Lee was frantic. He had searched every nook and cranny for a sign of Minho to no avail.
This can't be. Lee cursed inwardly. He had worked long and well enough not to lose anyone on his watch. Which was the reason Jae Hyun trusted him with Minho and no one else. Then, another thought crept in that maybe he went running his mouth and got in trouble with the guards at the loft.
Quickly, he jammed the gun into the holster at his waist, got into the driver seat, slammed the door shut, and started the engine. The car sped up the road and soon reached the gates. Still, there was no sign of Minho. Lee heaved with frustration. A few steps further, he found the package and picked it up.
Fucking slob. He cursed, throwing the package on the backseat.
Turning the car back, he drove slowly hoping that Minho could just stop with the jokes and appear somewhere along the way. But that was wishful thinking. For the first time, Lee was utterly at a loss. Minho could be anywhere-or anywhere. How was he supposed to tell Jae Hyun that he lost him?
He hadn't gone far when he saw a cracked phone on the side of the road and stopped the car.
He quickly jumped out and perched on the ground. It took him a second to notice it was indeed Minho's phone. The screen was broken and it sure didn't look like it could even power back on. Lee cursed throwing the phone to the ground again. This was it-Minho was kidnapped again, by God knows who.
The odds really didn't favor Minho. Poor boy.
Lee wasn't going to trace Minho- not without help. He dreaded the information getting to his boss, and for kidnappings, time was crucial. The more time the Minho was out their radar, the slimmer the chance of finding him would be that's if he was even alive. With a heavy heart, he pulled up the Park's residence number, keying in the digits with numb fingers. The call connected on the third ring.
"Sir," Lee began, his voice barely more than a rasp. "We have a problem."
"Speak." Jae Hyun commanded from the other end, and Lee felt gooseflesh rise on his skin as he laid out the information clipped, frantic tone. The errand, the lost time, how he'd searched around.
"You lost him?" Jae Hyun bellowed. "He was under your watch, Lee! Your responsibility. Since when are you so careless?"
Lee swallowed hard, curling his free hand into a pale fist against his thigh. "I looked everywhere, sir. It's like he just disappeared."
"You listen to me very carefully, Lee. You are going to find him, and fast. Or I'll have your head."
The line went dead. Furious and defeated, Lee was left staring at the black screen, his hands shaking almost imperceptibly. He tossed the phone into the passenger seat and gripped the steering wheel far too tightly.
"Fuck."
***
Minho fluttered his eyes open and found himself sprawled down. He scanned the place he was in without turning his head. It didn't take him much time to realize he was on another basement floor. It was mucky and it reeked of dread. He closed his eyes yet again, not wanting to believe this was happening for a second time.
There were voices behind him conversing in a language he didn't understand. Much as he wanted to know who they were, and what they were talking about, he willed himself to not much as wince. Because if these men realized he was awake, they would rain hell on him. He was already having enough of his own trouble as it was.
"Get up." One of the men commanded, planting a boot at the side of his hip and pushing him over. When Minho didn't flop like a dead person, the guy kicked him hard in the stomach. Curling himself with an agonized wince, Minho clutched his tummy with both hands, staring up at the man towering over him with bug eyes.
Minho covered his head with his arms and brought his knees to his chest, fearing he would be kicked again. Never once had he laid eyes on these strange men who were taking pleasure in hassling him. It must be Jae Hyun's enemies. He thought. The man took a step back, resisting the urge to kick him a second time.
"Tie up that bastard to a chair and do whatever to get information out of him." Stealing a glance beneath his arms, Minho saw another burly man seated at the far end of the room. He looked like he was calling the shots.
Whatever Minho was injected with hadn't completely worn out, given the way he slumped back when he tried to yank himself away from the approaching lad. He was hauled into the chair fast, the man yanking his hands back and securing them with tiptoes far too tight."
"This is the third time I've been kidnapped this month… you know. It's getting old―" Minho began when a slap whooshed across his face, bursting his lip.
"Shut up, sucker." The man said, grabbing a fistful of Minho's hair and leveling a look at him. "You don't speak unless you're asked to."
"Or what? You're going to kill me? Trust me you'll be doing me a huge favor.
"You wanna talk so bad. Alright." The man seethed. "Where's your boss stashing the cash?"
"What are you talking about?" Minho spat. "I don't know anything about cash.
"What do you mean you don't know?" the man asked, laughing menacingly as he turned to the other man. "He thinks we're joking, how adorable."
The man bent down and yanked a knife off his boot "You want to do this the hard way kid, be my guest." He said, rounding the chair. "I'll slice your face up if you don't start talking right now."
A bead of sweat rolled down Minho's face as real fear began to kick in. At least back at the mansion, Jae Hyun stepped in sometimes if he didn't resolve to hurt him himself. Out here, he was alone, in the hands of ruthless mafia gangs whom he knew nothing about to begin with.
***
It had been three hours since Lee began driving around. He was frantic yet agitated at the same time. It would have been better if he had a clue who had taken the boy, but he didn't.
"Where the hell is he?" he muttered to himself frustratedly.
Part of him thought that Minho's stubbornness had the trouble coming his way. What he hated was the fact that he was now wrung along, with Minho missing. If that stubborn sucker just followed my instructions.
Just then, his phone rang. Lee hoped to God that it wasn't Jae Hyun calling again, because he had no good news for him. After all, he'd appreciate searching for Minho without being threatened with every passing minute. Lucky for him, it wasn't his boss calling. He answered the call, hopeful that maybe it was Minho trying to reach him with another cell.
"Minho…Hello?"
The minute he answered the phone, he knew something was awry. For starters, it took a few generous seconds for whoever was on the other end of the cell to reply. Lee couldn't help wonder what sort of game this person was playing. He didn't have time to play games-especially with Jae Hyun on his neck.
"Sorry, wrong guy." A voice finally answered- one that sounded familiar yet Lee count quite figure out who it was at the moment.
Renjun was on the other end of the line grinning sheepishly at the phone. He had instructed the men earlier to….
"Who is this? Where is Minho?"