Vengeance

CHAPTER: 16 THE NEWS!

Namjoon's Perspective

The room hung heavy with the echo of So Hee's departure, a vacuum of silence threatening to suffocate the very air we breathed. The weight of Yoongi's revelation clung to the atmosphere, a haunting refrain that reverberated through the corners of my mind. In the stillness, the nexus loomed like an ominous specter, promising the revelation of secrets that could reshape the very fabric of our gang's journey.

A declaration ruptured the oppressive quiet, my voice slicing through the silence like a blade, shattering the stagnation that gripped us. "I'll summon a gathering," I proclaimed, the words carrying the weight of our collective uncertainty. "Yoongi's discoveries demand our attention. The nexus awaits, and we stand on the cliff of a crucial junction. We cannot afford to falter."

PP and KK, nods in agreement, mirrored the unspoken understanding that this was a call to arms, a summons to face the storm that awaited and suggested to call Jungkook who was with rose while I called for Jimin who accompanied V. As I made the calls, gathering our eclectic ensemble of minds, the room transformed into a chamber of anticipation. And within 3o mins. everyone including Yoongi and So Hee where in the meeting room, not a single word dared to escape the lips of those gathered, as if even the very air itself feared to disturb the fragile tranquility that cloaked the room. It was a moment suspended in time, a fleeting respite before the tempest unleashed its fury upon us all.

And yet, beneath the surface calm, a sense of impending doom lurked, lurking like a shadowy specter waiting to pounce. The air seemed to hold its breath, a silent witness to the gathering storm that threatened to engulf us all. "So, what's the deal, Namjoon?" Jimin's voice cut through the stillness, his eyes carrying a mix of curiosity and concern. The gravity of Yoongi's discoveries had etched lines of tension on each face in the room.

Yoongi, his gaze intense, recounted the details of the ketamine-soaked scarecrow and the pilot's heart. "And about the CCTV footage, here," he said, switching the projector of the room on and playing the video footage he continued, "look, here this man entered the frame fust 10 minutes earlier the staff got off their shift, kept the scarecrow near the allay, and left, then," he switched the video to some other video covering the lane behind our club, "here he was seen again, which means he kept the scarecrow near the allay beside our clubs entrance and then left using the same ally to the back side, and while leaving he dropped all the things Jungkook found, and after following him for a while , we saw him getting on a numberless car near the Han river" he showed his facts in another video in which the same man whom we saw in the first two videos, he had the same leather jacket, rubber hand gloves, big boot, maybe to hide his actual shoe size. He also had a mask covering bottom half of his face, whereas the top half was hidden using a cap.

"Now look, we followed him for a while, but we lost him at Seoul's boarders, but our guess is that he headed towards Wonju" he ended his little but detailed presentation. The weight of his words hung in the air, a dense fog of apprehension settling over us. Jungkook exchanged a quick, worried glance with Rose, their silent communication giving away the fact that they knew something related to the matter, so I prompted Rose to say if they had something to share, at which she shifted in her seat a little before explaining their findings of the matter.

"Well, umm... you see, the coordinates Jungkook found," at this PP interjected, "About that, we also called to tell you that the message you forwarded to me, it had the same coordinates Jungkook found, at first we weren't able to find those coordinates but then after a bit of research and connections we found out it to be some underground area, something like a basement, and that too was in Wonju." she said that looking intensely at So Hee, which didn't quite sat well, but before I could inquire further Rose agreeing to PP said, "Yeah the coordinates, they come under Wonju, more specifically the northern part, in the industrial area, factory number 7 owned by someone named Mr. Han, Han So Joon". At this So Hee's eyes seemed it would pop out at any second now, so when everyone said what they had to, I asked So Hee, "You seemed quite uncomfortable at the mention of Wonju and the factory, wanna say something?" to which she replied, "Huh, no no, actually it's just my dad's homeland, and let's just say my family and I, ummm... ahh... we just have our own past with that land, and about the factory, I guess I have heard about it before, but I can't remember it clearly, I was way too young while I stayed here, and then I shifted to Thailand, I don't know anything other than this."

As she was saying that I noticed her shifting in her seat, and as soon as she finished saying that she excused herself from the meeting, and seeing her leave PP too got up and went after her, "I would suggest you guys not bringing this topic or any topic for that matter relating to her family or her past or her personal life, I can only say it wasn't normal, and it's best if we leave it untouched" KK said and he too followed PP and So Hee out of the room, we all could hear some sniffling and chocked words of Do Hee and quite, reassuring words of PP, who seemed trying to calm So Hee down.

Being the leader of the group I diverted the remaining members attention back to the task at hand and tried to organize all the facts we had found, but Yoongi being Yoongi said, "Don't you think her dad being born on the same land where we happen to assume our enemy currently is and her also knowing about the factory and it's owner, is way too much of a coincidence? Namjoon I am still warning you don't just blindly trust this girl and her friends, as soon as she joined our gang our drugs got stolen, we get a threat and among all of us only she is connected to this land of Wonju, even though she has spent majority of her life till now in Thailand!"

Before anyone could say anything, So Hee entered the room, along with her friends, now void of any expression of fragility we witnessed moments ago, and said, "Mr. Yoongi, your skepticism is understandable, but I assure you, my connection to Wonju is merely a coincidence. My family's past is complicated, but it has nothing to do with any threats or schemes against the gang. Moreover, as far as I have studied business, it's always better to keep your professional and personal lives at parallel distance, so if I ever did anything to your dissatisfaction or if you have any personal grudges against me, I suggest we resolve them like grown-ups and focus on the matter at hand, for it being our priority. Moreover, I would like to remind you that, it was you people who dragged me into the mess I am in, so I would appreciate it if you could stop looking down on me!" Sensing the sudden heat between the two I stepped in, and decided we could start by organizing all facts we have and then come up with a plan, to which everyone agreed, but the tension and the distrust was still noticeable; however, I refrained touching the matter again, I agreed to So Hee when she said we should first resolve the matter at hand rather than creating a new problem. So with everything sorted we knew, fist: whoso ever this mysterious person or most probably group was, it was quite secretive and powerful, hence we concluded it was one of the older gangs, most probably the ...; secondly: we had our drugs stolen, and the ships pilot dead, confirmed by the Thai dealer that he did not get any message from his crew about reaching the land of Korea, even though way more time had passed, than the actual time it usually took to reach Korea; third: all the coordinates or clues found by PP, Rose and Yoongi, led us to Wonju, northern side, the industrial area, specifically the factory numbered 7.

Now we had to formulate the plan, so I asked for suggestions, which I always do to enhance my area of thinking and coming up with the best, cause in a business like ours even a slightest mistake could lead to one's life! But I wasn't prepared to hear from the person I, well at this point every one of us, never thought would initiate or provide any sort of help!

Author's Note:

The plot thickens as our gang delves deeper into the mysterious labyrinth surrounding Wonju. Tensions rise, alliances are tested, and questions linger in the air. What are your thoughts on So Hee's connection to the unfolding events? Do you believe in coincidences, or does Yoongi's skepticism raise doubts in your mind? Who do you think replied to Namjoon? Join me on this narrative journey, and feel free to share your theories and speculations. What would your strategy be in this tangled web of secrets and suspicions? I'm eager to hear your insights!