Johnny sighed, running his fingers through his black hair, tugging at the roots frustratedly as he entered the large building, heading up to the third floor.
The winding staircases sickened him, every step of his boots against the carpeted tiles bringing a flood of memories he didn't want to see. But he was the best deceiver of their team, and he was under strict orders from Taeyong and Mark.
Clenching his fist, he knocked on the door of the King's private chambers, a fond smile forming on his face when the door was answered by Jaemin, the youngest son of the King, and currently, the only one Johnny actually liked.
"He's out on the balcony." Jaemin said, glancing worriedly in the said direction. "He is refusing to come in and take his medicines." Despite the intense dislike Johnny had for the man being spoken about, he gave Jaemin a reassuring nod, ruffling the younger's hair. "I'll convince him."
"Thank you so much." Jaemin gave him a bright smile, looking very relieved. With that, the young heir exited the room, Johnny's eyes following him as his figure slumped down with tiredness, making his way down the corridor to his room. Johnny sighed, before entering the room and shutting the door behind him.
True to Jaemin's word, the old King sat on a chair on the balcony, the transparent glass doors clearly showing the whole city of Limitless, shadows being cast on the ground because of the tall buildings.
"Sir." Johnny said, opening the door and walking out, standing beside the old man. The man turned to Johnny, hazy eyes focusing on him, before a brilliant smile illuminated his features. "Johnny Seo, just the man I wanted to talk to." He said.
Johnny shivered slightly, blinking at the King in confusion. No one could deny the King had aged well, his regal looks still retained although every day was one more closer to death.
"Do you know the history of Limitless, Mr. Seo?" The King asked, his eyes holding a maniacal sparkle as he looked out, observing the city that he had worked so hard to create.
"Yes, sir." Johnny said, going through this routine everyday. "We built this city from scratch, you know." The King said, seemingly not having heard him. "My friends and I, we planned out the whole layout, how the society would be constructed, how everyone in the hierarchy would be equal. Limitless was meant to be the capital for the new world, the beginning of a new era."
The King turned to Johnny, happiness in every aging wrinkle on his face, before a frown replaced it. "We built it. We were the kings of everything. We made ourselves the ruling monarchs. But they didn't understand what I wanted."
Johnny remained silent, staring unblinkingly at the King, who continued on. "If we could evolve our cities, make our system perfect, why couldn't we evolve humans? Make ourselves perfect?"
He looked up the sky. "They tried to stop me from trying. They had to go. But they'll be meeting me soon, won't they?" "I think you need to come in now, sir." Johnny said quietly, clenching his fist tightly. The King turned his gaze on him once again, the sparkle gone, eyes now filled with regret.
"My first son died." The King said. Johnny bit the inside of his cheek, anger beginning to bubble in the pits of his stomach.
He hated this senile fool who ruled and destroyed millions of people. He hated how the King had ruined his life, ruined his friends lives, ruined everything, because of his obsession. But he kept quiet, watching as tears began forming at the corners of his eyes. "He ran away, and his body was found in the woods. Mutilated." The King said.
"And my daughter..." He trailed off, eyes drifting down to his own, veiny and withered hands. "She failed me." He whispered. "They both couldn't be perfect. Jaemin is my only hope now." He looked up at Johnny, blinking.
"Take care of him when I'm gone." He said, his voice shaky. "You and Taeyong stood by me when the Court was filled with snakes." He continued.
"Be that for Jaemin. Do not let what happened to Youngho happen to him. People want my family gone, just so they can take the throne, and control the whole of Limitless."
He sighed, looking out at the cityscape once again. "I wish I could live long enough to see this city evolve into something truly like its name." He said wistfully. "Jaemin will be a wonderful King."
"Let's make sure you long enough to see that happen." Johnny said coaxingly, gently pulling up the King and leading him back into the room, closing the curtains to cover the view of the city the King loved so much.
The King watched him with careful eyes, blurry and dull from age but at moments, just as piercing as his youth.
He used to stare at Johnny like that before, and the fear made him sick, for multiple reasons. His facade could be dissected, the distorted image he'd pulled up while working for the man could be ripped away like a costume from an actor.
"Do you like red?" The man asked, his shaky hands clutching a glass of water as Johnny shifted through his medicines.
Johnny paused briefly, before resuming his task. "No, I do not." He said, softly.
"It's bad luck." The man said, and Johnny could hear the approval, a sharp spike of hate wedging itself into his chest. He didn't need his approval.
"Never add the color red anywhere."
"Red roses are beautiful." Johnny breathed out, handing over the assortment of colorful tablets and capsules, placing them in the withering hand of the King, a once powerful man reduced to the shell of his former glory.
"Black roses," The older whispered, taking a gulp of water before he continued. "Black roses are powerful."
"I'm sure they are." The mocking tone the syllables slipped off his tongue in wasn't noticed by the man, who gave him a taut smile.
He was clearly in no state to answer anything about missing records of prisoners in the prison, Johnny concluded, as he watched the old man settle himself back his bed, gazing longingly out down to the skyline of the city he had loved so dearly, had cherished more than his own wife and children.
Johnny stepped back, shutting the door silently as he slid his hands into his pocket, pulling out the cheap phone Yuta had sent a message to.
Mark needs the records as soon as possible, there's a third person down there.
He'd read the message two days ago, frowning then and frowning now. He was sure the younger had done his research, instead of ploughing headfirst into the plan like Lucas had wanted to.
He sighed, shaking his head as he slipped the device back into his pocket. He missed the younger boy, the one who'd grown on him and treated him like a big brother.
Trusted him enough to make him his partner - perhaps that had been the proudest moment of Johnny's life, more than being able to sneak back into the King's Court.
Maybe the difference was that he actually liked working with Mark instead of the King, he mused as he crossed the corridor, reaching the Prince's room, knocking on the door. It swung open to reveal a disheveled Jaemin, blinking as he tried to comb back his hair.
"Just what were you doing?" Johnny asked amusedly. "Nothing." Jaemin's eyes flickered to something behind the door, making Johnny push past him slightly and get a glimpse of the mess that was his room.
He snorted, shaking his head.
"I didn't want to bother anyone by asking them to fix the screens, you see?" Jaemin tried to explain awkwardly, clearly embarrassed by the state Johnny had caught him in.
"So you pull them all down instead?" Johnny asked, entering the room and picking up the small screens, a recent development some of the top companies in Limitless had released to the Palace exclusively, perhaps hoping for a spot in the Court for their hard work.
They were supposed to be the next new thing, a device to replace your television, laptop and phone, perhaps even be able to sync with your house even when you're miles apart. Johnny had almost snorted when the representatives presented their prototype to a clearly bored Jaemin, who sat in place of the King, a stressed out Hendery, a disinterested Taeyong and him.
Yuta and Mark could make far better things, he had thought.
Giving the one he held a good shake, he watched with satisfaction as it flickered to life weakly.
"They still work. I'll remind the electrician to swing by tomorrow." Johnny smiled, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he saw Jaemin collapse onto his bed.
"You really are a godsend, Johnny." He scrambled up into a seating position, eyes curiously watching the older. "So, what brings you here?" He asked.
"I needed access to a few archives, but the King," Johnny hesitated, Jaemin picking up on what he meant to say. "He isn't really in the right condition to listen." The younger finished. Johnny shrugged, going to back to fiddling with the dim screen.
"Which archives? I think I can help you." Jaemin said, getting up. "I need archives on the prisoners in the royal prison." Johnny said, watching as Jaemin's eyes widened. "Why the royal prison?" He asked, confused. "Just a regular check up to make sure nothing is missing." Johnny said smoothly.
Jaemin bit his lip, before taking the device out of Johnny's hand. Time passed slowly before he handed it back, with a small "Here you go."
"Thanks." Johnny said fondly, pinching Jaemin's cheek. "Don't baby me!" Jaemin said, playfully pushing away Johnny's hand, making him laugh.
"Alright, soon to be King." Johnny said, bowing in amusement. "I'll be taking your leave now."
Jaemin stuck out his tongue playfully, Johnny turning his back on the younger as he left, shutting the door behind him.
Blinking, he sighed.
How he wished he really could have been there for Jaemin through all of this, could have been the older brother Jaemin told him he dreamed of.
But it had been the choice of his life or being ripped apart, made into something he wasn't. And despite everything, Johnny didn't regret his choice. At least, that's what he told himself.
Glancing down at the device he held, he stared at the files that were opened.
His fingers lightly skimmed them, directing them to the information he wanted, the screen illuminating his face in the darkening corridor.
"Aha." He said softly as words on the screen popped up.
LEVEL THREE PRISONERS
LEE MINHYUNG
CRIME: Treason against the Royal Family, assassination of guards
WONG YUKHEI
CRIME: Treason against the Royal Family, assassination of guards.
Johnny scoffed at the obviously rushed excuse the two of them had spun with no thought when they got themselves arrested.
Shaking his head, he refreshed the file again. There still was no record of a third person on that level of the prison.
The creeping sense of dread he had been ignoring ever since Mark had mentioned the unexpected presence to Yuta tapped him on the shoulder once again, weighing heavily in his chest.
Just who were they?
He shifted through more records and files, doing a double take occasionally at the crimes committed. It sickened him, to think that humans could do inhumane things and needed to be locked up to form remorse out of their stone cold, dead hearts.
He didn't know how long he had been standing in the corridor for, time ticking by without him being aware of the passing minutes.
Soon, however, something caught his eye: a message from the head of the Capital Prison. He frowned, opening it and viewing the contents, heartbeat increasing with every word.
He let out a cuss word, chewing his bottom lip anxiously, before shaking fingers slipped into his pocket and retrieved the phone he carried around with him at all times. Quickly, he dialled Taeyong, knowing it was risky, but having to do so.
The man picked up on the third ring. "Hello?"
"They're moving the prisoners by next week." Johnny said breathlessly, glancing down either side of the corridor to make sure no one was watching him. "Mark and Lucas have less time than we thought."
His leader went silent for a second, so all Johnny could hear was his breathing, before he spoke again. "What do you suggest we do, then?"
Johnny blinked in surprise, before lowering his voice. "I think it's best if we send Jaehyun to find Ten. I can have Sicheng make Yuta shift them to the second level of the prison. That might buy them an extra day or two before they are moved to the Capital Prison. I doubt anyone could reach them once they're there."
"Ten?" Johnny could hear the amusement in Taeyong's voice. He knew he sounded ridiculous, wanting Ten back even after everything the man had done, but to him, the cheshire-like man was their best option.
"Are you sure you want Ten back?" Taeyong questioned.
Johnny paused, before sighing. "Yes." "Alright." He could hear the approval in Taeyong's voice. "I'll go with Jaehyun, then. He will be more likely to come back if I ask him to."
"Because you're his Boss?" A chuckle rose in the back of Johnny's throat as he heard Taeyong let out a small laugh.
"Precisely. Be careful, Johnny. I'll be back soon. Make sure nothing happens to Mark and Lucas."
Before Johnny could say anything else, the other man ended the call, leaving Johnny to listen to a dial tone. He sighed, slipping the phone back into his pocket, leaning his head against the wall.
To him, their team really had bad luck. Groaning, he ran his hand down his face, before turning and heading down the corridor, hands in his pockets. He had work to do.
━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━
Author's Note
Hey guys, whoever is reading this, thank you so much for doing so! I'm really excited to get further into the story. Do leave comments on what your thoughts so far are :D