Heartless || •OG• ✔️

Chapter 52 - Jimin

Jimin guided Ariel through the sewers, the bag on his back weighing him down. It smelled of sewage water and waste, Jimin walking on the concrete away from the stream of shit flowing through. It was dark, wide tunnels a cylinder shape stretching out for what seemed like miles. At least it was a pleasant temperature. Not too warm, not too cold. It was ideal fighting weather.

Not long ago, he was watching through his window as he always did, and he spotted Jericho outside. No disguise, just Jericho. He went to investigate, then found the others, and he went to follow. Ariel came with much to his dismay. Although he enjoyed her company and found her a useful ally if it came down to it, he didn't want her to see him take his revenge. He didn't want her to succumb to the violence of the Underworld. And most importantly, he didn't want to risk her having to kill anyone.

"Are you sure we should do this?" she asked, him shrugging. "Jimin, it's not too late. I know you're hurt, but if you talk to them about this, they'll take you back. They don't know you went to Madam."

"I'm sure. What I'm not sure about is bringing you with me." That was the truth. Bringing Ariel was a risk he had to take. If he left her behind, there was a chance the High Council was tracking him. The High Council didn't care about children; they'd gladly use Ariel as bait to force Jimin to do his job. He was planning to, but if he hesitated for a second, they'd use her. Plus, there was a comfort in having her with him, whether it was safe or not. At least she knew how to shoot.

"You have enough on your plate, do you want to add more to it by killing Charlotte?" Jimin didn't answer. This time, Ariel didn't drop it. "I know you don't want to talk about it, but I need to know. This impacts my life too. If you hesitate, I'm put in the crossfire. So are you. Are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you can kill Charlotte?"

No. "I'm sure. Let's keep moving," he said, pulling her down the next path. It was just as gross. It was near identical to the last segment, him pulling the blueprints out from the inside of his jacket to investigate. Although he was doing a decent job tracking them, staying in the shadows was impossible. Jericho already spotted him before they entered the manhole, and he was wise enough not to engage. Regardless, that meant they knew he was nearby. Staying hidden was his top priority.

Voices echoed down the chambers, Jimin recognizing Ivan's voice. Ivan and Jericho were the two he was most pissed at. As much as he hated to admit it, Ariel was right about Kayden and Charlotte. They wanted Jericho to say it himself. Still, they were defending a monster like Jericho. Jimin should have killed him in that hallway, but he cared too much about Ariel to let her witness an event like that.

"Stay low," Jimin mumbled, Ariel agreeing and crouching. They crept along the sides, staying in the shadows in case the others were near. Based on their voices coming closer, they were coming into Jimin's kill range. The greedy side of Jimin wished he could beat Jericho to death, both because he wanted Jericho to feel a quarter of the pain Jimin did, and because he hated using pistols.

"I see nothing," Kayden said, Jimin halting. They were right around the corner, moving away from Jimin. He pressed his back against the wall. Kayden was good on the rear, there was no way Jimin could risk peeking.

"Do you think Jimin will come after us?" Jericho asked.

"Is it bad that I want him to?" Charlotte said, Jimin gripping the rough stone walls until his fingers gained cuts and his nails chipped. "He deserves a proper apology."

"Yeah," Jericho said, his tone flat. "No matter how genuine I am, I doubt he'll ever believe I'm actually sorry. How can I apologize for something like that? Change or not, I killed his daughter. Not directly, but I didn't help..."

The voices faded before Jimin could hear the rest. Shit, they were gaining distance. Jimin motioned to Ariel, who caught on and followed as he peeked the corner. They were turning, giving Jimin the chance to continue.

Their conversation was echoing around the walls. Wow, they really were idiots. If anyone other than Jimin was inside the sewers, they'd hear them coming a mile away. Jimin was all for small talk to ease the tension before missions, but his old friends could be walking into a trap. The depth of his heart screamed at that while the surface smiled.

Jimin pulled out his pistol and prepared to fire, gluing his body to the wall and keeping his footsteps invisible. They made little taps against the concrete, but it was soft enough that they'd have to listen closely to hear. Seeing as they were busy with a conversation, Jimin wasn't worried.

With his other hand, Jimin held his knife. There was a high chance it'd resort to hand-to-hand combat. He increased his pace so he could intercept them. Right as he turned the next corner, Kayden spotted him.

"Jimin?" Kayden asked, cutting their conversation short. The others turned and saw Jimin there, Ariel behind him. He motioned for her to back away so she didn't have to see. She did, placing her hands over her ears and looking the opposite direction. Right as Kayden caught on, Jimin pulled the trigger.

He shot Kayden.

"Kayden!" Charlotte shouted as he fell to the ground. Kayden wasn't the one he wanted to kill, so he opted to shoot him in the leg like Asa. That way he couldn't escape. Next was Ivan, but since he was blind, Jimin deemed he wasn't a threat and moved to Jericho. No. A gun was too good for him. Too quick.

Jimin holstered his primary weapon and switched to his secondary. "Miss Evermore, if you were smart, you wouldn't get involved," Jimin said, walking toward Jericho.

Although they had weapons, Jimin knew they wouldn't shoot. Charlotte wouldn't, Ivan wouldn't, and Jericho would be too busy dying to care. Kayden was the only one who might shoot, so Jimin was sure to kneel and take his dropped pistol from him as he moved.

"Jimin, what the fuck are you doing?!" Charlotte asked in a shout.

"Avenging my daughter." Jericho let it happen, and Jimin didn't complain. He punched him, taking him to the ground and holding his knife. Jericho had tears in his eyes as Jimin raised the blade. On instinct, Jericho stopped it from hitting his chest. The fight he had was weak at best. Jimin sunk lower and lower until it broke skin, Jericho screaming from the agony Jimin brought him.

"Let him go!" Charlotte said, Jimin peeking at her. She had a pistol in her hands, moisture on her face as she stared them down. "Jimin, please don't make me do this. Please."

"You're choosing him over me?" Jimin asked, his jaw falling open. "You're such a hypocrite! You say you're all for the kids, but when a child killer is in front of you, you let him live?"

"Please, let's talk about this. Put the knife down, I don't want to lose either of you." When Jimin kept going, she shot the ground next to him. He didn't flinch. "Don't make me shoot!"

She didn't shoot. The one Jimin deemed not a threat came over and pushed Jimin off of Jericho. Jimin whipped up and saw Ivan taking the knife, Jimin taking out his pistol. As much as he wanted the finishing blow to be slow and painful, a bullet would work too. However, Charlotte snatched it away from him. Fine. Hand-to-hand it was.

His fists held themselves up, Ivan protecting Jericho while Charlotte had a gun on him. Kayden was holding his wound and grunting, not bothering with the fight.

"Are you really choosing revenge over stopping the High Council? The ones who allow children to die under their rule?" Charlotte asked.

"Are you really considering shooting me? Your best friend?"

"Who I'm dead to," she replied. "I don't want to shoot you, but if I don't, you'll kill Jericho. You already injured Kayden. The ones who murder children are the Council, and yes, I hate Jericho for what he did. I slapped him and told him to tell you. Of course I agree with you, but if we kill each other, then we're letting the Council go. The ones who'll kill more kids and leave more fathers without their children. Do you really want more people to end up like you?"

Ariel came around the corner and stopped behind Jimin, holding his shoulder as best she could. "She gave me a way out with Ariel. I kill Jericho and bring you to Madam and I can go free with Ariel. I'd be stupid not to take it," Jimin said.

"You're working with Madam?" Charlotte asked, lowering her weapon. "Are you fucking kidding me? You're working with the people who killed June? Who killed Theo and Asa? Who made your best friend blind?"

"Enough!" Jericho shouted, getting into a sitting position. Jimin made Ariel go back behind the corner and wait, Jimin keeping his hands curled into fists. "I'll make you another deal. You help us take out the High Council, you get your freedom with Ariel, peace of mind knowing more child killers are dead, and I'll give myself to you."

"What?" Jimin asked, Charlotte whipping her head to Jericho.

"If you help us, I'll give myself to you. You can beat me, skin me alive, shoot me a hundred times - I don't care. Help us and you'll get your revenge, your freedom, and the other three live. I know you don't want to kill Charlotte, Ivan, and Kayden. If you did, they'd already be dead. Please, you know it's a good deal. It's better than what the Council is offering you. If they survive, you'll always be looking over your shoulder, just like with Aria-"

"You have no right to say her name!"

Jericho stalled, nodding. "You're right, I'm sorry. Jimin, I..." He broke off, wiping his face and choking over his words. "You have every right to hate me, but I'd never let anyone hurt you or Ariel. Ever."

He had a point. If his parents betrayed him, what were the odds the High Council would too? He didn't know enough about them to make a final decision. What about Jericho, though? Actions spoke louder than words, and Jericho let Jimin beat him without a fight. It seemed like Jericho was the one who was telling the truth.

Jimin lowered his pistol. "Fine, but I'm killing you the second I get the chance." Jericho agreed, and Charlotte took Jericho's crumbled bag off his back to go help Kayden. Jimin turned around so he could go get Ariel, but Jericho cleared his throat.

"You're still my brother," Jericho said in a whisper. Heartache rested behind each syllable. Jimin didn't bother facing him. He was terrified that if he looked into Jericho's eyes, he'd end up saying it back. Fury built up inside him at the thought that Jericho was the man who got his daughter killed. The one he was learning to trust. Now, it sizzled away. Or did it?

"I know," Jimin replied. And then he walked away.

~~~
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