Deadlock || ᴠᴍɪɴ

Chapter 14

Jimin felt slightly nauseous. Could Manning’s morals be any more rotten?

“Encouraged by the results of my case, Manning began to gather kids of all ethnicities to bring them to this camp. Ricky and Brian were part of that group. I became their leader, and began to work not only in Colombia but in the USA as well. —Imagine this, Jimin. Snipe someone with a rifle, you’re patted on the head and told that you are a good boy. Capture a guerilla and torture him brutally to extract information, and you’re commended for excellent work. I’m not trying to defend myself, but you can’t expect me to have much decency left after growing up in an environment like this.”

Jimin’s gaze wandered as he tried to search for the right words. He knew it was unacceptable to acknowledge Corvus’ excuse. No matter how sympathetic he was for the man’s situation, he knew that he could never nod and tell him he was right.

“No matter how you were raised, you should know that what you’re doing is considered a crime.”

“Yeah, I know. But it’s hard to change my ways when they’re so ingrained. For example, what if I told you that you’re actually a woman? Would you be able to live as a woman starting tomorrow?”

“Stop trying to twist the argument.”

“I’m not. That’s exactly how it’s like for me. Doing dirty work for Manning has been my raison d’être. Literally, my reason to live.”

Corvus wiped his mouth with a napkin and gazed at the wavering flame of the candle on its stand.

“It’s interesting, isn’t it,” he murmured. “Even if Manning hadn’t taken me in and I’d continued to live with the guerillas, I might have ended up doing their deeds, kidnapping people and setting bombs in the streets. Either way, I was never meant to live in a peaceful world.”

After their meal, Jimin was bound in his shackles again and returned to the first room. Jimin knew he needed to save his energy in case of an emergency. He crawled into bed and closed his eyes, trying to go to sleep. Even though his body was tired, his nerves were evidently still on edge; sleep did not come easily.

“Don’t you notice your mind becoming twisted the longer you live here?”

Out of the blue, Jimin remembered the words that Corvus had said to him back in prison, when they were talking in the library. Corvus, playing a model prisoner called Nathan, had been in anguish over the current state of prisons being operated like businesses.

On deeper thought, Jimin had a feeling that Corvus’ words also encompassed his dissatisfaction toward American society as a whole. The prison was like a miniature version of society, exploited by corporations and governments for money. The victims were the criminals who had fallen through society’s cracks.

Jimin also remembered something else Corvus had said.

“Human hearts tend to be just as elastic as our brains. It’ll take the shape of any vessel it’s put into, whether it be round or square. Humans are controlled by the environment around them.”

Perhaps Corvus was making a jab at himself when he said it.

Corvus’ actions were unacceptable — atrocities that could never be forgiven. However, Jimin couldn’t help but wonder if Corvus wasn’t a victim, too, after learning about his unfortunate upbringing.

Rob had said that the law existed because there was no such thing as absolute justice or absolute sin. But the law was not perfect. Jimin knew this fact well from being declared guilty of a crime he didn’t commit.

Jimin’s determination to bring Corvus before the law remained unchanged. But now, he wasn’t sure if that would solve all of their problems.

The torrential rain cast a haze over the scenery. Jimin stood by the window in Corvus’ room, looking outside. It had been a week since they arrived at the camp, and it had been raining nonstop for the past three days. Perhaps it was the rainy season. On sunny days, he could usually see soldiers training on the grounds, but now the place was deserted. They were probably inside maintaining their weapons.