"Ladies and gentlemen, we have come here to discuss the disease which has now become the national crisis." The speaker Mr Go Eunho stated. The press and the members around him were listening to his words with their extreme attention. He continued, "The vast majority, like the young and healthy people can expect recovering fully and quickly as if they don't get infected by this Covid virus again. The highest risk is for elderly population with underlying health conditions.."
Sometimes later, before his speech ended, some uneasiness heard from the middle of the crowd. Some members started coughing as they were facing great difficulty to breathe properly. "I think there's something happening, let's get out of this room." Some people screamed. Almost all of the members started rushing to the entrance and the exit doors but they failed to get out of the room as the doors were locked. "Somebody please open the door.", "Cover your nose and mouth quickly." "Call the security, what is happening here?", " Just open the f*ckn door." These were all heard inside the conference room, along with vigorously coughing sounds.
Some police inside of the room called for the help, but what could the outside people do against those heavy computer-controlled locks? They tried each and every way to open up the gate but it took them more than five minutes to reach out the mother controlling computer in the basement to open up the jammed lock. Science could be cursed at a time like this.
When the tons of police and the security finally entered the room, they witnessed a very unexpected sight in front of them. Most of the people inside the room were breathing heavily, some were trying to cover up their mouth and nose to prevent the toxic air from entering their body, some of the oldest members had already collapsed.
"Quick, get all of them out of here, call for more ambulances." The security chief ordered his subordinates. They started moving those people out of that room as fast as possible then sealed the room as if nobody could enter it. The sirens of ambulances filled up the place along with some screaming of the press and media reporters. The national bomb squad was called immediately to search the place thoroughly but it took them some more time to find out the root of the gas leakage.
"This is reporter Kang, reporting from South Korean national parliament building, here occurred a massive act of terrorism just less than two hours ago. An empty gas cylinder found inside of the air conditioning panel, at the top of the room. The name of the gas is still unknown. The impact of the gas made more than one hundred people severely ill. They are facing major nervous failure and cerebral trauma. The other thirty people who are currently out of danger told the doctors that it was the most horrible sight they've ever seen. We are trying to reach those people for more information, please stay with JTBC news."
Yoongi turned off the TV in the hospital cabin and looked directly at Jungkook, currently laying on a slightly uplifted hospital bed, a blanket had been pulled down to his waist. "What do you think? Why Jung Sonbeok did this to all these parliament peoples?" Yoongi asked while adjusting himself on a bedside chair.
"I have no idea." Jungkook sighed heavily. After losing his senses, he didn't know how Yoongi brought him here in the hospital. The doctor checked him immediately but just gave him some painkiller injections and vitamin IVs. He wasn't bleeding at all because the bullet hit right into his uniform badge which was tagged on his chest but the impact was so forceful that his chest got bruised. Jungkook's sleepless tired body couldn't even take the hit and he collapsed after that.
"I've never imagined Sonbeok would do this type of outrageous thing, now we have to catch him immediately to know more about the gas." Yoongi slammed his fisted hand on the handle of the chair. He twitched his mouth in displeasure as they couldn't be able catch the mafia leader sooner.
"At least we know, it's Sonbeok who is doing this." Jungkook said in a feckless tone. He was still in a daze. He lowered his head more as he thought he could have prevented it if he alerted the people inside the room, instead of catching Taehyung. He was regretting that he put his heart before his duty.
"Are you sure it was Tae, who fired you?" Yoongi frowned.
"No it's Kim Taehyung and-" Jungkook looked up into Yoongi's eyes, then bitterly said "he doesn't know me."
"But you still want him, right?" Yoongi raised his eyebrows and smirked lightly.
Jungkook sighed, "I should hate him, he tried to kill me."
"Jungkook-ah, don't force yourself now, just take a little more time and then try to move on. You two are from different worlds with different mentalities, there's no possible way that you can be together. Just try to forget him, hmm?" Yoongi put his one hand on Jungkook's shoulder and lightly pressed.
"The day when I shall put him in the prison with my own two hands, I'll forget him for sure." Jungkook's eyes burned up with an unknown emotion as he remembered the last scene he saw before falling on the ground.
"Tae, are you hurt? Where is your mask?" Hoseok asked in concern as he saw his friend panting heavily after getting inside of their car. They somehow managed to escape from the spot but he knew he had screwed up some things before coming out of there. When he was exploding the sleeping gas bomb, a police detective fired at him. He tried to move away but the bullet hit his left shoulder and made him almost fall down on the spot. He was wearing an airproof mask that time so he didn't fall asleep like the others but he was worrying about those blood droplets which fell from his raw wound, that might be a big clue for the investigation.
"No, I'm alright." Taehyung said after taking some long breaths. "What about you? Oh my gosh! You're bleeding!" His eyes got bigger and his mouth parted seeing his friend's bloody shoulder. He put his palm on his friend's hand which was pressing a handkerchief to stop the flow of blood.
"It's not that important right now Tae," Hoseok muttered while clinging his teeth, the pain he was feeling in the body was displaying through his face. "The bullet just ripped my skin but it's not stuck inside." Hoseok turned his head to the driver and ordered him to accelerate the speed.
"Then why is there so much blood?" Taehyung took out his own handkerchief and put it over Hoseok's blooded one.
"It will be healed but I'm thinking another thing, the police will get more information about me because of this. What about you? Did anyone see you?" Hoseok asked.
"Yeah, a stubborn police officer saw me." Tae said with a sour pout. "I stole his gun and shot him."
"Let's hope, he won't be a burden to us." Hoseok sighed as he closed his eyes and rested his head on the seat. Taehyung just hummed in response.
Hoseok and Taehyung went straight to their family doctor's chamber after escaping from the spot. The doctor patched up his wound immediately and also gave him a bottle of blood and saline IVs. After taking some rest both of them came to their mansion.
"Dad, the mission is almost successful." Hoseok said after entering his father's office. Taehyung came behind him. Both of them took the couch as they started the conversation.
"What is this bandage on your shoulder Hoseok-ah?" Sonbeok came forward to his son and sat down beside him, frowning.
"This is nothing serious, Doc gave me medicines-" Hoseok said tiredly, he didn't want to talk about the blood and Taehyung's face revealed to the police to his dad. "but what will we do now?"
"We'll contact the president to ask for the money. You just take some rest." Sonbeok moved to his own chair after some time and said, "Your wife got caught red handed when she was leaking some information about you two. I told my men to seal the room."
" What!" Hoseok stood up from his seat and came closer to his father, "Mina would never do that and she's pregnant dad, why did you seal the room?" Hoseok put his one hand on his mouth as he couldn't believe his dad's words. Taehyung was chewing his nails, sitting in the corner, stood erect with Hoseok after hearing that. He thought his friend might do something in anger, which he wasn't supposed to do.
"Now you're defending a traitor? I can't believe this." Sonbeok tsked with disbelief.
"Dad, she loves me, she won't do anything stupid, I believe her." Hoseok gulped and bit his lower lips. "Please let me see her."
"You can't," Sonbeok said with a firm glare. "don't worry, the maids are looking after her." He rested his back on the chair and told them to go and rest.
"Hobi, I think ahjussi have gone mad because of money." Taehyung said after coming out of Sonbeok's office. "Mina-ssi is a good girl, I don't think she can be a spy."
"I don't know anything, I want to just see her right now." Hoseok was breathing heavily, he blamed himself that his wife had to undergo all of these because of him. "Tae, just go to your room and rest, we shall meet in the evening, ok?
"Yeah, you too. The doc said you should take a nap first." Taehyung said and went towards his room.
"Yeah, I'll." Hoseok took quick steps to reach his room. There was nothing that could stop him to meet her.
Mina was sitting on her bed with empty eyes. Her tears were dried down long ago but some strains were still decorated on her cheeks. When the door opened, she wiped her face with her palm and looked at the door.
"Mina, are you alright baby?" Hoseok said after coming closer to the bed, he dropped his medicine pouch on it and tried to hug his wife.
"What is this thing on your shoulder? Is it a-? Are you hurt?" Mina asked in concern but didn't hugged him back.
"A little but don't worry, it will be healed within two days." Hoseok smiled and gave a light peck on her pouty lips. "Mina, why did you call an outsider? Haven't I told you that dad has tracking devices here."
"Hoseok-ssi, can you please send me to my parent's house in Gwangju? I don't want to live here." Mina lowered her head as tears formed into her eyes again to make her embarrassed.
"Why?" Hoseok's heart skipped a bit, he gulped and held his wife's face with both of his hands. "Did dad say anything to you?"
By mentioning the dad's name Mina's eyes burned up with anger, "Your dad has made you a puppet Hoseok-ssi, you can't separate right or wrong on your own." She said looking at Hoseok's eyes. She slowly removed his hand from her face and said, "You said that you won't kill innocent people when we got married, then why are you breaking your promise now? Why did you harm all those innocent men and women just because your dad said?"
Hoseok startled, "No, I didn't kill them, just made them ill. Just wait for a few days, they'll be healed."
"What if some of them die? Can you face your baby after that? What will you say to him after he borned? Just be like your dad, just as your dad told him before? No, I don't want my baby to be a monster like you." Mina said in between her sobs. "Just get out from here, don't show me your face before all of those men get healed."
"Mina stop crying, you can harm the baby." Hoseok again tried to hug her but she pushed him away.
"That's why I'm telling you to just get out of my sight, leave me alone with him please." Mina almost screamed at the end.
Hoseok sighed deeply and slowly detached his hands from his wife and moved towards the door. He turned around to look at his sobbing wife for one last time then went out.
"Hobi, you think ahjussi will not know about our secret visit?" Taehyung asked his friend while they were entering the underground lab where the chemists were doing those experiments.
"Yeah he will but I can't take this any further, we have to talk to the chemists now." Hoseok's eyes were cold and his facial features were stiff that made him look determined. When they entered the main office they saw two of the chemists arguing loudly but they stopped immediately when they saw the visitors.
"Mr Jung and Mr Kim, what drove you all the way here, you should have called us." One of those chemists said in a shaky voice. Taehyung remembered Sonbeok introduced him as Dr Kang.
"Please be seated." The second chemist said, pointing at the empty chairs. He was shorter and wider than the first one.
"I came here to ask you for the antidots. Please hand me over the ampoules now." Hoseok said calmly.
"Ae- we're sorry sir but it'll take some more time." The first chemist said.
"What do you mean by it'll take time?" Hoseok fisted his hands and muttered in anger. "You said it's ready then why aren't you giving me now?"
"Sir please calm down,we were making it but I don't know if it's gonna work or not." The shorter chemist, Dr Lee said with uncertainty. He looked at his companion and again looked at Hoseok, then said, "actually we've tasted it on some animals but unfortunately they all died because the antidots didn't work on their bodies. So we have to make it again. That's why we need at least four days." He gulped loudly.
"What? Then why did you plan all this before checking the results? You know that what will happen after this, don't you?" Taehyung stood up and took out his gun. Pointing at the shorter man's forehead he said, "Tell me, in whose hands do you want to die, mine or ahjussi's? Trust me, dying in my hands will make your death less painful."
"Please don't kill us, we can make it right, just give me four, no no just two days f*uck!" Dr Lee bit his lips and held Taehyung's legs with both of his hands.
"I have a better idea." Dr Kang spoke out, "I know a person who can make this antidot faster and more efficiently but-"
"What's with this but now? We need this man right now. Tell us his address." Hoseok came closer to the taller chemist, within his personal space.
"He's in America, he lives there." The first chemist went to his computer and searched for something. After few seconds he motioned them to look at the screen. When the other men came behind him, he showed them a picture. "He's our mentor slash professor slash the hod of the Chicago biochemical lab Dr Kim Seokjin."
"You two were in America?" Taehyung asked the chemists but his eyes were fixed on the screen.
"Yeah, we were there for studying. Mr Seokjin trusted me and he taught me so many things about drugs in his private tuitions but when I met this bastard, I lost his trust." Dr Kang said.
"Hey you're the one who wanted to make the money faster, I just showed you the way but now you're blaming me for all this?" The shorter of them shouted out.
"What did you do?" Taehyung asked in curiosity.
"We started stealing the medicinal drugs and selling them on the black market." Dr. Kang hanged his head in shame. Then he looked at Taehyung and said, "He caught us but didn't charge an arrest warrant, just kicked us out from there."
"So we came back to our homeland but were able to steel some papers with us. We made this gas on our own but failed to make the antidots." Dr Lee sighed and slowly sat down on a chair.
"So can you two ask him to make the antidots again?" Hoseok asked this time, he was listening to their conversation calmly but so many things were running in his head.
"No sir, we can't, he told us not to contact him again." Dr Kang replied.
"Hobi, if that man can make the antidots, let the government take his help. We can hand over the formula and tell them secretly to contact this Seokjin guy." Taehyung suggested with hopeful eyes.
"No, if the government asked him for help then he'll tell the police about us, then both American and Korean police will come behind us, we'll die anyway. Most importantly your father won't get any money, our all works will go in vain." Dr Lee said with a firm voice, glaring at his friend.
"Yes, we want to live here in Korea. Please just don't let the police know, Sonbeok sir promised us to give full protection, that's why we agreed." Dr Kang sighed again.
"Great, you can't go there, the government can't go there, then how can we reach your professor?" Taehyung slammed his hand beside the keyboard and this made both of the chemists flinch.
"Please go to him on behalf of us." The taller chemist almost pleaded. "He's a nice person, his husband Dr Kim Namjoon is also a genius chemist. If they see the formula, they'll make it better than us. The other chemist nodded to this suggestion.
Taehyung snorted in disbelief. "But how can we go there? My face is revealed to the police, his shoulder is injured, we can't pass through the airport security. And why would this Seokjin guy listen to us?"
"Tae, we have to do something soon, if those paralyzed people die, the government will never leave us, including my dad." Hoseok put his fingers under his chin and sighed. "And my Mina will never forgive me."
"The commissioner of Seoul police is our professor's uncle." Dr, Lee hesitated a bit after saying this, "please make sure that this won't go in his ears."
"What did you just say?" Taehyung held Dr Lee's collars tightly with his hands and made him get up from his chair. His eyes became dark and lips pressed into a thin line. Dr Lee tried to get himself free but Taehyung's grips got tighter.
"Taehyung-ah, leave him, he'll die. We have to make a solid plan to go there." Hoseok somehow managed to set Dr Lee from his friend's hands.
Taehyung sat down on a chair and closed his eyes. A pained 'aah' left from his slightly parted lips as he recalled how this so called commissioner tortured him with a wooden rod, in that interrogation room. With those every beating, he was screaming a certain boy's name but no one was there to stop that old man, and to rescue him.
After some moments when his breathing got slower, Taehyung opened his eyes and said, "alright, if the commissioner is Dr Seokjin's uncle, then I know a person who can help us in this." he smirked bitterly and got up from the chair to get go.
__________________
Are you guys exited for taekook's next encounter? Yes or yes?
Take care and if you enjoyed this chapter, then please vote and comment:)