Crave You Forever
Chapter 87: We meet back here at twenty

Chapter 87: We meet back here at twenty

Hours later, as the plane soared through the clouds, Yeongsoo sat quietly, dressed head-to-toe in black tactical gear—combat boots, gloves, a ski mask, and a bulletproof vest hidden under his jacket. His dark attire blended perfectly with the shadows in the cabin, a reflection of the mission he was walking into. He’d been briefed on the plane about the evolving situation: Sean was holed up in an underground facility, outnumbered and facing an unexpectedly complex enemy.

Staring out the window, Yeongsoo’s mind wandered to Haeun. Leaving him was harder each time, but Sean’s cryptic words had sent alarm bells ringing, and now he was halfway across the world, en route to Country O, mentally steeling himself for the unknown. In the stillness of the plane, he reviewed his plan, his mind honing in on every possible scenario, any twists the mission might take. It wasn’t his first dangerous assignment, but this one felt different—higher stakes, closer to home.

As the plane descended, the pilot’s voice crackled through the speakers, announcing their approach. Yeongsoo adjusted his gloves and ran through his mental checklist one last time. The moment they touched down, he’d be heading straight to the underground facility where Sean waited for him.

As the plane touched down on the secluded airstrip, Yeongsoo adjusted his gear and mentally braced himself. He stepped off into the cool, dimly lit tarmac, where a sleek black car was already waiting. The driver—a rugged, no-nonsense type who gave him a brief nod—held the door open as Yeongsoo climbed inside.

The car sped off in silence, cutting through the dark outskirts of the city until they reached an unmarked building on the edge of an industrial complex. The driver pulled up to a discreet side entrance, nodding toward a narrow stairway that led underground.

"Sean’s waiting for you down there," the driver said, his voice low.

"Got it" Yeongsoo replied, stepping out and heading down the stairs, every step bringing him deeper into the facility.

At the bottom, he pushed through a steel door and entered a dimly lit corridor. Sean was leaning against the wall, waiting for him, arms crossed, looking tense but relieved.

"About time you showed up," Sean said, his voice tight.

"Didn’t think you’d miss me this much," Yeongsoo quipped, trying to lighten the mood.

Sean shook his head, a faint smirk flashing across his face. "Trust me, I’d rather not need backup. But things got complicated fast. We’ve got more armed guards than we anticipated, and they’re... not exactly amateurs."

"Perfect," Yeongsoo replied, his eyes narrowing with determination. "So, what’s the plan?"

Sean led him down the hallway, speaking quickly as they walked. "There’s an intel vault in the east wing—encrypted, heavily guarded, the likes. We thought we could handle it with a small team, but turns out these guys have more backup than we expected. And they’re not just protecting information—they’re guarding people. Hostages, most likely to be used as bargaining chips if they’re pushed."

The small team had the been lost 30 minutes into the mission and Sean was the only one left.

"Hostages?" Yeongsoo muttered, glancing sideways at Sean. "And this wasn’t mentioned before?"

"Not a word," Sean replied, his tone frustrated. "We got blindsided. But if we can take control of the security room, we can cut off their communications and make our move. I just didn’t have enough hands for that on my own."

"So we split up. I’ll take the security room, and you focus on the vault?" Yeongsoo suggested.

"Exactly. But stay alert; they’ve got surveillance everywhere. You get spotted, this whole thing goes sideways."

They stopped outside a reinforced door, where Sean handed him a small earpiece. "Stay in contact. And don’t get too trigger-happy. We’re trying to get in and out without making headlines."

"Since when do I get trigger-happy?" Yeongsoo replied, slipping the earpiece in and giving Sean a dry look.

"Since the last time you almost blew our cover for a guy who bumped into you." Sean shot him a pointed look, unable to hide his grin.

"That was an accident," Yeongsoo countered, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, let’s focus. I’ll take the left corridor."

"Good. I’ll be covering the south. We meet back here in twenty," Sean confirmed, clapping a hand on Yeongsoo’s shoulder before they parted ways.

As Yeongsoo crept through the dimly lit corridors, he activated the earpiece. "Sean, you reading me?"

"Loud and clear," came Sean’s voice. "Watch your six, Yeong."

"Always will." He pressed forward, reaching the security room door. There were two guards stationed outside, their eyes scanning the area, weapons at the ready.

"Two guards outside the security room. I’ll handle them," Yeongsoo whispered.

"Copy that. Be quick," Sean replied.

In one swift move, Yeongsoo darted out from the shadows, landing a solid hit on the first guard’s neck, knocking him out cold. The second guard swung his weapon around, but before he could react, Yeongsoo grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back and forcing him down with a silent efficiency.

"Room cleared. I’m in," Yeongsoo whispered into the earpiece as he entered the security room, finding the main console. "Alright, Sean, I’m accessing the cameras now. You’ve got three guards on your route, moving toward the vault."

"Copy. Can you disable the alarm systems?"

"Give me a second..." His fingers flew across the console as he navigated the unfamiliar system, managing to disable the alarms. "Done. Alarms are down. You’re clear."

"Good work. Moving in now." Sean’s voice was steady but held a hint of urgency.

A moment later, Sean’s voice crackled back. "Got eyes on the hostages. Looks like two civilians, maybe early twenties. They’re bound, but unharmed."

"Any sign of their leader?" Yeongsoo asked, scanning the other monitors.

"Not yet," Sean replied, breathing slightly heavier. "Probably deeper inside. I’m going to get the hostages out first—can you cover the exit?"

"On it." Yeongsoo pulled up the map, checking the routes around Sean. "Looks like the east exit’s clear. I’ll meet you there."

As he made his way back toward the exit, a voice crackled through his earpiece. "Yeong, we’ve got company. Four guards heading your way. Brace yourself."

"Understood," Yeongsoo replied, steadying himself as he positioned behind a corner, his eyes locked on the hallway.

Within moments, footsteps echoed down the hall. The guards rounded the corner, and in a blur of movement, Yeongsoo sprang into action, taking them down one by one with his gun or snapping their necks.

"Clear," he whispered, breathing a bit harder. "How’s it going with the hostages?"

"Almost there," Sean replied. "You better have that exit secure."

"It’s as secure as it’s going to get," Yeongsoo said, his tone dry.

Seconds later, Sean appeared, guiding the two hostages. He gave Yeongsoo a nod, and together, they led the civilians toward the exit.

As they neared the door, an alarm suddenly blared, red lights flashing through the corridors.

"Someone must’ve found the guards you took down," Sean muttered, gritting his teeth.

"Looks like we’re out of time. Get them out, Sean—I’ll cover your escape." Yeongsoo took a step back, turning to face the oncoming guards.

"Yeong, are you sure?" Sean’s voice was tense, his gaze flicking between him and the civilians.

"Go. I’ll handle this," Yeongsoo insisted, positioning himself to hold off the guards.

Sean hesitated but nodded, giving him a quick salute. "Be careful, Yeong."

"Always," Yeongsoo replied with a slight grin. "Now get going before I regret this."

As Sean and the hostages slipped out, Yeongsoo faced the oncoming guards, his stance unyielding. He took a deep breath, ready to engage, knowing that even though he was here alone, his priority was making sure everyone else got out safely.