The dampness of the earth surrounded him. He felt the dirt beyond the thin layer of his cotton clothing. It warmed his very soul, something a long hug or a warm frappuccino would. Though there was a bite to the feeling, a nagging memory that surfaced, but was only scared away as he tried to grab ahold of it. It was important, he knew it. Hongbin d through the layers of sleepiness as if he were wading through quick-sand. His body stirred and the scent of wild herbs and foliage and decay filled him.

Something was weighing down on him. At first, Hongbin thought it to be just his mind’s exhaustion, but no, something heavy- like a bowling ball, on his chest. The voices fluttered to him. They were distant but his acute hearing made it like they were whispering right into his ear.

“We should just go.”

“Staying here, with them, isn’t a good idea. Think about it. We’re already walking on thin ice as it is. It’s not that I don’t trust,” Wonshik brought his voice down. They were already in such close range, it was pointless. “It’s not that I don’t trust your partner. I’m saying that I don’t even think you trust him. Let alone the loose-canon on top of him. And after that show, I don’t think it’s best to stick around for the finale.”

Hongbin heard a sigh follow and picked it out to be Hakyeon. Hongbin dained himself to pretend sleep just a little longer.

“Yeah, how does Sanghyuk know you? How did he find you?” Jaehwan asked.

“I don’t know how he found me. He’s this- He’s just this boy.” That was Hakyeon’s stressed voice. “He’s a friend of Hongbin’s.”

Hongbin sensed the disapproval before it was carried in words.

“Friend? One of the most wanted, notorious low cases that has ever set foot in the Erasing Center? The bounty on his head is off the charts.” For an instant, Jaehwan thought about the option of turning him in and reaping the rewards. That was dismissed quickly. “Hongbin’s a restarter and he’s a friend of a low case. That really is treading on thin ice.”

“I don’t know. I heard from him that they’re like brothers.”

Like brothers? Jaehwan thought. They’re close. Nothing’s tieing together. This is driving me crazy.

“He’s the one who hurt my sister.” Wonshik stated, teeth clenching. Jaehwan looked at him with growing remorse. He’d only just put the picture together for himself and was having trouble coping.

Sanghyuk tossed in his sleep atop Hongbin’s stomach, making Hongbin wince, but he managed to swallow the moan. In that instant, Hongbin almost missed the brief twinkle of thoughts that crossed through Hakyeon’s mind. But this time, he caught the tail end of the words and held onto it with astonishment, turning it over in his own mind like the most valuable of treasures.

“It’s might be his fault,” Hakyeon said quickly. He didn’t know where this was coming from. “Or it might not.”

“What did you say?”

“Listen. So many strange things are happening. I think we’re on the break of uncovering something really great. Something we never would’ve dreamt of. But I don’t think it’s good. Fresh Start is after…” he trailed away. “My instincts tell me there’s more to this than meets the eye. And now we’re can’t escape it.”

Hakyeon was trying to throw Wonshik and Jaehwan off of Sanghyuk’s trail. He was thinking of an excuse. A loophole in the story. A way to protect Hongbin’s reputation. A way to plead Sanghyuk’s case. For a second, Hongbin thought he’d grabbed the wrong thoughts. Impossible. Why would he risk his own neck for Sanghyuk? For me?

“Hakyeon,” Jaehwan sounded startled. “What’s the matter with you? Are you listening to yourself? You were there. You were there when we dragged him from her room. You were there when we began testing on the boy. Hell, it was your plan. It had been you all along, pushing and pushing us, wanting information on him, on his abilities, his strength. And now you’re saying we were wrong?”

Wonshik couldn’t bring his fists to unclench.

“I-” he glanced at Hongbin and Sanghyuk, sweetly unaware, coaxed in sleep. “I know it doesn’t make much sense, but I’m right. I’m trying to do what’s best for all of us, and you know we wouldn’t get anywhere without their help. Jaehwan, we can do this. I haven’t changed my motives. We’ll uncover what Fresh Start is after, we’ll uncover everything about the drug and create whole new experiments. We can do it, but only with their help.”

“Trying to do what’s best for all of us?” Wonshik echoed, then stepped over to where the SUV was stuck. “What’s best for us is to figure out how to get the car going again. What’s best for us is to get away from here, away from them, away from this city. Hakyeon, you’re wanted. I don’t understand it, but they want to take you away. Knock it off with the noble attitude. Come on.”

Jaehwan stood numbly, letting the sadness fill him. Hakyeon looked to him, looked to his frien