Crimson Park

Chapter 21

"Everything good?" Namjoon picked up on the third ring.

"I'm in," replied Jungkook triumphantly. "I'm working for the bookkeeper now."

"When do you start?"

"Tomorrow. I met with her today."

"That's quick," Namjoon was surprised. "That's good. What's she like?"

Jungkook sighed as he recalled the interaction he had only an hour ago, trying to organize his thoughts into something coherent he could relay to his handler. "She's tough. Honestly, she scared me a bit - she was suspicious of all my answers and picked apart everything I said."

"Suspicious?"

"Yeah, but apparently she's suspicious of everyone. I didn't think I was getting in."

"That's not encouraging. Maybe we should pull you out of her office and get someone else in there."

"No way. She's an island. It'll take us years to get to her again - and she's the key to this case."

"But if she makes you, this whole thing will fall."

"You underestimate me, Captain," Jungkook replied, rolling his eyes but keeping his voice level. "She won't figure me out. I'm gonna have access to all her books - I'll get what we need in no time. I'll be gone before she even notices I'm there."

This time it was Namjoon who sighed, and Jungkook knew then that what he was about to say wasn't probably something he wanted to hear. "You may need to play the long game, Jeon. Our source says she's relentless and thorough about covering her bases. You need to be sure to cover yours. Not only that, but once you're deep in - you're stuck. Everything hinges on you."

Jungkook thought quietly for a minute. All he wanted was to get out as fast as he could and get home to his own bed. He had been on assignment for over a year now, and as much as he liked the work, it was getting to him. You had been his target all along, and he had given up so much to get this chance to be beside you. But now that he was in, he might be too eager to cross the finish line - and that eagerness could lead to dire consequences. He nodded as he heeded Namjoon's warning, then spoke, "I'll scope out the situation, and I'll let you know the next time we talk."

"You need to be careful," Namjoon spoke slowly, firmly, ensuring Jungkook was listening to his every word. "If you get burned, it's not just your life at risk. It's everyone on the inside. And, ultimately, it's all the civilians they hurt."

"I told you already, I understand that," Jungkook was curt.

Namjoon went silent. Jungkook sat annoyed on the other end - annoyed because he knew his captain was only saying these things because he worried about him - but annoyed nonetheless that Namjoon felt he needed to worry. This was far from Jungkook's first assignment, and he had already been under for a year without any incident. Of course he knew the risks, of course he knew the stakes - he didn't need his handler to be telling him the same thing over and over again like he didn't already know it.

"She's a looker, isn't she?" Namjoon broke the tense silence, seemingly trying to lighten the mood.

Jungkook took in another contemplative breath as he remembered the first time he walked into your office. Those legs of yours, one crossed over the other, long, toned, and flawless as they tapered down to your ankles. He never considered himself to be a guy with a foot kink, but in that moment, he had thought about how pretty your feet would look between his fingers when he slipped those heels off you. He had internally shaken himself out of his stupor and focused his attention rightfully onto the questions you were asking, and being sure to maintain eye contact with you, the way any good interviewee should - but you wouldn't look up at him. It was a tactic, he knew that, but it was unnerving and distracting. All this time he had spent trying to get to you, and now that he was here, it was about as informative as all the photos surveillance had gathered of you - you were visible, but he never really got to see you. So instead his eyes wandered mindlessly to the top of your hat, or to your hand scribbling words across his resume, then south to your legs - wait no, don't look at her legs, then they followed the collar of your shirt that dipped enticingly low - fuck, don't look there either. It was a constant battle he was losing, and he chastised himself endlessly for being such a stereotypical pig who couldn't keep his shit together in the presence of a woman's well sculpted ass - even though it came with a tongue that stung like the lash of a whip. It was no wonder why he couldn't impress you with his credentials, he was sure you were looking right through him without even looking at him.