Before the Fall

Chapter Fifty-Two - Greatest Desire

Namjoon

I paced in my office, quite agitated by the scent Li and his cohorts left behind. My men took some of the survivors and went back to dispose of the dead. I instructed that Xander and Sana be given proper burials, and while multiple objections were voiced, I stood my ground.

Xander had been Aster's husband. He'd had to suffer dying not once, but twice. He didn't know what he was doing when it came to Li. He had merely been a weaponized hybrid. Sana was the same. So misguided and abused. While everything they had done was wrong, had circumstances been different and Li had not brainwashed them, everything would have turned out differently.

Jimin had sewn my chest back up before he left to help with the cleanup. The wounds stung and burned. It had taken him a while to clean out all the grit and mud, and I was given strict orders to rest.

As if I ever listened to orders.

I was worried about Aster. Her image kept flashing into my mind over and over. It was borderline obsessive. I couldn't change what had happened, but I needed to correct it if at all possible.

And it was possible.

Somehow, I needed to get to H-Corp headquarters where I knew Li would be. He didn't leave thinking he would never see me again. He left knowing he would. Either he wanted to destroy all of us of the BCU in a truly personal and violent way, or he is just missing drama and wanted to create some.

Either way, I have no other option but to go. There was just one problem.

I had no way to get there.

My Lieutenant came into my office as I paced and he quietly stayed out of my way. I glanced at him and then continued to pace.

"Do we have any pilots among the survivors?"

"I'm not sure, but I could find out. May I ask why we need to know?"

One thing Jin did exceptionally well was questioning my orders. I knew he didn't do it maliciously or to undermine my authority, it was simply to make sure I wasn't being foolish and headstrong. I appreciated him looking out for me.

"We need to get to H-Corp HQ."

"Namjoon!"

"What do you expect me to do, hyung?" I had stopped my pacing and I bent over my desk, my weight on my hands and arms. My head hung between my shoulders and I felt so defeated. I was flying into this entire situation blind. We had all been trained at HQ, but it had been a long while since any of us had been there. No telling how much Li had changed by way of security and floor plans since we were there last.

"We need to come up with a plan before we try getting there. How do we get in? What do we do once we're inside? How will we get close to Li? How do we know he hasn't killed Aster already? These are all things we need to organize. We can't just go headlong into the place unprepared. It would be the equivalent of attacking the fires of hell with a water gun. It's suicide!"

I slammed both hands onto the desk and groaned angrily. "I know this! The last thing I want to do is get any or all of us killed!"

I slumped down into my chair and rubbed my hands across my weary face. I felt the exhaustion from the past days catching up to me. But I could put off the exhaustion if I knew Aster would be safe from Li. I needed to get her back.

"I just...I want her back," I murmured quietly.

Jin sighed and sat down in a chair across my desk. Opening up his palm com, he barked orders to his subordinates.

"Yoongi and Taehyung, get a list together of the survivors and what their skills are. We're specifically looking for a pilot or two. Hoseok, you and Jungkook get to work tracking down a usable plane and hacking into HQ. Locate Aster and keep a lock on her. Everyone report to the General as soon as you have something."

A voice responded back quickly.

"What about me?"

Jin rolled his eyes and spoke into his palm com again. "Just pack up a good medic kit, Jimin. Oh, and also, take stock of our weapons arsenal."

"On it."

I looked at Jin and silently thanked him.

"I can't always be the cool-headed, rational one here, Namjoon. You need to keep your wits about you and think. We need our leader." His voice trailed off into a soft whisper.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm sorry, hyung. Sometimes I think you should have been given my position."

"Me? Deal with all of this stress? No, thanks." Jin smirked and stood to his feet.

"Take a little while and pull yourself together. After everyone is done with their tasks, we can gather together to work out a plan. We will get her back safe and sound, Namjoon. We will."

He smiled at me and left.

I looked down at my desk and for the first time, noticed a white envelope peeking out of my center drawer. I reached in and pulled it out, noticing that my hands were trembling. Jin was right, I needed to pull myself together.

Ripping the envelope open, I saw a slip of paper with Li's handwriting scrawled all over it.

I felt my jaw clench as I read the note.

"Dearest Joonie,

I am confident by the time you find this note that I will be long gone, with my new toy in tow. Funny how I never noticed how beautiful she was. Or perhaps I just really do not want you to find any happiness. Don't be foolish, Namjoon. I know you will probably try to find a way to get her back. You seem to forget who you're dealing with. I've done you a favor letting you all live this long, disobeying orders like you have. Don't impose upon my kindness anymore. Forget Aster exists and continue on as you have been, albeit out from under my care of course. She won't remember you anyway.

Sincerely,
Li "

I crumpled the note in my hand as the anger welled up inside me. I forgot the pain in my chest as I raged through my office, putting one fist through a wall, and the other through another wall. All I saw was red.

I had never forgot who I was dealing with, but it seems Li had. He created us to be killing machines, and I would make sure he would suffer at the hands of his creations.

I would never forget Aster. His note suggested he was going to try wiping her memory, like he had done with Xander. I secretly hoped he would just so Aster would be able to forget all the horrors she had been through. I wouldn't want to remember all the things she had been through if I were her.

And frankly, I didn't mind trying to win her heart. I had never really gotten around to properly letting her know my feelings anyway. If he wiped her mind, it would just be a fresh start for us.

More than ever before, my greatest desire was to see my creator dead. Preferably by my own hands.

Even if it was the last thing I ever did.

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AN: Please forgive me for leaving you all hanging for so long. Sorry for the short update as well, but I will give you a longer chapter next time. 💜