Chapter 278 - An Oath

The cellar was pitch black, cloaked with complete darkness. The man was tied up against the wall with metal chains. His face was a bloody pulp and several teeth were missing. He was groaning in pain because his ribcage was also shattered, making it even difficult for him to breathe. In his half conscious state, he faintly heard footsteps approaching the cellar.

Riggs knelt down in front of the injured man, studying him carefully. He recognized the hitman immediately. His code name was Mason and he was a Japanese. This man was one of the top hitmen of the continent and a frequent collaborator of the Cartel. He had assassinated many high profile individuals and left little evidence. His code name invoked fear into the hearts of millions. Riggs spent many years trying to track him down.

Who knew a bunch of idol crazed teenagers would be able to catch him? Even Riggs himself was amused by the outcome.

"Who sent you?" he demanded.

Mason was too weak to talk. The fans had hit him so hard that even groaning was making him writhe in agony. Riggs punched him, dislocating his jaw, causing Mason to scream.

"Who sent you?" Riggs asked harshly. "Was it the President of the Cartel?"

In his dazed state, Mason shook his head.

"Who was it?" Riggs yelled.

"A...a...sh…" Mason tried to whisper.

"Who?"

"A...sh...Pa...Par…"

Riggs grabbed his collar and shook him. "Ash Park? He sent you? Was the President involved too? Where is the President?"

Mason tried to speak but his throat was hurting like hell. "K...k...ki...ll...him…"

His words were very incoherent. The fans had completely broken the man and now he was not able to talk at all. They would have to fix the guy up before interrogating him again. 

Riggs let go of his collar. Immediately Mason fell unconscious, unable to move even a finger. He was in no state to talk. Riggs stepped out of the cell and locked it firmly behind him. He then headed straight towards N2's cabin. The mad doctor was at his desk, reading a comic.

"How long will it take you to fix him?" Riggs asked. "He's barely conscious. We need his testimony!"

"He's beaten to a pulp," N2 said, flicking a page. "I won't be able to heal him easily. It'll take me a month at most."

"A month?" Riggs asked in shock. "We don't have that much time! The President is out there and who knows when he'll strike next."

"Well, this guy is in no shape to talk," N2 sighed, his eyes still on the comic. "Treating injuries of this scale is gonna take some time. I'll try to speed up the treatment but it's still gonna take time."

Riggs was running out of patience. The CEO had tasked him with getting information out of this man and now they would have to delay. How much time did they really have? Will they be able to catch the President before he struck again?

"We need him to talk," Riggs pleaded with N2. "As soon as possible. And I know only you can heal him in a short span of time."

N2 kept his comic book down and gave him a grim look. They had been working together for almost seven years and the two men trusted each other with their lives.

"Three weeks," N2 requested. "Give me three weeks. I can't go any lower."

There was no other option. Mason was in a critical state and if he died before they got information out of him, it would be catastrophic.

"Three weeks," Riggs agreed. "Please do whatever you have to. Just heal him."

"I will," N2 promised. "Have some faith in me."

Riggs nodded. It was the question of survival now and they had very little time to find the culprits.

….

Junhyung walked into the living room only to find it empty but the television was still switched on. 

"Ash?" he called out. He turned off the TV and looked around, trying to find his boss. Junhyung was sure that Ash was at home since the front door was unlocked. Where was he?

"Ash?"

There was no response. Junhyung went further inside towards the bedroom. The door was slightly ajar. He opened it only to widen his eyes in shock.

It looked as if a storm had passed by. Everything was broken to pieces. Tables and chairs were turned over and pieces of shattered vase were scrawled across the floor. The bedsheet was thrown aside while the pillows were viciously torn.

"The hell?" he muttered under his breath. Ash was sitting on the window pane holding a broken glass. His hand was bleeding, with blood dripping all over his arm and even fell on his shirt but he gave no indication of pain.

"Ash!"

Junhyun rushed towards him, taking out a handkerchief. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded in anger. 

"He lives," Ash said in a monotone. "He lives."

Suddenly he burst into a manic laughter. His eerie laughter was sending a chill down Junhyung's spine as he watched the crazy behavior, feeling alarmed. Ash continued to laugh his heart out before smashing the remnants of the glass against the wall. 

Junhyung had never seen Ash act like that. He was usually cool and composed but it was the first time he truly lost control. The fury he felt could no longer be contained and it erupted out of him like a volcano. Ash's grey eyes were filled with an insane obsession which would destroy anything in his way. 

"How does he manage to evade death?" Ash screamed like a madman. For years he had been trying to kill his nemesis and had failed every time. Even though the enemy was within his grasp, somehow death evaded him once again. Why? Why were the fates so favorable to him?

"We will kill him," Junghyung said tentatively. He knew how desperate Ash was to have KJ killed during the show but that man was too sly. He managed to escape again.

But Ash was not listening to him. His heart was hardened with determination. He will kill that man. It was an oath he made to himself.