Adrift ~Book 1 || •PJM• (Rewritten Edition) ✔️

A Daring Escape

"Everyone's color is different. Mine is dark green, if you recall from our little fight earlier. You killed my best scientist, by the way."

"He deserved it," you mutter, staring down at the floor. He doesn't reply to that, he simply hums for a few more seconds before carrying on.

"The seduction enhancement... so powerful. Probably the most powerful one there is. I bet he got whatever he wanted out of you."

"He didn't, actually."

Jackson freezes, then slowly turns around. "What?"

"I managed to resist."

"You?" he asks, shaking his head in disbelief. "How?"

A soft smile blesses your face at the thought of Jimin calling you his angel, then back on Triton, when the leader called you it. That was what caused you to break out of your trance. "He called me something. Something only one person should call me. That's what broke me free."

Jackson seems disgusted. "You break yourself out of an enhanced spell, and then Jungkook... impossible. I don't understand."

You know you have to stall, but you can't help but grunt. "Of course you don't. You wouldn't. Enhancements are all artificial. Everything about you is artificial. I brought myself back out of love, and I brought Jungkook back because of love too. You wouldn't know about that though." He glares and opens his mouth to rebuttal, but you cut him off. "But you could. We have so many outsiders in our crew, and each one blends in. You could be the same way."

You mean every word. Jackson seems like a troubled man, and whenever you see someone in trouble, you feel the need to help. It's a long shot, but considering you're kind of stuck in a chair, it's not the worst idea in the world.

He pauses, genuinely thinking about it before he seemingly snaps out of it. "Nice try, but I have a duty to protect the Belt."

"I'm sorry then."

"For what?"

"That you won't know what love is."

His left eye twitches. "I've made it this far, haven't I?"

"Is that a good thing?" you ask with concern in your tone. He seems irritated by your constant remarks, but you don't care. "Living without love, whether it be family, friends, or a partner. Doesn't that get repetitive? Just researching enhancements and starting wars?"

"I'm sorry, who broadcasted groundbreaking information about who blew up your precious transport vessel?"

He's not wrong, but he still started a war with Ganymede.

"That was between Earth, Mars, and you. Not Ganymede," you say.

"Ganymede isn't exactly a nice place either. I figured you of all people would understand."

You let out a deep breath. "I do, but it's still my home. I'm still loyal to it, no matter what. I have to help my people. Besides, I don't understand why you brought Ganymede into this. Isn't it Earth and Mars that cast you out?"

"They did, but why bother sending valuable resources to start a war with them when they're going to destroy each other? Ganymede is the only civilization that could potentially be a threat to us. So that was the best play."

"But you're murdering innocent people."

"Innocent people die every day in the Belt. Lack of food, supplies, medicine... and no one cares. Tell me why no one helped for all these years? They didn't even notice we were getting stronger, that's how little attention they paid to us. We built an entire empire right under their noses. The weak old Belt couldn't do that, no. Not possible. Their arrogance will be their downfall."