The Drive of Truth

Min kept his hands up as the officer stared at the flash drive. The tunnel lights hummed above them, casting a thin glow on the metal seats. Min could feel the weight of the plastic case in his palm. He took a slow breath and spoke.

"Officer, you can keep it. Look at what it is. It has the files that show why the company is in trouble. If you see the proof, you will know I am not trying to hide anything. Let me give it to you."

The officer narrowed his eyes. He glanced at the second officer, who kept his gun trained on the door. Then he turned the drive over in his hand, the scratched surface catching the light.

"What do you expect me to do with this?" the officer asked. His voice was flat, but a hint of curiosity slipped through.

Min's heart thumped hard. He could feel the sweat on his forehead, even though the tunnel was cold. He tried to keep his voice calm.

"Take it to the station. Let a tech look at it. If the files show the board was being robbed, you will see that I am trying to help. I need to get to Seoul. My sister has proof that can stop the collapse. I cannot do that if you keep me here."

The officer looked at the flash drive, then at the empty spot where Dong‑won's car had been. For a moment the tunnel was silent except for the low hum of the police radios.

"We will take this to the station," the officer said finally. He slipped the drive into his pocket and gestured for the second officer to open the car door.

Min stepped out of the sedan, his shoes clacking on the concrete. The cold air hit his face. He kept his hands raised, his palms open. The second officer kept his gun aimed at Min's chest.

"You will stay here," the officer ordered. "We will escort you out. No sudden moves."

Min nodded. He felt a small relief. The officer turned back to the sedan and started walking toward the tunnel exit, the flash drive still in his pocket.

As they moved, a low rumble echoed from deeper inside the tunnel. The sound grew louder, like a truck pulling in. The headlights of a big vehicle cut through the gloom at the far end. It was a police patrol car, its lights flashing blue and red. The driver leaned out of the window and shouted.

"All units, this is Unit 5. We have a report of a missing vehicle and a suspect in custody. Do you need assistance?"

The officer in front raised his radio.

"Copy that, Unit 5," he replied. "We have a civilian with a flash drive. We are escorting him out. No need for backup yet."

The patrol car slowed, then stopped a short distance behind them. A man in a dark uniform stepped out. He wore a badge that read "Sergeant Kim".

"What's the situation?" Sergeant Kim asked, his eyes flicking between Min and the flash drive in the officer's pocket.

The officer explained quickly. Min handed over the flash drive, hoping the sergeant would see the value.

"We found this in the suspect's car," the officer said. "He claims it contains financial records that could explain the board's problems. He wants to get to a meeting in Seoul."

Sergeant Kim took the drive from the officer's hand. He looked at Min for a moment, then turned to the second officer.

"Search the vehicle," he ordered. The second officer opened the passenger side and began to look under the seats. Nothing else was found.

Min watched the sergeant examine the flash drive. The sergeant tapped it lightly, then slipped it into a small handheld scanner that the patrol car had mounted on its dashboard. A soft beep sounded, and a green light flickered.

"Data read," Sergeant Kim said, his voice low. He turned the screen toward the officer. "It looks like encrypted files. We'll need a proper lab to decode it."

The officer frowned. He seemed to weigh his options.

"If we take this to the station, we can get a forensic team," he said. "But we still have a suspect here who could be dangerous."

Min felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He wanted to get out, to go to Seoul, to see his sister. He also worried about his grandmother, who was waiting at home.

Just then, a faint sound cut through the tunnel. It was a muffled thud, followed by a scrape of metal. Min's eyes snapped to the spot where Dong‑won's car had vanished. A thin wisp of smoke rose from the asphalt, and a small metal object lay on the road. It was the empty black box that Dong‑won had carried.

The officer saw it too. He raised his gun again, pointing it at the black box.

"What the—" he muttered.

The sergeant stepped forward and picked up the box. He opened it, but it was empty, just as Min had said before. Inside, however, was a folded piece of paper, crumpled but still legible.

"It looks like a note," Sergeant Kim said, smoothing the paper. He read it quickly. "'If you find this, know that I am still alive. Meet me at the old warehouse on the east side. Bring the drive.'"

The officer's eyes widened. He looked at Min, then at the sergeant.

"Who wrote this?" he asked.

Min's throat went dry. He realized the note could be from Dong‑won, or someone else. He could not be sure.

"I don't know," Min said, his voice shaking. "Maybe it was Dong‑won. He always talked about a backup plan."

Sergeant Kim folded the note back up and slipped it into his pocket. He looked at the officer, then at Min.

"We have a few options," Sergeant Kim said. "We can take you to the station and wait for the lab to decode the drive. We can try to locate that warehouse and see if someone is waiting for you. Or we can hold you here until sunrise, when the traffic eases."

The officer hesitated. The tunnel lights flickered again, and a distant siren grew louder, as if more units were on their way.

Min felt the cold air press against his skin. He knew his sister was counting on him. He also knew his grandmother needed his help. He could not stay here forever.

The sergeant stepped back toward the patrol car, his hand on his radio. He glanced at the flashing lights of the second police car and then at the empty spot where Dong‑won's car should have been.

A sudden crash echoed from the far end of the tunnel. A metal door, part of the tunnel's ventilation system, slammed shut with a deafening bang. Dust fell from the ceiling, and the tunnel seemed to narrow.

The officer's gun clicked as he aimed it toward the sound. The second officer whispered something into his radio.

Min stared at the darkness ahead, wondering what would happen next.

The sergeant lifted his hand, as if to signal a pause. The tunnel was filled with the hum of radios, the low growl of engines, and the heavy breath of a man who had run away from his past but could not escape it now.

He turned to Min, his expression unreadable.

"We need to decide quickly," Sergeant Kim said. "What do you want to do?"

Choices:

A. Min urges the sergeant to examine the flash drive on the spot, hoping the data will clear his name and allow him to leave.

B. Min asks the sergeant to call his sister Soo‑jin, offering to wait while she arrives with the proof.

C. Min pretends to cooperate but plans to slip away when the sergeant's back is turned, hoping to escape the tunnel.

D. Min suggests they go to the old warehouse mentioned in the note, believing Dong‑won may be waiting there with help.