Seolhyun waited for the kid to yell, “Babo!” and scamper off to the nearest playground, but as the seconds stretched out, she came to accept that their Messiah of information was barely a teen.

Hong smiled as if he knew what Seolhyun was thinking. “Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Surprised about anything, that is.”

He stood, and Seolhyun was shocked to discover that he was almost as tall as Hyejeong. “I was six when I decided to play chicken with a speeding taxi. It won. Lost the coolest bike evah and a lot of blood, but lucky me, my childhood friend was an alien.”

“How... how did you get away from Icarus?” And so young, Seolhyun wanted to add.

Hong moved over to the table, his steps smooth and effortless. “I was their star pupil.” His grin was wicked, almost disturbing. “Never trust the one who excels. Isn’t that right, Jimin?”

Leaning against the wall, Jimin gave a lopsided shrug. “Sounds about right.”

“Why?” Hong sat on the edge of the desk. “Because eventually the pupil becomes smarter than the teacher, and I had some really, really intelligent teachers. So,” He clapped his hands together. “You must be Shin Hyejeong.”

If Hyejeong was surprised Hong knew her name, she didn’t show it. “That would be me.”

“I’ve heard of you. Jimin is a big fan.”

Jimin raised a middle finger.

Hyejeong said drily, “Glad to know my fan club is far reaching.”

Hong tilted his head to the side. “And what a fan club– oh, my bad, I didn’t introduce you to your fellow Felix all-star. This guy goes by Jaejin.”

Jaejin smiled tightly as he extended his hand toward Hyejeong. “Always nice to meet another not bound by old beliefs and unnecessary rules.”

Hyejeong shook his hand. “Same. How did you fall in with him?”

Hong laughed. “Long story for a different day, well, if there is a different day.” Those extraordinary eyes slid back to Seolhyun. “Do you have any idea what they will do to you if they realize you’re a fully functional Hybrid?” He tipped his head down, grinning. “We are so very rare. Three of us together is actually quite amazing.”

“I have a good imagination,” Seolhyun said.

“Do you?” Hong’s brows rose. “I doubt Jimin has even told you the half of it. The worst of it.”

Seolhyun glanced at Jimin. Her expression went on lockdown. An icy wind ran up Seolhyun’s spine that had nothing to do with her lack of clothing.

“But you know that.” Hong stood and stretched, like a cat after a nap. “And still you are willing to take the huge risk of going into the hornet’s nest.”

“We really don’t have a choice.” Hyejeong shot the quiet Jimin a dark look. “So are you going to give us the codes or not?”

Hong shrugged, running his fingers over the stacks of money. “What’s in it for me?”

Seolhyun exhaled roughly. “Other than pissing off Icarus, we really don’t have much to offer.”

“Hmm, I don’t know about that.” He picked up a cluster of hundreds secured with a rubber band. A second later, the edges of the bills curled inward, paper melting until the scorched scent filled the air and nothing remained.

Seolhyun was envious, considering the whole using-light-for-heat-and-fire thing completely passed her over. “What can we do for you?”

“Obviously money’s not an issue,” Hyejeong added.

Hong’s lips twitched. “Money isn’t needed.” He brushed his fingers off on his jeans. “Power isn’t, either. Honestly, the only thing I need is a favor.”

Jimin snapped off the wall. “Hong–”

His eyes narrowed. “A favor is all I want, one that I can collect at any time. That’s what I want in return, and I’ll give you all you need to know.”

“Wait,” Hyejeong sighed. “You want us to agree to a favor without knowing what that favor is?”

Hong nodded. “Where’s the risk if you know everything?”

“Where’s the intelligence if we don’t?” Hyejeong shot back.

The kid laughed. “I like you. A lot. But my help doesn’t come without its own peril in exchange.”

“God, you’re like the preteen mafia,” Seolhyun muttered.

“Something like that.” He flashed a beatific smile. “What you, all of you, don’t understand is there are things much, much bigger than a girlfriend or a friend... or even ending up under the man’s thumb.” He looked at Hyejeong. “The government fears the Felix, because they represent mankind’s fall from the top of the food chain. To fix that, they’ve created something much stronger than a Felix. And I’m not talking about ordinary little baby Hybrids.”

Seolhyun shivered. “What are you talking about?”

His purplish eyes met Seolhyun’s, but he said nothing.

Jaejin folded his arms. “Not to be rude, but if you’re not willing to deal, there’s the door.”

Hyejeong and Seolhyun exchanged looks. Seolhyun honestly didn’t know what to say. It seriously was like making a deal with the mafia, with a creepy kid-mafia boss.

“Guys,” Jimin said. “He’s our only chance.”

“,” Hyejeong muttered. “Fine. We owe you a favor.”

Hong’s eyes gleamed. “And you?”

Seolhyun sighed. “Sure. Why not.”

“Awesome! Jaejin?” He held out his hand. Jaejin bent down, grabbed a small MacBook Air, and handed it over. “Give me a sec.”

They watched him punch away at the keyboard, brows drawn in concentration. While they waited, a door at the back of the room opened and the young girl from the stage peeked her head into the room.

Hong’s head jerked up. “Not now.”

The girl’s frown was epic, but she closed the door. “She’s the girl on–”

“Don’t finish that sentence if you want me to continue. Don’t even talk about her. Frankly, you’ve never even seen her,” Hong said, eyes fastened on the screen again. “All deals will be off.”

Seolhyun clamped shut even though she had a thousand questions about how the two of them got away and how they were surviving virtually unprotected.

Finally, Hong placed the laptop on the desk. The screen was split into four sections, black and white, also grainy, like security film. One image contained woods. Another was of a tall fence and gate, the other a security booth, and the final one showed a man in uniform patrolling another section of fence.

“Say hello to Mount Elvis, owned by ANSP, secured by National Intelligence Security. Nestled away in the majestic Bukhansan Mountains, it’s used as a training facility and a stowaway for all the pretty officials in case someone bombs us,” Hong said, snickering. “Also known as a complete front for the AOE and Icarus, because underground, there are six-hundred thousand mother-effin’ square feet for training and torture.”

Jimin stared at the screen. “You hacked into their security systems?”

He shrugged. “Like I said, star pupil and all. See this section here.” He pointed to the screen where a guard patrolled the fence, almost blending into the grainy background. “This is the ‘secret’ entrance that doesn’t exist. Very few people are aware of it. This Jiminniel-girl is.”

Hong tapped the space bar, and the camera moved to the right. A gate came into view.

“Here’s the deal: Sunday evening at nine p.m. is going to be your best bet. It’s a shift change and staffing is at a minimum, only two guards will be patrolling this gate. ’Cause, you know, Sunday is kind of a down day.”

Jaejin whipped out a pad and a pen.

“This gate is your first obstacle of choice. You’ll need to take out the guards, but that’s a duh. I’ll make sure the cameras are down between nine and nine fifteen. You’ll have fifteen minutes to get in, get your buddies, and get the hell out. So don’t let a spitting dragon take you down.”

Hyejeong choked on a laugh.

“Fifteen minutes,” Jimin murmured, nodding. “Doable. Once inside the compound, the entrance leads to elevators. We can take them down to the tenth floor and go right up to the cell.”

“Great.” Hong tapped his finger on the gate. “The code to this gate is MOYA. You get inside the compound, you’ll see three doors side by side.”

Jimin nodded again. “The middle door, I know. The code?”

“Wait. Where do the other doors take you?” Seolhyun asked.

“To the great Oz,” Hong said, tapping the space bar until the camera was now focused on the doors. “Actually, nowhere interesting. Just offices and actual ANSP stuff. Anyone want to guess what the code to this door is?”

“Elvis?” Seolhyun threw out.

Hong laughed. “The code to this door is LABYRINTH. It’s a hard word to spell, I know, but make sure you do it correctly. You get one chance. Enter the wrong code and it’ll get ugly. Take the elevator to the sixth floor like Jimin said and then you enter the code ICARUS, all caps. Voilà!”

Hyejeong shook her head, doubtful. “There are only codes to enter? That’s their security?”

“Ha!” Hong hit a few buttons and the screen went black. “I’m doing more than giving you codes and taking down cameras, my new BFF. I’m going to take down their eye recognition software. It can go down for about ten to fifteen minutes a day without raising an eyebrow.”

“What happens if we’re still in there and it goes back up?” Seolhyun asked.

Hong raised his hands. “Uh, kind of like being on a plane that’s about to crash. Stick your head between your knees and kiss ’em good-bye.”

“Oh, that sounds great,” Seolhyun said. “So you’re like a mutant hacker, too?”

He winked. “But be careful. I’m not taking down any other security precautions they may’ve decided to put up. That will raise concerns.”

“Whoa.” Hyejeong frowned. “What other security precautions could they have?”

“They rotate the codes every other day, I’ve discovered. Other than that, nothing but guards, but it’s a shift change.” Jimin grinned. “We’ll be fine. We got this.”

Jaejin handed over a sheet with the codes scribbled down. Hyejeong snatched it before Jimin could and slipped it into her pocket. “Thank you,” she said.

Returning to the couch and his DS, Hong dropped down, his smile fading. “Don’t thank me yet. Actually, don’t thank me at all. I don’t exist, you know, not until I need my favor.” He flipped open his DS. “Just remember, this Sunday at nine p.m. You have fifteen minutes and that is all.”

“Okay.” Seolhyun drew out the word, glancing at Jimin. Seolhyun would love to know how these two kids met. “Well, I guess...”

“We’ll be going,” Hyejeong supplied, taking Seolhyun’s hand. “It was nice, kind of, meeting you all.”

“Whatevs,” Hong said, thumbs flying over the game board. His voice stopped them at the door. “You have no idea what waits for you. Be careful. I would hate for my dealing to be one-sided if you all get yourselves killed... or worse.”

Seolhyun shuddered. Nice way to close the conversation with a healthy dose of freak-them-out.

Hyejeong nodded at the other Felix, and they headed out, Jimin closing the door behind her. Only then did Seolhyun realize the room was soundproof.

“Well,” Jimin said, smiling. “That wasn’t too bad, was it?”

Seolhyun rolled her eyes. “I have the feeling we just made a deal with the devil, and he’s going to come back and want our firstborn child or something.”

Hyejeong waggled her brows. “You want kids? Because you know, practice makes–”

“Shut up.” Seolhyun shook her head and started walking.

They hurried through the club, around the still-packed dance floor. Seolhyun thought all of them were ready to get out of there. As they neared the exit, she looked around Hyejeong and Jimin, her eyes drifting over the dance floor.

Part of Seolhyun wondered how many, if any, were Hybrids. They were rare, but like Seolhyun sensed at first, there was something different about this place. Something really different about the kid called Hong, too.

Pro Wrestler greeted them at the door. He stepped aside, massive arms folded across his chest. “Remember,” he said. “You were never here.”

***

Got home late, the moment Hyejeong stepped out of her car, all the lights were still on. “Seolhyun, I think you should go home.”

“Huh?” Seolhyun closed the car door, frowning. “I thought we were going to talk? And eat ice cream– you promised ice cream.”

Hyejeong chuckled under her breath. “I know, but I have company.”

Seolhyun planted herself in front of the porch steps. “What kind of company?”

“The Felix kind,” she said, placing her hands on Seolhyun’s shoulders. Her eerily bright black eyes met Seolhyun’s. “Elders.”

Well, must be nice to have a wacky internal sensing system like that.

“And I can’t come in?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Hyejeong glanced as Seolhyun heard a door open. “And I don’t think that’s an option.”

Seolhyun looked over her shoulder. A man stood at the door, a distinguished-looking man. Three-piece suit and all, with midnight black hair that was silver at the temples. Seolhyun didn’t know what she was expecting from an Elder Felix. Maybe a guy with a white gown and bald head? They did live in a colony at the foot of Chungha Rocks.

This was totally unexpected.

Even more so was the fact that Hyejeong didn’t drop her hands and put appropriate alien-human distance between them. Instead, she whispered in her own language and slid a hand down Seolhyun’s back as she stepped beside her.

“Jungshin,” Hyejeong said. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

The man’s startling violet eyes slid toward Seolhyun. “I can see. Is this the girl that your sisters kindly informed me about?”

Tension tightened Hyejeong’s frame. “Depends on what they kindly informed you of.”

Air stalled in Seolhyun’s lungs. She didn’t know what to do with herself, so she stood there, trying to look as unaware as possible. The fact that Seolhyun knew the guy in a suit wasn’t human was a big deal. Other Felix couldn’t know she was in on the secret or that she was a Hybrid.

Jungshin smiled. “That you’ve been seeing her. I was surprised. We’re practically family.”

“You know me, Jungshin. I don’t like to tell the world.” Hyejeong’s thumb trailed a lazy, soothing circle along the small of Seolhyun’s back. “Seolhyun, this is Lee Jungshin. He’s like a...”

“Godfather,” Seolhyun said, and then she flushed, because that was the stupidest thing she could say.

But Jungshin’s expression said he liked the sound of it. “Yes, like a godfather.” Those odd eyes settled on Seolhyun, and she forced her chin up a notch. “You’re not from around here, are you, Seolhyun?”

“No, sir, I’m from Seoul.”

“Oh. That’s lovely.” Jungshin came down a step. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He extended a hand.

Out of habit, Seolhyun reached for it, but Hyejeong interceded, wrapping her fingers around Seolhyun’s. She brought her hand to her lips and kissed her palm. Jungshin noted the action with a flicker of curiosity and something Seolhyun couldn’t place.

“I’ll come over in a little while.” Hyejeong let go of Seolhyun’s hand, placing her body in between them. “I have some catching up to do, okay?”

Seolhyun nodded and forced a smile for Jungshin. “It was nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” the man said. “I’m sure we’ll meet again.”

***

When Seolhyun woke up, it was still dark in her bedroom and upon further investigation, she discovered it was already past ten and Mrs. Kim had left for work. Surprised that Hyejeong hadn’t stopped over, she slipped on her boots and headed next door.

Youkyung answered, a can of soda in one hand and a slice of cake in the other. “Nice sugar rush you got going on there,” Seolhyun said, grinning.

She glanced down. “Yeah, I guess I’m not sleeping anytime soon.” Seolhyun remembered what she’d said about not sleeping at all, and she hoped that had changed. Before she could ask, though, Youkyung said, “Hyejeong’s not here.”

“Oh.” Seolhyun tried to hide her disappointment. “Is she still with the Elder guy?”

“God, no, Jungshin was only here for about an hour. He wasn’t happy. But Hyejeong went out with Yonghwa.”

“Yonghwa?” Unexpected.

She nodded. “Yeah, Yonghwa and Mina and Chaeyeon wanted to grab something to eat. I didn’t want to go.”

“Chaeyeon?” Seolhyun whispered. Okay, really unexpected. And what was totally expected was the wave of irrational jealousy that swept through her, determined to carry her into crazy-girlfriend land.

“Yeah,” Youkyung said, and then she winced. “You want to come in?”

Seolhyun didn’t realize she’d followed her inside until she was sitting on the couch, her knees pressed together. Hyejeong really went out to dinner with Chaeyeon and the others? “When did they leave?”

Youkyung took a bite of her cake. “Uh, not that long ago.”

“It’s almost eleven at night.” The Felix had huge appetites, but come on, they didn’t do dinner at night. Seolhyun knew better than that.

Youkyung sat in the armchair. “It’s not what you think,” she said quietly.

The irony of it all -slapped her in the face. Was this how Hyejeong had felt when she knew Seolhyun went to dinner and then lunch with Jimin? But they weren’t together then.

“It isn’t?”

Youkyung finished off her pastry. “No. I think she just needed to get out for a little while.”

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter