CHECKMATE || ITZY

The Tortoise and the Hare

"Agent Shin Ryujin?"

"Morning, sir," Ryujin replied into the phone, having checked outside her room for any of the ITZY members. Empty. They were all busy with preparation, as the end of the month and the date of their scheduled gig began to approach at a slow, but increasing pace as a week passed from the day Yeji had announced her plan. The half-werewolf sat cross-legged, fully-dressed, hair styled, body ready, in the middle of her mattress – Mashiro's mattress – as she took the call. "Why have you called?" she replied smoothly. "It's a little risky, considering I'm in enemy territory at the minute. This would have been unheard of, had it been any other mission."

"I wanted to ask why you have not reaped any results, yet," Chief Inspector Moon said, his voice icy, a stark contrast to his usual laid-back drawl. "It's been a week. And I know you've infiltrated them already. What's taking you so long to kill them? Don't tell me you've gotten attached."

Ryujin scoffed. "Of course not," she said. "I'm biding my time. A wolf doesn't strike straight away, does it?"

"Any agent lesser than you would have finished the job by now if they were in your position, Ryujin," the chief inspector said cuttingly, ignoring Ryujin's words.

That hit a nerve. "I'm gathering intel," the agent gritted out, scowling at her superior's lack of patience – and perception. "ITZY have proven themselves to be quite the mine for sensitive information."

"Such as?"

"Oh come on," she laughed, malice flicking its tongue at her words. "Someone as old as you should be wise enough to guess."

"Cut to the chase, Ryujin," Moon growled.

"The Cheshire," the agent breathed, her lip curling in triumph. "The sewers. Siwoo's Bike Rental Service." Ryujin could hear Moon's breaths quickening with anticipation. She let herself savour her small moment of dominance. "They're all places connected to the rebels," she said, finally, her voice deep with self-contented achievement. "I can squeeze more places out of them. Find out how the underground revolutionary system works. Find out where their heads are. Find BTS."

There was a moment of silence from Chief Inspector Moon, breaths momentarily stopped, as revelation washed over him. Ryujin heard a small gasp on his end, and she smirked. Jackpot.

"You see? There's a reason why they're still alive. Dead parrots don't squawk," Ryujin said smugly. "I'm going to make sure we shut down this rebel business once and for all."

Still no reply.

"Cat got your tongue?" Ryujin said slyly.

"N-no, of course not," Moon said, rather taken aback. Ryujin smirked. "Siwoo's Bike Rental Service?" he said instead, trying to regain his composure. Oh, how it filled Ryujin's stomach with pleasure to hear him squirm, for once. "What does that have to do with the revolutionaries?"

"Speakers," Ryujin explained, grinning a Cheshire Cat's grin. "They're having a gig soon. End of this month. We'll be picking the speakers up from there."

"So soon? I thought the impact of that attack on one of their bases would have been enough to silence them for a while."

"Guess I wasn't thorough enough then," Ryujin said, some of the smugness smudging, and her eyebrows furrowing. "I should have blown the place to bits. Made sure they could never get up from it."

"Well, we can't let them show the world they're still kicking and strong, can we?" Moon said, his voice glossing over with a certain manner of sadism. "When will they be picking up the speakers?"

"Next week. The 14th."

"Well, I shall have to put together a group of competent soldiers to finish the job that you could not, then."