Solo Ruby in the Raven's lair | Taennie ff

31

STRINGS OF PUPPET MASTER

The tension in the mansion was palpable as the remaining members gathered in the office, anxiously staring at the silent earpieces and unresponsive phones. Worry etched deep lines into their faces as minute after minute passed without any sign of contact from Taehyung, Jennie, Lisa, or Jungkook.

Jin paced back and forth, his expression dark. "Why aren't they answering? It's not like them to go silent for this long," he muttered, the unease in his voice spreading to everyone else.

Namjoon, seated at the head of the table, had his laptop open, eyes glued to the screens as he tried to trace the signals of their missing members. His fingers tapped incessantly on the keyboard, but every attempt yielded no new information.

"There's no response from their earpieces," he said quietly, frustration mingling with fear. "It's like they just... disappeared."

Suga frowned, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his gaze sharp. "They're not the type to let their guard down like this. Something must've happened."

Jimin, who had been unusually quiet, glanced up, his expression tight with concern. "What if they've been compromised? What if-"

"Don't say that!" Rose snapped, her voice trembling slightly. "They're fine. They have to be fine."

J-Hope tried to keep his own emotions in check, even though his worry was evident in the way his leg bounced restlessly. "We need to think logically. If they're not responding, it's either because they can't... or someone's making sure they don't."

"Then we need to go there," Jin insisted, his voice growing stronger with resolve. "We can't just sit here and wait. They could be in trouble."

"But without any clue as to where they are, we'll be walking in blind," Namjoon warned, his eyes never leaving the screen. "Last we heard, they were investigating that abandoned mansion on the other side of the city, but after that-nothing."

Jisoo, sitting quietly in the corner, suddenly stood up, her eyes wide with determination. "I'll get the cars ready. We're going there now. We can't waste any more time."

The rest of them nodded in agreement, the fear and uncertainty now replaced with a fierce determination to bring their friends-no, their family-back safely.

-

They all hurried out of the van, eyes widening in shock as they noticed three familiar figures sprawled on the ground not far from the entrance of the abandoned mansion. Jin's heart dropped, and he broke into a run, the others following closely behind.

"Taehyung!" Jimin cried out as they closed the distance. The sight before them made their blood run cold-Taehyung, Jungkook, and Lisa were lying motionless on the cold ground, their clothes dirty and disheveled, faces pale. But the most terrifying sight was the small bloodstains on Jungkook's and Lisa's sleeves.

Jin's hands trembled as he knelt beside his brothers. He placed a hand on Taehyung's chest, then on Jungkook's, relief flooding through him when he felt the faint, steady rise and fall of their breaths.

"They're alive!" Jin called out, his voice strained, the relief almost making him dizzy. "But they're unconscious."

"Thank God..." Rose whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. She knelt beside Lisa, checking for any signs of injury.

"Lisa, please wake up," she murmured softly, brushing a lock of hair away from Lisa's face. There was no response. "Come on, unnie, please..."

J-Hope's jaw clenched as he looked them over, trying to assess their condition. "They're not injured too badly, just some scrapes and bruises... but something must have happened to knock them out."