Seungho stepped outside of the room, nodding to the others in the room whom in turn closed the heavy door after him. Seungho swallowed. His throat dry, his blood thumping so loudly behind his ears as he took careful and quiet steps along the hallway.

          Instead of going back towards the front door they came from before, Seungho chose to venture further into the hallway, passing by a few doors similar to the door to the computer room which had guarded them from the beast just now.

          One door however was opened wide. That must have been the door Dongwoon had tried to open just before they were attacked by the feline-mutant. Seungho poked his head inside, using Sanghyuk's phone to shine the interior of the room and what greeted his sight intrigued him.

          Seungho walked slowly inside the room, jaw slightly slacked open at the sight of ten rows with each row having five glass identical large glass cylinder. A few of them were broken, and one of them was opened in the right way. Seungho counted. There were a dozen of them which were empty and the rest was filled with some sort of animal mutants strikingly similar to the beast that had attacked them, floating within light blue liquid wrapped around them.

          Seungho's legs almost gave away. If he guessed right... Then, there were a dozen of those beasts roaming here, waiting for chance to attack them and killed them. Seungho looked over the other cylinders that were still intact, examining the contents. Some of them bore the resemblance of a wolf or a dog instead of the feline-mutant they had encountered and there were few tubes projecting from the creatures inside the tube and outside towards a some sort of oxygen gas cylinders lining along one corner of the room.

          Oh god... This is hell on earth.

          Seungho his feet when suddenly the light went on. The bright light that wash over the room almost blinded Seungho. Seungho looked up after a while as his eyes finally adapted to the light. Seungho tilted his head slightly. The power was back on by itself?

          Seungho stepped outside into the hallway again, watching as the first door from the entrance opened and out Taemin's head, looking around until their eyes met. Taemin jumped out of the room, smiling brightly at Seungho, followed by Leo.

          "You did it, hyung!" Taemin's eyes glittered with admiration.

          "I didn't do anything." Seungho replied, stepping closer to the two boys.

          Leo at the back just smiled slightly. "That thing is no longer here?"

          "I don't know. But... There're a lot more in that room. They're in some sort of experiment test tube." Seungho revealed.

          "A lot more?" Taemin gasped.

          "Yea..."

          "Well, at least you got the power back on. We should call for help now." Taemin said. "Before that beast came back."

          "I didn't even do anything. The power is on by itself." Seungho repeated, this time clearer.

          Leo and Taemin exchanged a look before Leo dismissed that as maybe some short circuit when Taemin gasped.

          "What?" Seungho asked, a bit uneasy.

          Taemin's eyes were directed towards the direction Seungho had came from. Both Seungho and Leo throw their glance at the same place, gasping at the same time harmoniously.

          "Cheolyong!" Seungho called. His heart jumped, wanting to embrace the maknae and thank whatever power that might have exist up there for protecting Mir except that he didn't. Because Mir was pointing a barrel at him. And he was frozen at his spot.

          "Get back into the room." Mir order, still in that position, ready to fire in anytime. "Slowly." He added.

          That was when Seungho realized, Mir wasn't aiming at him. But at something behind him.

          All three of them turned slowly and almost had a heart attack when they saw that same jade-green eyes beast just a few meters away from them, baring its teeth, saliva dripping down on the mozaic covered floor. It was pawing the ground, wanting to launch at them.

          Seungho took charge and slowly, ever so slowly pushing Leo and Taemin to stand behind him. He kept taking slow steps towards the still opened door but froze when those glowing jade orbs were blazed over them. He thought they were doom for sure when Mir suddenly raised his voice in a taunt.

          "HERE KITTY KITTY!"

          The glowering orbs now brazed over Mir's small frame and Seungho proceeded to push Leo and Taemin behind the door. "Close the door!" He ordered. He didn't follow them, even knowing there was nothing he could do, he just simply couldn't leave Mir there alone.

          "Come, kitty. I'll feed you warm and nice round of bullet." Mir said and to Seungho, the maknae seemed strangely out of character that he almost doubt the young man standing not that far from him was even his maknae.

          With a loud hiss, the feline beast sprint towards Mir. The wind as it zipped past Seungho threw Seungho back and flat against the wall. "Cheolyong!" Seungho half-shouted.

          Mir didn't shoot until the very last minute as the feline mutant got even closer and was jumping up in the air. That was when he shot and it hit right into the feline's skull, shutting it down almost immediately as the bullet burst out from the back of the beast's head. The beast dropped just next to Mir's feet, died in an instant.

          "Cheolyong-ah!" Seungho ran towards Mir, stopping right before Mir. He hesitated as he saw Mir casting cold glare over the dead beast by the floor. But that was only for a short moment when Mir's eyes flickered towards him and those brown orbs softened again.

          "Hyung..." Mir breathed out, almost sounded like he was whimpering before the maknae threw himself into Seungho's arms.

          Seungho exhaled a long relieved breath as he tightened his hold on the maknae, burying his face into Mir's brown tresses. "Thank god. Thank god, you're safe." He said, didn't even care if he was crushing the maknae's frame in his strong embrace. He was just relieved. Too relieved to see Mir still alive that he almost couldn't believe it, so he tried to prove it to himself by having Mir back again in his protective hold.

          "Hyung... You're safe." Mir mumbled against Seungho shoulder, not complaining how strong the hold around him. Even with his flesh and bones protesting in pain. Yet, Seungho's embrace was warm around his cold body.

          "Another one? This look like a cat, though?" Joon suddenly appeared, walking down the hallway towards the reunited MBLAQ members.

          Sanghyun trotted behind Joon, gasping in surprise as his wide eyes scanning the dead beast on the floor. "This... This is what you guys were saying? This is insane!"

          "Hyung. Is everyone fine?" Leo popped out from behind the door but he didn't need the answer as his own eyes scanned over the three newcomers, smiling as he saw Seungho was too distract by the maknae to even acknowledged him or even the two former members.

          "Who else in there?" Joon asked.

          Seungho released his hold on maknae and took the others back into the room. Mir almost immediately yanked his hand away from his leader and literally dropped on his knees by Dongwoon's side.

          "Yah! Are you dead?"

          Dongwon opened his eyes slowly at Mir's familiar voice, clicking his tongue and used his uninjured side of his hand to flick on Mir's nose. "Sorry to disappoint you but I'm still alive."

          Mir released a relief breath. "But, you can't walk." He mused. "You lost too much blood." Mir took off the backpack and took out two pills and a bottle of water. "Take this. It might help the pain a little." With Sanghyuk's help, Mir managed to make Dongwoon swallowed the painkillers.

          "Thanks." Dongwoon breathed out, resting back and closed his eyes again.

          "We're going to call for help. Seungho hyung got it figured out." Sanghyuk conveyed.

          Mir glanced around and found the MBLAQ leader was already at the computer table, typing into something and knowing he could leave it all to the leader, he stood up again. He went towards the row of racks holding the glass bottles, examining them before taking one into his own hand for closer look. He stared long enough until he intentionally released the one in his hold and the bottles shattered once it made contact with the marbled floor.

          The noise brought all of the others', including subconscious Dongwoon's undivided attention on the MBLAQ maknae. Mir didn't care. He didn't spare even a glance back at these other men filling this room, instead, he went up and used his whole strength to push the racks filled with those similar glasses with fetal-like substance in them. But the rack only moved a bit due to its weight against Mir's weakening force, producing squeaky noise against the marbled floor. Mir still keep on pushing despite his futile effort.

          "Hey, Cheolyong-ah." Seungho stood up from the seat and approached Mir, letting his hand landed lightly on Mir's shoulder. "What's wrong?" Mir ignored Seungho and Seungho could feel Mir's body trembled under his palm showing how many power Mir was putting in. "Cheolyong, come on. Stop that already." Seungho pulled Mir's shoulders slightly.

          Mir stopped. He stood straight once again. Only for a moment though, when Mir suddenly shoved his hands through the bottles and those glasses fell down, shattering yet again and Mir didn't stop at that. Like a mad man, he went further and further, dragging his hands along the row, wiping clear the racks from the fetal-filled bottle. His eyes glint with anger and madness. His teeth were bore in a way that showed his inner beast.

          That almost scared Seungho. Almost. Seungho grabbed on Mir's smaller body, struggling with Mir who was rejecting his touch but when Joon and Sanghyun try to help Seungho in holding Mir down, Seungho shouted, "Don't meddle!" And both the former members of MBLAQ backed down. Seungho turned back to Mir, holding both Mir's wrist, fighting off the resistance Mir was putting forth and that was when he realized... Mir was weak... Strangely weak...

          Seungho tugged harshly on Mir's wrists and once Mir's body crashed into him, he encircled his arms around Mir, holding Mir there. Mir's struggles were nothing in his hold. Mir's power wasn't like the younger's usually had.

          "Hush! It's okay." Seungho tried to sooth Mir, running comforting hand down Mir's spine, patting the small of Mir's back.

          Mir stopped struggling, letting his figure slumped against Seungho. His breath was labored, his chest moving violently but he had stopped his emotional rampage and submitted under Seungho's tender care.

          Seungho remained in the position for a while until Mir's breath slowed back down to normal, and only then he pulled away. His eyes trailed down on the necklace that had slightly pricked him when he was locking Mir in his hold. He touched the white necklace. A fang? He was sure Mir had nothing like this in his possession before and this fang was too much alike with those belonged to the feline mutant. Which meant, Mir had encountered one before and killed it.

          "Cheolyong... Did that beast got Byunghee?" Seungho slowly asked. His face darkened with grim. He could only think of one reason that would drove Mir mad, that would evoke such violent and murderous glare in Mir's eyes.

          "No." Mir answered simply.

          Seungho locked his eyes with Mir, searching for something in those brown orbs. If it wasn't Byunghee... Then... There's only one other person. Jei... "Oh god, Cheolyong. I'm so sorry." Seungho pulled Mir back into his embrace, this time gently, treating Mir like a fragile glass that would break easily. "I'm so sorry."

          "Yea... Me too." Mir said, pushing slightly on Seungho's waist, signaling for the older to let him go and Seungho did. Mir turned back towards the racks when Seungho's arms no longer around him. "These things... Are these the ones that turned into those beasts?" He asked, eyes still lit in fire of anger.

          "I'm not sure." Seungho answered honestly. "But I saw a lot of similar creatures in the other rooms. In some kind of tanks. Some of the tanks are empty. A dozen of them."

          "A dozen." Mir echoed in thought. He marched towards the door, grabbing the rifle he had let resting by the door side in a firm grip. The door was left opened after the successful killing of the green-jade eye monster. He was about to step through the door when Joon's hand caught his elbow.

          "Where do you think you're going?" Joon asked, his voice deeper than usual, his grip on Mir was stronger than necessary.

          "Where do you think I'm going?" Mir shot back tauntingly. Mir was about to shook his arm off from Joon's hold but Joon wouldn't have any of that as he dragged the younger back into the room and further from the door.

          "Close the door!" Joon instructed the other men and Sanghyun, Leo and Taemin went to do just that.

          "Let me go!" Mir slung the rifle across his shoulder and took out his rambo blade, and pointed the blade on Joon's neck. "Let me go." He repeated with a hiss threateningly.

          "Do it." Joon dared, his eyes steady and fixed upon Mir's brown orbs.

          Mir pursed his lips. His hold on the dagger was getting shaky. Who the hell he was kidding? Of course he couldn't do it.

          "Cheolyong." Seungho came and broke those two off. "What are you trying to do?"

          Mir inhaled deeply. "I'm going to hunt down each and one of it."

          "What? Are you crazy?" Sanghyun squeaked from the side but bit his tongue when Joon told him to keep quiet. They had to let Seungho handled this because Mir only listen to the MBLAQ leader most even if both of them were Mir's hyungs as well. Seungho should be able to manage this. Seungho would be able to help Mir. Even if they couldn't.

          "Cheolyong. What do you think going to happen?" Seungho asked again.

          "Either it's them or me." Mir gave out his final words, the blaze in his eyes showed how determined he was.

          "If it's you? Cheolyong. Listen. There's a dozen of them and each are as strong and might even be stronger and deadlier than the ones you have killed." Seungho reminded.

          "Then, so be it! I'd rather die hunting them. It's my own revenge!" Mir retorted. He walked past Seungho.

          Seungho didn't reach out to stop Mir, but his words alone were enough to do that. "And kill Byunghee and me?"

          Mir stopped dead. The blaze in his eyes weakening and died down.

          "If you die, you know what it will do to Byunghee and me. You'd do that to me? To Byunghee?" Seungho turned and watch Mir's back. "Would you?"

          "No... No... I... Wouldn't." Mir breathed out quietly, loud enough to bring smile back to Seungho's lips.

          "I know you wouldn't." Seungho said but his smile didn't stay for long when he heard Mir coughing severely and saw how Mir was swaying side to side and suddenly crumbled down like an autumn leaf, hitting the ground, the rifle bounced off the floor, clanging just next to Mir's feet. "Cheolyong!" Seungho literally dropped to his knees by Mir's side, gathering upper half of Mir's body into his hold. His heart almost stopped when he saw blood glide out of Mir's slightly parted lips, Mir's overall complexion was pale and the light in Mir's eyes were dimmed.

          "I-it hurts." Mir heaved and his features scrunched up in pain. He coughed out more blood.

          Seungho felt his mind blank and all he could do was Mir's brown tresses tenderly. He didn't expect this. Mir seemed to be just fine when he first saw the maknae except for the red cut on the maknae's cheek. He was wrong. How could he forget how good was Mir at hiding his pain, a trait that Seungho strongly dislike in Mir.

          "What hurts?" Sanghyun asked, almost on the verge of tears himself as the others started crowding around Mir except Sanghyuk and Dongwoon who were just equally worried.

          "Oh god. Too much blood." Taemin sobbed and closed his eyes, unable to see Mir suffering that way. He was already shocked seeing Dongwoon got hurt and now Mir...

          "What hurt?" Seungho asked this time, voice cracking when Mir grunted.

          "My c-chest." Mir heaved again. "B-bag."

          Seungho lift Mir's shirt slightly, exposing the tanned skin over Mir's chest which was littered with painful blue-purple bruise. It was painful to the touch even when Seungho simply put his index finger slightly on the bruised site yet, Mir shrank away from his touch instantly with painful groan.

          "He probably have broken a rib or two." Leo who was kneeling beside Sanghyun inspected Mir's injury.

          Seungho gasped and maneuvered Mir carefully so that the maknae laid on his laps. "The blood... Was it from his lungs?"

          "I'm not sure." Leo shook his head.

          Mir coughed out another batch of dark red blood, letting his whole weight slumped into Seungho's hold. "Bag..." He whispered, barely heard. When Seungho leaned down closer to hear him, Mir repeated. "Bag... Meds..."

          "B-bag. Where is it?" Seungho straightened his back up, eyes searching for the said object.

          "Here!" Joon sat next to Mir when Leo stepped aside to give him space.

          "Find some med." Seungho instructed.

          Joon rummaged through the bag with Sanghyun's help and took out a bottle of mineral water and some painkillers. Even though those pills won't do much to help Mir, at least they would lessened Mir's pain even just a tad.

          Seungho let Mir rinsed all the blood in his mouth away with the water and helped to clean the rest of the blood staining Mir's lips, chin and the already rain-drenched shirt before helping Mir to swallow two pills. Mir trembled and cuddled closer to the leader, whimpering at the endless pain that just getting worse every damn second. And his body slacked in fatigue, no longer have any energy to care about those around him, his dark long eyelashes fluttered slightly as his eyes closed slowly.

          Joon took off his own jacket and handed it to Seungho who immediately wrapped it around Mir's figure, pulling Mir even closer to his chest. Seungho then found the wall to rest his back against it as he cradled Mir safely against him. "Shh... It's okay. Just sleep." He cooed the younger, rocking the younger slightly and kept humming a soft tune until Mir was eventually lulled into a deep sleep.

          The leader did that a lot actually. Singing Mir to sleep. Even after they moved out of the dorm, he still sometimes sang to Mir over a phone call since Mir really like listening to his singing voice even though Byunghee was supposed to be the main vocal in MBLAQ. But the fact made Seungho adored Mir even more.

          Only then... Only when he was sure Mir had fallen asleep, only then he let a tear lapped down his cheeks. Mir was injured. And not just any injuries... Mir was badly hurt and was writhing in pain and what could he do to help? Nothing. For the first time in forever, he felt so useless. He could do nothing for the one he treasured. Nothing.

          Joon sat next to Seungho, leaning his back on the wall as he eyed the sleeping maknae with concern and worries while Sanghyun took the other side of Seungho, hand caressing Mir's brown locks. The others didn't want to intrude and went to look after Dongwoon.

          "He was fine before." Sanghyun said quietly, his hand went to caress Mir's cold cheeks and he blinked a few times so his tears won't leak out, otherwise, he wouldn't stop crying.

          "He should have told us." This time it was Joon. Joon found Mir's hand to hold onto, squeeing the smaller hand to relay his support, for Mir to know there were people who deeply care for the maknae and would want Mir to fight. Fight and survive.

          Seungho hold Mir even closer if it was possible and he left a lingering kiss on Mir's forehead. "It's okay. It will all be fine. You will be fine. Byunghee will be fine. I will be fine. We all will be fine and get out of here alive. Just stay with me, maknae." He whispered into Mir's ears, resting his cheek against Mir's cold cheeks. "Stay with me." Sound almost... Pleading.