A Ticket to the Underworld

Narrow roads, hidden doors, abandon buildings, and a dark stairway all were the secret route to the so call “dark side” his father had mentioned. It’s only Donghae and his father on the road. The sun setting behind them as the darkness slowly consume the ground. They slipped into another route and entered a house.

A woman covered by a thin dress opened a small gap from the door. She had a cigarette hanging from the corner of . Her heavy eyes, dragged down by makeup, scanned Minjoong again. With a puff of white smoke, her dark red lips moved.

“Who is that?” Her lifeless black pupil reflected Donghae’s tensed movement.

“The next successor.” Minjoong lowered his voice. The woman place the cigarette between her fingers and push the door open. Minjoong stepped in. Donghae followed. The woman smirked when Donghae walked passed her.

“Jessica’s lover. Huh?” The woman mumbled to herself, but she only stood by the doorway.

Minjoong and Donghae walked down a stair and entered an underground room. As soon as the door opened, a chill run up his back. Cold sweat slowly formed on his front head. Donghae his dry lips and exhaled heavily.

“Stay with me.” Minjoong warned. “This is the only way you can live. Live by the rules.”

Donghae watches as his father walked entered the room with his head up. As soon as Donghae stepped in he heard a child’s scream, but unable to find the owner of it. Everyone’s eyes were on them.

The underground is the size of the football field. According to his father, there are still more routes that he hasn’t been there before.

The one they just entered now it’s call the ticket area. They bring children and brainwash them into killing machine. The ones can’t handle the training will be turn into workers and help them make machines and guns.

“Keep your eyes to yourself.” Minjoong warned as they walked by children that were being tortured. Donghae to to keep the anger in. He can’t do anything now. The killers will slice his throat.

“Joong. My money machine.” A man jumped down from the five feet ceiling. He looped his arm around Minjoong. Donghae examined the machine gun around his dark muscular arm. The man turned and saw Donghae from the corner of his eye. He raised his left eyebrow and circled around Donghae.

As if he is sniffing for a fight, the man pull himself closer to imitate Donghae.

“My ice queen is your sister? I don’t see it.” The guy laughed.

“Ivan. That is the next successor. Back away.” A girl’s voice scold. Krystal walked towards them. She had a small handgun by her waist. Her walking is abnormal and slow.

“Shut up. Crooked leg.” Ivan teasered. Krystal grabbed Ivan by the neck and pull herself towards him.

“Say it again and I will rip you apart.”

“More like what Jessica will do to you.” Ivan snapped back.

“You little...”

“Enough.” Minjoong shoot a look to them. They scanned him. “I am here for the leader.”

Krystal brought them to elevator and opened with a key. Ivan tripped Donghae as he entered the elevator. The bad boy’s laughter were the only sound as the metal door separated them.

“They are all like that.” Minjoong added. “You need to stay alert. We will entering the assassinator underworld.”

The metal door slide open. A knife flew toward the elevator. Donghae dodged, but it left a cut on his cheek. He touched the fresh wound and found blood on the tips of his finger. He shoot a death look to the direction ahead.

A girl with a mask looked at him dully. She blinked and turned away.

“What did you see? Mei.” A boy jumped down from a chair. He turned to Donghae and Minjoong.

“The leader please. Mat and Mei” Minjoong bowed to the little kids. The boy’s expression suddenly changed. It is the most evil smile Donghae had ever seen from a kid. The lips curled up unnaturally and the sinister words spoken between his lips.

“You can always exchange a chance with your organ.”

Minjoong’s eye open wide with fear and a cold ran down his back.

“Just kidding.” The boy smiled again. “The leader is in that room.” The boy pointed to the endless hall.

As they walked, Minjoong swallowed hard. “The two kid by the door are the scariest.”

“What do you mean?”

“They are the children of the devil. They don’t kill. They torture. It seems like the only person they like is Jessica.” Minjoong shivered.

This is the first time Donghae had seen her father like this. His father had been a furious and cruel man but it seems like there is someone else. A more powerful figure.

The one who wanted to rule the whole world with a group of trained assassinators.

A girl step out the door way. The dark fabric lined perfectly tight with her curves and the heels defined her long leg even more. A light smile lift up from the corner of her soft pink lips. A sweet smile raise on her face. Her beauty can match up with Yoona and Jessica. Minjoong, however, frozen in place.

He suddenly bowed in a 90 degree angle. Her lips lifted up and crossed her arms. She looked over at Donghae, who stood there and didn’t make a move.

“Bow.” Minjoong whispered the word.

“Who is she?” Donghae projected loudly.

“Miss Yong.” Minjoong suddenly kneel to the ground. The smile on Yong’s face disappeared. She scanned Donghae from up to down. Those challenging eye stare zipping through the air between them. “Please forgive my son.” Minjoong’s face mubble towards the ground.

“What do you think about this place?” Yong took a step closer. Donghae didn’t back up he held his head high.

“Miss Yong. He don’t know any...”

The sound of gunshot echoed down the hall. Donghae shutted his eyes close for a second. His heart beats increase, hands sweating and preparing for the fight or flight moment. He look over at his father at the floor.

Still alive. However, there is a hole on the ground right next to him.

Donghae lift his head up the ceiling and found the two kid by the doorway hanging on the water pipe with a gun.

Rule number one:

Never speak unless you are told to.

Donghae heard the sound of swallow against his ears. He controlled his shaky voice and inhale to speak.

“I wish I won’t be here for long.” The only thing on his mind.

“I like you honesty.” The woman said. “You are Jessica’s brother right?”

Donghae nodded.

“They should have brought you into the training before, but your old man just have to pay you out.” Yong stretched her arm. “ What a waste! You would have been popular with the ladies.” She exclaimed with a yawn.  “You will be next in place for his position. He will tell you the detail.”

She rolled her eyes again. “One simple thing.” Yong lend towards Donghae’s ear, “ Money is everything.”

Rule number two:

Rich.

“Welcome to the society.” She smiled then started to head down the dark hallway.

Donghae took a step forward, then he hesitated. His father supported himself up from the wall. Donghae‘s brows furrowed.

He formed his hand into a fist.“Wait!”

Rule number three

The moment you are born into this family, you are destined to abandon your love and life.

O, Romeo

“Everyone has their fate and the more people try to avoid it, the more trouble they get into.”

“No.”

The woman turned around with eyebrow raised and eyes wide. The joker smile on her face appeared.

“No!”

“I am not joining. I am not my father. You can’t just control me.” Donghae lifted his father up and headed towards the elevator.

“What are you doing! Donghae.” Minjoong tried to scold his son in a low whisper, but his voice was shaking.

“I really have no time for this.” Yong’s eyes grow with anger and frustration. “I guess gentle is not your style. Lee Donghae.” She turned around and walked away.

Before he knew it, a group of people surrounded them. Each took a kick and punch. Every kick and punch is straight to the meat and bones. They said no word. Donghae curl into a infant position, but it did not reduce the pain.

He clenched his teeth and held his breath. This is the place that can’t exist.

He has to save these kids. He has to save Jessica.

He has save himself.

They sat on the wooden floor. Jessica leaned against Heechul’s board shoulder. Heechul wrapped his arms around her. The room is quiet. She had her eyes on a spot.

“You really have nothing here.” Heechul commented.

“I have all the drugs and poison in the a cabin.” Jessica sighed.

“Well, that is nice to know.” Heechul said sarcastically.

“It looks like I am out of the game.” Jessica closed her eyes. “I should hide and live the rest of my life or maybe I should face death too.”

“Don’t you dare to betray me again.” Heechul pulled her closer.

“I can’t be sure. My prey.” The girl looked at him with those dead eyes. “Run from me as long as you can.”

Jessica suddenly jumped to a one knee squat from a small sound. She turned her attention to the kitchen counter.

“It’s just the phone.” Heechul said.

Jessica stood up and walked towards the phone. Suspicions never left her, because she was trained to be aware of her surroundings.

She picked up her phone.

The echo of Yoona’s voice traveled out from the speaker.

“Jessica...” There are a few seconds of silence between her voice. Jessica heard her inhale. “I have something to discuss with you... Donghae is here. Hurt. I know you don’t want to get involved, but come over to my house with Heechul.”

“What it is?” Jessica questioned. There is a paused. Yoona didn’t say anything. The voice over the phone inhale heavily.

Then Jessica heard it again. The sound of loading gun travel from her right. She quickly turned and dodged with a kick. The phone flew and spinned on the ground. Heechul jumped up to his feet.

There is another person in the house, Jina...

Jessica locked her arms with Jina’s. She used her strength to control Jina from aiming the mouth of her gun. Heechul scrambled towards Jessica’s bags and attempted to find her gun.

Jina aimed her gun towards Heechul’s back. She step on Jessica’s socks and trip her down to the ground with the other leg. Her prey became more clear. She aimed the place where Heechul’s heart is located. Her finger move towards the trigger.

Jessica sweep the floor with her right leg. The gun fired. Sound of pain filled in the empty room.

In the silence, Donghae’s voice echoed from the cracked phone.

“Have you thought about defeating your own teacher? Ripping the ticket to the underworld? I want to destroy this all for once.”