BEYOND THE LOVE

CHAPTER 23:

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After three hours, we gathered our bags filled with trap equipment, guns, bullets, and other essentials. Juan, Ji Woon, and I hopped into the car while Suha and Kyoto mounted the bike.
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I glanced at the cut on my wrist. Noticing my distraction, Juan briefly looked away from the road to ask, "You're alright, aren't you?"

I gave him a reassuring smile, "Just a slight pain."

Ji Woon chimed in, "You seem pale."
"I'm fine," I replied.

Turning on the music, I reminisced. Only a few of my initial missions as a rookie had gone awry. Yet, in the five years since, I hadn't faced failure, particularly with this squad. Every member always had a contingency plan, executed flawlessly when needed.

Stepping out of the car, the outskirts of the city lay before us. Juan motioned to the right, and we all followed. "Where are you leading us, Juan?" Suha inquired.

"Probably straight to hell," Kyoto joked.

"Could you not?" Ji woon interrupted.

"No way," both Suha and Kyoto retorted together.

I shot them a glare, and silence followed. As we neared a lake, a quaint house came into view. "This is it," Juan announced.

When he rang the bell, two figures appeared. Tension filled the air upon seeing Chief with Rein. We all moved inside.
Entering a room, its walls were plastered with photos and information about Corvus.

The Chief began, "This is the mission I mentioned. You'll be partnering with Rein. He's been trying to apprehend him. Remembering your previous encounter with him.....Nara and Kyoto, even though unsuccessful..."

"That was five years ago," Kyoto interjected.

"Yes, but I believe you're ready now," the Chief responded.

"And the Eviscerators?" Suha queried.

Rein smirked, "This won't take long, if you're up to it."
Rein's eyes suddenly darted to the cut on my wrist. He didn't voice his concern, but his gaze spoke volumes. We were all deep in strategizing about how best to apprehend Corvus when Rein suddenly remarked, "Corvus knows about Nara and Kyoto, right? Isn't that a risk?"

We exchanged quick glances. "We never met him face to face," I replied cautiously.

Chief leaned forward, "He's known to be a womanizer. We could potentially use that to our advantage."

The room was filled with a tense silence as we all pondered the implications. Ji Woon looked hesitant. "Are you suggesting using someone as bait?"

Rein sighed, "It's a risky move, but if done right, it could be our best chance to draw him out."

Every pair of eyes in the room, except for Rein's and Chief's, turned to look at me. Suha, with a sheepish grin, chuckled, "Well, Nara, seems you're our best bet."

At that instant, Rein's eyes widened in astonishment, his expression clearly saying, "Is she capable of that?" The chief, too, looked at me, seeming to think it might be a good idea.

I eyed the room, a mix of disbelief and annoyance evident on my face. "No way," I snapped.

"You always do this!" Suha retorted playfully.

"That's exactly why I'm saying no way now," I fired back, trying to mask the unease in my voice.
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Reading the room, Rein,  stepped in. "If we're going this route, I'll accompany you. We'll be in and out before Corvus realizes what hit him."

My eyes widened at Rein's sudden offer. It wasn't often that Rein put himself directly in the line of action.

Kyoto exclaimed, "Wow, we can watch an action movie and maybe even a lo-"
Juan cut him off before he could finish.

However, I noticed playful smiles on the faces of Suha, Juan, Kyoto, Ji Woon, and even the Chief.

While I was processing this, Suha leaned over to Ji Woon and whispered, loud enough for the group to hear, "Looks like Rein's going all knight-in-shining-armor for Nara."

Ji Woon chuckled, "Now that's a dynamic I didn't see coming."

Rein shot Suha a sharp look,  "Focus on the mission, not on matchmaking."

Suha simply winked, her playful nature in full swing.
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The room filled with a tense air, as Rein's sudden proposition seemed to surprise everyone. Even Chief, who typically maintained a stoic expression, raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Rein cleared his throat, trying to steer the conversation back to the mission at hand. "Regardless of our choice, we need to strategize. We're dealing with a dangerous individual. We need to be smart and prepared."

Kyoto interjected, "We need to gather more intel on Corvus' whereabouts. The last thing we want is to walk into a trap."

I nodded, my mind racing. "Agreed. Rein, if you're accompanying me, we'll need to set up a meeting spot, signals, and have a backup plan. We can't afford any mistakes."

Rein nodded in agreement. "We'll work out the details after this meeting. We don't have much time."

The night was spent brainstorming and devising our plan. Suha and Ji Woon were responsible for surveillance, ensuring every move was watched. Kyoto and Juan would be on standby for extraction, positioned at key exit points.