Daeun could say without a shadow of a doubt that this was the worst day of her life. Worse than the time she'd broken her brand new laptop the day she got it, worse than the day she almost got killed by Sehun in a crossire battle before they'd been friends. Worse than the death of her uncle. Being tortured was awful, that was for sure. But mental torture was on a completely different level. There was something deeply unsettling about your own mind being you, being used against you. 

At it turned out, Minho was good at just beating someone up, something she hadn't expected. After realizing Daeun was actually quite hard to convince to give away all Sehun's secrets, and had enlisted the help of another jedi, a man. He was strangely kind looking with an open an honest face. He had greeted her with a smile, had offered to shake her hand with a stupid look on his face, clearly mocking her as she was still tied to the chair.

"Don't worry. I'll be gentle. The first time is always hardest." he had grinned mischievously, and she fought the urge to remark on his small hands.

Instead of showing her the worst of her fears, the worst memories she ever had, he showed her times she'd thought were inconsequential.

"Daeun could you look into this for me?" Sehun asked, sitting on her couch with a blasé and empty expression. His standard face.

Daeun shrugged. She'd been doing this for Sehun at first as a favor for him sparing her life and then subsequently saving it in two different instances. Instead of answering immediately Daeun eyed him, trying to figure out what it was he wanted. Back in school they'd hardly spoken but they at least had similar interest in vehicles which kept the conversation from getting awkward. Still they'd only very recently become friends and Daeun hoped this wouldn't become a habit. After all being known as someone people only talked to when they needed a favor was hardly flattering or welcome. Nevertheless having a jedi owe her a favor was a great advantage. If only she could figure out what she might want in the future.

"Depends. What do I get out of it?" she grinned, tying her hair in a loose ponytail as she examined the many pieces of his lightsaber. He'd been kind enough to let her look at it and she was looking at all the pieces and writing down pertinent information and taking pictures.

"I'm already letting you look at my lightsaber. What else do you want from me?"

"I don't know. I'm not one to do things for free. Especially if they take up my time when I could be working," she murmured, holding a piece close to her face to examine it. She could barely believe the ingenuity that went into these and to think they were handing out dangerous weapons to teens all around the world because `only a jedi could evr hope to wield one correctly'. According to Sehun.

"True. But I can't help but feel like you owe me for saving your life," he pointed out. Daeun looked up and rolled her eyes when she saw he was serious.

"Really? That's funny because you could say I was in that situation because of you," she joked. Sehun shrugged. Figures.

"You were fine in the end," he replied. Daeun humphed snootily before writing on her notepad.

"Oh? Guess I should just walk off if it doesn't matter that I barely got out alive!"

"Don't be mad Daeun! You know I'd never just let you get hurt. We're friends!" he laughed.

"What's taking so long? I thought you said this was going to be quick?" Minho exclaimed. The older man pulled his hands away from Daeun's temples, her face relaxing as his influence left. Though the active process had been paused, she was still very much reliving her memories, only now they had an undertone, a tinge of betrayal.

"Hypnosis to this degree is a very delicate and slow process. It's bad enough that you want such an elaborate plan. As long as she's asleep I can do it, though sedatives are mudding up the process," the man explained. Minho rolled his eyes.

"I don't need her whole life planned out. Just make her hate Sehun enough to give up all his secrets." Minho replied. The older man shrugged again.

"Well, the only thing I can do is subtly shape her memories. If you want her to really hate him it has to be a betrayal of the deepest kind. But like I said I can't change too much; anything too extenive and she'll know something's wrong. And hypnosis can be broken. I'd rather avoid a confrontation. And for the record I never promised you a quick solution. Now if you'd please let me get back to it," the man said scooting back to Daeun and hunching over her head, murmuring as he moved his fingers in small circles at her temples.

"Just make it work," Minho frowned, walking away.

Baekhyun watched Sehun pace outside of a gas station, trying to contact anyone who might know about Minho.

"He's really trying to find this girl. You think they're dating?" Jongin asked, eating one of the numerous snacks he'd bought. Baekhyun siply waited, as he'd already eaten his fill.

"Who knows? But to be honest I'm not feeling all that hopeful for his friend. If Minho got her, from what I heard chances are she's dead. And that's if she's a jedi." Baekhyun said bluntly. Jongin spluttered, surprised by Baekhyun's words.

"How can you say that? That's his friend in danger! You can't just say that!"

"It's not like I'll say it to him. But we can't spend all our time looking for this girl. We have people to find,"

"Like your master huh? People you care about? God, get over yourself Baekhyun." Jongin grumbled, stuffing his face angrily. Baekhyun rounded on him and glared at Jongin looking both affronted and shocked.

"What on earth are you talking about?"

Jongin rolled his eyes. "You're so insistent that the most important thing we do is find your master. That she has all the answers we need to find my brother, or stop the opposition from making their laws about jedi. But you're being selfish! She can't possibly be the only person you know who can help! You're being just as selfish as Sehun and I. You just won't admit it!" Jongin exclaimed. Baekhyun narrowed his eyes and huffed.

"Hmph. As expected you don't know anything about leading a rebellion and that sometimes you have to sacrifice--"

"HEY!" Baekhyun and Jongin jerked in surprise and turned to see Sehun standing a few feet away, glaring at them, his hair ruffled and messy.

"What are you two yelling about? Are you trying to draw attention to us? People can't know what we're doing for obvious reasons." he gritted out, sliping his phone in his pocket while glancing around.

"It's nothing, don't worry about it," Baekhyun said. Jongin started to open his mouth to argue but Sehun brushed passed them into the car and got in he driver's seat, and waited impatiently for them to get in. They piled in with Jongin taking the front seat to avoid Baekhyun. Sehun began driving with no preamble and the car was soaked in tension before Sehun spoke up.

"I asked one of my friends to help Daeun out. He has a network of people working under him and he said he thinks he knows where she might have been taken. If he can pin down some locations he'll get what he can and get out."

"That's good! You're friend might be okay!" Jongin exclaimed. Sehun nodded.

"Yes, that or my friend will call me and say that she died, but of course we have to make sacrifices." Sehun growled. The car fell silent and Baekhyun stared out the window, knowing obviously that Sehun was directing the words at him.

"So subtle Sehun. I suppose you'd like to verbally spar now? Maybe ask me if I have a heart?"

"Actually I was gonna ask if you want to get the hell out of the car and walk. Because I don't care what you think is gonna happen but we're not letting my frien stay in the hands of someone who's known for violence!" Sehun exploded. His grip on the sterring wheel was white-knuckled and Baekhyun felt a cold shiver go down his back and his own hand tightened into a fist.

"Is that a threat Sehun?" Jongin began waving his hands nervously and started to diffuse the situation. 

"Okay that's enough! Just set aside your differences. We still need to get this information to the mayor. Sehun if you want, Baekhyun and I can get this delievered and you can go after your friend. When we finish up we can go look for her with you."

Sehun considered this while Baekhyun fumed. Sehun's priorities were all wrong! Though he was internally screaming for Sehun to forget it, he stayed silent.

"Fine. If I've not already found her by the end of the week, meet me out at the `Phoenix's Lair' a good friend of mine owns it. Tell anyone who asks Sehun sent you." He said. Baekhyun nodded and Jongin breathed a sigh of relief.

Hello my loves! It's been quite a long time, right? Well here's the newest chapter, courtesy of my summer break. The next chapter should be up sooner than this one, but we'll see. Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed!