AUTHOR'S POV

"Ahh... let me go!"

The woman screamed, her voice slicing through the silence of the room. His grip was iron-tight, twisting her arm from behind as his shadow loomed over her.

"And what if I don't? What will you do then, huh?"His tone was cold .... venom laced in every word.

She tried to kick his knee, but before her foot could connect, his hand clamped around the back of her neck and slammed her face down onto the cold metal desk.

Papers scattered. The lamp trembled.

The sharp crack of wood echoed through the cabin.

He leaned close to her ear, one hand twisting her arm while the other pressed her head down against the desk."The rope might have burned, but the strength's still there, huh?"

"Just free me once, and I'll show you how much strength I've got!"She thrashed in his hold, her breath was ragged, eyes were blazing with defiance.

But his grip was unyielding, like steel chains around her body.

"Enough of this nonsense!" he snarled. "I want a straight, clean answer to what I asked!"As his hold loosened slightly, hope flickered in her eyes.

But the moment she tried to break free -Bang! Her head was slammed against the table again.

"Wrong move, woman."

His voice was low, sharp, and chilling, the kind that crawled down your spine.

He slowly drew his gun,the cold metal pressing against her temple.

"You think pointing a gun makes you powerful?" she hissed, eyes burning.

"No," he said, voice dark as thunder. "Catching you did."

She thrashed again, her knee nearly grazing his thigh - a desperate attempt at freedom.

"Now talk," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper."Who sent you?"

"You think your threats are going to scare me?" she mocked, her tone sharp and fearless. "Save these tricks for someone else, Major Jeon. Maybe learn something new while you're at it."

Her voice carried a strange, dangerous satisfaction, the kind that comes from knowing you've just hit the nerve of a dangerous man.

She knew he wouldn't take that insult lightly. Maybe he'd pull the trigger. Or worse... maybe he'd hit her.

But she was wrong.

The moment her words cut through the air, she heard a sound that froze her for a second -

The click of a belt unbuckling.

"Looks like you won't open your mouth that easily, huh?" he said, his tone calm but dripping with menace. "That's fine... I have plenty of other ways to teach stubborn people a lesson. But since you're a woman, I suppose I can show a little mercy. Right?"

Before she could process his words, her wrists were yanked back and tied, firm, unrelenting." Is this how you treat every woman who says no to you?"

"You broke into a high-security base, attacked my guards, and went straight for the weapons block. You're not a 'woman' in this scenario-you're a hostile.....but be thankful that I'm still considering you as one."

"You men always hide behind your ranks," she hissed. "Try fighting without the title, see how far you get."

"You're not in a position to test that theory."He turned his head slightly, calling out over his shoulder.

"Security!!"His voice thundered through the cabin, and within seconds, the room was flooded with soldiers...their boots striking the floor in perfect, cold rhythm.

"Search her. Every pocket, every hidden weapon. I want to know what she came for."

The soldiers hesitated....she was still a civilian in appearance, but one look from their commander and they obeyed.

She struggled again, kicking out, but her strength was no match for the men trained to subdue."Cowards! You think this will make me talk?"

"No," he said, watching her fight, unblinking. "But silence and darkness will."

He stepped closer, leaning in just enough for her to hear the venom in his voice."Lock her up. No food. No light. Not a word from anyone until she decides to confess who she's working for......I want answers before sunrise."

As she was dragged away, her furious voice echoed in the storm."You'll regret this, Major Jeon!"

★★★

Inside the interrogation block, Major Jeon Jungkook stood before the window, his back turned, hands clasped behind him.

His uniform was immaculate...sharp, dark, intimidating,but his jaw was tight, and the storm in his eyes betrayed the calm surface.

Outside, soldiers exchanged hurried words.

The woman had attacked two men during her infiltration...one of them still bleeding in the infirmary. The military physician, a man who had survived three wars, was also hurt when he tried to intervene.

She hadn't just crossed a line.

She had declared war inside their base.

"Sir, she was found inside your cabin," one soldier reported, hesitant. "We think she was looking for the classified documents regarding last night's operation at the border."

At the mention of his cabin, Jungkook finally turned around. His eyes.... dark, sharp, and unreadable, flicked toward the soldier.

"Think?" he repeated softly.

The young man froze, throat dry.

"I don't want guesses," Jungkook continued, voice low and lethal. "I want facts."

The soldier swallowed hard. "Y-Yes, sir. We're certain she was after the files. She had a flash drive hidden in her boot."

Jungkook's gaze dropped for a second, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. He already knew. He had always known.

That emblem carved into the handle of her knife, the way she moved....swift, precise, it all matched what he'd seen before.

She was from there.

And now, she'd come here wearing a soldier's uniform, walking right into his den.

He turned his face slightly toward the window again, the faint reflection of his eyes gleaming like burning coal.

"She'll talk," he said quietly. "They all do, eventually."

The soldier nodded nervously. "Sir, should we begin-"

"No," Jungkook cut him off. "Not yet."

He stepped forward, picking up his gloves from the desk, sliding them on slowly, each motion deliberate, controlled, a man preparing not for war, but for judgment.

"I'll handle her myself."

And with that, he started walking..... his boots hitting the floor in measured, heavy steps....toward the cell where she was kept.

Every step echoed through the corridor, growing louder, deadlier, until even the guards stiffened.

Behind those bars, she waited, defiant, unbroken, yet unaware that the man approaching her wasn't just a Major.

He was the storm she had dared to provoke.

★★★

Detention Block

The metal door clanged shut behind him, the echo bouncing through the narrow corridor like a warning. Inside, the air was cold and stale,a mix of sweat, metal, and quiet defiance.

A single bulb flickered overhead, casting restless shadows on the concrete walls.

She sat against the far corner, knees drawn to her chest, the faint clink of chains marking her every move.

Her lip were split, but her eyes still burned, steady and unyielding.

His boots hit the floor, slow and deliberate.Every step sounded like a countdown.

"Comfortable?"

Her head lifted at the sound of his voice, those dark eyes meeting his with unflinching defiance."You don't scare me."

He stopped in front of her, crouching to her level, his gaze sharp, cold steel wrapped in control."You should be scared... of what happens when I lose my patience."

A ghost of a smirk touched her swollen lips."Then it's a good thing you've got control issues."

For the first time, something flickered in his expression, not anger, but amusement...The corner of his mouth twitched, not quite a smile, more like a dark acknowledgment.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out something small, metallic and tossed it onto the floor between them.

The chip landed with a soft metallic clink that echoed louder than any word spoken."Found this in your boot? Encryption tech we don't even use. Tell me where you got it."

Her eyes flicked to the chip, then back to him - steady, almost taunting."I see....You're smart, Major. Figure it out."

Silence followed, heavy, charged.

Even the bulb above them seemed to flicker slower, as if afraid to break the moment.

Then Jungkook's hand slipped into his coat again....this time pulling out a phone. Her phone.

He held it up between two gloved fingers, its cracked screen lighting up.

Her breath caught.

Her family photo shone on the wallpaper, a man, a woman, and a little boy smiling under sunlight.

He turned the phone so she could see it clearly.

"Touching. You have a family."He tilts his head slightly, eyes narrowing"I didn't notice this before. Guess you were too busy trying to stab one of my men."

Her jaw clenched, anger flashing in her eyes. She jerked forward, trying to grab it, but the chains rattled violently and stopped her short.

He raised an eyebrow, his voice dropping low, dangerous.

"Easy. You want this back?"He steps closer, the light catching his face, half in shadow"Then talk. Tell me who sent you... and I'll let you walk out of here. No scars. No reports."

He leaned closer, so close she could feel the quiet venom in his voice."You see, I can't afford to have a woman locked up in my base camp during wartime. The higher-ups love to twist stories, and I hate unnecessary noise."

"So tell me... who sent you?"

Her eyes darted to the phone, then to him,a war raging behind them.

For the first time, her silence wasn't defiance. It was fear wrapped in pride.

And he could see it.

He could smell it.

"Okay , I'm telling you! But you have to promise me something first"Her chest heaved as she finally broke her silence, voice tight but steady.

Jungkook raised an eyebrow,his gaze piercing through hers like steel..."And what's that?"

"You won't do anything to my family!" she said , still fighting with herself, whether to tell him everything or just die with the truth.

"Listen to me carefully. I give my word once. Once, and it's enough. "Every inch of his presence radiated control and danger.

"Cross that line, and I'll make the world regret it... but as long as I swear it, not a hair on th

eir heads will be harmed!"

"Now... tell me everything. And be honest. Because the next word you lie about... and I'll make sure you regret it in ways you can't imagine."

"Understand?"

★★★