Detonate Me, Granulate Me | BTS

Chapter 23

It's a quiet morning, both Taehyung and Jimin upstairs getting their vitals taken, when an emergency news bulletin starts blaring on Jungkook's hoverpad. Jungkook stares as the hoverpad plays of its own accord, frowning as the 3D image zooms in on a building, its gates open.

"Emergency announcement to all citizens in Seoul. A power failure at Seoul National Zoo has facilitated the escape of several dangerous wild animals from their compounds. The force fields enclosing the animals fluxed at 0800 this morning, leading to the escape of twenty wild animals. Citizens are advised to stay indoors until further notice. For your safety and the safety of others, please contact Zoo authorities ASAP with the whereabouts of any animals sightings, dead or alive."

Jimin slinks into the bedroom then, shutting the trapdoor behind him and making his way down the stepladder. "Hey," he says, sliding into the bed Jungkook's on and glancing at Jungkook's screen. Jungkook's still staring at the screen, stomach churning. "What are you watching?"

"News bulletin," Jungkook says, angling the pad towards Jimin. There's an uneasy shiver creeping up his spine now, and the images of the supposedly escaped animals aren't helping. They look too intelligent, hit too close to home. "Look."

"Animals escaped from the zoo, huh," Jimin says under his breath. There's a heavy silence, before Jimin rests his hand on Jungkook's back, rubbing gentle circles into it. "You think it's something else," Jimin continues, and it's not a question.

"It makes sense," Jungkook says, running his hand through his hair. "It lines up, too. You heard what Seokjin said in that call, how SPICA had done a bust on the female compounds and DNH were preparing to extract the male Morphus from the main compound. What if they didn't succeed? What if, I don't know, they went for the bust and it turned out all the Morphus had been drugged and morphed into animal form?"

"So you think the animals they're trying to capture are actually Morphus," Jimin says, voice heavy. "That Paradisus wants to know the whereabouts of the Morphus who escaped?"

"I wouldn't rule that possibility off, no," Jungkook says, frowning. He shakes his head. Whatever. There's no point getting worked up over hypotheticals. He can talk it out with Namjoon and Yoongi when he goes upstairs. "Anyway. How were your vitals?"

"The usual. Nothing out of the ordinary," Jimin says, grinning and ruffling Jungkook's hair. "Namjoon says for you to go up and get your blood and stuff taken now, after Taehyung." Jimin stretches, yawning, and falls back on the bed. "I'm a little tired so I'm gonna nap for a while. Let me know if anything's up, hmm?"

"Yeah," Jungkook says, pressing a gentle kiss to Jimin's forehead. He studies Jimin's face carefully as he pulls away, eyes searching Jimin's. Jimin really does look worn out, the skin under his eyes tinged purple, his voice without its usual spark. Even his needle wound, which is usually healed over by now, is still bleeding through the bandage. Jungkook ruffles Jimin's hair once more before getting up. "Get some sleep, Jimin. You look like you need it."

The first thing Jungkook sees when he pokes his head out of the trapdoor entrance is Namjoon pacing around the experiment room, holding some kind of antique receiver to his ear. Yoongi's sitting in the seat next to Namjoon, legs crossed, head resting in one hand, massaging his temples between his thumb and forefinger.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Namjoon practically shouts into the receiver, voice muffled by the closed door and padded walls. Jungkook raises an eyebrow, taken aback. "Christ, Ikje, how did you manage—okay, okay, Yoongi and I will—yes, christ, I'll bring what I have. See you."

"Whoa," Jungkook says, glancing at Taehyung, who's sitting cross-legged on the couch, rubbing his bandaged arm, looking just as lost as Jungkook is. "Hey, what's going on? Is Namjoon alright?"