Contains swear words. 

If looks could kill I would have been dead again, or well actually dead. Enmity was staring straight at my soul as Commander Heinous was clapping his palm against Yoongi’s back impatiently. I felt satisfaction run through my blood as Yoongi’s teeth harshly bit against his bottom lip, his jaw was tight as his jet black eyes stared straight at my body. He was not saying anything but his posture alone said ‘I will kill you.’ I brushed my tongue against my dry lip, humming in delight at his suffering. I always loved being in charge, and with Yoongi that seemed to have in return been difficult but I slowly had him heading the direction I wanted. 

It was like a chess game and I was making the right moves quicker than him, it appeared.

“Oh my God, can you stop undressing each other with your eyes and be useful?” I heard Mark exaggerate his point across the room. He had his arms crossed across his chest as he was leaning against the middle meeting table, the floating chair which I threw at him moments ago was neatly placed at the corner. I felt slightly gobbed smacked to see him uninjured. Since when did Mark graduate from a lower proxy recruit? His stupid remark earned a couple of light chuckles across the room from the other proxies and Proxy Exultant across the virtual communication. Yet Mark still was that annoying overconfident proxy. 

“Mark.” I heard Proxy Enmity call out with a low growl. Mark’s face turned colourless with the realisation that Enmity was angry at him. I felt a smirk tug on my lips as I saw Mark slowly approaching us so he could be in Enmities sight. He stood straight, but it was obvious from his shaking fingers that he was terrified. It was typical of Mark to be the smartass with his comments and remarks, which always meant he got in trouble. There was a reason why he was part of the Proxy Exultant division, they both were annoying the living hell out of everyone. 

“Do you prefer a gun or a knife Mark?” Enmity questioned and I saw Mark shallow his saliva in a hurry. Other proxies around us whispering to each other. 

“I would prefer none of those sir,” Mark concluded, his eyes struggling to keep up with the intense gaze that Enmity was directing at him. 

“Funny, I could have sworn you just said that you like both of the options.” Enmity hummed, turning his attention onto Proxy Exultant that was still rubbing his stomach, hissing continuous swear words at Enmity. 

“Leave my proxy out of this Enmity, he was right,” Exultant said, his usual smile was no longer present on his face and I felt satisfied again. If they all suddenly one another, my job would be millions of times easier.

“Maybe you should train your proxies properly Hoseok, they always seem the weaker bunch.” Enmity whistled, slipping his hands into his pockets in such an annoying light-hearted manner that even I felt irritated with his words. Proxy Exultant flashed a fake smile at Yoongi before leaving the frame. 

“Seems like you are getting your boxers twisted because your ex-girl is verbally beating your up.” Proxy Heinous Two buzzed teasingly as she passed me over a ‘scale’, a mini projector that goes over my wrist, in return showing transparent statistics used to charge my aptitude. I was at a mere 20 percent and I saw the wicked grin appear on Lilith’s face. I scoffed at her as she sidestepped me before making her way over to another proxy. 

“Yeah before you go off on your usual tantrum can you get Proxy Siren?” I brushed Enmities glares off with a simple handwave, more giggling sounding from his side. 

“ you Kim Jinmi.”

I raised my eyebrows at him, teasingly flicking my tongue against my teeth with a shake of my head. I was already getting under his skin and yet I haven’t even seen him in person. Oh, the irony. “I knew you were an idiot Min Yoongi but I did not realize to what extent, you already did remember?” 

Enmity threw his middle finger at me before leaving the view together with Commander Heinous closely on his heels. It almost felt like the old times, but before my mind could wander off into the fantasy world I stopped myself. 

“Ire, lovely to see you kicking Yoongi back into his place.” Proxy Siren happily stated, his neatly styled bright pink hair greeting me. I felt my mouth slightly part as my eyes examine his appearance. He appeared to have been working out slightly as his frame was somewhat buff compared to what he was like a year ago. Park Jimin was looking well.

“Liking what you are seeing sweetheart?” Siren teased me, his fingers slowly brushing through his hair almost as if to get a reaction out of me. Oh, he did.

“No, I am just trying to figure out your brainless thought process during which you decided to dye your hair pink.” I bit back, Mark randomly choking on air beside me when Siren flashed him a glare.

“Says the red hair herself. I heard that Yoongi has a massive thing for red lingerie but- ” Before he could finish his sentence an alarm sounded, taking all the banter out of the air as the barrier percentage flashed in dangerous 80 percent mark across my screen. Damn.

“Proxy Siren, I need you to power up your scale,” I ordered, the pad of my fingers brushing virtual instructions as our communication centre shook. Screams and gasps leave proxies' mouths as they try to hold onto sturdy objects. My eyes fell onto the trainees and rookies panicking down at the base floor. Hell, no training could ever prepare for the madness that was happening in C21, and I felt somewhat worried for them. 

“I don’t follow Proxy Ire, remember that you need to communicate with us. I can’t just magically read your emotions, well I can but you are confusing.” Proxy Siren hurriedly said, my attention falling on what was going on behind him. Proxies rushed around as they seemed to have been under an attack too, a blur of orange hair passing my view of Siren before he was standing alone. His virtual form glitched slightly. 

“Charge your telepathy aptitude and transfer it to me.”

I saw Jimin frown at my request, his wrist finally pulling scale on “B-But this is going to be hard on you. Can you handle it?”

I knew that it is going to put a lot of strain on my body. Time was something that I always struggled with, slowing it down was as easy as snapping my fingers but turning it back? My success rate was always about a couple of minutes, never longer. To turn it back by about two hours would take an incredible amount of aptitude, and willpower. It was something that might be too great for me to do.

I chucked heartlessly at Proxy Siren, it was hysterical to see worry briefly flash past his eyes. Where was he when Enmity shot two bullets at me? “Since when do you care?”

“I don’t but I don’t need Yoongi being a moody grandpa if I am the one who sends you to the grave.” Proxy Siren brushed his forearm, his wrist lighting up from the scale gadget. 

“Commander Ire East wing is being attacked by ground troops, should we send proxies there?” A female Proxy sounded over the audio system, my fingers tapping onto the screen of the east wing, enlarging the view; being greeted with thousands of soldiers trying to break through the barriers. It was almost intimidating to see what large scale of attack somebody managed to plan, it was as if they tried to make D-93 a joke, and they succeeded. 

“Send more senior proxies down there, tell them not to engage unless the barrier will go down.” I hurriedly instructed, my attention turning onto the West wing that was being attacked too but with a lot of smaller numbers. Rose was down underground there. My fingers snapping at Proxy Heinous, her eyesight falling on the screen of the west wing. 

“Yes, Ma'am.” 

“Pair any available senior or junior proxy with rookies and trainees and tell them to standby. Go through the usual speech that your father goes through to boost their morale up, I can already see them shivering down there.” I instructed Lilith, her eyes dangerously flashing at me as I quickly point the door for her. 

“Yes, Ma'am.” She hissed through her gritted teeth, it was unusual for her to be taking clear orders. Her father surely was spoiling her like a leech that she was and if it was under any other situation I would have thrown more of my smart comments but time was ticking. With dissatisfaction, she rushed out, not before mumbling a directed swear word at me. 

“Are you planning on failing?” Mark asked, behind him a view of the proxies standing still, waiting for my command. I quickly pointed them at the South wing that was being approached by the opposition, none of them needed to be told twice as they rushed out.

“No, but we better be safe than sorry, you know something that Alpha Arcadia should have thought about before flying out. Do we have any advanced proxies left behind?”

“None, all are out with Alpha Arcadia.” 

“You know, I think Proxy Lore came up with the attack himself, I mean there is no way he left with all the advance proxies?” I concluded, pulling my long hair into a messy bun as few proxies rushed around me, Proxy Heinous appearing to be following her orders step by step as a loud cheer emitted from the rookies and trainees down at the base.

“I heard that!” Proxy Lore interrupted through the communication system, Proxy Siren covering his ears from all the commotion happening at both of the locations. 

I blew a few strands of my hair out of my eyes, trying to calm my racing heart down “Good, I hope you all get off your high horses and realise what a stupid strategy you approved off.” This was a mess, a mess that was making me happy. D-93 was falling into great despair, and I was the only one who was able to get them out of it. Oh, it was wonderful, they all will burn once my plan will conclude itself. But patience was golden and this was not the right moment, not yet but soon enough all of their blood will be on my hands, especially Yoongi’s.

“Jimin how long will it take you?” I asked hurriedly, my irises scanning through files of protectors surrounding each gate. Most had the basic combat training, only a hand few had any weapon training and I hissed with dissatisfaction. D-93 was run by idiots who had the God complex. Their lack of training meant that in the worst-case scenario of when the barrier was down they would be the first ones in the line of defence with a lack of skill and civilians. The reality was a cruel one.

“Couple more minutes, what about you?”

I glanced down at the scale, and the pressure from this whole situation was evident. It was almost daunting. If it failed C21 will be attacked directly. “I’m charged at 98 percent, start transferring your aptitude as soon as you can,” I whispered, Proxy Siren, nodding as he connected his scale to the virtual transport system, his status appearing on our big communication screen over his glitching image, my scale synching into the virtual transport system as I sit myself down on the floating chair that Mark got for me. His silent worry was grading me more than when he was being a smartass. 

“Can I do anything Commander Ire?” He questioned, there was no longer an idiot Mark, instead of him, stood Proxy Forte. I wanted to smirk at him for being a good obedient proxy but my body was tired. My limbs felt tired as Mark gently held onto my shoulders with his arms. 

“Don’t let my body hit the ground when the synching is done. Or you’re the fourth one on my list.” I heard his anxious laughter, Proxy Siren sitting himself down, his face appearing sickly pale as he was breathing heavily. The syncing was starting up, his aptitude status going down considerably as mine increased. 

“Jimin, see you on the other side.” I cheekily said, his face slightly lighting up with a smile at my deadly joke. An advanced proxy supported him as he slouched lower, his eyes rolling at the back of his head as he completely went limp. 

X

I felt my body go still as my eyelids clamped shut. Everything went still as my ragged breathing silenced down. Darkness was surrounding me as my mind fired all different impulses, Jimin’s thoughts ran wild in my overworked mind. It was almost too much, the pain seeping through my overstimulated brain was agonising, and then just like that my body shut down. 

Time was ticking through, ten seconds, twenty…fifty….and moments later my mind was traveling back, the force aggressively pushing my skull in itself, my bone-crunching and cracking, the excruciating pain dragging me through the minutes, ten minutes, twenty…fifty….my visual impulses flashing bright blinding light, pulling me into a trance as each minute ripped something out my soul, leaving me completely bare to the emotions of everyone. Anger, hate, distress, anxiety, love, fear; take and give. 

They all just took but forgot to give. I felt screams sounding somewhere in the distance, it was as if somebody was being skinned alive and the reality of it being me made me freeze. 

01:59:50.

X

“Jinmi, come on Jinmi wake up.” That voice sounded so withdrawn yet so familiar, it was strange, and I felt that low voice surround my soul like a warm blanket. I felt secure yet I should have been on the edge, his voice sounded so dangerous, so Min Yoongi like –

I felt my lungs expand, my whole body aching as my eyes snap open. The bright lights blind me for a moment as I try to get my vision to work, my eyes squinting at the surrounding individuals. Mark’s -eating grin appeared on his lips as he was holding me in his embrace. 

“Ugh, you all are so annoying.” I groggily hissed at no one in particular, my body felt sticky from my sweat as I with all my strength managed to push Mark away. My feet shamelessly buck as soon as I step away from his embrace, dragging me back down onto the floor.

“And she’s back.” I heard Proxy Siren narrate over the virtual screen. He looked a lot better than I was feeling that very moment and I hated him for it. It was as if my body was run over by a truck while he seemed to have had a wonderful rest. Damned telepathy boy. 

“Where’s Proxy Enmity?” I questioned when my body started to relax a little, my muscles were still as sore but at least my tachycardic beating heart was slowing down. 

“Hah, trust her to ask for him as soon as she wakes up from her death. Ironic. Here I was all worried thinking that I might need to start CPR because you weren’t breathing.” Mark explained that grin was still visible on his lips as I heard a growl sounding from my throat at his underlying implication.

“I bet you would have loved that Mark.” Proxy Exultant joined in, his eyes shining brightly as his usual smile was back. 

“Hey Captain, you know I value my life right? If she wouldn’t have strangled me I would have been shot by Proxy Enmity. It seems that’s what you get in return for trying to be helpful.” Mark stated, my eyes examining my surroundings as I try to get my scale to work, but it was completely fried. I must have had about two billion electrical aptitude impulses running through my cells to be feeling this horrible. 

“I would have taken the challenge, Mark.” Exultant hummed in over annoying bright manner, my head pounding with his words. 

“What happened?” I moaned in slight pain, my fingers gently messaging my forehead as I try to lessen an approaching migraine. 

“Oh man, it was so cool! The barrier broke seconds before you completely went into your time trance. Proxy Heinous ordered everyone to get ready to defend C21, the communications between Alpha Arcadia and D-93 died down and I was left alone with you. Which by the way was horrifying because you honestly looked like a corpse.” Mark excitedly stated, earning a groan coming from me as my migraine was attacking me with a full swing. His puns will earn him a punch if he won’t stop.

“Then before any of the attackers could get through the barrier was going back up, as all of the opposing team was going back in time. The use of your aptitude with Proxy Siren was a genius touch by you I must say.” Mark complimented me, few sighs surrounding us from the other proxies as they took over the Alpha Arcadia communications, and system. The virtual holograms of them die down.

“Siren’s mental impulses stopped all of the C21 citizens from following the time as you used his aptitude to mark us all-” I threw my hand in the air, making him stop talking. I had enough information to figure it all out. We won, Alpha Arcadia was sent to deal with the introducers which were where Proxy Enmity was at. I pulled my shaking frame up, gasping for much-needed oxygen.

“You are on another level, no wonder you joined the ranks of Alpha –”

“Mark, shut up before I’m going to throw you out of the balcony.” 

“Jesus you are a female version of Proxy Enmity.” Mark teased, my glare falling on him with so much intensity that I was surprised to see him still being able to have that annoying grin. Great, now he wasn’t even scared of me anymore.

“Dumb , Proxy Enmity is the male version of me. Not the other way round.” I murmured, my shaking fingers gripping the table’s surface as I felt light-headed all of a sudden. I had managed to turn back time but with a hefty price of my health.

“Proxy Euphoria will patch you up and you will be back to your fitness in no time,” Mark stated, Proxy Heinous receiving my deadly glare as soon as she stepped her foot back into the communication centre. Her eyebrows frowning in confusion with my sudden attitude before her eyes lingered on Mark, and just like that her face light up with a teasing grin. I should have just let them all die.

“Mark gets off her back, will you? Otherwise, I will not be responsible for a dead proxy.” 

“But I was just telling her that she did not need to worry, she will be back on her feet and ready to kick in minutes.” Mark absentmindedly concluded.

“Oh my God somebody takes him away from here before I will rip his head off!”

“But-” Mark’s face flashed brief fear and recognition too late as his face was smashed with a floating chair from my throw. The force was not even close to like last time but I still saw his body hit the ground with a loud groan and a bleeding nose.