The Secret of The Swan Ch23

Jimin’s mouth felt like cotton as he began to stir into consciousness. His head pounded and it took him a moment to open his eyes that were instinctively wincing in pain. Slowly opening them, he regretted seeing where he was.

The room was dark and humid, the floors and walls cold concrete. He saw shadows move around as he carefully sat upward. He realized he couldn't do any more than sit in that spot due to the short chains that bound him to the wall behind him. Where was he?

The memories came searing back and the hurt and betrayal overwhelmed him. Did Taehyung trap him? He had a connection to the Swan, and by the way the armed men had made it, it was a good one. A surge of panic came when he remembered his father was with them.

“Father!?” he cried out without thinking, his voice hoarse and worried. He looked around as his eyes finally seemed to adjust to the dark room- or cell to be more accurate. He could see a few other men chained up as he was, but dirty, beaten, and a long way from their last meal. He looked around more and finally spotted a figure slumped across the room in the corner. He recognized his father’s faded green sweater he had been wearing. He laid there still, facing away.

“Father!” he cried again, tears in his eyes. He knew his father couldn't respond or move so Jimin was left with his fears and pool of uncertainty. He hugged his legs to his chest and kept an eye on his father, shivering in the damp.

“I’m so sorry father… I wish I could have known. I trusted him....” his sniffed, heart feeling heavy. He still didn’t completely know what was going on, but knowing Taehyung’s ties with The Swan made him grit his jaw. As much as he knew they seemed safe for the moment left alone in shackles, he hoped someone would come down soon and provide some answers. Until then, he knew he had to pull it together.

Jimin took a few steady breaths to calm his rising pulse and clear his head. His first priority was to try and find a way out of wherever he was.

“Do you all know where we are?” Jimin asked, remembering he and his father weren’t the only ones in the room. The other abused men sat with their knees to their chests, shaking and rocking, trying to comfort themselves.

“Please, do any of you know where we are?” Jimin asked again, trying to steady his shaking voice. He waited and finally, one of the men dared to move. The man was grimy with sweat and blood, unable to sit still. He mumbled something that Jimin couldn’t hear.

“What did you say?” Jimin whispered.

The man sat up, dark eyes piercing into Jimin's honey brown ones.

“Hell.”

~~~

A hard stinging sensation jolted Taehyung out of his sedated state. He looked up and gasped at the masked man in front of him. The man’s eyes were dark and angry, locked into Taehyung’s frightened gaze. All he could see were his dark, evil eyes behind the thin white leather mask that fit perfectly over his face, almost as a second skin.

“What the fuck did you think you were doing?” He questioned, tone harsh and low. Taehyung’s bones felt like ice. There was no question about who that voice belonged to.

“Sir, I can-” he started before his jaw was met by The Swan’s knuckles, rings cutting deep into his flesh. He thought he saw stars, his head ringing against the lavish rug he laid slumped on. In any other situation, he would feel bad for getting blood on something as nice as this but he wished he could do more than bleed on this.

“There is no bullshit excuse you could give me Taehyung. That boy was no different for the others! How dare you defy me!” he spat.

Taehyung let out a small whimper. He knew there was a big risk in doing this but he was more afraid for Jimin and his father than himself. The Swan towered over him, dripping in expense and power. His cologne alone probably cost more than what Taehyung got in a year, that number itself not being shabby. The fact that The Swan seemed calmer than he expected scared him more.

“Stand up,” he ordered. Taehyung shakily stood as fast as he could, feeling dizzy from the headrush. He looked up at the man and was met with his fist once again. He stood straight up again and kept his head down, knowing better. He could see from his peripheral vision that he was in an expensively decorated study, the wood floors dark mahogany, a large desk in the corner. The room was bigger than the bedroom he had been living in, he could only imagine the size of the building he was in.

“You are not my equal. Perhaps you took my compliment too much to heart during our last conversation, didn’t you?” The Swan entertained, tilting his head to look at Taehyung’s fearful face. Taehyung stood still, not saying a word.

“I know you wouldn’t really go behind my back, would you Tae? I mean I’ve taken care of you so well…” he sighed, placing his hand gently on Taehyung’s cheek, brushing away some of the blood oozing from his fresh cuts. Taehyung winced but still was too scared to respond. He didn’t want to say something to get himself in more trouble. The Swan’s mood confused him.

“You’re better off staying silent Tae, I knew you were smart,” he smiled, patting Taehyung’s head. He began the pace in front of him, eyes never leaving the boy’s bowed head.

“I think you misunderstood your freedoms within your job. I’m not going to ask what you were thinking, taking those two wherever you were headed, all of you with luggage…” he trailed off, raising an eyebrow. He knew exactly what Taehyung was doing but he decided to forgive him if Taehyung would obey everything to come. Over the years he couldn’t hide the fact that he cared about him, even if the way he showed it was twisted.

A tear slowly trailed down his face. He was more than terrified. He didn’t see any real reason that The Swan would overlook what he had done.

“Don’t cry…” The man hushed, walking over to Taehyung and raising his chin for his eyes to meet him. Taehyung looked away but finally looked into The Swan’s eyes with a gentle tap to his chin.

“We all make mistakes in life Taehyung. Some of them have permanent consequences, other ones don’t. I think you want to make it right, don’t you?” he asked. His voice almost sounded gentle, but Taehyung knew in his gut not to trust it. He lightly nodded, knowing he didn’t have any other choices. He had to stay alive and find a way to be in good enough graces to try and get Jimin and his father out of there.

“Of course, I do have to punish you and make sure you don’t make another stupid choice again, however,” The man sighed. He took a step back gazed at the younger. Taehyung looked back down and finally spoke.

“What will my punishment be?” Taehyung asked with an ounce of courage. He was playing with his luck and The Swan’s temper but he couldn’t help but ask.

“I’ll forgive you this once for speaking without my permission, but I promise, it’s not very bad. I just need you to complete your job,” he answered simply. Taehyung’s eyes widened.

“Take care of the boy and his father. Yeah, it’s an extra kill but you basically killed him back when you left him in that state…”

More tears ran down Taehyung’s face. He was angry for showing his sorrow, it would only validate The Swan’s demands.

“What happened to my perfect little Taehyung? You did so well in your jobs. You were in and out, brutal, and no emotion. What happened? Jimin was nice? Do you think he was the only nice person you’ve killed? You just didn’t know the others like you got to know him,” he chuckled.

Taehyung’s knuckles grew white and tight as he balled his fists trying to control his anger. The Swan was only taunting him now. He fought back nausea that overtook him as well, the truth sitting sour in the pit of his stomach. He wanted to yell at The Swan, run, but he knew he was surrounded by guards and guns.

“I suggest you stop the tears, or else I might think you care about the boy, that would be bad for you…” he warned. Taehyung knew he was most likely smirking behind that mask and wanted to wipe it off of him. He was scared but the anger in him was starting to rise above it. What gave him the right to be this evil being who controlled everything?

“You’re not doing anything right now, you need to have a proper meal and night’s sleep, you’re going to need your strength for tomorrow.”

Taehyung nodded, knowing he couldn’t do much else.

“You’ll see that I’m looking out for you, Taehyung. I almost feel like you’re a son to me after all these years… Now, off you go!” he shooed. Taehyung began to move when The Swan shook his head.

“You, let Minjun in. I know I can trust him to escort Taehyung to the room I have set aside for him,” he ordered the guard by the door. The man seemed to almost move robotically as he stepped to the side and opened the door. Minjun who seemed to have stood and waited for his cue strided into the room. “If it wasn't for him noticing you leaving, you could have slipped away!”

Minjun reached out his arm and took Taehyung by the elbow.

“Don’t try any shit with me, you’re lucky you're standing right now,” Minjun whispered harshly while dragging him from the room. Taehyung felt betrayed. What was Minjun doing? He was supposed to be the good guy!

They turned into a few different hallways, all adorned with different unique paintings and statues, the wallpaper red and stately shining off more dark mahogany flooring. They seemed to be far enough away from the room when Taehyung finally pulled away from Minjun.

“What the fuck! I know you’re not really on his side, who you really-” he roared before Minjun slammed his hand on his mouth, pinning Taehyung to the wall.

“Shut your face if you know what’s good for you. Don’t you know everything's watched under his eye, stupid?” his harshly whispered in Taehyung’s face. Taehyung grimaced and shoved Minjun’s hand away.

“I know the truth. I was there that night you saw Min-” he angrily whispered back before Minjun’s hand cut him off again.

“You don’t know anything, kid. I’ve protected you because it’s my job and a part of me cares, that much is true, but you don’t know anything about the real world,” he spat. Taehyung’s mind raced with confusion. Was Minjun a good cop or one gone rouge? "You don't know what it's like to have everything you love taken away from you until there's nothing left. Sometimes you just have to shut up and survive."

Minjun roughly grabbed him and shoved him in a room before closing the door and locking it. Taehyung banged on the door but he knew it was no use. No one was going to come for him.

He turned and saw this was a smaller but still expensively designed room, a full poster bed taking up most of the floor. The plush sheets and pillows screamed to be laid in.

He had been sedated for what he guessed to be hours but he was still exhausted. He slowly climbed onto the bed and laid in a fetal position before letting the tears pour down his face. He had never felt more alone, more disappointed with himself. He regretted his rash actions that now definitely led to Jimin and his father’s imminent deaths. The sickest part was knowing The Swan would thrive off the blood being in Taehyung’s hands. The thought revolted him and he knew he had to come up with a new plan.