Skating Free

The pair made their way into the terminal, trying to appear as inconspicuous as they could. Thankfully, there were still a large number of Americans traveling back home that day, so Scott didn't draw any extra attention. After a quick stop in the restroom, they purchased their tickets for the first available flight back to the United States. As they approached security, the crowds surrounding them grew more and more dense, which Scott hoped would help them make it through to the concourse without further issue. But just as they had passed through the scanners, a trio of security officers surrounded them.

"Young lady, your passport has been flagged. We will need to screen you further. Please come with us," the man in charge said.

"Don't worry, Chin-sun. I thought this might happen," Scott reassured her, seeing the panic in Chin-sun's eyes. "That will be fine, officers, but I have to stay with her at all times."

"Sir, do not tell us how to do our jobs," the officer reprimanded him.

"Of course not, officer," Scott said politely. "But consider that she is a young woman alone in a busy airport and three men she does not know are ordering her to come with them. If she were she your own daughter, wouldn't you want a man she trusted to stay with her?"

All three officers glanced at each other upon hearing this; they understood and agreed with Scott's logic. They soon led the pair down a nearby hallway and opened a door at the end, depositing them in a darkened room. The guards and their detainees waited in silence for a few moments until the door opened once more. A man flipped the lights on and Scott gritted his teeth at seeing who it was.

"Yoon Suck-chin," he muttered under his breath.

"Leave us," Suck-chin said to the officers. Once they were alone, he turned to the pair with a wry smile, clapping his hands in a slow and melodramatic fashion. "Quite an impressive effort, I must say. You almost got away with it, Scott."

Scott stared back at him and replied, "I'm not sure what you mean, sir. My name is Tom, as you can see on my passport."

"Right," he snorted.

Suck-chin then walked over to the security camera in the corner and pulled the power cord out from the back of it. Chin-sun was sweating bullets at this point; she knew they were going to die at this man's hand. Yet Scott seemed completely calm, as he had through the entire encounter with the security officers. How could he not be afraid of this? Did he know something she didn't? In spite of every logical thought that entered her mind, her instincts told her to remain calm and trust him.

"Let us not insult each other's intelligence," Suck-chin continued. "We both know who you really are, Scott Erickson."

"I've told you the truth, whether or not you choose to believe it is your business," Scott reiterated. "Why are we here?"

"Because you have violated international law, kidnapping this young woman and denying her reentry to her homeland. I am here to ensure she returns home safe and sound," Suck-chin said, continuing his pleasant demeanor.

"He did not kidnap me!" Chin-sun insisted. "I am defecting! He saved my life!"

"Save your pleas, Ms. Park," Suck-chin waved her off. "In the spirit of the Olympics, we are not accepting your defection."

"The Olympics are over," Chin-sun growled in anger.

"Irrelevant. I have my orders."

"Yeah, I'll bet you do," Scott grinned.

Suck-chin turned to face Scott once more. "Something to say, Mr. Erickson?"

"You're working for the North Koreans, aren't you?"

Suck-chin studied Scott's face for several moments before a broad smile spread across his own face. "You Americans think you know everything, don't you?"

"It only makes sense. Everyone else I've talked to during my time here would welcome any defector with open arms. But you? You're actively fighting it at every turn. Why else would you go to such great lengths to stop a single girl from defecting?"

"Because she betrays her homeland and her culture!" Suck-chin spat, pulling a pistol from his coat. Now knowing he was found out, he continued, "You are right. I have been a spy from the beginning. I was born in the North, groomed from birth in the ways of espionage, even back to Kim Jong-il's reign. I am the first of a new breed of spies meant to promote reconciliation between the North and South."

"Were you the one that gave Kim Yo-jong the South Korean uniform?" Scott pressed.

"I am. Just a little insurance policy."

"Why are you doing this?" Chin-sun pleaded. "Why can I not leave?"

"It is quite simple," Suck-chin replied. "Dear Leader now sees that the path to at last regaining control of the peninsula lies not in war, but in peace. The people of the South have become lazy and complacent. None except the oldest among them remember the beginning of the war, and more of them are dying every day. Among those our age, it is far more common for them to place the blame of the war on Japan, not the North! Not that they are incorrect, but they still chose the wrong side when the fighting broke out... ah, but I digress. Sentiments here in the South have shifted as such that, if they will but make a few concessions to the North, such as disallowing defections, Dear Leader will have all the leverage he needs to reunify the land under his rule. An era that you, sadly, will not live to see..."

All of a sudden, the door burst open and Leon Parker entered the room with his weapon drawn, followed by the same three security officers from before.

"Yoon Suck-chin, drop the weapon! You are under arrest for espionage!" Leon barked.

"Yoon Suck-chin, miguleul beolyeo! Gancheob hyeom-uilo chepodoebnida!" one of the officers repeated in Korean.

Suck-chin's eyes went wide at how the tables had turned. He had a fleeting thought of shooting Scott and avoiding a lengthy interrogation and trial, but his cowardice won out in the end. After placing the gun on the table, he placed his hands behind his head and one of the officers placed him in handcuffs.

"How is this happening?" Suck-chin seethed.

"Nice sting, Leon," said Scott, pulling a recording device from his shirt pocket. "Oldest trick in the book: if something sneaky needs to be done, there are no cameras in the restroom."

"Well, we owe it to these officers," Leon chuckled. "We wouldn't have been able to get the recorder through security without their cooperation."

As Suck-chin was led swearing and cursing from the room, a man of about sixty entered with a pleasant smile on his face.

"It seems you were right, Major Parker. I must apologize for lecturing you before."

"I'm just glad we got him before he did any real damage," Leon replied, shaking the man's hand. "I'd like you to meet the man that made this operation possible. This is Sco... er, Tom Erickson. Tom, this is Moon Yoo-jin, director of the KIS."

"Erickson Ssi, you have my deepest thanks," Yoo-jin said with a slight bow. "My people could have been in grave danger if this spy had been allowed to go about his work for much longer."

"It was my pleasure, sir," Scott answered, beaming with pride.

"Forgive me, but you share a certain similarity to one of the medalists from America, do you not?"

"I should hope so," Scott chuckled. "Scott Erickson is my much uglier twin brother."

"Twin brother... I see. And how do we know for sure who is who?" Yoo-jin asked with a knowing grin.

"Mr. Moon, I've known the Erickson boys for several years and I can assure you they are both men of outstanding moral fiber. They can be trusted," Leon cut in.

"Of course. Ah, and you must be the famous Park Chin-sun," Yoo-jin continued. "I must offer you my apologies, young lady. When I first heard of Yoon's decision to deny your defection request, I thought it merely a young man holding to the rules without question. I never would have imagined anything more sinister at work."

"No apology is necessary," Chin-sun said. "I suppose I can understand my defection not being accepted during the Olympics..."

"Yes, but I do believe the Olympics are now over, yes?" Yoo-jin continued. "Park Chin-sun, the Republic of Korea is happy to welcome you as a free woman. I will contact the right people that will help with your paperwork. You will be allowed to build your new life here if you wish."

"Moon Ssi, you are very kind! But I must be honest... my wishes have changed."

"What do you mean young lady?"

"You see... I no longer wish to live here in the South," Chin-sun explained, linking her arm in Scott's. "Rather, I wish to travel across the seas to America and live with my hero. He and I have fallen in love during our adventure together, and I can no longer imagine my life without him in it."

Yoo-jin raised his eyebrows at this. "Are you certain? I feel I should warn you that the culture shock will be even greater in America than it would be here. I would not want you to become overwhelmed."

"As long as my beloved is by my side, I can face anything," she answered with a smile. Scott said nothing but squeezed her hand with affectionate approval.

After a nod from Leon, Yoo-jin said, "Then we will stamp your passports and send you off on the next available flight to America. My men here will escort you through customs so you will encounter no further delays."

"And I'll contact U.S. customs and notify them of your arrival," Leon chimed in. "They'll let you through no problem."

Once the last of their business was taken care of, Scott and Chin-sun said their goodbyes to Leon and Yoo-jin before being escorted from the room. Now alone with his counterpart from America, Yoo-jin slumped down in a chair with a heavy sigh.

"I will be lucky to keep my job after this near miss..."

"Don't beat yourself up," Leon encouraged him. "Yoon said it himself: he was bred to be a spy. I'd say the fact that we caught him before he managed to do any lasting damage is accomplishment enough."

"I suppose you are right."

"And if you need someone to vouch for you, give me a call. You do good work, Yoo-jin."

"Thank you."

"Oh, Tom mentioned to me that he and Chin-sun holed up in a little village near the border last night. The nice old man who gave them shelter was killed by Chin-sun's handler who had come for her; I believe Tom killed the handler in retaliation."

"Thank you for making me aware. I will find the case you speak of and take over the investigation. Now, is there any connection between Tom and the incident I received word of near the DMZ last night? It seems a car exploded."

"First I've heard of it," Leon replied.

"Of course, it is," Yoo-jin smirked. Feeling his cellphone buzz, Yoo-jin answered, "Yes? Ah... how very interesting... yes, I am in detainment room four. Please patch her through."

"What's going on?" Leon asked.

"We have a priority communication incoming from North Korea. Kim Yo-jong wishes to speak with me directly," Yoo-jin replied, trying to contain his laughter.

"That crazy bitch doesn't know when to quit, does she?"

Yoo-jin flipped a switch and Kim's face appeared on the TV on the wall. "Good morning, Ms. Kim," he said. "I trust you had a safe journey home?"

"Director Moon. And... Major Parker," Yo-jong replied, narrowing her eyes. "What luck. This will save me an additional phone call."

"What can we do for you?" Leon asked with a smile.

"Please, let us skip the pleasantries. Where is Park Chin-sun?"

Leon scrunched his face at this. "Park Chin-sun? The last time I saw her was two nights ago when we returned her to you."

"Do not think me a fool, Major Parker. Our convoy was attacked by two men last night. They fired upon us and kidnapped Chin-sun."

"How terrible! Was anyone in your convoy injured?" Yoo-jin asked.

"Let me worry about that. My only concern is for Chin-sun. I know these men acted on your orders, Major Parker."

"That is a serious accusation, Ms. Kim, and one you will find untrue," Leon replied. "I can assure you I have no knowledge of any operation like the one you describe. All my men are accounted for."

"What about that athlete that resisted when we took Chin-sun back with us? Scott Erickson, I believe his name was?"

Yoo-jin chuckled. "Surely you are not suggesting that an Olympic gold medalist engaged in some military-style attack mere hours after the Closing Ceremony."

"And besides, Scott Erickson couldn't have attacked you," Leon agreed.

"And how do you know this?"

"Because Scott Erickson was at Yangyang International Airport last night after the ceremony. He even gave a live television interview," Leon replied with a smirk.

Kim Yo-jong was clearly flustered by this. She looked away from the camera for a few moments to look up the interview Leon had mentioned. When she found it, her face scrunched into an expression of pure frustration.

"Be that as it may, we are ignoring the primary issue," she continued, her voice becoming angrier. "Where is Chin-sun? I know she intended to betray us and seek asylum with you."

"As Director of the Korean Immigration Service, I can say with certainty that no asylum has been granted to anyone since before the Olympics," Yoo-jin replied. "However, it is possible that the young lady knew she would not be accepted here and decided instead to leave the country."

Leon continued, "And if, in theory, she was to arrive safely on U.S. soil, I do believe my government would be more than happy to grant her asylum."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"We would. After all, we signed no treaty to disallow defectors," Leon countered.

Yo-jong's eyes went wide with crazed anger at this. She leaned close to the camera and spoke in a trembling voice, "This is a pointless exercise Major Parker. The girl is a stupid little whore. She knows nothing of value, she can tell you nothing you could use against us. Protecting her will gain you nothing! She IS nothing!!! And she is unworthy of your charity."

Leon grinned. "And that, Ms. Kim, highlights the key difference between our peoples. In any case, I do hope you enjoyed your Olympic experience."

Leon made a slashing motion across his throat, and the feed was cut.

*****

Once Scott returned home to his family in the suburbs of St. Paul, Minnesota, the predictable chaos ensued upon introducing them to Chin-sun. There was so much Scott couldn't tell them for their own protection, but that didn't stop his parents from prying. It was only because of Tom's passionate defense of his brother that they calmed down... at least for the moment. Their anxieties bubbled back to the surface when they learned that Scott and Chin-sun planned to marry as soon as possible. That was when Scott's grandmother, Mae, stepped in.

The matriarch of the Erickson family was quite skeptical of Chin-sun at first, but after hearing the girl's story of her own grandmother's history, Mae began to realize that her reasons for defecting were genuine. And after Chin-sun recounted her harrowing experiences with Scott in Korea, she understood precisely how they had fallen in love so quickly. After all, it was during a similarly dangerous time that she had fallen in love with Scott's grandfather all those many years ago. Once they had finished their talk in Korean, Mae turned to the rest of the family and said that Scott and Chin-sun would be married as soon as they wished. There were no further objections.

Chin-sun soon developed a fast friendship with her new grandmother-in-law. The two women saw so much of themselves in each other, and Mae certainly sympathized with the things Chin-sun's grandmother had experienced in her younger days. Mae knew well that she was fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time to meet her own husband; things could have ended far differently for her. The two women soon became nigh inseparable, spending much of their days together. As one who had already been through these experiences, Mae took it upon herself to help acclimate Chin-sun to the unfamiliar things she would encounter in America. With Chin-sun being as intelligent as she was, it didn't take long for her to start to become a true American woman. After a few years, she even decided to take an American name: Charity. Of course, Scott would call her Chin-sun until the day he died.

Two weeks after their arrival from Korea, Scott and Chin-sun were married in a private ceremony in his backyard. Only Scott's family was there, although Leon did Skype in at one point to offer his congratulations. The ceremony itself was a brilliant meeting of East and West. Mae served as both Matron of Honor and wedding planner, bringing in the minister from their local Lutheran church to officiate. She also incorporated many Korean traditions in the ceremony, such as having carvings of Mandarin ducks, commonly believed to mate for life, and having the minister read a passage from Confucius in addition to the traditional Bible verses.

Chin-sun was stunning in her traditional attire, consisting of a jeogori, which was a long-sleeved short jacket, and a chima, a long wrap-around skirt that extended down to her feet. She specifically chose the colors of red and navy blue to show her commitment to the country that had given her a new home. A white silk belt wrapped around her waist to complete the outfit, adorned with a beautiful stitching of a swan to symbolize long life, and a tiny American flag tucked into the belt. Scott, wearing his favorite black suit, was utterly speechless at the sight of her, so much so that Tom, his Best Man, had to slap him on the back of the head once or twice.

After considering her options, Chin-sun decided to take her husband's advice and use his benefits from the G.I. Bill to attend college. She chose to major in Counseling with the hope that she could one day meet other defectors and refugees from abroad and be of help and comfort to them in this unfamiliar land. Scott continued to skate for fun and enjoyment, but he decided it was time to retire to a quiet life and take a job in his dad's company, especially with the large family his wife wanted to have. Many in the U.S. were unhappy when he decided not to return for the next Olympics, but Scott couldn't have cared less. He had never been happier in his life...

*****

It was about a month after they returned from Korea that Scott saw it. He was relaxing on the sofa with the TV on for background noise when a news story came on that made mention of his wife.

"Chin-sun! Come see this, they're talking about you on TV," he called out.

"Really? What are they saying?" she asked as she entered the room.

"And in international news, we have a rare public video released online today from North Korea," said Lester Holt. "The subject of the video is a young lady named Chin-sun Park, who apparently defected during the recent Olympics and is living here in America, according to the video. In it, her family has a message they want her to hear."

The couple held each other close as Chin-sun teared up at seeing her mother and father once more. They seemed distraught, heartbroken that she had run away from home on a whim and begged her to return. Her father spoke of assurances that the State had given him, that she would be regarded as a returning hero, given a large sum of money, and have an appearance on public television. In spite of her tears, Chin-sun was not fooled. She had heard the rumors of what really happened to defectors when they returned. They would be paraded around in public as a sign of the State's superiority to the rest of the world in securing their return, but once the celebration was done, they were often sent to maximum security labor camps. Then, Chin-sun's grandmother appeared on the screen.

"Halmeoni..." Chin-sun whispered.

Her grandmother spoke for several minutes, reminiscing on all the wonderful times she and Chin-sun had shared together over the years. She put on a convincing act, to be sure, but it sounded to Scott as if she was forcing the words from her mouth. As she came to the end of her plea, she concluded with a few simple words.