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S I X T E E N 

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“How the hell did this happen?”

Yong Guk’s voice rang with concern as we all rushed to gather at the living room. The TV was on, with a number displayed on the front screen in countdown, while Young Jae sat at a laptop and frantically tapped at the keyboard. “Twenty seconds until broadcast,” He said, in a sharp, clear voice, as Jong Up lowered himself stoically to the couch. The group parted to let Yong Guk take the middle seat, him being the voice of reason, while Himchan and I sat on chairs surrounding the television. Daehyun followed, sitting beside Yong Guk on the chaise, as we looked at the screen worriedly. Zelo had chosen to be part of NU’EST out of his own decision; he’d left us because he wanted a different life. He and our group were even personally extended invitations to join, and yet they had suddenly decided to hold him at knifepoint. It was impossible – this situation wasn’t supposed to happen - unless Zelo was undercover the whole time.

Unless Zelo had chosen to sacrifice himself for the whole gang.  

Had he?

“Can you tell me how they reached us?” Yong Guk suddenly asked Young Jae, his eye glued to the screen. “An email popped up in my inbox. It’s still unknown how they got it, but I’m guessing they have some government recruits under their power ready to supply info to them. They seem to have a lot of resources, as they managed to disable the computer’s firewall and even the email host’s adblockers. The message just popped up, with the words, “Be ready,” and there’s a link attached to the file which we’re viewing right now.” Yong Guk nodded slowly at the explanation, and we looked at our faces reflected on the bottom left corner of the screen. NU’EST was probably able to see us already from our webcam – it was only a matter of minutes before we could see them.

I silently counted down in my mind.

“On air in three….two…one!”

The screen suddenly flickered to life with a silver glow, a ghostly apparition forming in a small square window. The eyes of the person were a strange blue, which I guessed were from contacts, and his long, blond hair was tied into a tight ponytail. Clad in the same formfitting black suit he’d been wearing a couple days ago, the jewels that displayed his high rank gleamed in the dim lighting of their camera. “Greetings, B.A.P. Feeling any weaker lately? Especially since you’re missing a member?” The person said, as Yong Guk stayed calm and looked him in the eye with disapproval. “Pleasure to be acquainted, Ren. It seems we haven’t known each other for long enough, seeing as you’ve decided to hold your own member captive. Is that how NU’EST works? By inflicting harm on their own members?” He said cheekily, giving a small smile as a reply. Ren just let out a laugh, twirling a platinum strand around his finger. “You won’t be saying that after you see your double agent like this,” He said, grinning. “Leader’s got something to say to you, so get some manners as well,” He added, staring at Jong Up this time. “Your little member here caused a lot of controversy last time.”

Jong Up growled, while I glared at the screen and felt my fingers clench into a fist.

“Yong Guk,” Another voice suddenly said.

Yong Guk nodded in reply. “JR,” he said in response. The person he was now talking to had black hair, with choppy bangs and dark eyes. His tall, lean frame and high cheekbones that were slightly scarred told me that he’d been in the streets for a while as well. In the background stood another five members, with various hairstyles, and Himchan whispered their names to me in my ear. “That’s the leader, JR, and he’s dangerous. He’s the smartest one out of the whole group, and although he doesn’t fight a lot, he’s actually personally trained other gang members. The one with the short blond hair is Baekho, his second-in-command, and there’s also Ren, who you already know about. Minhyun, the brown haired one, is apparently a jack-of-all-trades, while Aron has been training with JR since he was little. Young Jae just got this info yesterday, so we’re still unsure if it’s reliable, but it’s the best we got. They’ve also got seven other recruits, who aren’t part of the main group, such as Nic,” Himchan said, as I soaked up all the information and memorized their faces. I wouldn’t let them get away with what they’d done, both to my brother and Zelo.

“It seems that you’ve sent a spy to our headquarters,” JR said, an impish grin developing on his face. “Would you like to see him?”

It was quiet for a second before Yong Guk nodded slowly.

“If he’s alive, that is,” Another voice, strangely melodious, suddenly interrupted. It was full of spite, and belonged to a boy with his hair shaved on the right. Himchan whispered the name “Minhyun” to me, and I glared at him fiercely, daring him to challenge us. Seeing my facial expression, Minhyun chuckled, before leaving from his side of the camera so that we could see what was in the dingy room. There was a wooden chair, with Zelo strapped to it in ropes, a gag in his mouth. His blond hair had almost turned gray from the dirt and debris of the room he was held in, and his body had definitely gotten thinner and weaker. However, the fight hadn’t left his eyes, which sparkled with fury, anger, and determination. The room was silent at his appearance, and although I could feel Jong Up tense at the sight, I knew that we didn’t dare say anything. If we affirmed the fact that Zelo was a secret agent by showing concern for him, we would be risking his life – they could kill him any moment.

“So, Zelo, have any secrets of ours you’d wish to spill?” Minhyun said snidely, pride at having captured him evident in his voice.

“It’ll be impossible for him – the once wondrous Zelo is now tied to a chair, bound and gagged, stuck with nowhere to go,” Ren said lazily, leaning on the desk with one hip and checking his fingernails in boredom. A rush of sickening, pure anger rushed through me, blazing into a fire as I remembered what they’d done to my brother. They couldn’t care less about Zelo – he was just another pawn in their game that they could use. Just like the death of my brother, just like the shot sent into Yong Guk – everything was meticulously planned so that we’d arrive at this moment. Sensing my fury, which I could barely keep in, Daehyun looked over and shook his head.  Grabbing my arm tightly, he frowned at me to keep my feelings in check, and I bit my lip in frustration. This whole talk – it was demeaning. It was reproachful and ridiculous, and they were only stalling time even though we all knew they would kill Zelo off later.

“He’s not one of us anymore,”

Yong Guk said, interrupting my thoughts, and I nearly choked. You couldn’t hear a single waver as he said it, although I felt Jong Up close his eyes in bitterness.

“Then I suppose it won’t matter if we do this,” JR said, smiling, as he pointed to the slick, oily floor and the tiny lighter in his hand.