Ok, someone has too much time on their hands

(A.K.A Yes, I KNOW they're prettier than me but there's no need to PROVE it!!!)

A/N: Yes, finally, the next chapter is up! Thank you so much for your patience. I hope you enjoy!!!

“We’ve been driving along Peña Blvd for 15 minutes and I’ve only seen one car. And it was driving the opposite direction.” Taehyung announced his thought aloud. “Where is everyone?”

“Traffic may be a little light but I don’t think it’s that uncommon.” Jin answered.

“Really? We’re on a highway, moving… That’s hella weird compared to LA, hyung.” Taehyung replied skeptically.

“Speaking of ‘hella weird,’” Yoongi chimed in, “Where the hell did you learn to hotwire a car?”

“Uh…” Taehyung hedged, not wanting to answer if he could help it. When neither Jin nor Jimin came to his rescue he decided to respond with, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?” He didn’t feel like this was the time to get into his whole life story of unrequited family love and the need to fend for himself out in the cold hard world as an adolescent.

“Really? What the hell does that even mean?” Yoongi grumbled, not expecting an answer.

“What about you, hyung?” Hoseok joined the conversation. “Where did you learn to shoot?”

“That was Yoongi hyung?” Jungkook interjected sounding surprised and at least a little impressed.

“Yeah, well, I have a friend here who goes hunting and has taken me along a few times.” Yoongi shrugged. “He’s taken me to the shooting range a few times too so I’ve had a little handgun practice as well as using his shotgun.”

“My dad and brother and I used to go shooting.” Jungkook stated, a wistful look on his face. Jin squeezed his shoulder in comfort.

“In Korea?” Namjoon asked in surprise.

“Yeah. They’d take me to the shooting range on base.” Jungkook clarified. “My dad’s a general so he can do things most people can’t. We’ve gone hunting at the Gojeong Hunting Grounds on Jeju-do a few times too.”

The conversation was interrupted by the sound of a distant boom. The van fell silent for a moment before those in back were scurrying to try to look out the front windshield.

“What’s that?” Hoseok asked, pointing towards the horizon. “Is that smoke?”  Billowing black was taking to the air a few miles in the distance.

“I think that was an explosion. What do you think it was?” Jimin asked, fear lacing his words.

“Maybe it was a car accident.” Namjoon suggested. “If this road keeps going straight, then it was definitely somewhere on the road.”

“We should take the next exit, Tae.” Hoseok instructed, his voice shaking ever so slightly.

“We can’t, hyung. We won’t know how to get to the Pepsi Center without the signs.” Taehyung argued back.  

“What if people are hurt? Shouldn’t we try to help them?” Jimin asked.

“What if zombies were the cause?” Yoongi rebutted. “If we stop we could get hurt too.”

“We can’t stop, hyung.” Jungkook seconded. “My mom said to stick together in this group and not to trust anyone else. We can’t take others with us.”

“We did at the airport.” Jimin pointed out.

“Yeah, and look how well that worked out.” Jungkook grumbled back.

“Then why are we going to the Pepsi Center, huh? Who knows how many people will be there.” Jimin continued to argue.

“The military’s there, okay? My mom said to go where the military are keeping people safe. They know more about what’s happening then regular civilians. They can keep us safe and they won’t let anyone who’s been infected in.”

“Exit, Tae, exit!” Hoseok interrupted. Just ahead a pile up of cars could be seen facing every which way. There were a few people running away but most just seemed to be ambling along in a daze. In what looked to be the center of the crash, black smoke continued to plume into the bright sky, blotting out the intensity of the sun’s summer rays.

“But how…” Taehyung began to argue.

“Now!” Hoseok screamed, wrenching the wheel to the right and forcing the vehicle through the median towards a side road. The people in back were thrown to the side, bodies rolling on top of one another and tools getting lodged beneath them.

“! That hurt!” Yoongi hollered above the commotion.

“You can thank Hobi hyung this time, hyung.” Taehyung replied even as he slowed the van down to get a better look around as they continued forward. During their drive Peña Blvd had become I-70 and then I-25 which led into the heart of the city of Denver. Looking around, Taehyung finally found a street sign to identify their location. “Central street and 17th street… Where the hell are we even?” he wondered aloud.

“Who… who has a phone that still works?” Jin asked, hissing slightly in pain from being thrown around. The van was silent for a moment as people searched for phones and tried to turn them on.

“No battery.” Yoongi reported, Jimin nodding his head in agreement.

“I’ve got nada.” Hoseok confirmed before checking Taehyung’s phone for him as well. “This one’s dead too.”

“I’ve got 23%.” Namjoon observed giddily.

“Great.” Jin smiled. “See if you can pull up directions to the Pepsi Center.”

Namjoon was typing away before Jin could even finish his statement. “Turn left! Turn left!” he yelled as the app gave directions, bracing himself for the sudden turn. Again bodies rolled around the back as Taehyung screeched around the corner.

“Dammit!” Yoongi protested. “I’m getting really sick and tired of being treated like a damn rag doll back here.”

Namjoon gave him a sheepish look. “Sorry, hyung. We were about to miss our turn.”

“Slow down, Tae.” Hoseok instructed. “We need to be more careful now that we’re in town.”

Those in back once again huddled around the two front seats to look out the windshield. It was much quieter than they had expected of the city. Only the occasional shadow could be seen flitting around the corner of buildings or behind curtained windows. A few of the shops and restaurants along 15th street looked to have been broken into, a few display items seemingly missing but no police or probable culprits could be seen moving around.

“Um, guys?” Taehyung’s voice filled the silence of the van. When he could feel all eyes on him, sending a shiver down his spine, he spoke again. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news but, we’re almost out of gas…”

“Well,” Jin said thoughtfully. “Just keep driving until the van dies and then we’ll have to walk.”

Quiet groans could be heard from Hoseok and Jimin but the others stayed stoically silent, accepting their fate as it was handed to them.

“You need to turn right up here on Wewatta Street.” Namjoon stated in a monotonous voice as they drove past the Museum of Contemporary Art. Half a block from the turn the van started to splutter and cough. To say it was ‘running on fumes’ was an understatement. It had been running on empty for almost five miles already.

Taehyung calmly pulled the van to the side of the road as it finally died, his muscles straining with the effort as the power steering went out. Then he placed the van in ‘park’ and unbuckled his seatbelt.

“Come on, Hobi hyung. We’ve got to get suited up.” he spoke as he tried to thread his way between those in the back. Jimin and Jungkook parted for him and Hoseok to climb in back.

“Okay, before we take off, we need to eat since we haven’t yet.” Jin began instructing.

“Eat?” Namjoon asked even though he was well aware of Jin’s motherly nature and insistence on a healthy diet. “Is now really the time, hyung?”

“Well, yeah.” Jin replied matter-of-factly. “We haven’t eaten yet and it’s almost noon. How are you going to fight or run if you have to if you don’t have the proper energy?”

Hoseok had to hide a bewildered smile behind his hand. The comment just seemed too incongruous for him to be able to handle it emotionally. Jungkook was just as taken aback yet it seemed to make perfect sense to him as well so he just accepted the statement as good advise. The others knew better than to expect any other thought process from their hyung.  

“It’s a good idea, hyung.” Jungkook piped in as he noticed Hoseok’s reaction. “It’ll lighten our bags a bit too if we each drink a bottle of water. Plus, who knows what rations they’ll have at the Pepsi Center. We’ve obviously missed breakfast already and may miss lunch by the time we get there too.”

“And it’ll give us time to weapon up.” Taehyung added. “I’ve got stuff for everyone.” With that said, Taehyung began searching through their bags and handing them out to their owners.  

*******

It took close to an hour for everyone to eat their fill of canned fruits and vegetables, beef jerky, and granola bars, all washed down with bottled water. As they ate, they discussed what to try to hide in their bags and what to leave obvious just in case their bags were searched and their supplies confiscated. They also tried their best to hide weapons in their bags in case those were confiscated as well. It was decided that they would trust the military but they would make sure to have the means to protect themselves too.

Thump.

Thump. Thump.

“What the hell was that?” Hoseok asked what they were all wondering as something thumped against the back of the van.

“I’ll check.” Jin sighed warily as he climbed into the front driver's’ seat to search the mirrors. Nothing could be seen so he slowly opened the door, looking for any hidden dangers as he did so.

They others held their breath as Jin stepped out of the van and slowly walked around towards the back where the sound had been coming from. Jungkook had followed the elder into the front seat of the van but the others were stuck, Hoseok clinging to Taehyung as Jimin grasped Yoongi and Namjoon’s hands in a death grip. Before Jungkook could decide whether or not to follow his hyung, a low moan was heard from the back of the van. It was cut off suddenly followed by another thump and then Jin was opening the back doors.

“I think we’ve sat here long enough.” Jin stated hurriedly. Behind him, bloodied people could be seen ambling their way. They seemed to ooze from between the buildings, stumbling down the middle of the street and along the sidewalks. There were easily a hundred zombies heading their way.

“Uh, y-yeah, hyung. I th-think you’re right.” Hoseok stuttered out as he finally released Taehyung and grabbed his bag. The others quickly followed suit, grabbing their belongings and alighting from the van.

“This way.” Jungkook instructed, leading the way along the middle of the street so they would have more maneuverability should more zombies come out from between the surrounding buildings.

“I always thought downtown Denver would be bigger, taller.” Yoongi mused aloud as they followed Jungkook’s lead.

“Seriously, hyung?” Hoseok asked incredulously. “We’re running for our lives here, not sight seeing.”

“Well, yeah. I just expected it to be more like Seoul. Or at least Daegu. Didn’t you?” Yoongi countered as he continued forward somewhere between a fast walk and light jog. “Besides, it's not like we’re actually running for our lives right now.”

“Just… be quiet.” Jin chided them like they were a couple of squabbling toddlers. “We don’t need to get any attention on us.”

“Yes, mom.” Yoongi retorted under his breath, just loud enough for Jimin to hear. The younger snickered behind his hand as they rounded the corner onto Wewatta Street.

“This should run right into the Pepsi Center in just a couple blocks.” Namjoon told the group as he struggled slightly with his heavy bag. Multitasking was not his forte and the last thing he wanted was to slow everyone down as he tripped over his own feet trying to jog, talk, and juggle his bag all at the same time. With his luck, he thought, he’d probably take one of the others down with him and one of them was sure to break a bone in the process.

The lethargic moans of the reanimated dead could be heard around the corner behind them along with the slap of their shoes along the concrete and slightly labored breathing as they hurried their way along the street towards a bridge spanning the South Platte River up ahead. The buildings loomed around them but didn’t seem to press down on them like those in the cities of Korea that the boys were used to. ‘If it were under different circumstances it would almost make for a nice, cleansing jog.’ Jimin thought to himself, somewhat bemused by how lightly he was taking this ‘run for their lives.’

“We… we should be able to… see it by the time we reach… reach the bridge.” Namjoon labored out from the back of the group as they grew close to the bridge in question.

“Yes! I can see it!” Taehyung exclaimed from the front as he moved out of the shadow of the last building on the block before the bridge.

The sight of the Pepsi Center was so much more secure than expected. A precast concrete retaining wall had been erected around the large building and parking lot. It had to be at least nine feet tall. Above this wall, a chainlink fence could be seen, topped with razorwire. On top of the building itself, people could be seen walking around. Taehyung guessed them to be snipers, keeping the inhabitants safe.

“Holy .” Yoongi muttered from just behind Taehyung who had slowed his pace to take in the sight of their new home to be. “Is that to keep people out or to keep people in? It looks like a ing prison.”

“It’s there to keep you safe, hyung.” Jungkook retorted with a snort. “Are you always this distrusting?”

“Only when I have to be.” Yoongi quipped, side-eying the maknae.

“Well then, stop. There’s no need to be. This will be a good thing for all of us.” Jungkook stated emphatically.

“Whatever you say, kid.” Yoongi sighed, quickening his pace once again to hurry the procession along. As much as he felt a foreboding nature from the sight ahead, he didn’t want to remain on the streets either. The others picked up their speed again as well.

“Oof!” Namjoon huffed out as he was suddenly forced onto his knees by a heavy weight on his back. Pain lanced through his legs and lower back as he tried to keep himself from being completely flattened on the dirty street. Before he really knew what was happening, his bag was being wrenched from his shoulder. “Stop!” he exclaimed.

Jimin and Yoongi were already on Namjoon’s assailant before he could even process what was happening.

“Get the off him.” Jimin growled, startling Namjoon with his vehemence.

He turned to see the scuffle he could hear breaking out behind him. Yoongi had latched onto his bag that a man dressed in a leather biker jacket and ripped jeans had attacked him for. Jimin, on the other hand, had gone straight for the man himself, punching him in the jaw before kneeing him in his rotund gut.

As the man bent forward, snarling despite what had to have been painful, Yoongi clenched his fists together, bringing them down with all his might on the man’s back. The man collapsed onto his knees right in front of a stunned Namjoon but his grip on the bag didn’t relax in the least.

“Ahaha” the man began laughing like a lunatic, tilting his head back as he did so. Taking in a large gulp of breath, he let out another startlingly loud laugh. “You… you little runt bastards…” he tried to snarl between gasps of breath and braying laughter. “You think you can… take on The Mad Dog… and win?”

In the blink of an eye, The Mad Dog, as he called himself, released his hold on Namjoon’s bag to spring forward, the knife in his hand seemingly appearing by magic. There was a unanimous cry as chaos erupted, Hoseok and Jin springing back from the man in horror as Jungkook and Taehyung got their own blades in hand, ready for combat. They never had a chance to act however. Jimin had thrown himself towards the man as he sprang forward, holding his blade to Namjoon’s throat. Jimin’s weight knocked into the man, sending him sprawling to the ground, his knife skittering away along the concrete. Taehyung kicked the knife farther into the gutter as Yoongi unsheathed his own knife, slashing at the man’s achilles heels without a moment's hesitation.

The Mad Dog screamed out in pain and anger and frustration as the others backed away from him. “Get back here, you little es!” he screamed, not noticing the zombies rounding the corner.

“, let’s get out of here.” Jimin coaxed the others, wanting to run from view of the imminent zombie feast.

“Wh-what about” Hoseok began.

“The man who tried to kill Namjoon?” Yoongi finished for him. “ him.”

The finality in Yoongi’s voice left no room for argument. Together, the group turned their backs on the man and hurried the rest of the way across the bridge and down the street towards the Pepsi Center. They could hear as his screams morphed from rage to horror and finally to excruciating pain before finally becoming silent, only the sound of ripping clothing and flesh echoing in their ears.

“I… I think I’m gonna throw up.” Hoseok whispered towards Taehyung, his stomach churning violently.

“No time, hyung.” Taehyung whispered back. Just ahead was a wending fenced in area reminiscent of the security line at the airport but instead of red velvet ropes there were towering chain link fences and armed military personnel keeping watch.

As the group slowed their pace and approached the gate, the two soldiers on guard approached them on the other side.

“Name and age.” The man on their right spoke tersely.

“Kim Seokjin, 23.” The eldest spoke first. “This is…”

“Stop. Each of you needs to state name and age on your own.” the second soldier interrupted.

The boys gave one another an uneasy look before Yoongi stepped forward to state his own information. Once they had each introduced themselves, they were allowed through the gate to join the line of about fifty people waiting to get into the Pepsi Center.

“What was that all about?” Jimin asked anyone who would answer.

“I guess it was their test to make sure we were human?” Jungkook suggested based on his observations of never hearing a zombie do more than moan.

As they waited in line, slowly moving farther and farther along the fencing towards the building, others were admitted behind them. The general mood seemed to be sombre and only the occasional whisper could be heard from the people in line. There was also the occasional sound of gunfire as soldiers and snipers presumably kept them safe from zombies.

After close to three hours of waiting and solemn shuffling through the line, the boys finally made it to the front where a soldier wearing a doctor’s coat over her military uniform spoke to them.

“Welcome to the Pepsi Center.” she said with a smile. “Have you ever been here for a game?”

“No, ma’am.” Namjoon answered in his most polite voice.

“What a shame. Well, things are set up pretty differently now anyway. I guess you’d hardly recognise it if you had been here before.” she said in a conversational tone. It was such a juxtaposition from the silent atmosphere while standing in line that the boys weren’t really sure how to respond. Thankfully, Jin with his natural born etiquette stepped in.

“I’m sure all your hard efforts have made the change a positive one for the circumstances.”

“Oh, why, yes. Yes they have.” the woman practically gushed, her cheeks pinking slightly. The statue-like soldier standing behind her cleared his throat and the woman’s cheeks flushed even darker. “So, um, how many in your group?” she asked, getting to business.

“Seven.” Jin stated matter-of-factly.

“Oh, quite a few.” she stated, sounding surprised as she looked over the group as if for the first time. “Well, it might be hard finding so many cots together but I’ll see what I can do.” she continued, writing on a clipboard she had had hugged to her chest upon their arrival. “Okay, first things first. In a moment you’ll each need a physical exam so we’re sure no one has any bites or scratches. Then we’ll have you fill out a brief questionnaire so we can fit you with the best job to help keep this place running. Everyone here has a job to do after all. Then there will be a 24 hour quarantine just to be extra safe. This time tomorrow you’ll be shown to your cots and given a tour as well as given a job that you will begin the following day. Understood?”

“It sounds like you keep a tight ship here.” Jin said, smiling. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“Next.” A man with broad shoulders,  round rimmed glasses and tired eyes said as he stepped out of the room nearest them.  

“Two at a time.” the woman instructed pointing her head towards the now open doorway. Without skipping a beat, Taehyung grabbed Hoseok by the hand and pulled him towards the door.

A/N: OMG! I can't believe BTS's next album will be out Feb 13th already!!! I can't wait but I'm sure it's gonna kill me just like always. I'm anticipating the trailer(s) too. Hopefully I can live through the trailer(s) to make it to the whole album!

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