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Chapter Text

1010

The hallways echoed with his footsteps. He could feel the eyes following him as he walked passed each and every one of them.

The team was here, all seven of them. Brought here one by one by manipulation and by sheer luck.

Some were remembering, some weren't.

Some mistrusted him and some didn't.

Tick, Tick, Tock...

He stopped in front of one of the prisoner's chambers.

Bracing against the wall, with his head down was the one they captured trying to escape. Silver dyed hair and tattered clothes, he looked up when he saw someone was standing there seeing him, his eyes hardened, glowing grey almost white as the doctor stood there staring at him expressionless.

The camera saw everything, the green dot blinking over as it observed the doctor.

This man was a friend to him once, in another life, now they were nothing but mere strangers and he knew he should not hold any warmth for him, for any of them for that matter but his memories were all tangled and he cared for each of them one way or the other.

At his waist his key card felt heavy, his fingers itched to unlock the doors of the chamber, to release all of them to join the mayhem happening outside the walls of these chambers.

But he was stronger and was able to subdue such impulses as it would not solve the matter at hand.

The world is going to end again, the timelines were all crashing into one, ripping themselves apart.

Soon they would not have a home or a universe to exist in so this was important what he was doing, their trials were important for them to succeed.

The doctor almost flinch when besides him the sealed door banged. Another prisoner - blue haired and vicious dark eyes - banged his hand against the wall.

He screamed at him but to no avail for the glass doors concealed the noise. He screamed and slammed and banged his head against the chambers. His words, 'I'll kill you. If it is the last thing I'll do, I will kill you.'

The doctor ignored him, his facade rigid and ice cold though deep down he was afraid.

Tick Tick Tock...

"Doctor Chittaphon, you are needed back at the observation room."

The voice of the speakers echoed and the doctor frowned. They were watching him, they took note of his every step for they do not believe he was on their side.

They have all right to be suspicious because he truly wasn't.

He was on his side, the side that would benefit him and his team no matter the cost.

He stepped away, his eyes turning one last time to another in the chambers, one he had took on as a brother only to placed him in this torturous facility.

The boy was trembling, digging at his nails to the point it bled and as he realized he was being watched he looked away.

The lights flicked overhead and that was the doctor's cue to leave.

***

1011

"Get me out, get me out! Get! Me! Out of here!" the leader screamed as the bed shook, the walls rumbled and the chairs broke.

The glass of the walls scattered and he ripped at his prison cell, tearing open his cage but he could not escape, the noise kept him chained to his place.

He yelled and screamed and laughed, a dangerous maniacal laughter that rippled sound waves throughout the facility. His eyes glowed dark, staring at the camera, the green light flickering as he grinned at it. He knew who was behind there turning up the volume of the noise, making him bleed from his eyes, nose and cough up blood.

"I'll kill you..." It was a mere whisper but he was certain the doctor heard him. His mind ripped the lights off the ceiling, breaking down the doors of the chamber, "I'LL KILL YOU!"

He pushed himself off the floor to escape oncemore but he could not.

The room filled with gas, he was out before he feet crossed the line.

"Detain him," the voice over the speakers ordered.

The gaurds got their rods ready and gagged the blue haired man, he was dragged in chains into another holding cell.

"If he keeps doing this he will crush us with him," said a voice behind the doctor as they stared at their subject through the monitor.

"No, we keep at it, weaken his mind, get him to break before he breaks us."

"And if we fail."

The doctor was silent, his heart raced as he thought of the possibility of failing. He could not fail, not with so much at stake, "We won't fail, we need him to break, it is the only way his mind will remember."

***

10110

If the racer tried to remember what had happened before he ended up here - it did not work, instead it made everything worse. His mind was riddled with whispers and thoughts.

His eyes filled with visions, ones of deaths and despair, other with happiness and hope.

"Tick, tock, tick, tock..." He drew scratches his markers against the walls, "Merrily sings the clock." He looked up to see the camera with its green light blinking at him and he grinned widely and continued drawing, humming and singing to himself, "It's time to work, it's time to play. So it sings throughout the day. Tick, tock, tick, tock... Merrily sings the clock."

And on and on he went.

The room was filled with noise, a loud ringing that made him clench his teeth and tossed his markers aside. He screamed but it wouldn't stop.

The visions... make it stop, make it stop. Make. It. Stop.

The walls caved in around him, his mind warping as he tried to make sense of his reality.

It was all a dream, all a dream, all a dream, none of it is real.

He screamed, feeling his mind twisting and blending and pulling apart as he saw the flashes of images.

And as the noise ceased he went back as if nothing had happened, his eyes bloodshot, his ears still aching, his nose dripping with blood. He just kept humming, this time another tune, "Seven blackbirds singing in a tree, count them and see what they be. One for sorrow, two for mirth, three for a wedding, four for death, five for silver, six for gold. Seven for a secret..." His eyes looking straight at the camera, "That's never been told."

***

10100

The soldier was a fail experiment or in other terms a far too successful one that could not be reined in.

And so they held him, locked him up, tortured his mind and body. Cut away piece by piece each of his very soul.

He remembered the days he was normal before the wings, before they strapped him down and inject the Irregular serum into his blood, before his eyes were golden and before when he remembered his name.

"You cut off his wings, why?" the doctor asked the scientist.

"You don't mean to keep them, they are of no value now that we have them all secured."

"He looks... awful."

"That is because he is..." The scientist turned the volume up, causing the soldier to fall to his knees and screamed.

"In no time he'll go back to the way he was."

The doctor frowned at this statement, "How can you even think like that?"

"It is the only way to think so that you can move forward and not be caught up in the past."

***

101100

The skywalker knew he was dreaming.

He was conscious even as they give him the pills to make him mind falter. The water was cold, his body clothed, he heard the voices around him. The scribble of pens jolting down his brain waves.

He knew they wanted him to break, his body already had but his mind could not.

"Raise the power."

The shock rippled between him, shaking his conscious state and dropping him into the well of his mind.

As he resurfaced he saw the gardens, the very the ones which he always found himself at.

"What do you see?"

'Nothing...'

He was lying, he saw a woman. Her back facing the stars of his dream. She was eternal, draped in grey robes, her silver hair crowned with jewel.

She always whispered in his mind but as he tried to reach her he would be pulled back into the waters by an unseeing force, pulling him through spacetime, through his memories and placing him back into the room filled with the doctors.

He saw one of them staring at him. Reaching out to touch his forehead but he snapped it away. "Your skin is burning up." He noted it into his book and Hendery clenched his fist, gritting his teeth, "Again."

They exchanged glances, a frown on the scientist lips, "Are you sure?"

"Don't make me ask again."

With a nod, the scientist ordered the doctors to raised the electricity full blast sending his mind back into the very same garden maze, the woman no longer there but instead a boy.

He turned to the skywalker with a frown, "Do you remember now?"

"Remember what?"

'What had happened to your teammates.'

And as he felt his mind cracked open he was flooded with images of his own self sitting at a table, being hooked to the wires of a computer as they fed him electricity. In front of him were a glass of water and a blue and yellow pill.

And as he picked up the blue pill, he heard the whispers of a woman, 'You need to wake up, drink it... drink it... drink it.'

He drank it and was swept back into another dream of the very woman walking alongside the beach, her eyes holding the universe within as she smiled at him.

'Open your eyes and wake the others.'

***

111

Drip, drip, drip…
The prisoner counted every second as he stared at the wall ahead of him, to him nothing made much sense anymore as he sat there in the cold dark prison.
Seconds ago he woke up from a nightmare, few minutes later he experience the most intense whiplash as if his brain was being rebooted and all his memories were wiped and reinstalled.
Only these weren’t his memories and how he knew was too hard to explain.
He felt like an imposter in his own skin, seeing through eyes of another.

He did not belong here, where was here exactly but the cold, icy chambers of a cell he had placed himself three years ago.

'Wake up...'

He flinched, hearing the whisper right besides him but as he turned he knew no one was around him.

'Wake up...'

From the corner he saw a silhouette, the figure seeming to be his very own and as it stepped out in the very light he heard the cell buzzer go off. So loud that it startled him.

He turned see the gates of his prison being opened, an old friend stepping in but as the prisoner tried to focused on him he was pulled back into another vision, he sat there at a table with a glass of water and two coloured pills.

Before he could touch either he was hank back into his own reality again.

His old friend held a smirk on his lips, holding a file in his hand, "I've come to make a bargain."

***

1000

Tick… Tick… Tock…

The thief opened his eyes, panic rushing through him as he woke up finding himself stuck between pipelines, steam fuming out of a few, scorching his already burnt skin.

He looked around realizing there was nowhere out of here, wherever he was. He stupidly tried to touch a railing for support, the metal scalding hot causing him to flinch as his fingers burnt the iron, he didn’t curse but he differently wanted too.

The thief looked around again, this time above him and below as he tried to remember how the fuck he got himself between there in the first place.

But nothing came to him.

Not a single thing and it bothered him more than being trapped in what seemed like a basement surrounded by an endless trail of pipes.

“Check the basement,” somebody said, “He’s got to be down there somewhere.”

As the thief heard that his heart plummeted, beating so loud he can almost hear it, blood dripped down from head blinding him.

He got hit on the head.

He was injured and he didn’t even realized until now, the hit was hard thus making his head spin or was this headache something else entirely?

Everything spun, the whispers, the voices.

He tried to remember, he tried to but nothing came to him.

'Wake up...'

His eyes glowed grey as he heard the footsteps appoarching nearer. The sounds frighten him but he did not truly know why.

He braced himself, waiting and a red head appeared sporting a wild grin on his lips, his eyes glowed blue like ice, "There you are..."

He approached him and the thief was about to run but another leaped down from the ceiling her feline reflexes startled him.
“Where are you running off too this time?" she purred tilting her head at him.

The red head came up to him, his fingers curling around his arm and before the thief could think of how to somehow fight them both off, he felt a cold metal rod burning the nape of his neck, the electricity shunting him to his knees as he gritted his teeth trying not to scream.

He screamed anyways.

'Wake up!'

The memories flood his mind, those that were not considered his bled through his very own and as he kept screaming he remembered how he reached there between those pipelines, before dropping to the floor blacking out.

Chapter Text

"The city of Shanghai is no longer the bright, brilliant and beautiful city that it once was. With the technological advancement, the growth of artificial intelligence which before would've been deemed as mere fiction is now a fascinating reality and let's not forget the genetically engineered soldiers built to fight the war.

A war which both humans have now created only to showcase their power and control which has now neglected both the livelihood of ourselves and of this place we call our planet. Climate change has turned for the worse, snow is nonexistent and the rain bleeds black while the sun -"

The cashier shut the television off, muttering to himself something along the lines of 'stupid politics' and 'where was he when people were protesting'.

Hendery - who was actually interested in what the guy had to say - blinked out of the trance of staring at the television, feeling dazed as the cashier called out the total.

The man looked up at him, eyebrow raised as he stared at Hendery with a look of confusion, disgust and annoyance.

Hendery gave a lopsided smile as he patted his wet, dirty clothes full of black rain.

"Come on man, I just mopped the floor."

Hendery once again smiled, this time weakly as he made one more attempt to retrieve his wallet from his jeans, it was dripping with tar, spilling all on the floor, "Sorry."

The cashier sighed, more annoyed than he was three seconds ago, "Look kid I'm not accepting that money if it's got that muck all over, come back clean and fresh with better cash okay."

"But -"

"No buts." He was already putting away the items in the return trolley. Hendery was left standing there not sure how to get the guy to accept his money, this was all he had.

His stepfather had just put him out while his very own mother watched, he had nowhere to go, whatever clothes that was tossed in the dirty rain was all Hendery had. The money was his but it wasn’t much as the part time job he did at the lab was more along the lines of volunteering with just pocket change to travel and eat - which he didn't mind until now, now when his parents told him to get lost, after all they put him through they were now the ones who were fed up with him.

He was trying to explain himself but the guy wouldn't hear it and before Hendery could play the sympathy card the door bell rang, another customer entered and another and another.

Three all dressed the same yet somewhat different.

The leader was clad in orange shirt, army pants and black combat boots, his hair black with blonde highlights which reminded Hendery of those punk kids that would pick trouble with people just for kicks.

The other two - one with electric blue hair dressed in all black and the other with red with a blue jeans jacket and ripped washed out jeans. They did not pay much attention to Hendery and the cashier but the man seemed to he know them.

"No, get out I want you misfits out of this store now."

"Relax old man we just want to grab something to eat."

"The last time you wreck my store, I'm not going to ask twice." He went under his desk and pulled out a gun. Hendery drew back afraid now but the leader orange did not even look fazed.

"Get out," he ordered again.

Hendery stepped back, reaching for the door. He watched as the boy approached the man, the gun pointing at his head.

It happened quick, the one in orange grabbed his wrist, the other in blue and red jumped over and slammed him on the counter, holding him down as the leader took the gun from him and emptied the  bullets.

"You don't even know how to use this." From his pocket he pulled out a handful of cash and placed it besides the man, "For the damages before and um we'll be taking some stuff too. I hope it covers for everything." He smirked at the last bit as the two boys pushed him against the corner.

Hendery left before he saw the rest that confrontation, wanting no part of it and opting to just go hungry until the next day he might find shelter somewhere and convince someone to take his tar stain money for a bowl of food.

He kept walking with his hoodie over his head, paying no mind to the cars - race cars that definitely did not belong to this part of the city.

"Hey." He heard the purring of the engine. The sweet bright orange Subaru of the leader slowed down besides him, "Hey."

Hendery turned, not saying a word.

"Catch." Through the window the guy tossed the things he wanted to order and more. Hendery looked up holding the plastic  bag and saw him grinning popping a bubblegum in his mouth, "I saw him refuse your money."

He nodded, "Thanks." Then went on walking.

The car followed near him, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." he lied, but he did not trust this guy to tell him the truth.

"Your lying."

Hendery turned to him, stopping, "What?"

"You look lost, matter of fact you look homeless, do you even know where you are or where you're going?"

"Yes," he said, it was the truth.

The guy held his gaze, for a moment Hendery felt uncomfortable. He was never a shy person but this guy - though looked younger than him - seemed to carry himself with much more confidence and charm. "Do I know you?"

The question caught Hendery off gaurd, "I don't think you do?"

"You can come with us," he said, gesturing his head inside his car, then pointed to the two others behind him, the blue and red, "Or you can ride with Jaemin or Haechan if you don't trust me."

I don't trust any of you.

"The rain is setting up again," the guy noted looking up in the sky, "You can walk or you can ride with me and save yourself."

Hendery gramiced. Indeed he did not wanted to be covered with that thing again. "How can you even drive in the rain aren't you afraid that your car will get dirty."

He grinned, pressing the gas the engine purring to life, "That's why we go fast, now get in."

Hendery looked back to the two other racers as they observed the scene rather bored in their own respected vehicles. He did not wanted to ride with either and so he chose the orange because he was the one who offered.

When he got in and put on his seat belt he realized his clothes were going to stain everywhere. "Don't worry, these things can replace," the racer said, then reached out from the back and tossed him a towel. His eyes on the road as he started driving, "I'm Yangyang by the way."

"Hendery."

He looked over to him and again Hendery nervously avoided his gaze, "I feel like I know you from somewhere."

Hendery shook his head, "I never met you before."

"Whatever probably just déjà vu or something, prehaps we met in other life." He cracked him a grin at that, "Maybe we knew each other before."

Hendery did not know what to make of that. He tried to understand where this guy was going with his statement, prehaps it was nothing, prehaps Hendery was just mistaking polite conversation with flirtation. Yangyang's grin was wide and quirky and not subtlety attractive but to Hendery it felt that way, even the racer's eyes stared at him too intensely to the point it made Hendery aware of every breath he took.

"Where were you heading?"

"The clock tower."

Yangyang scoffed, "You were going to sleep there, why?"

"I rather not say."

"Your parents kicked you out?"

Hendery's head snapped at him. Yangyang gave nothing away, his eyes still on the road as he looked through the rear view mirror then ahead maneuvering his way through the cars on the highway with much ease. "How did you know?"

He simply shrugged, "Cause we all go through something like that. Haechan, the red head, his mother put him out cause she was a drunk and her boyfriend was abusive. She thought kicking him out would save him." He scoffed at that, his fingers gripping around the steering wheel tightly, "Prehaps she was right but that still doesn't excuse what she did. Why make a kid if you're going to abandon it?"

Hendery was too quiet, he did not wanted the feelings of his mother's own rejection of him to resurfaced so instead he directed a question to him, "What about you?"

"Me?" Yangyang side-eye him a spilt second before looking ahead, "My dad abandoned my mom and I, ran away with some teenager and got her pregnant. He abandoned her too, that fucking asshole."

"And your mom?"

Yangyang was quiet, the rain started to fall but luckily it wasn't as heavy with thick grease like earlier, it would still stain the car but nothing a little water amd soap couldn't take out. "My mom is dead, cancer."

Hendery pressed his lips in a thin line realizing what he just did and felt terrible, "I'm sorry."

"That fucking tech, instead of saving us and healing things like cancer they are instead making mod mutts and fighting in some fucking war that has nothing to do with us anyways."

"I think it's cured."

"What?"

"Cancer," Hendery replied, "I think it's cured but they want us to stay sick. They probably kill anyone who admits to working on these supposed incurable diseases to keep us sick so we will pay for the treatment."

Yangyang was quiet for a while and Hendery wondered if what he said soured his mood more. He was not really good at making friends and this was a clear example as why he sucked. "If there's a cure and they didn't use it then I'll tear them all down, every last one of them."

"Tear down who?"

"Who else," Yangyang said speeding more now to avoid the rain, "But the ones incharge."

They arrived at a garage shortly after to find a man was lying underneath a car. Yangyang dragged Hendery with him to see their supposed guardian of the misfits, introducing him like a child who brought home a puppy, "Johnny look who I found."

The man pushed himself out from underneath the vehicle staring directly at Hendery before frowning at Yangyang, "How many times have I told you to stop picking up strays."

"I'm not a stray," Hendery said not really offended, "I have a job, I just need a place to crash for the weekend and I'll be out your way by Monday."

Johnny raised up looking up and down at him, "What's your name?"

"Hendery..."

He nodded, lying back down on and pushing himself back under the car. "Find him a place to crash Yangyang, he's your responsibility."

Yangyang grinned, "Thanks Johnny."

"Your responsibility," he called out again as Yangyang pushed Hendery to the back of the garage. It opened up to a huge warehouse, big enough to hold enough cars and rooms for their owners.

The two friends with Yangyang, crashed on an old sofa. Jaemin flicking on the television showing the live overshots of the war happening in the drylands.

The words in English which he barely caught onto as his new friend pushed him more to the back, "You can share the bunk with me."

"You?"

"I don't mind."

He showed him his room, finding another clean towel and tossing it to Hendery. "Shower is over there." He pointed to the side as he collapsed on the lower bunk. "You can take the top, I don't really care."

Hendery nodded, his eyes looking around the room. Yangyang was a sketch artist, his papers were all pasted or pinned against the walls. Some of them seeming to not make much sense while others look hauntingly familiar.

His eyes caught sight of one in particular, a charcoal sketch of the moon crashing into earth. Suddenly the back of Hendery's mind itched as he tried to figureout why this looked oddly familiar.

"It's just a hobby, nothing worth much. I'm not as good like my brother."

"Your brother...?" It was Hendery's turn to scoffed, "I thought it was just you and your mom?"

"Not my real brother, but he did took care of me after everything. Rasied1 me like I was his own."

"You're good," Hendery stated matter-of-factly as he rest the sketch down. His eyes caught sight of another. It was him, he didn't know how he knew as the sketch was just eyes but it was his eyes and when he looked across to question Yangyang the racer frowned and grabbed the sketch, "It's not what you think. I had it from a dream."

"I understand, I'm not weirded out." He was but he would not admit it, he still needed somewhere to sleep and so far Yangyang seemed to be an okay guy.

Still it was strange though how he acted. If it meant nothing why so defensive?


***


The train station is where his employer told him to met her. There under the flickering lights Xiaojun felt as if he was being stared at, the cameras flashing it's red light at him making him uneasy.

His fingers itched to pull out a cigarette but given the signs all around telling him he shouldn't, it made him reluctant.

That was until it was nearing midnight.

Well I guess one couldn't hurt and I'm hungry, he thought as he pulled out a cigarette, flicking the lighter.

"You know those things will kill you right?"

Xiaojun turned to see a woman dressed in all red, her long straight hair draped over her shoulders as she posed with a folder in her hand. When she realized he was not paying attention to her, she walked up and yank it out of his mouth, tossing it to the floor and crushing it underneath her kneels.

"You never do listen, do you?" She scolded him like a sister who would scold her younger brother or like mother scolding a son.

He remained quiet, his eyes wandering over her appearance, her porcelain skin seeming ghost-like under the dull glow of the lights and from the blood red pants suit she wore, her bright red polish nails and her vampire red lipstick - she looked unnaturally beautiful.

Her presence shifted something in the air, it was frightening how she could do that with so little ease.

“Where are you heading?” he couldn’t help but asked. Dressed like that she had to be going somewhere important and he was certain he was not important enough for a look like this.

She smiled at him, her eyes locked on the train tracks and he realized that the few people who were waiting with him all seemed to disappeared while the lights dimmer and flicker.

“No rest for the wicked I'm afraid, you should know that.”

He chuckled, “I do actually…”

“Good.” She slammed the folder to his chest. His fingers collected it but before he could check the insides she spoke, “This is the last one I’m told.”

He met her gaze, “The last one?"

“Don’t act all surprise on me, you always wanted a way out. He’s giving it to you."

“Yes but…” Xiaojun could not believe it, he was hesitant now to read the files thinking it was some sort of trick.

With him it always was...

"No trick," she claimed as if reading his mind. She reached over, her hand resting on his cheek, caressing it, she smiled at him. As a sister would smile at her brother comforting him, she had that aura about her which made her ruthlessness all the more terrifying. "Do this one last mission and he would not bother you again, you'll be free of him."

Her amber eyes locked on him, as he carefully read him the files. He scoffed, “A painting?”

“Not just any painting, one with secrets,” she whispered closely to him.

“And he wants me to steal it, this is…”

She looked at him, confused, “You can’t do it?”

Xiaojun laughed, placing the files inside his jacket, “No I definitely can it’s just…” He didn’t want to say it out loud but it all seemed too easy especially given the fact all his life he'd been tied to the High Table serving under his employer for so long as she served under him.

They were chained the the man he feared, the man who held his freedom. He was nervous, afraid now to think what might happen if he succeed, if he would crave to go back to serving this organization.

Prehaps he had already lost his soul the moment he started working for them.

“Xiaojun…” her voice was stern, “Get your head out of your ass, you are going to be free after you do this.”

“How free, Irene?”

She never liked when he called her by her name, it has always been 'Mistress' due to her rank.

“Free as the birds,” she replied, her eyes seeming to say something else but Xiaojun could not read it as well as he pretended to.

He nodded accepting his fate, “Okay.”

She straightened her posture, her eyes glinting with mischief, “The High Table thanks you for your service." She turned to leave. Her kneels seeming to echoing louder on the way out.

“As if I have a choice,” he muttered under his breathe.

The train flew pass him, a loud and rattling noise stirring his anxious mind.

Who the painting belonged to was unknown but the building belonged to Byun Baekhyun - a wealthy business man who was the founder of the Project Irregular- Regular trials and now Project Icarus.

He was another member of the High Table but to steal from one of your own? It was intriguing now and Xiaojun wondered if there was more to it.

Irene claimed it's a painting with secrets, so let's find out.

Chapter Text

Bloodied and bruised, Ten walked into the garage with a limp on his left leg dragging his bat with him that was also covered with blood.

Noticing the place was dark when he arrived he frowned, gripping his weapon hard. His heart still racing from the fight he just gotten himself into trying to save a kid who ended up running away in the middle of the fight.

Cautiously he flipped the switch, the lights blinding him for a split second as the sound of shouts and cheers echoed around him, all yelling in unison ‘Happy birthday!’.

Ten frown, lowering his weapons as he saw the beaming grin on his sister’s face as well as the little teasing smile from Jaehyun and the silent gaze from Johnny.

You’re fucking kidding me…

That’s what he wanted to say but decided against it as he saw Lisa walked up to him with a cake filled with candles. This was some sort of joke right? He stared at her realizing the sincerity of her gaze, it was indeed not a joke and he couldn’t believe Johnny allowed her to do this.

Ten shot him a glare before pushing the cake out of his face, “What are you doing here, Lisa?”

“Goodness,” she laughed, “Can’t a sister see her brother. You look like shit by the way.”

Ten walked away, turning to everyone else in the garage, “Party’s over, get going. Take how many beers you want.”

And in a rush everyone started grabbing everything they could carry including the very cake which Lisa held, even Jaehyun manage to take take a little slice, smiling sheepishly as he swallow it over his head.

“What the hell happened to you?” she asked folding her arms over her chest. Her bright yellow eyes that resemble that of a cat made it so eerie to stare directly at her.

Ten noticed the way she was dressed in her usual office attire – white shirt, black pants and her kneels, her badge was nowhere in sight which meant she was off duty but didn’t have enough time to change which means this wasn’t her idea – though she went along with it.

His eyes wandered behind him, to Jaehyun and Johnny. Between the two he knew who was bold enough to pull a stunt like this.

“I was doing business,” Ten lied touching the blood on his forehead.

“Really?” she lifted her brow, “Okay I’ll pretend to believe you.”

He leaned against the desk, trying not to flinch at the sudden pain in his joints. “Why are you here Lisa?”

She glanced back at Jaehyun and Johnny wondering if it was safe, to which he nodded allowing to the two to remain. “Well…” She pulled out her phone and handed it to him, “I thought you might want to see this since you are so interested in my superior.”

He took the phone from her, it wasn’t nothing much just a very dark video of what seemed like Byun Baekhyun meeting someone in the rain by an old bridge.

“Where was this taken?”

“Busan, at one of the abandon train stations,” she answered.

“And who is that, I can’t see the face.” He tried to zoom in on the video but all he got was just a blurred image. The person whom Baekhyun was trying to meet was underneath an umbrella, the only thing he got was hands as they handed Baekhyun a giant envelope.

Lisa shrugged, “I don’t know the person, I’ll try to look into it but all I found out was Byun Baekhyun will be coming to China soon.”

“I know…”

She was stunned, staring at him for a moment before laughing and pocketing back her phone, “You know? Why am I not surprise.”

A shadow of a smile played on his lips, “Thanks for showing me the video though.”

Lisa stared at him again, nodding, “Yes well your obsession with Byun Baekhyun has me a bit curious myself..." She hesitated for a moment, looking down at her feet then at her brother, "There's something else I wanted to say?"

"I'm listening?"

“There’s a likely chance I’ll be getting a promotion soon.”

“Good for you.”

“I don’t want to take it."

Jaehyun frowned, "Why not? It's good for you, good for us too."

She shook her head, “It’ll mean working under Byun Baekhyun directly and he prefer agents who’ve taken all the trials, I’ve lasted this long without losing myself to those experiments.” Her eyes blinked, her eyes pleadingly staring at her brother, “Should I really risk it?”

Ten was quiet, he wasn't so certain if it was a good idea but this was a good opportunity especially knowing getting closer to Baekhyun will mean finding out who this shadow he was meeting with.

"Sleep on it," he said, "The trials are hard, you loose a piece of your humanity if you are not strong enough but I know someone who made it. He's the strongest."

Lisa scoffed, "You mean Lee Taeyong, he's been a lab rat since he was a kid, it's no wonder he made it."

"He's my friend Lisa, don't insult him and he could be yours too if need be."

The siblings held gaze the silence heavy between them but they communicated well enough.

And just as you thought they will be at each other's throat Ten smiled at her and she smiled back. "I'll take the spare room. Happy birthday Ten."

"Yeah whatever." He waved her off nonchalantly as he limped to his room.

There Ten slowly with much discomfort took off his clothes, starting with the jacket, dumping it on the floor along with the rest of his clothing. He limped towards the shower where he allowed the lukewarm water to soak his bruised body, flinching as he tried to wash himself off.

Though he was meticulously beaten none of the blood really belonged to him as he had no visible wound anywhere on his body.

Once he felt himself clean, he came out of the shower feeling a bit relief now.
“So are you going to tell me what happened?”

Ten cursed, throwing his head towel at Johnny, "Fuck Johnny you should learn privacy."

The man only chuckled, dropping the towel down as his eyes stalk Ten who was searching for clothes, "I want to know where you’re coming back from looking like that on your birthday nonetheless.”

Ten chuckled, putting on his underwear not caring about the others gaze on him. “Why do you sound like a jealous boyfriend, hmm?"

This made the other quiet as Ten turned back sewing the way he was staring at him without even a hint of shame.

Closing the closet, he put on his sweatpants and moved closer to Johnny who straightened his posture as Ten smirked, bending down to check the pockets of his bloodied jacket he'd thrown on the floor coming in.

He pulled out an white envelope that was now covered with drops of dry blood.
“Here,” he said handing him it, “Since you’re so set on knowing where I was.”

Johnny gingerly opened it up, pulling out a card. “An invitation?” He scoffed, only to read the contents with a frown on his face. He looked up at Ten a bit terrified now, “This is –”

“Lee Taemin, yes,” Ten said, taking it back him as he tossed it on his bed, "He reached out to me."

"Why? You owe him nothing unless..." His friend's eyes hardened, "Unless you lied to us. Did you Ten?"

He was quiet, he cared not to answer that and moved to grab a sweater throwing it over his head and combing his wet hair with his fingers.

"That's how you knew," Johnny whispered getting back his friend's attention, "That's how you knew Baekhyun was heading to China. What's this about Ten?"

He was quiet, shaking his head, "I can't tell you Johnny but what I can say is things about to get intense, I don't know how I know but this feeling..." he hit his chest hard, "I keep feeling something big is about to happen and Taemin inviting me to this charity is proof enough."

"You still haven't told me who's blood was that?"

Ten smirked, "Johnny you know I don't willing share so easily."

Chapter Text

It was taking forever.

This guest lecturer for this hour’s class seem like he enjoyed boring people to death and it hadn’t even been fifteen minutes yet.

Lucas was sitting in the backrow seats, close enough to the door so that when the time came for this dreadful session to be over with he would be the first one out.

It was nothing interesting really, just an old professor talking about the trajectory of flying the new prototype wings that were being tested right now in the fields. Project Icarus was named after a character from the Greek Mythos, who plummets to his death after flying too close to the sun, sounds like a ridiculous name in Lucas’ opinion especially considering the goal was the opposite.

He hoped he would never be picked to do such a mission, though the idea of having wings and flying while feeling the wind on his face was tempting, he would rather not be one of those ginuea pigs willing to sacrifice his life in the name of ‘collecting data’.

Another minute and Lucas heard the door open, light from outside crept in and for a moment he was going to tell the person who was entering the classroom to run before they regret it, but he was left a bit stunned for a moment.

The person of interest was fairly young, handsome in an almost flowery way, his blonde hair cut evenly to align with his eyebrows and for a moment he seemed not to be human but an android, how else would it explain the way he carried himself with such smooth precise movement?

They exchanged ‘hellos' before silence drew back in and the lecturer’s boring voice was loud enough to make Lucas’ ears bleed - metaphorically of course.
Curiosity came over Lucas as he wanted to know why this man, in such a well cut suit would be sitting in a class like this?

“New here?”

The young man smiled, “You can say that.” Again, no human should be able to sound as soft and charming like this guy, definitely an android, though Lucas even as he kid himself knew the truth.

“Lucas,” he couldn’t help but say as he held out his hand. He was eager to know this guy.

“Jungwoo,” he replied, shaking it. His hand was delicate but also firm enough to give a solid shake.

Lucas noticed the accent and combine with the name he immediately figured out this stranger was indeed Korean.

To make him comfortable, he switched his dialect surprising the young man. “So tell me Jungwoo, why have you decided to learn about Project Icarus?”

Jungwoo furrowed his eyebrows, “I beg your pardon?”

Lucas gestured to the front of him, “The class today is on the new wing prototype known as ‘Icarus’ which some of us in this room might fly by this very year end.”

He blinked, once, twice before nodding slowly, “I see.” Then he pulled out his phone, checking it before going through his folder and muttering a curse under his breath.

That made Lucas chuckled, “You’re lost, aren’t you?”

“It looks like I am,” Jungwoo admitted, pressing his brows in exhaustion, “I’m looking for the Bioengineer sector?”

“You’re in the wrong building,” Lucas stated, then began to pointing only to he stopped himself, “How about I show you?”

Jungwoo shook his head, “It’s fine, I don’t want to stop you from your class -”

“Are you kidding me? This guy is boring everyone to death, you’re talking to a ghost right now.”

He laughed, “You look pretty solid for a ghost.”

“I know right,” Lucas grinned, “I also lied, it’s not anywhere on this campus, you’ll have to go till the west side of the academy and considering the distance there’s a possibility you will get lost again.”

He sighed, “Alright, you can show me the way, but are you sure you wouldn’t get in trouble?”

“Nope, and there’s no way I’m participating in that Project I’m scared of heights.”

Jungwoo stared at him, “Really? But you’re a… pilot?”

He grinned, “Yeah I am.”

Jungwoo laughed, realizing it was another attempt at a stupid joke.

The two immediately took their leave, walking down the hall while engaging in conversation. Lucas told him about his time in the Academy, while Jungwoo answer his questions as vaguely as possible, clarifying his arrival was classified by both the Korean, Chinese and Japanese government.

“What I can tell you is I’m an investor and a surgical doctor who was handpicked by Dr. Nakamoto himself. He is who I work for."

Lucas nodded knowing exactly who that scientist was. “I swear that man needs a life, he just keep inventing things, the world’s barely holding up considering the climate and the war."

Jungwoo hummed in reply, “I think it’s great though, I mean there’s talk about him trying to save it somehow.”

“With what?" he scoffed, "By creating more weapons?”

Jungwoo looked up at him making Lucas lower his head apologetically, “Sorry as a soldier I shouldn’t have –”

“No you’re right,” he stated, “And persons like me are more to be blamed for what has happened to the world. But let me tell you this Lucas, humanity is too caught up in their own selfishness to realize the inevitable. You and I and maybe a collective recognize the issued and can only do so much."

Lucas noted his pessimism and was a bit taken a back, “So just give up? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes,” Jungwoo replied, shrugging, “Can’t beat them join them sort of thing.

And suddenly like a switch being flipped what Lucas considered to be attractive about this guy was now revolting.

He stopped walking giving him a grin, “You know what I just remembered that my sergeant is going to ask any of us about that class so I guess I have to head on back before he realized I ditched it.”

Jungwoo frowned, disappointed, “Oh…” It made Lucas felt bad  but he didn’t really care, he knew his morals and this guy had none of it. “What about the directions?”

“You're almost there, just turn left and go straight. Sorry about that by the way."

"It’s no problem, nice meeting you, Lucas."

“You too.” And before Jungwoo can put in another word the soldier was already crossing the field heading back to class.
Days went on by Lucas still recounted that conversation and wondered if Jungwoo had caught onto his sudden excuse to ditch him.

Eventually he forgot about it, months turned into a year and one dreadful day back in the same auditorium where two visitors from the military facility known as ‘The Base’ came to see his squad.

His captain Kim Jongin stood up on the platform to greet the two, the woman was the first to shake his hand, catching the attention of the rest of officers as they realized her hand was synthetic.

The young man standing behind caught Lucas’ gaze before showing a slight smirk as if he knew he would be here.

All the conversation went over his head really as he watched the young man tug his sleeve cuff and smiling to himself.
Lucas was not sure what to feel in the moment but it was too late to desert his post now.

The woman was gestured to the squad, she stood there in all black, the only colour was her red lipstick as she stared hard at each officer. "You standing before me have all been handpicked according to your flight scores and merits to this Academy." She turned to Jungwoo as his eyes held his, she continued, “I along with my colleague have personally chosen you to help this war. Collaborating with Dr. Nakamoto and Mr. Byun Baekhyun on the Project Regular–Irregular, it is fair to say ‘Icarus’ will successfully create a new and astonishing Air-force known to the world.”

There were loud applause, Lucas clapped but was not as enthusiastic as the rest. Jungwoo who was also clapping his eyes darting from his colleague to him a small smirk ever so faintly on his features.
Handpick? Could it be the investor did so out of spite or just to prove something to him?

Can’t beat them join them sort of thing.
It was too late now to back out. Lucas heard of academy drop-outs and runaways. They always end up dead or returned back to the faulty so brainwashed and beaten down they turn into an entirely different person.
If he did that there’s no saying what they’ll do to his mother, a nurse who committed her life to this cause.

“Lucas…" He blinked, finding himself face to face with Jungwoo but he was not alone as the woman and his captain was there with him. A hand on his shoulder as his captian and friend continued, “This is one of my best pilots."

“Second best I heard,” Jungwoo replied softly in the woman’s ear.

“Yes I’ve heard so too,” she claimed, her voice as stern as her looks, “I’ve heard there was another who topped every class and was the first one who raised their hand to participate in Project Icarus.”

“Xiao Dejun is his name but is with us no more,” Lucas stated, his voice holding no emotions in speaking his old friend's name.

The woman raised her eyebrow, “Is that so?”

“He’s dead,” Jongin said plainly, “Deserted his post.”

“Good riddance then,” she replied, her eyes looking from Lucas to Jongin then to the rest of the squad.

Jungwoo nodded, his eyes staring intensely at the soldier who tried to make his height some sort of shield, standing straight and staring ahead giving nothing away.

“So would you fill in your old colleague’s post then," the woman said to him.
Lucas turned to his captain, “If that is required of me.”

“Good,” she replied, “Jungwoo, you have yourself a volunteer.”

The young man only bowed in acknowledgement before smiling at Lucas again, he held out his hand, “It’s nice to meet you, Private Wong Yukhei. I'm Dr. Kim Jungwoo."

Lucas’ jaw tightened, noting the amusement as he shook his hand, a frim hard shake even for a delicate hand, “The pleasure is all mine Doctor."

***

The shower had been the best thing Hendery had ever experienced even though he had plenty of showers before this one but given the fact he had been kicked out of the house earlier this one felt like heaven.

When he came out he saw Yangyang at his desk sketching once more, he didn't turn around just gestured to the bed, "There's some clothes over there for the night."

Hendery noted they were sweatpants and t-shirt even underwear which should've made him uneasy but he tried not to care. "They're new if you're wondering," Yangyang said turning to look at him, "The underwear and clothes." He grinned, "Johnny always keeps clean stuff cause well we - I - have a decency of picking up strays."

Hendery nodded, taking up the clothes into his hands. His wet hair dripping on them as he did so and when he turned to look at Yangyang the racer was studying him silently. "Thanks," he said, "I mean this is..."

"It's not too much," Yangyang replied, "We all need someone to take care of us, it's human nature to depend on each other for support."

A very profound thing to say, Hendery noted and from someone who he thought would not have such empathy and intellect. The first time he saw Yangyang he did tackle an store owner who held a gun. The duality fascinated him he must admit too.

And as if reading his thoughts Yangyang chuckled. "I must come off as weird but you'll get use to it that is unless you do leave after this weekend is through."

His gaze was intense and Hendery shivered realizing he was still wrapped around with just a towel, body still wet with water. He quickly went back into the bathroom and changed into the clothes then he heard a knock. "You can use my stuff in there, there's deodorant spray, it's nothing really I don't mind."

"Thanks," Hendery called back out and proceeded to do just that.

In the back of his mind he thought of all those movies he's seen, those with the dates sleeping over without nothing and using their partners stuff. He shook the thought out of his head, it was ridiculous and stupid and it is not the same.

He stared back into the mirror, he barely recognized himself in the mirror, it was still hard to believe he had somewhere to sleep for the three nights given everythinf that had happened.

He was grateful for sure.

As Hendery got out he was surprised Yangyang was not there anymore. He moved to the desk to see what the racer was working on but it was nothing more than sketches of a woman standing by a well in a garden.

For a moment Hendery thought the image moved he looked closer but the door startled him back, Yangyang came back in with his friends Jaemin and Haechan. "You want to play pool?" he asked.

Jaemin took him in, "You ever played it before?"

"No," he admitted then smiled, "I'm a quick learner though."

"Great you can stay on Haechan's side."

"Hey! No fair!"

"Oh very fair," Yangyang replied with a chuckle, "You're better than the rest of us."

The red head shrugged, "That is true. Come on new guy, I'll teach you the rules of the game."

***

Hendery wasn't lying when he claimed to be a quick learner. He learnt the rules quick and fast and was able to score four balls before finally missing and Yangyang noted it was a clumsy miss as if he did it on purpose.

Jaemin seemed to enjoy Hendery's skills even if he was playing against him while Haechan was both amazed and a bit taken aback by how quick he caught on. He chuckled when Hendery missed, tapping his shoulders, "I was beginning to think you weren't gonna leave the rest for us."

Hendery laughed it was awkward and nervous and he glanced over to Yangyang who was leaning against his pool stick observing the play. It was Jaemin's turn, he scored two points as Haechan fist pumped leaning against the table with his stick, "Time to win this."

Jaemin chuckled not at all caring about the competition as he offered Hendery a can of beer. He took it reluctantly and as he sipped it his eyes saw Yangyang still looking.

The racer could not help himself, he was certain he knew this guy from somewhere. It was the only reason he felt the need to enter the convenient store. He saw through the glass walls - as he leaned against his car - the owner rejecting Hendery's money, immediately he'd straightened up realizing this person looked familiar but as he pointed it out to Haechan and Jaemin neither seemed to give a damn.

"Have my back won't you," he had told them, "I wanna help him out."

Haechan rolled his eyes, throwing his cigarette on the road and outing it with his boots, "How many times have Johnny said to stop collecting strays."

"Far too many," he'd replied with a grin.

Jaemin elbowed him, snapping him out of his thoughts, "Your turn."

"What?" He blinked realizing Hendery was looking at him and so was the rest of his friends. He saw the table still had a few more balls remained and chuckled to himself, "I thought you were gonna win this Haechan."

"Just shut up and play."

Hendery laughed as Yangyang pretended to crack his neck. Dramatically moving his shoulders up and down, leaning against the table, "You'll regret being cocky."

He scored each into their respective holes and when it came down to the last two, the red 3 and the black eight. He missed to which Jaemin threw his head back laughed loudly but Haechan who was chewing his fingers nervously looked over to Hendery who looked stunned.

Hendery gave him gave one last looked before he leaned against the table. One by one he scored, winning for his side and his friends clapped and cheered as Yangyang drank the rest of his beer, sighing loud, "Good game."

***

"You made me win."

Yangyang was quietly eating popcorn now as the television played Back to the Future, Haechan was knocked out snoring loud while Jaemin had already picked himself up and headed off to bed.

The racer looked over to him, "What are you talking about?"

"Earlier, the first game," Hendery said so soft that it was hard to hear over the television and the snores, "You made me win."

Yangyang continued eating, shrugging, "It was nothing, I missed average."

"Bullshit."

The curse stunned him and he turned see Hendery looking at him hard, then glanced over at Haechan who was sprawled over on the couch, his limbs all over his body like a ragged doll. Yangyang glanced over, annoyed that they still had company so he tossed a twizzler at him. Startled Haechan immediately woke up and stretching, "What the -"

"Get to bed, we want to finish the movie you're bothering us."

Haechan grumbled under his breath and tossed a pack of M&Ms at the two, before giving Yangyang the finger. "Fuck you, I'm heading to bed."

Hendery chuckled, amused by it all but he did not noticed the racer was closer now not until he tried to dust the candy off of himself. Yangyang lowered the television, leaning back into the couch and staring at him, "Why were you put out?"

Hendery was taken aback by the question but nevertheless answered, his eyes lowered, "I turned nineteen two days ago and got a job today. My stepfather said I can fend for myself now and told me to leave."

"And your mom allowed him?"

He nodded, not at all heartbroken anymore by what had happened. He supposed it was the company, Yangyang did went out of his way to distract him and make him comfortable. He supposed he owe him an explanation after taking up the offer to spend the weekend. "You know I tried to justify their actions, especially my mom. I mean..." He blinked, he didn't wanted to cry but the tears were spewing out regardless, "She did not wanted me, wanted an abortion but her parents didn't wanted that and then later on she signed me up as a lab kid, they milked my brain doing all sort of..."

Yangyang reached out and hold his hand and he squeezed it hard as he wiped the tears. "It doesn't matter, the money she got from that built up her remaining life. She got remarried, had another kid and everything was good at first until it was clear I was not apart of their family." He chuckled sarcastically, feeling his fingers being comforted by Yangyang, "You know what's funny I was planning on moving out after got the job. I just needed a few days to prep myself and the very same day I got through was the same day they decided I needed to leave."

"Assholes," Yangyang said making Hendery laughed bitterly. He couldn't help but agree. "You can stay here as long as you like. I don't mind, the others won't."

Hendery shook his head, noting they were still holding hands he didn't let go and neither did his new friend. "It's okay, the job I got allows you to live on sight. It's a big company and well I have history with it considering..."

"You've been experimented," Yangyang finished, then he leaned back, "The Base is where you'll be working?"

"Yeah."

He nodded then looked over at the television and with the hand he held Hendery with he let go and take off the television. "It's late I wanna sleep."

The touch still lingered on his fingers, he tried to reason that it meant nothing as Yangyang gestured for him to follow him.

They headed to the room, Yangyang opened the door as Hendery hesitated. Their eyes still searching the other.

When Hendery was about to climb the ladder to go the top bunk Yangyang held his hand, bringing him closer. He was stunned at first but he did not pull away as the younger moved the hair from his eyes. He stared at Hendery's features shaking his head in disbelief, "I can't shake the feeling I know you from somewhere it's killing me, I..." He laughed, "I am amazed at myself I don't really..."

He stepped away and Hendery moved closer, "It's okay..."

Yangyang searched his gaze still conflicted, "I don't want you to think you owe me anything."

Hendery felt his heart racing, he too felt conflicted but he wanted to give it. Maybe it was the beer and the fact he opened up himself to the other. He never felt so at ease now, he was certain if he woke up tomorrow with these feelings it will make everything awkward.

He moved closer and so did Yangyang. He still tried to figure out where he knew this guy as he felt Hendery's lips shadowed his. The sensation blurred his rational mind from working and he found himself kissing the other.

It was hesitant on both sides, Hendery conflicted if he was going to far whereas and Yangyang still wanted to know if this was a good idea. "Hendery..." he whispered seeing the way his new friend's eyes softened under his own gaze. Quickly he then turned off his thoughts as he locked his lips on his again, deeper and wilder.

They moved to the lower bunk, Hendery trying desperately to take off the racer's clothes as Yangyang kissed everywhere, his jaw, his neck and his shoulders. He tasted the beer, the popcorn and the candy, the sweetness and bitterness clashing together hardened him as he pressed the older down still trying to figure out where he'd seen him.

They kissed and kissed until they both were without clothes and as Hendery looked up to the other feeling the sudden curtain of shame again draping over him he wondered if this was right.

Let me enjoy now tomorrow I'll regret it in the morning, he told himself as he brought the racer closer to him.

Chapter Text

“Name?”

Xiaojun stood there in front of the receptionist at the counter. He was already exhausted from being in the line for almost four hours and the lady behind that stupid glass that muffled their voices did in fact knew his name as he was a regular here.

This would be a third time now he had told her and it was getting annoying, “I said Xiao Dejun."

She typed away at her screen, all those clicks and for what – to the check if he was eligible still for the money from the government.

He wasn’t of course but Haechan was a good enough hacker along with Renjun and they manage to get into the database having Xiaojun be a son of a woman who once worked as a secretary at the lab that burnt down five years ago.

These payments were for the families to stay quiet after what had happened. Everyone knew of course that the High Table was bribing the people who lost their families due to the fire to remain silent but no one care enough to stop it.

For some this was blood money while to Xiaojun and the lost boys he took under his wings this was a way to get food.

Work was scarce, an unemployment was everywhere due to the recession and those who weren’t working essential jobs or working for the higher ups had to succumb to the left overs of the city as private and public sectors were firing left and right and dooming civilians to collect lower than the average pay.

Even Xiaojun was laid off it was kind of insane how even the police force cut staff into half too and with him having no one but himself and the rest of the orphans he had adopted as his brothers he was doomed to thief once more.

Finally after doing his background check, she pulled out the receipt, handing him it with a stamp, “Next counter.”

He knew that and bowed at her as she called for the person behind him to come forward.

A boy with a hoodie on covering his hair, he shakenly approached the counter, chewing his fingers and looking around suspiciously. He locked eyes with Xiaojun and his entire expression confused before he snapped out of it as the lady asked for his name.

“Lui Yangyang,” he said, with fidgeting fingers.

Xiaojun ignored the weird guy, he’d seen people on drugs before but that was a whole other different kind of uncanny feeling he was experiencing with someone with addiction.

The guy looked at him as if he saw Xiaojun before which freaked him out more since he’s never seen this stranger not once.

“I’m sorry but your name is not here,” the woman clarified.

“I know.”

“What?”

The lady gave him a suspicious looked, instantly picking up her phone, “Would you stand aside, young man.” It was more a command than a question but the guy didn't want to listen.

Xiaojun was already in the next line as he watched what was going on. The guy seemed harmless enough but the woman wouldn’t have it, she called security and the guy shook his head, “I just need to –”
He walked past that counter onto the next line Xiaojun was in and instantly the thief felt a sudden dread came over him as he thought the guy was going to approach him and call him out for scamming.

Xiaojun braced himself but he didn’t do it though, all he did was look over at him before walking up to the counter, pushing the person who was collecting their check and slamming his hands on the glass.

“Hey! You there!” the security called, he went over, trying to hold him down but the guy pushed him away, yelling to the man at the counter.

“You had her killed,"  he said trying to reach over, “If you had just given us the loan –”

“Someone get this kid out of here.”

“No!” he yelled, pointing at the man by the counter, he seemed as if he was ready to say something else, ready to kill perhaps but he didn’t.

All he did was pushed the security off once again – poor old man – and walked away but not before looking over at Xiaojun again, glaring at him before existing out the door.

“Poor kid,” said a guy in front of Xiaojun.
Xiaojun turned to look at him, “What do you mean?”

The guy looked over at him, “He wanted to apply for a loan for his mom medical care but they rejected him. I was there when I saw him begging for their help.”

Xiaojun clenched his jaw, his chest tightening around his heart. “His mom…” he looked back to where the guy walked away.

Poor kid indeed…

Xiaojun stepped out of the bank, placing the money into his pocket and pulling a cigarette from the packet, he rested it between his lips as he trying to light it.

As it was lit he took a deep inhale, looking up at the clouds that formed overhead, something strange was happening. The weather seemed off but he couldn't pin point what it was, he supposed it could be global warming or maybe it was something else entirely.

He heard enough wild conspiracies that the government was hiding a lot of things from the people, that they were visited by aliens, that the andriods they were creating may have hidden self awareness and were trying to take over the world, that someone was manipulating events all around them like a puppeteer always reminding time to restart over when it didn't suit them.

All kind of wild theories and Haechan was obsessed with those to the point he had a board that connected everything.

He took a few steps down the stairs when he noticed the guy from the bank, he’d been standing outside watching the storm clouds just like Xiaojun as he bit on his thumb anxiously.

Xiaojun slowly decent the stairs, hitting his knuckles on the rail as his eyes never left the back of the guy's head, he was surprised he was still there outside the bank without the security chasing him away.

Xiaojun reached his side and neither said anything to each other as they kept looking up at the sky, the clouds making the afternoon seem like it was already evening.

“Have I met you before?” the guy asked him which stunned Xiaojun because he was about to ask the same question too the second they had locked eyes in the line.

Xiaojun shook his head, “We’ve never met.”

“Never…” he trailed off, then frowned as if the idea was disappointing. He held out his hand, "I'm Yangyang by the way."

"I heard." He shook it then smiled when the the guy seemed confused, "I mean at the bank I heard your name."

"Right, right sorry about that. I had to make that guy feel guilty, had to make somebody feel my pain."

"What happened?" Xiaojun asked though he already had an idea, he was still curious.

"My mom's dead, cancer, " He stated, "We needed the loan the pay for the treatment but he didn’t wanted to risk lending her it."

"I'm sorry."

Yangyang shook his head, "It's okay, I am trying to get over it. I need a job to pay all the medical bills, we were left nothing when my dad picked up himself and abandon us." Xiaojun clenched his jaw hearing that. What an asshole, he wanted to say.

"So much for in sickness and in health, am I right?"

Xiaojun was quiet, looking back at the bank then at the clouds before staring ahead where his car was. He sighed, "Fuck don't make me regret this alright."

Xiaojun ripped a piece of the envelope that held the money and wrote down the address of his apartment. "Here," he said to the guy, "My friends and I bunk there. It's small but we make due and we are well... let's just say we can find a way for the hospital to forgive your medical bills." He gave a quick smiled at that last part which earned him a curious look from Yangyang.

"Okay..."

"You can show up any time, just not drunk and definitely not when you are being followed."

"Okay..."

Xiaojun placed the cigarette back into his mouth crossing the road and entering his car. His eyes turning back to see the guy still standing there and suddenly the rain poured all around them making Yangyang throw over back his hoodie clinging to his clothes. "You want a drop where you're going?"

"I have nowhere to go though? I got kicked out of the apartment cause the rent was due."

Xiaojun scoffed, throwing his cigarette away, "Then what the fuck are you waiting for, get in."

"I don't know you," Yangyang replied folding folding is arms as it poured, "Stranger danger."

He laughed at that, "Okay suit yourself..." Xiaojun hopped in and drove away as the boy stood there lost and confused and as Xiaojun met up the traffic he heard a cry, "Wait!"

Yangyang ran to the car, opening the passenger side and hoping in, he was soaking wet but that wasn’t an issue for Xiaojun. "You want something to eat?"

"What?"

"I want coffee," Xiaojun stated, then proceeded to reverse, looking back and forward before cutting through a corner and driving away from the main traffic, yes it was apart of his plan to see if Yangyang would change his mind and it worked. "I know this café that has good coffee and has a great breakfast menu and desserts. You look like you haven't eaten, am I wrong?"

Yangyang shook his head, looking still hesitant at the request but before he could say anything his stomach growled which amused Xiaojun.

"Guess we heading there then," he said to no onecat all, his eyes glancing over to Yangyang whose eyes were looking out the window, he seemed at ease now.

Chapter Text

The pilot was used to being ordered around but it was hard at times to take the doctor seriously as he did it.

Nevertheless the soft alluring voice of Dr. Kim Jungwoo was overpowered by Lucas belief that he should not trust this guy.

But they still flirted, quick teasing jabs at one antother as Jungwoo would check his vitals and have him MRI scanned to he read his brain activity.

"This might hurt," the doctor said one time as he leaned Lucas forward. He was naked with only the covers blocking his lower region, Jungwoo paid no mind to it - sometimes, as Lucas caught him a few times staring much to his own amusement. He brought a long needle into the soldier's back stabbing into his spinalcord, it dwindled whatever illicit thoughts Lucas had, making him curse out loud.

Jungwoo chuckled, "I told you it will hurt."

"You said 'might' you piece of shit." As he felt the nerves on fire as it pressed deeper.

"Careful," Jungwoo warned, straightening him up with the needle still in his spine, "One more insult and I can easily cripple you for life."

Lucas decided he wouldn't test that theory and stayed quiet - as quiet as he could be with a fucking long ass needle being drilled into his spin and pumping with cold blue liquid into his system.

Jungwoo lay him back down when he was finished, strapping him with belts as Lucas followed the doctor's movement with his eyes. "I don't see how this is going to help me fly the new prototype."

The doctor smiled, placing a cap full of wires on his head. He turned to the machine, "Oh you are the new prototype, Lucas."

"What?"

Jungwoo smirked, "This is what you get for not reading your files." He turned up the volume of the amplifier and immediately Lucas felt like his mind was being spilt into two and his skin stretching and pulling apart. The noise ringing in both his ears and his skull, he screamed but it did not affected Jungwoo who just stepped back watching the soldier shake uncontrollably, his eyes turning white and his veins turning blue.


***


The Doctor of Project Irregular - Regular stared at the laptop screen, blue light emitting and reflecting on his glasses as he read the files given to him. He heard a knock on the door, and looked up, his eyes bluring as bit so he took it off and rubbed his eyes.

"Come in," he said, resting his glasses back on.

Johnny stepped into the office, leaning against the doorframe with an amusing smile, "Hello stranger."

"Johnny, what's wrong? It's not lunch time, is it?"

The doctor checked his watch, no it wasn't lunch time but it was in fact it was three in the morning.

Ten's eyes had been staring at the laptop the whole day to night to day again and upon realization how long he had been sitting there his eyes began water and his neck began to ache. He gramiced removing the glasses and immediately shutting down the screen, "Fuck it's so late."

"Yes it is." Johnny brought a subway sandwich for him, resting it on the desk.

Ten smiled, "Thanks." But he did not eat it, he barely had any appetite these last few months.

And when Johnny realized he wasn't going to he moved to the desk, pushing the sandwich to him, "Eat."

"Why are you here?"

"I wanted to check up on you?" Their eyes locked as he took a seat, "See how you are, I hope that mad man isn't overworking you?"

Ten chuckled, bringing the sandwich to his lips, "Not more than I overwork myself."

As he chewed he saw Johnny watching him silently. It was odd Ten had to admit, how these three years had gone by. Before he had woken up from the bed with a new purpose they had been together, now they were distant. Both hearts still longing to reach out to the other but it was not right - not when his true heart cried out for the one person he could not find in this timeline.

"How's the boys?" he asked trying to make conversation.

"Haechan is the same as always loud and happy, Jaemin is actually going back to school much to your encouragement."

"That's good." He wiped his mouth, "And Yangyang, he has been holding up?" This timeline - thank god - had Yangyang by his side too but this time they were closer, more like brothers than friends and the old Ten would kill for his Yangyang so did the new Ten but things were different, the mission came first, they all needed to be together - this was the first task, all seven together again and then they can figure out how to alter reality in their favor.

Johnny shook his head, "Yangyang - when I left - picked up another stray."

Ten rolled his eyes, "Again."

He nodded then from his pockets he pulled out pictures, "But you'll be interested in him though." He tossed the pictures on the desk and Ten was left stunned, he knew where Hendery was the last time he checked but now he'd been so busy with this new work assigned to him he didn't had to time to check on the members he knew of.

In the pictures was Hendery playing pool with Yangyang and his friends. It felt almost surreal seeing him there in the photograph, Johnny smiled to himself happy he got Ten's mood lightened up, "I told Yangyang he's his responsibility, no doubt he'll listen but there's something else. The kid has a job."

"Okay so what," Ten said throwing the pictures back on the desk, "Get them to fire him, I need him to remain with us."

Johnny shook his head, "Not so easy, he got a job from The Base under Kang Seulgi."

Fuck, he thought. He's been trying to avoid that woman for months now. But this is good, every timeline she knew Kun so this is good, get close to her and find Kun.

But Kun is dangerous.

Ten did not trust him, not since Xiaojun had sprouted those words to him through the past. There's no team, Ten. What he did... He's not the same person.

The thought of villainous Kun sent a shiver down his spine, he was afraid anytime he thought of finding his partner.

Before he tried to look and search for him regardless of the fear but Kun left no traces of his existence anywhere. Neither alive nor dead, like a phathom and for a moment Ten was unsure even he existed.

But he does exist, the doctor kept telling himself. he was certain of this and prehaps Seulgi knows she always does.

"Ten?"

The doctor blinked out of his thoughts, he suddenly felt himself loosing his appetite, "Let him go."

Johnny raised his eyebrow, "Are you sure? I can have Yangyang track him, it's really -"

"No if you let Yangyang in on what's happening he wouldn't understand. At least not yet."

"I myself still don't understand why you need these people Ten. None of it make sense, how can they save this world -"

Ten pushed himself up from the desk moving to the skylin view of his office. Johnny followed him, his hand shadowing the doctor's shoulders wanting to hold him but he kept his distance. He's been keeping his distance the moment Ten told him he didn't wanted him anymore.  It was sudden and blunt and Johnny had laughed when it happened but the way Ten held his firm gaze and stern voice making it crystal clear, Johnny felt like his entire world was being ripped apart.

After two years of pushing and pulling, of will they won't they, Ten drunkenly had pulled him into his bed admiting he wanted him, only for the new year to start, the fireworks going off outside as Ten woke up screaming from a nightmare, startled by the man besides him in bed, having little to no recognition of the events before and not caring to speak of it.

And when he told Johnny the truth, told him he was not his Ten and told him of everything that has happened to his friends, to the timeline - Johnny again laughed but then stopped to realized that  the strangeness of Ten's behavior was not ordinary, people don't just wake up crazy and obsessive, with shaking hands and mutterings. He played along to see if it was a long prank but more and more even with his doubts he finally realized this is indeed not his Ten, but will his Ten ever return to him or is he gone forever?

"I'm sorry," Johnny finally said, to which the doctor turned back looking at him.

He sighed, folding his arms, "I know this all feels strange I know I can't prove anything to you but please trust me."

"I trust you Ten, I trust you with my life I've told you time and time again."

Ten remained quiet, his eyes looking elsewhere and Johnny tried to reach to the one he love, tried to reach for his face but the doctor pulled away, "I've told you we cannot..."

"Why?" The question was simply but it was layered with so many reasons that Ten could not sprout it out all at once, instead he moved away.

"You know why."

"I don't, you said we were friends in another timeline. That I was indebted to you when you saved my life, prehaps I've always..."

Ten scoffed, "No that is not..." He thought about it but then shook his head. It was wrong, so very wrong and yet his heart called out to him. This is not my heart though and these aren't my feelings even as I try to bury them beneath.

"Who is he?"

"What?"

Johnny laughed, a bitter cynical laughter, "It's one of those you've mentioned I'm still trying to figure out who."

"Leave Johnny, see that Yangyang does not convince Hendery to stay, he's better at The Base. Seulgi will take care of him and soon..." his eyes glanced at the laptop, he hoped his research finally pays off, "Soon all of this all of this will be over and you'll wake up with no recognition of anything." He tightened his arms around himself, "Including your feelings for me."

"A cruel life in my opinion," Johnny muttered then stepped away. "I'll see about Yangyang and the new kid. I'll call you if anything comes up."

"Thanks Johnny."

He didn't say anything in return, just walked out the room, slamming the doors shut.


***


"Hey wake up."

Yangyang felt someone was tapping his feet, his face and then before he knew it they were opening his eyes. "Wake the fuck up Yangyang."

"Ugh what?" He pushed Johnny's hand away as he covered his eyes, his head hurt and so did the rest of his body. He wanted to sleep, wanted warmth of another.

"Where's Hendery?" His friend asked.

Yangyang pushed himself out of bed, remembering the events of late night. "Hendery..." He glanced over to the bed and when he dropped the covers Johnny realized he was naked.

"You fucking idiot, you slept with him."

Yangyang ran his hands through his hair, not believing what was happening, "He's gone?" His words sounded so deflated, "Fuck me."

"Ten needs hear this."

Yangyang caught onto those words, "Ten? Why the fuck would Ten want to hear any of this? He didn't set me up, did he?"

Johnny pulled out his phone, "No your brother won't do such a thing. I need to call Jaehyun he'll know where to start looking."

Yangyang got out of bed and put on his sweat pants, he looked through the papers at his desk to see if Hendery left a note, anything, something to just indicate that he was there but nothing was left behind, not a signal remnant of him.

He was gone, like a fleeting shadow when the sun came up. He was gone and Yangyang fucked up so bad.

He felt his whole insides twisting, last night the kisses, the moans, the feelings it was all muddled together. Hendery was... is more that just a one night stand, he was someone important to him or at least his mind keep trying to reason with itself of what exactly lead him to do what he did. It wasn't lust that drove him to act that way it was something else entirely and he fucked up cause it was now clear that Hendery was not driven by that same force he had felt.

Jaemin was the first to see the pain in his friend's eyes, he reached over and hugged him but Yangyang pushed him away trying not to look hurt. "He probably thought it was for the best."

Johnny glanced over to him, ending the call, "Jaehyun isn't answering, I'm sorry Yangyang but I think the same thing too, maybe it's probably for the best let's not force him to come back."

"Where would he even go?" Haechan asked.

Yangyang remembered the conversation in the car. The clocktower was where he wanted to go initially so maybe it was there. He didn't told them that of course, he kept it to himself in hopes he'll find him before he started his work at The Base Monday.


***


Xiaojun was tired, he'd been up all night planning the routine of his entrance and escape, going through all the possibilities of failure and trying to solve it.

He'd gotten all his equipments thanks to the Mistress and he made sure to have their meeting ready so he can drop the painting and finally be done with it.

He'd been falling asleep on himself in the bus when someone sat next to him. He opened his eyes and took note of the person -  an awkward guy around his age but given the way he carried himself it was clear he never went through half of what Xiaojun had and still was going through.

He looked familiar but prehaps he was just kidding himself, the guy was handsome - a sort of awkward prince charming look that caught Xiaojun attention. Then he realized he did know him.

Xiaojun had worked on The Base before as a young pilot flying the metallic wings of Icarus, he'd been the first to take flight and scored top in all of his training, he would've gone through Project Irregular if he hadn' deserted, if he hadn't made that deal with the devil and abandon his post but not before stealing what his employer wanted.

The Base had a lot of sectors, a big compound that needed vehicles to drive to each location and one of them was where Xiaojun would do his medical checkups, that was where he had met this guy. Sitting in the waiting room tapping his feet, they both exchanged conversations and he remembered the guy handing him a snack and telling him about his favorite musician.

"I know you," Xiaojun blurted out making the guy turned.

He scoffed, "Get in line."

"You like Billy Joel. Uptown girl is the sound you listen to to calm your anxiety and Piano man always makes you cry."

The guy turned to him, alert now and frightened, "I... I don't know you."

Xiaojun wasn't surprised by that, he had changed over those years. His hair was dyed silver and he wore more ragged, tattered clothes and costume jewelry. It was nothing like his strict look before with his flight uniform and black hair.

"The Base," he said hoping the guy recalled, "We were both stuck together waiting to do checkups from the nurse and had been waiting for approximately -"

"Three hours and forty-two minutes," the guy finished, then he studied him, eyes searching his, "You're Xiao Dejun."

"Xiaojun," he said, "I go by that now."

"Hendery..."

"Right." Xiaojun snapped his fingers, "I remember the name now." He grinned, "Where are you heading?"

"Nowhere, just on the road..."

"Oh... okay."

The two was quiet now and as the bus stopped Xiaojun picked up his backpack and pushed himself off the chair, "Alright well this is me, nice seeing you Hendery."

"Are you still a pilot?"

"No," he replied plainly, then smiled, "It wasn't for me."

He got off the bus, seeing Hendery looking at him through the window as Xiaojun crossed the street into the internet cafe - his daytime job.


***


Lucas woke up with an aching in his shoulders, his head spinning and he felt like to throw up, he eventually did when he tried to push himself off the bed.

The puke was nothing but yellow bile, it tasted bitterly acidic and his stomach clenched as he tried to bring the rest up from within him.

"Ugh..." He was breathless and he felt like absolute shit. "What the fuck happened Jungwoo?"

The doctor was not in the room with him, in fact Luxas was not in the room where Jungwoo had strapped him down and electrify his brain.

They placed him in a grey room with only a bed to sleep in and nothing else. The metal door was locked as he tried to open it, frowning he looked around the room and saw a camera blinking green lights at him.

They were watching him, observing to see how he will act to whatever they had injected into his spine.

He was about to move closer to the camera only to stop when he saw feathers behind him. Wings, he noted, turning back and realizing they were coming out of him.

He tried to look behind his back but the wings moved along with him making it harder. As he tried to touch it he flinched noting how soft they were.

They gave me actual fucking wings.

He laughed, remembering what Project Irregular was about, using the traits of animals and applying them to humans, creating modified soldiers, hybrids more like it and now he was one of them.

He didn't know how to feel - terrified, scared probably. He was intrigued by them though, he wanted to fly, test them out. No doubt this is exactly what they want, not robotic wings that could fail in the air but real, sustainable wings that listen to every command of the brain.

And now he was the first soldier and it felt surreal to have such capabilities.

"How do you feel?"

He turned back to see none other than the mad scientist himself standing there at the doorframe studying him curiously.

"I feel..." Lucas tried to walk but stumbled, the wings seeming to hinder his movement.

"You'll get use to it, can you pull it behind you?"

"I don't know..."

"Try."

He tried but failed and Dr. Nakamoto clicked his tongue stepping forward, his hands in his lab coat as he circled the soldier like a predator eyeing a prey. It alarmed him, made him uncomfortable. He stopped at the back of him, "Can I touch it?"

Lucas shrugged, "Sure I guess."

The scientist did and when he plucked out a feather Lucas turned, "What are you...?"

Yuta did not know what to make of the sight before him, he was once again impressed with himself but not at all surprised. He sighed though cause it will not do, the wings seemed too soft and gentle - not for a war like this but they can still work and prehaps he can improve upon this.

He pushed the wings into the soldier's back, it was reluctant at first until Lucas relaxed his mind and allowed the hands to move them in place.

"Good," the scientist said with a wicked grin, "Now it's time to get you to rest."

"How am I..." He trailed off when Yuta snapped his fingers, immediately Lucas felt a loud noise ringing in his ears, he cried out, holding his ears but that was no use. It didn't affect the scientist as modified soldiers have a wider range of hearing than regular human, which can be manipulated to immobilize them.

Lucas suddenly got dizzy, his vision blurred and he collapsed on the floor unconscious, the wings cradling him like a blanket on the cold floor.

The lights clicked off as Dr. Nakamoto Yuta stepped over the soldier's body, humming casually to himself and clicking his pen. It will not do, he kept thinking. I need to try again but Ten will want him so he's still of value.

Chapter Text

It was a hard day for Lucas, he'd been trying to get a home nurse for his mom and also trying to find a job for him online that would accept veteran military nurses.

No replies.

It was tough and the worse part of it he was alone, sure he had his mom but she didn't know what was happening.

"Tough day?" the woman said next to him as they both sat waiting on the bus.

Lucas turned, "What?"

"The way you look so tired and defeated I can only assume it was a rough day."

"Yeah it was..." He stared around him, trying not to cry but he was use to it now, the pain.

"Cheer up, I'm sure everything will be okay."

"I don't know..." Lucas trailed off, "The more I think about it the more it seems hopeless, my mom she's sick and no one is hiring me and I now regret joining the military, spending all those years fighting for cause that in the end didn't even matter for a country that didn't care whar happens after you left."

The woman nodded, "I'm sure your mom is still proud of you, especially since you are there for her."

Hw smiled at that, "Yeah, I supposed that's nice." The bus appoarched them and Lucas got up, carrying his shoulder bag and holding out his hand for the woman, "Coming?"

The woman was confused, she blinked, "What?"

"Come on mom it's going to be a long trip."

She blinked, her eyes tearing as she just realized who this person was to her. Hesitantly grabbed her son's hand and climbed up the steps, moving to a vacant seat. "I want to sit alone," she said.

"But mom..."

She shook her head in protest, she now hated the title he gave her. In her own mind this guy was not her son, it did not offend Lucas not as much as he would like to admit. Silently he forced a smile, gesturing her to sit across from him as he sat next to another. "Alright you have your own seat by the window." She seemed contented enough and looked through her purse as she took out an old book, it was her favorite novel Soul Mountain one she would read constantly - it was also the novel which she and his father had fought over to get due to it being the last one on in the store.

His father had died too young and too quick trying to cross the street only to be knocked down by a reckless driver.

Lucas was six at that time, he barely remembered him so for him it was always his mom and him.

He had been watching her silently as she read to, every five seconds staring out at the window as she made sense of what was being written. It was tragic but he can almost she her younger self, the day she met his dad. He wondered if she missed him. Her only love.

"She's fine," said the man next to him.

He turned seeing a guy sitting there, his eyes looking at the woman then at him, "I'm sure you're worried about her but you look exhausted maybe I can watch her as you sleep."

Lucas frowned and as he was about to tell the guy off but the young man held out his hand smiling friendly at him, "I'm Kim Jungwoo by the way, I'm a surgical doctor."

"Oh?" He was relaxed now, then shook his hand, "I'm a nurse, well was... in the military, a military nurse." Why was he stumbling on his words. If the guy noticed he didn't seem to care or mind.

"Oh it must be strange, is it any different?"

Lucas shrugged, "I guess the location, one is a hospital another is at a military camp or around gun fire. I'll say borderline the same when it comes mending of broken bones, fraction limbs and constant pressure of saving life."

Jungwoo chuckled, "Yeah I suppose it really doesn't matter."

"But between the hospital and the field, it is harder if you are deployed on the ground with death and destruction everywhere," he touched his ear, showing the doctor his hearing aid, "I got a grenade fired right at my ear, fucked up my ability to hear on my right but hey I'm alive."

Jungwoo took note of it as if wanted to reach out to touch it then smiled, "Yeah I guess you are..."

The two seemed to fall right into conversation for the next hour and when the doctor was finally able to convince Lucas as second time to take a nap he finally did.

Waking up an hour later due to a bump on the road, Lucas panic when he didn't see Jungwoo but as he turned he saw the doctor chatting with his mother, the two seeming to be gossiping about novels they both liked.

His mother was the first to see him away, "Lucas this man is a saint, he's so handsome and adorable. He gifted me a novel."

The two exchanged glances and Lucas felt for a moment taken by this peculiar stranger. "That's great mom, what novel is it?"

"The Notebook," he said plainly, "I was reading it and well she seemed interested. Don’t worry it's in mandarin cause I'm learning to speak it."

"Oh that's sweet of you," his mom said, "But I know my English and Korean very well. My husband taught me, we were planning to move to Korea for a job offer he got but he died before we could."

"I know you told me."

The woman blinked, "Did I?" She leaned away looking at Lucas then at Jungwoo, "Young man can you sit across there I wish to sit alone."

It happened instantly, Jungwoo caught onto what kind of illness Lucas' mom had and nodded not at all offended, "Sure ma'am I'm sorry if I was bothering you."

The woman moved closer to the window, pulling her sweater closer to her as she cling to the novel she was gifted. As she hummed Lucas realized it was the same tune she would hum to him as a kid. Her mind was indeed lost through time and it was heart breaking to see.

Jungwoo joined him back, crossing over and nearly toppling cause of Lucas' legs. "Sorry," the doctor mumbled.

"It's okay..."

As he sat down, looking at the woman then at Lucas, "How long?"

"About two years now, it's hard."

"I bet it is..." Then Jungwoo reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, "I was going to give you this since you mentioned you were looking for employment. I have a friend he owns the hospital, tell him I was the one who told you about him. Explain the things with your mom."

"I don't want a pity employment."

"It wouldn't be," Jungwoo clarified, "He knows people who can help with your mom. He will do that as a favor to me, he's a close friend."

"Oh?" Lucas raised his eyebrow, suddenly in the pit of his stomach he felt a pang of jealousy for this unknown stranger.

Jungwoo smiled then raised his head, seeing the view of the front at the driver, "This looks like my stop. I hope you call that number Lucas. It was nice meeting you."

"You too."

The young man moved once more, still struggling to pass across Lucas' legs which made him chuckled. They smiled at each other and as he told the driver to stop the bus, he reached into his pocket once more and handed another card, "That's my number. Call it if..." His eyes glinted, a shyness in them that sparked something in Lucas, "If you need someone to talk too."

Lucas lips curled up into a smile, "I'll definitely keep that in mind."

As the doctor left his mom turned to Lucas and looked at the book then at him, "You know you keep telling me your father died when you were six but died, you remembered it wrong dear."

Not this conversation again. He looked over at her, trying not to be annoyed, "Then what age I was when did he died? Three? Nine?"

"You were just delivered."

Lucas frowned. No that can't be true, he remembered flying kites with his dad, getting pony rides and piggy backs.

It can't be his delusions or imagination making up stories so vividly.

Chapter Text

Hendery felt a sudden hit of deja vu. It was odd, the way he knew the perfect time the taxi driver would look at him, the eye he would give him when he would tell him the location he was heading.

"There?" The taxi driver said and somehow Hendery knew he would say that.

Nonchalantly he nodded, "Is there a problem?" The words felt like he was reading a script but nevertheless he said them anyways.

The driver shrugged, “No, no problem.” He started the meter and began driving.

Hendery leaned back into the seat, gazing out through the window. It was quick, the flash - it changed the grim black decaying city to a gray gloomy one and Hendery straightened up, turning to the driver who at first looked younger, a different person all together, he looked like the guy Yangyang introduced him to, Johnny was his name, but then there was glitch again and the driver was now back to looking as he was before - middle aged with salt and pepper hair.

The driver silently listened to his music on the radio, gently tapping his fingers on the steering wheel as Hendery realized he did not notice the change which meant Hendery was probably seeing things.

He's been seeing things the moment he woke up besides Yangyang, waking up from a sweet pleasant dream, not a nightmare as it felt like another reality, a world where he was happy but not the same, where he knew Yangyang and they were friends. He saw others in his dreams but they had no face he could see or even recognize.

When he woke up he left, he was a coward but he thought it was best and as he saw another stranger on the bus who this time recognized him - Hendery realized that Yangyang probably knew him from the Base too, he just probably didn't remember.

At least now you know he wasn't trying to get you to bed so now you can't make excuses for your actions.

He twisted his fingers, cracking them nervously as the driver slowed down from the traffic, his eyes looking through the rearview mirror. They were not far from the compound, it was evident by the traffic flow and the enormous 'B' shaped skyscraper was tall and hiding around the black rain clouds.

To think this enormous building was just a front for what was beneath, an entire fortress dug deep into the depths of the earth spanning wide like roots with different sectors. Some people speculated it was indeed a front but only so little knew of it to be true and the government was so very secretive about what takes place, sworn every person who works or volunteer there to secrecy, if anything is reveal they will be terminated immediately - those were the lines Hendery read before he signed himself onto the job.

“You sure that’s the building you need to go to?” the driver asked again.

Again that strange feeling was looming over him, "Yeah... Why, what’s wrong with it?”
He shrugged, “No reason, other than there’s this wild theory going on that they’re responsible for -"

"The destruction of the world yeah," Hendery finished, he smiled at him, "They are trying to fix it."

The man scoffed, "Yeah right, there’s always a catch. Anyways see you around kid or not. Not my problem.”

Hendery realized the man did not wanted to drive anymore and indeed there was nowhere to drive as the traffic was so heavy so he pulled out his cash what remained of it and handed it to the guy.

He got out and proceeded to walk the rest, throwing his hoodie to cover his head as the rain was clearly setting up overhead.


***


The rain was annoying Seulgi. She hated the black rain that poured over the city and she hated the green lighting storms and the hales that came instead of snow.

She wanted things to go back to how things were before but that was a meaningless wish as what was before what just the beginning of what was now.

The war was inevitable, the west and the east fighting for power spreading propaganda and sending child soldiers to their deaths. Their side was winning though but it was not changing the end results.

They could nuke us but they'll be too scared to cause we'll nuke them right back and on and on the chain reaction goes, we self destruct leaving nothing but filth, blood and smoke.

She entered the office, seeing the new assistant she had asked for. "Good your here, welcome."

Hendery got up from his seat and bowed low, "Ms. Kang I'm sorry I'm late. The traffic was -"

"I didn't notice you were late," she cut in. Her eyes darting going over his attire. He looked like a mess, it was clear the rain got to him. She moved closer, gripping his chin and moving his face from side to side, "You far too pretty, I hope you don't distract him from the task at hand."

"I'm sorry?" He touched his face when she let go, her nails were sharp but it did not blood. "I thought I was going to work for you, Ma'am."

She laughed, picking up his files, "That's sweet I have no need for you, I work with the militant sector and though your scores are high in combat." She eyed him, "Which is surprising."

"I do buildering sometimes as a hobby," Hendery admitted, "You know like skywalking in buildings. And my stepfather taught me how to fire a gun."

"Interesting..." Her eyes glinted as if reconsidering, then shook her, "Sadly I already made up my mind. You will be working under Dr. Nakamoto as you're aware of the Medical facility of The Base, it was stated you were a test subject as a child."

"My mother signed me up."

"I see... I'm sorry about that."

Of course you are, you know what they put children through and yet you allow it without a single care of the trauma that was be left behind.

Maybe that was the goal, to leave the trauma to see what it will sprout up. He was a perfect example of their experiments not hindering him, he never thought of suicide and he still was able to blend into society - though it was hard at times to pretend he was alright. He was not like the other twelve subjects that found themselves dead or behind bars.

He made it and he was back unfortunately. The human mind do have a tendency to crave self-destruct and death - or at least that was what Freud had written. It explain his need to come back here when all hope was lost, he had no other calls from any other jobs he applied for, this was the only way.

Prehaps it was his destiny to be a subject to their experiments.

A sad destiny but at least now he knew he was living away from his parents mental abuse.

"Well then," Seulgi said, holding out her hand, "You passed the interview and now you're here come let's get you settled into your new position."

They walked out together, entering the elevator and Seulgi pressed the button to go down beneath the underground of The Base, "I'm also sorry that your parents kicked you out."

Hendery flinched turning to see her staring ahead with a blank expression. He wanted to ask how she knew but prehaps the moment he had agreed to the interview and had gotten the job they sent someone out to keep their eyes on him.

The elevator door opened leading them into a long grey hallway with a giant red double-door, she walked forward only turning back to see him hesitant, "Well are you coming? It's too late to change your mind."

He swallowed suddenly having a fear of the unknown but she was right, it was too late to back out now.

He stepped forward making bed with his fate.


***


Drip, drip, drip…

Sweat dripped from Sicheng's head as he leaned over his bed counting the seconds as he stared at the wall ahead of him, to him nothing made much sense anymore as he sat there in the cold dark prison.

Seconds ago he woke up from a nightmare, few minutes later he experience the most intense whiplash as if his brain was being rebooted and all his memories were now wiped and reinstalling.

Only these weren’t his memories and how he knew was too hard to explain.
He felt like an imposter in his own flesh, seeing through eyes that did not belong to him.

Beep!

The sound of the cell caught his attention from the strange visions that he was experiencing. The voices clouding his mind as he tried to focus on who was entering his cell.

Here at Narak visitors weren’t allowed, and how could they when the prisoners were presumed dead to public's knowledge and the location was unknown.

So unknown that even Sicheng did not know where he was being held.

The visions flashed again, blue and yellow tablets lay before him on a table, his arm wired to a computer as it read his vitals.

Eyes, beautiful grey eyes.

"Sicheng," the voice whispered in his ears, a soft whisper and he could not tell who it was.

"Sicheng," his old friend said as he was pulled back into this reality.

The prisoner looked up to see his friend standing there in a classic navy blue suit, his bleach blonde hair comped neatly on his perfect head and a smile so sweet it was almost suffocating.

He never thought he would see him again but now that he was here he could not help but be suspicious.

Dr. Kim Jungwoo had his eyes around the cell before settling them on Sicheng, he stepped forward, the heels on his shoes echoing the hallow chamber. “You look like shit,” he declared, his fingers signing the words as he spoke.

It’s been a while since someone speak to him like that.

Sicheng could only look at him, stunned. He was barely able to move given his dreams, the temperature of the prison so cold it chilled his bones and crystallize his blood.

Jungwoo went on walking about the chamber, “Why are you acting like you’re seeing a ghost?”

‘Because it feels like I am…’ he wanted to say, but could not speak. It was what his father had given him for his disobedience and Sicheng returned it by hammering his head against the board of directors table, his father along with all the rest of High Table members. They were all to be blamed for ruining this precious world.

He thought he'd gotten away with it but like the mystical beast Hydra - cut one head off and two emerges in its place and on and on it goes. From the blood bath he created sprung up more higher ups and they acted fast, finding and discarding him.

Now he was dead to the outside world but living and caged in theirs.

"Tell me," the doctor said, signing as he leaned against the wall. He didn't care of soiling his expensive suit, "Are they treating you well?”

This got him a reaction, scoffing Sicheng could only signed, 'I could be suffering from hypothermia and they couldn’t care less.'

“Sounds just like something Baekhyun would order them to do,” Jungwoo muttered.

'You and I both know Baekhyun is just following orders from the one who sits at the table.'

Jungwoo was quiet, his eyes staring at the two prison guards who could not understand Sicheng though the cameras picked up on everything and one was in the corner, green lights beaming brightly at the young doctor and the prisoner.

“I must admit," Jungwoo said as he straightened his posture, "This isn’t a casual visit."

Sicheng knew it wasn’t. For he knew his friend - if he truly ever was - was more business oriented and did not care much for socializing unless it benefited him. These three years in prison and now Jungwoo had decided to break the rules and visit him can only mean one thing, he needed him for something and Sicheng was not offended.

‘At least you don’t pretend to miss me.’
Jungwoo smiled, signing alone instead of speaking along, 'I've come to make a bargain.' His eyes on the camera and suddenly it stopped showing that bright green light, instead it turned red and Jungwoo went on still remaining silent as he signed, 'This year I've been working on Project Irregular-Regular, have you heard of it?'

‘The modified soldiers, who hasn’t?’

Jungwoo nodded, 'Well given your history and you’re capabilities at such a young age.'

Sicheng cringed, ‘You mean the fact that I can tolerate pain?’

Jungwoo laughed, 'Hey you’re pretty famous here in this prison considering everything.'

‘Considering everything?' Sicheng scoffed, ' You mean the fact I murdered my father along with the rest of the members of the High Table.'

“And those fuckers had it coming,” Jungwoo stated back, then glanced back at the camera, “Sicheng you are the victim here.”

‘That’s not what they think.’

Jungwoo smiled, signing, 'Soon it would not matter what they think. I have made a deal, a bargain actually. Dr. Nakamoto is offering you a way out of these chains, if... you agree to take part of an experiment.'

Sicheng shook his head, signing with much force, 'I'm not agreeing to be his ginuea pig.’

Jungwoo frowned, 'But this is a good deal. You'll be free, we might unironically save the world.'

Sicheng looked at him hard, ‘I want nothing to do with that man.’

“Why?” Jungwoo asked. He was clearly pissed, no doubt he went through a lot of strings to have this meeting in order to share this information to him in person, and now Sicheng was throwing it back to his face so very disrespectful.

‘This experiment is rather profound,’ he argued, ‘A lot of medical doctors and scientists are in on it, Dr. Kim Doyoung along with other well-known doctors like myself are breaking new grounds with their works, they all setting up here to finish the rest.'

Sicheng head snapped when he heard the mention the doctor's name. Doyoung was the head of Narak, the prison he was trapped in.

This collaboration now made sense with Jungwoo being here, how else would he have gotten a meeting with an old friend.

Sicheng had remain quiet for too long and Jungwoo sighed, finally speaking, "You’ll rot in here. The High Table will see to it you get involve, I came here off my own as a forewarning of what's to come. If or when they remember you are here and given what you've done they will make sure you are involved. Sicheng there is nowhere you can hide from them at least not while trapped in here surrounded by emptiness."

They held gaze, Jungwoo was losing here but yet his words cut away the bravery Sicheng had molded around himself for so long. He weighted his response in his mind before replying, 'I’ll take my chances.'

Jungwoo stared at him, his expression now blank like an unpainted canvas. He finally nodded, "Well then can’t say I didn’t try old friend." He ran his fingers through his hair sighing heavily. As he turned, he stopped noting the tally scratches on the wall.

Those weren’t there last night but somehow they appeared this morning which told Sicheng all he needed to know about his bizarre nightmare and splitting headache.

"I hope you reconsider."

Sicheng remained quiet.

And when Jungwoo was about to stepped out the cell, he looked back signing but not speaking, 'There is someone who’s interested in you in peculiar.'

Sicheng knew it would be Dr. Nakamoto, it was clear considering the memories that kept resurfacing every time the name was mentioned or even thought of.

‘Who?’

He signed it, carefully, ‘Dr. Chittaphon. ’ He added after a pause, ‘ Do you know him?’

‘No…’ His face was clear of any emotion and Jungwoo opted not to press him.

"I see… well then good bye Sicheng."

The door close and the prisoner was soon left alone, frozen in place but his mind ran a hundred miles through memories that were consider not his own.

I’m going mad, what's happening to me.

It was too late to panic, his mind was being uploaded with too many memories and for the first time ever he felt like he was having a seizure. He slammed his hands against the chamber door which altered the guards, his body dropped to the floor shaking uncontrollably as saliva foamed in his mouth, his eyes rolling back in his head whilst the visions kept pouring in.

Sicheng’s pulse slipping away.

"Wake up!" He heard someone yelled before he blacked out.

Chapter Text

There was something foreboding about that invitation Dong Sicheng received.

It was a charity event here in Beijing but why was Lee Taemin inviting him when it was clear he was not the host.

No, the host was none other than the Red Mistress, Bae Joohyun. She had stepped out of the shadows after Sicheng’s father had died, it was clear someone would take his place on the High Table but who had been the question and at the time of his death Sicheng was just a mere boy, barely touching six.

His parents were fighting that night but something had occur, he took it as a figment of his imagination but he could've sworn he saw two figures appearing and disappearing in the middle of the fight.

His mother was pinned on her knees with her hair being pulled by his father as he too acknowledged these figures as the shadows swallowed them up, then in the moment as his father was distracted his mother grabbed the glass ashtray and swung. She missed of course but he had let go which was all she needed.

"Sicheng run! Call the police!" He ran, fear causing his legs to scurry under his bed and hide. But then he remembered his mom, he needed to be brave for her, crawling back out he used the landline upstairs ringing it in desperation as he kept hearing his mom and dad fighting.

"Hello, this is the police -"

"My mom told me to call you, help he's going to kill her." And from his brave, fearful state he started crying, "I don't want my mom to die, help please."

"Sweetheart can you tell me where you are?"

"I'm upstairs, mommy and daddy are downstairs."

"Okay stay there we'll track you, you're using a landline, aren't you?"

He nodded then remembered he had to speak and he sniffled, wiping his nose up and down as he answered, "Yes it's the only phone upstairs."

"How old are you sweetheart?"

"Six..."

"You are being very brave for me right now. I already told some of my friends to check on you, okay?"

"Okay, hurry please..."

"We will be there I promise we will. Keep on the line tell me something, what's your favorite colour?"

He had told the officer it was blue and the man over the line chuckled, "That's nice, why do you like it?"

Sicheng had trailed off rambling about why he likes the colour blue and it was distracting him from the fighting downstairs until it didn't anymore and middle of his rambling he had said, "It stopped."

"What do you mean it stopped?"

"They aren't fighting anymore."

"Sweetheart do not go downstairs, do you hear me? My friends are on their way..." He ended the call, climbing down the stairs as he heard a gasping and smashing.

The noise made his skin crawl as he saw his mom so blooded and bruised, her limbs shaking as she knelt over his dad body smashing his head in with the glass ashtray.

"Mom?"

Hearing his voice she froze, turning to him. She was crying, running to her child, kissing him hard on his hair and face, "Sicheng are you hurt? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, mommy." He reached out and saw her bruised eye and she turned her face away.

In that moment the police showed up. They tried to separate him from his mother but he clinged to her hard screaming and crying. She peppered kisses on him promising him he'll be okay and the men just wanted her to answer a few questions. He cried and did not speak to anyone watching as the medic came carrying his father's body as his mom was draped over with a blanket with someone checking on her bruises as she told the officers what happened.

It was only at the police station where he seemed more relaxed as he tried to recall what had happened, he told them of the shadowy figures but the child psychiatrist played it off as a trauma coping from the event that led up to his father's death. They believed him when he told them his father was beating their mom and that she was acting out in self defense.

But still his family and the company wanted some form of punishment to her.

His mom got a lawyer and she fought the case against her by the High Table council. Bae Joohyun was young that time, a rookie but she was smart and cunning and she was on the lower council of the High Table like her father before her.

She won the case and in returned his mother handed her the seat that was given to her as she was the wife of a previous member.

Irene gladly took it and even wanted the reins of the company but his mother held onto that. "That is for Sicheng," she clarified.

It was indeed his, his mother took over as Chairwoman for the years until he was old enough and he is now but it was clear he was easily impressionable - more like that was his public persona he played for the cameras. Sicheng was not so easily charmed by anyone not on the Council and not on the company board of directors.

But Lee Taemin and Bae Joohyun.

They were the alluring vipers that sing sweetly in one's ears.

He was curious why the invite as he was never that close to either of them.

What are their scheming and who is controlling who?

He hated black tie events and would usually skip them unless they were important, but this seemed important and his always sense when something was off, he told him he needed to attend and so he decided he will.

Chapter Text

Hendery did not expect he would be in Beijing alongside Dr. Nakamoto Yuta at some charity auction, nevertheless he was here and he was trying not to stress himself over the scientist downing every glass of champagne brought to him in one go.

When Kang Seulgi introduced Hendery to the man, he seemed surprised at first.

"Your new assistant," she declared.

"Oh?" He looked up from his microscope, "What happened to the old one?"

Seulgi gave him a hard look, clearing her throat before handing Yuta the files. "This is his paperwork, do try to make him useful please and do not sleep with him for God sakes Yuta it's against the company's policy."

Hendery was taken aback at that last statement as he noticed the way Yuta's eyes glinted with a hint of mischief and slyness as he studied the young man. "Oh you have my word, Ms. Kang."

She did not seem happy about that. Yuta put on his glasses going through his files, reading it as he walked around the lab, "You were a volunteer as a child?"

"Against my will," Hendery claimed, "My mother forced me."

"Nevertheless you took part in the trials, scored very high." His eyes met his, "You could've become a modified soldier and succeeded in every aspect, prehaps be even stronger than our current ones we have."

Seulgi turned to Hendery and then at Yuta who tossed the files on the desk, taking of the glasses, "Whatever you're thinking Seulgi forget it, you hand him over to me no take backs."

"Yes well they all come to me eventually," she replied with a smirk.

Seulgi gave Hendery one last look before tapping his shoulders, "He's your responsibility now, try don't let him get drunk and do not ever let him slither his way into your bed, got it?" She raised her brow at him and he nodded quickly.

"I have a boyfriend," he slipped out and say to which Yuta chuckled

Seulgi too, "As if that does stop him."

When she left Yuta still was looking at him, then he gestured to the files lay over at the desk, "I want you to review all those lab results for me and create a graph sheet so I can see how this test subject is taking my treatment."

"What treatment?"

"Shock therapy," he said as he went back staring at a feather. He jolt down some words onto a black book before proceeding to stare at it for the next two hours with every five minutes muttering 'interesting'.

Hendery soon spent the next three months under Yuta, arranging his lab equipments, getting his results in order, help monitor the rats and feeding his hamsters. Over time Hendery blended into the shadow of the lab not being acknowledged much by the scientist as he kept mostly to himself, taking to himself as he went on doing his work. The only time he ever needed Hendery and asked for him was for coffee.

Now they were here at this auction which Yuta described as 'the old men dating ground' as he frowned at everything, holding much distaste until he was given something to drink. That was when Hendery panicked because in a matter of seconds after two glasses Yuta was chatting up a women whispering in her ear as she laughed at his every whimsical joke he made.

For a genuis he sure got charisma and I thought you couldn't be both.

Hendery sipped his champagne, frowning because now the bubbles were gone and it was flat and disgusting. He rested it on the waiter's tray as he passed and turned to see Yuta suddenly gone.

Panicked, Hendery looked around the auction room but he could not find the scientist anywhere. Then he caught sight of the waiter once more, the features ever so knowing and who could forget that silver hair.

"Irene always do have the most beautiful earrings," Yuta stated besides him. Hendery jumped as he saw the scientist pocket what seemed to be the woman’s diamond earring. A genuis and a thief - why does that sound so contradictory.

Hendery noticed the scientist did not seemed all that drunk anymore like how he was a few couple minutes prior. Yuta sighed, "I wish I could just go home."

Hendery was surprised by his words, "And I suppose we can't?"

"No we can't because we have to kiss every one of these fuckers ass even the ones who are destroying the planet. I didn't sign up for this, I agreed -" He looked to Hendery, "I agreed I would solved the issue, solve the whole climate issue and I did. I created a weather modification satellite that stopped the typhoons, the snowstorms and even manipulate the tornados but did they care no, they do not even want to stop the war dragging it out keeps their pockets flowing."

Yuta leaned into the young man's ear, his drunken breath was not so unpleasant as it was layered with the sweetness of the chocolates he ate before, "You wanna know a secret?"

Hendery suddenly felt his skin crawled, he already figured out what he was going to say and Yuta grinned confirming it, "I think they're using my satellites to contorl our weather as of right now I think -"

"What are you feeding the kid's brain Yuta?"

Hendery jumped when he saw a man standing behind the two of them. The hand he held the glass of champagne in his hand carried rings of silver one on peculiar on his pinky finger had a bright ruby stone it. He stood there charmingly with a sly smirk in a well neatly tailored black tie suit.

Surprisingly he handed Hendery the glass which Yuta grabbed before the young man could get it and smiled drunkenly at their new companion, "Baekhyun, pleasure. I am loving the party."

"You lie but that's okay," Baekhyun said then looked at Hendery up and down before holding out his hand, "Byun Baekhyun, and you are?"

"This is Hendery, my assistant."

"Oh?" Baekhyun said, "What happened to Mark?"

Yuta twinkled his fingers dramatically, "Poof."

Baekhyun frowned, "I hope not in the literal sense given your reputation."

The scientist laughed, downing the glass before patting Hendery's shoulder, "Well I need to go to the men's room do excuse me gentlemen." He rest the glass on top of a waiter's tray before pushing through the crowd.

"Fucking mad man," Baekhyun muttered then looked at Hendery, "You work for The Base now?"

"Yes I do."

"And your other friends?"

"What?"

Baekhyun smirked, his dark eyes holding Hendery's before he looked to the crowd, "Nevermind, I suppose I did win this time. No black box no reason to fear. Irene even got what she wanted and so did Taemin, my job is done."

Hendery was so confused but Baekhyun didn't bother to explain himself further. "Well then I'll see you around skywalker, do enjoy the party."

He left Hendery standing there still lost and as he watched the man turned away into the crowd he was hit with a sudden sharp throbbing headache.
He gramiced turning away to find an exist, he made it to the back of the party over the string where it was said 'off gaurd for visitors'.

The pain kept on making his vision blurred together, it was so hard to focus on anything, it was hard to even hear and only when he was away from it all upstairs in Baekhyun's private art collection was when he felt better.

Hendery rubbed the side of his temples, still groaning from the pain as it slowly went away. His eyes cleared up slightly noticing a door was opened and someone was in there. Curiously he pushed it open to see who it was. He almost forgot the nickname the guy told him before, "Xiaojun?"

The thief flinched and turned around slowly. Hendery noticed then the red sensor lines all around so faint with the light of the ceiling overhead them. Hendery accidentally stepped on one and the bells went off startling him as Xiaojun quickly set the fram down, opening it and rolling up the painting to seal it away.

"Hey! What are you -?"

Xiaojun pulled out a gun at him, his eyes bright as the moonlight, "One more step and I'll shoot."

Hendery raised his hands up as Xiaojun smiled at him, "You work for them now? The Higher ups?"

"I work for Dr. Nakamoto."

Xiaojun scoffed, "Same thing." He took off the safety still smiling, "It was nice seeing you again, maybe next time we'll catch up." He fired the gun but not at Hendery, at the ceiling making it rain all around, the shower was not like the black liquid that fell from the sky, this was clear and when Hendery realized what was happening Xiaojun immediately took off going through the window of the skyscraper.

"Hey!" Hendery ran after only to see from the window Xiaojun falling but he immediately opened his hands, his suit having gliders that flew against the winds current. He landed perfectly against the walls of another skyscraper and began crawling down like a spider.

"How the fuck..." Hendery was impressed, seeing the thief move along the walls of the glass building, seeing him jumping down to the pavement and running towards his motorbike.

Only when he drove off Hendery realized how long he was standing, "Fuck."

Hendery turned around in hopes to escape but was met face to face with a blonde hair woman with yellow feline eyes. She grinned wickedly at him and then grabbed his face slamming it against the wall, knocking him out.

***

Dr. Chittaphon had a distaste for higher ups and given his history with them in this universe and of the others he was previously in, the distaste was valid.

But surprising Byun Baekhyun was not a pretentious prick in this one, he was more at ease here and prehaps - as Ten concluded long ago - it is because the black box doesn't exist. Yuta had not created it here which was oddly surprising and was much to Ten's dismay for that had been the goal, the get the team, get the black box and get the hell out of here.

It was all for nothing, one of his other minds would say in those moments of doubt.

Xiaojun reached through time and space to warn his ownself of the impending doom of this universe, the black box exist Yuta probably is keeping it to himself.

And so his three minds would always clash together in a debate over who was right and who was wrong but the true Ten would rein them in.

We get the seven together then we proceed with the plan.

Yuta approached him, something they both had agreed on was not to interact in public as they were so many eyes watching them. The doctor grow uneasy at the sight of the scientist, the man who was responsible for such choas to the reality and to him and his friends.

"Ten, there's something -"

"What the fuck just happened?" Seulgi appoarched the two, her glares darting at Yuta before turning to Ten, "Baekhyun is shutting the place down there's been a break in."

"A break in?" Ten frowned, "But I didn't -"

"That's because he set the alarms so it wouldn't disturb the guests," Seulgi stated, then pulled out her phone out and began calling, "I have to deal with this now and you -" she pointed at Yuta, "Why the fuck did you leave him alone with Baekhyun?"

"Cause I had to take a piss Seulgi, why else?"

She scowled, "You could've let Ten remain with him."

Yuta and Ten exchanged a silent look, neither commenting on what Seulgi said as she truly didn't know the depths of what was happening. Soon she started talking on the phone, her words mixing with Korean and English before she ended the call and pointing at Ten, "Get your fucking sister away from my guy or I'll terminate her."

Now Ten realized why Seulgi was so pissed off, no doubt Lisa had made a mess of everything and now he had to fix it.

And it was indeed the case as he entered the lounge room he saw Baekhyun holding ice over Hendery's nose and his head with Lisa standing there in the corner as she was being scolded by her partner Taeyong, her feline eyes glaring hard at Hendery, her claws twitching as if one misstep she would jump the young man and ripped his throat out.

"Ten, good you're here," Baekhyun said as he spotted the doctor first.

Ten tried not to look at Hendery, the young man being at The Base was something he knew of for months, he was even  avoiding Yangyang calls with regards to Hendery for the sake of their safety and the safety of the mission.

If Ten had his way he would put Hendery away from all of this, just like what he has been doing with Yangyang. But the inevitable was upon them now, reality wanted them to find each other. This was not how Ten wanted it to play out though, it was risky how close they are to being executed as any small misstep was currently being watched by the higher ups who knew not to trust Ten and his team mates.

"Lisa what happened?" His voice was calm but his mind and ears rang with noise. He could feel Baekhyun's eyes on him, no matter how much of a facade the doctor put on he knew Ten was not to be trusted.

"I saw him trying to escape," she said, "He was in on it."

"I was not," Hendery said with his stuffed nose with bloodied napkins. He gramiced at the pain, "I was trying to stop the guy."

"Lies, I smell fear on you."

Hendery flinched but somehow he was not afraid of her, his eyes looking at Yuta and Seulgi who stood there watching the scene play out. "I don't fear anything but I suppose I am guilty."

Ten frowned, this time curious, he looked at Hendery now for the first time just as Baekhyun did the same.

"And why's that?" The way Baekhyun placed his hand on Hendery's shoulder made Ten's stomach clenched. This was a tactic, no doubt Baekhyun was playing some sort of game here. Seulgi's eyes darted at her rival but she made no comments while Yuta remained just as nonchalant as before.

"I know him," he admitted.

Fuck...

Ten turned suddenly feeling another entering the room Bae Joohyun stood there in her bright yellow dress, her dark hair loosely set in a bun as she smiled at the doctor. She was the second chair at sat at the High Table, one would think it would've been Baekhyun but no - he seemed contented being on the lower council.

"What's his name, kid?" She asked, her eyes sparking in interest.

Seulgi turned hearing her voice and frowned, "This does not concern you, Mistress."

The two shared one long look that had the men in the rook uncomfortable, the tension was thick and heavy and so very cold and hot as the women seemed to carry their own conversation with just their eyes.

Finally Irene spoked, "Anything regarding the High Table does concern me. The painting belonged to us and was in Baekhyun's possession, so there is no sense fighting me on this." Her gaze flickered to Hendery once more, "Now let's hear it kid, who is the guy?"

Don't say his name, Hendery, Ten warned through his thoughts. But he did not have telepathy as a power to speak in Hendery's mind.

"His name is Xiao Dejun."

Seulgi frowned, "The deserter? I thought he was dead?"

Hendery shook his head, "I saw him on the bus a couple months ago before -" He gramiced again at the sharp throbbing pain on his head, "Before I joined the Base."

"Interesting," Yuta claimed.

Irene smiled, pulling out her phone, "Thanks kid, I'll take it from here." She walked out before anyone could say another word, no one did spoke though as they were all left staring away lost in their own anxious thoughts.

Ten shivered, he wanted to reach over and strangle Hendery. He was blameless in this though as he did not know what he had done and the life altering consequences behind it for Xiaojun, Ten and even himself.

"Come," Seulgi said, gesturing for Hendery to join her in her arms. He went and his eyes locked on Ten for the first time. The doctor chose not to acknowledged him, he chose not to care, tried to not let his feelings show on his sleeves especially concering the seven and especially not in front of the eyes of the High Table.

Baekhyun wiped his bloodied stained fingers with a napkin before sighing and pushing himself up, "Do you know what he stole?"

"No," Ten said plainly, "How would I know?"

"He stole a painting called Resonance, no doubt his employer must have known the value of that piece. Do you know the value Dr. Chittaphon?"

"He doesn't know the value Baekhyun, no one gives a shit about art," Yuta claimed, then looked over to Lisa and Taeyong, "Go find this Xiao Dejun for me, get him before Irene does. I want him alive Lisa, you got that?"

Lisa's eyes hardened, she did not look happy about the order given but she had little choice in the matter, immediately they left. Yuta seemed clearly pissed but why no one could tell, "I need a drink."

With the scientist gone Ten stood there alone with Baekhyun, the two standing there in the lounge room. "I wonder Ten should I be worried?"

"Worried for what?" He tried to calm his pulse, it was hard but he kept it at a fair pace to not seem too frighten in front of the other.

"Well for starters it's all so..." Baekhyun gestured around the room, before meeting his eyes, a roughish smile playing on his lips, "I have my eyes on you doctor. You have earn yourself lots of favor with Yuta but he can't always protect you, his dead brother is proof of that enough, that he cannot protect anyone."

Ten frowned at him, keeping his facade rigid, "I don't know what you are talking about? I don't know the thief. If you are acussing me Baekhyun do have some sort of evidence backing your claims or else these threats are sounding a bit ridiculous almost as if they were coming out of a derange maniac."

Baekhyun just smiled, nodding his head as he tossed the bloodied napkin on the floor. He fixed his cuffs and collar before giving Ten on last look, "Eyes are on you Ten, one misstep and it's over, now do your job and get my soldiers out of that lab and into this war before I replace you with someone who will."


***


Xiaojun was fucked.

He'd gotten a text from Irene claiming he was a dead man if she caught him and now he was racing away - not only to get himself away from the disaster of what happened at the auction, but also the mark on his life.

He just needed to get the painting out of his hands, then take the plane and head to Singapore and from there to Australia and he would hide until everything blows over, he had friends there. They would take him in just for a few days and he would have to keep running until his employer said it was safe.

Xiaojun did not think it would ever be safe, and now he realized why he was given this mission.

That asshole wanted me dead, he knew the risk and went ahead with sending me. That was my freedom, wasn't it? Death.

He wanted to laughed but he did not wanted to draw attention to himself as he waited on the Beihai Bridge. It was late but people was still walking around waiting until the offical closing of the park.

Not far he noticed a man taking pictures of the scenery with a long held camera, he sported a black cap and black hoodie and track pants. It was dark out but no doubt his camera was set to night mood to get the view of the temples far away on the other coast.

He moved closer to Xiaojun and the thief grew nervous but pretended not to be bothered by it.

One snap, two snap, the guy looked at his camera checking the pictures not acknowledging Xiaojun, "You see that Shishi over there."

The thief flinched hearing the man's voice and noting the familiarity. Xiaojun was really loosing his edge, what's wrong with him he should've realize this was Qian Kun.

"What about it?"

Kun started snapping the pictures at the scenery once more, still not looking at Xiaojun, "You rest the poster tube there and you get the fuck out Beijing before they find you."

"We had a deal," he hissed, "You promised to give me my freedom, remember?"

Kun smirked, turning now to look Xiaojun in the eyes. He looked the same as he was before the last time they met. Kun still had that maniacal grin on and those ruthless eyes, "This is your freedom. Irene is going to give you three hours, no doubt she'll kill you to cover up everything. You messed up but that was expected I never thought you would make it out alive."

"You..." Xiaojun felt his pulse quickened, so it was a set up to fail. Regardless of how well he did Kun truly had not care whether he would fail or succeed, it made the whole victory sour in the pit of his stomach.

The thief frowned at his employer but decided not to say anything, he proceeded to walk to the Shishi the eyes of the stony creature staring at him as he rest the poster tube next to his feet. Xiaojun was not superstitious but he felt the need to pat the stone lion to ensure it keep him safe for the journey ahead of him.

Kun leaned against the rail of the bridge, his eyes watching the night scenery, his expression hard to read as he counted the seconds in which Xiaojun took to the rest the painting at the stone lion's feet then to get out of the park.

Quickly, Kun lowered his cap covering his eyes and hair, hands in his black hoodie as he walked up to the statue and smiled at it, "I hope you don't mind I'm here to collect this." The Shishi did not object to Kun taking the poster tube but his menacing stare and wide open mouth and teeth seemed to tell Kun enough that the stone lion did not like him very much which he found rather amusing. "I saw he patted you for protection," he told the creature, then sighed, "Too bad it wouldn't work."

From his pocket Kun pulled out his phone calling Irene, she answered quickly, "I got it."

"Good," she replied, "I'll have my people discard him."

Kun nodded ending the call. He looked over to the Shishi one last time before smirking at it. "I told you it wouldn't work."

Chapter Text

The strange feeling was bothering Kun again, it had the moment he woke up from that horrible nightmare of his father and mother being killed.

But instead of it being just his parents, Chenle was there in the midst of it all the werckage and Kun was struggling to breathe, clutching onto his dead brother as the rain poured all around them. The car was wrecked but the men from the black van came to ensure there was no survivors, leaving just Kun alone among his only family.

He woke up groaning trying to make sense of such a horrible dream, it was four and he was so exhausted and sleep deprive but the flashes of his brother lying there with a fractured skull and a bullet to his head, to each of his parents too. He didn't remember the men who did it, it was all blurred. 

The way it felt so real, Kun thought for a moment he truly had lost his brother but he knew after lying there in bed trying pick apart the dream it was just that - a dream.

This was how people got inspired to write novels, through dreams, he thought.

He always hated these vivid nightmares and they seem to only come when he was more sleep deprive than anything.

It was four in the morning and he opted to just start the day then. The motivation to get out of bed to was more to get rid of the constant flashes and headaches. It pushed him to get more work done than usual. And it was only when his brother Chenle knocked on his door asking him if he was joining him and Joohyun for lunch then Kun realized how trapped he was, chained to his desk sime dawn and had not move since.

Not even for coffee.

As he looked away from the screen, his visions blurred, his eyes started twitching and he closed it silently cursing himself.

"Sure Chenle I'll be there."

His brother smiled at him and was about to close the door when he stoped, "Oh Ms. Kang, good morning, you came to see Kun."

Hearing the announcement of his boss Kun frowned. He watched as the woman in black smiled at his brother, "Chenle you're getting so big." She played with his hair making him blush, "Will you be joining us for lunch? Joohyun is waiting for me at our usual spot?"

Seulgi thought about it, "I'll see what I can do, after I talk to your brother then I'll decided."

"Oh okay..." He did not seem at all disappointed or bothered by it. It was Chenle, he grew more and more day by day to not be bothered by these trivial things. Soon he'll be starting the Academy, he was top of his class even with extracurricular activities like fencing, swimming, basket ball and football he seemed to master the art of balance much more than his older brother.

He was a prodigy and Kun could not be more proud of him. In truth the older brother was more of a father to Chenle more than their father ever was, when the car accident happened they were both so young, Chenle barely remembered what their parents were like.

Was it fair that the adopted son remembered but not the biological one? It was a cosmic joke, one which Kun who daily sit and nurse his bourbon thinking about.

Seulgi and Kun watched as Chenle bowed respectfully before leaving, the footsteps becoming less and less until it disappeared with the two adults alone upstairs.

"You didn’t pick up my calls?"

"I kept my phone on silent, I don't like to be disturbed."

His boss smiled, moving to the desk and pulling out a chair. She made herself very comfortable in it, smiling, "Congratulations on being granted at seat at the High Table, we are no longer senior and junior, you have climbed up far higher than I am willing to go myself, I am proud of you."

Kun leaned into his office chair, spinning it left to right, "I like to still think of you a senior to me and a boss if that is okay."

"Irene wouldn't like that." Seulgi played with the newton's cradle on top of his deak, watching it swung from side to side, "She has always wanted you besides her."

"I thought it was Baekhyun..."

"Baekhyun is more of a pet you can say, he just likes to believe he holds power but the sharks know that he is just a very small fish in a very large ocean."

"And which are you? The Shark or the fish?" He couldn’t help but asked.

Seugli smiled, "Me? I'm a mother fucking bear - specifically a polar beer, I don't live in the ocean sweetheart but I do hunt in it." That made him chuckled, he rarely laughed so it was something Seulgi tried to do for him. She was always there for both brothers Kun, she and Irene were both like older sisters or mothers to them given their mother away passed too.

He gestured to the desk across the room, "You want a drink? It's five o'clock somewhere."

She laughed, "Sure why not."

He poured a glass of bourbon for her and himself. When she took it she did not immediately sip the content but sniff it allowing her lips to graze over the glass. Kun noted her hesitance but did not mentioned it as he sipped his own to show there was no fault with anything he poured.

"Why did you wanted to call me?"

"Why did you seek out Dr. Nakamoto Yuta?"

The two held a very long heavy gaze before Kun glanced at his glass holding it out and twisting it side to side, "Out of curiosity I suppose."

"You suppose?" Her raised eyebrow indicating to him she was not convinced. Seulgi was one woman who knew Kun well enough to know he was hiding something it was both annoying and refreshing at the same time.

"It is nothing," he answered honestly, "He did not even wanted to see me. He refused to hear me out I'm afraid."

"I see..." She sipped the drink this time and then from her pocket pulled out a large envelope handing it to Kun. In it were pictures, interesting pictures of two rather prominent figures carrying on a conversation.

The contents of the photographs were not considered a topic of conversation for Seulgi believed even the walls had ears.

Instead the conversation was steered to something else as Kun gently rest the folder on his desk. "Lee Taemin has invited us to a charity party, I am thinking of attending."

"Would you like an assistant?"

"No," he stated plainly.

She smiled, her eyes glinting with humor, "I insist though, not me I'm far too busy. But he is willing and smart and you'll like him."

It was Kun's turned to raise his brow, he scoffed, "You're sending a spy to watch me."

"Oh no," Seulgi replied, sipping her drink before shaking her head, "Maybe? Okay yes, but only to seek out your best interest."

"Hard pass."

"He worked under Dr. Nakamoto, young student at the Academy. He along with some other students helped build the first set of andriods before Project Empathy was established."

Kun frowned. He never liked that name assigned to this invention, how can artificial intelligence hold any empathy for any human especially knowing the species is so ever flawed.

It was both a blessing and a curse to be human, his logical mind was far superior than his emotional one but often his ego would make him vulnerable to mistakes too.

He could not see how a robot could view him as a superior being when he himself felt inferior.

"Alright..." he said hesitantly, "I'll allow the boy around but if I catch him reporting I'll toss him back to you."

"Understood." From her phone she sent the already prepared email, just a quick click and he received it instantly. "That's his files, he worked on Project Irregular too, the one you have been shooting into those veins of yours." They locked eyes and she smirked, "Yes I know about your little addiction, Kun, nothing goes pass me. This kid will get it under contorl, trust me." She drank the rest of her glass, hissing at the way it burnt before pushing the chair away. Seulgi then turned to the door, "You can come in now."

Kun frowned as he saw the door clicked opened revealing a guy looking like he just finished high-school. He looked a tad bit nervous at first which wasn't at all surprising considering everything. Then Kun realized something, he's basically babysitting some kid for Seulgi, he don't know why but he felt like she had meticulously set something in motion, he wasn't sure how he knew and he wasn't sure why she was doing it but the way her eyes glint with enthusiasm it was fair to say she was eager for the two to meet each other.

"Hendery this is Qian Kun, remember I told you about him."

The guy nodded, moving forward and bowing before holding out his hand, "It's a pleasure to see you, I'm Wong Kunhang, you can call me Hendery."

Kun did not shook it, he just studied the guy then glanced over at Seulgi who with her eyes was warning him to be kind. He smirked, glancing at his phone reading the first thing he saw on the files, "You're from Macao, beautiful country." He leaned into his chair, "I worked there during my time undercover in the Triads."

Hendery frowned, "I see..." He glanced over to Seulgi as if giving her a pleading look and she smiled, patting her hand on his shoulder, "You'll be fine, Kun I'll see you when I do."

He waved her off dismissively as she gave another reassuring smile at Hendery before heading to the door, "Tell Chenle sorry about lunch, I'm avoiding Irene as much as I can?"

"On a break?" he asked his eyes still on Hendery who gingerly sat in the seat available.

She chuckled, "You can say that." 

The doors slammed and now Hendery and Kun were alone. The elder pressed his landline, calling for Yanlin. It rang about two times before she picked up, "Yes sir."

"Tell Chenle I can't make it to lunch unfortunately I am caught up with work."

Yanlin was quiet at first, "He'll be disappointed."

"He'll be fine, tell him I'll make it to dinner." He ended the call still holding his gaze with the kid in front of him.

"You worked under Dr. Nakamoto."

"I did..."

"On Project Empathy? And Irregular."

"Irregular I more of a test subject than researcher but on Empathy well yes I was the first designer to create the driods. Their functionality is my doing."

"I see..." Kun leaned back into his chair, "What do you know of Lee Taemin?"

Hendery raised an eyebrow, "Taemin? He's well... he's a genius like Yuta but where Yuta is more open about his intelligence Taemin is reserved, he's part of the Lee family their basically royalty having their influence on politics, entertainment and trading in South Korea. He and his half brother co-operate a Weapon Manufacturing Company called Duellona."

Kun nodded, he was beginning to like this guy, very satisfied with the fact that he knew a thing or two about the High Table politics, "Taemin is going to run for Mayor of Seoul, did you know that?'

"Is he?" Hendery seemed impressed, "He'll be the youngest if he wins."

"When he wins," the elder clarified and his assistant agreed.

Kun got up from his seat, "Alright Hendery you seem capable enough, I told Seulgi already if I catch your reporting back to her I'll hand her right back."

Hendery smiled, "But I can report back just not in front of you."

"Ding, ding." He gestured to the door, "Now let me just introduce you to Yanlin, she will get give you access to the buildings I own."

Hendery nodded and as he walked he turned to look at Kun, "You don't remember me, do you?"

The elder raised an eyebrow, a bit confused, "Should I?"

The younger shook his head, seeming disappointed now, he answered quietly, "No I suppose not."

Chapter Text

The thief did not go far when he was brutally pinned down by four agents of the Base that belonged to the Red Mistress. She stood there besides her car, smiling while he was being dragged towards her. A gun placed against his temple as she shook her head, "I'm disappointed in you Xiaojun."

"Fuck you, you lied to me, you -" he stopped when the neck of the soldier was snapped.

A blonde woman quickly disarming and killing each men brutal than the other whilst Irene stood there caught off gaurd as the modified soldier ripped them apart. The very last the blonde teared out his heart and tossed it away before looking at the Mistress with a smirk. Irene casually wiped the blood spilled on her face, frowning at the mod mutt, "I told Baekhyun I can handle him."

"Baekhyun didn't send us," another said coming from the shadows, he was a male, red hair. He lifted Xiaojun up by the collar and looked him in the eyes. The thief recognized this one, he was an old friend, the two of them were all in the same Academy, different levels but he knew of them and he wondered if they still remembered him or was their memories washed away along with the rest of their humanity.

To answer Xiaojun question the red head smile, "Hello Xiaojun, you've made a lot of enemies."

"Lots and lots of enemies," the feline woman whispered with a wicked grin.

Xiaojun smiled at them, trying to sound calm when he in fact wanted to piss himself. They were terrifying to look up close. "Taeyong, Lis it's good to see you two again."

"Save it," Taeyong snapped as he brought a needle to Xiaojun’s neck. He struggled a bit, screaming, "Wait! Wait! Wait!"

As it was injected he immediately fell to the floor, feeling his mind getting foggy as he looked up to Irene shakingly pointing at her, he tried to tell the two mod mutts that she was in on it, that he worked for her and Kun but the words couldn't come out.

He black out and Taeyong picked him up easily like a rag doll, throwing him over his shoulders.

"What does Yuta want with him?" Irene asked as the two modified soldiers turned away.

"To question him prehaps," Taeyong replied, his eyes glowing in the darkness. They were so uncanny to look at, the first ever successful experiments in the Irregular-Regular project. "It's not our place to ask." He bowed at her, "Mistress I'm sorry about the mess."

His eyes glanced over to Lisa, who was grinning, "I like to see them in pain." She kicked one that was twitching and he suddenly stopped.

Irene waved her hand, she had already calm down with what had happened. The blood was something she tolerated easily, "No it is okay, carry on. I shall be on my way."

They nodded and quickly left as fast as they came. Irene clenched her fist, pulling out her phone and calling Kun, "Yuta took him, I was overruled, do something."

"I will don't you worry."

"Kun..." she said her words were drawn out heavy as she spoke, "If this gets back to us you will never see your brother."

Kun was quiet, the sound of static being heard and when she thought he was gone he responded, "Trust me Irene I know." He ended the call and she smiled to herself seeing the dead bodies lay before her, "Waste of time you all were."


***


When the prisoner opened up his eyes he came face to face with a blurry face. He tried to move but the chains held him in place as the person checked his readings on the monitor.

"He's stable, Doctor." He noticed how young this person was as if he had just gotten out of high school. He avoided Sicheng gaze as he worked, checking the saline and injecting a blue liquid into the tube before turning back to the doctor who was standing there observing the scene with an expression the mute could not decipher.

"Leave us, Renjun."

The boy nodded, bowing at his senior before existing the room.

Before the lights were too bright and Sicheng could not make out face of the doctor but now as he stepped forward, the prisoner felt his breath cut and his heart speeding up, it was evident by the pulse beeps on the heart monitor and the doctor noticed.

He smiled, his fingers signing which did not surprise Sicheng as the man before him was known to be quite intelligent, "Dong Sicheng, I'm Dr. Nakamoto Yuta."

'I know who you are,' Sicheng signed, his fingers were weak but he stilled managed to move them. He gestured to his bed, 'What's with the chains?'

He continued signing, speaking as he did so, "Protocol, I'm afraid. After your little stunt in the prison cell I had to bring you to a different location and let's just say you were a interesting case I've ever studied. You lifted up in the air as we tried to stabilize you, lights flicker and well for a moment I thought you possessed." He chuckled at the last bit.

Sicheng was quiet as he watch the scientist pulled a chair besides him, "You had a very interesting brain activity going on while you were supposingly unconscious these pass few months." He eyed him to see his reaction but the prisoner had none. Sicheng did not really care that the time went by, why should he when he knew there was no use. Time was irrelevant when reality was constantly shifting.

Yuta cleared his throat awkwardly, "I just wanted to personally see you and take care of you. You will be under examinations as I monitor my Irregular serum on you."

Sicheng tried to move, protesting as his chains rattled against the metal of the bed. The scientist went on getting up, "I know you did not sign up for it but Dr. Kim Jungwoo did warn you. You are a person of interest to me and to the High Table, they would like me to take care of you."

'Take care of me?' he signed, glaring, 'You mean torture me?'

"Until your mind breaks yes how else are we going to save the world." Yuta's eyes gleamed as he did that, it was testament of how unhinged he was. The scientist stepped back a bit gesturing towards the door, "I wanted to introduce you to someone in peculiar. You can come in now."

The doors opened and Sicheng did not think for a moment he would recognize the individual, he noticed the one earlier from his old memories but did not had time to give a proper reaction.

Now this was different, it was as if Yuta was testing him. Sicheng tried his best to keep his features as blank as possible cause he did not trust Yuta, not one bit.

The Japanese smiled at him as the guy moved forward looking at Sicheng curiously as he stared back. "This is Hendery," Yuta said as he signed his name, "Hendery is going to be a very important person now to you Sicheng, he will be monitoring your progress. If you want something you ask him."

Sicheng frowned, 'He understands shǒu yǔ?'

'A little,' Hendery signed, 'I took classes in school.'

The prisoner frowned, 'I'm mute not deaf, I still hear so you can talk if you want to.'

Hendery blushed from embarrassment, "I didn't know..."

Yuta grinned patting the guy's shoulders before clapping, "That's cause I didn't tell you. Good now I introduced you I hope you are much at ease with this whole ordeal. It will pain but you are much use to that, aren't you."

Sicheng remained quiet watching as Yuta gestured Hendery to the corner, "Do me a favor won't you and raise the electricity volts."

Hendery hesitant for a moment, looking at Sicheng then at Yuta. He silently moved to the device, raising it bit by bit as he watched, surprised to see the prisoner before him not flinching or screaming out in pain.

Yuta clapped, "Oh this is oh so fascinating. Your nervous system is so strange I have never come across something so... so lovely. Are you bipolar, do you suffer some depression - no wait don't bother telling me I will just pull your medical files." He grinned widely, "I'm going to have a field day with you, Dong Sicheng. Hendery raise it to the highest."

"What?"

Sicheng tried to move in protest, the chains rattling which made Hendery startled and afaird, "You sure that is a good idea? What if the metal -?"

"Do it," he ordered, holding Sicheng's gaze, a smirk playing on his lips, "He'll be fine we both know that, right Sicheng?"

The prisoner glared at him as Hendery reached over to the machine once again. He gave Sicheng one sympathetic look before raising it to the highest, the shock wave jolted and ripped through his body, he shook hard but there was no screaming, he could not scream, only grunt and groan, his mouth spitting up as his eyes rolled to the back of his head Hendery immediately turned it off, his hands shaking at the sight, tears welling in his eyes as he felt his heart beat pounding in b chest.

Yuta smacked his lips, seeing the prisoner knocked unconscious his lips still twitching from the little jolt of electricity. He snapped his fingers at his assistant, "Increase the serum to another milligram, record that you do and in another hour increase the electric volts again."

"What are you even trying to do? How will this help us to save the world?"

"Just do it," Yuta ordered, "Trust me kid, when I break his mind he's going to thank me later. They all are." His eyes met Hendery's and the skywalker felt his body temperature growing ice cold, he realized now why so many kept the scientist at arms length and did not get attached to him. He was a terrifying man indeed.

He wondered if any patients had died by Yuta's hands? He thought of the fire at the lab in Osaka and what Yuta had said to Baekhyun about his previous assistant named Mark.

It's too late to quit, Hendery thought. I sold my sold to the devil agreeing to be here.


***


Xiaojun sat with his wrist cuffed to the table. It’s been approximately forty-five minutes since he was shoved inside in cubicle room, head pushed onto the table before they bounded him.

It seemed like a typical police interrogation room but he knew this was not the case especially with regarding what he had done.

To think he was finally given a chance of freedom only for him employer to tell him death was the ulimate freedom.

Xiaojun wanted nothing more than to put a bullet into Kun's head but his skull was made out of metal so prehaps his heart will have to do. A bullet wouldn't kill him, Xiaojun thought, maybe nothing can.

The clock had not moved from its position though the second hands kept on ticking, it was stuck to the same two o’clock in the morning making Xiaojun certain it was much closer to dawn than he had realized - so prehaps more than forty five minutes went by.

Another five more minutes came and went only for the doors to finally open, the knob twisting before a click was heard. Kneels knocks on the tile floor and Xiaojun realized he knew this woman.

Kang Seulgi.

Of course she would be the one to see him, he abandoned his post, ran away. Struck a deal with the devil himself to escape his fate of being modified soldier or 'mod mutts' as what they are claimed to the rest of the world while the regular soldiers in The Base were called lab dogs or agents.

He was one - not anymore and the verdict to a soldier abandoning his post was death so Xiaojun truly did felt like he was fucked.

"Xiao Dejun."

"It's Xiaojun."

"Yes," she said placing his files on the desk, "I know the nickname. You've become quite famous these past ten hours."

I knew it was dawn. He smiled to himself knowing he was right but she thought it was to her and scoffed, "I don't think this is something funny, you've made a lot of enemies."

"So I've heard." This time the smile was indeed meant for her and she looked irritated by his calm composer.

She frowned at him sitting on the desk her height taller to intimate him. It was such a classic move and they both knew it, "I'm trying to help you Xiaojun. Some members of the High Table wants you dead while some wants to just know where the painting is?"

Xiaojun leaned against his chair, the chains of the cuffs dangling as he looked up at her, "What painting?"

Seulgi clenched his jaw, chuckling to herself as she got up, "You think this is funny." With her mechanical hand she wrapped her robotic fingers around his neck, choking him hard until he felt the veins in his eyes burst, he tried to fight her grip but she was strong and grinned wickedly at him.

When she let go, he cough, gasping for air but his windpipe felt like it was twisted. His eyes teared up, his vision blue, his heart plummeting so fast he felt like he was having heart attack.

"Now," she turned the chair around and wrapped her legs over it, "Let's try this again."

"It was Kun." The words slipped out between the sharp intake of breathes.

Seulgi blinked, "What did you say?"

He coughed, gasping still for air. He looked to the camera and she immediately turned to the two-way mirror, her silent order instantly turned it off as she waited for him to continue.

Stilled he was coughing, clinging to his throat as he spoke, "Qian Kun, he wanted me to steal the painting."

"I don't believe you, why would Kun of all..." she leaned over to him, whispering harshly, "He sits at the High Table why would he steal when he can easily ask for it."

"I don't know," Xiaojun claimed, "I don't know, I swear."

Seulgi frowned, sitting back down on the chair before turning back at the two-way mirror again. Her finger tapping on the desk as he went on, "Irene too is behind it."

Her neck snapped back at him and laughed, "Now you are going too far. Irene? She..." Seulgi's eyes moved quick and fast trying to process it all. "She always been at Kun’s side ever since his parents and brother..." She trailed off as if figuring out something.

Immediately she pushed herself up, holding out a signal and instantly a nurse came in holding a syringe.

He flinched back, startled by the size of the needle and the blue liquid leaking from it.

"Wait what are -"

"I'm sorry Xiaojun but for our safety and yours you have to be contained."

"My safety?" He rattled his chains trying to break free but to no avail. "I'm telling the truth, I swear. The Red Mistress she wanted please don't let them turn me into a freak I'm telling -" His neck was bent to the side as the needle pressed into his skin. Instantly he felt his body grow limb, his sight blurred as shadows cloud it. His lips moved but no words came out as he passed out on the table.

Seulgi was still frowning as the nurse and the paramedics carried him away. She stood there silently staring ahead at the blank emoty wall, no doubt the cameras were back on watching her. She pressed her ear comm, "You heard that?"

Ten in the other room nodded, "What do you know about Irene, really Seulgi?"

"Ambitious, ruthless, she always craved power but her reasons were never stated. She is sit opposite Kun and acts like she is his second in command, she even pretends to be less powerful to manipulate others, Baekhyun she contorls though he pretends otherwise. He's afraid of her but I'm not sure why. She contorls everything even Kun himself though he pretends she doesn't."

Ten was quiet, hearing Xiaojun call Kun’s name out loud instantly made him rethink his entire strategy moving forward. None of it made sense. What was Kun’s deal here in this timeline? Does he know about the other failed realities? Is he truly not the same Kun like Xiaojun had stated or was it just a flase bias? Is he trying to build his own Black Box to go back in time?

The painting Yuta admitted had the clues which he had hidden between each brush strokes. Ten did not understand what the scientist meant but prehaps Kun did, he was intelligent enough to know.

Everything leads back to Chenle, he heard one of his mind say.

But Chenle is dead in this universe along with Kun’s parents.

Those deaths has something to do with who Kun is in this timeline.

Ten did not like any of this, he did not like knowing the odds were stacked so heavily against him even with help from Yuta, the black box not existing was an issue in itself because the idea of going home was only base on a theory which the scientist had.

Yuta refused to make a time machine but reassures Ten that he is able to fix reality.

He has lost a lot too in this timeline, his brother was also dead and when Yuta fixes everything Shotaro will be safe and not dead in that fire in Osaka.

So he had his own motivations to help the doctor.

Ten was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't noticed his phone ringing.

It was Johnny and he was about to end it when something in back of his mind told him he needed to answer.

"Johnny what's wrong I'm at -"

"Yangyang just got into a car accident, I'm heading to the hospital now."

***

[three hours ago...]

The racer had felt the need to visit the Base one day, he wanted to see his brother as Ten avoided his calls but instead ran into Lisa. She and her partner Lee Taeyong were deep in conversation when she spotted him.

Immediately her feline instincts were reduced and she looked almost like the girl she was before she had volunteered to have her entire being altered.

"Yangyang?"

He jumped caused he had not expected her, Ten made it clear these years he would not be speaking her name after what she had done. The two were against Lisa taking part in the trials but it did not change her mind. "And yet you along with Yuta and Baekhyun are the founders of Project Irregular," she had told him, "You're a hypocrite Ten, always will be."

And when she took the trials she was never the same again in fact it was her - Ten claimed - that chose to stay away from the two.

"Lisa..." he said, getting up from his seat in the waiting room. He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans to which she noticed, "You're nervous." She did not look offended, just turned to her partner who stood there silently, "Can you excuse us?"

"Sure," he said, "I'll wait for you in the breakroom. Yangyang it's good to see you."

"You too sir, I mean -" Yangyang silently cursed himself as he felt like a little kid again seeing Taeyong for the first time. He had always been intimidating though he never once showed any sort of aggression towards the racer. Lee Taeyong has opted to only use his mutations when necessary, hardly anyone knows what he can truly do which was frightening in itself.

Taeyong only gave a shadow of a smile before walking away leaving Lisa with her younger brother. "What are you doing here, Yangyang. Ten always say to call -"

"He's not answering my calls," he snapped causing Lisa to draw back.

Again she did not look offended, her eyes just studied him silently before nodding. "He's fine if you wanted to know just a little..." Her eyes caught sight of someone and when Yangyang followed her gaze he saw Hendery walking along with Byun Baekhyun, they seemed to be talking much to Lisa's disapproval.

Yangyang was left stunned, he had not thought he'll run into Hendery - though it was on his list of wish fulfillment when he had chose to visit Ten. Baekhyun caught Lisa's stern gaze and smiled at her, "Lisa, lovely to see you."

Her frowned deepened, "I should get going Yangyang, Ten is busy I don't know when he'll get time to see you. You should head home."

As she walked away Baekhyun said quickly to Hendery, "Do excuse me." He left the young man alone running up to Lisa, a smile on his lips as she spoke to her while she look ahead.

Yangyang stood there in the hall of Medical Faculty of the Base with Hendery standing there stunned and nervous now. The racer walked up, cracking a faint smile, "It's... it's good to see you."

"You too," Hendery said holding his gaze. Suddenly it was Yangyang who was nervous now and not to other way around. "What are you doing here?"

Yangyang gestured to Ten's office, "Came to see my brother."

"Ten?" Hendery was surprised but then in the back of his head the way the doctor had been avoiding his gaze and conversation was evident he did not like Hendery very much. Prehaps Yangyang told him what occurred between the two and now Hendery felt the shame washing over him again. He had not gotten over the guilt he felt.

"About that night." They both said at the same time which stunned the other. Their eyes locking and for a moment Yangyang wanted nothing more than to hold him, it was clear he might never know why this guy looked so familiar or why he was drawn so to him but he did not care.

Hendery stepped back, repeating, "That night... it shouldn't have happened. We were drunk and I... I didn't mean... you understand Yangyang I took advantage of your kindness."

The racer felt like he was being stabbed, his heart sunk in his chest and suddenly he felt ridiculous, foolish now in his mission coming here in hopes to speak to Hendery. His friends warned him not to and yet here he was against their logical advise.

Yangyang nodded, his words coming out so monotone as if he was now an andriod, "You did not take advantage of me I was a willing participation but I understand."

Hendery nodded his eyes lowered now as he stared at the floor, "I hope we can be friends?"

That was painful to hear but Yangyang still smiled, at least he could count on Hendery not ignoring him if he ever came back to the Base. "Sure friends sounds good."

"Hendery..." A tall blonde appeared through the wide open doors, he seemed stunned to see him talking to a someone.

"Yes Dr. Nakamoto?"

Hearing the name was only when Yangyang took a proper look at the man. The scientist that was responsible for the world they were living in, he was here and he looked different than how Johnny and Ten would described him. He didn't look crazy, his eyes held much intelligence in them but he seemed deranged and crazy. For a moment Yangyang was impressed by Hendery as this was the man of the century and his friend knew him, "You work for him, that's awesome."

Hendery laughed, "Yeah I guess so. Next time we can catch up, okay?"

He nodded watching as his new friend walked up to the scientist who was still staring at Yangyang curiously. "Go check on our patient it's been an hour since the last data was recorded. Make sure you do exactly as I say and raise the volume at the highest."

Hendery nodded, turning to Yangyang one last time before walking away.

The scientist still stood there watching as Yangyang saw his friend disappeared into a turn. He walked up to him, "Yangyang you shouldn't be here. Your brother gave you clear instructions."

"I know, I know I -"

"Stay away from Hendery."

Yangyang was stunned, "What?"

"It's clear you like him but for what's to come I need Hendery to not get emotionally attach to anyone, especially you."

"Me? Why -" He scoffed almost ready to laugh at how insane the man before him was sounding. But the scientist was not smiling or showing any signs that he was joking.

Yangyang was not stupid though he knew something was up, suddenly he remembered the conversation Hendery and he had as Yangyang had not been as drunk as his friend claimed. How his mom signed him up to be a child experiment, how they milked his brain for data and how she used that money to built up her life. Yangyang suddenly realized why the Base hired someone like Hendery.

They needed his mind.

"You're going to use him."

He did not needed reassurance from Yuta but he gave it nevertheless. "The situation is fragile, Hendery's eyes are much more open, he already has the seventh sense he just needs little push to get there unlike the rest of you."

"The seventh sense?" Yangyang laughed bitterly, he wanted to punch the man. No wonder Ten hated him along with Johnny and so many other people, "You think everybody is a fucking guinea pig for you to shove a needle in. I'll tell Ten, I'll tell -"

"Ten knows," Yuta stated bluntly, "Why do you think he's ignoring your calls, now go home before you draw attention to yourself."

Yangyang stepped back stunned by everything the Japanese said. He was angry, so very angry but he didn't know how to direct it. He punched the wall before he left, some workers and patients were startled as he did so. His knuckles bruised now but no damages occurred to the solid wall.

Yangyang got into his car, still feeling hot-headed and angry. His brother knew all the time that Hendery would soon be strapped to a bed and shoved with needles, now it made sense why Johnny wanted to call Ten when Hendery disappeared. Now he knew why he was telling him it was for the best.

He punched his steering wheel, he did not wanted to lose someone to Yuta's experiments again. He lost Lisa, lost Ten too even if it was not to the trials and now he's going to lose another.

Yangyang needed to calm down, he decided to drive to get rid of these feeling, speeding always seemed to help, it forces his mind to focus on the road than the thing that was bothering him.

But as Yangyang sped on the highway, shifting from gear to gear, undertaking and overtaking cars he was suddenly hit with the most throbbing headache, a sharp ringing pain that made him gramiced.

One mistake and he swerved into the other lane, he tried to contorl his car, slowing down and maneuvering his way away from the vehicles that came toward him but the pain was too much and the car flipped, he felt the weight of the vehicle and himself turning, the air bag hitting his face, glass scattering and stratching at his flesh.

As the car collided onto the fields he blacked out instantly, blood crowning his head.

Chapter Text

The last time Yangyang had cheesecake was probably when he was a kid and his mom who buy those boxes to make the homemade ones.

This one he had was nothing like the ones she'd make, it was good but lacking something that he could not pinpoint until he reflected on the thought that he would never taste a meal made by her ever again. A meal made with love even if it was from some crappy grocery box cheese cake. It broke his heart to the point he ended up coughing and pushing it away.

"Something wrong?" Xiaojun asked.

The guy stared at him curious and suspiciously, he then frowned at the cheesecake, "Is it bad? Do you have allergies?"

"No, no its good just..." Yangyang moved the spoon around not wanting to cry in front of this stranger but the tears were already setting up. "It's just... I miss my mom."

Xiaojun watch carefully as Yangyang tried to hide the fact that he was crying, grieving, mourning the lost of his only parent. He did not know how to react to be honest, he was always alone until Renjun and then the lost boys. If something were to happened to them it would probably kill him too, it will most definitely have him in a mess.

Yangyang cried and cried as Xiaojun gaze softened, moving closer and gently patting his back. Finally after a long moment Yangyang was able to collect himself, wiping and sniffing his nose. He let out a heavy sighed, hands shaking as he grinned at him, "Thanks, I - I needed that."

Xiaojun could only nod and then he reached out for his phone, grabbing his coffee, "I'll tell you what, I'll call the rest of my friends. You go wash up okay, we can go see my brother Renjun."

"Renjun..."

He works as an intern at The Base, he's a smart kid. It's free though, they don't really pay or anything as it's just credit to their GPA scores plus it's a good opportunity to expose him to smart people like himself.

"Alright..."

Xiaojun nodded, smiling at he spoke, "He's not really my brother, we were all abandoned somehow by our parents. That's our group 'the lost boys' came about."

Yangyang grinned at that, "And you're Peter Pan."

It wasn't a question but a statement which made Xiaojun rolled his eyes cause he heard it before, "Don't let Haechan hear you he'll keep calling me that again." He got up from the table pulling out his phone and holding a cup of coffee in his hand.

Yangyang took that as a cue and went to wash his face from all the stained tears and stuffy nose.

It was odd being here in this moment, he wasn't sure how he was able to talk and even smile with so much quiet pain in him. It was as if the universe saw he could not go on by himself and guided him towards Xiaojun. It felt good having someone to talk to, one around his age, one who had some empathy unlike the rest of strangers he came across through out his mom's illness.

Slowly with another heavy sigh he turned off the tap, sprinkling his hands in the water before looking up.

He jumped back, startled by his own reflection. It was not his own and it was haunting to look at as he looked so bloodied and broken. For a moment he thought he must be seeing things, grief getting to his head prehaps?

Yangyang leaned closer, reaching out to the glass as his reflection did the same. The touch of the mirror rippled like water and he flinched pulling away.

Quickly he moved to the door but as his hand grip the handle the lights above him flickered and his body temperature dropped, he felt his vision blurred and caved, he fell to the floor having a seizure right on the bathroom tiles.