The Hostages

“So what's your plan?” Minho asked.

The detective sighed. “The plan is to take the two of you back to SM ENTERTAINMENT.”

“What?!” he said indignantly. “That's it?!”

“While the investigation is open we need to-”

“But-”

The detective lifted a hand and Minho and Suho both fell silent. “Thank you,” the detective said, putting a file on the table. “I thought you'd like to know that for all of his faults, your CEO may help us save your friends after all.”

“How?” Suho asked suspiciously.

“He claims that the reason he wouldn't cooperate with our investigation is because he was conducting one of his own. He thinks he knows where your friends are.”

Minho's legs wobbled and he grabbed the back of Suho's chair to steady himself. “Where?”

The detective laid a creased map on the table. “Apparently there's an old company retreat in the mountains outside the city,” he said, pointing to it on the map. “It was closed over fifteen years ago, before Shin Jongduk was fired, but the CEO remembered that he enjoyed being there.”

Suho looked at the detective intently. “There's something else,” he said quietly. “Something you're not telling us.”

The detective shook his head. “I can't-”

“We're not children, sir,” Minho said calmly. “Please don't hide anything from us.”

The detective reluctantly pulled a stack of envelopes out of the file. “Shin Jongduk has been sending letters to the CEO, anonymously and seemingly at random.” He selected one and opened it. “This is the most recent one,” he said, pulling out a single sheet of paper and laying it on the table.

It was a photo, darker and grainier than the previous ones. There was a person, possibly a man, hanging by his wrists from chains in the wall. It took a few seconds for them to process that the oozing red mass was what remained of his back. “Dear God,” Minho breathed, “that's D.O.”

Suho leaned over and threw up in the nearby trash can while Minho kept staring at the picture. “Is he alive?” he asked.

The detective glanced at Suho before answering. “We think so,” he said finally. “But, to be honest, if he doesn't receive medical attention soon-”

“He'll die,” Minho finished. Suho sat up shakily, his face pale. “Is… is there a message?” he asked.

“ 'Time’s up’,” the detective said grimly. “Obviously his patience has worn thin and he's not interested in bargaining any more.”

“If he ever wanted to bargain,” Minho muttered. “What's your plan?”

“We'll take some choppers into the area and search it. With any luck, we'll find them.”

They both nodded. “Thank you,” Minho said, bowing. They left the room and Suho took a deep breath. “We can't tell the others,” he murmured. “Not until they've been rescued.”

Let's just hope they are rescued, Minho thought to himself.


******


I must be insane, Taeyeon thought, watching the clearing. There was one guard walking around the perimeter, his gun glinting in the moonlight. He maintained a regular circuit, never varying his path as he passed by Taeyeon's hiding place for the third time. Taeyeon grabbed the rock she had found and waited until his back was facing her to creep closer to the clearing. This is my only chance, she thought, pressing herself against a tree as she waited for him to come by again. She heard his footsteps crunching in the snow and she gripped her rock tighter. I can do this, she told herself.

The guard passed by and Taeyeon hit him on the head as hard as she could. The guard stumbled, but didn't lose consciousness. Taeyeon jumped on his back and hit him again and again until he finally collapsed. She wrested the gun from under him and looked around quickly. No guards came spilling out of the tunnel and she let out a pent-up breath. But how do I get to the others? she wondered.

She approached the mouth of the tunnel cautiously. She glimpsed something inside and she hid, pointing the gun at it. It didn't move or speak, so she sneaked closer. It's a crate, she realized. She lifted the lid and peered inside. There were dozens of long red tubes marked Emergency Flare inside, along with what looked like several smoke bombs. An idea came to her and she started pulling them out of the crate.


******


The guard struck Amber again and she blacked out for a moment, but she was determined not to faint altogether. She looked up at the blinking light of the camera and sat up straighter.

“Still nothing?” the man in black asked. “All you have to do is say “stop” and we'll take you back to your cell. You don't have to endure this.”

The guard hit her on the chin and she bit her tongue hard. Blood filled her mouth and she gave him a bloody smile. “I can do this all night,” she said. “Can you?” The next blow caught her on the side of the head and her ears rang jarringly. She flexed her hands as she waited for it to pass, the ropes chafing her skin raw.

“All you have to do is ask,” the man repeated. “Of course, we'd have to replace you with someone else, but your pain would end. Isn't that what you want?”

“No,” Amber growled, spitting blood at him. “I'll last as long as I have to.”

The guard punched her in the stomach and she bent over, gasping for air.

“Give in!”

“No!” she screamed, earning another punch. She could feel her strength starting to fade as blood dripped into her eyes. I have to last, she thought desperately. I have to last.

There was a faint explosion above them and they all looked up in surprise. “What was that?” one of the guards asked.

The man in black only hesitated for a moment before jerking his head at the door. “Find out,” he barked. The guard left just as another explosion went off.

Amber felt a tiny spark of hope as she stared at the ceiling. Maybe someone really is there, she thought, the world darkening around her.


******


Taemin got up slowly. “What do you think it means?” he wondered as another explosion sounded. “Is it them?”

“Why would they be setting things off?” Wendy countered. “It would draw too much attention.”

“Maybe the police have found us,” Jeno said hopefully.

“Maybe,” Chanyeol agreed. Or maybe it's the beginning of the end, he thought to himself. He looked down at D.O in time to see his eyes flutter open. “What's going on?” he rasped.

“We're not sure,” Chanyeol murmured. D.O’s eyes closed again and Chanyeol pressed his lips together. He's pouring sweat, he thought, dabbing his face with the damp cloth. What if he's dying?

There was another explosion, this one louder and stronger than the others. They could hear guards yelling and running toward the surface.

“I don't like this,” Mark said decidedly. “First they take Amber while we're asleep, now there's explosions?”

Rapid footsteps echoed through the corridor and they all tensed. “Someone's coming,” Taemin said, peering through the bars. Chanyeol got up and stood over D.O protectively as the footsteps got closer.

“Guys, are you here?” a voice called tentatively. “Taeyeon?” Taemin said incredulously. “How did you…”

“There's no time,” she hissed, skidding to a stop in front of the bars. She pulled out a ring of keys and unlocked the door quickly. “I'll explain later.”

“Is that a gun?” Wendy asked, staring at the rifle in Taeyeon's hands. “Where did-”

“Later!” Taeyeon hissed, pulling the door open. Chanyeol and Mark lifted D.O onto Chanyeol’s shoulder, making him groan loudly.

“Taeyeon, they took Amber,” Taemin said as the others hurried out of the cell. “We've got to find her.”

Taeyeon nodded and pulled a handgun out of her belt. “I got this off a guard,” she said, pressing it into his hand. “Find Amber and get to the clearing.”


******


Taemin took off down the corridor, the gun heavy and awkward in his hands. The tunnels were surprisingly empty, though he could hear faint shouting from the direction of the surface. This is crazy, he thought, peeking around a corner before continuing down the tunnel.

He came to the black and white room and he kicked the door in savagely. There was one guard in there and he fired at Taemin. The bullet flew past his head into the corridor and Taemin returned fire automatically. He hit the guard twice and the guard collapsed, blood pooling onto the pristine tiles.

Amber was tied to a chair, her head hanging low and dripping blood. Taemin untied her wrists quickly and she lurched forward. “Amber, it's me, I've got you,” he said, bracing her against his shoulder as he untied her ankles. She stirred and sat up slightly. “Taemin?” she whispered in a gravelly voice. “What's happening?”

“We're getting out of here,” he said, lifting her out of the chair and running out of the room. They weaved through the tunnels up to the surface, gasping as the cold air hit them like a wave.

“Up here!” Taeyeon called, waving her gun at them. Taemin jogged around to the back side of the tunnel and saw Wendy peering out from behind a rock. “He found her!” she whispered, relief spreading across her face.

“How did you get the guards away?” Mark asked, coming out with the others.

“I set flares in the woods,” Taeyeon panted, pressing a hand to her ribs.

“Are you okay?” Jeno asked concernedly. “You look-”

A gun went off and Jeno fell back into the dirt. “No!” Mark screamed, running over to him. “Jeno? Jeno!” he cried, shaking him by the shoulders. He pulled his hand away and blood was already seeping into Jeno’s shirt. There was laughing and Taemin whipped around instantly. “You bastard,” he snarled. “You’d shoot a kid in cold blood?!”

The man in black laughed. “I’ll do more than that before the night ends,” he said, waving his gun carelessly. “You think this has been about you? You’re wrong. It’s about me.”

Taemin fired at him and the bullet bounced harmlessly off the rocks, making the man laugh again. “Aren’t we all so very brave?” the man taunted, slowly drawing closer. “Everyone so concerned with keeping each other safe. You didn’t learn that at your precious company, did you?”

Taemin tried again, but nothing happened and he tossed the gun away angrily.

“I’ll make you a deal,” the man said, twirling his gun on his finger. “Since I don’t have enough bullets for all of you, I’ll just kill the injured ones and let the rest of you live a little longer. Sound fair?”

“We’ll die before we let you hurt them anymore,” Mark growled, standing beside Taemin. “One way or another, this ends tonight.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” the man said, lifting his gun again.

Notes