Chester D. Campbell
The Poksu Conspiracy
A Note from the Author
Poksu continues the saga of Burke Hill, former FBI agent and protagonist of Beware the Jabberwock. The cover features South Korea's National Treasure No. 1, Namdaemun, Seoul's Great South Gate. Beneath it are the hangul (Korean) characters for poksu, which translates as "vengeance." It has a different meaning in Chinese, which you'll learn in the book. Since there is a large cast of characters, many of them with strange names, I thought it would be helpful to you, the reader, to have a list of the people who inhabit the story. They are listed below by category. Should you get confused at some point by just who a character is, you can return to the Who's Who and refresh your memory.
Who's Who in The Poksu Conspiracy
(Washington-based CIA spinoff):
Nathaniel (Nate) Highsmith, President
Burke Hill, chief financial officer, clandestine group director
Tony Carlucci, Highsmith's executive assistant
Jerry Chan, manager of Seoul Office
Duane Elliston, account executive in Seoul Office
Brittany Pickerel, research assistant in Seoul Office
Evelyn Tilson, Hill's executive assistant
Travis Tolliver, media specialist in Seoul Office
An Kye-sun, Korean media specialist in Seoul Office
Song Ji-young, Korean secretary in Seoul Office
Thornton Giles, President
Kingsley Marshall, Director of Central Intelligence
Ambassador Shearing, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea
Brig. Gen. Henry Thatcher, Presidential Assistant for National Security Affairs
Special Agent Frederick Birnbaum, instructor, FBI National Academy
Vincent Duques, South Korean Embassy political officer and CIA Station Chief
Special Agent Clifford Walters, FBI, San Francisco
Damon Mansfield, South Korean Embassy cultural attaché
Kurt Voegler, South Korean Embassy commercial attaché
Kwak Sung-kyo, recently-elected president
Hong Oh-san, prime minister
Col. Han Sun-shin, director of Agency for Security Planning (NSP)
Dr. Nam U-je, head of Korea Electric Power Company (Kepco)
Ko Pong-hak, information officer, Ministry of Culture and Information
Park Sang-muk, Seoul public prosecutor
Superintendent General Choi, head of Special Security Group
Lt. Han Mi-jung, fiancée of Lieutenant. Yun
Lt. Yun Se-jin, officer, Tongdaemun Station
Capt. Yun Yu-sop, homicide detective, Namdaemun Station
Lee Horangi-chelmun, leader
Ahn Wi-jong, other group survivor
Kim Il-sung, premier
Kim Jong-il, son and heir apparent
So Song-ku, official of the Central Committee, North Korean Workers Party
Will and Maggie Arnold, Falls Church, VA neighbors of the Hills
Dr. Chloe Brackin, obstetrican and Lori Hill's best friend
Lorelei Hill, wife of Burke Hill, head of Clipper Cruise & Travel
Dr. Cabot Lowing, fellow, Highsmith Foundation
R. Mitchell (Mitch) Steele, Taesong Nuclear Power Plant
Peggy Walters, Burke Hill's first wife
Dr. Kim Vickers, director, Korean-American Education Foundation
Margit Szabo, Lorelei Hill's grandmother
Ahn Pom-yun, drug kingpin in Chiangmai, Thailand, son of Ahn Wi-jong
Mr. Chon, Namdaemun Market fruit vendor, Captain Yun's informant
Hwang Sang-sol, a.k.a. Suh Tae-hung, free lance assassin
Kang Han-kyo, editor of Koryo Ilbo, national daily newspaper
Kim Yong-man, Mr. Chon's grandson
Kwon, junior official at Reijeo conglomerate
Dr. Lee Yo-ku, Seoul National University history professor
Moon Chwa, official at Pulguksa Buddhist shrine
Dr. Shin Man-ki, fired nuclear physicist at Reijeo installation
Yang Jong-ku, hotel owner, chairman of Korean-American Cooperation Association
Yi In-wha, prominent businessman, son-in-law of President Kwak's half-sister
Yoo Hak-sil, Seoul private investigator, former cop
(All of the above appear in multiple chapters.)
Chapter 1
September seemed an ideal time for Burke Hill to take his wife Lori on a long-delayed honeymoon trip to Hungary. When they were married the previous December, the demands of his new job made leisure travel impossible. The visit to Budapest would be a strange sort of homecoming for the former Lorelei Quinn. She'd vowed to dig as deep as it took to uncover her hidden roots.
By now the summer sultriness had mellowed into warm days and cool nights, a pleasant interlude the imaginative Magyars referred to as "old women's summer." It was Lori's first trip back since a near disaster at the hands of the communist-era secret police a decade ago. And though the recent demise of the Cold War soon convinced her of a renewed sense of vibrancy among the people in this onetime "Paris of the East," an incident at the airport terminal seemed disturbingly reminiscent of the bad old days.
While she stood to one side waiting for Burke to claim their luggage, she noticed a man across the way watching him. He was swarthily handsome, with wavy black hair and a trim build. As he looked around, Lori averted her gaze to avoid any show of interest. When she looked back, his eyes were again locked on Burke. It took her back several years to her somewhat abbreviated career in the CIA, when that sort of surveillance presaged dire consequences.
A few minutes later, Burke walked toward her pulling their two bags. She wanted to tell him about the watcher, but a tall redheaded man accompanied him.
"John Dahlgren, meet my wife, Lori," he said. "As you can see, she's great with child."
Lori grinned as she patted her rounded tummy. She was six months pregnant. "The ultrasound confirmed twins," she said. "This trip had to be taken now or delayed indefinitely. Dr. Bracken wasn't too happy about my traveling now, but I insisted."
"Nice to meet you," Dahlgren said with a slight bow of his head. "I was a twin myself. Some people say it's double trouble, but I'm sure yours will be a delight."
"John was on our flight," Burke said. "He's from New York. He's also staying at the Duna-Intercontinental, so I invited him to share a cab."
Lori looked back before they left the terminal, but the muscular man with the persistent stare had disappeared.
As soon as they reached their hotel room, she told Burke about the apparent surveillance.
He stared at her, hands on his hips. "Who the devil could it have been? This is strictly a pleasure trip. Nobody should suspect I'm anything but a public relations company official on vacation."
While Worldwide Communications Consultants, the firm he served as chief financial officer, was a legitimate international PR counselor, it had a black operations side that reported to the Central Intelligence Agency. Burke directed its activities in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Far East.
"I don't have any idea who he was," Lori said, "but he was sure giving you the once-over. I suggest we keep an eye out for any other signs of interest."