Contains swear words & violence.

(Italic font text is memories.)

“We really can do it either the easy yet boring way or the harder more interesting way, it is your call boys and girls,” I stated cockily earning a few chuckles and raised eyebrows from the surrounding rebels. Proxy Siren standing behind me, his breathing was shallow after our wild sprint. His fingers gripped onto the back of my leather jacket as he was hissing at me to be quiet. After all, we were surrounded by around fifty rebels, cornered like some cage animals.

“Are you insane? Do you not understand what situation you two are in?” One of the rebels stated, my eyes quickly scanning through the crowd to see who exactly said that. 

“I think the only insane people here are you all, so why don’t you all stand down before I will kick you assess.” I hissed, Proxy Siren’s grip tightening, one tug, and my jacket would be ripped off. I tightened my fists, hearing laughter sounding from the rebels. We were stuck.

“What the hell are you saying Ire, do you want us to get killed?” Proxy Siren murmured in anger, his other hand gripping onto his side as he was still trying to catch his breath. My attention fell onto him as my eyes quickly scan with concern for any deep injuries, he did get hit pretty badly by a bullet before I was pulling him to flee. I bit into my lip harshly, as my eyes picked up on Siren’s pale and painful complexion. His shirt showed a deep gunshot gash on his right side, his fingers trying to contain the bleeding. 

“ Siren you’re injured.” I stupidly stated, my frame turning quickly to him as I ripped some of the fabric from my long chinos, quickly trying to compress his bleeding wound only earning a whine of pain leaving Siren’s lips. We both were in so much trouble, facing a far greater situation than I pretended. 

“Look that pretty boy is going to bleed out, what a shame. Aren’t you guys supposed to be good proxies? Or did D-93 send some amateurs out?” Some stupid girl concluded, earning more laughter from her colleagues. I had to stop myself from turning around and going straight for her. Siren was the priority right at that moment. 

“Siren the combat team should be on their way, I’m going to get you out of this mess don’t worry,” I whispered, feeling slightly panicked when I noticed just how unwell Proxy Siren looked. If we continued to stay around, he might go into hypovolemic shock. I was stuck, trapped. It was one against fifty, with a dying recruit to protect too. People called me crazy but it was something that even I was fearing off. 

“Hey, you ugly girl! Are you ignoring us?” Another female called out but I ignored them all, Siren flashed me a pained smile as he was slouching. My arms quickly wrapped themselves around his frame to try and support him from hitting the ground. I had a decision to make, no doubt they will attack first. So I needed to somehow protect Siren, and get him out of the dead-end? Was it even possible? I felt suddenly overwhelmed when Siren completely slumped against me, my body slipping down with his in order so I could rest him against the tree trunk. He was looking at me through half-hooded eyes, his ashen complexion worsening. 

“Don’t worry about me Ire, get out of here and find the combat team. I’ll be fine, I’m always fine.” He humours, small sweat drops forming on his forehead, making him appear glistering in the daylight. I quickly took my jacket off, placing it over him. 

“Listen, Siren, you know that I would never leave a recruit behind. If we only had our virtual oracle glasses we could try and teleport to a virtual base. But those s broke them.” I mumbled. It was unclear whether the distress signal to Enmity went through, Siren mumbling something about trying to send ‘SOS’ signals to Proxy Clout and Proxy Forte before the whole system shut down. None of us was able to send anything to Leader Lore, and it only made me hiss in anger. We were stuck, the two proxies from Alpha Arcadia got overthrown by some mere rebels. What an embarrassment.

“Hey freak how you dare ignore us!” More shouting, bringing small flashbacks of the past. They used to call me a freak. I turned my head towards the rebels, Siren’s weak hands trying to grip onto my wrist, his quiet voice trying to beg and reason with me to try and escape. But I never left my team behind, Jimin was my team. Jimin was my responsibility. Proxy Siren was part of my sub-unit. Those rebels would die before I let them put a finger on Proxy Siren. 

“Please Ire, go – ”

“I’m not a betrayer, nor am I a runner.” I resolved, standing straight as my hands slipped into my pants pockets. My frame blocking anyone from trying to get to Proxy Siren. I felt a small smirk tug on my lips, a few of the rebels backing off when my eyes flashed white. I would use up all my aptitude if I had to, but I will get us out. Enmity will walk into my victory. 

I watch the rebels prepare themselves before they were all charging straight at me. I had no weapons but I did not need them, the first few fell down like flies, causing domino effects. Then five of them surrounded me, my eyes scanning for every single detail that they presented, one was right-handed. The other girl was injured in her right leg, her posture slightly limbs as she tried to take some pressure off her right leg, that was only to my advantage as I used my left leg to land a harsh kick straight against her knee, her face contorting into the pale shade as she screamed in pain. 

Time appeared completely standstill as I focused on freezing it. My mind concluded finishing plans. I needed to get rid of at least thirty of them before I would drag Siren through the woods after throwing them a bait. By that time Enmity would have been already there on the scene. According to the last coordination check, Enmity was twenty miles away from us. If he cared about Siren he would have run straight towards the location of the distress signal, so that left me with the heavy task of keeping us alive by the time the combat team appeared. The satisfaction of watching all of them having their souls ripped out by Enmity will be worth it, especially after they dared to hurt Siren. 

One of the taller guys threw a heavy left hook at me, my face barely missing the impact as I quickly smashed my elbow into the side of his skull, right in the soft spot on the temple, watching him drop to the ground. I was beginning to tire, my lungs not being able to conduct to the high demand that my cells needed. I was overusing my aptitude, with a lack of training my body have forgotten about the high demand needed. I had no scale to watch my statistics nor could I even ask for some help from Siren, mainly because he could not transfer his aptitude to help me detect their movements better but also because he was dying. 

A guy wearing a yellow t-shirt swung his chain wildly, barely missing a few of his companions as he was aiming at me, another rebel joined in with a knife, laughing hysterically at me. A hiss rolled off my tongue when the chain managed to cut the skin of my left bare forearm, my mind firing off mad impulses, trying to warn me of the danger coming from some psychopath with a knife running straight towards me. I expected it, anticipated it, and the moment when he was close enough I swung my legs across his ankles, the guy tripping forward, my right palm acting on an impulse as I slapped him across the face, shattering his nose. More screaming rang as someone fell onto others. The knife guy fell onto his hands and knees, the knife being dissuaded onto the ground. My adrenalin ran its course as the reality of the never-ending enemy count continued. I was slowly being overthrown, my feet refusing to move further out, to spread myself out. The moment I moved away Siren would be left completely open. The chain guy managed to wrap his chain around my bleeding and bruised forearm, tugging me harshly forwards, the corner of my eyes moving onto Siren in fear. No! He was pulling me away. 

I forced the strength that my body had remaining to hit the chain guy with my left hand under his ribs where the sternum ended. Completely paralyzing his diaphragm, I heard him gasping and coughing, my left hand gripping onto his chain before I was swinging him forwards, his body crashing against two female rebels. The moment he doubled over, I twisted my forearm out of the chain and ran straight for Siren, my pupils widening as I watched three rebels surround Siren who was sub-conscious. I tackled the first two people that I managed to reach, a clean shoulder to shoulder hit before I was scrambling onto my feet, messily wobbling over to Proxy Siren who was being choked by a rebel. Siren had no strength to fight him off, my jacket falling onto the ground from his body, only putting his wound onto the full display. Siren gasped sounded over screams my mind froze. It was as if I was having out of a body experience, my goal being only to kill that guy, my eyes seeing red. 

I caught the rebel by his feet, dragging him away from Siren. The guy tried to knee me, however, I turned my hip and banged his nose with my forehead, my view darkening as I felt someone grab onto me. The guy was being pushed away by my left cross slap before I felt cold fingers around my neck. My trachea is being squeezed shut. 

“Caught you little doll.” I heard some nasty whispers and somebody's hot breath, my eyesight completely going out as white spots dances across the darkness. My legs tried to kick the intruder off but it was no use, more people surrounded me. Yet all I could think about was, did anyone reaches Siren again? There was more screaming, my ears trying to strain to hear if it that was Jimin but it was no use. I was gasping and trashing for air. 

My lungs inhale the much-needed air with a cough as soon as I feel the intruder’s fingers leaving my throat. My vision tried to look for something, anything but it was completely dark.

“Caught you piece of . Oh, look another useless dog.” My body froze when I heard that low voice. My lungs chocking up with the demand of air, my eyesight slowly coming back to see Enmity getting rid of the guy with a simple snap of his neck. His red eyes flashed straight to my bruised up and bleeding frame. I looked like a mess and he knew it. He was angry, crazy even. He was physically unsteady, as he was gasping for air viciously. 

“Enmity catch.” Proxy Clout threw him a loaded handgun, my eyes turning onto Siren who was being taken care of by Mark. His weak unconscious frame was carried by him, in a hurry. A virtual oracle glasses rested on his face as he was quickly mumbling something. Most likely talking with Proxy Euphoria and looking for a virtual transportation portal. 

I felt nauseous as I took in the sight surrounding me. Those earlier screams were from Enmity snipping at least thirty people down. Proxy Clout threw a punch at the rebel, his head being completely taken off with the sheer force that Clout used. I quickly looked away, unable to keep any of those images from corrupting my mind. 

“Get up Ire, follow Mark.” Enmity hissed, his red eyes pulling me in. My breathing stops completely as I fall into a trance, fear, screams, anger. I could not move my limbs whatsoever, I was scared. Scared of Min Yoongi and his grim reaper self. He was pulling my soul out without even noticing it. 

“Yoongi! What are you doing?”Clout shouted, Yoongi’s eye contact breaking off, leaving me as a trembling mess as my eyes began to gloss with tears. 

“Go! What are you still doing here?” Yoongi desperately questioned, his sharp eyes becoming gentler, the colour of his black irises slightly returning. He was so caught up in his possession before. I stupidly nodded before I was stumbling away, I could not feel anything. It was as if my body was working on autopilot. Perhaps I should have been mad, insulted even that he was bossing me around. I was the damsel in distress, a role I hated. But I had nothing left, no use in this fight anymore so I left to follow Mark like a lost puppy. I was truly an embarrassment. 

X

“What the hell happened out there? What did I tell you Ire do not engage in combat!” Proxy Lore furiously stated, slamming his fist against the table. My blank eyes examined his now bruised and bleeding knuckles. It was a surprise to see Proxy Lore lose his cool, I have never seen him so angry, and his anger was directed straight at me. 

“Are you doing this on purpose? Did you try to kill Siren and yourself?” He questioned, his long limbs taking only a few steps before he was right in front of me, his eyes flashing purple. He was breathing heavily, his fists tightening at each side of his self, it was as if he was trying to control himself from hitting me. It was all so comical that I could not help myself and burst into painful laughter.

“You think it’s funny? I almost lost my recruit, my friend over you!” He howled, my laughter continuing to ring. I was slowly losing myself, my eyes tearing up from all the laughter, perhaps even fear. 

“Come on Namjoon, leave her alone for now. She is scared.” Proxy Euphoria stated, gently pulling Lore away by his arm. I felt all my emotions get drained with the mention of myself being scared. I was not, how dare he say that? 

“Who do you think you are Seokjin? Me being scared? Hilarious!” I quickly defended myself, only coming off as a spoiled insulted child. 

“Then why are you shivering?” His question threw me off, my body freezing still. I-I was not...

“Just check the virtual imaging, Mark can you get some sort of signal from the broken oracles?” Proxy Exultant asked, Mark almost falling off his chair with his name is suddenly mentioned in the conversation. His eyes completely avoided me as he simply nodded.

“I can try and get something, Ire you said that you got ambushed right?” 

“What’s the point? It’s not as if any of you trust me anyways, in your eyes, I was the one who shot Jimin and caused all the trouble.” I hissed angrily, ripping the uncomfortable bandages off. Only earning a glare from Euphoria who spent his time getting my injuries attended to after he used his aptitude in trying to stabilize Siren. 

“Don’t be a drama queen, we are just asking! You’re the one who is getting defensive here.” Proxy Clout quickly interrupted, placing his not-needed nose into again not his business. 

“Shut up Jungkook, this has nothing to do with you.” I counterattacked, offensively turning my body towards him, Clout flashing me an emotionless smirk. Almost trying to dare me to attack him.

“Right because Alpha Arcadia isn’t my business, good one Jinmi. Maybe I should have left your annoying back down there where you almost got yourself killed.” He angrily barked, his feet taking him forwards towards me. His frame towering over me. 

“Oh get over yourself, you did nothing! Enmity was the one who dealt with whoever was left after I kicked their assess!” 

“Oh I think I’m going to cry out of laughter, is your head so far up your to think that you managed to do anything? Enmity shot thirty people! Thirty! How many did you think you managed to get rid of yourself? Ten?” 

“So maybe I only managed to get rid of ten, what did you do? Knock one person out?” I challenged, stepping onto my tiptoes to make myself taller. Trying to get to his height and eyesight level, Clout only snorted in an unattractive manner at both, the fact that I was trying to get at his eyesight and my words.

“You’re so ungrateful, you have become a completely different person, and our old Jinmi would have been so different.” 

“Who even asked for your help? I only called Enmity! And fantastic, did you forget about the whole situation of Enmity shooting two bullets at me as you all happily let him do it? I think I have a perfect reason to not trust any of you, let alone act on friendly terms!” I sarcastically laughed brushing my slender fingers through my messy hair, Clout freezing up with the mention of the past. My body relaxed when I concluded of winning the argument. I rested my back against the wall, everyone falling completely silent and still. 

“Don’t you ever forget that I never betrayed any of you while you all backstabbed me with no fear of consequences.” 

X

“Look I’m sorry about going off at you a couple of hours ago. I was just so stressed about Jimin possibly not pulling through and yeah Yoongi was freaking the hell out after he received your distress call.” Jungkook started after he decided to approach me, completely uninvited taking a seat next to me. My eyes continued to stare at the night sky. My bare feet curled up due to the coldness coming from the balcony. My arms wrapped themselves around my cold frame, my thin leggings doing barely anything to keep my legs warm. 

“I know what I said was uncalled for, so I apologize for that.” He continued, my long hair falling into my eyes as the harsh wind passes us. 

“I’m sorry Jinmi, we are just struggling with suddenly having you back. I know our friendship has been broken, but I am willing to get to know you again if you stay in Alpha Arcadia. We'll protect you no matter what.” His words sounded so sincere, too sincere in fact.

“Jungkook please do not make promises that you know you can’t keep, you know when the right moment will come up, Yoongi will be ordered again to get rid of me and he will not hesitate to do it. This time he will do everything in his power to make sure that he will succeed.” 

“I-I’m not too sure, Jinmi things have never been so clear, so black and white like you think they have. I – never mind, I just wanted to apologize, I’m going to let you rest now.”

I smiled at him slightly, his fingers gently ruffling my hair up before he was gone. Leaving me in pure loneliness and lots of empty promises. What was he about to say? There seemed to have been so many lies, what was the truth? I don’t think anyone knew. But one thing was clear Commander Heinous was playing a dangerous game, using us as his chess pieces.

I continued to stare at the empty night's sky, there were no stars, if I wanted to see them I could have always got a virtual display in my room but it was different. C21 was nothing like Wrath. I missed the stars, I missed them the moment I stepped into this madness. I flinched when I felt something hit my arm, my head quickly turning behind me to see who threw something at me. 

“Cover yourself up, don’t make my efforts of saving your go to waste.” Enmity stated, his combat leather jacket being ditched, instead, he wore another ‘House of Cards’ t-shirt, this time in red. His jacket resting next to me. Did he throw his jacket at me? His hair was messy as dark circles were forming under his eyes. It was clear, he was overusing his aptitude. Something deep inside my heart stang, he was slowly killing himself.

“No thanks, I prefer not to make any deals with the grim reaper. Your jacket is your soul, I only saw you separate from it maybe ten times?” I stated, to my surprise, Yoongi chuckled, it was satisfying to see his eyes glitter. He almost looked like the Yoongi in the past. 

“So I saved your from getting killed but you are planning to die due to pneumonia? Sounds about right Jinmi.” I turned my attention from him, gazing out of the horizon. It was night time yet C21 continued to be busy. I felt his presence next to me when he sat down next to me, his jacket now resting against my shoulders. It was as if he gave his soul away to me, it was almost romantic until the reality of how messed up our lives were. There was no future for us, there was no happy ending. 

“Jimin has woken up, Seokjin told me to tell you that if I see you,” Yoongi murmured as he was rubbing his palms for some warmth. I wanted to bite back to say that I did not care, but I would have been lying. I protected Jimin with my own life. 

“I’m not even surprised, that telepathy boy pulls through everything. Are you sure you’re the grim reaper? I think Jimin had made a deal with the devil to become immortal or something.” I said, the atmosphere lighting up as I heard Yoongi laugh louder this time, it was one of his honest laughs. Where he wasn’t constricted, where he did not need to fake being the cold Enmity. He was Min Yoongi. 

“Jimin is a cat I swear.” I quickly added, feeling slightly better already. 

“You’re right, he is a super cat with millions of lives instead of nine.” Yoongi hummed, before blowing some warm air onto his palms. He was cold, yet instead of acting that he wasn’t he was showing himself, he was opening himself up again. I needed to stop myself from falling into the trap, but just for another moment, I wanted this. My heartbroken self needed this so I ignored the little voice at the back of my head telling me to pull away, and I shuffled closer to him, before throwing his jacket over both of us.

“I wish Jimin would share one of his lives with us.” I purred, feeling Yoongi’s eyes on me. There was an awkward silence as my eyes moved onto his. We stared at one another for moments but it felt like an eternity, my heartfelt heavy when I remembered our last conversation. 

“If you could be anyone in this world who would you become?” I asked him, my fingers brushing his wet hair away from his forehead. His dark eyes stared straight into my soul as he had his arm wrapped around my frame. He took his time to answer my question, his eyes never leaving mine.

“The dead.” 

“Why?” 

“Because only then could I become free from this ty society.”

I had to break his eye contact, my body quickly springing into action. I could not let myself fall back into that dangerous game. I felt his questioning gaze, his jacket slipping off both of our shoulders as I leave him on the balcony. My heart and mind filled with heavy worry. I could not become weak, the moment I will become fragile they will take advantage. 

Stupid Kim Jinmi.