Amnesia

XXII.

 There was so much color outside the bunker. And it was cold. Remy's bare skin shivered as she looked around. It appeared they really were in the middle of some Western desert, with only rocks and dust around. Remy didn't think it was Death Valley, though. It looked like the middle of dusty hell, but not hellish enough to justify calling it death valley. In fact, maybe it was beautiful. The sun was just rising over the horizon, painting the sky orange and purple, and promising a new day. It had to be early in the morning.

Jimin was yelling something in a panic into the phone, and it took Remy a second to realize he was yelling in highly-accented English. She didn't blame him for freaking out, nor did she blame him for shoving the phone in her direction. He had called 911. Remy felt a little sad that the Bangtan boys had to have the emergency number in the United States memorized.

For some reason, Remy felt calmer than she had in days. Perhaps it was just the realization that maybe they were actually out of this. Either way, she talked to the emergency operator, told him they had been kidnapped and didn't know where they were, but their kidnappers were either dead or unconscious. The operator requested that they stay on the line, but Remy found herself lowering the phone and not really listening to the man.

Taehyung was clutching a hand to his abdomen with a grimace on his face.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

He nodded.

"Did it leave a mark?" It seemed impossible that a pain that had only existed in a dream could hurt in real life.

Pain is in the mind, she remembered from a long time ago.

Jimin and Seokjin began fussing over Taehyung, and they lifted up his shirt to reveal that there was nothing wrong. There wasn't even a bruise. Still, Taehyung looked like he was in pain, and there was nothing they could do about it.

The emergency vehicles arrived just a few minutes later, sirens blaring and all. At the very last second, Remy realized that all of their belongings would probably be confiscated, and she moved the vial from her clutch into the very small pocket the fucking concert gown had.

Several police cars came, along with an ambulance and a fire truck. They could have burned the bunker, Remy realized. They could have burned the bunker, and then no one would ever have to worry about the drug or the scientist that created it ever again.

She physically shook her head, trying to get those thoughts away. No. She wouldn't kill anyone. She refused to kill anyone, no matter what they did to her or the people that she loved.

All eight of them had their phones taken away, along with Remy's clutch, and were gently ushered into police cars. The cars were driving fast, but it seemed the unnatural calmness that had come over Remy had come over the boys too, at least the ones in the car Remy was in. She, Namjoon, Hoseok, and Yoongi all sat in their sticky plastic seats quietly, staring at their hands.

Something told Remy that this wasn't over. There was still something missing. But she didn't know what.

Much to her surprise, they stopped at a beatdown old diner and had mugs of boiling hot coffee pushed into their hands. Remy asked to have her phone back so she could call her parents.

Her parents, she thought. She would be able to see her parents again.

The policewoman with friendly eyes apologized and said no. When Remy shifted uncomfortably, the vial moved, pressing into her side like an accusation. Jeongguk gently nudged her with his arm, his eyes silently asking "Are you okay?"

She nodded.

Remy flinched when she felt eyes watching her. When she glanced over she noticed a few people glance away. Don't worry about it, she told herself. It's just because there are cops. They aren't looking at you specifically. They're looking at you because you are in a diner at six in the morning with a bunch of cops and it looks like you just lost a fight with a bulldozer.