“So who’s first?”

Ara eyed the group of soldiers before here.  There were roughly fifteen young men, all aiming their pistols at her direction.  She narrowed her eyes, willing at least one of them to step forward.

One soldier shouted as he ran forward, throwing his fist forward to hit her stomach.  

Her body seemed to move on its own, gracefully twisting to the side and allowing him to tumble in a heap to the floor.  She turned to see another coming for her. She grit her teeth as she placed a strong high kick to his temple. The man crumpled and hit the floor in a matter of seconds.  

The amount of power and adrenaline that coursed through her veins made her feel like a god.  Feeling indestructible was something she would have to get used to if this were to be her life.  

But there was no resistance within herself.  She had complete and total control.

And that’s what scared her.

They kept coming at her, but to no avail.  There was a slight moment where she felt pity for her comrades, as they were merely following orders.  She punched the last one unconscious, not forgetting the liar they were unknowingly following.

She bounded back to help Taehyung to his feet.  He groaned as she threw his arm around her shoulders.

“Remind me never to piss you off,” he chuckled.

She smiled as she led him out of the building.

They slipped to the side, under the foliage of the trees that surrounded the campus.  A group of soldiers came by, probably to see what was going on. They waited a moment before moving further into the trees.

Every step she took was further away from the place she called home.  Her heart ached with a slight feeling of betrayal as she moved without remorse, guiding the man she held through the trees.  The entire world was against her now, and all she had was her instinct. She couldn’t back down now.

“Ara.”

She reached for the gun strapped to her hip and pointed it at the direction of the voice.  She froze dead in her tracks. With a deep inhale, she lowered her weapon after seeing Namjoon standing there, his eyes filled with hurt.

“Namjoon,” she breathed shakily.  “I could’ve killed you.”

“Where are you going?” he questioned quietly.  

“To find answers,” she replied, returning her gun to her holster.  “We were all lied to. Chanyeol and most of the board of officers are all ROMAN operatives.  They gave the order…they gave the order to kill my parents.”

Namjoon was silent for a moment.  In his eyes, she could see him thinking.  “And you’re taking him?”

Ara glanced at Taehyung, pausing for a moment.  “He’s one of us.”

“How can he be one of us?” Namjoon scoffed.

“You have to trust me,” she pleaded.  “I know it’s crazy and wrong, but they can’t execute this man, even if he’s a Northern officer.  I won’t let them.”

“I know,” he said softly, walking closer to her.  “I know you have your reasons. I won’t ask.”

She sighed as he touched her cheek.  “You can’t come with me.”