Playing with Fire: A BLACKPINK Story

Chapter 24: Reconnect

2019.

<Get in,> Yoongi said, throwing the door open.

I stood there with the gun at the location manager's head, completely taken aback by the sudden appearance of Yoongi driving a flashy sports car.

<Get in!> he demanded, more urgently.

I gestured to Jisoo with my free hand. She slid into the car without any comment. I turned back to the wall of guns that I was now facing down. "Don't," I warned them. They didn't twitch—of course they didn't, they were trained by the Syndicate.

I backed up slowly to the open car door. At the last possible second, I shoved the location manager forward, tossing him to the ground, and slammed the car door behind me. A lot of things happened at once then.

"Kill them!" shrieked the location manager. "Take the girl alive!"

<Go!> I shouted at Yoongi.

He didn't need any further prompting. He slammed on the accelerator, peeling out and tearing away down the street. Gunshots echoed behind us, but the shots went wide, given how fast Yoongi was going and the rate of his acceleration.

<What the hell is going on?> I said to Yoongi as we tore away. I wanted to fire back at our attackers, but we were already leaving them in the dust. I knew in a moment, they would be getting in cars of their own, but I would be surprised if they could keep up with how fast Yoongi was going. <How did you—what are you doing here?>

He flashed me a calm grin. <I told you, I've seen this sort of thing before. Check the backseat. There's something for you.>

I turned around to see Jisoo handing me a gun. It was a rifle, an expensive one, one that had far greater range than the handgun I was currently wielding.

<What the hell—> I took it from her hands. <Why do you have all of this?>

<I wasn't about to let you go in without a backup plan. I'm your backup plan. This isn't my life anymore, but I thought I could help.>

I gave him a grateful look. <Thank you, Yoongi. We would have...>

<Don't worry about it. That's what friends do.>

I thought of something. <But if anyone sees you...>

<They won't. Tinted windows. And this.> He reached down and pulled up a bandanna to cover his face. <Don't worry. We've got this.>

I climbed into the backseat to prepare to fire back on any pursuers. I hefted the rifle. It was a solid, expensive one. I was impressed.

But before I engaged in any violence at all, I put my hand on Jisoo's. <Hey. Are you okay?>

She looked at me with wide, trembling eyes. <I... Ollie, I don't know what's going on. Who were they? Why did they...?>

<It's going to be okay,> I said. <You're safe now. I promise. Nothing like that will ever happen to you again.>

<I didn't know what they wanted... they didn't even ask me questions, they just kept...>

I struggled to keep my anger in check. Those bastards. They were lucky I didn't kill every single one of them. I let go of Jisoo's hand and noticed that it was now stained with blood. I remembered that I was covered in the accumulated filth of the previous battle.

<I'm here now,> I said, trying to keep my voice as calming as possible. <You don't have to worry anymore.>

She nodded, but I could see the fear on her face. I knew it was going to take time for her to feel safe again, no matter what I said.