“You're going to leave Jade Dragon.” Hyejeong said.

“I ain't doing anything.” Taemin fired back, fists clenching. “Go and tell Minho whatever the hell you want Hyejeong, I don't care. But I'm not taking part on your plans.”

The woman huffed, raw contempt smeared on her features.

“You know... they're pretty cute... your kids, I mean.”

The raven head frowned at the sudden change of topic.

“What are their names again? Sehun and Jongin?” she smiled as his expression hardened. “I heard they're very skilled...”

“Leave them out of this.” the male raged, a clear warning in his tone.

“But Minho never gives them their chance to prove themselves to him, does he?” she went on, as if he hadn't spoken at all. “You know... skills are nothing without experience in the field... who knows what kinds of danger being sons to Choi Minho makes them vulnerable to? Anything could happen... and if you don't give the kids a chance to learn in the real world what ensures they can protect themselves out there?”

“If you dare touch–”

“I mean,” she interrupted him. “Minho can't protect them forever... just like he can't protect you and your unborn bastard right now.”

Taemin felt his blood run cold as she poked at his flat stomach.

“What?” she chuckled mockingly. “You really thought I wouldn't know such valuable information? Come on, you underestimate me so much Taeminnie... it's almost offensive.”

Suddenly it was like the fire that drove him so far into standing up against her had vanished. Still, he tried telling himself he still had a chance against her, that he couldn't fall for the blackmailing he saw coming his way.

“I saw your medical reports...” she said, with a smile. “by the way... you should consider changing doctors, your private clinic is so easy to infiltrate... But as I was saying,”

Hyejeong reached out to caress his cheek, but he snapped his head out of her palm, only to have her seizing his chin and forcing him to look at her.

“your medical reports...” she went on. “you're pretty weak, aren't you? I mean... you can't even bare a child properly... someone in your condition might need care, imagine if anything bad were to happen to you, would your baby survive? I'm sure you don't want anything bad to happen, right? Just like you don't want one of your boys to be hurt...

“Anubis and Jade Dragon may have somewhat of a peaceful relationship... but you know, Oroborus isn't as fond of your clan as mine is. They'd love having some fun with new toys and your boys just seem to be the perfect gift for them. Having young flesh to tear is always so thrilling...”

As she paused to observe his reaction, the only door to the room was pulled open and in came a man.

“Ah... you're finally here Hyungsik?” Hyejeong spoke, turning around to face the newcomer.

The frown on Taemin's face deepened at the familiar name and when his eyes finally caught sight of the man having entered the room he felt his heart skip a beat.

“Hyungsik... what–”

“Hi there boss.” the other greeted, approaching the pair and passing an arm around Hyejeong's waist, in a very intimate way .

“You er, how dare you!? You're working for them?” Taemin raged, fighting once more against the restraints on his wrists.

Hyungsik smiled. “I'm working with them.”

Hyejeong chuckled at the man's words, one of her hands resting over the one he had one her waist.

“He's so charming, isn't he Taeminnie?” she asked. “And guess what? He'll be there to make sure you do exactly as you're told, great right?”

“ you.” Taemin cursed, hatred now deforming his features.

“Hyungsik told me so many interesting things about your little family.” Hyejeong went on. “Like, how you have a cute little niece, Chanmi, right?”

As she said that, she fished in the inside pocket of the older male's jacket and took out a small brown envelope. Opening it slowly, she didn't hide her contempt as she took out a set of photos she threw on the floor in front of Taemin.

He felt his heart race as he discovered his three year-old niece on the pictures, smiling brightly as she played in what looked like her daycare playground.

“I'm going to kill you.” he raged, glaring at Hyungsik.

There was a reason he'd always kept quiet about his family and that was to preserve them from any kind of threat. The question was, how did Hyungsik have access to such information when it had become one of Jade Dragon's best guarded secrets?

He'd never imagined he'd have to face a traitor so close to the clan. He'd ended many of them but never even had to consider doing so to someone who stood so close to the core of Jade Dragon. Not many were allowed so near the main family and to have one of those trusted ones standing there, side by side with the enemy made his blood boil. It made him question how many there were, close to them, only watching for the right moment to strike or change sides. And he hated having to even consider such possibilities.

“I will make you pay for your treason, write my words.”

But his bravery was only a facade. Deep inside, he was afraid that what underlined their words weren't only empty threats and that his loved ones were actually under some kind of danger only they could prevent from befalling them.

“Now, let's not make threats we can't keep, hum Taeminnie?” Hyejeong chuckled. “Follow my instance, I am proving to you, that I'm being serious on this matter.”

She then took out a few more photos from the envelope.

“I understand you're not so worried about Jongin and Sehun, since apparently the kids are good and can defend themselves pretty well... but I bet it's a very different story for Kibum and Jonghyun.”

Her words were followed by the photos being thrown at his feet. A few of his brother walking in the streets and some others of him in the backyard of his house. The others depicted Jonghyun in similar settings.

“Your brother-in-law's job is a risky one... he's always mingling with the wrong people, an accident could end up happening one of these days... and you know how the underworld works, the person itself is never enough, their families have to suffer too...

“Oh... and I was forgetting,” the last sets of photos where taken off the envelope and soon joined the ones scattered on the floor. “I wonder what would be of your parents if anything happened to Kibum? They've lost Seulgi, then you... I think the best for them would be to join their lost children the sooner possible. I mean, of course, all of that would only happen if you refused to cooperate. Life is a mess isn't it? It's funny how so many lives depend on one little decision of an insignificant being.”

Taemin was at a loss for words. It was true he didn't have the best of relationships with his family, but he'd never even wished for any of them to be hurt and to know they were in danger because of him was a repulsive idea.

“Ah, and you know you can't help them flee right?” she laughed. “Don't forget that information is our specialty...”

He clenched his jaw, knowing all too well she wasn't kidding with him. If he had a chance to save his family, that was to accept her conditions. No matter how twisted they were, he could still try and find a way around them.

“What do you want me to do?” he found himself asking as soon as the thought settled in his mind.

~ Present Day ~

Minho cleaned his bloodied hands on the cloth Junyoung handed to him and left the interrogation room without so much as a glance towards the corpse he left inside.

He was sure to start another war with his actions, but he couldn't care less. If an open confrontation with his enemies was all it took for answers to start coming in, then he wouldn't measure his doings. He was sick of staying put, sustaining random attacks on his clan, unable to predict from which side the next blow would come from. And most of all, he was mad. Mad that these people seemed to think they could go on doing this to Jade Dragon without having to deal with the consequences.

His expression was hard and his demeanor stiff as he walked up the stairs leading to the exit. Two months had flown by faster than he could keep up with and he'd never felt as useless as he had been feeling for the past sixty days.

No clue about his husband's whereabouts were found despite the restless research he'd initiated. The only thing he knew, was that the younger was going through a difficult pregnancy and that sole information was enough to have him sleepless and impulsive.

Jinki had had more than once to intervene with him when he started to act irresponsibly and while Minho felt grateful for the elder's continuous watching over him, he also felt angry his actions had to be restrained.

No to mention they'd lost more men than he could account for. It was like whoever was doing this was trying to weaken the clan and instigate fright in them. And they were being successful with it.

He clenched his fists at the thought, frustration and anger mixed as he glared at a spot in front of him as he reached the exit. He'd never been in such a situation before, it was the first time since the clan's assertion as one of the two most powerful crime organizations of the country, that something like this happened and he wasn't sure of what to do.

The attacks had begun when he'd ascended to the head of the clan, and he knew they all only did that because they thought he was weak.

And he probably was, because he'd been unable to protect his family from the mess their enemies had been plotting against them. But it was his responsibility to protect Jade Dragon and he would, whatever the cost. The new leader of the clan wasn't as feared as he was supposed to be and if showing them his darker side was what it took for them to understand who they were dealing with, than he wouldn't hold back anymore.

*

Jinri sighed as she closed the hospital ward door, feeling like her head was about to implode. As she found herself in the corridor, she gave the body-guard a small nod and pat on the shoulder before walking away.

It all felt like a nightmare. Since her father's death, which she hadn't witnessed, that was the first time people so close to the core of Jade Dragon were attacked and hurt like this and she felt powerless against the mysterious organization that was slowly tearing her family apart.

There was a time no one even dared defy Jade Dragon in fear of the repression but now, it was like such an era was long forgotten. Smaller organizations seemed to be taking advantage of the cold war going on, and even as the clan easily took care of such matters, it was obvious their rivals were getting bolder by the day and the leaked information about the losses Jade Dragon was going through only seemed to enhance that.

The way she saw it, they were all at the mercy of whoever had started this, whoever it was that had taken Taemin, and no matter what they did to find the preceptors of this war, they were only running in circles, like a dog chasing its own tail.

She stopped in her tracks in the middle of the hall and fished for her phone vibrating in her purse, she pressed her lips in a tight line as she saw the caller ID to be her brother's.

The elder was the one getting it harder from it all. The responsibility of the clan's security rested on his hands and he had them tied, because no one could find anything that could stop the situation from worsening.

War had been declared against Kwon Kijoo's organization and they'd almost annihilated the whole clan, only to find the battle to have been useless. They were still losing members and being shipped body parts. Taemin and his brother were still missing and despite their allies' help, no one was able to locate them.

And that only left her to speculate, even though she didn't dare voice her thoughts in fear of them being accurate. Saber-tooth was either more powerful than they'd thought, or they had nothing to do with the happenings.

That thought honestly scared her, because that would mean either Anubis had given them the wrong information, or a bigger organization, like Yeonghwan, was behind it all, pulling the strings behind the scenes and watching with satisfaction as they tore them apart.

That of course, were speculations that, even though she knew were incorrect – thanks to Jonghyun having enlightened her on some points –, she couldn't let go of just yet.

She was afraid that if either of her suppositions or the ones Jonghyun had shared with her, were true Minho wouldn't hesitate on declaring war to their rivals. He seemed to be slowly losing his mind and that didn't foreshadowed anything good.

She'd seen what an out of control Minho could do only once and that hadn't been too long ago and honestly, she preferred it when he was just being an and overworking everyone.

She knew he felt guilty for all the things going on. First, because he felt like a leader unable to protect his clan, then because he thought it was him who'd let Taemin fall into the hands of their enemies and at last, for putting his children in danger.

With a deep breath, she stared at her phone for a few more seconds before taking the call.

“How is he?” came her brother's immediate question.

“Still nothing.” she replied. “It's been two months Oppa... the doctors said–”

“I know what they said.” Minho cut her off. “But he will wake up. Jongin is strong.”

She sighed once more.

“I know he is... you should come... pay him a visit... I know you're dying to.”

A pause followed her words before her brother's own sigh reached her ears.

“I can't.” was the reply. “As long as I haven't found who did this to him... I can't.”

“But Oppa-”

“Bye Jinri, be careful. We can't afford to lose you too.”

And the connection was cut.

She stared at her phone with a grim expression. Her brother seemed to have become just a shell. He barely ate or spoke to anyone. When he did, it was to give orders, sometimes absurd ones.

He was always doing something, trying to find anything that could lead him to the invisible enemy threatening their clan and holding his husband captive.

When, two months ago, as Sehun and Jongin were on their way to join her at the company, their car had been taken for target and been strafed by gunfire, leaving the two boys almost dead. Minho had, in an explosion of rage, organized the take over of Kwon's clan, not even waiting for anything that could assert Saber-tooth's involvement in the attack, expect for Anubis' intel.

It had been ugly to say the least. But the enemy had been left to count bodies while Minho faced the lack of satisfaction from the confrontation.

Since then, he hadn't set a foot in the hospital to visit Jongin, who'd been in a coma ever since. And while Sehun had been back home for a few weeks, Minho always made sure to not get the boy involved in the matters at hand, this time around, not even trying to hide he was trying to shelter the nineteen year-old.

In all honesty, while she thought it was normal for her brother to be protecting Sehun, she also thought it was a waste of energy as the nineteen year-old seemed just as inclined as him to find who shot at them and put his brother in such a state. The boy, usually obedient, didn't hesitate on going against Minho's orders when he saw fit and that had caused trouble more than once.

She wished could do more than just stand by and watch. Her spying skills were of no use as long as they ignored who their enemy was. But that didn't mean she wasn't trying. As much as it seemed unlikely, she had that feeling Anubis was hiding something from them and while Hyejeong was a great friend of hers, she knew better than to let friendship blind her.

She wouldn't tell her brother that however, not until she had tangible proof something was going on with Anubis and the certainty it had something to do with the problems their were facing.

That was why when she entered her car, her destination wouldn't be home; but rather the one place she had yet to check for any hint that could assert or squash her suspicions.

*

Taemin grimaced as pain shot through his back as he tried pushing himself up in a sitting position. Kibum, who'd been sitting on his bed staring a point in front of him, was alerted by the shuffling and hurried over to help his brother.

“You shouldn't move much remember?” he said, putting pillows behind the younger's back.

Taemin just served him a weak smile as he leaned back against the support, a hand caressing softly the side of his seven months belly.

The glass separating their rooms had miraculously disappeared after the incident of him passing out after Hyejeong's first visit.

He got from that, that she was afraid he might die before the time she had set for him and thought it was better if Kibum could be at arms reach to help. Though he doubted the blond would be able to do anything if something actually happened. Still, the elder's presence was somewhat a comfort for him, even in such situation.

A few moments of silence passed between them as Kibum sat on the edge of the bed, his own hand going to rest on his brother's stomach, his mind lost in thoughts.

“She's fine, hyung.” the raven head spoke, after assessing the elder's distressed expression. “I told you they most probably sent her to Jonghyun hyung.”

Kibum looked at him, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

“How can you be so sure?”

Taemin sighed.

“Because there was no use in hurting her.” he replied simply. “I told you... they probably just used her as a messenger.”

Kibum lowered his gaze. He had a hard time believing such possibility, though all his heart wanted was that.

He'd lost all sense of time since being locked in that place and it felt like an eternity since they'd taken Chanmi from him. The fright and desperation of the incident still haunted him and he knew for a fact they wouldn't fade away until he wasn't sure his baby was fine.

“You'll most probably leave soon too.” Taemin told him after a while, taking his hand in his, in a manner he wanted to be comforting. “You'll see her soon.”

But the words only had the blond frowning. The idea of leaving without his brother felt just as wrong and frightening as the idea of his baby-girl being taken from him.

If there was a good side to all things, then this situation's was the fact he'd gotten a lot closer with the younger. Somehow, even if he still felt betrayed and slightly angry, he could say he never wanted his brother hurt again and that he was willing to give him another chance.

“I'm not leaving you.”

Taemin clenched his jaw and looked at the elder in the eyes.

“Yes, you are... and if I have my baby by then, you're taking him with you...”

“What are you saying Tae! It's too early... you won't give birth-”

The look in the younger's face had Kibum interrupting himself, suddenly not so sure of the statement he was about to make.

“Tae...”

The younger lowered his gaze as his hands went back to caressing his belly.

“When I give birth... I want you to take my baby with you. Give him to his father.”

“What are you saying...?”

“I will make a deal with Hyejeong... I know what she wants... I'm sure I'll convince her.” the raven head went on, his voice wavering slightly. “Promise me you'll protect him, hyung? He's... he's all I-”

But the younger never finished his sentence as he broke down in heart-wrenching sobs, Kibum feeling his own tears slide down as he leaned forward to take his brother into his arms.

In that moment, he silently agreed to the raven head's request. Though it pained him to consider a situation where the younger wouldn't make it out, he knew his options were limited. And if he could at least save his nephew then there was no thinking on it.

“Hyung...” the younger spoke after a few minutes as he calmed down. “there are a few more things you need to know. And... when you go back, I need you to tell Minho exactly what I'm going to tell you. Alright?”

Kibum could only nod against his brother's shoulder.

*

Jonghyun walked inside Minho's office only to find the younger male staring lifelessly at the screen of his computer.

From the device, he could hear the distorted voice of their husband's' captors and had to clench his jaw in order not to walk over and smash the screen.

Two weeks ago, Jonghyun had been contacted by his mother, saying Chanmi had been left at her doorstep, unharmed. The brunet hadn't waited a second more to take the first flight back to Daegu. Being closely followed by Minho and a few body guards.

He still couldn't describe the joy he had felt when he had held his baby girl in his arms once more. The child was indeed scared and kept asking for her mother, but other than that, she was unharmed.

He'd later found in her back pack a flash drive containing a video, probably from a surveillance camera, of Kibum tending to their daughter, while an obviously sick Taemin laid unconscious on a bed, an IV implanted in his arm.

Over the video, a mechanical voice spoke; mocking them and their vulnerability, making promises of crushing Jade Dragon to its smallest branch. And most of all, mocking Minho for being so blind to the things around him and for ignoring who his husband really was.

Later on, per the captor's advice, Minho had confronted his mother on the subject, and the things revealed of Taemin's double life as a killer for Goeun had Minho bursting. And if Jinki hadn't been there to hold the younger back, everyone knew Mrs. Choi probably wouldn't have made it out alive.

It was frightening to think like this, that a son would be able to raise a hand on his mother; but the person that had taken over Minho's body at the discovery of the things his mother had his husband do for her, definitely wasn't the one they saw daily. He knew that, because for days after the incident, no one had dared speak to Minho hadn't they been spoken to first. Fortunately, Goeun hadn't been hurt and the incident didn't seem to have affected her much, if at all.

The following morning, Minho had had his mother and their parents-in-law escorted somewhere else, in Jinki's opinion, though the elder seemed not to know much of it, somewhere secluded and safe. Jonghyun had then decided to send Chanmi away with her grand-parents, and even though the idea of being separated from his child once more wasn't at all pleasing, he was willing to cope with it as long as he was sure she would stay out of harm's way.

He took from Minho's initiative that the younger was trying to get his mother the farther way from him and at the same time, eliminate all kinds of distraction, in this case their in-laws.

Since then, Minho's temper seemed to have worsened – if that was even possible. He didn't take well when something was kept from him and barely even listened when one had something to say against his decisions.

While Jonghyun found it to be arrogant and uttermost angering, he couldn't say he would've acted differently had he been in the same situation, where everyone's eyes were on him and expecting him to do something.

Just like the younger, he used to watch the video sent to them all the time, looking for any hint on it that could give away the location of their husbands, but the only thing he got was the ability to recite word by word the captor's speech. He was sure Minho too, could do as much and that only angered him more. It was as if all his skills as a detective were just waste in that situation. Even upon clearing the voice distortion, he'd only been able to detain a voice no one in the clan knew, not even background could be heard.

"Minho."

He barely even got a reaction as he called for the other, but he knew he'd been heard.

"There's no use in torturing yourself with this. I already told you there's no clue in it."

Minho looked at him and the anger in his eyes could only mirror the one Jonghyun felt boiling inside himself.

"What else do you expect me to do? Go hunting invisible preys?! Why don't you go do something useful instead of pestering me?!"

"Because we need you dumb-. The people out there are only waiting for your next order and you're just here losing yourself in a video that was obviously made to disturb you!”

As he said that, Jonghyun walked over to the desk and reach out to turn off the screen of the computer. Minho rose abruptly from his seat ready to launch at the older male when a voice stopped him.

“Hey, Minho, calm down.” Jinki said as he entered the room, frowning at his cousin.

He only got a scowl from the younger as he roughly let go of Jonghyun's collar.

“You better have a good reason to be here.” the younger male in the room then said in a low tone.

“Just got a call.” Jinki said as he watched Jonghyun roll his eyes at Minho's attitude and go to sit on the couch in the corner of the room. “It was from Yeonghwan.”

If the look in Minho's eyes could go darker, then they'd reached the bottom of their capacity, Jonghyun couldn't help but notice.

The familiar title had him frowning at the new information. It was well known that Yeonghwan was Jade Dragon's biggest rival and while they were amongst the list of suspects behind the recent happenings, they had barely been investigated; something Minho had never been wiling to discuss with whoever had questioned him on the matter.

“What do they want?” the mafia head asked.

Jinki looked a little puzzled as he exposed the situation.

“A meeting. They say they can... help.”

Minho's silence was only prolonged for a few seconds.

“When?” he asked.

Jonghyun's frown deepened as he rose from his seat.

“Oh come on,” he intervened. “you can't be serious! Minho, this is a trap, they're your enemies for God's sake!”

“He's right Min,” Onew spoke next. “they can take advantage of the situation.”

“I asked when Jinki.”

The younger male didn't seem to be willing to give regards to their warnings and both older male's exchanged a worried glance before Onew answered the question.

“Tomorrow. At 8pm. Usual place.”

“I'll be there. Only you two can come, no one else is to know of this.”

“Min-”

“Now get out.”