- Money isn't the root of all evil.

Greed is -

 

The raid had begun fifteen minutes ago but the base was oddly quiet.

 

According to V, he must be in the basement. So that's where Youngkuk headed. He tried to ask V for more details but lost the signal to him so he had to take care of it himself.

 

Youngkuk slowly looked over the door frame and saw an empty room. In the middle of the room was money. A lot.

All stacked neatly on the table covering it fully.

 

Of course, Youngkuk tought.

Whenever there is money is where he'll always be.

 

The sight made him remember the root to all his endless nightmares...

 

***

 

A couple of years ago Korea was feared by a group of brutal Hitman.

A gang like never before. The group was ruled by the leader Youngkuk and his right hand Himchan.

 

Together with Daehyun, Youngjae, Jongup and Zelo they formed the six membered group of horrific individuals.

 

Yes, there was a time where Youngkuk killed for money. He was ruining endless families and ripping loved ones from one another. And all of that just for a little bit of cash.

 

He didn't remember when and how it happened but there was a time where greed poked it's ugly head into his life and destroyed everything he held dear.

 

And it all startet with Deahyun acting suspicious.

 

* * *

                             

It was an usual day at the Matoki club.

Daehyun was enjoying the night after the successful raid they pulled on earlier that day.

 

The music was blasting loudly trough the speakers as Deahyun sat at the bar enjoying his night alone with a cold drink. He liked coming here almost thrice a week. It gave him time to think and also recharge.

 

He had too many drinks and made his way to the bathroon and as he returned to his seat again he was greeted with a black envelope on the table.

 

Odd to find but still not noticible enough to stand out. He looked around - someone must have forgotten it.

 

But as no one was looking at his direction he took it upon himself to check out the inside.

 

And there they were.

Pictures of his fiancée. Bruised and bound. His eyes widened at the sight.

 

What kind of joke was that?

 

He shook the envelope and a little object fell out of it. He picked it up and it was a silver ring. He looked at his right hand where the exact same ring was placed.

 

It was her ring.

 

Daehyun felt cold sweat run down his back. His body started to shiver as he looked at the pictures again.

She was beaten badly. A lumb formed in his throat.

 

What did all of this mean? He checked the envelope once more and it was empty. Nothing was inside. No note,

no threat.

 

He picked up the pictures again and turned them back just to make sure he hasn’t overseen anything.

 

But the back was blank. He lifted the picture to his nose and immediately the smell of chemical hit his nose.

 

Daehyun didn't waste anymore time and put the the picture on the table and spilling the remainings of his drink on the back.

Just like magic something appeared.

 

'Yongsan Hannamadong 288-6'. It was an address.

 

Daehyun immediately left the club and went to the said address.

 

He ran as the cold and rainy night air gave him a shiver and raindrops hit his face like tears from the sky.

 

It was late at night and the more he reached the destination the quieter the streets got.

 

The address led to a dark alley. Daehyun slowed down. He looked everywhere. Maybe she was with whoever sent the message and was waiting for him to save her? She must be scared.

 

But Deahyun couldn't comfort himself with saving her as the alley he stood was completely empty. He cursed. Of course that would be to easy.

 

Click.

 

He heard the sound clearly and recognized it as a gun. And just as if to confirm it he also felt the presence of someone behind him pressing the gun to his head.

 

Out of reflex he lifted both of his hands up and said that he came unarmed. The other party was quiet and Daehyun felt an envelope been placed in one of his hands from behind. The other party placed another thing inside the pocket of his jacket. He tried to turn to the person but the gun was pressed harder to his head preventing him from doing so.

 

Daehyun had to follow the order and didn't waste time opening the envelope.

More pictures of his fiancée and also this time another inside the box was another thing.

 

He opened the box and the inside made him jump out of shock, fear and disgust making him drop the box with it's content. No, this couldn't be her finger being presented to him in the most horrific and disgusting way possible.

 

Totally mad Daehyun turned around and was greeted by complete emptiness.

The person was gone. Daehyn looked at the pictures. was closed with a cloth. He turned the picture and a fmailiar sight greeted him again.

Another massage.

"Kill the source of information!"

 

* * *

 

It was the next day.

 

Daehyn woke up from a nightmare realizing that they were actually the memories of the night before.

 

He was sure to not tell the members about it. It was something he should keep to himself. He didn't know who he was dealing with. So being precautious was an understanding.

 

Daehyun followed Himchan secretly to his meeting on that day. Himchan was the one in contact with the informant who got orders from the clients the gang was dealing with.

 

The Informant and Himchan both sat in the car as Daehyun watched the informant give Himchan the documents for their next task.

 

It didn't take long and Himchan left. Waiting for the right moment Deahyun got out of his car and approached the informant's car.

 

'Kill the source of information!' the message from yesterday flashed in his mind and Daehyun lost his sanity. He knocked on the driver's window.

 

The informant was counting the money given from Himchan as he looked to the side. He opened the window.

And without exchanging any words Daehyun pulled out his gun and did what he was ordered to.

 

And that was when he realized what he did. He killed the teams source of income and was doing things on his own which Youngkuk hated the most.

 

He didn't understand the order given to him and he felt like it didn't even bring him any closer to his enemy or his love.

 

                           * * *

 

Daehyn opened his eyes to a quiet afternoon and a terrible headache. He was overwhelmed with everything that was happening to him for a couple of days. He felt like he was alone against the world. The enemy was hiding somewhere in this world with his fiancée and was getting her trough some terrible torture.

 

He lifted his arm to touch his aching forehead but couldn't do so as he noticed something in his hand.

 

His heart jumped at the sight and he jumped up. No way. It was a picture of his fiancé again. And that was the only thing he needed.

 

He stood up and ran to the base where his colleges where gathered.

 

The enemy was not hiding somewhere in the wold. He was hiding in his own home eating the same meals, sleeping under the same roof.

 

He stopped in the middle of the living room of the base getting the attention from all five people present.

 

They where all looking at him smiling but only one thing flashed trough his mind as he looked at each one of them. You Traitor.

 

The devil was hidden within his team. But who was it? Who of the men he called his brothers was doing this to him and why?

Was it Youngkuk the leader? Himchan? Youngjae? Jongup? Or the youngest Zelo?

                           * * *

 

After the last picture Deahyun didn't get any more pictures or messages from the enemy. Also his interaction with the gang members had stiffened. He was now more cautious and tried to find more clues given by them to be sure of the betrayer.

 

It was one of the days they held another meeting for their next crime. The last one they got from their informant before Deahyun killed him. Which none of the members had noticed yet. Himchan bought the documents with the said target as he explained their strategy.

 

Daehyun didn't even pay attention to the speech as his target was different than the ones they had as a team. He again observed each member.  His gaze stayed at Youngkuk as he watched his leader. Could it be? He tought.

 

Until he got poked from the side. The youngest, Zelo was passing him the documents with the information. He took it and was about to pass them without looking as a familiar smell hit his nose.

He looked at the paper clenching it in his hand.

 

He waited for the meeting to end before he spilled water on the back of the paper, now it almost had became a routine to him.

 

He found another message. Relieved that he could get a little closer to the culprit but also deadly scared as every time the content of the messages got worse.

 

And he was right. It was another order. And it was worse than the one before.

 

'Kill Yonguk' it said.

 

                            * * *

 

Daehyun tailed Youngkuk secretly the next day. He couldn't afford to waste more time as also the D-Day was approaching.

 

He was afraid of what would happen if he would wait any longer. The enemy was not backing away from harming his fiancée.

 

All the pictures of her cuffed body and bruised face flashed in his mind and also her finger he found inside the box made his head dizzy.

 

The more he waited the more she would get tortured. And the worst part is that it was done by the one he called friend.

 

Deahyun’s vision blurred as the only ting he could see was betrayel, rage and desperation.With every step he took his heart picked up a beat.

 

The gun on his belt felt like it was pushing his leg down and each step felt heavy. Did he really want to kill the one he trusted the most?

 

Deahyun's eyes watered as he looked at the back of the men he once called brother. Even the way he walked showed power and Deahyun remembered how he admired the stern facade Youngkuk pulled when in reality he was ready to give his life for his friends while Deahyun repayed him with backstabbing.

Sorry Hyung, he tougher as he closed his eyes. He would understand why Deahyun had to do this.

 

Youngkuk's steps quickened and Daehyun followed. Youngkuk turned a corner when Deahyun suddenly lost him. He cursed under his breath.

 

He was walking slower into the alley when from the shadows Youngkuk appeared holding his gun onto Deahyun's temple.

 

Youngkuk demanded from him to lift up his hands and Deahyun obeyed. Youngkuk told Daehyun that he noticed how unusual he was behaving the past few days. Youngkuk was visibly angry.

He said that he didn't understand what Deahyun tried to pull off or why but said to him that he would accept it as a mere mistake. He told him that they where a team and if there was something that bothered him that he should come and tell Youngkuk in the right way.

 

Youngkuk took the only gun Deahyun had with him and told him that this was his only warning to get his mind straight. Tomorrow was the Day of the mission.

And with that he left.

 

This was the first order Daehyun failed to accomplish and he was scared of the consequence of it.

 

* * *

 

It was the day of the mission.

And Deahyun didn't go to the meeting point. There was no way of fighting side by side with a group that was torturing him like that. Also seeing Youngkuk's face would remind him of the mission he failed.

 

The notification sound of his phone ripped him from his thoughts. It was a message from an unknown number.

The message was an address.

Wasting no time Daehyun ran to the destination.

 

He run between the same alley he encountered the enemy for the first time and just like before it was empty. He cautiously looked around preparing himself for a surprise appearance. He had his gun with him today and it was fully loaded.

 

He speed walked trough the alleys to look for any envelop or objects that the enemy might've dropped for him.

 

He had just passed another alley when something caught his eyes. He stopped in his tracks and to the side.

His eyes started to tear up and he felt his hands shake.

 

He couldn't handle the shook he got and limbed over to what he saw.

 

'No' he taught and lifted a trash bag up. 'Please no' and threw out another trash bag, after another.

 

'No!' He screamed as he fell to his knees upon seeing the sight.

There it was. The lifeless corpse of his fiancée lying in dirt between all the trash, covered in blood and bruises.

 

He screamed and cried loudly.

He failed to save her.

 

He cupped her cold hand with his shaking ones and apologized multiple times between sobs.

 

A muffled notification sound appeared from his jacked wich ringed like an alarm sound in his ears. He took it out with shaking hands.

 

It was another message from the same number.

 

'Game Over'

                            * * *

 

Youngkuk looked at his surroundings and towards his mates that were back on back holding up their guns.

 

They where surrounded by a SWAT team. Someone pulled a fraud on them and lead them right into the hands of the government. They fell right into a trap.

 

All the present ones had their guns aimed and ready to shot. Yet no one dared to make the first move.

 

Youngjae secretly took a dart from his pocket when suddenly Daehyun made his entrance inside. His appearance alarmed the SWAT team and the fist gun shot was heard opening the war.

 

The first member who got shot from his shoulder was Himchan.

Daehyun also got shot and fell beside Himchan while trying to look for shelter. While Himchan's wound wasn't fatal Deahyun already found himself on the brich of losing consciousness.

 

It was a lost battle from the start.

 

More and more bullets where fired and the gang held up pretty well as they shot down a handful of members from the SWAT team.

 

Youngkuk was occupied with shooting as many people as possible that when he turned to check on s he found all of them shot and lying on the ground.

 

The momentary lost of focus made him be open for three bullets that pierced his body and he fell down as well.

 

After all the shots that where fired the place turned deadly silent.

 

Youngkuk couldn't even move from all the pain.

 

He lied on the ground half consicios.

His gaze moved around and landed on the probably dead bodies of all his mates laying everywhere. He thought that he had failed as their leader.

He felt sorry for Himchan, Deahyun, Youngjae, Jongup and Zelo.

 

In the middle of the chaos however he caught some movements.

 

He saw a member suddenly free himself from the death men's arm. A sudden smile made it's way to Youngkuk's face upon the sight.

 

He saw how the member walked towards Deahyun who was on the bridge of death.

 

He kneeled infront of him.

„You idiot, all you had to do was kill Youngkuk and your fiancée would be alive but you failed. Now look at what you caused." he said spreading his arms. „Because you failed I had to do it myself" he lifted his gun and shot Deahyun on the head taking away the last breath of life he had.

 

Youngkuk's eyes burned from tears and his body shook with rage at the sight.

 

They were betrayed by their own member!

 

He wanted to scream and shout but could not even move one inch.

 

Slowly he lost his vision and everything became black.

 

But he will never forget the smile on his face as he walked away on that day.

 

                           * * *

 

And exactly that same smile was plastered on his face as they met again after so many years.

 

There he was,

Moon Jongup.

 

The betrayer and devil in human form.

 

to be continued...

 

Authior's Note: The scene with the 'flashback' was taken from B.A.P's MV called „Skydive"

Go check it out if you like.

It's a ten minute long masterpiece :)