D—“:

The first of the pounding footsteps crept through the crack underneath the door. Luhan took it as a sign that the drill of the morning was just beginning and it also told him that it was 5 am now. The sun wasn’t up yet, but it was near enough to be high in the sky. The light blue silhouette of the low, early sun filtered in through the curtain-less window in Luhan’s tiny prison. He lay there on his side on the bed still dressed in what he’d been wearing for at least 24 hrs. Dirt and grime still dressed him up as well as the dried blood sitting on the slits on his two cheeks.

He almost felt lifeless before another set of pounding footsteps made his stomach sink and he felt a wave of nostalgia. There was no thought of ‘he didn’t want to be there’ anymore. Luhan had safely stashed it into a box at the back of his head. If all he ever pondered about was wanting to head back home he’d certainly die if he couldn’t focus on anything else. Soon, he could only believe in it, that someone would notice he was missing and look for him. If hope and if God existed, he would be found, saved, and rescued from this hell.

Luhan lay there for a while more until he somehow summoned up some strength and stood. Dressing down he took the clothes Kris had handed him before getting into them and opened his door. The hallways were empty of souls and quiet as death. Stepping out he closed the door behind him. If luck was with him, he wouldn’t go crazy before he was saved.

Backtracking his way in yesterday he pushed through the front doors and in the yard just in front of him he spotted strictly lined up columns of who he guessed were members from Organization One. It felt like a real life martial arts movie. One by one, they were running up, throwing a kick in the air, rolling on the ground, grabbing the rifle in front of them and shot the practice target a hundred yards away. One by one, they did this as if coordinated by heart and soul.

Awe struck him. Luhan only realized then about what professionals they must be, but what they did he didn’t know yet.

He watched for who knew how long until he felt an arm around his neck, “Surprised?”

Luhan immediately turned to see Kris.

“Looks like you didn’t take that offer up on taking a shower,” Kris commented before wheeling him around, “too late now. We’re going for a round of what I do best.”

Kris led Luhan away from Organization One and toward another separate gray building, a lot smaller in size. Through the heavy wooden doors with Kris’ arm still around Luhan’s neck, he lugged him down a stony path underneath an arc before they paused in front of a large dungeon-like door. It looked heavy like one of those large walk-in freezer doors with a humongous padlock on it. Kris let go of him and searched his pocket for a ring of keys before he unlocked the padlock, let it fall to the ground, and pulled open the door. As it opened Luhan listened to its tiny gasp and found himself face to face with some of the most thrilling weapons he’d ever seen in his life.   

These weapons ranged from scary knives to various rifles and handguns all stashed up neatly in order. Kris walked in grabbed a rifle with a telescopic scope before picking up a handgun. He carefully observed it and turned to look back at Luhan as if picturing inside his head a picture of Luhan with a gun. Luhan almost shrank back with a step.

Kris’ face kindly lit up before he said, “Never touched one before, huh? Your face says it all.” Keeping the handgun in hand he walked back toward Luhan, “Calm down, we’re the same age. I don’t expect you to treat me like a superior. Oh, but Victoria, on the other hand, you’re going to need to bow down in respect. She’s cool in her own aspect and she’ll help look out for you, but don’t step pass the boundary and piss her. She’s been here for so long it’s not even funny.”

Luhan stared at Kris in bewilderment before Kris locked up the armory and led him out the backdoor, which Luhan had expected to take them outside but instead led them to another large shack at the back. He spotted straw hay laying simultaneously everywhere before he saw the half dummies made of straw already destroyed and practiced on. Pressing his lips together firmly he gulped and watched Kris set down his rifle. Luhan couldn’t help but wonder again, what in the world were these people?

He furiously jumped in spot from fright when Kris shot at the target board at the end of the room. Reaching his hands up to instinctively block his ears he paused his hands halfway in the air and turned to watch Kris. He was composed and so concentrated that Luhan wondered if he should fear this same aged friend. Luhan barely gulped when Kris turned to look at him.

“Victoria says you don’t look like you’re made for combat,” Kris explained, “one-on-ones are what Victoria specializes in, that’s why I warned you not to get on her nerves. Actually, everyone gets trained in all aspects but are more highly trained when they figure out their weaknesses and strengths, but you’re a different case. You’ll have it somewhat easier with me. Shooting is my expertise, I’m a sniper.”

That made Kris sound even more dangerous. Luhan kept himself still and composed refusing to show any sign that he was afraid of this person in front of him.

“Here,” Kris held out the handgun to Luhan, “it’s self-explanatory. Just shoot the target board.”

Luhan stared at the handgun within a hand’s reach with large eyes. He’d never touched such a violent thing before. He’d always seen them in movies, but in real life it looked scarier. Shivers shuddered down his back the longer he stared at it before his consciousness quickly reminded him to take the gun before Kris would force it on him. Swallowing, he took the solid weapon and pivoted himself toward the target board in front of him. Luhan felt his hand shake a little before he placed his opposite hand underneath the handle of the gun to steady his aim. Easing his breathing he prayed that he could do it, that everything would be alright.

A loud and frightening BAM rung through his ears after he pulled the trigger and Luhan felt himself freeze. He’d done it, he really shot a gun. He’d shot a gun and that was enough to shock to him. Loud clapping from the side forced him to turn and he suddenly remembered he wasn’t alone.

“Not bad,” Kris commented enthusiastically, “you hit the target right in the middle. Are you sure you’ve never shot a gun before?”

Luhan just stared at him perplexed.

“You’ve got some scarily good aim,” Kris went on.

Luhan felt his chest heave up and down as if he’d just run the mile before asking, “What…is Organization One?”

Kris’ eyes glinted when their eyes met, “I’m not sure myself who started all this crap. I heard it started out from a long rooted grudge when someone’s someone was killed. All I know now is that we eliminate anyone who has any evidence of us. I’m supposed to keep my mouth shut since Victoria says you’re supposed to learn from first-hand experience. Whatever was it you did that brought you here? I pity you.”

Luhan wasn’t sure whether it was sympathy or negative feelings he harbored for this man in front of him. All the same, Kris seemed just as human as he, yet his words were contradicting in the voice he spoke in.

“Not going to answer?” Kris sounded somewhat sarcastic, or perhaps Luhan could blame it on his upbringing since it seemed like he had grown up here where none of them seemed humanly civilized.

“So,” Luhan said after a long pause, “you expect me to kill?”

“You don’t have a way out of here now. You either do what we do, or we kill you.”

D—“:

At least two patrol cars had filled up the government employee parking lot. Two officers had gone inside the secretarial building, nothing seemed suspiciously missing, and there had been no strange fingerprints detected. But Im Heung Soo was missing along with his secretary Kim Namjoo.

Confusion and rumors that the two had run away from fear of being caught for supporting illegal drug trafficking with government money swarmed the workplace. Others said Namjoo had been caught an unlucky victim. A mass of rumors also swarmed around about how it would affect Kim Dong Hyun, Namjoo’s political father who was the leader of a gender equality activist union.   

Meanwhile a search party had been sent out for Im Heung Soo who had mysteriously disappeared over night.

D—“:

The worried middle aged woman almost in her fifties had rushed over to her daughter’s place after receiving the terrifying phone call that her daughter was missing. Gone over night, no one would know whether she had been stolen away or if she’d run away willingly. But Park Sung Ah knew her daughter. Kim Namjoo was not irresponsible, even if she failed courses and had lost in her marriage, she never ran. Running had never been a solution for her so femininely strong daughter.

“Namjoo! Namjoo! If you’re in, open the door! It’s mom! Namjoo!” the woman pounded the metal door with her palm and rang the doorbell simultaneously. “Namjoo! Open the door!”

She paused after a swift five minutes, dug out her phone, and called her daughter’s phone repeatedly. No one answered.

Her heart was breaking; she was on the verge of collapsing. Her husband was out of town and could not rush back, her daughter was missing and unreachable, and it felt like she was coming to the end of her life. Park Sung Ah could only fear now that something terrible had happened to her daughter and not even she could be of any help to her. 

D—“:

Namjoo rolled onto her back and the moment she opened her eyes she wished she had not done so. The nightmare of yesterday night came swarming back to her unmercifully and Namjoo choked on a small cry before she forced herself up. Grasping the blanket underneath her she slid off the bed but her feet sent something flailing across the room. The object knocked against the wooden closet before it came to a stop and Namjoo stared at the handgun Eunhyuk had forcefully handed her last night.

How…how insane had she been to have been holding that thing since the secretarial hall? Namjoo couldn’t believe herself. Had she been so out of her mind? How could she even have the guts to touch a gun?

She felt her hand shake before she tightened her grip on the blanket. Namjoo wanted to get out of there. She wanted home NOW. Sliding off the bed and falling onto her knees she reached for her bag and quickly dug her hands into it. At last she pulled out her phone but to her dismay the battery was almost dead and she had no signal, which reminded her she had no clue about her whereabouts.

“Aish!” she shouted in flustered anger and tossed her phone against the ground without a care if it broke or not.

She stayed there on her knees for a few minutes jostling in her mind about what options she had now. Nothing, nothing at all ran through her mind. Namjoo had no clue about what to do. She didn’t know anyone, she had no clue about what was going on, and she had no way out. Stupefied and angry she got to her feet suddenly upset with whatever force that was working against her and walked over to the tall window beside the cheap desk.

Even as she looked out it was impossible to depict her location. There were trees and more trees and that was all that was in sight. Namjoo felt like going crazy. This place had to be somewhere in the mountains. What the hell were they doing in the mountains?!

Namjoo for once felt like punching something and turned away from the window only to pause and turned back. Quickly running into spot she edged herself between the window and the desk as best as she could. Twisting her head she stared out the window and was sure that she saw another building just across from where she was. That could only mean one thing: there might be other people around here than the ones she’d come with.

Turning around she hurried out the door and went out the way she’d come in. To her disappointment, as soon as she rushed out she spotted what looked like an abandoned mass stone building just across from the replica of the city hall. At once she was dumbfounded.

It looked ancient, a four floored building with square windows all shut up, some broken. Too lost in thought she didn’t hear the door open and close behind her.

“It used to be a secret hospital 30 years ago,” Leeteuk stopped at the bottom step just behind her. “The government was unable to supply it with any more medicine and money, so it shut down. This is the only workable building here, and a good secret location from peeping eyes.”

Namjoo didn’t remove her eyes off the building as long as he kept talking. She wanted to break down again and just cry. Home was a word in her head crying for her to go back to it.

“I understand you want to leave,” Leeteuk sounded sincerely sympathetic, “but you’ll be a danger not only to yourself but to the people around you. Please be patient and we’ll get through this together.”

“How long do expect me to stay here and keep hiding?!” Namjoo spun around. “I don’t want to fight!”

Angry tears dispersed into her eyes. It was unfair.

Leeteuk stared back at her with gentle eyes before holding out a gun belt to her, “I don’t expect you to shoot the gun Eunhyuk gave you. That’s merely for your own protection and for your own use when you feel ready to use it, but always keep it with you. Here.”

Namjoo stared at the gun belt before glancing back into his eyes. Without further word she took the belt.

“Lets go inside. There are things we should go over with you.”

Leeteuk waited for her to climb up the steps before following her in.

D—“:

Zhang Yixing’s friend did not return. Luhan was now declared a missing person after a 24 hour wait. Changmin pasted his notice up with the other 20 people that had gone missing during the past month. It looked like a record board inside the police station. Nothing Changmin felt proud of at all. It was a scary sight in his opinion. He often wondered how the citizens felt when they walked into the police station for interrogation or just to report something and saw the huge wall full of missing persons notices. It was slightly creepy to realize how many people went missing in one day, one year.

When he left the station for his home to gather some sleep into his body he paused just in front of a television store. Changmin’s home was not far from the police station so he sometimes walked or if he was too lazy he’d get a cab. Tonight he walked.  

Through the display window were various sizes of TV all on sale and every one currently on the same channel. The stuffed animal at the side failed to catch his attention when his eyes locked onto the words sliding across the screen.

“Im Heung Soo and his secretary, Kim Namjoo, have been declared missing since early morning…” were the words that transitioned through Changmin’s eyes.

“Two more people missing,” Changmin spoke underneath his breath before foreshadowing, “hell’s going to break loose once her father comes back into town.”

D—“:

Luhan followed Kris up to the roof of the armory building. It offered a spectacular view of his surroundings. To his dismay he was in what looked like a tiny village hidden deep in the thick woods. There were four separate grey buildings. One he recognized as the dorm, the other the cafeteria building, and other he didn’t know. The last one was the one he was currently in, the armory building.

There was nothing on the roof but a blank emptiness. By his side Kris was setting up the sniper rifle and as if reading his mind Kris replied, “That building over there, the very white one is where Organization Two stays.”

Organization Two?

But what came out of Luhan’s mouth was, “There’s another organization?”

“They clean up after our mess,” Kris finished explaining. “Scary people, you don’t ever want to see them.”

Luhan glanced down at Kris. People who cleaned up after their mess… Inside Luhan’s mind he could see blood, more trails of blood, guns, and dead bodies. He wanted to gag.

“They rarely come out,” Kris went on, “they eat when we don’t, sleep when we don’t. The only one thing that sets us apart is that they have the promise of having their life the next day.”

Kris leaned forward, shut one eye, slightly shifted the rifle to the side, and glanced out the telescopic scope. Down below were other targets damaged from earlier practices. This time these target practices were wooden dummies and beyond them target boards. Luhan remained silent all throughout the set up before Kris got up from where he had been kneeling on one knee.

“Why don’t you try it out?” Kris suggested. “You seem natural at these kind of things.”

Luhan took one glance at Kris before carefully getting down onto one knee, reached his right hand forward to take hold of the trigger, set his left hand under the body of the rifle and glanced through the telescopic scope. It surprisingly brought in the objects before him closer to his eyes. Luhan eased his breathing and very carefully estimated his aim before pressing the trigger. The shot was swift and very quiet surprising him. At first Luhan doubted if he’d shot at all so he remained still in spot tuning his ears out for any other noise he might hear. Far in the distance he heard something chip loudly and Kris immediately slapped his hands together.

“Damn,” Kris said, “you hit it.”

Luhan blinked his eyes a few times before getting up to his feet. When he stood he felt Kris’ eyes land on him observantly before Luhan finally turned to look at him.

“What’s that?” Kris questioned.

Luhan almost arched an eyebrow before Kris nodded toward his neck. He glanced down to see the silver necklace with the ring he’d slung onto it lying against his shirt. As if feeling violated he quickly tucked it back into his shirt. Turning his eyes away he focused on the ground.

“Something important?” Kris prodded on curiously.

“My wedding ring.” Luhan monotonously answered.

“You’re married?”

“Divorced.”

“Ah…” Kris sounded. “What’s she like?”

Luhan gently clasped his teeth together before looking back at Kris with eyes telling him that he didn’t like these personal questions.

“Why? Don’t like talking about her?” Kris didn’t get his signal, or if he did he simply ignored it.

“Am I supposed to keep shooting?” Luhan diverted the subject.

Kris shrugged, “Go ahead. You’re going to be the leading sniper in our next mission.”

“What?” Luhan asked in disbelief.

“You heard me,” Kris went on. “You still have time, don’t worry yet. We’re still going to figure out how to best surprise them.”