Before the Fall

Chapter Thirty-Eight - What Are The Odds

Jimin

My heart dropped into my stomach.

Code F.

Namjoon had set that code up with us all a few years ago. If any of us were in danger of, or going feral, it was an immediate Code F.

Thankfully, we had never had to use it.

I stood for a moment and thought hard about what could be happening, who it could be?

I grabbed my medic bag and began throwing in a ton of stuff I probably wouldn't even need. I was feeling frantic and anxious. He could have at least told me who it was and what was going on.

I flipped open my palm-com and sent a mass message. Within moments Yoongi, Jin, and Jungkook had come into my clinic, looking worried.

"Code F," I said, still shoving sutures, antiseptic, and bandages into my bag.

"What?!" Yoongi lurched forward and grabbed my collar.

"I don't know, hyung, I just know Namjoon sent me a Code F and told me to bring you all to the clearing."

"Where are the others?" Jungkook was soft-spoken but his whole body was thrumming with adrenaline. I could smell it.

"I knew this would happen," said Jin, rubbing his face. "Let's get there. I will explain on the way."

"What? What would happen?" I knew I sounded impatient and rude to my superior and my hyung, but I didn't care. I needed to know. This sick feeling in my stomach wasn't letting up.

"Taehyung is hurt. Hoseok is with him," said Jin, already walking out the clinic door.

Suddenly, he stopped, all of us running into his back.

"Hyung!" I grumbled, picking myself up off the floor.

"Hello, Jinnie," said a voice I never wanted to hear in person for the rest of my life.

* * *

Namjoon

I looked down at my watch for the hundredth time. Why wasn't Jimin here? Why wasn't anyone here?

My entire body was tense and my nerves were raw. My teammate was behind me laying with a leg that seriously looked beyond repair. I needed answers.

I needed reassurance that everything was going to be fine.

I needed...

To just not be the leader for a few minutes.

"Hoseok," I said curtly, "I will be back."

"Where are you going?"

"I need...I just need to clear my head."

"Joon, it's not safe right now. We found one trap. There's bound to be more. What if you get hurt also? How can I-"

"Look, Hoseok, I'm losing control." I meant that in more ways than one and he huffed but nodded.

He got it. He understood.

Aster watched our exchange but I could tell her attention was split between us and Taehyung. Knowing him, he was eating up this overdose of attention.

"I'll be back soon. I just need to run off some energy."

I heard Taehyung chuff a warning and I glanced at him but ignored it. I knew what I was about to do was stupid. It's not something a leader would do. I was leaving my teammates vulnerable to attack.