Dangerous Mind (2 PM, DBSK, SHINee fanfic) Chapter 2
The video arrived early in the morning the next day. The three bands had all been alerted that the others had been taken as well. As a result all three bands ended up congregated to one house, and it was DBSK’s. They had been huddled in the living room when the doorbell rang and Jaejoong was the first to reach it and opened it slowly.
No one stood outside but when he looked down there was a package sitting on the ground in front of the door. The police had been at each band’s houses after the kidnappings took place and they said they would be back sometime early afternoon with more information and questions.
Picking up the package, Jaejoong stared down at it with glazed eyes. When he returned to the living room, everyone who had waited there sat up expectantly and he flashed them package and they all had different reactions. Some were disappointed and upset, others were confused, and some were just angry.
“What the hell is that?” Taecyeon demanded, storming over to Jaejoong. “Don’t tell me it’s a bomb or something-”
“It’s not a bomb,” Yunho replied, standing up. He had bags under his eyes and looked thinner and more stressed than previously. “I bet you it’s a tape or DVD. Which means that the boys are still alive and there’s still hope in finding them and rescuing them.” He looked at Jaejoong who nodded slightly, before moving towards the TV. He tore open the package as he did so and glanced over his shoulder, confirming that Yunho was right. Onew gasped and slid his hand into Key’s, who in turn squeezed it reassuringly. The DVD was put in and Jaejoong pressed play, and crouched down so he wasn’t in the way.
“Hello boys,” a woman said. The top of her face was covered but her lips were curled in a cruel manner and her insane eyes sent shivers down all their spines. “Your friends are alive, but I love playing with my toys, especially new ones but why would I want to leave you out from all the fun? So, I’ll make sure you’re fully in the loop of what’s happening, and it’s also the last chance you’ll have to see them as well. It’s a shame you didn’t have much time to say good-bye but let these videos be lasting memories.”
Then the scene changed and before they were viewing sickening and disturbing. The camera was set in a position so it captured all three of the captives, someone standing a little off to the left, holding something that glowed red hot. It looked like a woman and when they spoke it was proven correct. The woman advanced on the three of them, and momentarily the thirteen young men in the cramped living room saw the most horrifying scene in their lives.
Taemin was the first victim to experience the pain. After their captor-who was turning out to be more and more formidable by the moment, and it was just the way she was handling herself and the object in her hand too. Onew-who had been standing-felt his knees buckled under him as he witnessed his youngest member being tortured with the metal rod. Taemin’s face was nothing but pure fear and pain, tears streaming down his cheeks. But it was the name that he had called out, the one that Changmin and Chansung had failed to hear.
“ONEW!”
Onew found he had tears brewing in his eyes and Key wrapped his arms reassuringly around his shoulders, but was unable to look away from the TV. Jonghyun and Minho stared wordlessly at the scream but both had the same stunned look. DBSK and 2 PM sat in silence, but rage and affection surged from them, praying that their kidnapped members would be alright.
After the woman was done with Taemin, she moved on to Chansung, who was in too much of a shock to fight back. When she pressed the brand against his skin, the determination to not make a sound or do anything was so apparent on his face that momentarily Taecyeon and Junsu were proud of their maknae. But even Chansung looked like he was in shock, as he sat frozen, pain evident in his eyes especially.
Changmin was the last and he sat there completely quiet and collected, though even he was afraid of being branded. Yunho leapt to his feet and glared at the TV. “Who the hell does this woman think she is? First she kidnaps them and then she tortures them and shows it all to us! What is she planning?”
“Yun, calm down,” Jaejoong said, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Come on we have to figure something out to get them back right? Look the cops will be here in an hour or so we should just give it to them and let them figure this out.”
“The cops won’t do anything,” Taecyeon sniffed, staring at the frozen TV screen. “You know as well as I do they’ll only go so far in the search and then call it a quits, claiming there’s no hope or whatever.”
“That’s not true,” Yoochun snapped, “they put their lives on the line everyday for people who need them. She’s going to kill them, even she didn’t bother to hide that fact from us. We need to show the police this and if they’ll do whatever they can.”
Jaejoong turned the TV off and looked at the distinctly different groups, and was about to say something when the doorbell rang, making them all jump simultaneously. They’re managers had to leave to discuss the situation and who knew when they would be back, and the police weren’t due for another half an hour at least. This time it was Yunho and Yoochun who crept to the door and answered it with caution. To their surprise it was two people both middle aged, one man one woman, and had the air of authority around them. At the same time they pulled out badges and flashed them briefly to the two young men, who didn’t know what to do suddenly.
“This is Detective Kwon, and I am Detective Lee. We’re here on the investigation of the trio kidnapping. If you would, we have some questions we’d like to ask you.”
So Yunho and Yoochun quickly bowed, said a few polite words and showed the detectives in. They led them to the living room, where the other Korean idols were in a quiet debate. When they spotted the detectives they fell silent rapidly, and stared blankly. A few mumbled polite words and bobbed their heads, and the detectives stopped when the spotted the TV, which was still on. Quickly they exchanged glances before composing themselves. Detective Lee cleared his throat and placed his hands behind his back.
“Our suspicions were confirmed this morning,” he said, and everyone froze. His voice was deep and authoritative and demanding of attention. “And from the looks of it you received the same video we did. What we have here is another case of the Maknae Killer, or sometimes known as the Dongsang Killer, as she often goes after the youngest male of the family. There have been seven other cases and in each one there have been no survivors. While we do know she is female she always manages to stay one step ahead of us, and usually it’s only ever been one victim at a time but this time she decided to pick three. What her motive is this time we’re not sure, but we do know this: this woman is completely insane. She tortures her victims violently while recording it and then sends the videos to the families showing her abuse. As of yet we have no conclusions as to why she’s only targeting the youngest male but we have several theories.”
“The ages she targets is around ten to nineteen, Shim Changmin-shii being the oldest so far. Again we don’t know why she decided to target your maknae’s and there’s obviously a motive,” Detective Kwon continued, her voice rather dull.
“What if she comes after the rest of us?” Junsu asked, “some of us are the youngest in our families also.”
“I doubt she’ll take more than she can handle. As you may have seen she had two other “guards” protecting her. Because she’s a small female and the boys she usually takes are strong and young, she needs them to help her. Other than that she’s mentally unstable enough to come up with the most sadistic things.”
“So what are you going to do about it?” Wooyoung asked, staring up at them with intense eyes. Detective Lee looked at him with the same intense stare.
“Anything we can to help them. Not only are the lives of maknaes at stake but Korea’s security reputation is as well. Lucky for you the media has not been informed of these events and let’s hope it stays that way. Whatever she’s planning we have to get it figured out under the radar. Which means, we need your cooperation.”
“What do you mean?” Jonghyun asked, “you think we’re going to pull something?”
“I don’t know what you’re going to do. But it wouldn’t be wise to go and pull some heroic stunt to save them either. If it’s a toss-up between three lives and the lives of what…sixteen people, then I would much rather it be the first instead of the latter.”
That caused an outrage.
“You think that lives of those three don’t matter?” Key exclaimed.
“We’ll do anything to protect them, it doesn’t matter about our lives, they’re more important!” Junho piped up angrily.
“Don’t you dare tell us to sit back and do nothing,” Yoochun snapped, and Detective Lee raised his eyebrows at them.
“Really? So you want to play hero and go after an insane murderer, put your lives in danger for these three? I’ll have you know that we’ll do our damn best to find them, and if you happen to get in the way things will get complicated and you could get hurt too! I will do everything in my power to keep all of you under twenty four hour watch!” He glared at them. “And this is how you treat your elders, aish the youth of today.”
“Alright, fine we aren’t going to do anything,” Yunho said calmly, instantly setting himself as the voice of the group. “We won’t get in your way, but you can’t expect us to just not do anything.”
“You’re right,” Detective Kwon agreed, but before they could get their hopes up she added, “we expect that if anything should come up, any clues or information we should know about, you will tell us immediately to aid us in finding them all the more quickly. Until then we are assuming that you will stay put and not do anything rash or stupid.” She flipped open a little notebook and took out a pen. “So first we’d like to ask some questions about the victims.”
“You’re going to waste more time by asking questions?” Junsu snapped, “when they’re god knows where, suffering. Every minute you waste is a minute gone to saving them!”
“And every minute you waste by being uncooperative is doing the same thing,” Detective Lee pointed out, “we’re doing this to help them. By knowing more about them we could probably make a connection between them and her motives.”
Though they really appreciate the lack of sympathy, the three groups settled somewhat down and gave the detectives as much information as they could about their maknaes.
“Has there been anyone who’s constantly hanging around? Someone suspicious who was only looking for the three victims?” Detective Kwon asked.
“You’re kidding right?” Junsu from 2 PM said, “you’re talking to Korean idols here, there are all types of suspicious people hanging around us. Fans sometimes don’t go home just to watch us walk down a street or watch us film something.”
“Yes but even for you there has to be someone who stood out among them…one who didn’t seem to quite fit in,” Detective Lee replied calmly, though his patience was wearing thin.
“Actually…” the other Junsu looked up with a realization in his eyes. “Now that you mention it there is this one person…she’s a little older and just recently she started hanging around among the Cassies just standing there. She did take a picture every now again and….” He gasped and leapt up. Everyone stared at him with concern and he looked at his members.
“That picture, the one that was taped to the wall. That picture, I knew it looked familiar but couldn’t figure it out. That picture was taken when Changmin just left the house to walk his dog. Which means-”
“That it could very well be that woman,” Detective Lee finished for him, “do you remember what that woman looked like?”
Junsu shook his head. “No, I kind of just tuned everything out, but I only noticed her because she stuck out like a sore thumb…kind of had a weirdness about her. I don’t know what else to say.”
Detective Lee sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Is there anyone else who noticed this woman? Or any other strange women for that matter?”
“I think so…” Nickhun piped up. “What Junsu hyung said kind of sounds like a lady who’s been hanging around with our fans too. Though I never really noticed what she looked like either.”
“And you boys?”
SHINee all looked at each other and then slowly shook their heads. Minho spoke up. “No, we haven’t seen anyone like that sorry.”
“That’s alright. Okay we’ll leave it at that for today, we’ll just have to go on the information you gave us for now. Thank-you for your cooperation and I hope it stays this way too.” And with that Yunho showed them out and when he returned moments later he slumped onto the couch and shook his head.
“What are we going to do?” Wooyoung asked, taking Nickhun’s hand and held it tightly. Nickhun pulled him closer as Key did to Onew.
“They don’t seem like they have enough to fall back on,” Yoochun pointed out, “can we be certain they’ll be able to figure it out?”
“That’s why we don’t trust them,” Taecyeon said quietly, and everyone turned to him. Since Jay had left it was Junsu who took over the leader role unconsciously, but at that moment Taecyeon seemed to be the one in charge. “I say we go and find them, we can do it too.”
“Yeah but with what? We’re just as clueless as to what’s going on as those detectives,” Minho pointed out.
“We can figure it out. I mean we already have a little bit of a connection with the pictures,” Junsu said, sitting forward next to Taecyeon. “I just remembered something. Obviously that woman was watching Chansung, Taemin and Changmin right? That picture she took of Chansung showed him walking down a street, kind of lagging behind us. We were just leaving our apartment at that time, right across the street if I remember was our white van.”
“Yeah but she never took a picture of Taemin leaving the house,” Jonghyun put in, “he was leaving school.”
“Maybe she has a connection with the school? I don’t know but at any rate she still followed Taemin to get that picture, which means all we have to do is find the fan who was around all three groups.”
“Easier said than done,” Jaejoong sighed, “we have no idea what she looks like, only that she was weird.”
“Actually…” Junho bit his lip and looked at his lap. Everyone turned to him expectantly. “I know what she looks like….”
The looks everyone gave him was either shocked or proud. To hide information from the police was bad, it could lead to them missing something important or looking right past that clue like it’s nothing. Taecyeon looked stunned at first, but then recovered quickly, but not before Jaejoong had the chance to speak.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” he demanded, pacing the room. “Do you know if they find out about this we can be in deep trouble? Then we won’t be able to help them if we’re being watched.”
“I know, I know…and I’m sorry I just didn’t think I could tell them,” Junho, his face colouring. “We were just talking about how we couldn’t trust them or not. I just thought that if we did our own digging and searched around then we’d be able to find something the police couldn’t and it’d make finding our maknaes easier.”
“See, I agree with that,” Taecyeon said, crossing his arms. “I say we just let the police do what they want and we do what we want. We can find them if we all put our heads together and solve this thing.”
Suddenly there was a voice from the hallway, making them all turn in surprise. “I’m gone for less than a month and already things are starting to get worse?”
Everyone stopped and stared at the sudden arrival of someone they were least expecting.
~*~*~*~
The woman had left for a little while, giving the three victims’ time to rest. No that they really could considering their situation, and already pain and hunger was taking over their senses.
“Hyung,” Taemin whispered, eyes on the ground. “Changmin hyung, I think I might know that lady. Her voice is really familiar but I can’t remember.”
“It’s alright Taemin, don’t worry about that for now. Right now we need to think of a way to get out of here.”
Changmin glanced around the room, examining every inch of the room. It was dark and gloomy, cold and ruthless. Before she had left, the woman had asked her little followers to bring in a table which now sat in front of the three. They had no idea what it was for but the images they formed in their minds was terrifying and sickening. Taemin nodded slightly and closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm down. He knew it wouldn’t do anyone any good to be weak and vulnerable. Tilting his head back, he opened his eyes and glanced up at the dingy ceiling when he noticed something.
“Ah! Hyungs look!” he exclaimed, but was shushed by Chansung. However the two older young men looked up and saw that there was a vent, a little smaller than anything Chansung or Changmin could fit through. But it was big enough for Taemin to fit through.
Quickly Changmin checked out how Taemin was tied to the chair, and noticed that he had been set in a chair different than what he and Chansung were sitting in. His arms rest on the arm rest of the chair, and his wrists were tied down by the flex cuffs. It was perfect and yet it just all seemed too easy. Either way it was the only chance they had if Taemin would be able to escape than he could go for help and it would be all over. But it was just getting Taemin out without the woman noticing, plus it’d be very dangerous for Taemin if he should get caught. Changmin would have to ask Taemin about it, but just at that moment the door opened something rolled into the room. Moments later a fizzing sound came out of it and a gas poured out and overpowered the room. Eyes watering, and coughing, Changmin felt his limbs loosen and his eyes felt heavy. He was dimly aware of Taemin next to him drooping forward limply, unconscious, and Chansung did the same. Vision swimming, nose and throat burning from the gas, Changmin was barely conscious when a blurry figure rose up in front of him, and then everything went black.
**
Changmin woke up and found that he had been moved from a sitting position to lying on a table-the one that was in their room to be exact, lying on his stomach. When the swirling room and dancing lights died down he glanced around and saw that no one else was in the room but him. The fact that there were three chairs facing him told him that it was the same room and that the other two had been moved. Fear grew inside of him and he struggled, clenching his teeth hoping to break free. His shirt had been removed and the damp air sent goose bumps up and down his back and arms. The only thing he was concerned about at that moment was finding out where the other two were. If something happened to Taemin…and he was all alone…. Changmin forced the thoughts down and looked down at his hands and feet. They were strapped down with leather cuffs this time, which meant no hope of escaping. Forehead hitting the cold table irritably he closed his eyes and was just wondering what was going to happen when the door opened and the woman entered, smiling.
“Oh I do love your friends,” she sighed, sitting in his chair. “It’s always interesting to see how you all react to the things I do, it’s so thrilling. Let me tell you, the first time I killed someone I was fifteen years old. The annoying little brat, didn’t care that he was the center of the world and I was just in the shadows.” She smiled and paused in her speech. Changmin clenched his teeth and his hands curled into fists as she stood up and walked over to him.
“You know, I used to be a teacher, until I started my wonderful idea,” she said absently, pulling something up. It was black and long as she played with it casually. “I’ve always hated younger boys, those who are treated so much better than I had been.” Changmin saw what it was and blanched as the leather material trailed along his back, sending shivers down his spine. She walked slowly, dragging the whip along his back as if taunting him. Then she lifted it and there was whoosh sound and the stinging sensation of the weapon shot through his body, making him clench his teeth and curl his hands into fists.
“Let’s just say I got fired from my job when I decided to punish the children. That’s when I decided to do this, and look where it’s got me. The young today think they know everything and they’re so spoiled! They’re terrified and lost little piglets which is exactly why I’m here, to make them see as well as their parents!” She laughed insanely, her hand shaking, and sent out another lash. Changmin turned his head and forced himself to think of something else. Blood trickled through at least four different lines before she finally got tired of his silence and stopped.
“My is this too easy? You’re not making a single peep, why is that? Do I have to be a bit harder?” She leaned down to his ear and her breath tickled his cheek lightly. Slowly she brought the whip up and with one swift gesture she swept it down horizontally across his back, rib cage to rib cage, and that time he gasped twisting awkwardly in the bonds. She smiled in success.
“Ah so that’s it!” Another slash across the back, and that time the pain shot through his entire body causing nausea to roll over him. The two cuts were long and angry red, blood flowing more freely from them. She hit him again and again until he had become numb to the pain. The woman dropped the whip suddenly, panting and shook her head. “I think that’s enough for you for now, I don’t want to kill you so quickly, and besides I need to go check on the other two as well. Don’t die precious.”
And with that she was gone, leaving Changmin shaking from the cold and shock creeping along his body. He wasn’t sure if he was going to see Taemin again but if he was he hoped that his plan would be able to be carried out. If any of them were alive.
**
Taemin shivered under the freezing water as it dripped sporadically over his forehead. He was hungry, tired and cold, and the dripping of the water was really starting to get to him. There was no way to move away from the machine either, because his arms were spread out on either side of him and his feet bound together against a cross. At least the coolness of the liquid soothed his burning scar that was blistering was painful whenever he moved.
His eyes had been covered by a blindfold, preventing him to see where he was. Panic had become an accustomed part of the kidnapping but not being able to see where he was terrified him even more. When he had first woken he struggled and called for his hyungs, praying he wasn’t alone. And he wasn’t because he could hear call out to him though the voice was muffled. He asked if it was Changmin hyung, and there was a subtle no, and then he asked it was Chansung hyung, and got an affirmative. So Chansung and Taemin were together at least, but wherever Changmin was they didn’t know.
The door opened suddenly and Taemin heard Chansung gasp and recoiled at the sound. He could feel the water dripping slowly, never on time and he shivered as each one fell on his forehead.
“And how are you two doing so far?” the woman asked, and Taemin didn’t reply. He could hear Chansung swear and knew his hyung was swearing because only Chansung still had the guts to stand up to her. Apparently the woman heard it as well because she clucked her tongue and her high-heeled shoes clicked against the stone cold floor. And it was coming closer to Taemin.
Suddenly a hand came in contact with his cheek and his head snapped to the side, forcing him to bite his cheek. Blood trickled from the bite and stayed where he was for the moment.
“I am getting sick of your tongue,” he heard her say, “the more you talk out of line or go against me the more he’ll get hurt you understand?”
There was silence and Taemin took that as a yes from Chansung. His hope dropped even more when she spoke again.
“Now, the only way I’ll be able to carry out my plan is to make the young ones see what will happen if they don’t listen to their elders. And what better way than to show them you as an example! This video is going to be broadcasted all over the internet in a few days time!”
Something electrical cut through the air and Chansung’s muffled scream penetrated Taemin’s ear. For once he was glad that he couldn’t see what was going on because the screams continued as did the sound of electricity. He knew what was happening and felt a tear trickle down his cheek.
Why was this woman doing this? And her voice…where had he heard from before? It was so familiar that it bugged him in time as the water dripped on his forehead. And she was going to release the videos over the internet, what kind of reaction was that going to provoke? The kind she wanted, or the kind that just may be able to help them in the end? Whatever it was Taemin prayed that his hyungs-all of them in fact-would be able to rescue them all before it was too late.