“Yoona, how are the men from Thanatos taking to our leadership?” Hyoyeon asked as she looked into the numerous monitors, observing nothing in particular.

“They are pretty docile. The serum we have produced from using Hyomin’s blood seemed to be working well.” Yoona voice was muffled by the piece of bread she held in . The G7 members have been working tirelessly to ensure that their new men from Thanatos were well integrated. Twenty-four hours surveillance had been scheduled and the eight core members of the G7 forces had seen to that task personally. The members were split into pairs and each pair would be assigned to a mundane task of looking into several panels and monitors for six hours straight. Yoona and Seohyun were almost glad that their shift would soon come to an end for they have been rubbing sleep from their eyes non-stop. Seohyun still had lab work to see to and Yoona had to inspect a new batch of weapons they had transported from Thanatos.

“You sure they are not acting or something right? Because the last time we confirmed they weren’t lying, we almost lost our little pink-haired warrior,” Hyoyeon joked as she patted Seohyun’s head.

Seohyun’s eyes veered down from the screens onto the floor and her face flushed red from severe guilt and embarrassment at that innocent jape. The others had noticed and once again, the leader took the young girl’s hand in her own. Seohyun had blamed herself repeatedly even though the others have reassured that it was not her fault since it was technically true that Thanatos was genuine about yielding their power. The technologist however found more blame to pile upon herself and had broken down in tears. She argued that she could have seen through the ploys and anticipated conflicts within the group.

“It is not your fault. Hyoyeon was just joking.” The leader who had just entered the room for her shift and overheard the conversation, reassured the young researcher with her hands in her own.

“Thank you, Taeyeon. I am fine, really.” A weak smile upon Seohyun’s face told the group much and more.

Hyoyeon later apologised for making that insensitive remark.

In the meantime, Taeyeon caught the senior researcher wheeling down the corridors from the side of her vision. Tiffany was still in her white lab coat and looking urgent to meet someone. It was never in the leader’s nature to poke into other people’s affairs but it was such a rare occurrence for the researcher to be out and about outside of the lab and that piqued Taeyeon’s curiosity. Taeyeon only wished that her shift, together with Hyoyeon, would not have been in ten minutes’ time. The leader’s mind had already become unfocused and had wandered down the corridors together with Tiffany.

**

The senior researcher and the captain had chosen the greenhouse that was north of the main compound as their rendezvous point. 

“Hyomin, you promised me that you would use that device I gave you in extremely threatened cases, didn’t you?” Exasperation was evident in Tiffany’s tone.

“Yes, I did and I deemed that situation in Thanatos to be considered extremely threatened,” the pink-haired captain spoke, unabashedly.

“I should have had you define ‘extremely threatened cases’ before I made that device for you, shouldn’t I? Now that it has been completed, I doubt my asking it back from you nicely would have been effective.” The senior researcher japed. Tiffany had always enjoyed speaking to the captain. Hyomin had always made Tiffany feel no less than an able-bodied warrior and always gave detailed accounts of her assaults when requested to. Unlike the rest who had tried to downplay the thrill of assaults missions before for the cripple, Hyomin had always coloured her descriptions so vividly Tiffany would sometimes picture herself involved in them. 

“No, it would not be effective but I get your point. I promise I would change my classification standards and not cause you to live in guilt, Tiffany.”

A small smile crept into the researcher’s face, it was hard not to in the pink-haired girl’s presence. Tiffany recalled her former self. She was almost always able to get her way like how Hyomin could now because of her tactfulness. Taeyeon, their leader would almost always let her do things the way she deemed fit and that was what made Tiffany like her so much. Now however, like many of the rest, Taeyeon had become overly-concerned about Tiffany’s every actions. Regardless of whether it sprouted from concern and worry, the researcher still could not find herself to appreciate such treatments.   

Being able to operate machines and scientific research were just additional talents Tiffany possessed and yet, they were not things that Tiffany truly enjoyed doing. What she loved most was to be out in the battlefield with Taeyeon once again and to be filled with the sense of pride of fulfilling missions. Yet such privilege was robbed from her during that fateful deception. With senses so acute that was not even matched by Yuri, Tiffany could not believe that she had failed to perceive that trap laid by none other than Black Mamba and the group led by the G7 leader, Taeyeon, was bound for that trap.

“Tiffany, can I ask you something?” The pink-haired captain’s question had snapped her out of her reverie.

The researcher responded with a nod that she hoped would be sufficient to conceal her surprise and slight annoyance. People sure have a lot of questions for me. “Ask away.”

“How did you lose the use of your limbs?”

Hyomin had asked so straightforwardly that the crippled researcher had lost control of her facial expression, letting her bitterness show for an instant. It was shortly replaced by a reminiscent smile as she recounted her story.

For fear of having their communications intercepted by Black Mamba, the G7 groups had not worn any communication device with them. Sensing no danger to themselves at all, Taeyeon’s group had continued forth. Tiffany wrecked her brain for a way to warn their group but no solution came and with each passing moment, Tiffany was growing more despaired. She knew it could have been a folly but in a desperate attempt to save Taeyeon’s group, Tiffany had changed her plans and led her men down to where Black Mamba would be controlling their traps from.

Miraculously, they had succeeded. The expert with machines had celebrated briefly with her men when they had managed to disable the traps. Little did they know that tampering with the machines would result in the triggering of another set of mechanism, one that had its effect in the control room itself.

All Tiffany realised was that the ground beneath her shook and a scream escaped from her lips before she fell.

When Tiffany woke, her members told her that she would be paralysed from waist down from then on. Also, she was the only person in her group that had survived. The pains or rather, the lack of it, seemed to decolour the world before her.

Even though the others asked her why she had deviated away from their original plans and how she got caught up in the control room, there was no blame in their voices, only pity. Then she looked at the leader and was glad to realise that aside from being concerned, there was no guilt reflected. Tiffany was truly happy that Taeyeon did not know the reason why Tiffany was in that state. I was there to save you.

“Will you ever tell Taeyeon then?”

“Nothing could be changed so I see no point in telling her something that could cause her damage.”

Hyomin nodded in acknowledgement. “But you felt bitter about your predicament, didn’t you? That was why you shied from the others.”

Tiffany nodded too, in response. “That is because we are only humans. There cannot be all love and no hatred. That is, before you were created.” Tiffany chuckled before she continued, “I wonder what it feels like to not be able to hate anyone or anything. But since you were created that way I doubt you could even describe it.”

Hyomin shrugged. She seriously did not know how to answer. As she watched the diminishing back of the researcher wheeling back from the way she came from, the pink-haired captain felt the tugging sensation in her chest grow tighter. I might only know how to love but some love like yours, I still have not understood.

**

“Do not expect me to be your lackey just because you have released me and given me a bed to sleep in.”

Jiyeon, previously a captive of the G7 forces was released from her cell after Hyomin had successfully coaxed valuable information out from her, it had taken the pink-haired warrior two weeks to do so. In the meantime, Jiyeon had learnt that the pink-haired warrior’s name was Hyomin. Also, since Hyomin had not promise her anything for the exchange for information the former co-leader of Thanatos could not believe that she was later treated with such kindness. Not only had they freed her but also given her a decent place to live in. Even though the room was smaller compared to her own back at Thanatos compound, it was well-maintained and had almost everything that was needed. She was required to clean the room after herself and adhere to menial duties such as maintaining the weapons and cleaning during her stay at G7’s compound.

“I do not expect that of you but feel free to tell me if you desire to do so. You are a person with great abilities. G7 and the world could have use for the talents you possess, it would be a waste if you do not utilise them.”

Heat rushed to Jiyeon’s face upon hearing those words. She would like to believe that the heat was from anger and simply just that. All those days while she was being held in the cell, Hyomin had personally visited her every single day and took it into her own hands to care for Jiyeon’s wounds. Initially, the captive took it as an insult. She could simply not stand her body being touched and prodded, especially not by an immediate nemesis of hers. Yet, as day passed, her dislike for the captain waned and Jiyeon felt uncomfortable with that. The captain kept her updated with the happenings of Thanatos and also shared her plans for the people who has surrendered. During the past week of imprisonment, Hyomin was pretty much her only link to the outside world.

“You are trying to make me feel indebted towards you but that is not going to work.” The former captive sulked as she made her bed for the night.

“Think whatever you will.” Hyomin was not in the mood to exchange too much words with another and turned to walk out of the room.

“You don’t take off your communication device even in the main compound? Do you not feel safe even in your own territory?” Jiyeon taunted the pink-haired captain. She was semi-surprised that her words had managed to stop the usually undeterred captain in her tracks.

“No place is truly safe in this world but it makes me feel safer to have this bracelet on.”

Uncomfortable hollow silence filled the room after the captain left those words before she dismissed herself from the room. A snarl twisted into Jiyeon’s face, she could even feel distaste in . She disliked how the pink-haired captain always manage to sound so self-important. Of course… no place will truly be safe with me still around.

Mischievous thoughts began to fill her mind as the night deepens. 

**

A/N:

Hey guys, back with another update. Like the previous chapter, this chapter is almost 2000 words long as well.

This chapter explains what happened to Tiffany and why she had become crippled. /coughs/ taeny... taeny everywhere :D

Also... the rebellious ex-leader of Thanatos has been released from her prisons and seems to still be up to no good :) 

This chapter boasts of quite a bit of TaeNy, MinFany and MinYeon moments here and some might wonder when will SunByung... 

>< All i can is... soon folks... they will miss each other soon enough... /mumbles/ if only there were more instagram updates from them /end of mumbles/

Haha sorry for the very slipshod summarisation for this chapter and my rants over the lack of sunbyung in real life x) i just miss them already...

Well... that is all... until then - :) 

As usual, thank you for the comments, subscribes and upvotes! See you guys soon and enjoy the weekends :P