Ever so slowly senses were coming back to Vernon. Nothing was clear however. Only small bits of the information around him was making it to his brain. The first thing he could determine was that it was cold. It wasn't freezing but it was a more comfortable cool. 

The next thing he could feel was the warmth on his right side. He didn't know what it was. He was barely able to determine what the sensation was let alone try and figure out what was causing it. 

Sounds seemed as if they were far away. Like he was under water. But he could here faint whispers. Sharing secrets or calling to him who knew? Was it a man or a woman? Were they young or old? Neither could he tell. Maybe they weren't even real. 

Eventually tiny whimpers could be heard. They weren't continuous. In fact they hardly ever sounded, but when they sounded Vernon could feel his chest tighten. His eyes burned like tears were desperate to fall. 

"Mr. Vernon...."

Mina? The first clear thought that ran through his head.

"Mr. Vernon please.... If you wake up.... When you wake up.... We can go home.... Mommy and daddy are waiting.... for both of us.... please let's go home..."

Mina's shaky words sounded like soft whispers. They sounded so far away and so faint. They seemed unreal. But she begged him every day. She promised they'd be waiting. She promised things like cleaning her room or doing her homework if he would just wake up and save them both. 

The day he finally could open his eyes everything was black. Like he hadn't opened them in the first place. When the next day came LED lights flooded in making his eyes ache. 

He moved his head to where he figured Mina was. He was right. Tears poured from his eyes seeing her face. He didn't know how long it had been but her face was thin. Sickly thin compared to the bright chubby cheeks she had the last time Vernon had seen her. 

"M-M-M..." Was all that he could get out.

She looked up at him. The dark bags under her eyes were even more prominent.

"Mr. Vernon!" she gasped. 

He thought of all her pleas to him. The fear and desperation taking over her quiet voice. He wanted to reassure her. Say something to calm her. Even her name would due. But his tongue was lame in his mouth. His voice was lost in the days of darkness and the haze the drug had put him in. It still sat heavy in his body making him unable to do much more that twitch his fingers. 

Though TOP had slowly been decreasing the dosage he still filled his veins. It made it easier to put him back under. 

He knew that Vernon was in a daze. Voices would be foreign to him. So with his back turned TOP spoke.

"You have one day before the boss gets back. Don't waist it." He said before shutting the heavy metal door behind him.

This final day Vernon was given was used to let out partial words. Hopefully they would be enough to sound comforting. Hopefully they would help Mina rest easier. Hopefully they would comfort even himself. They both needed something reassuring to hold onto.

~*~

"So you're partnered with Sungri?" 

"Yes."

"And this is the case you're building?"

"Yes."

"How does this make any sense? He couldn't possibly... There's no way he would do this... He's..."

"Look over it all. Take the time you need. You'll eventually make the connections yourself."

"I'll be thorough. You can rest assured."

He stood just outside the door catching the conversation. He found the mistrust. They were catching on and quickly. And it seemed his plans would have to be sped up before any more speculation could be made. Before these rookie cops could catch on. 

_______________________

So I need to update more consistently but meh im just so lazy. 

Writing Vernon and Mina made me cry legit. Like I think I am in physical pain right now. T~T I'm sorry bby's!! I'm sorry it had to be this way!!!

The reveal of the real killer should be coming soon! 

Rina💜