I suggest you reread the previous chapter because you might be confused with the events in this one if you don't remember it.

Secret Agents Dictionary:

Coda - something that serves to round out, conclude, or summarize and usually has its own interest

- Present Day -

“It’s a beautiful, beautiful life…”

Mina sang walking slowly to the big window that opened to the pound. She was waiting for Taemin to come back with a blanket and condoms so that they could continue where they left off but he just called her saying that in his way to get the "supplies" he met with another agent and was called to the secret laboratories under the mansion. Therefore Mina had to wait for him for a longer time than the expected so she got dressed. She didn't want to risk meeting anyone . It was true that probably no one would come to Taemin's empty house but still she didn't want her fears to come true in the worst way.

She sang a little bit more of the song and then walked back to the hallway. It was completely deserted and besides the sound of the birds chirping outside she couldn't hear a sound. If that was going to become her home, she and Taemin would have a lot of work decorating the place. Her boyfriend clearly didn't care much about that house and it was collecting dust for years now. Mina walked barefooted along the hallway and peeked at the door that lead to the kitchen. The windows were closed so it was in the dark. She skipped that room and then walked all the way to the spiral staircases that lead upstairs. She climbed it carefully checking where she placed her feet and reached the first floor safely.

The house wasn't big like the mansion of course, but enough for a family of three. She checked both of the bedrooms and took her time on the last one since it was bigger and had a beautiful view to the back of the mansion and the huge balcony that was connected to the first floor. She saw Audrey and Kibum making out there earlier that day but they weren't there anymore. It made sense. Kibum was out in a mission and Audrey was probably working or with Areum. They seemed pretty close and from what Mina heard Audrey was a genius. Mina sighed wondering why Taemin was taking so long and that's when she noticed the van parked outside the back door that lead to the kitchen. That wasn't unusual because she noticed before that vans parked there to make delivers but that van was SM's instead, which caught her interest. Mina was known for her keen eye and it was because of her ability to perceive things that she survived so long and met Taemin.

Director Oh left the mansion and Mina frowned. She took a big black bag from inside the van and moved to the entrance of the kitchen. Mina quickly walked to the other window that gave her a better vision to the kitchen and gasped with what she saw. Audrey was there on the floor unconscious half her body now being put inside the bag by Director Oh.

“Oh . I knew that woman was trouble!”

Mina saw in horror the woman zip the bag and then leave the bag there and disappear further inside the house.

“I need to find Taemin!” Mina quickly ran down the stairs jumping the last steps and then grabbed her shoes from the living room and put them on as fast as she could. She ran outside struggling to call Taemin through her phone while she sprinted to the back of the mansion.

Taemin wasn't answering his phone, probably busy so Mina gave up and instead furtively leaned against the wall of the house and approached the entrance as silently as she could. She had no weapon and had no idea what Director Oh was up to so it was better if she kept her distance from her until she realized what she could do to help.

A scream followed by heavy footsteps made Mina held her breath and she stopped moving and hid behind a bush. If she peeked on her left side she was able to see the kitchen but it seemed empty. However, after a while, she saw a woman limp her way to the kitchen. She was bleeding from a cut on her head and seemed disoriented mumbling something. Mina recognized her as Taemin’s brother's wife. Areum stopped in the hallway a few steps from the kitchen and Mina was going to leave her hiding place to help her when another woman showed up. Director Oh strode in Areum's direction and the younger fragile girl wasn't able to do anything because he pushed her down on the floor. The steel object Areum was holding fell a few steps away from her and while she tried to reach it Director Oh knocked her unconscious. Mina hid again horrified and closed her eyes. She saw many horrible things in her life before. She even saw her mother die in front of her so she had to do something even though she had no idea what.

Director Oh walked to the van and Mina peeked from behind the bush watching her open it and pull Audrey in the bag inside it. It was a tenuous task and the woman was sweating already. She also didn't seem well, touching her head, that was bruised, once in a while. She probably had a concussion and that was making her move slower. Mina waited for her to enter the house again and while she placed Areum inside a bag Mina made a decision.

Taemin wasn't answering his phone and even if he did he probably wouldn't arrive on time. She didn't have time to run and ask for help either and she had no weapon to defend herself and even if she did she would probably lose, she wasn’t trained like Director Oh. Mina was only someone that learned how to hide and survive and that was what she was going to do. She ran to the van and peeked inside. Luckily it was filled with boxes that were probably placed there just in case someone asked her to open the van to inspect it. Mina entered the vehicle and hoped over the bag where Audrey was, which was strategically placed behind some boxes, and then squeezed to fit behind all of them, where there was almost no space. She tried to control her breathing and waited. Soon after she heard a noise and the van moved as if someone just placed something heavy inside it. After a while, the doors of the van closed and she was covered in darkness. Mina didn't move waiting for the engine to be and for the vehicle to move. As soon as it did the boxes dangling to her a little and she moved from her hiding spot and crushed on the floor letting her eyes get used to the darkness. She ped the bag closer to her and used her phone to illuminate the body inside. It was Audrey and Mina searched for her pulse on her neck because the woman didn't show any sign of life. Mina sighed of relief because she was definitely alive and then used her phone to try and call Taemin. However she had no signal and she cursed under her breath. That was what typically happened in horror movies and that was the worst of signs. Mina let herself fall back on the floor of the van and looked around hopeless in darkness. She had no idea where they were going but she could at least measure the time it took them to get there. She looked at the time on her phone and started counting the time as soon as she heard the van part from the gate after hearing Director Oh speak with the guards.

Once they reached their destination she was going to try and call Taemin again and even if she couldn't recognize the place they were at he would know more or less the distance it was from the mansion. It could take a while though so Mina stretched her legs in front of her and waited nervously.

A muffled sound startled her and then Mina realized Audrey was looking at her, now awake.

“I’m going to help you.” She whispered to Audrey, illuminating her face so that she could see her “I'm Taemin's girlfriend. Just don't tell her I am here ok?”

Audrey blinked her eyes in pain but that seemed like a nod. After she moved uncomfortably as if trying to see the rest of the van.

“Areum is here too. She is unconscious and hurt but I think she will be ok.” Mina didn't dare to walk to the other side of the van afraid to push some boxes down and make noise.

The van came to a halt then. Earlier than Mina expected and she stood up and barely had time to hide again behind the boxes realizing too late that she left Audrey’s bag ped.

Lee Sooman had a bad feeling. He entered his property and found several agents walking through the woods as if they were searching for something, meanwhile, he found no one guarding the entrance of the mansion and his family seemed to have gathered inside the living room.

Taemin was with his back to the main entrance, his hands on the pool table. Minho was beside him with his arms crossed and his gaze moved to the old man as soon as he entered the room. He wasn't the only that noticed the new presence in the room. Sooman’s daughter, Mi Jung was the only one who didn't notice him, standing beside the door to the small courtyard where Bora was playing with her dolls her eyes watching her daughter like a hawk as if she was scared she would disappear.

“What happened?” Sooman asked his eyes settling on Jonghyun that was beside the couch. He stepped aside and Sooman could see Kibum that raised his head from his hands, his face pale and Jinki that barely moved his eyes from his hands that seemed dirty with blood.

“Did you get hurt?” The old man asked stepping to his adopted son but Jonghyun stopped him.

“Where were you?” Mi Jung asked her father before she strode to hug him.

He hugged her back confused “I went to the cemetery to visit Jinki’s parents’ grave. “What happened?”

“We thought you disappeared too. That she hurt you too.”

“What? Who hurt?” The old man looked around the room again finally realizing that some members of his family weren't there. “Where are Audrey and Areum?”

Kibum ran a hand through his hair seeming in pain and Jinki flinched on his seat closing his hands into fists.

“We have no idea.” Jonghyun explained, “When we arrived we found out the mansion unprotected and several signs of a struggle in the kitchen and in the hallway that leads to the training quarters.”

“We also found blood.” Jinki said with a weak voice raising his hands.

“We believe it's Areum’s blood. Not enough for a deadly injury though.” Minho said uncrossing his arms “We searched the mansion, Jinki's house and Taemin’s and no sign of Areum, Audrey or Mina.”

Sooman let himself fall on the couch facing Kibum’s and Jonghyun patted his shoulder comforting him.

“Areum’s father and Mina's brother are safe.” Minho added “Due to the sign of a struggle inside the house we believe that they were taken against their will. Director Oh disappeared too. ”

“She was taken too?” Sooman asked and Kibum scoffed standing up from the couch. He walked around the room as if he wanted to punch someone.

“Actually…” Jonghyun started to speak but Jinki interrupted him.

“They were supposed to be safe here!” Jinki groaned and Sooman swallowed hard because he could now see his eyes. He looked like he has been crying but it was more than that, there was so much anger in pain there and he got reminded of the small boy that fiercely screamed at him when he pulled him out of the burning car, the same one that screamed in pain when the car with his parents exploded in front of his eyes. “My wife and sister. That took them from me.”

Jinki’s outburst made Taemin turn around and he grabbed his coat from the table and his bike keys. He almost got out of the door if not for Minho that stepped in front of him.

“Where do you think you are going?”

“I can't ing stay here while they are out there in the hands of god knows who. I'm going to ride around and ask some questions.”

“Not a good idea.” Jonghyun pointed out and Taemin groaned closing his eyes. Not only Jinki’s wife was in danger but his sister was too. He just found out about Audrey and now he was going to lose her again. He promised Jinki before that he would protect his happiness and there was also...Mina.

Every time he thought about her, about the moment he entered his house holding a blanket, a package of condoms and his bracelet to give to her and found the house empty, Taemin felt like exploding something up. He was the first one to search for her inside the mansion, the first one to ring the alarm and the one who had to held Jinki when he found the blood and realized that either his wife or sister were hurt.

“If they hurt Mina in any way I…” Taemin's voice failed him. He was scared. He was actually very scared. As scared as Jinki was and Kibum. He was human like them, he was very human like them.

Minho wrapped an arm around him as if he was a kid like he always did but this time around Taemin didn't push him away and let him guide him back to the middle of the living room close to the others.

“No one is going out doing crazy things. We need to think and decide what is the best thing to do, together. “

“But how? How could anyone have entered this house and…” Sooman wondered.

“You still can't see it right?” Kibum groaned placing Audrey’s phone on the table in front of Sooman and Jinki.

The dialogue between Audrey, Areum and Director Oh in Sooman’s office played once again, this time for Sooman since the others have heard it already.

“Audrey recorded it.” Kibum said after it ended “Areum hid it for us to find.”

“She couldn't have done this to me!” The old man cried. He knew about Sung Hi’s past, he knew about her fragilities but he always believed that the family and opportunities he gave her would make her be on their side. “I knew she had connections to Dokko, that her father died while working for them but..."

“You what?” Jinki glared at his adoptive father “You brought a snake into this house?! You still adopted her knowing who she was?”

“I gave her a second chance. She lost her mother very young and her father was killed during a mission because of SM so I thought..." He hesitated. It was probably madness to bring her to live in the same house where the son of the person who killed her father also lived "Maybe I should have done it differently but you don't know how much she was suffering and she had so much potential.”

Jinki bit his lower lip barely able to look at his father.

“I tried to save her like I saved you.”

“Like you saved my sister?” Jinki asked “You saved the daughter of a stranger and yet my sister was abandoned at an orphanage! When were you going to tell me about her? Would I even get to met her if it wasn't for Aeon?”

Sooman grabbed the arms of the couch taken aback. In the heat of the moment, he didn't even realize Jinki called Audrey his sister before. “You know?” His eyes moved to Jonghyun that widened his eyes.

“I didn't tell him.”

“He remembered everything.” Kibum breathed out exhausted.

“I was going to tell you of course. I was planning to tell you tonight, both of you.” Sooman tried to defend himself “I did what I did out of respect for your mother, she asked me to take Audrey away from this life, to make her grow up away from everything but it seemed destiny had other plans.”

“An orphanage?” Jinki asked with red eyes “She was alone…”

“I know and I regret it but I did it because that's what your mother wanted.”

“We have no time for this. “Kibum interrupted. They were going nowhere discussing that at the moment “We need to find Audrey. Right now she might be at Dokko's already.”

“I highly doubt it.” Ayeong said entering the room “I have contacts inside Dokko and they are in chaos right now. Aeon machine was stolen and probably by the same guy that got Audrey.”

“Whoever he is he seems to be related to Director Oh.” Minho supposed.

“Also he doesn't have a clear alliance. He is doing this for himself. He tried to make a deal with The King too. He wanted Jinki.” Taemin remarked.

“So he hates me?” Jinki concluded.

“Yes and wants Audrey because of the machine.” Kibum picked up Audrey's phone from the table.

“Or because of the fact she shares Jinki's blood.” Jonghyun remarked.

“Or that.” pondered Kibum “And yet...something doesn't seem right.” he frowned “Director Oh seems to have a crush on Jinki, she acted out of jealousy before too so why is she with this maniac?”

“Because she fell in love with him during her mission. One more reason to get rid of Areum.” Minho shrugged his shoulders not noticing anything weird there.

"Jinki's father was involved in the mission that got her father killed." Lee Sooman explained "She might be after revenge."

Jinki scoffed looking at the old man incredulous.

“Why get Mina though?” Kibum asked interrupting a possible argument between father and son “It makes no sense.”

“Maybe she was at the wrong place at the wrong time.” Minho answered back.

“Mina is…special.” Taemin said his words making his heart sting. She was so special to him “She has a good eye and she has been telling me about how she didn't trust Director Oh ever since she set foot in this house. Maybe she saw something.”

“It's all my fault in the end.” Jinki mumbled covering his face with his hands, he seemed to be in shock and Mi Jung sat by his side and wrapped an arm around him, holding his hand, just like she did so many years ago when they became brother and sister and he wasn't able to talk yet. “I led everyone to danger, I brought Areum into my messy life and I failed to protect my sister again!”

"Or mine. I ended up disappointing all of you." Sooman judged himself.

"It's no one's fault." Jonghyun said with a soft voice "You were only trying to do what you think it was right, the right thing. We had no idea this would happen and Jinki...Areum would have been a part of your world even if you didn't want to. She loves you, and we all failed to protect Audrey."

“He is right!" Mi Jung caressed Jinki's back "We all failed them. There is no point in thinking about that now, we will be able to save them and we need you to be strong. We need Onew now, we all do!”

Jinki rubbed his face seeming a bit lost and Mi Jung leaned her head against his shoulder comforting him.

All that was happening was too much for him. In a few hours, he found out he had a sister only to lose her again. And Areum…

Jinki closed his eyes for a few seconds and then stood up. She was right. He needed to save them and he needed to start acting already. “Alright, let's get to work...” He looked around the room at everyone looking at him in expectation and then his gaze fell on Jonghun in silence watching him.

“You are the one leading.” He smiled warmly at his best friend. He was always the leader at heart of the team, even if Jonghyun was the official one “Let's save them and kick this 's whoever he is.”

“So we need to find out more about Director Oh past and try and find out with whom she is working with.” Onew took control.

“I can work on that.” Sooman offered “I brought her here so I should be the one taking care of that.”

Jinki his lips barely looking at his adoptive father. He was hurt with him and for the moment he didn't want to think about all the years he hid the truth from him, about the sister he should have told him about.

“We also need to find out what files she copied to that pen and why.”

“I can do that.” Jonghyun raised his hand as if he was a kid at school but no one seemed to notice the adorable gesture already too used to it.

“We need to find out more about Aeon's disappearance and who stole it. Someone at Dokko must know.”

“I can take care of that! I will visit some people I met while I was at The Union. I'm sure one of them has an idea who stole Aeon and why. ” Ayeong offered and before Minho tried to push her away from that mission she added “Minho will come with me. He is the best bodyguard ever.”

“I will search Director Oh’s room and office.” Kibum offered. “If she is hiding something I will find it.”

“I will make some coffee for us, we might need it.” Mi Jung offered, grabbing Bora’s hand to lead her inside.

“We can report here if anyone finds anything.” Jinki informed and everyone stood up and left the room to start working. Jinki watched Mi Jung leave with Bora and then stood in silence in the room facing Taemin.

They were the only ones that seemed to have nothing to do and were now struggling with the feeling of powerlessness to save them.

“I'm going to pick up a map.” Taemin offered “Maybe you can hack the surveillance system and we can try and trace the places the van passed.”

“That's a good idea. I'll pick up my laptop.”

However before both left the room Taemin’s phone started ringing and he grabbed Jinki’s shoulder stopping him, his eyes wide while he looked at the caller id. He turned it to Jinki.

The caller was Mina.

- Earlier that afternoon -

The light bathed the interior of the van and Mina blinked her eyes and held her breath. She made a big mistake by leaving the bag open. Audrey was tied and it would be very hard for her to be able to it alone. Director Oh would notice that something was wrong and would catch her in the van. God knows what she would do to her then!

However after a few minutes when nothing seemed to happen Mina heard a bag being pulled out and the van was in complete darkness again.

She breathed out relieved and closed her eyes too scared to peek. The door of the van opened once again and Mina gasped placing her hand in front of .

Another bag was pulled out and the door was closed once again.

Now she was completely alone inside the van but she didn't dare to move. Mina waited patiently, her eyes on the screen of her phone. She gave it at least two minutes before she crawled out of her hiding place and to the door of the van, carefully to not make anything fall. She was sweating and her neck was itchy but Mina didn't stop until her hand touched the door of the van. She kneeled next to it and fumbled around until she found the door’s handle. Before opening it she leaned her ear against the door and waited in silence. There seemed to be no sound coming from outside so she risked it, hoping that the door of the van wasn't closed or she would boil inside it and won't be able to do anything since it seemed like she had no signal on her phone at all inside it. Mina wondered if that was a special van SM used in their missions and therefore protected in some way.

She prayed to herself and tried to open the door. To her relief it wasn't locked so she was able to peak outside, the light making her furrow her brow and cover her eyes. She seemed to be inside a huge garage of a factory. No one was around but that wasn't the only vehicle there. A black old car was beside the van but was also empty.

Mina swang her legs outside the van, closed the door again and then crouched behind it. She peeked under the van and walked around it trying to see the bags where Audrey or Areum were. She saw nothing besides an open door at the end of the garage.

She grabbed her phone again and checked if she had any signal. It was weak so Mina wasn't sure she would be able to call Taemin at all. Maybe she had to find a way out before. Besides, she had no idea what to tell him, since she didn't know where she was yet. The only information she could give him was that they were only around fifteen-twenty minutes away from the Lee Sooman’s property.

Mina checked the entrance of the garage but it was closed and opening it would make too much noise so instead, she strode to the open door and peeked. It lead to a big corridor and silently as she could she entered the factory peeking at every corner. It was deserted and seemed awful leading her to believe that it was empty for a long time. However, she could see here and there some abandoned boxes with what seemed like pills inside that were in a good condition, therefore recent.

Mina grabbed one bottle with pills and rotated it on her hand trying to find a name or address or a brand that could make her understand where she was but besides the components it had nothing which made no sense to her. Maybe that was an illegal factory. SHINee was known for dismantling thousands of factories that produced illegal medicine or drugs. Maybe that was one of them. Mina checked her phone again. She tried to call Taemin but the signal was too weak so she gave up on it and risked exploring more of the factory. She still had 30% of battery but she had to save it because she had no idea how long she would stay there.

Usually, in horror movies, they play that kind of music that make goosebumps appear on the back of your neck but in real life, there is no music and it is way scarier.

The silence was what scared Mina the most. She was used to the sound of men screaming of pain, or her father's thugs fighting or arguing, screaming obscenities at each other, or to her brother crying, or to her music playing loudly so she wouldn't hear all of that. But silence was the scariest thing ever when she was home. It meant her father didn't want to be disturbed, it meant he had visits - usually the lowest scam on Earth - or that he was planning something special horrific, just like when he kidnaped Taemin or killed her mother.

So Mina actually wanted to hear some noise, to find some sign of life so that she could avoid going that way.

If only she could find a way out or a place from where she could call Taemin successfully. In the middle of the hallway were stairs that lead to the upper floor and she used them and stopped at the entrance of what seemed like an office and peeked inside. It was an old office like she suspected but it still had a laptop and an old couch but more importantly, it had a window. Mina ran to the window to peek outside and much to her surprised she could actually see Lee Sooman’s property from there up the hill. She was so close. Weird how Director Oh was risking being so close to the mansion. She was either insane or extremely cocky thinking that the team wouldn't find them. Mina swallowed hard and then looked down. There was a door exactly under it and it seemed open. No one was in sight so she could leave through it. She turned around and hesitated. Yes, the couch was old but it had a pillow on it that seemed to have been used to sleep and the computer was recent. Someone was living there, close, waiting and watching the mansion from afar probably planning a revenge. The thought made goosebumps on her arms so she decided to get out of there and then figure out what exactly was happening later. Mina went back and down the stairs and left through the main door that was wide open.

No one seemed to be outside so she swiftly ran across the small empty parking lot until she reached the small gatekeeper house. The door was closed so she couldn't enter it so instead she hid behind it and checked her phone. She had reception, not the best since they were almost in the middle of nowhere, deep in the woods, even farther away from the city than the mansion but it would do. Soon Taemin would be there and he would make things right again. He was her Ace after all.

Audrey moved around the bathroom touching every brick trying to find a lose one or something that would give her an idea of how to leave that place but to no avail. Besides a dirty vent on the ceiling and a small window with bars, they had no other way out of that room besides the door that was locked ever since Director Oh left them there. Mina didn't show up yet so they also had no idea where she was. Hopefully she went to call for help.

Areum was sitting on the blanket on the floor, the one that Director Oh left for them eyeing the tray with food and water suspiciously.

“She didn't poison it.” Audrey said sitting beside Areum. “She would have killed us already if she wanted, no need for poison. She wants us alive.”

“I‘m hungry but I don't trust her, she might want to kill my baby.”

“That's true.” Audrey sighed caressing her friend's shoulder. ”How is your head?”

The wound on her forehead stopped bleeding already and the blood was now dry covering one side of Areum’s face up to her cheek.

“I'm alright. My back hurts a little but I'll be fine. We need to get out of here.”

That was a given but that seemed impossible at the moment and both sulked in silence until Audrey broke it.

“What were you going to ask Lee Sooman?” It seemed like it all happened a long time ago and yet it was only a few hours since she found out she had a brother and Areum acted weirdly.

“This might sound crazy but I think I know who your brother is.”

“Really?” Audrey's eyes illuminated.

“It’s funny but I ended up loving the same smile, the same eyes.” Areum chuckled and Audrey frowned. “You are extremely slow Lee Audrey. You are supposed to be a genius.”

“Ya! Tell me!”

“I married your brother Audrey. I'm your sister in law.”

Audrey’s smile faded and she opened and closed incredulous “You mean Jinki?” It couldn't be! It was true that his parents died in a car crash and he was adopted but he never mentioned a sister. Besides her parents died in a fire right?

“That can't be true. It makes no sense right?”

“It does make sense.” Areum explained “You both lost your parents really early and in an accident. Jinki’s parent's car blew up Audrey, so maybe that's the fire you recall and both your mothers are french. Both your parents worked with Lee Sooman, besides in that picture, that little boy is exactly like Jinki was when he was little. He might not remember you because he tried so hard to forget. Audrey, you are his sister.”

What Areum was saying was slowly making sense. Also, Audrey couldn't forget that night when she almost died for real when they tried to fake her death. How she remembered her mother sing for the first time when she was unconscious how warm hands grabbed hers, how Jinki saved her from the fire.

She felt safe, it felt familiar and now she knew why.

All along she knew but couldn't connect all the dots.

“Jinki is my brother.”

Areum nodded with a smile and hugged her friend.

The moment would be more festive if they weren't hurt and prisoners of a mad woman.

“I wish we could go back in time.” Areum said “that we could save your parents. Right now you would be living happily with Jinki. There wouldn't be any secrets. If only it was possible to use Aeon and do it!”

Audrey pulled Areum away and shook her head negatively. ”No. We can never use it. It's impossible to change a past so far away. We shouldn't. It's different when it's something that just happened but something that happened so many years ago, it shouldn't be changed.”

“Why?”

“Because then I wouldn't be the Audrey I am now, you wouldn't be the Areum you are now, or even Jinki. We wouldn't have met and you wouldn't have married Jinki or get pregnant.”

“You don't know that. It could have happened only under different circumstances.”

“Or not and I don't want to risk it even if it means seeing my parents again. Some things are not supposed to be changed. Things happen for a reason I believe that.”

Areum was surprised with Audrey’s line of thought. She was the one who built Aeon, the one who created the chance for things in the past to be changed.

“But then Aeon and what you built..."

“I should never have built it but maybe there is a reason I did and a reason I gave the key to you.”

“What?” Areum always thought that that was only a lie she made up to make SHINee protect her.

“You are the only one who can use it Areum, the only one I trust to make the best decision when it comes to it.”

“I'm the worst person at making decisions and you know that! I always go after what my heart tells me to do, I don't follow reason, I'm crazy, I married a man I barely knew and was a secret agent and…”

“You befriended a girl everyone hated just because you felt like it was the right thing to do.” Audrey grabbed Areum’s hand “And for that, I am forever thankful. If you look back at what you did, was any of those crazy ideas a bad decision at all?”

“Well, I almost killed Jinki and you last time…”

“But you didn't and your wedding got even stronger, you forgave me and things went well and Minho got to met Nana thanks to you.”

Areum frowned “You are looking at this as if the glass is half full but…”

“I know what I am saying. I am a genius after all. You have a good moral compass and a perfect intuition. If there is someone I trust to make the right decision, one that won't hurt anyone in the process then it's you. For a long time you were my only family, sometimes you might take the longest and dangerous route but in the end, I'm sure you always end up doing the right thing. It all started when I met you. Aeon wouldn't be here if not for you. So I believe that you are the one that should make the decision to use it or not and how.”

Audrey swallowed hard trying to contain her emotions. She probably wouldn't be there either. She always felt so lonely so lost and god knows what she could have done if Areum didn't show up with her yellow umbrella and purple old sneakers. She pushed Audrey to study, to do better, to try and be happy. It was a miracle that Areum crossed her path and made her want to keep going, to follow her dreams.

Audrey touched the bracelet on her arm and smiled. It was the one that had the Eiffel tower and a small key, the one Kibum gave to her. A long time ago Areum was the key that opened Audrey’s heart and mind for a possible bright future and now thanks to that she actually met Key. She would have found the pun funny if she didn't miss him. He was probably extremely worried about her, trying to find a way to track her whereabouts. He was going to be so mad and scold her for being careless when he found them.

Areum bit her lower lip not seeming convinced and Audrey patted her hand warmly, her eyes drifting around the room as if searching for a way out as if it could magically appear while they were talking.

Areum’s thoughts were a mess, filled with her worries about their present situation, Aeon and the conversation they just had and her awful decisions from the past. That's why she forgot to ask Audrey where the key she gave to her was. Not that she intended to use Aeon ever. It was too scary to think about the possible mistakes she would make that would change the present if she went to the past. Besides she didn't want to go back at all, only if it was to hit Director Oh with a shovel before she had the idea to kidnap them.

- Present time -

“Answer it!”

They didn't have a way to track the call since Jinki didn't have his laptop with him yet and waiting would be too dangerous. They couldn't miss that chance. It could be the kidnapper setting a meeting or making demands.

Taemin answered the call and put it on speaker so that both could listen.

“Mina?”

“Taemin.” Mina’s voice made the younger man sigh of relief.

“Are you ok? Where are you?”

“I followed Director Oh...Audrey and Areum are fine...I don't know where they are…” There were some interferences and Taemin frowned.

“I can't hear you well. Where are you? Describe it to me!”

“It’s...big...and not far away….maybe 20 minutes.”

“What is big?”

“It's a big factory! Maybe twenty minutes from there.”

“Good good. That's a really good job!” Taemin praised her and Jinki immediately grabbed his phone and started typing.

“Can you tell the name of the factory?”

“I don't know.” She seemed nervous and he barely could hear her as if her voice was being muffled “...someone is here…”

“Who is there?” Taemin tried to keep calm but somehow this time he simply couldn't. “Mina?”

“Someone lives...pills…boxes. Maybe drugs…”

“Mina I can't hear you.”

There was a muffled sound and then the call ended.

“!” Taemin stared at his phone and tried to call back hoping that Mina remembered to take the sound off of her phone.

No one answered after several rings so he tried once again but the call didn't pass through saying the phone was turned off.

“They probably got her.”

Jinki left the living room in quick strides and Taemin followed him, anger settling in every cell of his body. He was ready to go out and he was going to find her and punish whoever dared to take her.

“I need my laptop.” Jinki declared his eyes on his phone “But I already have a list of abandoned factories around the perimeter she mentioned. She talked about drugs and pills so we need to search for factories that produced them.”

“Maybe from Dokko.” Taemin suggested and Jinki nodded.

“There are only 3 of them around.”

“Guess we know where to go.”

The corners of Onew’s lips moved into a tense smile “Guess we do.”

“!” Mina stared at her phone as if it was a brick. She felt like it was because the only damn thing it had to do right - which was a stupid phone call in case of emergency - was the thing it was failing at.

Maybe if she moved to another place with more signal. Damn, she had so much signal there though, it was weird how it wasn't working anywhere. She barely gave a few steps when she saw Director Oh pointing a gun with a silencer at her, a weird device in her other hand.

“Cell Phones don't work that well when you are near to this.” She said placing the device in the pocket of her blue coat. She had a bandage around her head now and seemed to have gained some color. “Throw me the phone please.”

Mina hesitated. She could try and run from her but she would shoot her for sure.

“Mina don't try anything funny. I don't want to hurt you. I barely know you, you have nothing to do with what we plan to do so please only do as I say and you can go freely.”

Mina frowned “I've known my share of lousy people so I know that it rarely goes that way.”

“It does this time. You can go home, you have my word.”

Mina chuckled “I don't think it's worth that much.”

Mina’s phone vibrated in her hand and she was sure it was Taemin even though she didn't check the caller's id.

“You are lucky I was the one who found you.” Director Oh said gently and Mina saw herself peek over that woman's shoulder as if she was expecting someone to pop up and kill her. “He would have killed you. He doesn't mind killing but I do. So give me the phone.”

There was nothing she could do and was pointless to keep going so Mina threw the phone that fell at Director Oh's feet. The woman stared at it for a while, watching it vibrate slightly on the floor and then shoot it.

Mina stared at what was before her phone and the ticket to salvation with a desolated expression.

“Take off your shoes.” Director Oh ordered and Mina crouched slowly and untied her sneakers before she stepped out from them and placed her feet on the ground. Her socks didn't protect her skin from the gravel and she flinched with the pain.

“Go.” Director Oh order made Mina widen her eyes. Did she mean it? Was that a trick? Would she shoot her as soon as she turned back?

“You would never let me go. You can't risk me telling SHINee about this place.”

The older woman smiled “You won't reach the mansion in time and even if you do they would never find anything here. There are more to the walls than what it seems.”

Mina looked behind her, the gravel road calling her to freedom.

“Go! I’m already hurting him too much by taking two people he loves. If his brother is hurting too then…” The older woman her lips suddenly shutting up. She was saying too much. “Go before I regret it.”

Mina backed away slowly, ignoring the pain under her feet and since the other woman didn't seem to be lying she turned around and started running the best she could, her feet hurting like hell.

She left the factory and turned around to check its name. It was pointless now that she didn't have her phone and they were in the middle of the woods anyway. No cars were passing by and she was at least 20 minutes by car from the mansion. Mina cried hesitating in the middle of the abandoned road. She could either find her way back to the mansion or hope for a car to pass by and help her or she could go back and try to save Audrey and Areum alone - hoping that Taemin had enough to figure out where they were.

Director Oh was still where she left her, her eyes on Mina and she realized she wasn't going to leave, making sure she would truly go away. If she didn't she would probably shoot her.

“I’ll bring help,” Mina said to herself and then started running in the direction she thought that the mansion was.

“This is the last one.” Jinki said closing the driver's door and following Kibum that raised his eyes to the windows on the upper floor. “Jonghyun and Taemin said the other ones were empty.”

Kibum didn't say anything and walked closer to the big building. That was once a small furniture factory that was turned into a place to make drugs. He remembered dismantling it, just before he found out where Gi was.

“Should we check inside?” Jinki asked not waiting for Kibum’s answer, marching ahead of him, getting his gun ready.

Kibum followed him slower his eyes still on the windows trying to find some movement. That was the last place they had to inspect, their last hope to find Audrey. After that, they would need to search for other clues, or wait for another possible call from Mina. there was also Minho and Ayeong. Hopefully, they would find out something.

“Kibum?” Jinki cleaned his sweaty temple and Kibum fastened his steps to reach him. Both entered the building and split to search it faster and also because Jinki was a pile of nerves and Kibum was trying to keep calm so he wouldn't miss something important. His friend was out of focus. The events of that day were taking a big toll on Jinki and he was visibly affected in a deep way.

Kibum was in charge of the first floor so he checked all rooms and even peeked at the windows as if he had a feeling that someone was watching him. He didn't find any sign of life or the girls but found a room with a laptop recently used - that he took with him - and a couch that seemed to have been used to sleep. It was probably remainings of some drug dealer but they needed to be thorough.

“I checked around the building and the garage.” Jinki said from downstairs and Kibum peeked at the door.

“And?”

“No van, nothing.” Kibum watched a very frustrated Jinki enter the warehouse downstairs and then entered the room with the couch again.

He approached the window and looked outside. It was a beautiful and warm sunny day and everything was silent, too silent.

He looked up and moved his hands around the windowsill as if he expected to find something but nothing seemed out of ordinary so Kibum went to the couch next and checked it. A small notebook was between the pillows of the couch and he picked it up. It looked old and the cover was black and plain. Kibum leafed through it hoping to find the contacts of some junkie or dealer and he wasn't too far from it. He was going to close it when he reached the last page. A beautiful pencil drawing of a baby was in it and Kibum widened his eyes. In the lower right corner, it had the signature of the person who did it and he could recognize easily Gi’s signature.

“Did you find anything?” Jinki asked from the door peeking over Kibum’s shoulder.

He turned around and showed him the notebook. “This belonged to Gi, well it did before.”

“How?”

Kibum frowned “She once worked with Dokko and they were here so…” Kibum trailed off. That notebook had years, the notebook was hers once upon a time.

“It's a baby.” Jinki remarked and Kibum nodded both knowing that that drawing represented Gi’s son.

“We should take it and the laptop to check back home. It might have nothing to do with the present mission but…”

Jinki nodded and then grabbed the notebook from Kibum’s hand. He ripped the page with the drawing and gave it to Kibum.

“Keep it. We don't need it and it has a special meaning to you.” He took the laptop then and walked down the stairs leaving Kibum behind looking at the drawing. He folded it carefully and placed it in his pocket and followed Jinki.

It has been half an hour since they arrived and they found nothing. No sign of the girls or anyone. Besides that room, everything seemed deserted.

Jinki left the building with a heavy heart and instead of walking to the car immediately he crouched outside in defeat. Kibum stopped by his side covering his eyes with his hand from the sun, still watching the front of the building.

Jinki looked at him “What's wrong?”

“I just have a feeling.”

“A feeling?” Jinki stood up. He felt nothing it was only a sad looking factory and another pointless place that made them waste time when they should be searching for his wife and sister. Jinki groaned failing to see what Kibum was seeing and kicked a pebble before going back to the car. Anger and frustration were destroying him and he couldn't control it anymore. He was going to kill the person that took them.

Kibum sighed and then turned around and followed Jinki. Yet he felt uneasy and looked at the building one last time when the car passed the gates that lead outside. Nothing, and yet he wanted to stay there longer as if something told him to. Maybe finding that sign of Gi was messing up with him but it was as if deep inside she was sending him a message, telling him to not give up on the most important person to him. Audrey needed him and he was doing his best but...

“I was never the kind to follow only my intuition.” he mumbled still eyeing the building hoping to see anything else. “Maybe we are missing something. Maybe we should have checked all the perimeter twice.”

“Maybe.” Jinki agreed. He was starting to get desperate and the idea of going back home didn't please him. He couldn't be home doing nothing while someone that hated him had the most precious people to him. “Should we go back?”

“No.” Kibum turned to the front “No. Let's meet the others and see if they found out anything instead.

- Earlier that day-

Areum’s nose bumped against the small window with bars that they had over the toilet in the bathroom. To reach it Areum had to climb on the toilet and they barely had space for one to do it so Audrey sat on the floor instead, watching her friend keeping watch.

“Even if we see someone they won't ear us.” she complained sadly. It was soundproof - Director Oh purposely told them earlier so they wouldn't try to scream - and extremely small so they mostly could see only the feet of someone walking by. “I guess this is some sort of basement.”

Areum grabbed the bar of the window and sulked. “I wonder for how long we will stay here. I'm hungry.”

“Maybe you should eat the food she left for us.”

Areum moved her hand over her stomach and reconsidered it but she was too scared to hurt that baby. She would have to wait longer and hope that they would find a way out of there.

“OH!” Hope came in the shape of a car parking outside. She could see the back of it. “Someone came!”

Mina called for help.

Audrey quickly climbed on the toilet seat and Areum moved to give her space. They did their best to try and see their possible saviors.

“Jinki!” Areum called even though they only could see Kibum leaving the car which made Audrey gasp “he must be there too.”

She giggled happily when he came into vision, well half of him since she couldn't see his face. “I could never miss that perfect !” Areum's comment made Audrey laugh and her eyes moved to Kibum’s - now she could only see his legs and too. She blushed realizing that she would also recognize him through his .

“True love right?” Areum asked realizing what Audrey was thinking. Both girls laughed too happy that they were finally going to be saved. “I knew they would come for us!”

They knocked on the window but of course, they didn't listen and instead they saw them walk away and out of their vision.

Areum stood by the window looking hopefully at the car but Audrey wasn't that optimistic.

“What if they don't find us here? “

“Why wouldn't they?”

“You weren't conscious when she brought you down here. I was. I walked here. It's hidden Areum. It’s a hidden door.”

“They are secret agents they must be used to it all the time, besides they know we are here right? They won't give up.” Yet doubt was growing inside her and Areum came down from the toilet seat and sat on it instead. “What can we do? They won't hear us even if we make noise. This is damn soundproof.”

Audrey climbed into the seat again and once again peeked outside. The car was there. As long as they were on the property they still had hope.

“What to do?!” Areum asked once again.

Audrey had no idea and turned around on the seat. Maybe if they found something to try and break the window. They wouldn't be able to leave because of the bars but they would be able to scream and they would hear them. But was it possible for them to actually break it?

That's when she noticed the vent over the toilet, just above her head.

“We could try to use this to go outside!”

Areum stood up and pondered the suggestion.

“We need to unscrew the vent cover though and see if we can fit inside.

“We can do it.” Areum said. “And it's probably old maybe they screws are rusty.”

Audrey moved her fingers around the vent until she found a place wide enough for her to stick her fingers and pull. At first nothing seemed to happen but after Areum joined her the screws moved on the holes and once they had enough space between it and the vent they rotated them with their fingers and opened the ventilation tunnel.

“We did it! Take that Oh !” Areum checked if the car was still outside and then turned to Audrey. “You should go. You are smaller and I'm hurt. You will be faster this time.”

Audrey looked a the dark tunnel uncertain and she would lie if she said that crawling inside a dark creepy old vent didn't scare her but it was their only chance.

Audrey hugged her friend and then Areum helped her climb up to the vent.

Audrey's heart was like a drum while she crawled inside the vent. She could feel her hands getting dirty with dust and at some times her eyes stung and she had to close them. The tunnel started to get darker and darker and she feared to never find a way out and die inside it. Maybe that was a bad idea after all. At one point she closed her eyes and just moved forward, the feeling of claustrophobia assaulting her in an overwhelming way. Then she reached a crossway. On her left, she saw light so she moved there instead. It didn't matter where it lead as long as it lead outside. That's when she realized a flaw in their plan. Who would open the vent on the other side for her to leave? Audrey groaned now hoping someone was in that room, now hoping that that someone was Kibum or Jinki and not one of the bad guys.

She finally reached the opening, her knees already aching and peeked outside. She was on the ceiling of what looked like a small room. It was mostly empty and she could see a broom in the corner.

Audrey pushed the vent cover with all strength but it didn't move. She could either keep crawling and try to find another place or force that one open with her weight. It was old like the bathroom one so maybe it would open. She would fall to the floor and get hurt but she would at least leave that place.

Audrey kneeled on top of the vent and pushed it with her knees. After some tries and when she was already reaching her limit and thinking she would be stuck forever in that ventilation tunnel the vent opened and she fell, her upper body hitting the side of the hole making her cry in pain. Audrey tried to release herself slowly but her ankle failed her and she fell on her grabbing her ankle in pain. Ever since she got hurt and had to be carried by Kibum it never healed completely. She got up and even though she was in pain she did her best to walk to where she thought that was the entrance to the building. She was too scared to scream Jinki’s or Kibum’s name but once she saw the main door and both men walking to the car she fastened her step groaning in pain and screamed Kibum’s name.

He didn't hear her and both entered the car. Audrey ran in despair to the door, screaming their names but before she reached it someone pulled her by one arm away from the field of vision of the car and into an embrace, a hand muffling her screams for help.

“We meet again Audrey.”

She widened her eyes recognizing the voice.

“There are so many things I want to talk with you, I hope you understand why I can't let you go yet. Shall I visit Areum too? I bet she misses me. We got particularly close last time we met.”

Pan Sin Wan was doing well on the slot machines. He preferred to play cards usually but his sneaky tricks were already very known around all the clandestine casinos. That left only the old illegal slot machines left.

It was true that he had a gambling problem ever since he started working for Dokko and serving as a weasel spying on every illegal casino in the city.

Pan pulled the lever once again and watched the several symbols move on the screen. He lost this time and he groaned hitting the machine. A tall muscled guy that worked for the casino looked at him fiercely and Pan smiled at him weakly. One more of that and they would kick him out.

“Hi.” A beautiful woman with dark hair placed a hand on his shoulder and Pan tensed.

“Nana! I thought you were dead!”

“Me? No. I just quit the business.” Pan was one of the most disgusting men she ever had to sleep with but at least he was harmless and the best of it all, he couldn't keep a secret. “Are you working?”

Pan his lips his eyes moving down Nana’s body. She was hot and extraordinary good in bed and that evening she was wearing a very short red dress that didn't leave too much to the imagination.

“N-no. Not right now.”

“Good. I need you.” Nana bit her lower lip seductively and leaned forward giving Pan more to look at in her chest area. Her perfume made him close his eyes and he swallowed hard making her grin because he was still the same ert idiot she knew. “Can you help me?”

“What will you give me in exchange?” He asked like she knew he would.

“You will see soon. Meet me outside behind the ally.”

She turned around and deliberately walked slowly out of the casino giving him enough time to stare at her .

Nana walked to the back of the ally and her boyfriend took his earpiece and frowned at her.

“What?”

“You let him look at your cleavage didn't you?”

Ayeong chuckled wrapping an arm around Minho and gave him a very noisy kiss that seemed to make him relax.

“We are working. We need to do this. It's looking, not touching.”

“Alright.” Minho sulked knowing that that was necessary. Her body was the bait to make him come out from the casino. “I hope this works.”

“It will.” Nana released Minho and both waited in silence. Soon steps were heard and a voice called for Nana.

She placed a finger in front of her lips and pushed Minho back so that Pan wouldn't see him. He furrowed his brow clearly jealous and she left her hiding place to meet Pan that was already ing his pants. Oh, Minho was going to kill him.

“Wait!” She raised her hand stopping the ert “Before that, I need an information.”

“About?”

“I need to know who stole Aeon from Dokko.”

Pan freaked out almost immediately and started to step back but before the weasel had time to run away Minho pushed him against the wall grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.

“Oh, ...SHINee.”

“Oh, you know me….nice!” Minho seemed delighted that he was already known as a part of the team. It felt good to be feared by the scumbag.

Ayeong placed a hand beside Pan's head that seemed terrified and spoke softly to him.

“I work with them now and well…” She caressed Minho’s arm “He is my boyfriend and very pissed that you seemed to want to have something physical with me. I'm not the same from before you know. I'm a one man's woman now and he gets very jealous sometimes to the point he can break things…”

Pan trembled looking at Minho apologetically “I'm sorry. I didn't know.”

Minho didn't say anything, instead he let Ayeong speak. That approach seemed to be working.

“If you tell us what we need to know I might convince him to let you go unbroken.”

“I can't tell you that. He will kill me.”

“Who will? The one who stole it?” Minho asked.

“He...he worked for Dokko for a while but in reality he betrayed them.”

“The guy has guts.” Betraying Dokko and actually being successful at it means something.

“He only wanted to know more about you.”

“Me?” Minho asked confused.

“No...SHINee...That's why he entered Dokko…”

“So he didn't want the machine?” Ayeong asked “He wanted to get closer to SHINee. Why steal the machine though?”

“Closer to Onew.”

“He wants to get back in time and change the past.” Pan said struggling to get free.

“Who is this guy?” Minho demanded.

“He will kill me if he finds out I told you.”

“Not If I kill you first.” Minho grunted and raised a hand to punch Pan that cried in fear.

T“Baek Seok!” The name didn't mean anything to Ayeong and since Minho’s face was blank it also meant nothing also.

“Who is that? I've never heard of him and I'm sure I know all the iest people in this town.”

“That's because he never uses his real name. You know him by his agent name!”

Minho moved his fist again and the weasel screamed the agent's name.

Minho released Pan and he took that chance to run off the alley. Ayeong looked at Minho nervously, both having the same incredulous reaction.

“Didn't we kill him?”

Areum was desperate with worry. She saw the car with Jinki and Kibum drive away and there was no sign of Audrey for a long time now. She tried to climb in the ventilation tunnel alone, tried to scream for her name and even banged on the door but nothing.

She was already thinking that the worse happened when the door of the room opened and a man entered. He wasn't dressed in black like the last times she saw him and instead was wearing a casual attire that made him seem like the friendly neighbor or the person that sits beside you on the train. Yet Areum covered horrified and stepped back scared of that man that could be a ghost.

He stretched his arms on each side of him as if he wanted to hug her and Areum slowly let her hand uncover .

“I'm alive. Isn't it a miracle?” The man chuckled “Last time we saw each other you and Jinki beat me up and left me to die in an explosion. But guess what? Someone saved me, my faithful Sung Hi.”

“Director Oh.”

He made a sound with his tongue and stepped into the room “That's just the stupid identity she assumed at Sooman's mansion. So, did you miss me?”

“Why are you doing this?”

“What I did all my life was with only one thing in mind, the same thing your husband always wanted: revenge.” He stepped closer to Areum that wasn't able to move, why even try?! She was a prisoner, she had nowhere to run to. “His parents killed mine and when Dokko tried to retaliate he and his sister survived. It wasn't fair when I lost both my parents, when I lost my older sister. Why did both of them survive? Why did he had more luck than me?”

“It's not his fault or yours, you were kids and…”

“You don't know anything! You didn't grow up alone with the shadow of your dead family over you.”

Areum bit her lower lip her eyes settling behind the man. The door from where he came was open.

“Why didn't you kill us yet then? Me and Audrey?”

“Kill? No, I'm not the one killing you. Onew will do it.”

Areum trembled. What kind of twisted dark plan did that man think of?

“He won't ever hurt us what are you talking about?!”

“Isn't that the best way to get my revenge? Leave him with the guilt of being the reason you died? And then take all he has left from him, like his precious newly found sister.”

Areum didn't answer instead she sprinted forward trying to pass beside the man and reach the door. However, he grabbed her when she was passing and pulled her closer to him in an embrace that pushed all air from inside Areum that looked at him terrified with the position they were in. She was never that close to him before, her face inches from his, all her body pressed against his in an embrace that had nothing of being romantic.

“You take me lightly. I trained for years just like your husband. We are two sides of a coin. But why do I have to be always on the odd side? This time we are going to play my game. I’ll call it…” He looked at her in thought “I’ll use my agent name and call it the Smoke game!” He chuckled and Areum placed her hands on his chest and tried to push herself away from him “Like smoke Onew’s perfect life will slowly disappear.”

“Still nothing?” Jonghyun asked Taemin that shook his head negatively.

They arrived a few minutes ago after failed searches and that was probably the tenth time Taemin tried to call Mina and nothing. The younger man started pacing around the hall and Jonghyun looked at him without knowing what to say. Time was ticking and there was no sign of the kidnappers yet. They had no new lead to follow either.

Mi Jung back hugged Jonghyun sensing his frustration and both moved their eyes to the door when Jinki and Kibum entered.

Taemin halted also searching for answers in the other two men’s face but the desolation in there matched theirs so Taemin restarted his nervous walk around the room.

“We didn't find anything,” Jinki mumbled barely stepping inside the room. He felt sick. Not because he barely ate anything since breakfast but because he had a bad feeling and knew that something terrible was going to happen soon.

He didn't share his worries with the others but Jinki was barely able to keep that angst inside of him. Before he had Areum to share his worries with, she became that person to him and now he had a feeling he was going to lose her.

“I found out what was on the pen.” Jonghyun informed the others “She stole the files of several agents that were involved in the death of some Dokko agents around the period Jinki’s parents died.” Jonghyun took a deep breath “I believe that she is after revenge against them. The ones who killed her father and another man that might be the one your parents killed.”

“A revenge against me and Audrey, because of our parents. Do we have a name yet?”

“No, I’m sorry.”

“What will she do with the files?” Kibum asked, “What is in it?”

“All the personal information of the agent, family included.”

“That's not good. They are in danger.”

“That's why Lee Sooman is working on it right now. Most of these agents are either dead or retired living normal lives with their families. Don't worry. They were warned and are being protected. She won't be able to do anything with those files. Thanks to Audrey who recorded it to warn us, and Areum who hid it.”

“My smart girlfriend...” Kibum said with a grin that soon faded. His girlfriend, the one that made him go crazy and the same one that made him admit to himself that he had fallen in love a second time. He couldn't lose her. He wouldn't let it happen and yet he was now powerless without knowing what to do next.

Jinki was probably thinking and feeling the same because he leaned against the wall of the room as if he was going to faint soon. Before Kibum approached him or asked him if he was feeling alright Minho entered the room with firm steps.

“We are here!” Minho announced arriving with Ayeong and all eyes fell on them, hoping that he brought some news that would let them believe that there was still time to save both Areum and Audrey unhurt. “We know who kidnapped Areum and Audrey and stole Aeon.”

“He did it out of revenge.” Ayeong confirmed their initial suspicions. “He hates you Onew! Whatever you did to him in the past was awful.”

Jinki rubbed his chin nervously. All those hours after the girls disappeared he spent them either searching for them or thinking of anyone that would possibly hate him that much. Several names pooped up and he did search their whereabouts and none of them could have possibly kidnapped them.

“Also, get ready. “Minho his lips “We got his name, real one, and agent one.” Minho paused just to be sure everyone was hearing him “Smoke.”

Jinki ran a hand through his hair. Of course! His body disappeared that day. He shared a worried look with Taemin that closed his hands into fists. Why didn't they think of him before?!

“Smoke hates me?!” Jinki could think of several reasons why he hates him. He always ruined his missions but still, was that enough for such hatred?! “Is he related with the Dokko agents killed?”

“We should do a background check on him.” Jonghyun grabbed his tablet and put his glasses on “What's his real name?” Minho approached him and both started searching it.

Jonghyun his lips "His father was a Dokko agent. He died during a mission in the early phases of Aeon research." He raised his eyes to Jinki "Your father killed him. Later his mother and sister died in a robbery gone wrong to a convenience store. He was adopted by a family and...wow." Minho peeked at what Jonghyun was reading.

"He was adopted by Sung Hi's aunt, Director Oh's aunt. That's how they met and found they had someone else in common."

Jinki. Both learned to hate Jinki and SM.

They were in the middle of these discoveries when a car parked outside and Sooman came out of it.

“Dad!” Mi Jung ran outside. “I thought you were downstairs at SM headquarters.”

“I was until I got an interesting message of one of our other agents that found someone in the road in the middle of the woods completely lost and I had to go pick up this special guest.”

He offered his hand to a woman that came out of the car as if she was a princess. Yet she placed her dirty and hurt bare feet on the stairs, so unlike a princess and climbed them up slowly her eyes on Taemin that once noticed her presence run to meet her. He hugged her too tightly that she gasped surprised and with lack of oxygen.

“I'm fine Taemin. I'm fine.”

He pulled away from the hug and Mina caressed his cheek unable to move her eyes away from his passionate gaze. If she doubted his love now she was sure of it. Taemin would never have shown so much affection in front of everyone if he wasn't scared to lose her.

“You need to go save them. I know where they are, I was in the van and…” Mina’s words came out messy and she tried to go inside the mansion but Taemin moved an arm under her knees and gracefully pulled her up in his arms and carried her bridal style inside the mansion.

“Where?” Kibum asked. That was all that mattered at the moment, they had time to ask what happened later.

“It’s a factory. I can point it on a map I think.”

Jonghyun showed her one in his tablet and Mina looked at it trying to figure out the roads she walked through.

“We found you here.” Sooman pointed in the map and Mina - that memorized every turn she made - did the opposite trajectory, her hand moving over the map. “Here! It's here!”

“There is a factory there. It's the one Jinki and Kibum checked.”

“It was empty.” Jinki groaned. That needed to be a mistake.

“It has a secret passageway. She mentioned it. Director Oh she…”

Jinki and Kibum didn't listen to the rest since they ran out. Minho cursed and him and Jonghyun - still holding the tablet - followed them quickly. Mina caressed Taemin’s shoulder noticing how his eyes followed the rest of the team and she kissed his cheek. “Go with them. I'll be ok.”

“I'll take care of her.” Mi Jung offered and Taemin carefully placed Mina in the arms of another agent in charge of security. He picked up something from his pocket and swiftly placed a beautiful bracelet around her wrist. She looked at it curiously and he held her hand firmly.

“This bracelet always protected me. If you take it off I will kill you.”

“This is how you will protect me? By threatening to kill me?! You should go. They probably left already.”

“I have my bike.” he leaned his head against hers “Don't ever do this again, please. I thought I wouldn't be able to breathe anymore.”

Mina smiled softly and took off the bracelet and placed it on his wrist instead. “If anything happens to you I will feel the same so right now you need it more than me.”

Sooman patted his younger son arm “You need to go.”

Mina nodded her head and Taemin turned around and walked outside in big strides. Mina smiled because he was being very cool even though it wasn't on purpose.

He was truly SHINee’s Ace as much as he was hers.

Kibum entered the room where he found the laptop as soon as he arrived at the building. While the others searched the other rooms he took his time touching every one of the tiles on the walls. Somehow he knew that there was more to that room than what it seemed. He felt like an idiot for not following his instincts before.

“Anything?” Jonghyun asked entering the room. Kibum didn't answer still meticulously searching for something that would open a secret door.

“I find it very strange that they aren't being guarded.”

“Mina said that she only saw Director Oh.” They called the mansion back while they were driving there to know more about what Mina saw.

“Still...If you get into a lot of trouble kidnapping them wouldn't you guard them better?”

“That must be working alone.” Kibum crouched touching the tiles near the floor.

“Then…” Jonghyun looked around the room “Then he must have a great plan. Smoke was one of the best agents Dokko ever had. He stole Aeon Kibum, he isn't an idiot. He surely won't make things this easy.”

“Well, he didn't count with Mina.”

Jonghyun didn't have anything to answer back to that but still, he found that situation unsettling.

“Did you check behind the couch?"

“! Right!” He was such an idiot. Kibum stood up and swiftly pushed the couch away from the wall with Jonghyun’s help.

Apparently it was a normal wall but still Kibum touched every panel carefully until one gave in. The floor under him started to open and Kibum stepped away just in time when it revealed an entrance to underground stairs.

“Found it!” Jonghyun screamed for the others grabbing Kibum’s arm before he entered it alone. “We have no idea what we will find downstairs. Let's wait for the others.”

Kibum growled, rolled his eyes and stared at the stairs in front of him impatiently. As soon as he heard steps outside and before Jonghyun could stop him, Kibum started climbing down the stairs.

He his flashlight and took out his gun just in case.

Jonghyun cursed behind him in a low voice but Kibum ignored him. They were all behind him and would help if anything happened and he couldn't wait anymore.

The corridor was small and lead to two rooms. The room closeby was open and was fully furnished with a table, two chairs, a fridge and a bed. It also had a small bathroom.

“Empty.” Kibum told the others that joined him soon after. “Clearly Smoke was living here.” Minho said checking the fridge that still had food.

Kibum didn't wait and went to the other room turning the light on. Jinki already had opened the door and was crossing it in fast strides to check what seemed like another bathroom inside it.

“Also empty.” Jinki kicked a tray with food in the middle of the floor and looked around desperate.

“Maybe Mina was wrong about the place?!” Minho suggested but Taemin shook his head.

“Someone was here recently and from what it seems the girls were being kept here.”

“And didn't ate the food. Can't blame them. How to trust that snake after what she has done!” Minho crossed his arms over his chest.

Jonghyun checked the bathroom “There is a window here and the ventilation tunnel is open. I guess they tried to run away.”

“It probably leads to the other open one I found.” Taemin remarked, “We can only hope that they managed to do it.”

He turned around and the others followed him out of the secret passageway and into the room where Taemin found the vent open.

Something caught Kibum’s attention and he picked an object from the floor.

Jinki approached him curious. Kibum was holding a bracelet with the pendant of a key and an Eiffel tower. Jinki saw it before, Audrey always wore it, it was special to her and she would never leave without it.

Kibum safely placed it in his jacket's pocket.

If they needed another proof that the girls were there now they had it.

The five men stayed in silence inside the room and Taemin popped the question that everyone was thinking about but no one dared to make “What now?”

They were out of leads and had no idea what to do next.

“Now…” Jonghyun spoke after a while. He had to motivate his team somehow but how?!

Then something rang inside the room. Everyone raised their guns at the sound but it was what seemed like a harmless cell phone.

“Nor Audrey or Areum had their phone with them.” Jinki said following the sound of the phone.

"It's coming from the vent." Minho frowned and Taemin pushed him and Jinki away from it. He was the leanest one and that was easy for him.

"Raise me and I'll check it out." Minho joined his hands letting Taemin climb on them and swiftly he pulled himself into the tunnel, his head disappearing inside it.

"Here!" He came out with a phone in his hand and gave it to Jinki "It's a video call!"

Jonghyun quickly took his tablet out and connected it through a cable to the phone so that he could locate the call. "You know the deal. Make the call last for as long as you can."

Jinki accepted the call and Smoke showed up, unharmed, smiling, very different from the one Jinki almost killed.

“Hello, there agents! Wow, all five of you came to my humble house. I feel honored, even though you didn't come to visit me!”

“Where are they?” Jinki asked.

“Doesn't this feel familiar? Didn't we do this before when I also took both of them from you? And once again I did it, right under your noses. Pathetic really!” The man chuckled and Jinki took a deep breath. He wasn't going to fall for his tricks and show him how desperate he felt.

“Where are they?”

“That's not the right question Jinki.”

Jinki his lips and tried to keep his voice calm. He needed to keep the conversation going to see if they could trace the call. Smoke wasn't stupid though and he probably knew their intentions.

“What did you do to them?”

“Wrong question again. You know Jinki, our relationship comes way back. It all comes back to this day. Tonight it will all end. You just need to make the right question for the start of the end to begin.”

Jinki closed his eyes briefly and then opened them knowing exactly what he had to ask “What do I have to do?”

“Finally! You are all five invited to the final chapter of this story! Shall we begin?”

Thank you for reading this story.