Critical Incidents: The ROK - Land of HAN (A Jack Gunn Mystery Thriller Book 1) by Thomas H. Ward Read Free Book Online Page A

thanked me for the Glock 19 generation 4, 9mm pistol. I said, “Wait until you shoot it. I tricked it out, reducing the trigger pull from five and a half pounds to two and a half, so be careful. It also has a built-in red dot laser.”
    Kwon asked, “Mr. Gunn, can you obtain a Glock for me? I need a good backup gun.”
    “Sure, I can get you one, next time I go back to the United States.”
    “When will that be?” he asked.
    “I don’t know exactly, but probably in a month. Maybe I can get one sooner. I’ll have to check. ”
    KY said, “What I like about the Glock is the hammer is enclosed and it can take a lot of punishment. There is no safety other than the trigger itself. Our Lionheart LH9’s are good guns, but they’re too heavy and jam easy.”
    The nice thing about being a Diplomatic Security Agent is that we can carry handguns no matter where we go, in most countries. South Korea is one of the countries that permit us to carry firearms outside of the embassy. Gun control here is very strict. Only special Korean Police Units can carry firearms, and of course undercover agents. The CIA can also carry sidearms while in Korea, as well as a few other United States agencies, like the FBI.
    Kwon said, “I agree with Lee-shi. The LH9 is not the best gun in the world, even if it is Korean made.”
    Lee poured us all a beer and we toasted to Korea and United States team spirit.
    “Mr. Gunn, I hear you have been promoted to Agent in Charge for Korea. Congratulations.” He raised his glass and toasted to my promotion. We touched our glasses.
    “Thank you.” I said. “Congratulations, to you also.”
    The sushi was brought in and we started to partake in the morsels. Kwon had first choice, of course. The server poured us all a small cup of hot sake.
    Kwon said, “I have appointed Mr. Lee to be Liaison Officer between the NIS and your embassy security. Do you think that is ok?”
    I glanced at my friend’s face. He didn’t look happy about it.  I said, “I think it will work out fine.”
    “Yes, that’s what I thought, since you are close friends.” Kwon raised his cup of sake. “Here’s to friendship.”
    Once again we toasted. Lee and I repeated, “To friendship.”
    Kwon spoke again. “Mr. Lee will report everything related to the American Embassy each week to me. So please stay in touch with him.”
    I replied, “Mr. Kwon, I don’t report to you or the NIS. Mr. Lee is my friend, but I will not tell him any confidential information related to the United States.”
    Kwon let out a short laugh. “Yes, of course, Mr. Gunn. You can’t give away state secrets.”
    You could cut the tension with a knife. This was putting my buddy and me on the spot. Kwon is a sneaky son-of-a-bitch. I could tell he was a control freak who wanted power.
    Lee changed the subject and we continued our conversation for another hour of small talk and discussions about world affairs. I found out that Kwon was educated in the United States. Most of his family, what was left of it, was trapped in North Korea.
    Kwon commented, “Your President seems to be very weak. He has withdrawn troops from around the world. He has reduced the U.S. troop level in Korea to the lowest it has ever been. Currently, there are only ten thousand men based here. Sixty percent of those are support functions. So there are probably only four thousand actual combat troops.”
    I said, “Yes, that’s true, but those four thousand are mostly Marines. They’re the best we have.”
    Kwon laughed. “Maybe they are the best, but when the north comes across the DMZ with one million men, they don’t stand a chance. Do you think your President will back them up if that happens?”
    “I don’t know what he’d do. But if he doesn’t do anything and those men get killed, there would be hell to pay. The American people would be pissed off. He would be pressured into doing something.”
    “I see. So you think the American people would pressure him. That is