PLEASE READ: Hello. I just want to tell you guys that I’ve change the POV of this story. I just realized that when I was writing the succeeding chapters. It’s actually hard to write fight scenes in first person POV. So before posting this chapter, I’ve changed all 7 chapters first. I haven’t changed anything major. I just wanted you to know. That’s all. Read on.

Chapter 8

Romaq. A town seventeen miles west of Calip's Central and nine miles off Camp Vindria. An underground laboratory where badge holders are treated as experiments and samples for the advancement of Alexandria.

Guinea pigs. Livestock.

The place hasn't changed that much since the last time he left the place. A lone stone was still standing in the middle of Romaq's forest anyone would thought it was natural. But up close, with critical eyes, anyone could see that it wasn't an ordinary stone.

"These are markings of Xen Language." Juniel muttered beside him.

"Yeah. The language of the royalties."

He did not bother knowing how she even managed to recognize the markings. He’s sure that if he asked the young girl, the question would easily be thrown back at him. And he can’t – won’t –answer that. That isn't his mission. They were sent here to know if Romaq, particularly, this laboratory has any connections with Capitol. For the past three years, Hongki had been doing his experiments here, studying corpses. But in the recent happenings, the dark mage had suspected that the laboratory had been doing activities behind Masquerade's back.

It would be bad if that would be the case since this lab could equate to one army faction considering the badge holders detained inside. And Masquerade won't allow it.

"This would really mean a lot work if they are really conspiring with Capitol behind our backs. To think of how many badge holders we would kill. So troublesome." Juniel muttered.

Anyone who defies masquerade would be killed. Anyone who sides with the Capitol must be eradicated.

"Let's just get this done with."

Arranging the Xen markings the way he remembered, the fake stone immediately vanished and was replaced by series of stairs leading underground. Nostalgia hit his senses the moment he steps down. Memories of beating, being experimented, of failed escapes and dragging bloody bodies not even knowing if they are dead or not, come back to him all at once. This was where he spent his childhood days, carefully crafting his hatred towards Capitol and his fate. This laboratory had been once his home, the only place he could say he belonged whether he liked it or not.

"You've been here once. Heechul hyung said."

He gave his companion a sideway glance before continuing his flight down the stairs.

"Yeah. Been my home once, if you would call it."

Now that his memories are coming back to him, some things are starting to get clearer yet at the same time, some things are also getting more complicated than what it looked like. His memories returning speak loudly of Capitol that denying it would be futile. He had lived at Capitol at one point in time but his hatred for Capitol is also another thing.

It's also not helping that the memories he could remember before never included Capitol. It all started here, in this laboratory with Chen. There seemed to be a huge time skip, a period of his childhood that was erased from his mind. And that is what he wanted to know? How did he end up as an experimental badge holder if he came from Capitol?

"We're here."

The bottom part of the stairs opens to a wide hallway, dim- lighted. Four guards are guarding the four doors ahead. One of the guards immediately noticed them.

"Halt! What are you two doing here? How do you end up here?!"

Juniel dismissed the question like how a parent does to his whining child.

"We're not here for meet and greet. If you'd excuse us, we would like to see the head of this laboratory."

Upon realizing that they would never give in to their questions, the guards immediately turn into defensive stances. Like that would help them. He could clearly see the way Juniel's eyes roll in annoyance. He never knew she had a short temper. With a flick of her delicate wrist, her badge activates and immediately, the guards were forced into dreamland.

"Aaack!"

Or nightmare-land. After all, she was the organization's illusionist and manipulator. And with the way the guards writhe in pain, it only proves her cruelty.

"And how would they answer us if you'd kill them?" He asked in monotone.

She glared back at him, irritated. But suddenly, the guards stopped screaming in pain. But he knew it wasn't her doing. His eyes darted left and right until he spotted what it was. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, moving his hands with outmost secrecy and grace, he flicked three ice needles towards his left.

Immediately, a tall pale man appears, was he invisible all this time?

"That was a fast reaction you had there, young boy. I had my feriel incognito but you still manage to find me."

The said pale man walked forward until he was a good three feet away from them.

"How did you manage to counter my illusion?" Juniel asked. Voice calm but eyes glinted dangerously.

"Nullification badge." He answered for her.

He knew this because it’s the very reason why this laboratory is able to detain badge holders despite them being non-badge holders. He experienced it himself, the pain of your feriel being forcefully out of your body until you can no longer activate your badge. Some dies because of feriel exhaustion, other just commits suicide. Chen being one of the latter when he was still the weak Jongdae.

Anger slowly builds inside him despite forcefully shoving it deep down the recesses of his mind.

You’re far better than this Xiumin. Gather yourself.

The Minseok before was gone; the Minseok who makes harsh and rushed decision, the ignorant Minseok who only thinks that fighting will solve everything. He suffered all the consequences of his action, one with him unable to remember his memories, one which changed innocent and naïve Jongdae into bloodlust fighter. He suffered all those and still suffering. He wasn’t able to protect Chen. He wasn’t able to avenge his fate.

That’s why he hated the weak. He despised them with all the hatred he has. He hated the Minseok before.

"You’re smart. I had to give you that. You and your companion won't be bad being added to our collection." There was a leer in his voice.

He doesn't have a concrete knowledge of how and why there are laboratories scattered throughout Alexandria. What purpose do they serve? For the past years, non-badge holders learned to treat their kind as something useful to them. If before, they were hated and considered anomalies of this world, today they were treated as gods, or something superior. That is how preying for the weaker starts. Hierarchy in the society dictates what your purpose is. But because people are scared of them, they are scorned even as a child. So as early as it can be, children who can control badges were sold as slaves.

He was once a slave. Jongdae was once a slave. Sehun was once a slave.

But that still doesn't answer the question as to what purpose laboratories have. Even inside Camp Uruha, which is a Capitol territory, a lab strangely exists. Some operates independently, as those were the primal target of their organization. Others, he believes, are under the Capitol's supervision. But still, he refused to believe that those independent laboratories really work independently. Because how do they get the funding for the equipments especially the artificial nullification badge? There should be something or someone financing them. Capitol is the only one who has the ability to do that. But why experiment badge holders when the Capitol itself is governed by the same kind.

"Really now. Don't get your hopes up. After all you're still a non badge holder." Producing another ice needle, "Your nullification badge is artificial and it only works thrice. You already used it twice when you nullify her illusion and when you melt my needles." He raised his arm, motioning to aim for his heart, "If I threw this one, you'll still be able to nullify it. But after that, you are an easy feat."

He could see him gulp clearly. And if possible, dare he say, he could hear the man’s heart beating fast. That's right. Feel the fear.

"Yare, yare. That gives me a chill, really. But please refrain from fighting."

Another pale man, now slightly shorter than the previous one appears. He’s not holding any nullification badge.

"Liuetenant Ji. Please deactivate your badge." The one addressed reluctantly followed, then without further ado, bowed to them. The other one did the same. "I, Lieutenant Shin, on behalf of the whole laboratory sincerely wishes your forgiveness, Juniel-ssi, Xiumin-ssi. Hongki sunbae had informed us of your arrival late so we haven't alerted everyone yet."

Standing up straight again, the one who called himself opened the rightmost door and motioned for them to follow him.

--

"It's still... morning?"

Luhan heard Jongin muffling his laugh at Zitao's comment. They just finished their lunch and now currently traversing the road of South Central after fetching their supplies from the South Gate of Wall Niche sent from Akasha that arrived much later than they expected. After all, they didn't even expect that their division would be selected to go to Capitol.

"Yeah. It's weird right."

"Really weird."

If you're in Akasha, it would be evening already considering the amount of light the district outside Wall Xero receives. Because of that few of their ‘evening’ routines were turned into ‘morning’ or rather ‘afternoon’ routines. And since they are still under that three months evaluation period, most of their time were divided into training, aiding the injured soldiers from the war, or just touring the whole South Central.

One thing that they learned aside from the artificial plants scattered in the South Central were the meaning of their colored badges. Capitol inhabitants – yes, you heard it right – ordinary people up to soldiers, Capitol officers and knights were ranked through different badges. The lowest were (of course, non badge holders) the green colored badges. They composed almost forty five percent of Capitol’s population. The sector usually consists of businessmen who make up Capitol’s economy.

Next in line were the yellow ones. The color of their badge. Belonging to the group are people who believed to have noble blood but lost it along the way due to inconsistent marriages. One rank higher is the red badge. They are the ‘lower’ nobility. Barons and Viscounts. The blue badge who ranked next is the ‘higher’ nobility. Earls and Dukes belong to this group. White is the color of the Capitol Knights’ badges. Yi Fan is one of them. Knights of Rounds – a group that is compose of top twelve Capitol Knights – were the highest rank a Capitol Soldier could get. They are actually the Knights of the Royal Family who holds the gold badges.

Other than those, they haven’t seen any ‘orange’ badge as what Zitao claimed he saw the afternoon they arrived at South Central.

“I already received the reply of Junmyeon yesterday regarding the badges.” Yixing muttered.

They have inquired the others of what they’ve noticed about the badges and if that kind of things also applies in different parts of Capitol. For now, only Junmyeon had answered back.

“What of it?”

“It’s the same. And like us, he hasn’t also seen an orange badge.”

“Well he resides inside the palace itself. I don’t think he can even interact with yellow colored ones.” Jongin said pointedly.

“He has a point. Plus, do you think it’s weird?”

“What’s weird?” he asked Zitao.

“Only forty five percent of the population is green colored ones. I don’t think the royal family has enough members including the higher and lower nobility, count in the Capitol Knights to sustain the remaining fifty five percent of the population.”

“Are you implying there are missing persons? It can’t be miscalculation because why would they even publish the wrong data in the census.”

“That or they are trying to hide something.”

All eyes are on Yixing now. Zitao nods and adds, “Plus ge, aren’t you weirded out by the fact that there are restrictions as to what we can do and can’t do according to the color of the badges?”

They learned this fact when they tried to enter the South Capitol’s official library. They were surprised to learn that only from ‘blue’ badged or to simply put out, only the higher nobility and above can only access the library. Why?

On one part, Luhan understands. Capitol must have done this to protect their selves. Now that there is war, anyone could come inside Capitol as a disguise of a soldier. Ranking the people would prevent unnecessary access to some of the Capitol’s private places. On the other hand, it only raises some suspicions. It’s scary to think that the Capitol they used to visualize was not what they expect. But somehow it doesn’t scare Luhan. It feels like if they can manage to unveil the real story behind this, it will lead him to Xiumin and finally be able to understand him.

“What can we do? If we are restricted by our color, how do you plan to investigate this?”

Yixing smirked. And Zitao had the urge to hide since Yixing never smirks and if Yixing smirks, who knows what run through his mind.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea Xing.”

“I haven’t even said anything Lu.” Yixing said, smirk still evident on his lips.

“And whatever you are going to say, I don’t think that’s a really good idea.”

“What?” Yixing looked at them innocently. “I don’t think sneaking in can be considered a social hazard.”

“You want us to sneak in?!” Jongin exclaimed. “And if we get caught, do you think they will forgive us?”

“Oh, don’t worry. I already tried it. No harm done. I’m still alive” Yixing whistled and continued his merry walk towards their quarters. They can only stare in shock.

True to his words, later that night, Yixing produces a thick book that is no doubt from the library.

“How did you even manage to sneak in?” Luhan asked incredulous.

“Ah, that. I bump into an Earl’s daughter yesterday. As a punishment, she made me carry her stock of books that were conveniently inside the library. She’s a history scholar, by the way.” Zitao chuckled. Luhan can’t help but shook his head.

The book was maps about the whole Capitol. From its building layout, defense layout to estates of Earls and Viscounts scattered in Capitol. This book is brilliant!

Jongin whistled low and then immediately scanned the whole book. It’s very detailed and this is what they exactly need for the coming three months before they will finally send to fight in the war. Luhan can only hope they have enough time to know everything they have to know.

--

Chen has a lot of worries. For once, he worries about what he is going to eat tomorrow or what would he wear (he doesn’t really like wearing the organization’s official uniform) or what mission would he do next.  Those are just petty worries though. He doesn’t really like worrying himself too much. But now that the war is finally changing its form, Chen can’t help himself but wonder how it will go. Would it be on their favor? Or on Capitol? Where would he found himself after this?

Would he still be able to see Xiumin? Or...Yixing again?

He knew he’s still weak. He’s probably the weakest member of Masquerade. He doesn’t know why Xiumin is still with him. Why a strong man like him is still wasting his time with a weak man like him. He had so many moments when he just wanted to ask the older how they met, how they spent their childhood days, but when those moments came, he could feel Xiumin closing himself before he could even utter those questions.

He knew the ice mage was hiding something from him. And he knew that whatever it was, it involves him. Who was he? Who was the real Kim Jongdae? What relationship does he have with Xiumin?

“You’re lucky, you know? To have someone like him eager to risk his life just to protect you. Man, what are you, a royalty in hiding?”

Minhyuk once joked it to him when they were still trainees that Xiumin somehow takes his time to visit him where ever base they are just to know how he does. To see the ice mage reaction about this over protectiveness, Chen had asked him the same question during those isolated missions they have after their ‘betrayal’ to Akasha.

It doesn’t go unnoticed to him how the ice mage’s shoulder tensed at the mention of the word ‘royalty’ and ‘Capitol’.

“Hey I’ve been wondering for some time already. How did we meet? Minhyuk said your over protectiveness already borderlines being creepy and he has this funny theory that somehow, perhaps, but not in my wildest dreams, am I a royalty and you’re my knight?”

Those words are meant to be a joke, a funny and comfortable joke. But somehow it failed to serve its purpose. He could remember Xiumin’s eyes darted back and forth, unconsciously wetting his lips at the same time. Chen didn’t spend his whole lifetime (as of what his malfunctioning memory could remember) with the ice mage for nothing. These simple gestures like these meant that he had somehow struck a nerve. And it scared him. After that, he promised to himself not to bring the topic even though his heart really wanted to know. But he contented himself just having Xiumin at his side. He already lost Yixing and though the scars haven’t fully healed yet, he can manage.

There was a knock on his door. Blinking, somehow finding it weird that for the first time since he was marked, he was stuck in his room because he has no mission to do. Xiumin left for his mission together with Juniel, six days ago, which was a strange mission for him to even start with. For once, the ice mage refuse to let him know what the contents of the mission are. Six days can already consider long for two assassins working together. Juniel and Xiumin isn’the ideal team but they are two of the most efficient assassins.

Walking towards the door, Chen admits that something inside him feels heavy. And he always trusts his gut feeling.

“Heechul returned.” Yonghwa was still dressed in his mission robes and Chen can’t help but notice the distressed on the usually smiling face of their prankster member.

“Something happened.” It wasn’t a question but as he closed the door to his room, he realized that something must have happened. Yonghwa was Hongki’s official partner. But he knew that Hongki was out today.

“L has returned, too. We actually met him on the way. Hongki thought it would be best to accompany him back here, thus I returned leaving Hongki to continue the mission.”

This already happened back in Camp Uruha. The heavy feeling he felt when Xiumin was still stuck in the auditorium, this time it’s no different. They arrived at the Conference Room and oddly enough, only Xiumin, Juniel and Hongki were missing.

“What happened?” Yonghwa immediately sit beside Heechul, the latter also in his mission robes.

“This is bad. This is getting bad.” L was pacing furiously back and forth. He seemed angry.

“Can you calm down for a minute?” Minhyuk snapped.

“What happened?” he asked the silent Nickhun.

“I don’t know. They’ve been like that when I arrived. L was angry for some reasons.”

He looked to where Heechul was seated with a furious but obviously calmed down L at his front.

“We haven’t received the official report so there is nothing to confirm. Until Xiumin and Juniel came back here, I won’t declare anything.” Heechul said.

“What is there to confirm?” he can’t help but asked. What happened while he was gone?

“Nothing of your concern at the moment. Now please sit down and let us wait for the confirmation.” Heechul lazily dismissed.

“We are in war. We don’t need confirmation. It’s the fact that they are already two days behind their deadline.” L said pointedly.

Two days behind deadline? So Xiumin and Juniel were supposed to be back last Wednesday?

“Did something wrong happen?” he asked once again. He’s not supposed to sit here and wait for something he doesn’t even know what. This is about Xiumin for God’s sake!

“Juniel must have already delivered the Intel two days ago.” Yes, Chen knew about this. In every mission they do, Intel must be delivered first and foremost immediately after they finished the mission, so that whatever happened after, the result of the mission had been safely handed back.

“Kikwang sent Yoseob to make sure they won’t forget but Yoseob vanished right in the middle of the journey.”Chen glanced at Kikwang for confirmation in which the latter nods.

“Summons, for them to disappear must be both a decision of the handler and the summon. Yoseob was forced to go back, thus, the contract I made with him was temporarily broken.” He added.

“Can it be possible?”

“Yes. Nullification badge, Romaq’s pride.”

The voice came from the doorway.

“Hongki hyung!”

The said dark mage was standing by the doorway holding what looked like burnt paper. It was the Intel!

“It’s confirmed. The Capitol both has Juniel and Xiumin captive.”

What?!

Chen felt suffocated. Everything was pushed into the background as he watched Hongki and Heechul talked to each other. In his mind, cut scenes of his past flashes back. Of them escaping Capitol soldiers, dragging their lithe and bloodied bodies to nowhere. Of them going on for days without eating because their captors won’t let them. Of them stealing goods and robbing of businessmen’s pocket just to survive a day. He felt like the chains he sported for 15 years were once again chained on his body and now his heart also. The scars it brought that he tried so hard to scrub away, as if to erase the mark of his horrible past, came back to him all at once.

 They found them! Capitol found them. All their efforts had gone to waste. Chen felt weak. It feels like he turned back to his old self, back as Jongade. He felt like wrapping his arms around him.

“This isn’t happening. No. This is just a dream. Capitol can’t have Xiumin.” his frantic eyes snapped wide open in time to see Hongki and Heechul leaving the room. He dashed towards them, stumbling into a confused Nickhun outside.

“You’re going to leave it like that?!” his breath became erratic; nerves pumping like it ran a marathon.

Heechul doesn’t even look back, continuing his gait towards his room.

“No. But we can’t do anything at this moment. Not now Chen.” Hongki said tiredly.

“Xiumin is there. He is held captive! I can’t be calm about this, hyung. You know why!”

“We don’t even know where they are held captive. We can’t risk other members’ life just for your personal reasons. They manage to capture two of our best members.”

Chen seethed. He can’t believe he’s hearing this. Hongki, who Xiumin trusted since he was nine years old, doesn’t even bother that the boy he practically raised is captured by their enemy nonetheless.

“If you won’t send anyone, I will go there myself.”

“And then what Chen? What will you do? Xiumin is far stronger than you. I know you’re not stupid. You think you can defeat them?”

He clenched his fist. He knew he was still weak, hiding in the shell that the ice mage carefully built for him but Xiumin is all what he have and if.. and if Capitol had Xiumin.. if they have him..

“Capitol can’t have Xiumin! They can’t have them hyung! They can’t.”

Hongki was immediately in his front, his eyes searching. “You know something, right?”

“Know.. know what?”

“Xiumin and his relationship with Capitol.”

He looked away. He doesn’t actually know but he’s starting to have suspicions of it. That in a way, the ice mage is related to Capitol.

“I..  I don’t know.”

He doesn’t know how much Xiumin trusted Hongki. If the former ever talked about what they’ve suffered when they were children up to their early teens. Did he perhaps know that what they’ve been escaping for this whole time is the crutches of Capitol?

“Then don’t do anything stupid.” The dark mage turns away and walk, “Heechul had already send Nickhun to spy on the palace. We don’t know where exactly in the Capitol but I guess he would be held captive in the South where all ‘dark’ activities of Capitol take place.” before disappearing in the corner.

He stretches an arm unto the wall to support his collapsing knees. How much can he actually trust Masquerade?

--

There was a splash of water and then Xiumin can feel his front shirt getting wet and then harsh series of kicks on his side. Gathering his bearings, making sure all his senses are functioning, he slowly opens his eyes.

Where is he?

He tried to move his hands only to find out it was tied to his back. The same also for his feet. His whole body aches as if his feriel was drained out of him. His memories were blurry. He remembered the lab. The pale man who leads them inside the rightmost door. He remembered Juniel shouting so he tried to help her but something or rather someone stopped him before he can.

He jolted upright upon realizing something. The Intel! It must be delivered back to the base. They were ambushed, framed. Inside that door, the room itself is a nullification room. It was a trap. Romaq’s and the lab were operating behind Masquerade!

Another sharp kick was sent to his side and then someone forces his face down the floor. It stinks of blood. His? Or perhaps another?

“Finally woke up, you !” his hair was yanked upwards and he urged not to wince. He can’t give them the victory of him hurting. A brusque one-eyed man wearing soldier’s robes greeted him. “Can’t feel your feriel, huh? ‘Cause I all of it out from your body.” His head was once again shoved on the floor. He can feel his lips torn, blood greeting his sense of taste.

“Make him kneel.”

Two hands hoisted him up to his knees and then he earned a resonating slap from the brusque man. He’s probably sporting a nosebleed also. So Capitol had captured him, huh.

“Stop that, Liuetenant. You wouldn’t want him to get angry.” A good looking man kneels in front of him grasping his jaw tightly, forcing him to look up. He immediately noticed the white badge on his robes. A Capitol Knight.

He felt him brush up his bangs before another slap was released.

“My, my, my. Look at yourself. You haven’t aged much since then, young master.” The last words were spoken eerily. “Life must have been good to you, ne?. Now tell me, where is he?”

He tested his voice. “Where is who?”

He received another slap as an answer. “What have you reduce yourself into? A rebel, a Masquerade member. Your prideful self who announces rebellion against the Capitol was reduced into a low life rebel. You make me laugh, young master. Now don’t make me repeat myself, Where is he?”

“I don’t know-

Before he can even finish his sentence, he received a kicked in the stomach making him collapse on the floor. But it doesn’t end there. The men above him take turns in delivering kicks and punches that he could feel himself slowing losing consciousness. The last thing that registers in his mind is the faint voice of the Capitol Knight saying, “Tell the King, I found him but the other one is still missing.”

But who is the other one missing? It can’t be Chen, right?

A/N: UPDATED!! Xiumin’s past: ¼ and loading. Chen’s past: 1/8 and loading. Detective Lu and Co.: zero progress. Hahaha. Poor babies. Poor Xiuhan. Poor Chenlay. But don’t worry it won’t be long before they can meet again. Hang in there, guys. They will meet soon and you will get your well deserve Xiuhan and bonus Chenlay.

P.S Leave comments also.. :P

P.P.S I’ve also written oneshot back during my deprived-Xiuhan-brotp period. I should be posting it after a while.

P.P.P.S. Minseok is really getting beautiful these days, no? (Evolving from a squishy toddler bun to innocent kindergarten kid to flirty y man and now an elegant woman hahaha..)