It happened when the lights went out. One minute, they were shining brightly down upon the eight very much alive men in the room. Then the next they were as black as a moonless night, plunging the room into darkness. Scuffling, shouting and chairs screeching against the wooden floor could all be heard. When the lights finally turned back on, everyone was shocked. There had been eight men in the room before, and now there were only seven suspects. Seven suspects and one dead body. 
 

Oh, I'm sorry, you probably don’t know what I’m talking about. Please, let me start from the very beginning, so perhaps everything will become clear in time.
 

It was June, barely the beginning of summer, and the humidity was almost unbearable. It had been pouring rain for the last few weeks, causing flash floods and closing down roads. Everyone was inside their houses with the windows tightly shut and fans whirring loudly.
 

It was at 9:30pm exactly when five sleek, black cars drove up the empty road towards Hotel Bangtan. Six sets of freshly polished dress shoes stepped out of the vehicles. The men spared a glance at one another before they squared their shoulders and started towards the building. The light of the electronic Bangtan sign flickered ominously above them, reflecting off the surface of the cars and slick ground, illuminating the backs of the men as they briskly made their way.
Hotel Bangtan was a well-known hotel, it had a vintage feel to it with dark red walls, caged elevators and polished oak floors. The hotel was often used for special events as it came equipped with a large conference hall and several other wide open rooms that could be rented out to whomever felt inclined to spend a very pretty penny to have the hotel to themselves. 
 

That was why the six men were there that night. The meeting was very exclusive, their commanding officers had been contacted and the men had been requested by name. They hadn’t been given any details beyond the time, date and location of the meeting. The military forces were unsure about it at first, everything was shrouded in mystery and suspicion, but they agreed after a day of deliberation. And each man had been ordered specifically by his commanding officer to attend the event regardless of their personal feelings or opinions on the matter. The men may have taken some comfort in the knowledge that the man hosting the meeting was at least a well-known member of the military and very decorated, even if he wasn’t well liked.

The man in a black uniform with gold details, polished buttons and a hat to match wiped his damp shoes on the doormat right in front of the entrance as he removed his hat, shook it out an tucked it under his left arm, he was followed closely behind by a younger man, who couldn’t be any older than eighteen. He was dressed in a black uniform as well, though this pure black and he carried a baton that was secure to his belt. The young man wiped off his shoes as well and moved to stand at attention next to the tall man with short brown hair who’d been the first to enter the hotel.

The rest of the men entered, patting down their damp uniforms and wiping off their shoes. They looked around the lobby, taking in the dark walls and garnished oak furniture. They glanced at each other once more.

“I suppose you’re all here for the conference?” A blond male in a military uniform with white slacks and several medals pinned to his chest drawled lazily, shifting the briefcase in his hands.

“Wouldn’t be here otherwise.” The tallest of the group retorted, he wore a suit with a white doctor’s coat draped over his broad shoulders.

The rest of the men nodded in agreement. Nothing more was said as they all crowded into the antique elevator and pulled the grated screen shut. The shortest of the group, sporting bright red hair and round glasses reached between the two men in front of him and pressed the button that would take them to the eighth floor. The elevator creaked as the mechanics started, pulling the box up to its destination.   

A man, standing in the back and to the right hand side and wearing a pin stripped suit, snickered. “Does this remind anyone else of ‘The Shining’?” He asked.

He received blank looks from those who choose to acknowledge his comment. The man in the pinstriped suit met their gazes with disbelief clear on his face.

 “Here’s Johnny?” He quoted. “Red walls? Antique building? Classic horror movie? Nothing?” The man scoffed when he didn’t get a reaction. “You military types are such sticks in the mud.” He glanced at the red haired man. “Are you military? You don’t seem like it.” He looked the man up and down, noticing the ironed black slacks, white button up and black tie.

The short man shook his head. “Forensic scientist. I work with the military.” He answered, keeping his eyes straight ahead, watching the walls pass through the grating.

The rest of the elevator ride was in silence. When the machine dinged and stopped with a jolt, the brown haired man with the hat under his arm pulled open the screen and the passengers flooded out into the hall, their expensive shoes clicking against the wooden floorboards as they entered the conference room.

The man who’d called them to the hotel that night stood at the head of the large oak table that looked like it had been freshly cleaned, polished and waxed barely minutes ago. The older man was dressed in full military uniform, more medals than the blond man had were pinned to his chest. He stood up straight, hands folded behind his back as he spoke in hushed tones with a younger man.

The man he was conversing with wore a gray blazer that matched his shorts, it was paired with a white dress shirt and white socks that sat at uneven lengths on his ankles, black dress shoes and to top it all off; a red bowtie that was tied neatly around the collar of his dress shirt. The young man twirled a wooden pipe in his left hand, but he tucked it away in his pocket when he looked over the older man’s shoulder and spotted the six men.  

The older man turned around when he realized the young man’s attention had been diverted to whatever was behind him. The man turned around and when he saw the men standing by the door his mouth twisted into a pathetic attempt at a smile, it looked more like a grimace and it didn’t even reach his dark eyes. He approached the group, extending his hand for each of them to shake. They exchanged greetings as the man he’d been talking to walked up behind him, standing a few steps away.

As six sets of eyes landed on him, the older man noticed and turned, slinging his arm around the young man’s shoulders and pulling him forward, once he was beside him, the man smacked the younger on the back hard enough to make him wince in discomfort.

“Oh, I almost forgot to introduce everyone.” The man said, shaking his head. “Must be my old age.” He chuckled humorlessly.

“Military Officer, Kim Namjoon.” He gestured to the man with the short brown hair and hat tucked under his arm.

“Military Officer, Min Yoongi.” He introduced the blond haired man.

“Military Doctor, Kim Seokjin.” The man with dark brown hair and the white doctor’s coat nodded politely.

“Forensic Scientist, Park Jimin.” The red haired man pushed up his glasses and smiled nervously.

“Weapons expert, Jung Hoseok.” The man in the pinstriped suit gave a lazy salute.

“Officer in training, Jeon Jungkook.” The youngest of the group, straightened up when his name was announced.

“And Kim Taehyung.” The older man finished by placing his hand on the younger man’s shoulder.

Yoongi frowned when the man’s occupation wasn’t given. “Excuse me, General Sihwan Yeo, what exactly is his title?”

The General waved him away. “Never mind that. How about you all set your things down in your rooms and we’ll start the meeting in thirty minutes.” He replied, pulling six room keys out of his coat pocket and handing them to each of the men in front of him.

“But, sir, do you really think that’s necessary?” Namjoon asked. “We’re only staying for the meeting.”

The General shook his head. “With the way its coming down out there, I doubt any of us will be getting out of here tonight.”

The rain’s volume increases as it picked up, hitting the windows of the hotel forcefully as if agreeing with what the older man had said. The men nodded, not able to do much else and let the room to do as the General had said.

The elevator ride was just as silent as the way up to the conference room until Hoseok broke the quiet once more.

“Anyone know who that Kim Taehyung guy is?”

The other five men shook their heads.

“I’ve never seen him before in my life, but then, I’ve never seen any of you before either.” Namjoon replied.

“Any ideas why we’re here are what this meeting is about?” Yoongi asked.

No one could answer that question and they all sunk back into silence once more. Each of them slowly leaving the elevator as it reached their individual floors.

Precisely thirty minutes later they were all back in the conference room sitting around the large oak table. The General sat at the head, leaned forward with his hands folded on the polished wood.

Taehyung sat to his right while Seokjin sat to his left. Yoongi and Namjoon sat directly after Seokjin. Across the table sat Hoseok, right after Taehyung, the Jimin and Jungkook sat beside him. All of them peered ahead, their attention directly upon the General.

The man cleared his throat. “I have called this meeting to put a matter to rest.” He began.

The men seated looked across the table at each other in confusion, as if someone there other than the General would know what this was about.

 “Everyone seated at this table has been called here today because you all have something in common.” The General continued. “You all have a motive.”

Chatter arose from the table, questioning what he meant with that statement, but everyone was silenced when the General raised his hands placatingly.

“One of you is going to kill me, and I will find out who it is before the night is over.” The man said, meeting the eyes of everyone at the table.

No one spoke. All of them stunned into silence at the weight of such an accusation. After a moment the General leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath.

“Now, shall we beginning the investigation?” As soon as those words left his mouth the room was plunged into absolute darkness.  

Shouts of “No one move!” and “What is going on?” Rose into the air, mingling with the noise of scuffling feet and screeching of chairs as they were pushed back. More shouts filled the darkness as the table shook as something collided with it. A gurgle and a thud added to the noise before everything fell silent again.

When the lights finally flickered back to life everyone was seated, the only thing different was that the General was no longer at the head of the table. Everyone stood and called the General’s name. A collection of gasps arose when he was found.

He was laying on his stomach in a pool of his own blood that was steadily growing larger. His complexation was pale and his eyes were wide and unseeing.

The General was dead.

Someone had murdered him.

And the killer was still in the room.