“Your mission is as follows. The three of you will be our intermediate in the ODD world. We imperatively have to find the man.”

Leeteuk spoke his eyes entirely focused on his teammates. They were gathered around Taemin’s bed and he was explaining the mission and was giving them the orders.

“And no matter the cost. The safety of our country is at stake. You know what will happen if they get a hand on him before us” He added trying to hide his nervousness.

In fact, the Government didn’t even know if he has already been found. It could be the case and it would be the worst scenario.

Right, Othello didn’t exist anymore but this didn’t prevent some organizations with evil intentions from being greedy to get hold on ODD market. ODD black market was a prosperous one and its sudden disappearance wasn’t a good news for smugglers. 

One organization in particular, Exit, owned his power and prolific incomes through this drug smuggling. They had a stranglehold on ODD and must had found a way in the past to compel Othello to work under duress before the incident. The group was currently the biggest threat the Government had to fight against.

The highest Authorities knew for a fact that the evil organization had already his base in the other world, and it was problematic. They were ready to do anything to start again their precious smuggling even if they had to resort to unorthodox means. And God knew this didn’t scared them. To them, the challenge was worth it.

The Government does not see it that way.

They have to make a move.

“So what you’re saying is all we have to do is to find him and…and…” Jinki gulped, swallowing the lump forming in his throat. He was trying to find an alternative resort to the evident ending his captain was implying. It couldn’t be that way.

 “Find him and make sure he hadn’t say anything to them” He paused, watching carefully s. He knew that what he was about to tell wouldn’t please them.

“Then kill him”

He saw Jinki clenching his fist an unreadable expression on his face. “Did all the possible scenarios include us killing him?”

“We have to make sure what he knows is forgotten for real, Jinki”

“Do you think he knows?” Jinki softly retorted.

Leeteuk sighed at the situation. He didn’t expected it to be like this. He has never imagined that the most wanted man of the country would be his team mates’ friend. But he couldn’t go back now. They were trained to this kind of situation, they would make it. He believes in them.

“That’s why we have to get rid of him. We can’t speculate on it and risk to fail.”

“We can’t speculate and take the life of someone!” Jinki straightened himself and was now raising his voice.

“Jinki… You have to keep in mind for what you are working for. You work for the Government, for our people. You can’t risk the life of a thousand citizens just to protect one. Our position remains the same.”

Jinki knew it even if he didn’t want to admit it. His work was the priority and he would have to put his feelings in a corner of his head and think of what was the utmost importance. He still couldn’t believe that Taemin was involved in the case. How come he had never noticed it? He knew him through his best friends and nothing of him could have make him believe that he was leaving this kind of life. He didn’t even remember him referring to his job. The situation itself was crazily improbable.

“You have 72h to do your job.”

They were back to the Medical quarter after a long break. “Of course, you will probably not be able to find what we need during the first missions. I want you for now to get familiar to the world, observe it and tame it. Make connections, investigate quietly and then find our man.”

The three others nodded. They knew that the first time they would go to the ODD world they would spend most of the time observing and exploring the new environment. It would be the first time for the three of them and it was crucial to get accustomed to the new kind of world.

“Be careful and keep a low profile. It’s all I want you to do this month.”

The corridor was empty and Jinki, Minho and Jieun were only giving each other determined and reassuring looks.

“We have an anchor solidly built in the ODD World, you will work with their collaboration, they will supply you guns, money and all the things you will need for the mission. When you need something just call the number I gave you earlier, remember it well, it will be the only way to join and make contact with our organization and even between each of you.”

Leeteuk gave them a fond smile before saying his last advices.

“Don’t risk your life needlessly. Be smart kids”

He took the shot glass between two fingers and tossed the light pink beverage inside by circling lightly his wrist. He glanced at the woman in front of him through the semi translucent liquid and smirked. This always was how he would get any girl he wanted, the alcoholic drink acting like a powerful love potion to anyone who would have the misfortune to find favor in Lee Taemin’s eyes, his smile and handsome face were there at the end to seal the spell.

He held the drink out to his victim and smiled contently. She accepted it brightly, unaware of the man’s intentions. Taemin would always picked the most innocent looking lamb of the crowd or the one he knew would the difficult to trap into in arms because it wasn’t interesting at all if the game was too easy.

He would get laid tonight, he promised himself. And nothing would stop it. He couldn’t care less of what he will bring to bed tonight because he wasn’t staying at home and Kibum and Mrs. Cho couldn’t say anything because they wouldn’t be there to see him or even hear him. He would take the best of this, the past months have been so tense for him, and this work leave was a blessing. He would took good advantage of it for sure as long as he still had time.

“So, what’s your sweet name?”

“Lee Sora” She said while blushing. Taemin found it cute and dug in it. “Sora? Oh it fits you well. I’m Taemin, nice to meet you Sora”

Taemin’s throat was sore and burned by the strong alcohol he was feeding himself since the start of the party but he was still very lucid. He was only a little tipsy, he wanted a good time and not do anything he’ll regret later.

“Am I not a charming man?” he said while winking at the girl offering her a big funny smile. She chuckled and he came closer by a few centimeters.

He just smiled again, waiting for an invitation to come even closer.

***

Jinki glanced at his bestfriend lying on a bed beside his own. The meeting has ended and after a few more instructions and a question/answer interview, they were conducted in a room, identical to Taemin’s but larger, allowing 3 beds to fit in.

Minho and Jieun were already deep asleep, nurses and doctors around their beds, checking their vitals and arranging the monitors. They were instructed to take the ODD pill one after the other to give time to the medical corpse to do their work and make sure all was alright. It was now his turn, Leeteuk standing straight and still in front of his bed, arms crossed over his chest.

The latter nodded to him and Jinki took a deep breath before guiding the white and round pill into his mouth which instantly melt and a few second after, it was in his system.

He shut his eyes, waiting for the pill to take effect. He swallowed in nervousness dreading what would happened next. He felt anxious when after a few seconds nothing happened. What should he be expected? He had no idea. He didn't know how long that would take to find himself in the ODD world. He didn't know if it would hurt or if he would feel anything.

To be honest, he didn't even know how it was possible to be send in another world. What this all meant. The concept was almost unbelievable, inconceivable. How could this all be possible?

He couldn't really understand the phenomenon when he first heard about it. A spiritual world people could only reach by taking a pill? Same as the one he knew? Another world in the mind where all the user were connected?

Unthinkable.

And yet, he was going to taste it.

And he had to admit, the idea of being control by a drug scared him. But he has done a lot of researches and knew the best that a simple and controlled intake was safe.

As his thoughts were wandering around, he felt his mind blurring and floating around him. His head felt light and he felt himself relaxed. He could clearly see his mind fading away from where he was lying and he wanted to grab it and bring it back to him, fear suddenly invading his senses. But all he could do was feeling it disappear and running away from his body.

And suddenly, all came back in place. He felt his mind filling his head once again and consciousness bringing back to live his body. He opened his eyes and his heart stopped.

A car was running straight toward him and the second after he heard the tires screech on the asphalt and tear apart his eardrums.

His body hit a hard surface for barely a second. He felt like his head has exploded from the impact. He chocked at the realness of his pain. If ing hurts! How could that be possible? He knew where he was but he just felt like he was himself. But it couldn't be the case. He wasn't in his world but just in a world build somewhere in his mind. Where was he exactly? The thought of him this vulnerable in that place he didn’t know combined to the pain he was feeling made him shaking with fear.

“Shiiit”

The voice which was trying to force his way into his mind seemed so far, so distant, he could bet it was coming from someone far away from him. He could hardly breathe and he felt the darkness swallowing his mind once again. A soft and plush something slide under his head and the darkness retreated a bit.

"God are you okay?? I'm so so sorry. Can you understand what I'm saying? Are you fine?"

This time, he heard it clearer, the voice invading his aching head and he tried to move toward it to make it stop. His tense and sore neck was heavy to move and he gritted his teeth to make it happen. His eyes slowly opened up to meet the face of a stranger.

“It’s okay, I'll call an ambulance, don't move. Look at me, can you speak?"

He watched the man without understanding what he was saying. Was he speaking to him? But either way something inside of him urged him to run away from the man. He saw himself pull away from below the car without thinking much about it.

"Hey don't move you're hurt don't worsen y..."

"I'm...I'm... oka..y" he tried to speak.

A loud curse escaped from his lips when he finally got up. He was suffering like hell. He put one foot before the other, rolling away from the car but his mind was numb and his vision darkened. He felt strong hands grabbing him and he hissed.

"Hey hey easy"

"Everything is alright, leave me"

He didn’t stop moving away hoping that the man will finally go back to his car and drive away, leaving him in peace. He really didn’t want to deal with him right now. But he maybe ran too quickly, because he mind went blank suddenly and his legs gave away. He was waiting for the impact, for his head hitting violently the ground, but instead he felt the hands back on him, holding him tight.

He was ready to let himself go in the embrace but what he heard make him flinch.

"Come with me, I'll drive you to the hospital"

The hospital? It would be the worst thing that could happen to him right now! He couldn’t go to that kind of place and venture his identity to be disclosed. His identity that actually didn’t exist in this world. No this couldn’t happen.

"Which part don’t you understand?? I can deal with it on my own, go back to your car"

He released himself from the man’s grip, tottering to escape. He walked a few meters when he realized that the man was still following him. What’s wrong with that man, he thought.

A scream startled him and he cringed from pain. "You're bleeding!"

The second after he was struggling with the man but he was too weak for a fair battle and it actually drained him further. He had no strength anymore and he left himself to his fate, collapsing in the other’s arms.

"Yah weirdo, you should have listen to me"

He couldn’t hear the voice anymore and he let go of everything. When he opened his eyes, he was lying on a hard surface. He saw the man about to close the door on him and he grabbed him just in time to whisper to him his last words before closing his eyes for good.

“Not the hospital. Please…”

He didn’t know what he was thinking about when he drove the man straight to his home. He should have send him to the hospital, where he should be in his state. But something inside of him made him follow what the man said to him.

The man didn’t want to be send to the hospital. He remembered his pleading eyes, his soft voice imploring him not to do it. And he didn’t.

Mrs. Cho was the one who welcomed him when he entered the home. She was about to ask him why he was already back and why he was empty-handed but she shut as soon as her eyes met the unconscious man Kibum’s was dragging beside him. She ran to his side, helping him holding the guy straight.

“What happened??” she asked eying him with wide eyes.

“Help me drag him into my room!” he hissed ignoring her question.

They placed him onto the bed with much effort and Kibum immediately ran to his shelf to grab all the necessities. He first checked his pulse, his breathing then searched for injuries and wounds.

Kibum sighed. Thankfully, he didn’t seem badly hurt, except from a scratch on his right knee and his head injury all was okay. The wound on his head wasn’t deep but a head injury wasn’t something to be underestimated. They could be nothing or everything. He regretted now not to bring him to the hospital.

Mrs. Cho next to him was praying for the man recovery, wishing that he will wake up soon and in good condition. Kibum on the other hand, was sitting on the floor next to his bed, his back resting against the edge.

His heart was still beating fast and he still hasn’t realized what has happened. He was trying to recall the night, thinking about what he was doing before the incident. But the little thinking made his head explode.

He was pretty sure his eyes hadn’t left the road even one second. How could he had missed the guy?! And he didn’t want to trust his eyes neither, a part of him assuring him that he really had saw the man appearing from nowhere in front of him, another part was telling him that the shock probably messed up with his head.