Headquarters

"This better be a fucking emergency,"

"It is,"

Yoongi looks around to make sure no one is watching before pulling Taehyung into his house and closing the door.

"What the hell is going on?" The officer asks in a low voice.

"It's Jeongguk, he's gone," Taehyung says. "He sold himself to some people at headquarters. Do you know where that is?"

"Headquarters, yeah," Yoongi nods. "They used to develop weapons for the militia. Why would they want to buy an..."

"They're going to weaponize him, aren't they?" Taehyung asks, his eyebrows drawn together in worry.

"I don't know," Yoongi says. "Why would he sell himself to headquarters?"

Taehyung falls silent, thinking back to the last conversation he had with Jeongguk, he couldn't remember everything he said but remembers telling him that he regrets making him.

"What?" Yoongi asks when he doesn't answer.

"I told him that I regret fixing him," The silverette says. "But I was drunk, I didn't mean what I was saying~"

"Why were you drinking?" Yoongi asks. "Where did you even get alcohol, it's banned on the outside."

"Not the point," Taehyung says rolling his eyes. "You have to help me find him, please. I don't know what they'll do with him."

"Taehyung, I can't just drop everything and take you to headquarters," Yoongi says. "I'm busy right now."

"Yoongi, who's at the door?" A voice calls from further inside the house.

"No one," Yoongi calls before talking to Taehyung in a lower voice. "You have to go."

"Please, hyung," Taehyung says with desperate eyes. "At least give me the directions, I'll walk."

"Did you say~ oh, hello," The person who was talking before says rounding the corner with a heart shaped smile.

"Hoseok, wait in the living room," Yoongi says to him. "This is work related."

"Is this Taehyung?" The man, Hoseok, asks walking over anyway. "I'm Hoseok, Yoongi talks about you all the time."

"It's nice to meet you," Taehyung nods, not really concerned about who this person was to Yoongi.

"You won't make it to headquarters in this heat," Yoongi says. "Go home and we'll figure it out later."

"It'll be too late then," Taehyung says. "Hyung, I'm begging you."

"Why don't you take the millenicopter?" Hoseok asks. "You hardly use it as it is."

"Hoseok," Yoongi says looking at the slightly taller male. "This doesn't concern you."

"It's obviously an emergency," Hoseok says. "It's a twenty minute drive."

"It's also against protocol to be caught associating with him," Yoongi says. "Do you want me to lose my job?"

"I'll keep my head down until we get to headquarters," Taehyung says. "They'll have to let me in."

"And why is that?" Yoongi asks crossing his arms.

"Because I have 70,000 cosmos in this bag," The younger says making both Yoongi and Hoseok's eyes widen.

"Where the hell did you get that money?" Yoongi asks. "I told you not to do anything reckless in the next few months."

"It's what they paid Lodi for Jeongguk," Taehyung says. "They'll let me in if I give it to them."

Yoongi sighs, looking at Hoseok who nods his head. "Why are you on his side, you don't even know him."

"I just want to help," Hoseok says offering Taehyung a smile. "He seems genuine."

"Thank you," Taehyung smiles at Hoseok before looking at Yoongi expectantly.

"Fine," The older says rolling his eyes. "But I don't want to hear a peep out of either of you the entire way there."

"Thank you, hyung," Taehyung say sincerely. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet,"

~

"So you've had a partner this entire time and you didn't think to mention it to me?"

"What part of not a peep did you not understand?"

Taehyung rolls his eyes, shifting uncomfortably on the floor of the millenicopter. "I'm just trying to distract myself from the crick in my neck."

"Well you're adding to the pain in my ass so can you shut up?" Yoongi asks, his eyes focused on the dusty roads ahead of him.

"Our relationship is one of necessity rather than emotions," Hoseok explains. "That's what Yoongi likes to say."

"So you're roommates?" Taehyung asks.

"Not just roommates," Hoseok chuckles. "We do our equal parts for each other in all areas."

"Hm," Taehyung hums. "I think I'll stick to loneliness and carpal tunnel."

"Enough!" Yoongi groans. "Just shut up, both of you."

The two of them fall silent after that, leaving only the sound of the millenicopter trudging across the deserted plane.

"Can't I sit up now?" Taehyung asks after a few minutes of silence. "We've been going for a while."

"Sit up and shut up," Yoongi says. "Not~"

"A peep, I think we all got it by now," Hoseok says making Taehyung laugh as he sits up in the back seat.

They get to headquarters after about ten more minutes, give or take. When they get to the gate a guard approaches on Yoongi's side.

"Can I help you?" He asks, bending down and examining everyone in the copter with his eyes.

"Min Yoongi," Yoongi says flashing his badge. "Commissioned officer."

    "Lieutenant," The guard says saluting. "What can we do for you?"

    "There was an android picked up from the base earlier today," Yoongi explains. "Any idea where they're keeping it?"

    "They got in with it a while ago," The guard says. "Dr. Kim is in charge of him."

    "Can you let Dr. Kim know I'm here and I want to see the android?" Yoongi asks.

    "Yes, sir," The guard says, stepping away from the car and addressing Dr. Kim over his radio. They exchange a few words before the gate opens. "You're good to go, follow the tracks and park your copter with the others. There's gonna be a building with a red sign out front, that's where you wanna be."

    "Thanks," Yoongi says before driving through the gate, he heaves a sigh as he follows the tracks on the road. "This is too stressful for me."

    "Hopefully they'll just give him back," Taehyung says. "They can't keep him here against his will."

    "He's an illegal android, Taehyung," Yoongi says. "There's no way we're leaving here without any trouble."

Taehyung deflates a little, falling silent in thought. If he wasn't able to get Jeongguk back now he really screwed up.

He felt a pang in his chest at the thought of losing the android. He's gotten attached to it in the last few days.

    "Let's go," Yoongi says shutting the copter off. "I'll lead the way."

Hoseok and Taehyung follow Yoongi into the large towering building. There were only a few tall buildings on 613, and this had to be the tallest one.

When they walk inside they are greeted by a coolness that Taehyung himself had never experienced other than when the temperature drops at night.

    "Why is it cold in here?" He asks quietly.

    "Must have an air condition," Hoseok says looking around the large room.

    "Kim Taehyung," A voice says getting their attention. "I've been expecting you."

Taehyung turns to the man coming down the stairs, his eyes widening when he sees Jeongguk walking down behind him. He wants to go to him but he doesn't move out of his spot. "Who are you?"

    "I'm Dr. Kim Seokjin," The man smiles as he meets them where they stand. "Jeongguk has told me a lot about you."

    "Jeongguk," Taehyung says looking at the android. "Why did you let them bring you here?"

    "I was of no service to you," Jeongguk replies. "So I eliminated myself from your life."

    "You don't get to make that decision," Taehyung says. "I'm sorry I told you that I regretted making you, I don't."

    "Then why did you say you did?" The android asks.

    "Because I was upset," Taehyung says. "It had nothing to do with you. I want you back now so come here."

Jeongguk starts to walk towards the silverette but Seokjin stops him.

    "Taehyung," The man says with a smile. "I understand that Jeongguk's coming into my possession was a bit of a misunderstanding. But he does belong to me now, fair and square."

    "No, not fair," Taehyung says stepping towards Seokjin with the satchel. "I have your money, you take it and I'll take him."

    "I'm afraid that won't be possible," Seokjin says. "But, but, but," He says holding up a finger to cut Taehyung off before he can argue. "I am willing to come to an agreement, as I see you are attached to the android."

    "What kind of agreement?" Taehyung asks, narrowing his eyes as he grows increasingly frustrated. "I fixed him."

    "Which is why I'm willing to let you stay here with him while he undergoes treatment," Seokjin says with an optimistic smile.

    "Treatment for what?" Taehyung asks.

    "We've been trying to manufacture a functioning android based on old models from the first wave," Seokjin explains. "Because most of those android's remains were buried due to radioactivity we haven't had a working specimen. Until Lodillez told us about Jeongguk here, we had no foundation to start our research on."

    "I'm not gonna let you poke and prod at him like some fucking lab rat," Taehyung says. "Just take the money back."

    "We believe that Jeongguk's ability to be reprogrammed makes him the perfect baseline for our work," Seokjin says. "With the proper training and programming he could be this world's first functioning humanoid. He could set a precedence for what the future of mankind will look like."

    "If you couldn't make one from scratch what'll you do after you're done with him?" Taehyung asks.

    "That's where, hopefully, you come in," Seokjin says. "You were able to recover Jeongguk after decades, I think you would be of great assistance to us here."

Taehyung shakes his head with a sigh. "Can I talk to him alone for a second?"

    "Of course," Seokjin says. "Would the two of you like a drink?"

    "Sure," Yoongi says hesitantly, taking Hoseok's hand as he shoot's Taehyung an apprehensive look.

The silverette shrugs at him as he watches them follow Seokjin upstairs.

    "You shouldn't have followed me," Jeongguk speaks. "I am not yours anymore."

    "I can't believe you would sell yourself without talking to me first," Taehyung says. "...Wow, that's definitely not a sentence I ever expected to say."

    "I thought I was doing what you wanted,"

    "I was drunk, Jeongguk. Fixing you was the best thing I ever did. It was fun, it gave me purpose when I woke up in the morning. I worked on you for six months, just for these people to swoop in and take credit for all my work."

Jeongguk tilts his head. "Why did you lie?"

    "I don't know," Taehyung says. "It doesn't matter, let's just figure out a way to get you out of here."

    "No,"

    "No?"

    "No," Jeongguk repeats. "I think you should stay. Here at headquarters, with me."

    "You like it here?" Taehyung asks in disbelief.

    "No, but they have water and food," Jeongguk says. "A place for you to sleep and clothes for you to wear."

    "Gguk, I have to go back to the outside," The silverette says. "Will you really not come with me?"

    "I can't," Jeongguk says holding up his wrist to reveal a bracelet of some sort. "If I try to leave this with alert Dr. Kim."

    "Let me see," Taehyung says grabbing his wrist and trying to pry the bracelet off.

It doesn't budge.

    "It's not that bad here," Jeongguk says. "You don't have to go back to the outside."

    "They'll treat you like a prisoner in here," Taehyung says. "Do you really want that?"

    "My only desire is that you are safe and taken care of," Jeongguk says. "You will be here."

    "Have we made up our minds about anything?" Seokjin says reappearing with Yoongi and Hoseok. "Times ticking."

    "Jeongguk," Taehyung says looking him in the eye. "Don't make me leave you here."

    "Stay," Jeongguk says. "Please?"

    "Water?" Seokjin asks, handing Taehyung a bottle of purified drinking water.

The silverette frowns as he looks down at the plastic bottle. He thought single-use plastic was banned on 613.

    "It's looking like you three won't make it back before curfew," Seokjin says checking his watch. "Why don't you stay here for the night. Give Taehyung a little more time to think about his decision. Sound good? Good."

Taehyung doesn't argue, neither do Yoongi or Hoseok as they see the sun already starting to set outside.

This was going to be a long night.