The Rarae Aves

Chapter 26- Let's Start There

"Good luck," Hoseok said to the three of them.

They reached Athens that morning. The others had come to drop them off at the airport.

Jin was nervous, excited, but mostly worried. In Jungkook's dream, Taehyung was held in a dark cavern. That was what worried Jin most. The thought of his little brother in some cavern, not even knowing where he was. He must be so scared.

"You'll need these." Hoseok removed two swords from his bag. "They were made in a hurry so they aren't as good as the one I gave to Jimin, but they should work fine."

"Thanks!" Jungkook took one sword, and Hoseok handed Jin the other one. He examined it. It was a little heavy for his taste, but then again, he preferred not to use a sword, but it was better than having no weapon at all. So he thanked Hoseok and turned around to leave, but Yoongi stopped him.

"I have something for you too." He gestured for him to join him in a corner. Jin raised an eyebrow, but followed him. What could Yoongi possibly want to give him that required so much privacy?

Yoongi thrust something in his palm. Jin looked at it. It was a credit card with the name Leah Walker written on it. Jin looked up at Yoongi, surprised. "Yoongi, are you sure-"

"Take it." He curled Jin's hand over the piece of plastic that obviously meant so much to him. "She'd want you to have it. I want you to have it. Besides, how else were you planning to pay for your flight?"

Jin had no answer for that. "Alright." He sighed.

"Now go save Taehyung."

Jin turned and joined Jimin and Jungkook, who were waiting for him at the gate.

Jimin fell asleep as soon as his head hit the headrest. Jin wasn't surprised. It had been Jimin and Jungkook's watch when they reached Athens. Jungkook, however, had no such plans. He looked out of the window, staring at nothing in particular.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" Jin asked softly, careful not to wake Jimin.

Jungkook shook his head. "Can't."

"Are you sure? It was your watch last, you must be tired."

Jungkook shook his head.

Jin bit his lip. He didn't want Jungkook to lose sleep, so he tried a new tactic. "Taehyung wouldn't want you to lose sleep, you know?"

"I know, but he is the reason I can't sleep. I haven't been able to sleep properly since he was kidnapped."

Jin did the math in his head. "Jungkook, Taehyung was kidnapped a week ago. Are you saying you haven't slept properly for that long?"

Jungkook nodded.

Jin had been so preoccupied with Taehyung that he hadn't paid attention to Jungkook so much. Now that he did, he saw the lines under Jungkook's eyes, the tired expression on his face. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed them before.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want you to worry," Jungkook said sheepishly. "Everyone was already so worried about Taehyung, I figured it wasn't a big deal."

"It is a big deal, Jungkook. You are as important as Taehyung to us. You are our responsibility, it's our job to worry about you." He scoffed. "Taehyung will kill me when he finds out about this. Promise me, you'll tell us if anything happens from now on."

Jungkook gazed downwards. "I promise."

"Good."

Jin made sure Jungkook and Jimin got enough sleep during the flight. Who knew what they would encounter in Rome. Jimin's sleep was calm and peaceful, while Jungkook was restless. He would mutter things and squirm in his seat. Jin suspected he would not get much rest that way.

Jin wished he could give Jungkook the reassurances he wanted, he needed. But Jin wasn't sure he could give it. How do you convince someone something when you don't believe in it yourself? He wished he could say Taehyung was alright, that nothing was happening to him, but he couldn't. All he could think about was the worst possible things that could happen to him, to Taehyung, his little brother, who had not yet turned seventeen, who had not yet graduated, who had a boyfriend desperate to save him, who had his whole life ahead of him. Jin didn't know what he would do if something happened to him.

Until he got that letter, Jin's life had been small, comprising his family, his friends, and, of course, Soojin. His biggest worry had been college. He couldn't believe it was only a month ago he was in that kitchen, cooking for Jungkook and Taehyung's little picnic. So much had happened since then. Now Taehyung had been kidnapped by the Queen of Lychnus. Their only hope of saving him was a vague Heroes of Olympus reference.

If it wasn't his brother who had been kidnapped, Jin would have laughed at it all. It was so ridiculous.

The flight lasted for two hours. Jin shook Jungkook and Jimin awake as they landed. From the airport they took a taxi to the Victor Emmanuel building, which — according to Hoseok — was where Taehyung was.

The building was beautiful, with amazing sculptures, statues, and colonnades.

"If I was a monster," Jimin said, "Where would I hide my hostage?"

"I don't know," said Jin.

Jungkook scrutinized his surroundings. "Let's start there," he said, pointing to a row of colonnades.

They climbed up the wall. Jin felt guilty using the beautiful sculptures as footholds. Someone had worked hard to carve them.

Jungkook climbed first, followed by Jin. Jimin had almost reached when a guard noticed them.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

Jin's eyes widened. "Shit."

Jungkook knelt down and helped Jimin climb.

"Stay right there!" The guard shouted as he ran towards them.

Jin had the opposite in mind. "Run."

Running was an understatement. They sprinted like their lives depended on it towards the other end of the colonnades.

As Jin neared the other end, he saw more guards approach them from that side. They were surrounded.

Right when he was about to give up, the ground gave way.

A/N- Yassssss! Update! They are going to be slower now, since both me and my editor are busy with studies (9th grade is hell. IDK how I'm gonna survive this much less 10th grade).

I purple you all, so please vote! 💜💜💜