Chapter 10: Clarity
DividedGrey...
That was all she could see. Grey walls, grey ceiling, grey bars keeping her imprisoned inside the cell. As the young captive stared at the concrete walls that held her, she couldn't help but wonder if the colour will be all that she'll see from now onwards. But, the colour could also represent how she felt at the moment. Dull and empty: just like her heart.
There's nothing between us anymore.
Did those words sting Jihyo like it did for her? Could she hear her heart shatter as the words came at her like bullets? Tzuyu couldn't help but wonder if the older girl had moved on. Sighing, Tzuyu shut her eyes and lay back on the cold, hard mattress, hoping to at least get some shut eye before the next round of interrogations. She needed to focus and do her part here while hoping that the other members found a solution to the problem they now have. I wonder how the others are doing....
"Psst. Tzuyu-ah, wake up."
Tzuyu immediately sat up and turned to face the bars that kept her in the cell. Momo and Mina stood there keys in hand, ready to break their youngest member out from her confinement. As the door opened the Taiwanese girl ran to her members, feeling relief wash over herself. The trio walked out of the cell, but instead of walking towards the exit, the girls headed further into the building. "Unnie, isn't the exit that way?" Tzuyu asked as she stopped in her tracks, confused.
"Come on Tzuyu, we have a meeting with the rest of the team."
"Aren't we supposed to avoid doing just that?" The older girls stopped and turned to each other. They whispered something to each other in their mother tongue before Mina sighed and turned to Tzuyu. The younger girl was puzzled at the solemn mood. What's going on? Momo placed a hand on Tzuyu's shoulder and gave her an apologetic smile as Mina said the words Tzuyu dreaded to hear.
"We've been compromised. He has Jihyo."
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On the other side of the building, there was much tension in the meeting room.
"WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE?" Stepping into the room, Sana and Dahyun got the shock of their lives as they saw Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung seated at the table. Dahyun pulled out her gun, aiming to take both the girls down. It took both Nayeon and the chief's intervention to stop the pale girl from placing bullets in their ex-comrades. However, it was still clear that Dahyun wasn't pleased with the idea of meeting the other girls. The gun on the table was clear proof of that.
Sana, Dahyun and Nayeon sat on one side of the table while Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung sat opposite them. The chief stood at the end of the table awkwardly as they waited for the Japanese couple to arrive with Tzuyu. Sana and Dahyun still glared at the alleged traitors, who shifted uncomfortably under their gaze. Thankfully, Momo and Mina soon returned with Tzuyu in tow.
"You've got to be joking me!" Dahyun burst, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "It takes us months to get her and you just let her out like this!" The tofu-like girl couldn't understand the situation at all. One second they were at war with each other and then suddenly their sitting across each other. Just like the old times, she thought bitterly, her hand itching to grab the gun in front of her and pull the trigger.
Sana pulled the younger girl down, clutching onto her hands under the desk, hoping to calm her lover. She didn't like what was going on neither. But, if the chief was here and was not ordering them to arrest the girls, he must have an explanation for it, right? Soon enough, the chief cleared his throat causing the eight girls to turn their attention attention to him.
"Let's start the meeting. Listen carefully to what I'm telling you."
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[Flashback]
"What I am gonna tell you is strictly confidential."
The chief had gathered the five girls one day for a meeting. They sat at the table watching the information as it popped up on the screen.
"It has come to our attention that the Director may be involved in the murder of a high ranking official as well as several other forms of crime; corruption and embezzlement just to name a few. The five of you have been asked to investigate." The girls watched as a list of crimes appeared on the screen before them, all with the Director's name highlighted as a suspect.
"With all due respect sir, why only the five of us? Can't the whole team be involved?" Momo asked, eyebrows raised. Almost all missions they had been on involved the skills of all members. Their teamwork was perfect, with each of their individual skills complementing the other. It would be odd to split them up for a mission of this calibre.
"For obvious reasons, Jihyo cannot be a part of the mission." The man said as he pulled out a picture and a death report. They were greeted by the smiling faces of a family of three. They didn't even need to ask for their identities as they could see the captain's ever distinct features were apparent on the child in the picture. "As professional as she is, we do not wish for her emotions to be of risk to the mission."
"Therefore the team will be split. The five of you will be gathering the evidence needed to bring the Director down while remaining four will be handling missions assigned to them here as usual. They are to be kept unaware to avoid suspicion in the event that they are interrogated by the Director." The five girls nodded, fully understanding the purpose of the mission.
"One more thing girls. As much as I hate it the idea, you five will be required to betray the team in order for the mission to succeed. We need to ensure that the a Director isn't suspicious of the mission in any way. Is everything clear?" The girls weren't pleased at the idea but didn't have much of a choice. They couldn't go against the chief's words.
"Yes sir."
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"Wait, then why does Nayeon know about this?"
"That would be my fault," Jeongyeon scratched the back of her head guiltily, explaining how the team's eldest had caught her on one of their many confrontations and how the words accidentally slipped when she couldn't bring herself to fight the other girl who was out for blood.
"Anyways, the Director now knows that we have figured out his crimes. Our desks have been rummaged through last night." Nayeon pulled out a folder and placed in on the table. Sana nodded, remembering the mess their room was in when she arrived with Dahyun in the morning. They had check the cameras but all of them had been sabotaged.
"I believe this is what you were looking for. Found it in the hidden compartment in Jihyo's desk." Tzuyu took the folder and scanned through its contents. Everything was still intact. Nodding, she passed the file to the Chief who accepted it wordlessly, already knowing what it contains. The man left shortly after to submit the folder to the court. But not before ordering the girls to sort out their issues. Their awkward reunion however, was interrupted by the ringing of Nayeon's cellphone. A text from the Director, with a video attached. Bracing themselves, the girl hit play.
"Jihyo..." They watched as the video played, revealing their kidnapped leader, bruised, broken and bloody. The sound of her whimpers filled the room as they tortured her. Disgusted, Chaeyoung stopped the video. Nayeon stormed out the room, tears b in her eyes with a worried Jeongyeon following closely behind. Mina had her head in her hands, the sight of her best friend in pain was too much for the quiet girl. Momo pulled the girl into her arms, worried. Dahyun held onto Sana's hand as the girl stared blankly into space. Clenching her fists, Tzuyu held in the blossoming pain in her chest, eyes never leaving the phone when a second text arrived. A voice recording.
"If you want her back in one piece, bring me the file with all your little friends. Details will be sent shortly." And then a scream rang out, followed by a beep.
A/N: Here's chapter ten. The story is gonna come to close soon in a few more chapters. How has the story been so far? I hope you guys enjoyed it. Thank you for the support and I'll update again soon.
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