Labyrinth: Chapter 20
LabyrinthThe only way out of the Hidden was through the gates. The rest of the perimeter was decorated with mines, the same mines that almost killed them and killed their friend. The members who were not leaving were in charge of taking over Jokwon's place in Internal Security to tamper the gate mechanisms. As a strict rule, the gates were to never be opened between 2-5 am as the guards patrol the surrounding area. Tonight, however, that was all about to change.
"You have twenty minutes. Ten before it opens," Changmin's voice sounded in Junho and Jokwon's ears.
The plan was to visit Jay and Thunder's grave and get to the gates via the darkness the trees provided. The thought of finally executing Jay's plan but leaving him behind made Junho's stomach clench terribly.
The boys moved fast, with Junho staying in the light, the others moving in the dark, for Junho was their cover. He moved swiftly, his fingers tense around the hilt of the blade hidden in the folds of his belt and tank.
He breathed a slight sigh of relief as he stepped into the darkness of the forest, the dry leaves crunching under his boots as the grave tablets came to view. He found the tablet he was looking for and kneeled in front of it, joined by Junsu, Chansung, Khun and Kwon.
"Wish us luck, bro," Khun whispered as he swept the leaves off the tablet, revealing the Korean script underneath: 박재범. Jokwon ran a finger at the edge of the tablet. A few days after they were released from the hospice, Taec had taken to scratching out Jay's name in English there as he knew of his comrade's lack of proficiency in the Korean language.
"I'm sorry we never got to say goodbye, hyung," Chansung sighed as he patted Thunder's grave. "We're sorry for not joining Mir as well," Junsu whispered solemnly.
"No need to be sorry," a voice made itself known.
Junho jerked his knife out as he pulled Jokwon behind him. "Who was that?" Seulong's voice asked urgently.
Nobody answered him.
The figure stepped out, into a beam of moonlight that escaped the canopy of trees.
"Yiseul?" Junsu exclaimed. And she wasn't alone. Almost immediately, a party of about twenty stepped out behind her, holding numerous weapons. "The Captain sends his apologies for not being here with me. It seems he has been caught up in the Circle," Yiseul smirked.
"You knew about this?" Junho's voice was dangerously low.
"Listen, Junho get out of there! People are coming, we can't hold them off much longer. You'll have to climb the gates yourself," Taec shouted into the earpiece. He sounded as if he himself was in battle.
Jokwon gripped tightly onto Junho's shirt. Shaking slightly, he raised his hand behind Junho's head, signalling Infinite and BlockB who were hiding in the trees to hold their fire.
"But, of course, my dear oppa. Don't you think I know you well enough to know what you're doing behind the Captain's back? And the girl?" She scoffed, "Tsk tsk, bad move there. You should have picked me; I could have helped you."
"You're disgusting," Chansung spat.
"But alive," she reasoned, "Something I can be assured that you will not be unless you do what I say."
"We're not going to the Circle, you can do whatever you like, we're not going," Junho snarled.
Yiseul and Junho stared at each other. His stomach clenched tighter it almost hurt. His childhood friend, the betrayer. "Fine," she whispered.
At once, a knife flew out, heading for Yiseul's face but a soldier flew out and grabbed it in time. The silent night was suddenly crowded with noise as gunshots rang out and the noises of knifes and arrows whizzed past.
Junho pulled Jokwon back into the shadows and ran for the Gates. He could hear the rough panting of the others beside him, in the trees, as they rushed to outrun their pursuers. A bullet grazed his Shoulder and he swore, flicking his knife into the shooter's chest. Up ahead, he could see Khun's blonde hair flitting in an out of the trees as he battled, Sunggyu helping him out.
Suddenly, he felt a gun being held to his head. "Don't move," the man ordered. Junho held his hands up and slowly turned around. Keeping eye contact with his threat, he swiftly clamped his hands around the man's wrist, sliding his fingers around the trigger and forcing the gun in the direction of the other men, silencing them forever. When the bullets ran out, he let go of the man's wrist and circled his neck with his arm, snapping it.
He started running towards the gates only to be joined by Zico and Minhyuk. "Go," he urged them and they sprinted towards the Gates that had already began to close.
Their twenty minutes were almost up, he had to get them out of there. Sprinting back, he shot the men that U-Kwon and Chansung were fighting and pushed them towards the gates. Not looking back, he ran off to help Sunggyu and Khun when Junsu joined him.
"Run for it!" he yelled at them both. "Where the hell is Kwon?"
"The hell do I know, weren't you with him? And where is Hoya?" Junsu retorted as kicked a man in the face.
Panic surged in Junho. Jokwon wasn't a very good fighter and Hoya was his soldier. Where the hell were they?
"Commander!" Hoya's voice called out. Junho's voice whipped to the sound of his voice. "Go! Just go!"
He still could not see Hoya. Panic got the better of him and he screamed out both their names as he took down man after man. More of them were coming, the people the Captain had sent were endless.
Suddenly, something collided in him. A very tired and bleeding Jokwon. Junsu and Khun helped him up and ran straight for the Gates.
"Howon!" Junho screamed. He saw several lights from the main building being switched on. They had to get out of there now before more people were killed.
And then he saw him, Hoya, fighting with Yiseul. Swearing at her unexpected presence, he rushed to help the boy. He watched in horror as she wrestled the knife out of Hoya's hand and drew her gun. He sprinted a little faster, hoping to reach her when he was knocked backwards into the grass.
Pain blinded him as he felt heat surging through his chest. He felt blood gush deep into his lungs and shortly after he heard a shout, a gunshot and the slumping of body into the ground.
"No, Hoya..." he struggled to breathe and see through the darkness that blinded him.
It's going to be okay, a voice sounded in his head. A brief flash of red came into view.
He decided then he really was about to die. He smiled a little despite himself. At least Jay went quickly. But his eyes filled with tears at the pain his Commanders must have felt. Surely this was just as bad as a sword through the heart.
And then he thought about the girl he loved. Kim Haera, sister to Kim Sunggyu. His unrequited love. He thought about waking up to the smell of her hair, her head nuzzled in his chest. His tears fell as he remembered his last words to her, the feeling of her in his arms.
And then he stopped breathing altogether.
ALRIGHT GUYS FINALE COMING SOON!
Comments