He was never a fan of hospital walls. As a kid, he remembered how this same walls brought about nothing but bad news for him. How everytime, he walks in here, there is news of someone dying. He almost memorized the scenario, of how it will all play out. he will come in late, with absolutely no clue about what happened and then someone will tell him to calm down. A doctor will come out and tell him that they did the best thy could, but there was nothing else. He will hear countless of medical slangs but his mind won’t process this.

He should have been prepared for death.

But everytime was something new. No one can ever be prepared for death. There is no such thing as desensitization for the end of your life. The truth is, we, everyone of us are addicted to life. No matter how much life treats you, good or bad. You still go running after it.

Onew unclenches his fist as the doctor comes out. but there is something different in this scenario. He knows what happened. The person is not that close to him. So maybe, the outcome will be different.

“ he is one luck bastard, he was wearing a bulletproof vest.”

Everyone laughs at this. Ofcourse, the ever paranoid jyp who even treid faking his death onve or twice. Everyone finally relaxed.

“ that prick, he won’t die that easily. ” TOP commented and GD speaks his mind as well, “ but that was an ugly attack. It has something to do with the auction. ”

We all agree and the door opens to reveal Key who only glared at Onew.

“ Minho is with Taemin, how is he? ”

“ he is alive. ” onew replied quickly and key relaxed. This means their stake for the auction is still on.

“ but i’ve heard that the police will postpone the auction for one more day, as they will be investigating.” TOP fills them in and onew quickly had his doubts confirmed.

“ someone wants this auction to not happen, they need to buy time and steal that cure.” He says, clearly pissed. “ where are the good stored anyway?”

GD looks down, “ it’s classified . only three people have the key and they are the owners of the three biggest hotel and casinoes in here. ” he explains and continues, “ its not like they have it wrapped around their neck. Those keys are locked in their vaults.”

“ Las vegas vaults are a , those heist films are complete bull.” TOP cut in and all four of them was at loss for words. Its too late, they won’t go anywhere by standing here. JYP was fine. His security was here and TOP volunteered to stay there incase the resistance comes here to finish the job. After all, their best bet right now is JYP.

They part ways as the sun rose. It was a new beginning, they couldn’t give up just yet.





Taemin’s Point of View

I feel like puking my guts out. I feel like i don’t want to get out of bed anymore and just lay in here. My eyes are irritatingly sensitive. I knew it will happen, that someone will get shut but my memory about the visions are less clear right now because of my deteriorating health. Its not like i can command them to take yoogeun in here to make me feel better. I have to do this on my own. But as i see this, as i feel the life slipping from me, the urge to move to the resistance is becoming more and more enticing. I will get healthy, then maybe, i can get out. maybe, i can escape and go back. Minho will believe me. Key wil accept me.

All the thinking made my head ache even more.

I told Minho to go and not worry about me. His team needs him. He came here to make sure the cure is on our hands, not my bloody babysitter. I close my eyes and hear a door open.

“ i told you to go back,” i call out. why can’t minho understand?

“ no, not your boyfriend.” It’s the voice of a woman, Tiffany. I cannot get up, so i tried even more but i ended up coughing violently.

“ oh, not feeling well?” she sits right next to me.

“ get out- get out- ” i command but my sound does not make me any more threatening than i would like to intend. Someone is also with her, am man i do not recognize and smiles at me.

“ oh, now i feel that wretched soul” he comments.

“ you see Taemin, i brought a friend along. He will make you feel better, remember what we talked about?”

The necromancer. I remember it very clearly, its what i’ve been thinking about for the past few weeks. And here he is. He does not look menacing. I imagined someone with a black cape and guant face. Probably with silver hair and dried lips. But this was one is different. He looks like a normal human being. Wearing a black tuxedo with his hair swept up and jet black hair.

“ a body cannot hold two souls, much less a soul like that. Ripped apart.” He tells me, like he is genuinely concerned.

“ i haven’t said my answer yet,” i tell Tiffany pointedly but she only smiled at me.

“ you don’t play fair, you shot jyp- you knew- ”

“ NO kid, we did not shoot jyp. Im pretty pissed you know, now the auction will be delayed for a day.” She complains and its strange cause i believe her innocence. If i know something about members of the resistance, is that- they flaunt it when they kill someone or succeed on a mission.

“ then who?” i asked and coughed again.

“ don’t know, for all i know- and i know you are well aware, dear taemin is that.. we are not the only ones fighting for this cure. The filthy humans know about this too and they want a piece of our powers.” She sneers. “ those disgusting beings.”

Heechul snatches my pack of cookies and pops a few in his mouth,

“ oh, this is heavenly.” He comments and tiffany turns to her.

“ i almost forgot what we are here for, ” she goes back to being cheerful once more and her full attention is back on me.

“ you see, i want to give you a glimpse of what im offering. I want you to know what it feels like to be free, to be with us.” She speaks dramatically. “ The resistance won’t watch your life slip away and choose a ripped soul from a person like you. Alive and breathing. I mean kid, come on! Why do you think you are like that? They love their own, their oh so lovely taeyeon. They love her so much, and you are nothing. ”

Her words hit too close to home and i look away.

“ so, i guess im saying what you have suspected all along right? The resistance is not bad. We are fighting for freedom. You deserve to be free, and they are restricting you. Having that leech soul in your body. ” she spats. Heechul now moves towards me and sits beside me.

This is ironic. Two members of the resistance are sitting on my bed, like they truly care for me. Or maybe, they do. I see it in their eyes, those frm the covenant. Its like, they know, they accept what my faith will be. A thoughtless vessel. With my soul destroyed. They have accepted my faith, for it’s for the greater good.

Why can’t i be selfish for once? This is my life after all. Its easy for them to talk about being noble and sacrifice when they are not the one that’s going to die.

“ heechul, will give you a trial- like a sample, of what it feels like to be free from that wretched soul. Okay? Just relax.” She holds my hand and surprisingly, i squeeze it back.

“ okay!” heechul exclaims. “ this is like show and tell in kindergarten.” He comments and tiffany glares at him.

It was nothing special really. His hands are on my chest, feleing for a heartbeat and his eyes are on me. Concentrating. Then as if he saw something, i see a grin form in his lips. Then he fingers move intricately, like a puppet master.

“ this soul is torn apart but very strong,” she speaks in wonder. “i can transfer her to one of my dolls.” His smile turns maniacal and tiffany senses my discomfort.

“ don’t show your creepy side to the kid , save that for later.” He retorts. “ excuse him taemin, he’s just really into his work.”

Then something inside me shifts. Like floodgates opening. The headache, the weakness, that heavy feleing on my chest disappears and i take in the air. I laughed and smiled. Tiffany gave me a smile as well but she looks at heechul once more.

And its back.

The headache, but lighter. The weakness, but less than before- like yoogeun and i met and he healed me. The heaviness on my chest lightened by a half. But i know it’s back.

“ better, when it was gone right?” heechul asked and i nodded.

Tiffany was quick to stand up.

“ your friends are coming here, now, think for yourself and when the time comes that i tell yout o come with me. The next time, you should have an answer.”

And with that, they were gone.

I shut my eyes closed.

Taeyeon, please go away. But she does not listen. The heaviness on my chest worsens.


Key’s Point of view

I woke up not two hours from when i closed my eyes. Thankfully, i felt a bit better. Last night was exhausting. With Onew’s disturbing behavior that made me want to strangle someone. Perhaps my emotion fueled the gunman. I know i felt someone in there, but there was hesitation.

I see a text message on my phone as i skim over it. Its woohyun, asking me if i can go for lunch. I close it, i still have to ask GD and TOP for our plan. I cannot go solo, i have no clues of my own. Right now, im just a pawn. Taemin is still sleeping and i see the color came back on his skin. This will be a good day for him. When i came back here, he looked better but he was too quiet. Like he is hiding something from us. But i cannot blame him. He is going through a rough patch.

“ KEY! KEY! KEY! ” someone is banging on my door. Jino. Seriously, all this noise so early in the morning? I open it only to find him alone, all dressed up to go out.

“ im hungry, lunch is close. Let’s go.”

Then i remember woohyun. Maybe its me being stubborn, that i text him im coming and i will be with a friend. He agrees with me and i feel jino in with woohyun.

“Onew told us about that, he says we cannot trust him.” Jino says,

“ he just says that, we need all the help we can get. He seems like a freelance hero or what.” I reply confidently.

“ you can’t blame him, its really curious you know, someone just approaching you and telling you that he has powers. ”

“: he felt my anger, okay? And the calm i spread to the people. And he told me that he read about an empath, that- he thought i was dead--” i start speaking but jino cuts me off.

“ like onew’s father,”

“ i’ve been meaning to ask you about that. No heroes should have the same power, but why is mine similar to onew’s father?” i ask him that.

“ key, i wish i can help. But the only ones who can probably give an answer are already dead.” He said in a solemn tone. Ofcourse, the professor and eric.

“ i can’t remember them, only that-”

“ They adored you Key, you were good friends with the both of them.”

His words made me feel lighter. Atleast i was not an to them in the past. Hearing someting good from my past made me feel better. But there was nothing more that i want to ask than the worst part of it. Cause in the darkest hour of my past, i got into an accident and forgot. My memories was lost.

As we enter the restaurant, i spot woohyun who smiled at me but he looks uneasy.

“ hey, this is the friend i was talking about, Jino. Jino, this is woohyun.” They greeted each other and jino looked genuinely happy to see him. We ordered real quick and i can sense that woohyun is not as lively as before.

“ hey, are you okay?” i ask him.

“ yeah- just a bit jumpy. What happened last night-” he tells me and i understand. Ofcourse, he might have been scared because of the shoot out.

“ i know the man who was shot, the target. He’s fine, he is recovering really well.” I assure him and he seems to relax.

We talk some more about the sights here in vegas and he and jino discuss tactics to win in poker. Then i feel someone again. The same anticiaption and fear. I feel like, my power is progressing. Like, i can name an emotion of a particular person. Like an emotional signature.

Turning aorund and surveying the place, i cannot single out someone.

“ are you okay?” jino asks me and i go back to eating and listening to them talk.

“ i have something to tell you-” woohyun starts as he looks around and we finished our food. Jino pipes in,

“ you look nervous,” he comments and grips my arm. What is he thinking? Fly and snatch me away so i can stay safe? He is mental. But woohyun does not know this so he continues.

“ i’m sorry key, i lied, you see-”

Jino was quit to stand up and drag me away, it was too fast that i almost threw up. “i knew it.” Jino hissed but before we can go away, the man infront of us started to cry. He was so helpless that i have to stop and beg jino that we must listen.

“ they have him, they have my brother.” He pleads and i blink a couple of times.

“ save us the sob story, you are a nice guy, but we do not believe anyone. Im sorry.” Jino snapped, and i glare at him so he continues with a softer tone. “ i mean, we are on a mission here, so we cannot trust anyone. Plus, you have an amazing power, im sure you can save your brother,”

“I- ”

I tried to speak but nothing seemd enough. What do you tell someone who just wanted your help and you close the door before they can even speak? This power that i have, this should be used for situations like this. Weren’t we Heroes? Aren’t we supposed to help people, to give a hand to the helpless?

“ i know what you’re here, the cure, my brother is after that as well. That’s why they got it. That’s why, why that guy- that jyp was shot.”

His words made the both of us still. How much does this man know? I think what onew said about thsi not being a coincidence was true. But i won’t admit that out loud and infront of him. Jino sites down and i copy his movement, i see him pushing some buttons on his phone under the table.

“ tell us what you know and we will think about helping you,” Jino said in his business tone. I am not really one for this kind of talks so i just keep quiet and stay on the side.

“ my brother and i, we lived a normal life. Really, we were never in trouble. ” he smiled in recognition and i envy his memories. Even if he is in a bad situation, atleast he still has the luxury of remembering it all. From those great days, down to the horrid ones that led to the end. “ but the resistance offered me work, so i did. I was supposed to get out, after that whole battle at the island. ”

“ you were at the island?” Jino asked, i don’t remember any of this.

“ yes, that was the last draw. Too much distraction was in that place, i cannot live like that so i decided to walk away, but-”

“ no one turns their back from the resistance,” Jino finishes for him and he smiles weakly.

“ and they had this new mission, i said no. But my brother- they took him as hostage. They need me, they need me to impersonate someone.”

It all makes sense now. His powers will be able to mimic those people who owns the key. It will be easier. I admire his courage to defy the resistance.

“ it makes sense now, do you know where they’re keeping your brother?” i ask,

“ i have a friend, trust me. A real friend in the resistance, she told me he’s kept at a basement, ” he explains and my mind is made up.

“ we will help you, right?” i turn to jino.

“ we must take him to the others first.”

I gape at him, “ what?” i act surprise. I know we cannot barge in there, but putting him under onew’s scutiny will bring our chances to zero. I just know onew will say no.He is too cautious for a person who is immortal.


“ no more argument key, trust me. We will bring him over, i will be at your side.” Jino tells me. I think he knows im not confident in brining woohyun with us because of the opposition.

“ let’s go!”

Onew’s POV

They come to our hotel room, barging in like they know the answer to all the questions. Well, they do. In a way they do. I see Key, but he is avoiding my eyes and Jino like a man on a mission holding someone with him. The stranger. Woohyun. I feel my blodd boil. What the hell is he doing here?

“ who’s he?” TOP quickly asks.

“ a lead to the cure.” Jino quips and everyone in the room looks at woohyun.
“ you checked if he’s a spy?” GD came closer and held woohyun’s head. Scanning it.

“ i could not do it, we are in a hurry.” Jino explained.

“ what is this?” i turn to key. I have a feeling that this is his master plan. That somehow, he managed t olet jino believe that this man will help us. I doubt it.

“ he- he needs our hep, but he has information.” He explains to me without looking into my eyes. This frustrates me so i quickly stand infront of woohyun.

“ tell me everything, tell me the truth. Trust me, i will know if you are lying. If you are-” i look at his eyes and he seems to understand. This moment, moments like this- something inside me shifts. Something inside me becomes violent, begging to be let out. after i learned the truth about me back at the island, i feel like a lock has been opened deep inside me.

I am stronger physically. My mind is sharper. And most of all, the darkness is overpowering my soul. I can feel it in my bones. This intrinsic change, is worse that changing the color of my hair or having bruises that might never heal at all.

Waiting for him to talk, i tap my shoes- a sign of my impatience.

Woohyun finally starts to speak. “ Im a rogue member of the resistance, i don’t want to join them anymore so they took my brother as a hostage. What happened to jyp, that was a ploy from someone, to raise the stakes for the cure. To make the people feel that this was a substance of great power-well, it is. ”

“ what do you know about this cure?” TOP was quick to get down to the point.

“ I have the Key to the vault where the cure is, but i won’t give it if you won’t help me get my brother. ”

His words are tempting but something is missing.

“ why can’t you walk in the resistance and snatch your brother? You managed to fool the system in here, why don’t yout ake the cure for yourself?” i question him but he seems cam about all of this.

“ i don’t care about the cure or what you want, all i need is my brother. He does not have any power, you see. He is just a normal kid and i don’t want him to have a life like mine.” He implores and continues talking. “i cannot go there, they have someone there, someone or a thing that prevents me from using my power. ”

I raise my brow . this is getting more complicated. The resistance are getting stronger recruits than us. That is impossible.

“ i cannot risk it.” GD says this first. I know that he will. GD hates gambling and risking. He is not one for blind faith. The opposite of TOP.

“ WE GO, Jino, Key Onew and me. The rest of you stay here.”

The remaining ones all groan in furtsration.

“are you serious??? ” jonghyun exclaimed,

“ hell no! ” Minho protested.

But TOP just stared at them and motioned for them to zip their mouth. Sometimes i feel like TOP is growing to be out ‘professor’ or ‘eric.’. his age may not be that much.wisdom might be lacking but he has our respect. His judgement is always reasonable and he knows when to fight or retreat.

With a smile on my lips, i started to plan with them.

That evening was busy as we concealed weapons and got over the plan. It was simple, we go there, fight them all off and leave. Pretty simple if you ask me. The basement was located not too far from here, at a storage space in the desert.

“thank you.” He finally approaches me and i fight the urge to smile. Key looks at me, waits for me to respond.

“ this is a good lead,” i reply but he surprises me as he pulls me in. And suddenly, i am engulfed in his arms. His warmth. Enveloped in his scent that i didn’t realized i missed. All of these emotions that were kept are now at the surface. This one act. This one movement, its addicting. Having Key so close to me. And i know this is bad for me, a bad story, a red light begging for me to stop and not go with this. Helpless, i feel helpless but at the same time renewed.

What seemed like days was only a few seconds and he pulls away. I don’t utter a word but i don’t have to. He just looks at me, with his eyes blazing. A promise that we can make it.

I cannot put a name on what i feel for Key, but whatever it is. How dangerous it will be, i have the inkling that i will not be able to resist it.

“ let’s go,” he smiles at me and we went outside. The night is young, we have alot to finish. I can almost see the light at the end.


Key’s POV.

We enter the warehouse- storage, whatever this place is. I feel the chills down to my bones and this seems to easy. The key to enter. No people inside. No one. Not even guards. Something is wrong. We cannot be this lucky.

“ let’s go,” woohyun hollers and we all follow him.

“ here, here,” he directs us and we all follow.

It was a large room with a few lights open, enough to make us see what we are stepping on. Its empty, except for a few red and green crates lining the room. At the end was a small chair and in it was a man. Was he his brother?

“ there,” i whisper.

Onew voiced my thoughts and said, “ this is too easy”

“ the resistance is busy, they think im hiding at a hotel somewhere in vegas.” Woohyun replies.

“ L! ” woohyun shouts and the man opens his eyes, but he does not utter a word. He looks weak and beat. Maybe he needs a glass of water to be able to speak again.

Before woohyun can even come close, a window shatters and we all move in defense but we are all too late. Someone lands right infront of us. He is older than us, kinda like eric. But i cannot look at his physical features, the large tattoo on his left hand is all i can look at. I cannot figure out what it was. Series of swirls, like calling you in. All those lines.

“ get away from him,” he says coldy and draws out a knife.

“ you have the knife, we came here to save him.” TOP explained.

“save him? Who the hell are you? L is my responsiblity. I am his guardian,. I’ve been trying to get him , i failed when i let him out of my sight.”

I look at woohyun, he was distancing himself from us,

“ so who’s lying then?” Onew retorted.

“ i don’t care, for all i know- you are all lying to me. All i care about is that i get L out of here.”

The man, L, finally regains his sense and i look at him. This kid is beautiful. I find myself captivated by his eyes, thin lips and cheekbones. He rasps one word,

“ tablo,”

The tattooed man turns around,

“ L, yes. Im here.”

And with that, all hell broke loose. TOP quickly lunged forward to tablo. Onew went forward to get Woohyun and as i prepared to move, i feel restricted. I cannot move. All the lights are finally on, some spotlight and we cannot move at all.

“ you g.o!” TOP cursed out loud and man comes out, with a rather distinct mustache.

“ you know i love the spotlight,” he smiles at me. “ you should have been more prepared, like the last time.”

I wonder what he’s talking about but as i look at where he is stepping at. It dawns one me, he is stepping at out shadows. . The light were positioned so that our shados will interesect at one point and he can stop it. Except for one. Woohyun.

But woohyun looks strange. He suddenly grows stiff and quiet. My asnwer came next as another man emerges as well.

“ i told tiffany this is the best bet to find you,” he says in a happy tone. “ now she’s wasting away with mir and hyuna and looking for your gang at some hotel, guarding jyp and looking at the vaults. But i know better”

He steps towards Tablo and L.

“right old friend?”

The man tablo hisses. “ Heechul, don’t you dare. L is iinocent, NO! when did you start working for other people?”

“ who said i was? This is just so interesting. I knew that kid was special. Something in him,” his hands travel towards L who flinched. Before he can even touch L, tablo suddenly moves but a huge gash forms in his arms.

“ don’t move!” i call out.

“ don’t fight i tablo, i will take L with me. They did not agree with my little plan to get the cure. So i did it myself.” Heechul explained.

“ i won’t let you. ”

“watch me. ” Heechul smiles and places his hands around L, in an embrace. His hands moves, like he is playing the piano and woohyun comes closer, untying L and taking him in his arms to carry him. Almost mechanically. Like a robot.

“ he is one of my favorite dolls, woohyun. Found him after that little drama at the island.” Heechul said as he looked into my eyes. I hear TOP mutter, “ in necromancer. Maniac.”

But his words feel on deaf ears as heechul took L in his hands. And with one last sweep at us he turns to the ceiling and his hands are raised. I have never played piano , but his hands are moving so fast and i feel like this is an important piece. A hard piece to play, complicated. With a smile, i see 8 more figures emerged. All looking at us, walking mechanically like woohyun did a while ago.

“ don’t be too harsh, i love my dolls. ” he says and walks out.

As his dolls close in on us, i see tablo rushing for onew.

“ i know you! You came to me, but-” he started but onew does not recognize him at all. “ but you looked different, not like this you were bigger, you had a scar.”

I can see onew tense at this description and i grabbed his arm.

“ hey, stop talking! We have dolls to kill. ”

“ i helped you, in the future. I did.” I heard tablo say this to onew who completely denied it. But this tablo man is desperate. “ i can do it! I can!” he is suddenly all too happy right now. Like he found the solution. He takes my hand,

“ he came back for you.” I don’t understand what he is saying but there is something inside me that tells me i should go. That this is the right thing to do. A gut feeling.

“ what?” was all i can answer but i could not ask anymore as he takes my hand and he closes his eyes. The tattoos expand and envelope us. Like another universe. Inside a galaxy and i hear someone’s scream but it seemed so far away.

Looking at my lims, it’s elongated, like its not longer a part of me. I’ve seen this on science fiction movies. Like a time warp. We are outside the time space continuum. I look at tablo and he manages to speak out,

“ We are travelling back in time.”

//