Chapter Six: Questioning

            “Q…questions? I don’t remember much from what happened that night, it happened really fast and stuff.” Taehyung said but Jungkook didn’t buy it. He could see the sweat visibly slide down the side of the boys neck, he watched as Taehyung clenched and unclenched his fingers. The boy was nervous and Jungkook needed to figure out why.

            “I just want to figure out what you do remember, in your file it said you were coming from a different part of the city to work here, is that correct or where you just lying so that they wouldn’t throw you straight in jail?”

            “No! I’m wasn’t…I’m not lying, I only work for the Jokers…I don’t want to do it I just had to.” Taehyung said, and while that could be true Taehyung was still too nervous to play the innocent role.

            “Oh, then you were brought in by one of the unloading vans then right since you weren’t fighting. You know being a part of the fight that killed a bunch of my fellow co-workers?”

            “I didn’t kill anyone if that’s what you’re asking.” Taehyung snapped, his eyes narrow at Jungkook. They boy now sat ridged in his chair, his body language quickly changing from anxious to defensive. That was good, defensive people made figuring out if someone was lying much easier.

            “I never said that, I was just trying to figure out how you got there and why. es can be moved throughout the city fairly easily, you didn’t need to go there yesterday but the Joker’s moved you and other street workers anyway. Why would they do that? Are you expendable? Or where they using you as a distraction.” Jungkook needed to figure it out, he just needed to push a few of the boy’s buttons.

            “How am I supposed to know, I was just moved to work that’s all I know. Asking me questions is pointless.” Taehyung said, his voice filled with venom.

            “Oh really but if that’s the case why did they decide to move you in at the back of the parking garage? You were in the vans they were trying to hide the most, what did you see inside of them?” Jungkook asked, leaning closer so he could watch Taehyung’s reaction even closer. People that lied, had dilated eyes and Taehyung’s were blown out wide.

            “I…it was dark and I told you I don’t remember?” Taehyung said, his breathing coming out a bit heavier as if the air was too thin in the room. The boy was panicking.

            Jungkook had the boy right where he wanted him, he just needed one more push.

            “You know withholding evidence could throw you right in jail so it’s best if you just tell me what you’re hiding.”

            “I said I don’t know anything!” Taehyung yelled, forcing his chair back so he wasn’t so close to Jungkook anymore. The boy was shaking as he stared at the man. Jungkook looked through his office windows to see that people were staring through the window, probably shocked by Taehyung. When Jungkook focused back on Taehyung the boy’s eyes were watery and he had his left hand buried into his right wrist, his nails digging deep in the skin. Had Taehyung been doing that the whole time?

            “Taehyung…” someone said, and Jungkook looked to see Seokjin now standing inside his office.

            “I…I don’t want to stay with him. I don’t care where you put me, I can’t live with him.” Taehyung said quickly, wiping at his eyes angrily.

            “Taehyung you know there isn’t anywhere for you to go and we can’t just put you back out on the streets again.” Seokjin said but Taehyung shook his head.

            “N…No I…I wouldn’t mind going back to the streets. It’s easy just let me go.” He said, pushing himself further to the wall, backing away.

            “I…let me speak with Jungkook for a moment and let me see if I can get this all figured out okay? Just stay in here and try to calm down. Jungkook, come with me please.” Seokjin said and even though Seokjin had said please Jungkook could tell he was in deep now. Seokjin looked livid so deciding not to piss the man off anymore he shut down his laptop and locked it away before following Jin out the room and into the hall.

            “What the was that? I don’t you to watch after the kid not turn him into a nervous wreck.” Jin said, practically vibrating with anger. Seokjin was usually a very kind person and that only changed when someone was being cruel to a child. Seokjin was a mother through and through and Jungkook had just pissed off momma bear so it was best to be careful about what he said to the man.  

            “I only asked him a few questions, I hadn’t realized just how much those questions affected him.” Jungkook said but Seokjin just glared harder.

            “Jungkook he is a child! He is not some evil perp, he is a young child and you terrified him. You can’t just go full on cop on Taehyung that will not work and if you expected to get anything out of the boy that plan all went to because now he doesn’t even want to be near you. You need to fix this right away because there still isn’t anywhere for him to go and if I have to end up releasing him back on the streets so he can go and sell his body and the street I will make sure Namjoon has you doing desk work for the rest of the case do you understand me? Fix it right now!” Seokjin said, pushing Jungkook back to the direction of his office. Jin sure could be scary when he wanted to be, Jungkook thought as he made his way back to his office. Taehyung was sitting down in a corner of his office, the one right in front of the door.

            Jungkook’s first move was to close the blinds so that the peeping toms wouldn’t see what was going on before he closed and locked the door.

            “Taehyung…look I’m sorry for pushing the questions so much. I hadn’t realized that you were so scared.” Jungkook tried to say and he expected the boy not to answer but Taehyung looked up with red puffy eyes and said, “You’re full of , you only care about this ing case, I’m expendable as you so kindly put it. Perhaps I should just go outside and some to get all the information you need huh? When I said I didn’t know anything I meant it.”

            Jungkook was slightly surprised by the boy’s tone but he was happy to see that the boy still had some fight left in him. That was good it meant Jungkook hadn’t ruined things completely.

            “That’s not what I meant, I shouldn’t have said that about you. I just forgot that you were so young, you must have been scared right?” Jungkook asked crouching down a foot away from Taehyung.

            “I don’t remember that either…” Taehyung muttered out, staring off to the side.

            “You don’t remember if you were scared? It happened just yesterday though?” Jungkook asked puzzled and watched as Taehyung pulled his hand from his lap and pointed his finger at Jungkook.

            “I don’t get it?” Jungkook said which only made Taehyung roll his eyes.

            “They drugged me with something, stuck a needle in my finger so that you can’t find where they inject you. It didn’t show up on the screening scan because your stupid doctors didn’t know what to look for. I was pulled from the van unconscious. So yea I was in those vans and the last thing I do remember is feeling really warm and that’s it. Are you done drilling me now?” Taehyung asked, his left hand holding tight on his leg.

            Jungkook moved slowly and gripped the boy’s wrist, pulling his hand away so that the boy couldn’t hurt himself anymore.

            “Yea…we’re good.”