When Ara opened her eyes, the pain was still there, lulling and gently pounding in her skull.  She furrowed her eyebrows as she opened her eyes, blinking away the blurriness.

The room was dark and cold.  She tried her best to make out what was around her, but she could sense she wasn’t thinking clearly.

She sat in a chair, her arms and legs held down by metal bonds.  To the side, there was a monitor and a computer hooked up to wires protruding from her body.  There was only a single spotlight fixed on her. She could tell she was the only one there, feeling the void closing in around her.  

The door opened, revealing Chanyeol.

“Have you calmed down a bit?” he asked.

Ara gave no answer, only a fierce glare.

The colonel sighed heavily.  “I was hoping you’d be able to see things from my perspective, but one can only hope,” he said.  “You have a lot of potential, Lieutenant.”

“Glad to hear it from a piece of scum like you,” she seethed.  “What did you do to them?”

He laughed.  “Your little friends?  No harm came to them…yet…”  He began to slowly pace the room.  “I can assure their safety after you can assure me your allegiance.”  

“No.”

An electric shock pulsated painfully through her.  She groaned as she tried to coil, only to struggle against the bonds.

“It’s pointless to resist,” Chanyeol said as the sensation diminished.  “Just meaningless pain, unless you like that sort of thing.”

“Pain’s an old friend,” she found herself chuckling darkly.  

Agitation flashed in the colonel’s eyes.  “You’re not listening to me. With Project Pantheon, we can destroy an old regime and create something new.  Make a better world,” he explained excitedly. “You can be by my side, and we’ll watch the North fall to its knees for all the heinous crimes they’ve committed.”

Ara looked away silently.

“Hm, well if I can’t convince you, then maybe this can,” he said, turning towards the door.

The door opened, and Namjoon slowly walked in, escorted by a couple of soldiers, a look of worry deep in his eyes.  He avoided Ara’s gaze and looked at the colonel as the officer reached for his gun. When he turned to face her, part of the hope in her heart shattered.  He wore the stern look he always had when dealing with harsh mission situations.

Always unreadable.

He looked tired.  His face was bruised, and he seemed to be favoring his left leg.  If it weren’t for the soldiers, he would’ve doubled over because of the pain in his stomach.

“Ara,” he said, his voice sad.

“Namjoon,” she breathed.  She searched Chanyeol’s gaze, panic growing in her chest.  “Why are you doing this? Namjoon didn’t do anything, nor was he involved --”

“Friendship and love breed softness,” Chanyeol said.  “Join me, or watch your friends die one by one.”

She tightened her hands into fists, fighting against her bonds.  Her heart was racing, and her breathing growing thin. Panic had her chest grow tight.

The soldiers shoved Namjoon forward and forced him on his knees in front of her.  He had a small bruise on his cheekbone that disappeared a bit as he flashed a sad smile.  

“Ara,” Namjoon said, his voice calm like a still lake.  

She shook her head, tears welling in her e