EJ climbed into the van and sighed when she saw the people that were part of the mission. R(ina), Sin, K, and J. She was disappointed because she thought N would have cooled down and joined the mission. He didn’t need to because L was in a bye week. She just though with his intuition, the mission would end quickly.

“EJ, where’s N? Also, do you think L will actually come with us?” asked Rina.

“Ugh, that guy really wants a beating. I’m going to get him. Sin, K, and J check our equipment before we leave because we’re not going back,” said EJ as she left the fan again.

“EJ, don’t. He’s broken right now,” said Rina as got off the van after EJ.

“Broken? He needs to it up because all of us are broken. Bomi, I mean Rina or R. . .a lot of people disappeared, dead, or claimed to be dead. Sin, J, and K are the only that survived the wrath of our head. I don’t know why they are working for her but I do know that we all want one goal and that is to either be in the wretched head’s good side like L or be able to claim that we’re dead just like what H did. Do you know how much we suffered because of her?”

Rina looked at EJ and sighed because she was right. Sin, J, and K have no loyalty just like the rest of the agents in this damned agency. She didn’t know how H was able to claim his death but it seemed he was able to change his name and become AOL’s agent 05. Rina watched EJ walk into the building as she walked back and leaned against the van, watching K and Sin check the inventory. J stopped and walked toward Rina, sitting beside her.

“Hey, why are you worried?” asked J.

“Jin, aren’t you worried about this mission?” asked Rina.

“No, not really. I’m just here because I don’t want to get severely punished but I never really got punished like you and the others,” said J.

J touched Rina’s scar on her shoulder that she got from the whip a few days ago failing a cyber mission against 03. She knew it was against 03 because the code was definitely complex but simple to read once cracked. She rarely got punished compared to EJ and N but her rare punishments were severe because the head has high expectations of her. Rina backed away from J when he touched her scars.

“Stop it Jin, you know exactly why I can’t accept you,” stated Rina as she walked toward K and Sin.

Before J could say anything, he watched Rina leave his grasp. He didn’t understand EJ, N, L, and Rina. He just knew that they were all connected by an invisible string. Sin and K were completely clueless because they were just rookies but he was in the business as long as those four and the dead H. Even when he tried to be friendly with them, they shut him out as if they couldn’t trust him. What can he do to gain Bomi’s trust? He didn’t know but he will find what binds all of them together. The only way to find out is by going on this mission with them.

****

EJ walked into the filing room and saw N sitting at a carrel looking through files. She gave a sigh and walked toward the carrel, placed her arms on N’s shoulder only to dodge his instinctive hands of pulling her toward him. N stood up and saw it was just EJ. He shoved the files into the folder and gave a sigh.

“You can’t just sneak up on me like that. You know exactly what I would do,” said N as he sat on the desk while looking at EJ.

“I know, I forgot so that’s why I dodged you quickly before you even tried to hurt me. Anyways, what were you looking at anyway? Forbidden files?”

“Files of H and how he died. Also, our files,” said N as he ruffled his hair.

“You know she won’t have it all laying out here, she won’t trust us especially you and me.”

“That’s what you think but I found L’s confidential files and it’s exactly how he handed them to the wretched head. All of our files are the same except H’s. He’s marked dead but what’s interesting about H’s file is that his death was suicide when clearly he faked his death,” said N as he gave the files to EJ.

“What are you trying to say, Woohyun? I don’t understand. We can’t just fake our death like H. It will all be suspicious and the head will search for us especially for you, N.”

“Exactly. This is why I like talking to you, EJ. You get my point easily compared to Bomi. Now, why would the AOL agency send all of their elites to this place? I think I know who wrote that note to L. Don’t you see, Eunji? We have a way to escape this place, once and for all.”

“That’s risky. Why would she or he would even write that note in the first place?”

“We have to fake our deaths, Eunji. We have to pretend that we all died that way we can escape this hell hole. That’s the only way to end this tragic route. Think about it? H faked his death and joined the AOLs.”

“You’re crazy, N. Wool where Lim the shepherd lives would never say to fake their death. That’s not part of our code.”

“EJ, we will find another way to bring back Dr. Sunggyu and Agent Yookyung but right now, we’ve been trapped in this cycle for years. That note says it’s time for us to go back and bring back the goddess to Mt. Olympus.”

“She’s a ticking time bomb, N. You know that! That watch will kill her,” whispered EJ.

“Exactly why we need to bring the leader god to her because she will be able to come back to her senses.”

“That won’t stop the watch from activating and besides how-”

EJ stopped talking when she heard knocking from the door as Woohyun took out his weapon, he turned to the door and found L standing there. They both sighed in relief as Woohyun put his gadget away.

“Next time, speak quietly. You’re lucky I was the one standing near the door. Anyways, with much persuasion, I finally got the head to approve of me for this mission,” said L as he walked away.  

“Wait, L!” yelled EJ as she ran after him.

Woohyun sighed as he placed the files back to where they came. He looked at the files again before leaving the room, following his group. He was willing to risk everything if it means leaving this place since he had nothing left.

****

The AOL elites looked at 03 and 02 weirdly that seemed to have joined the mission last minute. Everyone was in the van ready to leave when the two stated that they were physically going with them.

“Change of plan, guys. We’re coming too,” said 02.

“You’re kidding, right? Namjoo, I mean 02, do you know how dangerous this mission is?” said 07 as she looked at the equipment that 03 and 02 were carrying.

“Yeah, we know and I realized how stupid I was because not everything was going to work. If I lose communication with you all, I will be the one at fault. Besides, I benefit everyone.”

“No, it’s cool because 03 is a good engineer. We do need her if we want to succeed this mission,” said 06.

“See, 06 agrees with me. 07, you should be more flexible.”

“Flexible? Says the girl who almost died when we both were at that terro-”

“Okay! I will be in the van with 03 during this mission, okay? Besides everyone will take care of me.”

“Fine, plunge into your death then, 02,” said 04 as he climbed the driver’s seat.

07 smacked 04’s arm for being so rude to the girl he actually likes. It wasn’t 04’s fault because she was giving him the silent treatment. 02 smiled and stuffed her cyber equipment into the van with the help of 03. 03 patted 02’s head and said that everything will work out. She gave a sigh because 04 was being cold to her but it was his fault for hurting her so many times. The two were intertwined with thorns and broken promises. 04 watched from his back view mirror that 03 and 02 climbed the van.

“The ride is long so everyone be nice to each other,” said 04 as he left HQ. 

Wow. The last time I updated was last year. You don't know how hard it was for me to come up with this chapter. I dropped this story and felt that I should stop but then I reread this story so many times, realizing that I needed to continue it. Slow updates but my goal is to finish this story by next year.