SWEETEST THING

십일 (11)

Seungcheol and his team are making their way down the hallways with Mingyu walking next to the older. Their guns in position and ready to fire at any moment. They checked every room they pass and each time they find it empty. Mingyu tried not to show his disappointment and instead focuses his mind, reassuring himself that he will find Wonwoo soon.

Just as they were about to make a turn, two armed men saw them first and started firing at them. Seungcheol's team started firing back and they immediately dispersed into a defense position. Shots are fired from left to right with Seungcheol's team winning. Soon the two armed men are gunned down.

The team continued down the hallway and at the end of hallway were more armed men. Two groups immediately started exchanging fires after fires. Some of Seungcheol's teammates got shot but none were serious and instead they continued to fire back. The team soon dispersed into another defense position.

"Only shoot to stabilize! We need them alive for questioning!" Seungcheol's voice boomed over the sounds of gunshots as he gave out the order.

Baekho heard it first and immediately relayed it to his teammates.

"Only shoot to stabilize! I repeat! Only shoot to stabilize! Chief's orders!" Baekho shouted.

The team chorused a response as they accept the order and started changing their aims to carry out the order, shooting the armed men in parts of their body that would not be fatal but enough to stabilize them, as ordered. Stabilize in a sense to make them stop shooting back and easily take them down to custody.

In the midst of the gunshot exchange, Seungcheol's ear com began buzzing and it wouldn't stop, slowly starting to annoy the older. Letting out a silent curse, Seungcheol hid behind a vending machine and pressed two fingers on his com, he hissed in annoyance, "This better be important."

The sound of static came first before Vernon's voice pierced through the com and he sounded frantic. The words that came out of him were incoherent as he was talking too fast.

"Calm down will you!? I can't understand a thing you just said!" Seungcheol hissed when a stray bullet bounces off the side of the vending machine.

Vernon took calming breaths before speaking again, this time his words were loud and clear enough for Seungcheol to hear.

"Sir we found Minhyun. He's...........He's gone sir. Minhyun is gone."

Seungcheol let his hand fall limp to his side as he stared ahead of him in utter disbelief. He just stood there, frozen and in shock. His mind went blank for a moment. Vernon was still talking but Seungcheol couldn't hear him anymore, too lost in his shock to listen. Soon the sound of static could be heard, a signal that Vernon has already turned his com off.

Baekho notices the look on his superior's face and a sinking feeling immediately came over him. In his mind, he knew it had something to do with Minhyun, that something bad happened to his best friend. He didn't want to assume anything but a voice from the back of his head was already telling him to prepare for the worst.

Soon all the armed men have been stabilize and cuffed to the ground.  Seungcheol recomposed himself and plastered a stoic look on his face. His voice strong as he ordered half of the team to stay put and be on guard. The other half to treat their wounded fellow. Only a select few joined Seungcheol as they continue with the pursuit.

Baekho noticed how terribly silent his superior has went and that scared him. Ever since his superior received the call from whoever was it on the other line, his aura changed and it gave Baekho an unsettling feeling.

Baekho cautiously approaches his superior and fell into steps with him. He didn't speak for the first few seconds but eventually found courage to ask, "Are you alright Boss? Who called? Was it Minhyun?"

Seungcheol suddenly halted on his steps and turned to Baekho, startling the latter who also stops walking. The rest of the team went pass them, now with Mingyu leading them. They continued walking down the hallway and soon disappeared into the corner.

Seungcheol lets out a sigh, feeling unsure if he should break the news to Baekho now or just wait until the operation is over. Baekho was looking at him with anxious eyes and that didn't help his dilemma.

Seungcheol was about to open his mouth to speak when the sounds of gunshots echoed in the hallway followed by the frantic voices of his team. Seungcheol decided to hold the news and just wait until the operations are over to tell Baekho. He reloaded his gun and left to help his teammates. Baekho lets out a sigh but followed him none the less, guns lock and loaded.

The two stop just before the corner where the team went down. Seungcheol cautiously took a peak and saw the team's current stand. As expected, they dispersed into another defense position, making Seungcheol proud because he sees they haven't forgotten about their training and it's finally paying off.

A few meters in front of the team are more armed men. They continued to exchange fires as Seungcheol scans the team, frowning when he didn't see Mingyu anywhere. He pressed two fingers on his com and asked the team of Mingyu's whereabouts, hoping one of them heard him.

And someone did, the sound of static filled the ear-com before a male voice answered, "Detective Kim parted with us Sir. He went down a different hallway Sir. He hasn't contacted any of us afterwards, Sir."

Seungcheol sighed and answered back, "Copy that Officer Cha. Me and Officer Kang are just down the corner. I want you to make a diversion so we can intrude."

"Yes Sir." Came Officer Cha's immediate answer and not a second later another loud bang echoed in the hallways and Officer Cha's voice called back,"Now Sir!"

Without needing to be told twice, Seungcheol and Baekho came barreling down the hallway, firing shots after shots. The team has retreated from their defense position to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. Seungcheol shot one armed man straight through the head and another on the kneecaps, while Baekho managed to take down two more armed man with multiple shots in the chest area. Four armed men has been successfully gunned down.

Seungcheol's ear-com buzzed again and he pressed two fingers to answer it. Aron's voice rang through the com.

"Sir, the hostages are out of building. They are now on safe hands. I repeat, the hostages are now safe, Sir. They are now on their way to the hospital." Aron reported, the sound of his fingers clicking on the keyboards could be heard in the background.

The team has regrouped and now stood in front of Seungcheol, waiting patiently for their superior's next orders.

"What about Detective Kim, can you tell me where he went off to?" Seungcheol asked, still feeling annoyed with his best friend's disappearing act.

Aron hummed from the other line, his fingers clicking on the keyboard in an almost inhumane speed. "He was with the extracting team sir. He apparently got to the hostages first and joined the team afterwards. Right now, he's on his way to the hospital, Sir."

Just hearing the word hospital was enough to ignite the worry in Seungcheol. Why the hospital? Did something bad happened to Jeonghan? Was he hurt? But then, Mingyu also went to the hospital, Did that mean something bad also happened to Wonwoo? What about Seungkwan? Is he finally reunited with Vernon? So many questions filled Seungcheol's head and he willed himself not to overthink things.

It is normal for hostage victims to be sent straight to the hospital because they will need to go through immediate psychiatric evaluation and counselling. That could just be it and nothing else, Seungcheol told himself that and calmly asked which hospital and after Aron gave him the name, he ended the call and shut the ear-com off. His gaze met with his team's expectant ones.

"All of you, gather the others and go back to the station. Bring the suspects in custody and I want them prepared for an interrogation first thing tomorrow morning. Understood?"

The team stood straight and gave a salute to their superior, they chorused, "Sir, Yes Sir!" And they turned to leave without another word except for Officer Cha who stayed behind with Seungcheol and Baekho.

"You two, You're coming with me." And Seungcheol started walking the other direction, leaving the two male officers dumbfounded. Soon the two snapped out of it and ran after their superior.

"Where are we going Sir?" Asked Baekho as he finally caught up with his superior.

"To the hospital."