Payback

The Good and the Bad

"How much further is it?" I asked Jungkook, with a hint of frustration in my voice.

We've been driving for over an hour now, but every time I asked how long the drive is, he just ignored me. I was beginning to regret coming with him. My bag sat in the back seat of the black sports car that Jungkook drove. It's the first time I've ever seen someone in the group other than Taehyung and Hoseok drive. They were probably busy in the city today.

"We're almost there." Jungkook spoke up for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

We spoke a few times throughout the ride, but we were silent for most of the time. I noticed that Jungkook became a little tenser as we came closer to our destination, and he spoke less and less the further we drove. Why is he so nervous?

Jungkook finally exited the Thruway in the middle of nowhere. I began to wonder if he was telling the truth about checking out a building. He brought a large duffel bag with him that seemed to be a little too heavy for a change of clothes. I didn't think much of it until now. What is he planning to do to me?

"I lied." Jungkook's voice made me nearly jump out of my seat. I wasn't expecting him to say anything, and the purr of the engine was the only sound that I heard for quite some time.

I looked over at Jungkook and raised my eyebrow. "We're not doing an inspection approval thingy?"

Jungkook's eyes never left the road as he shook his head.

"Nope. We need to do some exterminating."

I noticed a very slight curl in the corner of his lip after he spoke. Something told me we that weren't going to be exterminating bugs or rodents.

"This is a job?" I asked calmly, though I was a little furious with him for not being straight with me.

Jungkook nodded. "In a way. We will be using this place, but we'll be doing a little more than just inspecting it."

"In the middle of nowhere?" I asked, watching the large fields of corn go by as we sped down the road. "Why am I reminded of Children of the Corn?"

I heard a chuckle escape Jungkook's lips.

"Our main base is in a crowded city. If we keep all of our resources in one place, we risk losing everything. We're spreading out our resources so that we don't suffer huge losses, and also to make it more difficult for other gangs, and even the police to track everything. We've even crossed state borders into New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Namjoon runs a huge operation. It's the largest underground function on the east coast. He has many enemies, but just as many loyal allies. We need to make sure that the future of Namjoon's underground world is secured."

I never realized that Namjoon's mafia gang was so big. Now I kind-of understood why Jin was always attached to Namjoon. He's a high-risk target 24/7.

"What would happen if it all fell apart?" I asked.

Jungkook didn't answer me right away. Instead, he thought about it for a minute as we turned down yet another back road.

"Namjoon's underground empire, if you will, is so huge, that it would have a catastrophic effect on the economy. Many people want to get rid of the underground world, but they don't realize the huge role it plays in this area. Yes, there are some gruesome aspects of this type of business, but think about everything that you've seen. Think about how many people have step foot inside our buildings. Those people live ordinary lives, but they come to indulge and spend money in the underground world. We rarely spend money on imported goods. About ninety percent of our goods come from this country, and most of that is spent here on the east coast. What will happen if that flow of money stops?"

I thought about it. As cruel and as gruesome as the underground world is, there is a lot of money that goes into it, and also out of it. If Namjoon's empire were to disappear overnight, investors and clients would lose their money, employees would be homeless and jobless, and the whole area would become a much more violent place. The violence and illegal activities that happen in this industry are usually concealed and isolated. Without the industry, the violence and crimes would be more spread out and uncontrollable. How can something so bad be so good for the economy?

"I see." I murmured.

I suddenly felt like my position in Namjoon's empire is much more important than I originally thought. I'm like the police and security of Namjoon's empire. If it crumbles, all hell will break loose. Now that I finally understood how big this really is, I felt like I finally have a place in this world. If I'm damned to be in this industry until I die, I might as well make good use of myself while I can.

I heard the engine of the car slow as we approached what looked like an old airport hangar. The half dome-shaped roof sat on top of a square brick building. We drove down the long grassy concrete driveway until we reached the hangar. I noticed another car was parked almost out of sight on the other side of the building. It looks like we really will need to do some exterminating.

Jungkook parked the car on the other side of the hangar and turned off the engine. We both got out of the car and opened the trunk where Jungkook's heavy duffel bag lay. We each pulled out two handguns and a few knives. Once we were all suited up, Jungkook closed the trunk and turned to me. He gave me a little half-smile as he squinted at me in the sunlight.

"You ready, Akio?"

I nodded and pulled out one of my handguns. "Let's get this extermination over and done with. I'm just about ready for lunch."