"And then after we got a semi nude Jimin off the bar counter, he kept asking for the manager for discrimination against short people."
"How did I sleep through all of that?" You asked while a laugh escaped into the question. Walking on his right side by side as you two were midway through combing your area of the forest. The two of you taking careful steps, making sure your boots didn't loudly crush any of the dried up leaves scattered along the ground.
If you weren't here for dangerous, boarding on deadly, work. You'd would've actually enjoyed the nature walk. Besides the impending sunset, you actually found the forest to be an untouched beauty in it's own way. Every now and then your eyes would instantly lock onto the various birds swooping through or taking off. Along with the peaceful chirps and whistling's of the forest and it's creatures.
Grinning ear to ear with a bunny smile, Jungkook kept watching his side of the area while reassuring you, "Trust me, I'd rather have slept through all of it." Rolling your eyes a bit playfully, you kept your eyes trained on the area in Jungkook's blind spots you were covering. Keeping your right hand pressed against your back, right above the knife handle strapped to you.
Picking the knife over the gun from your thigh holster. Since there was a high chance of another potential gang searching the area, setting a gun off would might as well be a massive light house for anyone within the forest to locate you two.
Sighing somewhat, you rotated your shoulders a few time to fight off stiffness. "Wish I could've witness those two drunk asses in action." Making a small comment, as well as a mental note to yourself to maybe not get shitfaced beyond being able to stay awake next time.
"I can send you the video Jin hyung took."
Gasping, you took your eyes off your area for a second to look at Jungkook, "Shut up, he video taped it?" Now you had something to look forward towards after this hellish job was over.
Turning his head to see your reaction, which caused him to do an eye smile of his own, he let out a chuckle. "Drunk Jin is a devil's advocate, he likes to create chaos with the others."
"What about the others then?" Finding interest in the other's drunk personalities. Maybe because Jungkook isn't that big of a drinker or he's the gang's baby so he doesn't either way, so he's probably made a drunk title for each of his members from years of watching their drinking antics.
Humming a bit, Jungkook pressed his lips into a fine line. Exposing the small beauty mark dotted along his bottom lip before he pressed the back of his index knuckle against his pursed lips. "Jimin hyung's a stripping drunk, he usually ends up shirtless at least five times in one night, but surprisingly he hasn't done a drunk one nighters in a while. Then Yoongi hyung's an affectionate drunk, like his face and ears turn all red. He also usually gives out a disturbingly large amount of compliments while he tries to hold hands, or cling onto someone for the rest of the night. Hobi hyung is just a light weight, so he's either partying like the worlds ending or he just looks like death grabbed his ass."
Snorting at the last part, you had no problem imagining Jimin and Hobi being like that. But you were genuinely surprised about Yoongi's type, a total 180 from his usual self. Or maybe it was just an insight into his real self, somewhere you remember hearing something like 'drunk actions are just sober thoughts', maybe that applied to personalities. "What about the other members?" You asked, finding the whole drunk descriptions to be both humorous while also being genuinely intrigued by it.
"Well Namjoon hyung doesn't drink as much as he used too, and Taehyung can't stand drinking at all." You noticed Jungkook making his answer for them a vague as possible. Taking the hint at the sensitivity of the subject drinking is for those two, you changed the conversation's direction.
"Next time we go out, I'm staying away from any and all drinks, even mocktails." You added with a reluctantly huff of regret. Just imagining the burning fruity after taste of whatever you drank, was strong enough to nearly overwhelm you with the nausea of what near death would have to feel like.
Jungkook rubbed your shoulder warmly in 'there there' manner as he watch your expression turn slightly sour in thought. "On the bright side you weren't so bad, it's kind of like drunk you was just if you were possessed by the middle school version of yourself."
"That still sounds awful-" You cut yourself off. Both Jungkook and you being in sync as you held your breaths. Caused by the fact that neither of you could hear the birds or any other life made sounds in that matter.
Keeping your body stiff as your eyes swept along the edge of the trees and forest. You threw a throughout glance behind yourself as Jungkook's hand on your shoulder silently pulled your behind his massive body frame. Whispering, "Move with caution." Jungkook's back tensed as a reactive respond, like he was acknowledging the dynamic change in the atmosphere. Nodding before moving forward, Jungkook stuck to being in front of you. As he was making sure you stayed behind him as he held one arm back as if to shield you.
Although you appreciated the chivalrous act, you almost wanted to remind him off the rescues score between you two. But there really would be no relevance in bringing it up, at least not with you focusing everything into heightening your senses. Pulling the strapped knife out from your back halfway, you kept one finger against the holster. Applying angled pressure as you gently as you had the knife at the ready.
Taking note of the clouds starting to roll in, you hoped it wouldn't rain, a weather factor like that could through this mission for another challenge. As if you already didn't have a majority of the odds stacked against you as is. Scoffing mentally at the idea that the apple doesn't fall to far from the tree with Seo setting you all up to loose, just like Eunbi did.
Keeping a watch of your backside, making if anyone was going to come up from behind they'd have a problem doing so. The problem being you taking them out before they could even take a shot. Softly bumping into Jungkook's sturdy back, you glance from around his side as he stared into a forest clearing. Just a random patch that was cleared out of trees but still had grass and other plants growing around.
Seeing a few footprint impressions along the clearing, you listened closely for any other sign of live besides the two of you. After a few minutes passed, you grazed your fingers against Jungkoo's lower back, "Check the area, I'll follow the prints." Motioning towards the scattered foot trail with a nod. Noticing how there was some breaks in between the trail left behind, probably due to different ground textures.
Doing one last double check behind you, you began to move into the clearing. Tracing along the man made path with your eyes, careful not to step into the original prints themselves. From the way it looked, you figured the reason why this spot specifically was clear of trees. Looking over you watched as Jungkook held a lowered gun in front of him as he carefully poked around the trees surrounding the clearing.
Pressing down onto your ear piece, you began relaying new information to the other groups, "This is [Y/n], I think Jungkook and I are onto the target. Anyone else find any leads yet?" Taking your fingers off the ear piece, you waited a few beats. About to call in again, a loud radio static ripped over the sound wave. Causing both you and Jungkook to hiss out in reaction. Rather not having your ear bleed out, you pulled the device out, inspecting it in case it was short fusing.
We could be out of range, if this thing has a range limit. Holding the piece in your hand, you kept a finger pressed over the metal mesh part. Making sure that if any sort of vibration of someone speaking came through, you'd be able to pick up to call back. Doing one more check in on Jungkook, you caught him in the middle of double checking his own surroundings.
Feeling at ease, you resumed your own work, as you would stop every couple of seconds or so to retrace the footprints. Following them and trying to replicate what kind of direction the target was heading. Maybe even get an idea of the guys condition. If he was shot for insistence or sustained any other kind of physical wound, there would be a distinct lag or pattern in the foot prints left behind. Either way, it looked like the guy came into the clearing mid way. Backing up you took another massive overhead view of the ground in front of you.
"He made a sharp turn.." You whispered to yourself, taking notice that one footprint seemed to have twisted in the heel part. Doing the movement yourself by sharply shifting your foots direction, you compared yours to the original. Facing the direction towards the edge as you were recreating the movements. Your eyes trailed along the rest of the footprints that lead off the edge.
Right in front of you from the side of the clearing there was what looked to be like a drop off. As you cautiously moved closer, you kneeled down by the edge to peer over. Noting this is where the trail goes dead, as you stood over the last few prints left.
A small gasp of awe leaving your lips as you stared at the raging river that ran at the bottom of the cliff you were dangerously poking your head out over. Hair whipping around you wildly as the valley like drop blew air up towards your face violently. If your target took the easy way out of this, there's no way he'd make it through that river. The raging waters getting increasingly deadly as the brewing storm above you began to grow near. Not to mention the rocks that jutted out in random areas of the river, probably sharped due to the erosion from the running water sanding it down over time.
If he didn't get turned into a kabob during the fall, then the river would definitely drag him under and rip him to shreds. Sparking the possibility that maybe he just tossed the suitcase off, or made these footprints to mislead anyone following.
"You think our guy went free diving off of here?" You asked Jungkook for a second opinion, trying to flesh out your new revelation into an strong possibility. Carefully moving back away from the crumbling edge. Standing straight, you gave own last glance before turning around to walk away from the free dive ledge. "Jungkook-" You froze as your worst nightmare came to life.
Met with a pair of doe eyes that you knew all to well to be Jungkook's, you felt your skin prick up as your eyes were pulled over to stare at the gun muzzle pressed to the side of his head. Red flags shooting off as you couldn't recognize the attackers eyes peering from above the black face mask he wore.
Feeling your body go cold as someone held Jungkook with a gun to his head, your hand began to react on it's own. Hastily pulling out the gun strapped to your thigh. In a matter of a second you cocked it, snapped the safety off, and aimed at the stranger's head without hesitation. "Let him go." Words barely loud enough to traveled over the gap between you and mystery man. The wind currents that began picking up were now nearly drowning out your words.
Turning their gun to hold you at gunpoint now, while still keeping a secure arm held like a bar across Jungkook's collar and neck. Even with the heat off of Jungkook, he was still in immediate danger. "I said let him go. If you do that, it'll all be swept under the rug, and we can all walk away from this." You started negations, mostly just to say anything that would get Jungkook away from them.
"Not even a single please in that whole sentence." Using the gun wielding hand, they pulled down the face mask. Revealing their identity in cinematic dramatics style, which didn't help you in the slightest as your brain worked into overdrive to piece together where you knew him.
As he settle the gun muzzle back to pointing at you, you slowly said with great uncertainty, "Luis?"
"No- fucking- it's Lucas goddamit!" The Lucas guy snapped out as he waved the gun around threatening. You tighten your grip along your gun as you started to take a slow step forward. Only for him to slash out again, "Not another step, sweetie. That's as close as you get, unless you want the crows to pick at your buddy's blown out brains."
Sparing a glance to Jungkook, whose current expression was starting to unnerve you as he kept forcing a reassuring look to you. Unsure still from where this Lucas guy is from or how he knows you, you began to make baby assumptions that he was most likely from your past line of work. "Take it easy, Lucas. Whatever you have against me doesn't involve him, so just let him go."
"Drop your gun first." Lucas demanded, turning the back onto Jungkook. Jabbing the end of the muzzle into the side of Jungkook's head roughly for a menacing effect.
"[Y/n] don't-" Jungkook started to warn, only to get cut off by Lucas tightening his other arm around Jungkook.
Without giving Lucas a chance to do any further harm besides roughly tapping his gun against Jungkook. You quickly removed the ammo clip from your gun, tossing both parts of the gun in opposite directions away from you. You caught Jungkook's expression drop at your choice, all you could do was just try to reassure him he's going to be okay with just your eyes before turning to meet Lucas stare.
"You should've joined when you had a chance, Ace." Lucas said mockingly, turning to aim the gun back over to you. "Now you're on the loosing team."
"Is that all this is, just some pissing contest between gangs." You asked, pinching the ear piece between your fingers discreetly. Praying that the others may have moved within range, or that they could even hear the conversation.
"It's more than that, it's about control really." The way Lucas seemed to specifically direct most of his irritation towards you, gave you the impression that this was more personal between you and him than it was gang to gang. "It's about showing people where they belong, when other gangs start getting it in their heads that they think they're above us."
Moving closer to you now, as he spoke Lucas dragged Jungkook along with him as hostage towards you. With every inch he neared, you carefully brought your hand behind you back. "It's not that, your gang feels threaten. You need an edge on us, so what? You guy's stoop low enough to doing hostages, you're just going to take us in a then sit around with your thumbs up each others asses." Speaking out just to distract him from the movements of your hand.
"Huh, you actually hit the mark there, just one problem you should know about. We were told to bring in just one member. In other words, this is the part where you start begging for your life." Lucas gave you a smug smile, anticipating you to grovel and beg the way he suggested you to.
"Then take me instead. You let him go, and I'll be the best hostage you'll ever have. I can even pretend to be scared if that's what gets your ego going." While talking, Lucas' eyes averted from yours to mull over what you said, overly confident as if he really had you on the ropes now. While he did so, you gave Jungkook an urgent glance. Telling him to get ready, causing Jungkook's jaw to clench tightly, but give you an understanding glance.
Finished with being an egotistic prick, Lucas finished pretending to humor your request, "Mm, still pissed about last night if I'm being honest. But good try though."
"I wouldn't worry about last night, I'd worry about now." Pulling the knife out an inch from it's case, your eyes never unlocked from Lucas'. Before Lucas had a chance to use his head to figure out what you meant, you yelled out, "Jungkook move your ass!"
Ripping the knife free from it's hidden spot, you threw it just in time for Jungkook to duck out of the way. Letting the knife's piercing blade stab into the upper left of his chest, the entire blade practically re-sheathing itself into Luca's as the hilt was sticking out. He didn't cripple right away as you were hoping he would, meaning you missed his vitals, but that hit should be enough to keep him down for a while as least. Cussing out in pain, Lucas let go of Jungkook as he stumbled back onto the groundwhile grabbing at the handle of the knife as he was debating whether to remove it or not himself.
Once you saw Jungkook was putting space between them and finally free, you focused your attention away from Lucas as you worried about just getting him out of here, "Jungkook, run-"
A gun shot rang out.
Followed with what could only be described as the sound of someone dropping a bag filled with meat from a fifth story floor window. Better know to you as the sound of a ripping into someone's body. You stared at Jungkook as his eyes widen in horror as everything around you began to merge into the sounds of white noise. Frantically trying to find where Jungkook was shot, there was coldness that suddenly took over your limbs as you stood in place. Jungkook isn't bleeding. Looking away from Jungkook, you made eye contact with a now regretful Lucas sitting in pain, feeling sluggish and confused as to why he was making that face.
Feeling a small pang of discomfort suddenly hit you as your gut feeling returned again, this time for a more physical reason. Putting your hands against your abdomen's mid section, you slowly pulled them away. Holding your hands palms up to you as you felt yourself go numb at the blood staining your hands. Stumbling back as the pain exploded inside your abdomen, your mind finally registered what was happening.
"[Y/n]?" Jungkook called out, voice shattering into a million pieces. Seeing Lucas rip out the knife from his chest as he began to get off the floor. You tried to force yourself to move, pleading your legs to go forward, or for your body to just do anything but go brain dead.
Forcing yourself to move, more blood began to seep out of your shot wound, causing you to stagger back in excoriating pain. Jungkook tried running over to you as he repeating the same word through stages of disbelief and then screaming it in panic, "No no no, [Y/n]. No!"
"Jungkook," Choking up on the dryness of your mouth, you barely made out the words, "Jungkook just, run." Before everything suddenly kicked into in slow motion for you.
Knees buckling as the gun shot proved more fatal than your reaction made it out to be. You felt yourself begin to fall backwards, as you were Jungkook desperately threw his hand out to you. Even if you reached your own hand out towards him, it wouldn't matter as Lucas pulled him back.
The last thing you'll ever remember before plummeting off the cliff was Jungkook's pale stricken face desperate to go after you as he tried fighting Lucas' hold off of him.
The last thing you hear is your name leaving Jungkook's mouth in a blood curdling scream.
And the last thing you feel is your practically lifeless body drop into the river below.
Darkness was what all you were left with.