The busy streets were even busier, or it was just the sedatives which had a gyrating effect on him. Jeongguk wasn't sure. But it had to be of the two, because the traffic irked him as he honks in frustration for the nth time. He glances back at the GPS in the cell phone he has recently gained and honks once again, as it showed just three minutes to reach the destination, but the traffic in front of him made him doubt it. After a few curses and banging the steering wheel, he drifts his car into the driveway of his destination.
Looking at the building in front of him, he frowns. He looks at the phone screen once again, confirming that he's indeed reached the right place. Parking the car, he makes it inside the building. He types something on the phone and hits the send button. He smiles as the reply pops up right away. He uses the elevator to reach the destined floor and treads slowly, navigating the corridor. And once he's found the room he has been looking for, he wastes no time in rushing in.
Closing the door behind him, he tucks the phone back in his pant-pocket and draws the gun from his waistband. With cautious steps, he traipse further into the room. The room was dark, except for the light coming from somewhere on the left. Once he reaches the living room, he points the gun in the right, where the light was coming from. It was the kitchen, and he could see someone's head inside the refrigerator. The person closes the refrigerator door and is startled to see Jeongguk holding a gun at him. Only a little of his face is visible in the dark, but it's noticeable how his frown turns into a smile the moment Jeon lowers his hand. "Where is he?" he demands, looking around the dark living room. The guy in the kitchen closes the refrigerator door and strolls towards the back of the room, casually humming a melody in dark. He leads the latter into a room through the hallway.
The room is pitch dark, the only source of light being that seeping from a buzzing cell phone screen that was kept on what anyone in dark would assume to be a coffee table. Jeongguk reaches for the phone as the room gets illuminated. It kept buzzing as the incoming call went unanswered for the umpteenth time. Unknown number, it showed. Jeongguk then glances in the other corner of the room, where a man is tied to a chair, blood seeping through his forehead wetting his t-shirt collar. Though passed out, he looked devastated.
"When will he wake up?" Asks Jeongguk looking at his companion, who was busy devouring some jam. He looks up at him, his mouth smeared in reddish jelly, "Oh I injected him with the anesthetic in the morning." he says gulping the rest of the content and throwing the can into a bin in the corner. He then walks towards the man on the chair and nudges him in the head, earning a slight groan in response, "He is just sleeping right now I guess."
Jeongguk slouches onto a sofa by the bed and inspects the room. "You look nice in a sling." the other guy remarks sarcastically. "And you look better in the dark." retorts Jeongguk connoting towards the other's smeared face. The latter simply shrugs his shoulders as he grabs a tissue from the nearest table and wipes his face.
"How could you fracture your hand when you knew you were going to be hit?" he asks, settling himself on the bed, facing Jeongguk. No sooner have the words left his mouth, Jeonggok is up against him grabbing him by the collar, "You punk! You said you'll ensure that the accident doesn't get any bad!" "The hell! I also said that I won' be in the driver's seat so there is no guarantee!" The other shouted, joining in the furious scuffle, "It's your fault that you refrained yourself from wearing the seat belt, knowing well what was about to happen!" he says, hitting Jeongguk in the shoulder, earning a painful wince in return,
"Ahh it hurts Tae-hyung!"
Taehyung's eyes soften as he looks at the younger, wincing in pain. He rubs his other hand, softly muttering small sorrys . "Seriously! of all places you had to hit me there! And now rubbing my other arm is a complete waste!" shouts Jeongguk . "I'm sorry, okay! Now I can definitely not massage your broken arm!" "So you'll massage my other arm?" he asks back rhetorically, knowing well that Taehyung was both embarrassed for hurting him and flustered for behaving lamely. They both erupt into a fit of laughter as the little colloquium they just had was so gibberish. "But seriously hyung, you should have stopped the car sooner." "I didn't stop the car at all Kook! I thought you will have it under control so I remained in the car trunk and came out when he was about to dump it!" he said motioning towards the passed out man on the chair.
"Wait a minute," says Jeongguk utterly confused, "So you didn't go according to the plan!"
"What plan?! You told me to catch him. I did. That's all you asked for! When on earth did you tell me about any plan?!" It is infuriating to experience such a foul out while working, especially when you are a successful detective. And here there were two. Two one of the most fine detectives one could come across, arguing over a plan about which none of them knew whether the other knew. Or simply there were two versions of a plan, laid out for a single mission, each for one of their own satisfaction. Jeongguk asks the older about what exactly did he do the other day and thus Taehyung fills him in with his perspective of their planned-but-unplanned expedition. "I followed Bruce," says Taehyung looking at the guy tied to chair, the same guy who had caused the accident with Janice five years ago, "He left the club-cum-hotel that Janice's husband owns...." "William. His name's William." Jeongguk cuts in, sounding rather aggressive. Noticing how some wounds never heal, Taehyung simply makes a mental note, to never address the said man as someone specific's husband. "Yes, that. He left that club in the noon. Around quarter to twelve, he then grabbed brunch at Michelle's and went to a salon to maybe get some..." "Come to the point, Kim Taehyung!" says the younger exasperated. "Aye. So it was around late in the evening when I sneaked into his car trunk, the old rusty Chevrolet he uses. It ruined my leather jacket." he said, grimacing at the memory. "What color was the Chevrolet?" Asks Jeongguk curiously. And as Taehyung describes the said car, the other connects some dots. "I felt the bump when he crashed into your car. It was hard man .I remained in the trunk itself, so that no surveillance could catch me. Then came out only when he stopped the car near the lake. The same lake where he'd dumped the car five years ago." Taehyung explains, turning serious. "He was panicked and threw himself on me. There was a brief scuffle, given that how bad his moves were, but before he could do anything, the back of my gun met his head and he passed out." he states with a shrug. Jeongguk nods, understanding the whole situation and asks about the car, "Oh that trash is still here, in the basement. I eradicated any trace of my presence in the car, but rest is all intact. Enough proof that it was him", he says pointing at Bruce, "who was driving."
"Cool all we need is him to confess who hired him. Both today and five years back, and William is gone for a good time." mentions the younger.
Growing a little suspicious of the case, Taehyung asks,
"And what if he gets away with it?" Jeongguk glances at his companion, a smirk playing on his lips. He takes out a black cell phone from his coat pocket, the same cell phone Taehyung had stolen from Bruce when he bumped into him a few days back.
"I looked into this. And you know what?" he smiles, raising his brow.
"The only contact he's been having all this time, through a so called unknown number, was none other than Harris, William's secretary. And I'm sure, only a little blackmail is all it's going to take to make him blurt the truth."
Taehyung smiles brightly, clapping his hand in pure bliss, earning a small smile from his companion too. But their moment of triumph lasts short as Bruce groans. They both reach the tied guy in-front of them and witness how he mutters incoherently, wriggling in the seat. Watching how he was having trouble opening his eyes, Jeongguk grabs the pitcher from the nearest table and splashes the cold water on his face. Bruce's curses grow louder as he struggles tied to the chair.
"Who the hell are you mother..."
"Shout again and I won't think twice before putting all its bullets into your empty head!" Jeongguk seethes, pressing the gun into his forehead.
The room falls silent. Bruce's ragged breathing fills the room as he shakes.
"Last contract was five years ago. Putting three innocents to die in an accident. Then you expertly flew to Miami, living under fake identities such as Herald Benjamin, having your bills paid by certain Wrethmeir. Of course, indirectly. And showing up once again for a very similar task. Alas, it seems like your butterfly days are over." states Taehyung, stirring up the atmosphere to make him confess his crime. Bruce looks at him and the at Jeongguk, stunned. He gulps loudly and begins to speak again when Taehyung cuts him in,
"We even have your cell phones traced, all your recent contacts and call records. So just bring in the names and we'll make sure you receive the easiest of the punishments."
Bruce breathes heavily, tears prickling in his eyes that he was struggling to keep open. He looks at Jeongguk, who was still pointing the gun to his head, and speaks with terrible efforts.
"I will give the names but..."
"Just say it already." Taehyung presses the start on the voice recorder right before he confesses,
"I have been coaxed to do this job by.." he looks at his captivators back and forth.
Jeongguk loads the gun, pressing it more against his bleeding skull. Wincing in pain, he finally blurts,
"It was Harris! I__ I don' know his full name, but he was the one who gave me the tasks through that burner phone. They were all for that Wrethmeir. The younger one. The first task that I received was years ago. I dont remember exactly. But it was to kill some young businessman. I did it and escaped as they told me. Then it was his wife and kids. He wanted them dead, so I followed the same pattern and left for Miami. Then again a few weeks back, he called me to return, but this time -I-I had been given different tasks." he gulps, breathing heavily. The injuries taking a toll at him.
"Initially he, Harris, told me to end Nathanial Wrethmeir. But the plan was dropped because he was already dead by the time I had to be involved. Then a few days later, Harris met me, in the club. Tasking me to keep an eye on some Bob Levensque, and later to bring him to a similar end. And while I was spying at him, I spotted you and your comrade," he says looking at Jeongguk. "And when I reported about it, he told me to end you guys first. So I did. That's all I know!" he mentions, shaking his head.
"You failed not once but twice. That makes you a terrible hitman to be hired. Are you even professional?" Taehyung writhes after he has stopped the recording.
Jeongguk leaves the room, not after he has punched Bruce to unconsciousness. All the anger he had been holding up inside him, finally finding it's way out. He punches the life out him not for simply putting him into a slumber but for bringing Janice into such a terrible state. His anger for her grieving latches out as he beats the said guy. Had it not been for Taehyung, the younger would have been charged for a murder.
"So what now?" asks Taehyung following him to the living room. "I'll report this to officer Bails along with other evidences that I have. It is clear that William wanted his father dead, and Harris obliged to whatever he had been ordering him for all this stuff since who knows when. A little brainwashing will eventually bring out all the answers from Harris." he says loudly, anger lacing every word he spoke. Taking deep breaths he speaks again,
"But..."
"But?"
"Who exactly killed Nathan still remains a mystery..."
"Dude, that guy just said! His own son hatched a plan for his death. He could have not trusted Bruce enough stated how he had failed the last time." Jeongguk heaves a deep sigh.
"That's what I mean. Nathan's killer is still not known. But don't worry, I'll handle the things now. Thanks a ton hyung." he says hugging Taehyung as he prepares to leave. His mood worse than before.
"Hey Kook," he says , suddenly sounding low, making the other halting in his steps. Turning around, Jeongguk looks at him, expecting him to say further. Taehyung opens his mouth to say, but closes it before any word escapes his lips. He frantically looks here in there, scratching his neck before groaning aloud.
"Are you fine Tae? What is it?" Jeongguk asks, worried at his friend's skeptical behavior.
"I-, I d..don't know. I have to tell you this but I don't know how." he says in a shaky voice. He then takes out a bunch of folded papers from his jeans pocket and holds it before Jeongguk.
"What is it?" asks Jeon, looking at the papers in his hand.
"Proof." he says as Jeongguk takes the papers from him. The frown on his face deepens as Jeongguk opens the papers with his single hand. "Proof that Janice has been keeping you away from your kids. Or.. your kid."
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I'm just not very sure about this chapter... yes I plotted this story all along.. but now i feel so scared... gosh!
Thanku for reading <3