Chapter 5

“Where are you?”

“Still in the auditorium..”

“What? Why? Did something wrong happen?”

“Nothing. Just miscalculated some things.”

“Did you kill him already?”

“Are you underestimating me?”

“Just… why are you still in there? We should be escaping right now, hyung.” Chen hissed on his radiophone, arms still emitting electric waves to corrupt and jumble the electric current inside Uruha Camp.

He’s currently inside the main power supply building. It’s not hard to get there. Soldiers guarding the place aren’t even par with his level and the place is few kilometres away from the auditorium where the gathering is taking place. And considering that it is total blackout inside the whole camp, it will take few more minutes before any soldiers can reach here. It’s more than enough for them to make their escape. And they should really be making their escape right now.

“Just met me at the rooftop of the Sanctuary Building.”

Sanctuary Building. It’s the white tall building with blue drapery hanging on its highest window containing the emblem of the camp. It is where the Head is residing alongside with its team. It’s near here as he has passed it awhile ago.

“Alright. Just make it quick, hyung.” he tries not to show his frustration in his voice. He doesn’t know why but something here is making him restless and he doesn’t like it. Slipping in the mask, badge still active, he made his way out, passing dead bodies and unto the nearby white building.

--

Pocketing back the radio, Xiumin turns around and face the Commissioner whose half of the body is frozen with ice.

Troublesome.

“Unhand me this instant and I will think about sparing your life, rebel.”

Despite being in the disadvantage, he still has the guts to act superior. Huh! Capitol puppets are all the same. They think they are far greater and more significant just because they are dressed in robes and gold badges.

“So troublesome.” He muttered under his breath before freeing his face off his mask. There was a moment of silence after their eyes met and Xiumin could see the recognition slowly creeping in the commissioner’s brown eyes.

Yeah, troublesome indeed.

“You, son of a demon! So it made sense why Masquerade is so eager with this war is because they have people like you in their side.”

He watched him struggle with his bounds to no avail. Ah, so Capitol puppets can also feel fear. Sitting down in a chair in front of him, crossing his legs and staring straight into him, so this is how they feel the superiority.

“So I am the demon, now, eh? What did I miss? How come I am not informed?”

The commissioner stopped struggling after noticing the coldness in his voice. They stared at each other for while before the older broke into a fit of mocking laughter. Sitting comfortably amidst his bounds, the mind games started.

“Heh, you think you can win against us? Just because you caught me?” There was a smirk in his voice. “Then let me tell, you’re in for a rude awakening.”

Too bad, two can play this game.

“Oh, but I’ve been awakened long, long time ago. Is Ruga’s district mayor not enough?”

The commissioner’s eyes narrowed into slits before struggling out again.

“You killed my brother! Curse you! Is this your revenge now, huh! You think you can kill me?”

“I do believe I can kill you.” From his palm, a thin ice needle formed.

He was stunned for a moment that Xiumin could see a little fear in his eyes. Smirking, he stands up.

“Are you afraid, Sir Knight?”  the commissioner’s eyes widened at the recognition of an old endearment. Ah, who would have thought that a simple word of adoration before can now elicit fear from the same person.

“I’m not afraid of death.”

“Of course, judging by how many have you already killed, you won’t even blink at death by now.” he stepped forward until he’s a few meters away from him. “I’m not expecting that we will meet under this circumstance, Sir Knight. Tell me,” he squats in front of him. “How’s life treating you?”

If earlier, there was a little fear seen in his eyes, now it was overflowing. But he’s not satisfied. Not yet. Running the thin needle against his chest, he stopped it at his beating heart.

“You won’t succeed. I’m making sure of it!”

He sighed. He was already consumed by his own fears. It was already game over.

“You’re annoying.” And with that, he slowly slipped in the ice needle. The commissioner knows what it can do.

“No. stop it! Pull it back! P-pull it back! no.. pull… i-it… b-back…” His body was now slumping forward and if not by the ice around him, he would surely have slumped on the floor.

His ice needles are sub zeros. Upon making contact with a person’s body, it will immediately turn the body’s temperature into zero degrees Celsius. It’s only a matter of time before his heart will stop beating. He stands up and made his way towards the door.

“…you won’t succeed..” the commissioner tried raising his head but his eyes only made it.. “…you won’t b-because you don’t know how to l-love..”

“What do you know about love?”  he snarled at him.

The commissioner tried to laugh but it only sounded like he was gurgling.

“…you can’t f-forever h-hide, Minseok-ah.. t-they w-will f-find y-you a-and-

“And I’m making sure they can’t lay a finger on him.”

He was already closing his eyes. Few more beats and his heart will be frozen.

“…is t-that y-your d-definition of l-love?.. b-because i-it i-isn’t.. y-you’re p-p-pat-thetic..”

His heart stopped beating and he undone the ice around him. Dusting off his hands, the ice mage secured the mask back into his face and made his way out of the room.

“Thanks for the advice but I don’t need love, Sir Knight.”

And locked the door tightly as it can be.

--

The auditorium was in utter chaos. There are soldiers running and scampering to and fro while the whole room reeked with the smell of blood.

 “Yixing ge!”

Yixing raised his head and saw Zitao panting while carrying two unconscious bodies with him. He motioned to put them down beside Yi Fan, who he’s still healing at the moment.

“Where are the others?”  he asked but not taking eyes off Yi Fan.

“Luhan ge and the others are on the chase. Baekhyun hyung is assisting the human soldiers to move out of the hall with the help on Chanyeol hyung’s fire.”

He nodded. So the electricity is still unfixed. This blackout is absolutely done by a badge holder.

“Zitao. Aren’t you wondering?”

“About what?”

“You said..” he let out an exhale. “You said that you saw Xiumin ge earlier, right?”

Zitao tensed beside him but nodded nonetheless. “Yes.”

“It could be really true.” his fingers tremble atop Yi Fan’s temple.

“How can you be sure?”

“Why are all the soldiers guarding the stage and the commissioner dead except Yi Fan? I … I don’t want to assume but it’s a big coincidence that Yi Fan is the only one alive.”

“The commissioner isn’t dead until his body is found.” Zitao answered with a frown.

“Right. But-

“Do you really think Xiumin ge or Chen ge for the matter will spare Yi Fan ge’s life just because?” Zitao avert his eyes unto the scampering soldiers lining to get out of the hall fast without bothering they may have hurt someone in the process. “I know what I saw and I believe I saw Xiumin ge earlier but I don’t think he will stop himself from killing Yi Fan if given a chance. He’s just… different.”

There was a moment of silence.

Yixing bit my lip.  He firmly believes that to take a person’s life even if he’s the worst human ever existed is never justifiable. Everyone has a right to live the same as no one has the right to decide of what would happen in one’s life moreover take it away. But Xiumin and Chen, they killed and killed and killed some more. And he can’t understand no matter how hard he tries to put himself in their shoes why they need to kill. Killing is never a solution.

“I’m joining the chase.”

Looking up, he saw Tao talking to someone on his radio phone.

“Luhan ge and the others need backup. They have found the Commissioner’s body but the culprit has not left the camp yet.”

“But the Commissioner-

“Dead.”

He clenched his hand. Glancing at Yi Fan’s unmoving body, he stands up.

“I’ll join too.”

“But Yi Fan ge-

“He’s alright.” he waved at some Uruhan medic nearby.

“I’m attending some injured people outside, please take care of him.” The said medic upon recognizing the Commissioner’s Knight immediately called two more medics.

“We got this.”

“Yeah, thank you.” After bowing down, he turned to Tao sharply. “How can they be sure that the culprit hasn’t escaped yet?”

“Minho hyung activated his badge right after the black out. He surrounded the Camp’s premises. He confirmed that no one has got out the camp yet.”

Yixing nodded. Minho’s badge is magnetism and it made sense that if anyone tried to go out the magnetic field he has built around the camp, it will be known to him.

“Ok. We need to hurry up.”

“Yes, hyung.”

--

“ing magnetic field.”

Chen has reached the rooftop of the Sanctuary Building minutes ago. It’s actually a nice escape gate since the building overlooks the whole camp and is even higher than that of the camp’s wall. But the problem is that surrounding the wall is a thick magnetic field and if they try to insist their escape, they will surely be caught. It may be invisible to the eye but his electric pulses and waves have caught on the strong pull of it. Another problem is that Xiumin is still nowhere of sight.

What could he be doing at this moment?

He tries not to imagine various situation of where the older is involved ranging from getting caught to getting hurt. This is Xiumin they’re talking about. The man that had killed thousands of people since nine, the kid that had escaped many near death situations – with him as the primary witness, since he’s an escapee also – but, damn this is also Uruha Camp that they’re talking about.

Freeing his face from the constricting cat mask, Chen tried to drill some hole again in the thick magnetic field. He needs to be careful not to hit some parts which are repulsive of his current to not alert whoever is the badge holder of this power.

An echo of a foot step alerted him from his doings. Before climbing the top of the building, he has scattered few of his electric neutrons around the area to serve as alarm of people nearby. Seven kilometres from here, four no, five persons are currently heading his place.

Damn. Xiumin hyung. If you took a few minutes more of pleasure lounging inside this camp, I am ing abandoning you.

Oh, if only he has telepathy.

--

Zitao and Yixing met Luhan’s group consisting of Sehun and Kyungsoo just outside the next building. Thankfully they are unharmed.

“What happened?” Yixing immediately asked after checking their condition.

“They found the Commissioner’s body in the room next the auditorium, dead. There were no stab marks or anything that will tell us that he was hit. He was just left there sitting on a chair, cold and unmoving.” Kyungsoo reported diligently.

“His way of killing, whoever he was, is usually used by calibre assassins. Leaving no trace of how he was killed effectively and efficiently.” Luhan added.

“We can’t just label this as some work done by ‘rebels claiming they are Masquerade’. This is definitely Masquerade’s doings.”

Sehun’s radio phone then beeped. He held it in front of them for everyone to hear. It was from Junmyeon’s team. They are at the building that houses the main power source of the camp.

“The main power supply building was also attacked. It was the main reason why the whole camp was affected. Apparently, a badge holder was the one responsible. All the guards are dead. No electric plant was destroyed but the electric current was alternated.”

“Hyung, Yixing was with us. Do you need him? We’ll send him there.”

“It’s alright, Sehun ah. We have medics here and Jongin’s teleportation is already enough in case of emergency. How about you, what is the condition there?”

“The Commissioner’s body was found in the room that is next to the auditorium. Unfortunately, he was already dead. Right now, Minho hyung’s team are guarding all exit gates and he had wrapped the whole camp in his magnetic field. We need to corner the assassin before he could make his escape.”

“Don’t let the culprit escape.”

Junmyeon’s voice was stern and unforgiving.

“Alright, hyung. We’ll phone you back if-

“Wait. The Sanctuary Building. That is the only remaining building that hasn’t been scouted yet. We need to go there.” Luhan interjected.

“But ge, outsiders are not allowed inside the Sanctuary Building, unless we have permission.” Yixing reminded him since they tried to enter the said building two days ago but was denied.

“You have my permission.”

That was the voice of Second in Command of the Camp, Kim Myungsoo. So Junmyeon’s team was with them.

“Alright. Thank you. We’ll contact you back again, Junmyeon hyung.”

“Ok. We’ll be there shortly after we fix the lightning system.”

The moment the conversation ended, the team immediately flew out of the area to where the Sanctuary Building is.

This time they will get it right.

This time they will be the one doing their job.

--

Five kilometers.

Five persons. All badge holders. At least they would be more exciting to fight with than those lame excuses for guards back in the main power supply building. Well, that is if they manage to get here before Xiumin does which Chen bets is more of a possibility than the latter.

Four kilometres.

Should I stop drilling and made my escape already?

But then for sure Xiumin will definitely search him and roast him with his own lightning. That’s one problem if you have a bipolar for a companion.

Three more kilometres.

“And here I thought my hands will not be stained by blood. So much for hoping.”

He stopped ‘drilling’ into that annoying magnetic field – a little bit more and a person can already fit – and retreat into a more shadowy part of the rooftop waiting for his new ‘form’ of entertainment to arrive. At least he’ll get to let out his frustrations.

Two kilometers more.

Xiumin hyung will never hear the end of his whining. He’s making sure of it. He will cook him food for the next month. He will do the laundry for a three weeks, fix his bed for two weeks and do all he’ll say for a week (of course he can’t let it go for more than a week, he still care for his future). And oh hey, they are only a kilometer away.

“Can they be more eager and faster and just get this done with. I have a wandering sheep to fetch after this.”

500 meters.

Chen scrunched up his nose at the now closing gap in the magnetic field. It seems like the badge holder of this one is on a higher level. Unless you continue drilling, you won’t be able to keep a hole in it.

100 meters.

Three floors away.

Two floors.

One floor away.

Showtime.

--

Yixing’s sure of it. Someone is here but they’ve already scan every room of every floor of the Sanctuary Building but no other soul aside from them are present. Something is wrong here.

“Did we calculate it wrong?” Kyungsoo asked in between his breath.

“No. the culprit is here. I am sure of it.” he said with conviction.

“But we are already on the last floor. He hasn’t escaped yet, has he?”

“Rooftop.” Was only Luhan’s breathless reply.

“I wish my badge would be helpful at this moment.” Sehun said remorsefully.

“It will be helpful in capturing the culprit.”

One intersection more and he’s sure that there will be a small door at the end of the hallway that will lead them to the top. Few more steps, Yixing. Few more.

Arriving lastly at the door, Luhan stopped them for a moment.

Zitao frowns at him but stopped nonetheless.

“Don’t let your guards down. Remember that we are going to deal with a Masquerade member. Protect yourself and everyone.”

Everyone nods.

“Alright. Let’s do this.”

--

Moving silently in closed spaces with guards all over the place has never been a hard task for Xiumin. For all assassination missions, it’s always a requisite. But tonight, apprehension was flowing all over his system. Maybe it was fuelled by the unexpected encounter with the Commissioner earlier, aside from the fact that few things really did slip from his calculations.  He needs to be more extra careful.

“Aside from assassinating the Commissioner, I want you to retrieve a small package for me, Umin ah.” Hongki’s grin grew wider as he placed three black and white pictures in the table in front of him.

Just from one look, anyone can tell that the pictures are those of a lab.

“A laboratory?”

“Yes and no.”

He raised a brow at him.

“It is a laboratory from the point of view others but it could be a ‘home’ for someone like us.” The word home was emphasized by his fingers quoting in the air.

Home.  More of asylum.

“Well, for someone, it serves as a place for producing livestock. You know those plump, healthy and adorable sacrificial lambs. On the other hand, some people saw it as the only place they can belong.” Hongki’s hands are moving in the air in exaggeration.

He stared at him for a minute before letting an exhale.

He know what those connotations are. He’d been there. Done the same, treated that place as home – despite how much he hated it, they have no choice – experienced the same.

“There’s an underground, a basement below the basement of the building where the inauguration will be taking place. A laboratory, if that’s what you want to call it, has something I needed badly. I want you to get it for me.”

Glancing at his left – him hidden in a corner of an intersection – were two Uruhan soldiers guarding the main door towards the lab. From Hongki’s pictures, the first part of the hallway inside that door is structured like prison cells. At the end are two adjacent hallways.

“You will turn left after the hallway. At the end of that is a room. The room contains the records of the lab. You will find a  book that contains the records dated 40 years ago.”

Forty years ago.

Xiumin briefly wondered if something significant happened forty years ago. Glancing at his wristwatch – he’s already forty seven minutes delayed – he also wondered what was Chen’s doing at this moment. But still, he needs to finish this fast. He can’t risk Chen being alone, especially if the latter has the ability to magnet all troubles around him. Deciding that waiting would be futile, Xiumin stepped out from his hiding alerting the two guards. Even before they could do something, he threw two sharp ice needles easily hitting their temples. Their bodies immediately dropped to the floor.

He freezed the hallway in case there were alarms or hidden cameras. The door needs to be open by some kind of mark that is scanned. Glancing down the two dead guards, swiftly scanning any marks in their body, he found a small tattoo, the Camp insignia, on the tip of the left forefinger on one of the guards.

Tricky.

After quickly scanning the said mark after cutting the forefinger, the door opens without another second. The room is dark, only illuminated by the single light at the end of the hallway. But it is enough for him to tell that there are people inside the cells.

Lab rats.

Guinea pigs of the Capitol.

“Ajusshi.”

His head snapped towards the direction of the voice. Even though he can’t clearly see, he’s sure that the voice belongs to a small girl.

“Ajusshi, I know you are there. I’ll … I’ll shout if you won’t answer.”

.

“I’m here. What do you want?” he did not bother softening his voice. He knew that she’s used to these kind of treatment. More harsher, in fact. Kneeling down in front of her with only the cell bars separating them, he saw a pretty girl with pale skin although it was covered with bruises and scars.

“I know you’re not here to save me. But you’re not also one of those who hurt me.” Her hand moves forward grasping his knee and catching him off guard. Her hands are cold. Before he could draw away, she spoke.

“Ajusshi, if you manage to get away from here, can you… can you tell my Mama I love her?”

“Oppa, If I die today, can you promise to continue smiling for me?”

Xiumin blinked, stunned by the unexpected flash of an unwanted memory. He harshly draws his knee away from her touch. How dare her make him remember something he tried so hard to bury away?

“Ajusshi..”

“I can’t.” The girl did not even flinch as if she was already expecting that answer. She draws her hand back to clasp the metal bars and pressed her small face in it. That is when he saw her eyes. Eyes that no longer held hope, eyes that had given up a long time ago, eyes that had already enough pain to last a lifetime.

“Do you want to die?” he found himself asking instead.

“Can you give that to me?” he was surprised at the expectation in her voice. It was like death was her only hope.

“Yes.” he answered back with full conviction and formed a small ice needle.

“Ajusshi.. I can finally see my Mama, thank you.” Pressing the small needle in her temple, he watched as her body slump forward the metal bars, a small smile grazing her lips.

After a minute of sitting there, just watching her unmoving body, he willed himself to stand up. He has a mission to finish. Glancing down for the last time, he did not felt any regret in killing her. Not that she’s against it anyway. At least she gave him a reason to kill her. He can’t afford a witness to live after failing to kill Yi fan earlier. It was rule number one for assassins like him. Besides it’s been a long time since he felt emotion like pity and regret. So he doesn’t mind. Emotions are dangerous.

And he still has a mission to finish.

Without any further distractions, he managed to break into the Records Room. It’s wide with shelves after shelves of books and journals lining up on both sides of the room. It’s not hard to find what he’s been looking for since the journals are arranged in chronological order.

He found the journal exactly dated forty years ago sitting in between a file of Uruhan soldiers and a book he did not bother finding out what it is. Filling up his curiosity – and also why forty years ago – he opened it to a certain page, somewhat in the middle, only to close it back sharply. His heart was thundering in his chest, breath getting shorter and shallower. He took a sharp intake of breath but the picture he saw and the familiarity – as well as the pain and anger rushes that into like waves – was already carved in his brain.

“It can’t be.”         

“..you can’t f-forever h-hide, Minseok-ah..”

--

Even though the camp is still in blackout, the moon is surprisingly full this night. It makes the rooftop look like a ballroom hall of those palaces in fantasy books.

“No one is here.” Sehun whispered.

Yes, the rooftop is strangely empty. But this place is really a perfect escape route for the culprit and Minho hyung hadn’t alerted yet anyone so it only mean one thing, unless the culprit had already manage to find another way of escape.

Yixing balled his fist. Are they late again? How many times situation like this do happened to them? In which they’re always the one catching up, the one doing the chasing and the one who’s always left behind.

Luhan retrieved his radio phone in his pocket and called Junmyeon about the situation. There was a little disappointment mixed with exasperation in his eyes. Maybe he’s also expecting this, maybe almost looking forward to this.

He can’t say he has totally moved on. Ironic isn’t it? That earlier this night he’s all bent up with this ‘move on’ speech. Closure. That is all he needs. He already accepted the fact that they won’t return. He just need something - a reason – anything that will show that they also had moved on. Without us.

“Yixing.”

All his thoughts left him – along with his breath – upon hearing his name called. He knew that voice. He can recognize it anywhere, plaguing both his waking and sleeping hours. His body stiffened considerably but he willed himself to turn around. He needed to see him.

“Chen.”

He was there, sitting innocently at one of the stone railings, his left finger toying the eyehole of the mask his holding. Chen was there and he had the urge to rub his eyes, to make sure it is not just one of his dreams. He was there, the face that he’s longed to see, yearned to feel. He was there and Yixing can feel his eyes water and his heart ready to leap out his chest.

“Chen.”

He wanted to hug him, enclosed him in his arms so that he can’t run away. Run away from him.

But he felt a strong grip on his arm and saw Luhan with a stern face. He’s seizing his left arm. He did not realize that he had already walked few steps forward, towards him. Kyungsoo and Tao are already in their defensive stance.

“Xing.” Luhan had this warning in his voice that made him snapped out of his reverie.

“But Lu-

“No. Yixing, he’s an enemy.”

Enemy.

That made him stunned out. Right. Chen is their enemy now. He killed the Commissioner. He killed people. He hurt Yi fan. And he will kill more if he won’t be stopped now.

“Did you kill the Commissioner?” Kyungsoo asked menacingly, badge ready to be activated at any moment.

“Aw~ did you find his body already?” Chen had a smirk on his face. After a while, he stopped playing with his mask and attached it to his hip before standing up and out to where his body is fully illuminated by the full moon.

And he had the urge to gasp.

He is more beautiful than ever. Sharper jaw, cat-like lips, feline eyes that is more punctuated with the smirk he’s currently sporting. His dreams did no justice picturing his face. But then, Yixing had also realized a thing. Gone is the Chen tha he had learned to love and probably will love forever. Gone the trace of the haughty boy who always likes to smile, gone the boy who loved to tease and prank others, gone the man who had the ability to comfort the best and most of all gone are the eyes that held so much love for him.

What happened, Chen? What happened to us?

Yixing liked to think that maybe Chen had just got this all wrong. That maybe if he will see him again, he will realize his mistakes. But as the happenings of tonight finally dawned in him, Yixing doubts any of that will happen.

Closure, Yixing. This is what you want right? But why does it hurt so much?

“Zitao.”  Luhan growled lowly and before he could comprehend what was happening, all movements stopped. The last thing he could remember was that Chen’s hair stopped swaying along with the wind, frozen in space.

--

Luhan remembered ordering Zitao to stop the time and capture Chen. He also remembered asking him to knock Chen unconscious to avoid further problems. Chen was a friend. A special one, considering his and Yixing’s relationship and Yixing is one of the closest to him, so this encounter with him is a hard one. He knew Yixing felt helpless the most. Having known that the one who killed the commissioner is loved one, Luhan wonders how is he still able to stand in front of him. Still, they need to do this because this is the right thing to do.

But somehow, in a twisted kind of way, Luhan can still see Chen standing in front of them. Is Zitao’s badge still activated? But he can perfectly feel all his senses already.

“Zitao!!”

He heard a shout. No, he heard Sehun frantically screaming Zitao’s name. Confused, he turned around only to widen his eyes.

Zitao’s blood is everywhere.

Everywhere. Spluttered messily on his clothes and is now currently making a pool beside his unmoving body on the floor. Yixing was trying hard to stop the bleeding. Kyungsoo, on the other hand, was still standing shocked.

The time warp was destroyed from the outside. Zitao’s time warp was ing destroyed by someone from the outside!

“Luhan.”

His head snapped towards the direction of the voice, lips quivering, hands trembling, heart fast beating.

The voice. God that voice.

A boy, no a man, was now regally standing beside Chen. Half of his body is blocking Chen’s as if protecting him. Below them was also a pool of red liquid starting to accumulate from his dripping hands that he is a hundred percent sure was Zitao’s blood.

“X-xiumin.”