[CONTENTID1]re:tribution[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]Chapter 27[/CONTENTID2]

[CONTENTID3]

The heavy chains locking the door from outside rattled as they were removed and clattered on the pavement. The noise was as loud as a gunshot in the quiet of the night, reverberating in Soojin’s ears. Her pulse thrummed as she concentrated on the intruder. She crouched next to the door, tense and ready to strike, raising her hands at eye level.

When the metal door was opened with a squeak, her heart was about to jump in . Adrenaline set her blood on fire like a burning match meeting gasoline. The silhouette of the intruder was barely visible in the darkness, but the moon's light illuminated the sleek gun in his hand. Soojin’s heart sank when she saw the deadly weapon—she didn’t have a high chance of survival at this rate. Fear crept into her mind, but she blocked out its traitorous whispers. In her line of work, it was crucial to stay focused. A single mistake could cost her everything.

There was only one way to win against her opponent; she had to catch him by surprise and disarm him, preferably knocking him unconscious in the process. Soojin was convinced of one thing—this guy was here to finish the job. Doyun wanted her to die tonight.

The man invaded the dark space of the warehouse, accompanied by traces of silver moonlight. Soojin took one more breath and sprung into action. She leaped forward, wrapping her arm around his neck. With the strength of a bear, she pulled him back abruptly, pressing him against her. Her other arm seized his wrist, trying to disarm him. However, the element of surprise didn’t give her as big of an advantage as planned. Her opponent was strong and prepared for a confrontation, ramming his elbow backward to hit her stomach and escape her unforgiving hold. He narrowly missed her.

“Drop the ing gun,” she snarled in his ear, “Or I’ll break your neck.”

Soojin expected a relentless fight despite her threat, but she was wrong. As if someone flipped a switch, the intruder stopped struggling at the sound of her voice. “Soojin, it’s me,” Baekhyun said.

Her eyes widened in sheer disbelief at the situation. The unforgiving hold around his neck slackened and turned into an embrace as she pressed her face into his back. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. She held him; her partner, her anchor. Soojin’s fear crumbled to dust. The obstacles in front of her seemed insignificant as long as he was with her—as a team, they had each other’s back. She could trust him with her life and vice versa. As her racing pulse calmed like the sea after a storm, she took note of his familiar athletic physique and the silver braids tickling her forehead. She would have recognized him sooner if she hadn’t been so on edge.

He turned in her embrace and cupped her face, eyes searching for visible injuries, but he found none in the sparse light of their surroundings. Soojin’s chin-length blonde hair was soiled with dust particles, and she lacked her equipment and coat. In spite of the ordeal she had endured tonight, her gaze was set alight by resolve. She was ready to fight whoever stood in their way. He admired her tenacity, drawing strength from her endurance. She may have been defeated, but she wasn’t the type to stay down, and for this, she deserved every bit of his respect.

His leather gloves felt cool on her skin, a juxtaposition to his searing hot lips when they crashed on hers. The sudden, desperate kiss caught her off guard, but she responded with a fervor rivaling his. Soojin wrapped her arms around his neck, and their bodies aligned. His tongue danced over her lips, tasting her, quenching his need for her. He'd been so afraid of losing her that he couldn’t bring himself to let her go—he needed to feel every curve and every inch of her body to retain the last scraps of his sanity. Number Four’s mask fell and revealed his true self. His desperation lay bare for her to see as he embraced her.

“Mhh, I love you,” he mumbled into the kiss, leaving tiny pecks on the corner of before their lips parted. His chest heaved, and pearls of sweat gathered on his face. The tips of his white fringe hung into his eyes, concealing his wild and agitated gaze.

“I love you too,” she whispered, their lips brushing against each other. She felt the ghost of his breath on her face and smelled the scent of his cologne mixed with sweat. He must have searched for her as if the devil was at his heels. Baekhyun was the most devoted and trustworthy partner she could have asked for—it was astonishing how much her opinion of him had changed in the months since their reunion.

“You scared me. I thought you were someone else for a second,” she said, a relieved smile brightening her face. “How did you get here so fast? You’re incredible.”

“No, you are.” His eyes softened, but his features remained stern. “First, you reveal Zero’s identity, then you fight the ing Messenger all on your own. That’s enough action for one night. You should leave some work for me.”

Soojin’s relieved expression soured the second she heard Doyun’s alias. “Speaking of him, where the hell is he?”

“I don’t know. He gave me and Number Two the order to kill you. It was meant to be a competition to see who’s faster. That bastard is ing insane—I was afraid I wouldn’t make it in time.”

A quiver ran down his spine. The anguish in his voice broke her heart into pieces. Soojin leaned her forehead against his, holding his face in her hands. Pale moonlight illuminated a distraught pair of eyes. She despised Doyun for making Baekhyun go through such a dreadful experience. There was no doubt it had revived his trauma from Boyoung’s murder. Her fingers moved over the faint scar on his chin, and she gritted her teeth to hold in a curse. He needed to be freed from the Red Force’s shadow. She wanted him to leave the organization behind for good.

“I’m okay, B. I didn’t get hurt; I just ended up with a few minor bruises. We trained hard together, so I wasn’t defenseless against Doyun. I landed a few good punches, too,” she assured, leaning her forehead against his. “You made it in time, and now we can ambush Number Two together when he arrives. This is the perfect opportunity to arrest him. There’s no point in delaying it—our cover is blown. I want to finish this mission as soon as possible.”

“I agree, but Number Two is dangerous and incredibly reckless. We might have to kill him… He’s not the type to surrender,” Baekhyun said. He updated the other agents through his earpiece, but they had already heard most of their conversation anyway.

“We will wait for Number Two and ambush him.”

“Do you need help?” Junmyeon asked.

“No, we can handle this on our own. You concentrate on Son Namjoo. Make sure she doesn’t go into hiding and keep an eye out for Doyun. We have no idea where he is.”

“Alright. In case Doyun shows up where you are, try to arrest him if you can. His knowledge of the organization makes him very valuable to us. If he won’t surrender or your lives are in danger, don’t hesitate to kill him, though. I want all of us to return home alive. Stay safe out there, and good luck.”

“I’ll see what I can do… Thanks,” Baekhyun answered before he sent his partner a look. “You don’t have any weapons on you, do you?”

“Not anymore.”

“The Messenger is thorough,” he scowled and reached into his jacket, revealing a jackknife. “Take this. I only brought one gun, unfortunately. Do you want it?”

“No, keep it. You’re a more experienced shot than me. A knife is fine for me. What’s the plan?”

Soojin’s eyes darted to the open door, observing the driveway and the silhouette of Baekhyun’s motorcycle. Nobody was within sight, no vehicle following the remote road into the forest. The agents were alone, but it couldn’t be long until their target would arrive. The gaping doorway and the holes in the tall ceiling allowed silver moonlight to trickle inside, but most of the warehouse was cloaked by utter darkness. Whenever the wind invaded the building through openings and cracks in the walls, the old structure groaned and the silence was disturbed by odd rattling and clanking sounds. A few metal chains were attached to old machines, creating haunting noises. The industrial shelves and pallets stacked with materials would make a great hiding place once Number Two arrived.

“It depends on the situation.” Baekhyun narrowed his eyes as he considered their options. “I could shoot him before he notices us—that would be the safest option but also the least beneficial. If I talk to him, I might find out where Doyun went. Doyun trusts him, so there’s a chance he knows what he’s planning right now. I don’t want that bastard to slip through our fingers…”

Soojin ran her hand through her blonde hair, frowning at her partner. “Damn it, this is a gamble.”

“I know, and I don’t want to put you in unnecessary danger.” Baekhyun sighed and stared at the concrete ground.

“But if Doyun slips away from us, everything we have achieved thus far will be meaningless. He will become the new leader and the Red Force will simply continue to exists. If you want to kill a hydra, you have to cut off all of its heads. We have to end the Red Force tonight. Let’s try to get information from Number Two.”

It was nervewracking, but she could bear the thrill knowing she wasn’t on her own. Her gaze was fixed on the road outside, and she crouched next to a stack of metal scraps. A short flash of light caught her attention. She gave Baekhyun a sign with her hand. The agent heeded her warning and hid close to her behind a shelf filled with crates. He had a good view of the doorway and would see anyone who came through the gate surrounding the property.

Baekhyun scrutinized the odd flicker of light that steadily came closer. It ultimately disappeared, and he concluded it must have been the screen of a smartphone or a similar device. The vague silhouette of a tall and burly man emerged from the darkness. He blended in with his surroundings, soundlessly approaching the fenced-in area. There was no doubt he was an experienced assassin, not showing an ounce of nervousness. Baekhyun recognized him due to his unusually muscular frame—it was Number Two.

The criminal smelled easy prey and reached for his gun under his worn jacket. The glow of the moon revealed a prominent scar on his temple when he reached the gate. Now he was out in the open without any cover and noticed Baekhyun’s motorcycle. His frosty eyes stared at the vehicle parked in the shadow of the building. The warehouse door stood wide open, leaving only one conclusion. A throaty curse left his mouth, but he didn’t hesitate to move on.

Soojin’s eyes widened. Baekhyun had been right. This guy was incredibly reckless—he was about to enter the warehouse through the main entrance despite knowing someone was inside already. His strategy was the opposite of Baekhyun’s, who preferred to remain hidden for as long as possible to catch his targets off guard. Number Two clearly wasn’t the patient type of person, a man who achieved his goals with brute force. Soojin’s gaze darted to Baekhyun a few meters to her right, waiting for an order, or any indication of what they would do next. She was filled with anticipation for Baekhyun’s decision. The agent still had an opportunity to shoot and kill Number Two on the spot—would Baekhyun throw away the chance to gather information? His body was nearly invisible in the shadow of the shelf, and only his silver-white hair gave his location away to her. She couldn’t read his expression, so it came as a surprise when the agent left his hiding spot without warning.

“Sorry to disappoint, but the job’s done. You’re too late,” he announced. His voice was coated in smugness, dripping with superiority. He easily slipped into the role of Number Four—it was second nature at this point.

“Are you serious?” the other man growled and stepped into the massive warehouse. The moonlight behind him formed a border around his tall silhouette, hiding his facial features under a veil of shadows. “You stole my target? Did you forget about your rank, Four?” He spat the last word.

Baekhyun remained calm on the outside, staring the criminal down. On the inside, he was dominated by unyielding rage for the man who would have nearly murdered his Soojin. None of these feelings were reflected in his expression. An arrogant and infuriating smirk played with his lips. Baekhyun shifted his weight on his right leg and put his hand on his hip. He held his trusted gun in his other hand, but his arm didn’t move, hanging at his side. Baekhyun knew better than to escalate the situation with threats. Still, the weight of his gun in his hand gave him a sense of security.

“Don’t be such a sore loser. You’ll get a new target in no time; this is not a big deal,” Baekhyun said.

As they spoke, Soojin switched her position and sneaked around a rusty metal shelf. The distraction worked in her favor; she could get closer to the criminal without being noticed. She maneuvered herself behind a stack of pallets, crouching low on the dusty ground. While Soojin got glimpses of his silhouette, she remained hidden from his eyes. The gun in his hand was a thorn in her flesh—it spelled trouble to her partner, and she had to get rid of it to ensure his safety. She prepared herself to disarm Number Two when the time was right, as soon as Baekhyun got the information he needed. A shootout was too risky without a cover—they had to solve this a different way.

“I could have received a lot of money out of this,” Number Two growled. “The Messenger promised double the usual reward.”

“No wonder you’re so irritated. Where did the Messenger even go? I thought he would wait for us to see who’s faster,” Baekhyun muttered, rolling his eyes. “How disappointing.”

Number Two’s gaze darted from Baekhyun’s athletic figure to the black void behind him, never resting in one place for too long. “He has better things to do.”

Baekhyun raised his brow. “What could be better than assassinating a traitor?”

Two gave a sarcastic laugh. “Nothing if you ask me, but he has to do damage control. That apparently worked for the police and stirred up trouble. He’s destroying evidence inside the bar and warning everyone to lay low for a while. I suppose he will return when he’s done… I’m sure he wants to see the dead traitor with his own eyes.”

Number Two’s lips twisted into a malicious smile. His index finger lightly tapped against his gun, prompting Soojin to go rigid. Every muscle in her was poised to take action. Number Two’s weapon still had the safety catch on—if she acted now, she would have a realistic chance of stealing it without getting hurt. Should she…?

“Speaking of which… Where is the body?” Two’s voice was laced with suspicion and spite as he studied Baekhyun. The agent stood on the edge of the void consuming half of the warehouse. The blackness behind him swallowed all light and nearly drowned him. “You claim you killed her, but I don’t see any evidence of a murder.”

Soojin shifted her weight. She breathed in. Her heartbeat echoed in her ears, loud and nervous like the flutters of a bird’s wings. She had one chance. Her target’s experience was far greater than hers; he had honed his skills for years. Taking lives was his job, so Soojin needed to be cautious. Despite this, she was determined to protect Baekhyun and win the upper hand.

“Only an amateur would leave a body out in the open,” Baekhuyn reminded him with an air of superiority, raising his chin. “I’ll show you where she is. I’m sure you’ll be surprised.”

His words prompted Number Two to narrow his eyes, and they were Soojin’s cue to act. Adrenaline surged within her, and she shot up, sprinting forward. She rushed toward her target, perfectly merging with the darkness—he didn’t see her coming. By the time the moonlight reached her lean form, it was too late. The agent threw herself against him with the force of a raging bull and broke his balance. Number Two stumbled, and she exploited his moment of weakness. Soojin’s fist buried itself in his stomach. He sputtered a broken curse, his eyes filling with hatred as he identified her. The short blonde hair was easy to recognize.

While he struggled to recover from her unforgiving punch, she went straight for the gun. Her hand seized his wrist, redirecting the weapon. The barrel was pointed at the ceiling as she twisted his limb. Two cursed at the pain shooting up his arm, kicking his leg at her. His heavy boot hit her shin, the pain making her eyes water. Even so, she didn’t let go of his wrist and prevented him from taking aim at Baekhyun or herself. Soojin evaded his next kick, then raised her knee abruptly and it forward. She hit his groin, and his ensuing scream prompted her to grin in malicious glee.

“Give up already,” she spat in his face. His grip on the gun still didn’t loosen—he clutched it like it was his lifeline, which might very well be the case. Her opponent was tenacious, she had to give him that. His