Engima | bts mafia au

6.

Jungkook was hustled into a van the next morning before he could even open his eyes all of the way.

Taehyung expertly led Jungkook through their base to the vehicle before taking him to the back, leaving the two of them in the very back, Yoongi in the passenger seat, Hoseok in the middle, and Namjoon at the wheel.

"Seokjin-ssi," Jungkook mumbles when he fails to find the oldest anywhere in the car.

"Hyung stays home during these sort of things to track us and also protect him and Namjoon hyung in case someone found out about their engagement," Taehyung softly explains to the sleepy boy. "I can tell you're tired, little bunny. Here, unbuckle and sit in the middle seat back here next to me so you can lay on me. Seokjin hyung said it's gonna be a long drive."

All of Taehyung's words bombard the already tired Jungkook, but at the offer of sleep, he happily obliges. The boy unbuckles his seatbelt and quickly slides to the middle seat in the back of the van, re-buckling before slowly leaning his head on Taehyung's shoulder.

"You sure...?"

"We all lay on each other all of the time; you're fine, sweet bunny. Just get some rest."

Jungkook feels his heart swell at the name. He doesn't understand what Taehyung is doing; he's either playing with him or flirting because he's genuinely interested, but whatever he's doing, giving Jungkook attention he's never had before (and didn't even know he loved) is surely working.

"I see you've taken a shine to the new kid," Hoseok playfully teases Taehyung once he feels the youngest is finally asleep.

"Shut up. No one asked." Taehyung bites back. Damn, faking a crush is hard work.

Yoongi scoffs. "I surely haven't. He's lucky he's important because if he wasn't-"

"Yoongi. We don't need more trouble. I understand you are upset, but if you want Jimin back, you have to play smart. Picking fights won't get him back."

Taehyung practically snorts at the way Namjoon's words shut the feisty man up right away.

"Damn, cat got your tongue? I know you practically take Namjoon as God himself, but holy shit, I didn't know it was this serious."

"Don't even fucking start. You know what happened."

"Kim Taehyung, that means you, too! I swear to God, one of you will end up walking. I don't care who, but just a forewarning, it's a three hour drive and we still have two hours left. Next person to be disrespectful or snarky is walking."

After an eerily quiet hour and a half, an old walkie-talkie style radio in Namjoon's possession crackles to life.

"You're almost there. Based on a map, the place where Jimin's tracker stopped looks to be inside a subway system. Please be careful, boys."

Namjoon holds the speak button on the long distance walkie-talkie and replies. "We will. You have my word."

Taehyung gently taps Jungkook's shoulder to wake him up, chuckling softly when he sees the younger's hair sticking up in all sorts of directions. Jungkook scowls and attempts to smooth his hair down, quickly finding it impossible.

"Here, let me help," Taehyung offers, waiting for Jungkook's embarrassed "okay" before gently carding his fingers through his hair, causing it to smooth itself. Jungkook doesn't even realize the action has him falling back asleep again until Taehyung speaks up. "Don't go falling back to sleep now, we're almost at the place."

The younger rubs his eyes with the heels of his hands and watches out the window. Of all places he could go with a mafia to find a kidnapped man, he certainly didn't expect to find a quiet town passing by the car windows. Each building looks as if it worked a 12-hour shift and its coffee has finally worn out. Small one-story buildings clearly overpopulate their thin, tall counterparts that uphold the dingy atmosphere of the town. Each business seems to run on the bare minimum: little to no attention on the exterior, cracked and crooked sidewalks, overgrown parking lots, and few cars occupying each weed-infested lot. The abandoned buildings don't look much different; the only obvious difference are the broken windows and marquis void of any message beyond "closed" or the like. Each passing broken building shoots a nervous adrenaline through Jungkook's body. Which one are we going to? Is it that one? Or wait, maybe it's that one?

His mind is too clouded with curiosity and nervous energy to register the van stopping near an entrance to an underground subway entrance, completely boarded up with old rotting wooden planks. Taehyung gives Jungkook his crooked smile before nudging him with his shoulder.

"Ready to kick some ass?"

"Excusemewhat?" Jungkook says quickly, his expression dropping. He didn't expect to actually have to fight; he thought they were here to get Jimin... but apparently, he was wrong.

"Well if these assholes jump us, you have to be prepared," Taehyung explains as he leans over the back seat to fish around in the trunk. He hands Jungkook a simple pistol, stunning the boy even more.

"I-I can't-"

"You don't have to kill anyone, little bunny."

"No, I can't use a gun," he finishes.

"Don't be scared, if you use it right, you'll be fine."

"I don't know how to use a gun at all."

A thick silence envelops the van that causes Jungkook to instinctively shrink in on himself, hearing his words practically echo in the vehicle.

"Your parents taught you nothing about self defense or weapons?" Namjoon cuts through the quiet air. Jungkook meekly shakes his head in response.

"I never learned anything about self defense."

Namjoon and Taehyung exchange a knowing look before Namjoon looks back at Jungkook.

"Lucky for you, Taehyung is the one who taught us how to defend ourselves and use pistols. Maybe he could teach you when we go back home."

Jungkook makes an educated guess that he'll be with these guys for a while, so he decides to hold his tongue and agree. Once his parents are found, he can go home and forget about it all. A sudden jolt from that thought causes Jungkook's eyes to widen quickly. My parents!

If Jimin is held here, his parents might be as well, right? The thought sends Jungkook's nerves buzzing with anticipation. One by one, the group files out of the van, their feet crunching on the dead grass as Namjoon and Hoseok discuss a plan of action. Yoongi eventually weasels his way into the conversation with crossed arms and a clearly impatient demeanor. Before Jungkook can even guess what they are talking about, Yoongi storms his way over to the subway entrance a few feet away, giving the wood blocking it off a harsh kick.

"Yoongi!" Namjoon hisses in an effort to make as little noise as possible, contrary to Yoongi, who sets his jaw and stands straight.

"You asked for a way in. Here you go."

Namjoon sighs and looks back at Taehyung. "Stick with the kid... I guess we're going in now." Jungkook gulps, glancing at Taehyung, who gives him a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, sweet bunny. You're gonna be fine with me."

Jungkook gives a small nod, mainly to reassure himself he'll come out alive, but partly to brush off that god damned smile of Taehyung's.