Rise Of The Fallen || KTH FF

Chapter 24: Cure

The sun had just begun to rise when you, Taehyung, and Lisa finally arrived at the city outskirts. You were exhausted—every step a reminder of how long the night had been. As you approached the location Taehyung had led you to, a modest apartment tucked away in a rundown part of town, you couldn't shake the uneasy feeling settling in your stomach.

Taehyung was already pulling out his phone as you reached the door. "I'll call Jimin," he muttered, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "He needs to go back to the hiding spot. It's not safe for him to stay out here."

You leaned against the wall, eyes heavy, while Lisa crouched beside you, catching her breath. Taehyung dialed the number, pacing as he waited for Jimin to pick up.

"Yeah, it's me," Taehyung spoke into the phone after a few seconds. "We're at Namjoon's place. You and Yoongi should go back to the hideout for now. We'll meet you there once we get some answers."

You heard the faint sound of Jimin's voice on the other end, likely annoyed but agreeing to head back. Taehyung ended the call and looked at you, offering a small, reassuring smile. "They'll be safe."

Moments later, the door to the apartment creaked open, revealing Namjoon, who blinked at the sight of the three of you. He was tall, wearing a buttoned-up cardigan over a plain white shirt, his brown hair slightly messy. The glasses perched on his nose gave him a scholarly, almost nerdy appearance.

But there was something about him that immediately put you at ease—his warm, intelligent eyes and calm demeanor seemed a welcome contrast to the chaos outside.

"Taehyung!" he greeted with a bright smile, stepping aside to let you in. "I'm glad you made it."

Taehyung nodded, stepping past him. "We've got the device," he said, getting straight to the point.

Namjoon's expression shifted from friendly to serious in an instant. "Good. Come in. We need to move fast."

You followed Taehyung into the apartment, immediately noticing how different the interior was from the rundown exterior. Books and papers were scattered everywhere, with laptops and various screens set up on the table. It was clear that Namjoon had been working on something big.

Lisa flopped onto the couch with a sigh, while you stood by the doorway, watching as Namjoon moved quickly to his desk.

"You have the device?" Namjoon asked, sliding into his chair and firing up his computer.

Taehyung dug into his backpack and pulled out the small device, holding it up before handing it over. "Here."

Namjoon took it with a nod and immediately set to work, connecting the device to his computer. You watched as he typed away, lines of code and data scrolling rapidly across the screen.

For a few minutes, the only sound in the room was the soft clicking of Namjoon's keyboard. You exchanged a glance with Taehyung, who looked just as tense as you felt. Finally, Namjoon leaned back in his chair, adjusting his glasses as a series of documents flashed onto the screen.

"You're not going to believe this," Namjoon muttered, clicking through the files. "The scientist who created the virus... his alias is Jeon Ha-joon."

Your stomach twisted at the name. "Jeon Ha-joon?"

Lisa's and Taehyung's eyes widened in astonishment. 

"No wonder there were little information about him." Taehyung sighed.

Namjoon nodded, eyes focused on the screen. "That's the name he's been using to hide his identity. But when I cross-referenced it with older files..." He clicked on another document, revealing a photo of a man you hadn't seen in years, one you only vaguely remembered from old pictures.

Your breath caught in your throat. The man on the screen was your father.

"That's him," Namjoon said softly. "His real name is Jeon Dae-hyun."

The world seemed to tilt as the realization hit you. Your father—the man you barely knew, who had disappeared years ago—was the one behind the virus, the one responsible for everything that had happened. The scientist the world had been hunting all this time wasn't some stranger. It was your father.

"How... how could this be?" you whispered, your voice shaking. "Why would he...?"

Namjoon turned to you, his expression softening. "It seems he's been hiding for a long time, under multiple aliases. But the device you brought—this is the key to understanding his plan. It's all connected."

Lisa, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "But why did he create the virus? What's his endgame?"

Namjoon clicked on another file, bringing up more data. "From what I can tell, he created the virus as a form of control. The controller he developed—the one that can manipulate the infected—was his way of wielding power."

Your head was spinning. "And the voice... the one who's been taunting me..."

"That's probably someone who wants the controller," Namjoon said grimly. "They know you're connected to your father, and they believe you might hold the key to accessing it."

The weight of the truth settled heavily on your shoulders. Your father had done all of this—and now, you were at the center of it. Someone wanted control of the virus, and they believed you could lead them to it.

"We need to figure out who's behind this," Taehyung said, his voice low but determined. "Who's pulling the strings?"

Namjoon nodded. "And we will. But for now, you all need to stay low. This is bigger than we thought. If they find out that you know who your father really is..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but you understood the implication. If they found out, they would come for you—and they wouldn't stop until they had what they wanted.

You swallowed hard, trying to process everything. Your father, the virus, the controller—your entire world had been turned upside down.