Strip

September 18th, 12:04 P.M.

"Let me guess." Yoongi heaved a sigh. "Namjoon was assigned to the back room."

Max nodded. "Whoever drugged that water was targeting Namjoon specifically, and it could be anyone."

"Don't you have camera's?" Yoongi snapped. "And how did they know that Namjoon was assigned to that room?"

"In the hallway, yes, which I checked. I went back six months, and the only person of interest I saw was a man wearing a dark mask. He went into the back room alone and came out just a few minutes later. He didn't speak to anyone and just left out the back door. I emailed that tape over so you can see it too. It was on September 11th."

"The day before Namjoon's birthday..." Yoongi muttered to himself, not liking all the coincidences surrounding the boys birth date.

"There's more. I checked the other security footage of that day, and that man snuck into my office too. He didn't touch the safe at all, just went through all my papers, and he found the list I keep of each dancers assigned room."

The fact the masked man hadn't even bothered to steal money when he would've gotten away with it just made the detective even more upset and uneasy.

The villains only interest was Namjoon, and Yoongi was getting real sick and tired of dangerous strangers taking an interest in the boy.

"I'm worried." Max bit his lip. "The murders, this break in, the drugging...something's going on."

"Gee, you think?" Yoongi tossed back his coffee.

"I don't know why Joon is the center of it, but I don't like it."

"Me neither, but he's safe here."

Max scowled. "Says who? You're an off the rails rogue psycho! Namjoon should be staying with me for protection!"

"I have a gun." Yoongi reminded him.

"Yeah, me too! Three of them."

Yoongi chuckled at the small number. "Cute. If he ever needs a babysitter for the afternoon, I'll send him your way."

"You can't hold him here against his will." Max glared. "He didn't kill anybody. How can you even still believe that, with all that's happened?"

"I'm not holding him here against his will." Yoongi said calmly, getting up to make himself another cup of coffee.

"Then let him come stay with me."

Yoongi rolled his eyes at how annoying the manager was being.

Before he could tell him off, however, a soft creak caught both their attention.

Namjoon shuffled into the room, rubbing one eye sleepily. He looked surprised to see the two enemies having coffee together.

"Max? What are you doing here?"

"Joon!" Max raced over to the boy, hugging him tightly.

Yoongi scowled, nearly crushing his ceramic cup in his hand.

"Are you okay?" Max pulled back, cupping the boys face like a worried parent.

"'m fine," Namjoon's voice was slightly muffled as Max squished his cheeks. "Wha' are you 'oing 'ere?"

"I wanted to make sure you were alright. I'm so sorry that happened to you, especially on my watch. I thought my system with the locks and assigned rooms was going to work to keep incidents like that from happening, and I feel responsible for that terrible outcome. I'm so sorry, Joon."

Namjoon smiled and pulled his face out of the mans grip. "It's okay, it's not your fault. The police will catch whoever did it."

"I want you to stay with me until the guilty party has been caught." Max pleaded, grabbing Namjoon's hand. "Please? I can protect you, you'll be safe with me."