Jackson's P. O. V

It was difficult to keep my head straight as a flurry of words grimly contested in the sealed conference room.

An undaunted Namjoon standing tall, determination burning in his eyes as he fought to make the officials see that their accusation and decision to arrest Major Kim Taehyung was uncalled for.

"Okay Colonel Kim, if I am to accept your point, tell me what must we do about this information" he tossed a yellow file across the dark mahogany table which landed in front of Namjoon. The word 'classified' beamed in bold letters against the yellow color.

I could see the zeal puff out of Namjoon as he flipped through the pages, his jaw tightened setting an indescribable panic in me. Something was not right. I could tell Namjoon was trying to come up with a plan to evade this new dilemma.

"Do you think that it's a coincidence that the shipment was a target of the same terrorist organization that killed his mother?" The room fell silent as the voice of the General boomed "he had led the entire team to death just so he could get his stupid revenge!"

My heart sank at the words, had Taehyung intentionally made this plan.

Yes, I was aware what had driven the brothers to join the special forces, the loss of their mother had poisoned their blood and they sought respite in dedicating their lives to combat every form of corruption.Their resolution had moved the stoic Kim Namjoon to the point where he had taken the charge to personally train them to be the best.

"I had warned you Colonel, that brat was way too audacious to lead a mission" "Why?  Because he wouldn't go by your rules?" Namjoon jibed.

I was surprised at the reply, Kim Namjoon this is not a time to get sassy! We need to fix this, not create more problems!

"Maybe my rules could have saved his little brother and three more lives" the General's answer cut deep and I saw Namjoon's chin push out as he desperately tried to maintain his composure.

"The boy is a disaster waiting to happen Colonel Kim, you can take your time to go through the entire file and see why we have decided on a life sentence, it's not just about disregarding direct orders from a higher official." The General intertwined his fingers resting his elbows on the table, "the entire poll agrees that the death of his team members as well as the mislaying of such a crucial mission is his fault." He stared at Namjoon with a stone face, his expression blank and voice as unwavering as always.

The decision has been made, Kim Taehyung has been condemned as guilty, all that is left is dragging him here in chains and putting up a show of public humiliation as he is stripped off of the little dignity and peace he has left.

I realized it was now or never, following my own plan I paged Jungkook as a warning to speed up. He had been instructed ahead. Fearing things could get too out of hand, I had instructed Jungkook to leave to deport Taehyung elsewhere, my first pick would definitely be Hoseok since he has a lot more experience about this but someone had been following him and Namjoon when they were travelling to my home. Hoseok could be a target now.

"And trust me this will be good for him as well" the General stood up pushing his hands into his pockets "he will be safer here, Axel are looking for him". 

Namjoon looked as shocked as me at this information, Axel is the name of the terrorist organization that had been the reason for the death of  investing officer Kim Soohee, the group Taehyung had been hell-bent to drive into ruin.

"Why are they looking for him?" Namjoon's voice had suddenly lost its razor edge. "I guess they seek the same thing that I want" the General slowly walked around the table towards us "could you figure out what the document actually holds Colonel Wang?" His tone almost accusing, they have been tracking  me anyway so they know all that I have been doing for the last year.

"As far as I could grasp, I would say it is some kind of key or code" "Well I must say your skills are remarkable Colonel!" His guffaw was a stark contrast to the seriousness hanging in the air.

"Fortunately we acquired a new piece of information a couple days ago." The laughter faded to bring back the dour state of the room.

"According to Kim Joohyuk's last recorded message he had found a huge vault but it was sealed and had to be unlocked with a code, the boy had even found the code but the cargo had exploded before he could access the vault, the fire burned through everything, there was no trace of the key code when we investigated" his stern gaze pinned on the two of us "and the last man Kim Joohyuk had met was his brother" he halted right behind Namjoon who stood stiff taking in all the information.

"Before we could reach the dockyard, the masked men had taken away the vault and had done away with almost the entire team, Rayden's men acted their part perfectly being the distraction that Axel had planned them to be." He let out a sigh as if tired from his little story-telling session.

"Now Colonel Wang, can you guess what was in that vault?" I was startled at the sudden enquiry and having no idea simply stared back at him.

"More than a ton worth of highly powerful destructive ammunition being imported to strengthen our defense system. It was government property to ensure the safety of the people! And now it sits in the hands of terrorists!!" He yelled at us, and I won't lie but a part of me felt like cowering under his authoritative tone.

"If that brat really has the code and Axel acquires it in some way imagine the catastrophe that awaits."

"This was not supposed to happen Colonel, we should have sent a battalion and gotten the shipment as it had been planned. You should not have trusted a kids' whimsy just because you had a gut feeling that you could indict and arrest a terrorist organization by luring them into a trap" an official from across the table spoke up.

"Look how badly it has backfired and now we have nothing!" Another shouted getting furious.

"Before the trial ensues I have a few questions  for the Major, hope you don't mind if I bring him in" the General spoke silencing the others "and given your previous records in secretly aiding the boy to flee despite being aware that you were supposed to bring him here for immediate interrogation both of you will not be leaving  this building until he is brought in."

He declared walking towards the door without waiting for an answer.

"You said three more lives could be saved along with Joohyuk" Namjoon's voice suddenly cut in making the General halt in his steps "But as far as I know there were five deaths that night".

"Well, apparently someone else other than Major Kim survived that night" he turned around to face Namjoon, "and thank goodness for that because without his help this case would have stayed unresolved like it has been for the past year."

I gaped in shock, the room cleared as all the officials followed out behind the General leaving Namjoon and me to wallow in our trepidation.

#Warning: Violence and Angst ahead!

Taehyung's P. O. V.

I had been waiting for Axel to find me, but it is quite curious that they came the very next day Namjoon and Hoseok left. They knew that there won't be any back up to help me, that sounds like a plan rather than just an abduction.

"Walk, or else I'll put your legs out of use for good" a voice threatened me pushing me out of the car and dragged me through what felt like a big hallway.

On our way here they had tied my hands behind my back, gagged me and blindfolded my eyes while a gun was pressed coldly at my head. A short click of a lock and close of a door informed me that we have reached our destination.

"Ugh...took you long enough" a new voice spoke up, a woman's voice and judging her high and mighty tone I assume this is the person I have been brought to meet. I was put in a chair and tied down to restrict any form of movement.

"Goddammit kiddo! I told you to go easy on him" she whined as the click-clack of her heels neared me "look how bloody and pained he looks" long fingers ran on the bloodied side of my face. "I'm sorry Taehyung" her voice cooed sweetly "but can't blame him can we, you were all trained to be ruthless weren't you?" Her words burned through my veins.

After months of going over and over the planning of the mission to check where I had faltered, and incessant attempts to understand how Axel had managed to infiltrate through classified information that was only known to the highest of the officials I realized that the only possible explanation was that they had secret informants who disguised themselves as soldiers.

And unfortunately, one such mole had led to the demise of my teammates.

"You see Major-wait can I call you a Major because I bet that wrinkly old General back at the headquarters is really upset with you, and call me a social butterfly but I already got news of what he plans to do with you. Trust me boy, your days of being the prideful and righteous Major Kim Taehyung are so over" she is playing with me, I know it "they are gonna put you in a damp dark cell and keep you there till you are purple and rotten, then incinerate you till there's nothing left of you" the venom in her  voice lapped at my fear.

General Lee has always been agitated  with me, he had vehemently roared against me and Colonel Kim when I had suggested that the imported shipment could be used to trap both the mafia Rayden's group as well as a terrorist organization, who I had found was oddly interested in that piece of cargo.

Yes I had kept it a secret that Axel was the terrorist organization that was associated, because I knew they would not allow the mission if they had known.

"But because I feel for your dire situation my dear Taehyung, I will give you a choice" fire raged in me as her hand petted my head and I tried to jerk away from the touch. "Give me the code, and I could ask the family to help you out of the mess you have got yourself in" she said pulling the blindfold off of my eyes.

"What do you say? Do we have a deal?" There stood, right before me like an apparition rising out of a cloud, the infamous assassin who had been declared dead four years ago, Sunmi and at the far end of the room veiled in a half shadow sat a familiar face still dressed in his black clothes, the one who had been the wicked mole and backstabbed the team, Jin-Young.

"Nod if you agree" the assassin grabbed my chin to pull back my attention to her. I sat stiffly, not acknowledging the offer. "Gosh you're stupid! Why won't you learn from your mistakes!?" Her voice suddenly lost its playfulness to bring out a snarl.

"Give. Me. The. Code. You cannot fight against us! Don't you remember how that fared for mommy dearest?!" I glared at her not being mindful of how powerless I am right now, and immediately her fist made contact with my face.

"You dare glare at me?!!" She roared as her fist pummeled my face leaving bloody trails all over and my mind threatening to slip out of  consciousness. "Fine then" she stopped as abruptly as she had begun and Jin-Young brought her a yellow file "I've got something better for you" she said as her 'kiddo' tended to her wounded knuckles.

She yanked my head up to let my eyes focus on the dark letters over the yellow background spelling the word 'classified' "Should I tell them your little secret Taehyung?"

My stomach churned at the insinuation, and I thrashed in revolt. "Your father has been ardently waiting for a reunion, he'd love to see you become one among the family, tell me how you feel about it, hmm?" She paused sensing my anxiety.

"Doesn't matter how hard mommy tried to clear away the filth from the world, when the filthiest little reminder lived in her own home" I was glad that the blood and sweat made the tears obscure "isn't that the reason why she married your step-dad, just so she could forget the humiliation her first love had caused her?"

I pressed my eyes together and tried my best to steel my emotions "tsk tsk imagine that, your lovey-dovey boyfriend appearing on tv as the physicist who had aided a terrorist organization to create and detonate a bomb" she chuckled "my my the tragedy brings tears to my eyes".

This was another reason why I had desperately rebelled against every form of evil, even the tiniest form of corruption enraged me because I was scared I would turn into one of them, after all I had a part of that same evil blood running through me.

"That life sentence they have planned for you will instantly become a death sentence when they know your real identity love" she let go of my head and grabbed a glass of bourbon as she languidly savored the drink in slow sips "But because you chose this, I wish you good luck with whatever's left of that miserable life of yours."

She tipped her head back gulping down the rest of her drink, "take him away" she ordered handing the yellow file to Jin-Young, her eyes glued on mine probably waiting to see if my resolution would break.

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