October 16th, 2016 - Unnamed Cluster

Heechul’s lookout spot on an abandoned third-floor balcony is silent, other than the sound of his own heartbeat. The day-to-day background noise of people going about their usual business is absent; even when they don’t know of the threat closing in, it seems like the Cluster itself is holding its breath.

Jungsoo is down on the ground, going from door to door and warning as many as he can about the attack, while Heechul remains in a low crouch, staring through the scope of his rifle at the area just outside the Cluster’s walls. If the Drones are planning on slipping in unnoticed, they’re going to be in for a nasty surprise.

The thought barely finishes forming when a shape catches Heechul’s eye, making him curse under his breath.

Here we go.

He presses a finger to his earpiece ━ a new toy that Donghee had sent with them for this mission.

“Jungsoo, they’re here.”

A voice crackles back through the earpiece. “Damn it, they’re early! I’ve only gotten to four houses!”

“I think it’s going to be more important that we can act as front-line defense...there’s around ten of them, all armed.”

“Ten?” A frustrated sigh sounds from the other end of the line. “I guess I’ll refer to you for our plan.”

“Where are you right now?”

“At your five o'clock, near the north entrance.”

Heechul takes one more glance at the approaching figures in the distance, weighing his options.

“The Cluster’s scrapyard is at my one o’clock. It should give you cover on the ground while I cover you from up top.”

“West side?”

“West side. We can take them out as they come in, and then regroup back at the north entrance for any who break off.”

“So there was a reason I agreed to let you be Strategist.”

“No one likes a smartass, Jungsoo.”

There’s a  brief snort before the connection is cut, and Heechul is back to the eerie silence of before. Only this time, he isn’t scanning the area. He has his crosshair trained on the Drone leading the pack, his finger eagerly waiting on the trigger for the instant the abomination will be in range.

Just a little closer…

At the very moment that the Drones cross into the Cluster, Heechul sees Jungsoo dash toward the scrapyard, diving behind a pile of debris and just missing a spray of gunfire.

If their earpieces still had an open channel, Heechul would have yelled at him for being so reckless. But as it is, that will accomplish nothing except giving away his position on the balcony ━ something he still has to take advantage of.

Blocking out the sound of shooting down below, Heechul readjusts his rifle back to aiming at the nearest Drone. One more look through the scope, one more breath, and…

Fire.

The bullet zips through the air, embedding itself into the Drone’s skull.

Much later that day, Heechul will look back and realize that the shot is his first kill, the first blood on his hands that will thankfully never be from anyone beyond Drones. For the moment, though, he’s too focused on covering Jungsoo to think about the shot’s implications.

Another shot from Heechul’s rifle rings out; another Drone falls. Except this time, they notice. The four Drones still standing pause in their attack, turning Heechul’s way in disturbing synchrony.

He has just enough time to drop to the ground before assault rifle-fire erupts above his head, one bullet coming close enough to rip a hole in the top of his sleeve.

Too close.

A beep sounds in his ear, and he brings a finger up to activate his earpiece before shuffling backward to safety on his hands and knees.

“Heechul!” Jungsoo’s voice shouts over the connection. The distorted sounds of the firefight below filter in through the static. “Did they shoot you? Are you hurt?”

Heechul only realizes he’s shaking from the adrenaline rush when he tries to speak. “I’m...fine. Their aim was terrible. How are things going down there?”

“There’s only two left. The mayor might have an army, but they’re not trained. I think we have at least a few more months before their threat is more than sheer numbers and ━ Wait, hold on.”

Gunfire suddenly replaces the other’s voice.

“Hey, Jungsoo? If you need my help, I can probably get one more shot in before they fire at me again.”

There’s a few seconds of static before he gets a response.

“Yeah, that would be━” bang! “━really helpful. Take out the one on the left, and━” bang! “━I can get the last one. We can run over and secure the second entrance.”

“Got it. Count down from ten, and I’ll fire.”

With that, Heechul severs the connection, taking a breath to get back into his zone from before. This shot will be no different from the first, only now he’s aiming while down on his stomach.

And if he misses, he might get his best friend killed.

Calm down. Jungsoo trusts you with his life, so the least you can do is trust yourself.

The sniper rifle is slotted between two of the balcony rails, held tightly in Heechul’s grip. He props himself up on his elbows, takes a good, long look down the sight, and readies his trigger finger.

“Two...one...fire.”

One .308 bullet lodged directly above the Drone’s left temple. Its body goes still for a moment before careening to the side, nearly knocking over its companion.

Jungsoo doesn’t hesitate a second before shooting the last opponent point-blank between the eyes.

“Nice job,” Heechul says with a satisfied smile, before remembering that Jungsoo can’t hear him. Not bothering to turn the earpiece back on, he shouts, “I’ll be right there!” in the other’s general direction and hopes he’s gotten the message.

Heechul has never raced down three flights of stairs so quickly in his life.

Thankfully, Jungsoo is waiting for him just outside the entrance, a relieved look on his face and a spare gun in his hand ━ something much more practical than the bulky death machine now strapped to Heechul’s back.

“Good job,” Heechul says again, taking the weapon. “All that’s left is to check out the North side and then we’re safe.”

“I’m just glad everything’s going so━”

The sound of nearby screaming silences Jungsoo’s thought, both of them immediately taking off toward the source of the noise.

“I thought you said there were only two entrances!” Jungsoo yells as they run.

“There are only two that are accessible from the outside! The south gate can only be opened from within the Cluster, which means…”

“An inside job.”

Heechul shakes his head angrily. “I’m guessing it wasn’t the first betrayal since the bombs dropped. Or that it’ll be the last.”

“But how could someone agree to helping their own Cluster get exterminated?”

“Maybe they were promised a fortune by the mayor. Maybe it was one of the Capital’s people posing as an Outsider. Whatever it was, we’ll stop what they started.”

Another scream, closer this time, punctates his statement, and the two alter their course, footsteps pounding on the pavement.

“They have to be nearby,” Heechul insists. “Unless they’re in a full-out sprint, we have to catch up to━”

“There!”

Heechul’s gaze follows to where Jungsoo is pointing just in time to see two armed figures disappear into one house’s entryway.

Almost have them!

They push their legs as fast as they can, down the street and up the front steps. Gunfire erupts heartbeats before they burst in through the door, silenced by a bullet in both Drones’ backs.

It would feel more like a victory if there weren’t other bodies on the floor.

“Oh, god…” Jungsoo says in hardly a whisper. “We were too late.”

The horror in his voice matches Heechul’s own, matches the bile he can feel building up in the back of his throat. He’s seen death before, but this...this is too much.

Look at it objectively, he tells himself in an attempt to keep calm. What do you notice?

“There must have been two families living together,” he says, sounding deceptively put-together. “I count five people.”

Jungsoo seems to catch on. “Four adults,” he adds. “One family had a daughter. And I know you won’t believe it, but…” He looks away from the bodies. “At least they might all be together now.”

For once, Heechul holds his tongue.

“I guess the two of us aren’t enough to save everyone,” he says instead, a bitter taste in his mouth. “These should be the last of the Drones, but we should check to make sure.”

Thump!

A faint noise comes from the back of the house, putting them both on guard. Heechul gestures for Jungsoo to follow, and they slink toward the other rooms, guns drawn and footsteps as quiet as they can manage.

Thump.

It sounds again, just inside the door on their right. Heechul catches the other’s gaze, jerking his head toward the door.

“On three,” he mouths silently. “One...two…”

Heechul slams the door open, and is pinned with his back to the ground before he even registers being tackled, cold hands squeezing his throat. Struggling turns out to be useless; the attacker’s body keeps his lower body pressed in place, leaving only his hands to helplessly claw at those choking him. His gun is just out of reach. If he stretches, can he…?

“Let him go,” Jungsoo orders, sounding deadly serious.

The hands release Heechul’s throat, and once he’s coughed enough oxygen back into his lungs to breathe again, he sees why: Jungsoo has his own gun aimed directly at the attacker’s head.

Still, the attacker doesn’t move. He remains perched on top of Heechul, keeping the Strategist incapacitated. He’s stronger than he looks ━ a young man, lanky, with a dark fringe that hangs low over single eyelids.

“Who are you?” The attacker demands. “What do you want?”

Jungsoo is on the brink of answering when another figure flies out of the room, planting himself in front of the attacker with arms spread.

“Don’t shoot!” the newcomer shouts. He seems to stretch his body even further to shield the other, blocking Heechul’s view of Jungsoo. “Please, don’t shoot!”

“Damn it, Donghae! I thought I told you to stay hidden!” The attacker turns to face the newcomer ━Donghae━ and manages to dig his knees even more uncomfortably into Heechul’s sides.

Donghae doesn’t show that he’s heard the other’s words. He stays rooted to the spot, presumably locked in a staredown with Jungsoo. He could even be intimidating if Heechul didn’t have a clear view of his legs shaking. That just makes him feel like a bully for being part of the reason the other man is so scared.

“I’m not going to sit and hide while these people try to kill you,” Donghae says firmly, with only the slightest tremble in his voice.

Jungsoo must have been thinking the same thing as Heechul. After giving the first attacker a quick warning look, he lowers his gun, saying, “I’m not going to shoot anyone, okay? We’re here to stop people from dying.”

The attacker’s eyes narrow. “So you’re not with the police?”

“We’re with the Resistance. I’m Jungsoo, and this is Heechul. I give you my word that we won’t hurt you.” As an afterthought, he adds, “Now please get off of my friend.”

There’s a moment of hesitation from the attacker, during which Heechul starts to weigh the pros and cons of headbutting him in the face. Fortunately, he finally stands up, allowing blood to flow to the Strategist’s legs again.

(Heechul may or may not “accidentally” kick the other main in the groin while picking himself up off the floor. The grunt of pain he gets in response may or may not make his day.)

“Jungsoo and Heechul, huh?” The attacker asks, as Heechul goes to stand beside Jungsoo. “I’m Hyukjae; this is Donghae. And I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard of the Resistance.”

“Not many people have,” Heechul mutters, at the same time that Jungsoo says, “We’re a group that’s doing our best to stop raids like this one from tearing more Clusters apart. We want to be people’s front-line defense and offense against the Capital.”

Hyukjae looks at the Resistance leader curiously, like he’s trying to figure out if the other is serious or not. “That’s...ambitious.” He finally says. “But somehow I’m guessing you’re fighting a losing battle.”

Donghae’s expression suddenly grows worried. “The raid,” he says. “Hyukjae, we have to check on Sora and our parents.” He’s walking away from the conversation into the other room before Heechul can fully process his words.

Too late, Heechul remembers what awaits him in the other room.

“Wait!” he calls out after Donghae. For the briefest of moments, he makes eye contact with Hyukjae, who puts two and two together even before Heechul can begin to explain himself.

“,” Hyukjae says with wide eyes, and he’s in the lead as the three of them rush to get to Donghae in time.

They’re not quick enough.

It’s almost like losing his own parents again, the way Heechul sees Donghae’s heart slowly break, sees his face crumple in on itself. He’s so still, it almost seems like he’ll never move from that one spot, staring in disbelief at the loved ones that the Capital has ripped away from him.

“Oh, god, Hae…”

Hyukjae closes the distance between them in seconds, turning Donghae away from the bodies and wrapping his arms securely around the other’s frozen form.

“Ssh, don’t think about it, okay?” he says softly, carding his fingers through Donghae’s hair when the other starts to cry in earnest. “Just focus on me.”

The moment is so intimate that even Heechul feels the need to turn his gaze elsewhere.

Hyukjae’s eyes find what Donghae’s saw just moments before, and he visibly shudders. Giving the other’s head one last comforting , he murmurs, “wait here,” and approaches what remains of their families.

God, does Heechul want to look away. It’s horrible to watch Hyukjae kneel next to his father’s body, checking for a pulse only to come away with shaking hands and the cold slap of reality. But he feels, even though this isn’t his moment to experience, that someone should witness Hyukjae’s courage. Someone should know how he swallows his own despair to grab on to one last fading spark of hope.

Hyukjae doesn’t shatter the way Donghae does, but Heechul still sees him break. He covers his face with his hands, silent sobs shaking his body.

We can’t let this happen again. I won’t watch another family go through this. I can’t.

Heechul has to admire how quickly Hyukjae pulls himself together. He squares his shoulders, wipes his eyes, and goes to Donghae’s side, looping a protective arm around the other’s waist.

“Let me fight with you,” Hyukjae says darkly, the intensity in his voice almost frightening. “I want those bastards dead. The Drones, the Capital’s people who were behind this, everyone.”

He’s dangerous, is Heechul’s first thought, followed by, But his anger could make him lethal.

He shares a look with Jungsoo, who nods in confirmation before he turns back to Hyukjae.

“We’d be glad to have you,” Jungsoo says seriously. His gaze flickers between the two men in front of him. “I’m guessing the two of you will be coming together?”

Hyukjae would probably retract the arm curled so intimately around the man next to him if Donghae didn’t look so devastated. Something like fear flashes in his eyes.

“Will that be a problem” he asks defensively.

Heechul can give him a million reasons why it won’t be, but Jungsoo’s sympathetic smile and his soft “not at all” are probably just what Hyukjae needs.

They’ve saved a lot of lives that day ━ Heechul can’t let himself forget that. If they hadn’t stopped the Drones, the whole Cluster could be reduced to rubble. But it’s hard to think about their success when he’s surrounded by proof that it’s impossible to have a victory without losses.

“We’ll give you some time alone,” Heechul tells them, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling that settles in his stomach. “Meet us at the west gate when you’re ready to go.”

It’s hard to feel like a hero when all he can see is Donghae still weeping brokenly at Hyukjae’s side.

~*~

The silence in the room is absolute, almost stifling. It makes Heechul shift uncomfortably in his seat, makes him wonder if he’s made the right decision. Even with permission, sharing the story suddenly seems like a complete invasion of privacy. And that’s coming from someone who’s generally very liberal with spreading information about his fellow members.

“I’m sorry,” he says to Hyukjae, genuinely apologetic. “Was it too much?”

Hyukjae shakes his head, drawing Donghae just the slightest bit closer to him. “I meant what I said before. We’ve made peace with it. I’m just glad you and Jungsoo showed up when you did, because if you hadn’t...we would both be dead. Now the best we can do is try to make our parents proud, even if they can’t be here with us.”

“And I would trust all of you with any of my stories,” Donghae says, finally speaking up. “You became my family when I didn't have one anymore.”

Goddamnit, Donghae, don’t make me cry.

“But this isn’t all about us,” Hyukjae insists. “You’ve still got a lot of members left, and it’s getting dark.”

Heechul is half-tempted to reply with a “we were having a moment, Hyukjae,” but he has to admit that the other man has a point. Today isn’t a day for brooding over what they can’t change; it’s a day for reflection and bringing the group closer together.

The story has to go on.

“If you insist,” Heechul relents. “I suppose you’re all expecting another overview, huh? I won’t disappoint.”

The group seems to collectively start breathing again.

“There was no such thing as ‘Shadow Squad’ or ‘Boom Squad’ back then. Hyukjae and Donghae joined as soldiers ━ we added their fingerprints to the security system and gave them a room in the Bunker. You’ll notice I said ‘room’ and not ‘rooms’, to no one’s surprise.”

On the other couch, Jungsoo shoots the pair in question a smile, saying fondly, “They came into the Resistance together, and they came out of it together, too.”

“Oh, don’t encourage them. I can hardly stand their neverending honeymoon phase as it is.” Before anyone can make a comment about how Heechul himself has been acting recently around another certain man in the room, he continues, “And I’ll just say it: they were good. I wasn’t sure if adding more people would make the Resistance stronger, but the missions we did together were much easier with extra sets of hands.

“But I’ll also admit...Jungsoo and I kept a close eye on them. Hyukjae was in a dark place, more focused on his revenge than saving anyone, and Donghae was so quiet and withdrawn that I worried if he would ever be okay. It felt like it was only a matter of time until one of them cracked.

“Still, it wasn’t long before we added our next member. I’m sure you’re all curious how our favorite leader fell for our favorite muscle-man.”

“Heechul━”

“It all started about a week after we recruited the lovebirds…”

A/N: Honestly, the only reason I didn't not do this to Hyukjae and Donghae was because the events of the prequel were (for the most part) set in stone after Immortals...why was I so cruel? TT__TT  I think I have at least 2(?) chapters ready to post after this one, but I'm going to double-check on my chapter lengths since they're bothering me (as far as maybe being too short). Either way, regular updates will continue. Thank you for reading!