💜 YOUR FATE IS WHAT WE MAKE 💜 (18+) TAEKOOK {complete}

Chapter 14

When they finally emerge, refreshed and rosy cheeked, Zola can't help the grin on her face when she says:

"All rested?" A euphemism if there ever was one.

Taehyung blushes and nods shyly, unable to let go of Jungkook's hand. He's feeling too soft and too vulnerable being out in the open, his defences not quite reformed after they were so colossally crushed by Jungkook.

And just like that, reality hits them in the face when Zola speaks and they remember what needs to happen for Taehyung to survive.

"They have been getting everything ready for you. Guns, explosives. We need to run through the layout and where the chips are being held. But... there's something I need to talk to you about." Suddenly, Zola is serious.

Rather than take them to the office, Zola walks toward the communal eating area.

"There is something else I need you two to do while you're out." She speaks while their steps echo along the concrete corridor.

Jungkook is immediately so back to being focused on saving Taehyung that he doesn't even realise his rudeness. "Our priority is the chip, all else can wait." Jungkook can't get tangled in some ulterior motives, his only focus has to be Taehyung since this is the only chance he will have. Taehyung doesn't have a lot of time and the panic that Jungkook feels at the thought of that is all-consuming.

"Just listen to what I have to say. There is a way to remember, Jungkook. Get all of your memories back." Zola lets her words hang in the air, waiting for their response to them.

Jungkook's steps slow while he considers. Taehyung already recognises the stubbornness in the tense jaw, the unwillingness to compromise.

So does Zola, so she tries to convince Jungkook a little more. "Do you not want to remember? The past between you two?" She looks from one man to the other, even now able to see the love between them, despite the lack of memories. "Do you even understand what's been taken from you? They have stolen your life."

"And not just yours, Jungkook. Everyone's."

She pushes the door open into the dining room where there are tens, hundreds of people sit and stand around in loose clusters, socialising. All eyes turn to them and straight away, their faces light up in affection, gratitude, perhaps even admiration, just like before.

Zola picks up on the apprehension in the two men accompanying her.

"Do you know why everyone looks at you with eyes full of love and gratitude? Every single person here was saved by you two, in one way or another. From a life of servitude.... from certain death due to failed upgrades..." She nods and says a few hellos when some of the people approach to squeeze their hands gently in wordless thanks. It's just like earlier except there are more people, many more.

"None of these people remember who they are because, like you, they have had their memories wiped by Mirotex. There could be a son and a mother, a husband and wife in this very room and they wouldn't know any better." Taehyung looks at Jungkook with a pain lurking in the depths of his soft eyes. "It's heart-breaking to think that some of these people might have families, loved ones, children, brothers, sisters, outside of here or even in Mirotex's clutches -but they just don't know. If they don't know, they can't help. These are dark times." She gazes through the crowd and she looks sad.

"So why are you telling us all this?" Taehyung asks.

"Mirotex have a machine that can fix everything. The very machine, Mnemosyne, which is used to wipe the memories, can be used to reconstruct deleted memories. There is one at Arasaka, which is where they also hold the chips.