Taeyong kept his gaze on his hands as he fiddled with his thumbs, seated in the van with Yuta beside him. Sicheng next to him and Johnny in the row before them all. Taeil was in his usual position in the passenger seat.

"Lets go over the plan for this collection" Johnny suggests as he suddenly speaks up, breaking the silence on the vehicle.

"Taeil will knock on the door as per usual, then Johnny shall take care of the boy. He's good with the young ones" Yuta speaks firmly.

"Then Taeyong and I will deal with the girls whilst Taeil—" Sicheng is interrupted as Taeyong opens his mouth to speak.

"Whilst Taeil kills the parents."

A dead silence fills the space as everyone looks to the front where Taeil pops open a small container which is filled with gum. Throwing a piece into his mouth he turns around to face everyone else.

"Gum? Anyone?" He offers.

Taeyong keeps his gaze on his hands whilst Johnny goes to take a piece. Once he has finished, the eldest closes the container before throwing it at Taeyong's head.

The silver haired male barely flinches as it comes into contact with his left temple. He allows the container to fall to the ground as he finally meets the older's gaze.

"I cant help it dearest Taeyong if the parents don't cooperate" Taeil states simply, a grin spreading across his features. "We must prevent these parents from coming for your family...Oh wait, I already beat them to it."

Taeyong unclips his seatbelt before he lunges forward, pulling the dagger from his waistband. Yuta goes to grab him but misses as the blade finds itself placed against the eldest's throat.

Taeil chuckles at the sudden action, not even a hint of fear on his face.

"My father should've slit your throat as well. He must be rolling in his grave with great regret, wishing he did his job properly" Taeyong snarls in his ear.

"His grave? The one I put him in?" The smile doesn't begin to fade, not even in the slightest.

"I could kill you" The silver haired threatens, pressing down on the blade so it begins to pierce the skin.

"But you won't" Taeil shrugs as Johnny disarms Taeyong in one swift movement, pulling the angered male back into the rear of the van.

Taeyong doesn't say anything as he just takes his seat once more beside Yuta.

Before long, they arrive at the destination. No doubt the children are cowering in their rooms or trying to hide.

Once everyone has exited the van, they all trail behind Taeil who wanders up to the front door of the house. Pulling the gun from his waistband, he shares a final grin to the others before knocking three times.

"I have a gun!" The worried mother screams from the inside.

"Single mother" Yuta informs Taeyong who raises a brow at the woman's statement. It's usually the husband who attempts to use a weapon of some kind.

"So do I, dearie" Taeil chirps. "Care to open the door? We could compare our arsenal!"

The door swings open revealing a middle aged woman, holding a rifle which is pointed straight at Taeil's forehead. Taeyong wouldn't mind if she shot him, not at all.

"You won't get your hands on my children" Her voice is strong yet her eyes speak otherwise. Fear for her children and her own life fill the dark orbs as she stares at the group of armed men before her.

"A citizen who isn't co-operating, what a shame" Taeil sighs, faking a look of misery before raising his gun, pulling the trigger.

The woman doesn't have time to scream in pin before she collapses to the ground, blood pooling around her head.

"Johnny, find the boy. Yuta and Sicheng, find the girls" Taeil shoots his orders as he places the gun in his waistband once more.

The three men walk into the house, stepping around the body in the doorway. This leaves just Taeyong and Taeil alone outside.

Taeyong wastes no time in stepping forward, colliding his fist with the older's jaw. The older smiles to himself as he brings a hand to gently touch his split lip.

"Didn't Doyoung ever teach you to keep personal matters seperate to work?"

"Obviously I didn't listen" Taeyong remarks as he shakes his fist a few times before lowering his hand to his side once more.

"What is your problem? What do I do that bothers you so much Taeyong?" Taeil sounds genuinely curious as he asks this.

"I cant believe you actually have to ask that" Taeyong rolls his eyes.

"Enlighten me" Is all the older says.

"Isn't it already enough that we are ripping these children from their homes?! From their parents! There is no reason for you to kill them. The parents were never meant to die."

"My parents were never meant to die!" Taeil screams, shocking the younger into silence. "But your father didn't think of what was 'meant' to happen. He just slit their throats without even stopping to think of how I would feel. So no, I don't give a shit for how I'm supposed to do my job."

Taeyong takes a step backwards and shakes his head.
"When are you going to stop blaming my father and just admit to being a crazy asshole? Stop using him as a shield, it isn't healthy."

Neither have a chance to say anything else as Johnny walks out of the house, the 10 year old boy on his shoulder. Yuta and Sicheng are soon to follow.

"Straight in the van" Is all Taeil says as he takes a long and deep breath before following the others into the vehicle once more.

— — — —

Jaehyun was awake when the door to his room silently opened and closed as Taeyong returned from his mission. The older was doing his best to be quiet, expecting his new roommate to be asleep.

"Did you have fun?" Jaehyun's voice croaks slightly. His throat is dry. He hasn't had water for the past 3 hours.

"Excuse me?" Taeyong questions as he shrugs off his coat, hanging it on the coat stand which is beside the door.

He unclips the belt which holds his gun and knives, walking over to his bend where he kneels to place it beneath where he sleeps.

"Taking those kids, was it fun?" Jaehyun repeats the question, his tone growing more bitter each time.

"Do you really think I enjoy tearing families apart?" Taeyong kicks off his shoes, taking a seat on the edge of his bed as he faces Jaehyun.

"It is the worst feeling, seeing people so young in so much pain. Knowing you are the person who has caused that pain. Nothing hurts more than to see the look on a 6 year old boy who is being ripped from his dead mother's arms."

"Then why do you do it?" It angers the older how Jaehyun speaks as though this were such a simple task. The younger is really pushing his buttons.

"I don't do it because I want to. I do it because I don't want to die. They kill those who refuse to play their part. I have people who need me alive" He trails off towards the end of his speech.

"Your parents are dead. Who could possibly need you?" Jaehyun remarks harshly.

Taeyong bites down on his tongue, urging himself to not talk back. It would only end up with Jaehyun spending the night in the infirmary.

"I want to see Hye" The younger sighs. "She needs me."

"I'm sorry but you'll have to wait until tomorrow. I can assure you she's fine" Taeyong begins. "Hyuna takes care of the girls. She's a good person."

"Hye is my sister. You wouldn't understand this and that's okay but just do me a favour and let me see her. She's no doubt terrified." Jaehyun remarks bitterly.

"I have a brother!" Taeyong yells, startling Jaehyun.

The room is filled with silence as neither of the two move to speak. Jaehyun doesn't know what to say. Soon, Taeyong speaks again.

"His name is Jisung and he is 16 years old. He's in a coma and has been for the past 3 years. It'll be a miracle if he ever wakes up. He got into a fight and they hit his head pretty hard. So stop with the whole I don't understand the sibling thing. I feel so pathetic about myself. I'm meant to look after him and I couldn't even stop children from attacking him."

Jaehyun moves into a seated position on his bed. He feels terrible. He instantly wishes he could take back all which he has said to the older regarding siblings.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know" He opts for instead.

Taeyong scoffs, shaking his head as he gets off the bed, walking over to the wardrobe.

"No please, snap at me so more about not having a sibling. Don't let the fact that I actually have a younger brother stop you."

That's when the younger comes up with an idea. He could help this man. He may be able to even save his brother.

"I'm in medical school" He blurts. Taeyong tilts his head as he turns to face Jaehyun again.

"We have fully trained and equiped doctors who couldn't even save him. What makes you so different?"

"I'm training to be a neurosurgeon. I might see something that the others didn't" Jaehyun shrugs.

"Still, you're training. Why would I let you near my brother?" Taeyong snaps harshly.

"Because what I just told you has given you hope. Based on the look on your face, none of the medical staff here are neurosurgeons." The younger smiles softly to himself.

Taeyong sighs, walking back over to take a seat on his bed as he places his head in his hands.

"Fine. I'll take you to him, but you can't operate. I won't allow you to place your hands inside my brothers head. Medical school or no, you are training and based on your age have only been there for a year—"

"Two years. I was much smarter than my year level. I skipped a year of school" Jaehyun corrects him.

"But still it is only two years out of 7 years. You may examine my brother and if you discover anything new, you may relay it to the qualified doctors in this institution. Am I clear?"

Jaehyun can't help but find himself smirking as he hears the older lay out his orders. He nods firmly.

"Crystal."

A/N - i'm going to start making the chapters longer cos i am no where near the main part of the story and i don't want it to go on for more then 30 chapters yikes

thanks for reading!!