The Hostages

Taeyeon lost her footing again and tumbled down the mountainside, the world spinning as she crashed into a tree. She lay there, crying quietly as she looked up at the stars. The night air was piercing and it was already starting to snow. She rubbed her arms with trembling hands and closed her eyes. I’m going to die here, aren’t I?

She thought about the look of desperation on Chanyeol’s face as he lifted her into the branches and she opened her eyes again. I can't give up on them, she reminded herself. But I'm not going to survive much longer out here.

She pulled herself up and looked down the mountainside, then back up the way she came. If I’m going to die, so be it, she thought, stumbling into the darkness.


******


D.O cracked his eyes open slowly, but all he could see was a thin strip of sunlight on the wall in front of him. His back pulsated with pain and he could still feel blood running down his legs. “Ch...Chanyeol,” he murmured.

“We're here, D.O,” Chanyeol called from somewhere behind him. D.O flexed his hands stiffly. “How long have I been hanging here?” he mumbled.

“I don't know,” Chanyeol replied helplessly. “They wouldn't release any of us after… after.”

The pain increased and tears started running down D.O’s face again. “Are… are the rest of you okay?” he called, struggling to keep his voice steady.

“We're fine,” Amber answered. “Why did you do that?”

“Do what?” D.O asked, smiling in spite of the pain.

“D.O-”

“He would've punished all of us,” he said, cutting her off. “Then there would've been no chance of escaping.”

“Escaping?!” Mark exclaimed. “You just got whipped within an inch of your life!”

“We'd never make it out of the tunnel,” Chanyeol said grimly. “The guards will be on high alert now.”

“Taeyeon's still out there,” Jeno said bravely. “She'll bring help.”

“Let's just hope we're alive when it gets here,” Mark mumbled.


******


Suho had just dozed off in his chair when the door was thrown open. “What is the meaning of this?” a voice demanded. “Why are you calling me down here in the middle of the night?”

They called the CEO?! Suho thought wildly. He tried to hide behind the desk, but the CEO saw him. “You!” he yelled. “What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the building!”

“And you're supposed to be cooperating with our investigation,” the detective said coolly, standing behind Suho. “This man brought us some information that may help, no thanks to you.”

“What are you talking about?” the CEO snapped. “He doesn't know anything!”

“I know that Mr. Moa used to be an Outside Director,” Suho cut in, standing up quickly. “And I know you were hiding his file.”

“You disrespectful-”

“Stop this!” the detective commanded, coming between them. “Let's continue this somewhere more private, shall we?”

The detective propelled them to the interview room and closed the door. “Sir, it's still a little early, but our preliminary findings point toward this Shin Jongduk as the kidnapper,” he said coolly. “If this is confirmed, your hiding the file and obstructing our investigation will make you an accessory to kidnapping, and that's only if the kids are unharmed. Otherwise you're looking at more serious charges.”

“Are you threatening me?” the CEO demanded.

“No sir, just informing you of the facts,” he said simply. “How does three to five years of jail time sound to you?”

The CEO’s expression changed to something resembling fear. “I can't go to jail. I'm the CEO of a huge-”

“There isn't a judge or jury in the country that would give you any sort of break,” the detective interrupted, leaning across the table into the CEO's face. “You covered up the abduction of eight young people under your jurisdiction and risked all of their lives in the process. You'll be lucky to survive the first month of prison.”

“I want a deal,” the CEO said immediately.

“Then start talking,” the detective said, pulling out a notepad.

“At first I truly didn't know who had taken them,” the CEO began, “but when the riddle came I realized it was Jongduk.”

Suho's rage boiled. “You've known for weeks and said nothing?!”

“Suho!” the detective said warningly. “Keep talking.”

“I thought if I could locate them on my own, I could avoid a big scandal,” the CEO explained. “I didn't think it would take this long.”

“They could be dead by now!” Suho shouted. “If you weren't so concerned with your stupid-”

“Wait outside!” the detective barked, shoving him toward the door. Suho walked out and slammed it shut before collapsing into a chair. If they're not alive when we find them, I'll kill him myself, he vowed.

“What happened in there?” Minho asked, crouching beside him. “I could hear yelling.”

“He knew,” Suho hissed. “He's known for weeks and he didn't do anything.”

Minho's lips tightened. “You know what this means?” he asked.

“What?” Suho said irritably.

“We've saved them,” Minho replied, nodding at the whiteboard covered in pictures of their
friends. “Your instincts and everyone working together is paying off.”

“Not yet it isn't,” Suho snapped. “They're still not sure if Shin Jongduk is the kidnapper, and even if he is, they don't know where he is or where the others are. It may all be worthless.”

The door opened and the CEO came out, looking paler than before. He barely glanced at them as he swept out of the station, his aides trailing behind.

“Well?” Suho asked as the detective emerged. The detective sighed. “We need to talk,” he said, jerking his head toward the little room.


******


Amber knelt beside D.O as he slept, keeping a damp cloth on his forehead as he tossed and turned. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since the whipping and his back was still open in places where the scabs hadn't connected yet. There had been no mention of Taeyeon nor any more visits from the man in black, both of which made her nervous. They haven't caught her, she thought, wringing out the cloth, but that doesn't mean she's alive.

She looked over where the others were asleep in the corner, huddled together like frightened children. Maybe this is how it end for us, she mused. Maybe we aren't going to make it out of this after all.

D.O groaned and she leaned over him immediately. “Shh,” she whispered, stroking his hair off of his forehead. “I'm here, D.O.” She was watching him so intently that she didn't notice the door open or the guard creep over until his hand was over her mouth.

“Scream and I'll stick him,” the guard hissed, pointing a knife at D.O’s back. He lifted Amber off the floor and carried her out of the cell silently. Once they were out of earshot he deposited her on the ground and made her walk in front of him down the dark corridor.

Fear crashed over Amber in endless waves as they walked, making her breathing shallow and her skin clammy. Is this it? she wondered. Am I the first to die?

They came to the black and white room and Amber entered alone. The man in black was waiting for her. “Welcome,” he said, gesturing to a chair in the center of the room. “Please have a seat.”

Notes