Nowhere is Safe | Pt. 14 Old Foes, New Allies

[owned_by_a_cat]

Title: Nowhere is Safe
Pairing: JaeMin / MinJae
Rating: NC-17
Genre: AU, Suspense, Romance, Army!fic
Summary: Invisible up close, able to kill from a long way away… when an elite sniper operates in your neighbourhood nowhere is safe. To Major Kim Jaejoong, being a sniper is more than a job. It's a mindset he needs when the people around him fall prey to a shooter with a high-powered rifle and his new partner, Captain Shim Changmin from Army Intelligence, turns out to be as much a distraction as he is a help. Undeniably both smart and gorgeous, the man has issues. And an attitude. And he's about as subtle as mortar fire in showing his dislike of Jaejoong.
Thrown together by the crisis, both Jaejoong and Changmin struggle to reconcile mutual dislike and mutual attraction. But when events escalate and the stakes get higher, they must put their attraction and differences aside and work together.

Under Attack || Return to Base || Pissed and Pissed Off || Do Over || Attempts at Apologies || Discoveries || Close to Home || Backfoot || Traps || Confession || Plans and Pleasure || Reasonable Doubt || Desired Outcomes ||

Old Foes, New Allies

"They had him gagged. And they wouldn't gag a dead man." Jaejoong had no idea whether he was reassuring Hyun Rin or himself. Only that he needed to say the words out loud, needed to hear them spoken to believe them. It wasn't easy to do in the face of three sudden deaths. Shot at close quarters, the three men who had accompanied Changmin hadn't even had the chance to draw their weapons to defend themselves.

Ever since Jaejoong had seen the four strangers dressed in dark green tactical gear step from concealment, he'd worried that Changmin had suffered the same fate even though he'd only heard three shots on his approach. He had needed all his experience and considerable control to stay hidden. To observe when he wanted to act. To do nothing but watch when he burned to avenge those needless deaths. It wasn't until he saw one of the men lift a gagged and now more thoroughly bound Changmin over his shoulders, that his heart slowed from its frantic stuttering beat to the calm that was usually his so easily.

There was no need to gag a dead man.

Therefore, Changmin was alive.

Alive, but unconscious, judging by the uncoordinated way his head flopped as he was moved him to a jeep concealed in the undergrowth. Seeing the jeep convinced Jaejoong that this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment action, but a well planned operation. The woods surrounding them were tricky to navigate by anything on four wheels. Especially by anyone not familiar with the terrain.

Confident that he'd be able to catch up with the jeep he'd extracted the comms unit from his pack and had hit the code for the bat signal, not at all surprised to find Rin at the other end. The man had a nose for trouble that rivalled his.

"Gone to shit," he'd reported, not bothered with protocol right then. The rage burning in his chest had choked his voice, had turned it rough and ragged. Jaejoong had let it. The fury disguised the fear that was eating him alive. "Changmin's the real target. We split up as planned and they were ambushed. The bastards grabbed Changmin and shot the others. I've tagged the site. I can't—"

"Go." Rin's voice was a soothing murmur in his ear, a steady beacon that Jaejoong's troubled mind could cling to. Rin would ensure that reinforcements would be sent, would ensure, too, that their dead comrades weren't left in the woods like so much carrion, while Jaejoong sped to save the one who was still alive. "Go after Changmin. See if you can find out what's really going on."

Jaejoong was determined to do just that.

***

At first, he only saw boots. One pair by his head, another by his feet. He rocked backwards when the jeep hit a bump and found that there was nobody on his other side. Sloppy… unless it was done to entice him into revealing that he was awake.

Changmin was careful to keep his eyes slitted and move with the swaying and bouncing of the jeep. No more.

He'd been mostly aware throughout the ambush and subsequent abduction. The thin kevlar shirt he wore under his uniform had taken the brunt of the tranquilliser dart they'd shot him with. Had given him enough warning - and enough time - to twist the cap off the needle hidden in his sleeve and inject the antidote to the narcotic in the dart. He'd gone down, with his brain screaming at him from the overload of mixed signals.

Sleep. Don't sleep.

Succumb. Stay aware.

Panic. Don't panic.

His heart raced. His muscles shook and shivered. His breath came in heaving gasps he tried to conceal as best he could. His mouth was dry and his tongue felt too big to fit between his lips. Taking the antidote that close to being shot with the drug was uncomfortable as hell, but he'd been through it before and knew what to expect.

He just wished he knew how far away Jaejoong had been when they'd been ambushed.

By his estimation of the sniper's intelligence and skill, Jae should have noticed pretty soon that he wasn't being followed. Once he'd realised that, he should work out that the enemy was trying to get their hands on Changmin. And once he'd realised that…

The unexpectedly high level of attraction and animosity between him and Jaejoong was one of the weak spots in Changmin's plan. Not knowing how Jaejoong really felt about Changmin was another. In the grand scheme of things, neither had influenced his decision-making. Jae would turn around as soon as he knew he wasn't being followed and come look for them. Changmin would bet his life on that.

The question was whether Jae had been close enough to spot the ambush, or whether he was hunting through the woods, following the signs Changmin had been careful to leave. They'd kept up the appearance of Changmin, under guard, being escorted back to base. And as far as he could tell, their ploy had worked.

When the jeep rattled over rocks and roots, Changmin took the chance to wiggle his feet.

Yes, he'd been right.

They'd darted him, but seeing he was already without his gun and cuffed hadn't bothered to search him. He still had the knives in his boots and, since his captors hadn't touched his wrists beyond checking that the cuffs were real, he also had the wire in his sleeve. And right then, he had two guards in front of him and nobody at his back… where his hands were.

Matters were… looking up.

***

The jeep carrying a captive Changmin bounced its way towards the border. There was no discernible trail to follow and the thick undergrowth made travel slow and hazardous. While Jaejoong would have struggled to catch up with a jeep that had a head start at any other time, here the terrain gave him a fighting chance.

Jaejoong ran, maintaining as much cover as he could. He kept his eyes on the tracks the heavy-duty tyres churned into the soft soil. Occasionally, when he gained higher ground he caught a hint of engine noise and just knowing that the jeep was still in hearing distance gave him hope.

Whether Changmin was still alive was a different matter.

He clung to the idea that there would have been no need to gag Changmin had he been dead. If the four merely needed to produce a dead body as evidence they wouldn't—

He bit off that thought as he'd done countless times since he'd started following the jeep. This line of enquiry was as pointless as his musings over why someone would want to abduct Changmin in the first place. Seeing he didn't know the first thing about the work Changmin had done before he'd been posted to the base all that speculation was moot.

So he tried to keep his mind quiet as best he could and focussed on catching up with the jeep.

Until the faint throb of engine noise in the air was replaced by the goosebump inducing screech of abused metal.

What the fuck? Had the jeep just crashed?

Jae ran faster, ducking around bushes and trees until he was almost close enough to see. Caution slowed his steps then and he crept forward under cover.

The jeep was stationary, wobbling on two wheels like a trainee ballerina en pointe. A quick look through his scope showed him a shredded front tyre that could, maybe, have been caused by the jeep bouncing over one too many limestone outcrops. The possibility was slim, though. Jaejoong knew what damage hollow-point bullets could inflict on rubber. Added to the makeshift barricades he'd encountered along the way - tree trunks heaved into the jeep's path to direct it into more inhospitable terrain - it seemed as if he had an ally out here in the woods. Someone determined to slow down the jeep without damaging its occupants too badly.

And Jaejoong was ready to bet money on the identity of that person.

He slipped back into the trees like the ghost he was, falling back far enough that he couldn't be heard or seen. Instinct told him that his unseen ally would be doing the same, so once he'd reached a safe distance from the stricken jeep, he pulled a small mirror from his belt pocket, assessed the terrain and turned towards a thicker clump of undergrowth that seemed made to offer shelter.

Small wrist movements caught the afternoon sun and the mirror flashed: ...---.-..--- [SOLO]

The answer came immediately and just the way Jae had expected. .-..--..----------.[RAN JOON]

-.-......--.--.--..-. -.-..-.--.-.....-. [CHANGMIN CAPTIVE] Jaejoong sent back.

-.-.- .-..--.-..--.-.- [NK EXTRACT] Ran Joon informed him and Jaejoong wanted to curse the heavens. When it came down to the wire, he was an anti-personnel weapon. He stopped people. Not tanks. Or helicopters crossing the DMZ.

He didn't have the faintest idea how Changmin had ended up the target of a North Korean abduction attempt or even where Ran Joon had sprung from. And while both points bothered him, neither helped him solve his problems. Rescuing Changmin was the easier one of those. He could have done it just moments ago, could have shot Changmin's abductors before they'd been properly aware he was even close by. But that wouldn't gain him any intelligence. And given the business he was in, intelligence was vital.

As often before he had to tread a fine line between duty and want. He needed to find out who wanted Changmin and why. He needed to find out how Ran Joon, who appeared to play both sides, fitted into the story. And he needed to rescue Changmin before he could be moved out of their reach. It was a hefty ask, but none of the tasks bothered him as much as wondering whether he could accept Ran Joon, a man he detested, as an ally in his quest.

The threat of a North Korean attack left him little choice.

He pondered the terrain up ahead, found the most likely spot for the helicopter to touch down and made a decision.

.-------..----- [180] his mirror flashed, reminding the man who had once been a comrade of a tactic they'd developed together.

Ran Joon didn't disappoint. ...-. [UNDERSTOOD] he signalled back.

Jaejoong breathed a sigh of relief. He stashed the mirror, knowing that across the clearing Ran Joon was doing the same. They'd established a mission objective. They had a target. And like the phantoms they were trained to be, both snipers melted into the background, unseen and unheard.

Part 15: Triangle

Comments

[ladylilyanne.livejournal.com]

Ok, that makes so much more sense. Was Ran Joon an undercover operative who needed to get kicked out in order to be a double agent, thus leading to the blackmail attempts? Thanks for updating!

[owned-by-a-cat.livejournal.com]

That's a great idea. I'm usually all for redemption plots...

[ladylilyanne.livejournal.com]

Actually, I was thin king more along the lines that they marked Ran Joon to act as a double agent, and ordered him to get himself kicked out of the military so he would be more appealing to the North Koreans and he could send intelligence back to South Korea, so he chose blackmailing as his method, but redemption works too!

[songbird52317.livejournal.com]

I kind of like the double agent aspect, but Ran Joon would have had to have started the blackmailing and being an asshole bit almost from the moment he joined the sniper team. Pretty deep cover. In my movie version of this there would be a mission after this that Jaejoong and Changmin help Ran Joon with that causes major problems for the North Koreans, perhaps without blowing Ran Joon's cover who then fades back into double agenting and the NK's are none the wiser, and before he disappears again he gives a grudging blessing to JJ and Changmin' s relationship.

[ladylilyanne.livejournal.com]

He''s doing it all for Minnie; everyone knows how much he hates Jaejoong. He's only accepting the relationship because it makes Minnie happy, and saving him is the only reason he's lowering himself to work with the man who ruined him in the military. he'll never forgive Jaejoong completely, but he can tolerate him for his brother. If it is along those lines, then it's as if he has some sort of brother complex, but he controls his impulses well.

[jaeminism.livejournal.com]

Hskskdgjejdhdki.... U UPDATEDDD!!! Yeasss!!! I'm going to a write a midterm rn... so can't read it yet. But I can't wait to get home and read it. Thanks a lottt for the fast update :D

[owned-by-a-cat.livejournal.com]

Good luck with your paper!

[jaeminism.livejournal.com]

So now Jaejoong and Ranjoon are helping each other for the sake of Min's safety? Wow! These 2 really care for Min... Don't they? I like how Jaejoong had to convince himself again and again that Changmin was safe. I mean he does care about everyone... But he seems so desperate to save Min... May be Joongki's death is one of the reason why he is like this... Oh... Now that I think of it... Joongki had the same post that Min has now... Why are they targeting people of this particular post only? Or did they kill Joongki so that they can get a hand on Changmin? :/ I can't wait for the next chapter...

Thanks a lot for ur good wishes... Thanks a lot for your fast update... And I am sorry... I think I spammed your story with the same comments yesterday. It was not intentional... It was my phone acting all weird. I am sorry. I have removed them.

[be-ddelusionall.livejournal.com]

well hell ... that changes everything ...

[n3uromanc3r.livejournal.com]

Oooh, unexpected new developments! Okay, after Jaejoong's surfacing doubts about Ran Joon's involvement I should have expected that his intuitions mean something!

Jaejoong and Ran Joon working together for Changmin's sake makes me so excited! I liked how effortlessly they started to communicate and agreed on the tactic as if they were still team members!

But now I'm even more curious for how long Ran Joon loitered around them making sure Changmin was safe. Also I'm wondering whether the pendant was really an attempt to distract them during the investigation or Ran Joon left it behind accidentally when he probably just monitored the happenings from the roof top.

I have to admit I underestimated Changmin - or the work he does. I thought he's never in direct contact with the targets like Jaejoong, so his identity wasn't exposed. But it seems those agents are fed up with him or with his success rate at hindering them - or is there something else?
Maybe they need Changmin's abilities that's why they kidnapped him instead of simply killing him...

[songbird52317.livejournal.com]

Another fabulous chapter! My speculation that Ran Joon was enlisting Jaejoong's help to save his brother was the only one on target I think. Glad Changmin isn't dead and got the antidote into himself. This is so exciting. Has movie plot all over it.

[kyouya3.livejournal.com]

Wait, what? I dunno whether Ran Joon is bad or not anymore. I need answerrrrsssssss *rush to next chapter*

[owned-by-a-cat.livejournal.com]

Actually, I don't quite know what to do with Ran Joon. He's... complicated.
I have a sequel for him...

[kyouya3.livejournal.com]

Will be waiting *grin* hwaiting!

[mynameisamazing.livejournal.com]

This should be a special banjun drama.
Anyways, leaving a super late comment.
and okay so he's across the border now. Changminnie =.=
What do they want with him?
Is he abducted because Ran Joon knows something the enemies want???
Aish.

[owned-by-a-cat.livejournal.com]

I had to google banjun drama... but I see where you're coming from. Only excuse I've got is that I love writing suspense (and plot twists!).
And he's not across the border just yet. That could only have ended badly and I have too much of a soft spot for the Min to do that. ;-)
Ran Joon however...

[mynameisamazing.livejournal.com]

have you watched dbsk's banjun dramas?