HERMAPHRODITE

▪️▪️▪️CH. 45▪️▪️▪️

Namjoon's cell phone rang and he tugged it from his pocket, hitting the accept button as quick as he could. He didn't recognize the caller number but immediately knew the voice.

"Kim"

"Namjoon hyung, it's Tae. I don't know what your situation is but we need information for our infiltration to be successful."

Understanding what Taehyung needed, Namjoon did his best to pass on what information he could without attracting suspicion. Lee was already walking in his direction and not looking happy at all.

"Ah, Minsang. Now isn't really a good time to call about buying and selling. Okay, okay. Buy the nine viable... companies and get rid of the five that are proving to be nothing but trouble. I'm fully aware of their semi automatic status on the market so be aware of traps... Hey!" Namjoon yelled loudly enough that Taehyung would be able to hear and know there was a problem as the phone was snatched away from him.

"Who the hell is it and what the fuck do you think you're doing?" snarled Lee.

"It's just my stockbroker. He calls every day regarding the market and what stocks, shares or companies we should buy or sell," snapped Namjoon.

That little rebuke cost Namjoon a backhand to the mouth.

"I don't care who it is, they can fuck off and leave this line clear," Lee bellowed to the room and down the phone, then terminated the call before reaching for Namjoon again and hauling him to his feet. "As for you," Lee punched Namjoon in the gut. "Any more stunts like that and you will be the next." Lee dropped Namjoon back to his seat and walked off, Namjoon's cell phone in his hand.

Namjoon watched him go as he sucked air back into his deprived lungs. He ran the back of his hand across his lips and swallowed the metallic tasting blood that had filled his mouth. He prayed fervently that Tae would be able to decrypt his message.

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Taehyung pocketed his phone and looked at the two people in front of him. His mind ran the cryptic message over and over as he relayed the conversation to Sejin and Yoongi. The sound of flesh connecting with flesh and the accompanying grunt of pain told him that Namjoon had been on the receiving end of some form of brutality. Tae's anger went up a notch.

"Nine viable companies," Yoongi mused.

"Five bad ones," Sejin added.

"Five terrorists and nine hostages," said Taehyung as he put two and two together.

"They must be toting semi automatics," added Yoongi.

"And there could be the possibility of traps set," Sejin thought out loud.

"Sounds feasible. How do you plan on getting us in?" Tae turned to look at the blueprints.

"Here," Yoongi pointed to a spot on the blue prints. "We enter through the air conditioning ducts in the basement, work our way up from there."

"That's twelve flights," Tae growled.

"I know, but we can't exactly use the stairs now, can we?" Yoongi stated. "We don't know if they have any form of surveillance set up and Namjoon did say something about traps. The stairwell, elevators could all be rigged, we don't know what traps await."

"Makes sense to me," said Sejin. "Judging by the prints the shafts are fairly wide so it shouldn't be too difficult to get through them."

"Where exactly on the twelfth floor are they?" Yoongi asked.

"Here." Taehyung pointed to the floor plan.

"Okay. The quickest way I can see to get through and up to the floor as well as the room is this way." Yoongi outlined the intended route. "Once we have made it to the floor there are two air ducts in the room the hostages are being held in. We should be able to determine their positions in the room and the best plan of attack from there."