his hotel room, and his wallet, Kwang Soon casually walked out of the room and headed down the street to enjoy breakfast at a local restaurant. Once he finished, he then headed directly over to the train station to purchase a ticket to Pyongyang. Walking away from the purchasing counter with his one-way ticket, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. Slowly sucking the first bit of smoke from the cigarette into his lungs as if he had all the time he needed to fully enjoy it, an idea came to him. He took another drag, then headed for the phone booth.

After dialing and waiting a moment he began to speak, "...It's me...yes...I know, I heard..."

Pyongyang

"...Listen Kwang Soon," the Advisor to Nuclear Armament continued, "the people are getting angry with Kim Jong Il's hard handed tactics. I just don't know how far they can be pushed...” he paused momentarily. Kim Jong Il’s entourage could be heard approaching from the front of his office. He peered through the glass window that viewed the hallway as Kim Jong Il passed by with his men on the Presidential floor of the government office building. He swallowed hard and maintained a low tone. “He has got to slow down. At least give these men a fair trial. The whole thing got out of hand yesterday when a man in a train station was killed in broad daylight by the military. Not only citizens looked on, but his family as well...It was the wrong man. God damn it, Kwang Soon! Don't you understand? They were after Jin Hua...Truthfully Kwang Soon, I have my reservations now. You and I have spent our lives under anonymous titles in order to deter plots against the government, and now I find myself drifting from the communist hold as well...don't yell at me, damn it! I'm not saying kill communism, just hear me out!...It may be the only way to maintain the status we are used to. I refuse to walk the streets of Pyongyang as the result of some arrogant dictatorial decisions. I go where I can provide for myself and my family. You take your own route. I...I think that's it for me...I don't know, but Seoul is looking pretty good right about now...yeah, good-bye."



As Kwang Soon hung up the phone, for the first time that day after ending a conversation, he was truly concerned. His world was finally crashing down quicker than he could pick up the pieces. Perhaps he could find another route to take, other than the one he had chosen. He pulled out his ticket to Pyongyang, and started to tear it, then stopped himself in mid-thought. Perhaps a revolt truly was needed to oust Kim Jong Il...

"No!" He shouted out loud, as the people walking around him turned around to see him yelling at no one in particular. They continued by, giving him a little more room than what was ordinarily necessary.

The trip to Pyongyang was a long and painful one. It was filled with new decisions and painful revelations about the political path he had chosen early-on in life. He had given his life to the dedication and preservation of the communist logic. Yet he knew as sure as the train would arrive in Pyongyang, there would be a revolt...Maybe not soon, but eventually. There was no telling the outcome of such a revolt against the government, particularly now that Chang Chi Lee, the most popular leader in the drive towards democracy had been killed. However, if things under the current rule didn't change, a replacement would be found for the rebel cause.

Why did Kim Jong Il have to kill Chi Lee? Though deporting him would have only made his followers angry and in turn would strengthen their numbers...Kim Jong Il made the right decision, but it only provides him temporary latitude until another rebel leader is found.

What fools these rebels are to fight the strength of the military. Is life so bad under the communist rule? There are no homeless, the crime rate is low...What the hell do they want?! Kwang Soon thought to himself as he clenched his fist, bringing it up to his mouth.

He could only sit there, helpless in the passenger seat of the slow train out of Hungnam.

The train arrived in the afternoon on a rather warm day, quite pleasant from the weather the area had recently experienced. As Kwang Soon walked towards the exit of the train station in downtown Pyongyang, he could hear chanting and pounding as he got closer to the doors. Opening them, he saw the main street leading down to the government buildings. The street was lined with soldiers, as far as he could see, marching by and showing their force in numbers. It was a definitive show of strength by Kim Jong Il, almost celebrant of his recent kill of Chang Chi Lee.

The soldiers were rigid in their march, like wooden puppets, as their legs extended upward, exaggerating every step in rhythm. In the distance a battalion leader yelled out a command and the formation of soldiers that filled a full street block turned their heads toward the presidential building as the commander saluted Kim Jong Il as he viewed his forces from the balcony above.

Kwang Soon felt for a moment as if he had betrayed the President, just having thought what he had earlier, after seeing such a spectacular sight before him. Yet beyond the awesome display of weaponry, he knew that the foundation from which this was all held together was quickly crumbling from underneath. And most painfully, this was not visible to those who looked on to this display in awe.

It took at least an hour to walk several blocks from the station through the crowd of spectators, but eventually Kwang Soon made it to a dreary looking alley that, given the crowd he had just worked his way through, looked quite empty. A single sign hung overhead halfway down the narrow passage, between the buildings that brought back recent memories of a meeting with Jin Hua.

Walking inside, Kwang Soon noticed just how immense the place really was, as it was largely empty with only a few patrons at this early hour in the day, one of which included a man he had come to see.

Jin Hua looked up at him as he approached his table and before Kwang Soon could greet him, Jin Hua looked at him straight eyed and said, "something told me that I may not see you today."

Kwang soon was scared. Had he been found out. My God! Had he finally over-stepped his boundaries of espionage?

Jin Hua stood up and extended his hand in greeting with a sad smile of affection and remorse. Kwang Soon tried to hide his relief as Jin Hua greeted him. Jin Hua had simply thought that he would be too grief-stricken to show up at the bar. Kwang Soon's stomach was nearing the point of turning as the anxiety from the turbulent day was finally catching up with him. Jin Hua's eyes were full of pain, slightly tearing as he gestured Kwang Soon to sit down. "Please, Kwang Soon."

"Oh yes, of course," Kwang Soon acknowledged as he took a chair for himself.

Jin Hua raised his hand to the bartender from his chair, holding up one finger. The bartender nodded, acknowledging one more beer was needed. Kwang Soon and Jin Hua sat quietly for a moment before Kwang Soon finally broke the moment by saying, "I think it is important that we continue."

Jin Hua looked surprised for that instant before he responded, "It will be difficult now, Kwang Soon. The people had so much hope riding on Chi Lee."

The chanting and shouting could be heard occasionally as the soldiers were requested to call off a cadence. It was a painful reminder of the battle won by Kim Jong Il and mocked the very existence of any ill managed movement against the government.

Jin Hua looked up at the door from which the noise originated, then back over at Kwang Soon. "I don't know, Kwang Soon."

"I think you’re wrong, Jin Hua," Kwang Soon tried to convince him. "I think Chi Lee has created a spark among the people and now it is up to us to continue. I think if we don't act soon, a feeling of loss as we are feeling now will eventually cripple any hopes of a reprisal."

Jin Hua shook his head in disbelief, then rubbed his hands through his hair.

Kwang Soon became more frustrated, knowing that he cared little about democracy, but even less about staying with a floundering government. Communism was the answer as far as Kwang Soon was concerned, but only with the proper leadership. While he never thought he would find himself trying to convince another to continue with a democratic mission, he felt it was the best way to undermine those now in power.

"You don't understand, Kwang Soon. I worked for years with Chang Chi Lee while he was in prison. Through me he was able to establish contacts in Seoul, business leaders and politicians, who were quietly supporting his efforts. The foreign response to a successful evolution to democracy would have been very favorable. These aren't ties that can just be transferred from one leader to the next. His background is not just as a rebel towards oppressive governments, but a leader, familiar with the local cultures and well versed in several languages. No, Kwang Soon, Kim Jong Il has won."

"No!" Kwang Soon slammed his hand down. "How can you give up so easily? I considered working with a man such as Chi Lee a great honor and to let his memory die in vain would be wrong. The time is now, Jin Hua. With you, or without you, I shall find the way."

"And let no man stand in his way," Chang Chi Lee said from a dark corridor leading to the storage rooms in the back of the pub.

Kwang Soon turned to try to see the man behind the voice that was so recognizable to him, it gave him chills. The voice of death had arisen and was once again touching his soul. Jumping up out of his seat, he looked hard into the dark, trying to visualize the man that was considered dead.

"Chang Chi...!"

"Shhh!" Jin Hua said.

Still not able to view Chang Chi Lee, Kwang Soon looked down at Jin Hua and said curiously, "you knew."

"I learned of the news only a short time ago. I'm sorry my friend, but we had to be sure that you were not involved in the bombing. Chi Lee is too valuable to lose this late in the game."

"Yes, of course..."

"Kwang Soon, I apologize, but it was obvious that Kim Jong Il would eventually carry through with his death threats. It was just a matter of time. I will remain in seclusion until the time is right..." Chi Lee explained.

"When will that be, Chi Lee?" Kwang Soon interrupted.

"You will know as sure as the day is bright, as you will be one of the first to assist in the organization. My trust is in both of you to help me see this through. Sit and enjoy your beer Kwang Soon, you will see me shortly. Jin Hua knows where I will be and will inform you of our next meeting place."

Kwang Soon sat down and looked over at Jin Hua. A door could be heard opening at the end of the hallway leading past the storage area. The chanting and cadence calling became louder inside the bar as Chi Lee made his way out of the back door exit. The door closed and then the noise quieted.

Kwang Soon looked as if he were about to say something, but Jin Hua simply reached for his beer anticipating a question from Kwang Soon and said, "we wait."

Outside, Chang Chi Lee walked into the crowd as the people closed in around him. He made his way through the hoard of spectators, which, like an early morning fog, seemed to hide the very existence of what lay ahead.