[NCT Corporation building, Monday morning]

“Ten, status?” Kun’s voice asked.

Chittaphon Ten let out a sneeze before he could answer, the male trying to shuffle through the vents. He coughed away the dust as he made his way past the small space in the dark. It was still early morning and he just got what he needed. He had discarded his necktie and ed the top buttons of his dress shirt to make it easier—office wear was not very comfortable.

“I just got the key from the janitor,” Ten told Kun, fiddling with the earpiece in his ear. “Kun, let me get this straight… Did you or did you not, recruit Haechan?”

Once more, Haechan was always a wildcard and Ten didn’t know if he could trust the forger. It was a game of lies! A game of deceit! The former assassin waited for his strategist to answer, Kun finally speaking.

“He said he’s on our team,” Kun told Ten. “Besides, shouldn’t you focus on throwing Doyoung off?”

“Yeah, well. He isn’t around yet. I’m still entering the Marketing Department and it’s hella stuffy in here. Who is on our team again?” Ten asked. He was afraid he was losing his touch. All that Mcdonalds he and Hendery had splurged on had made him gain weight and it wasn’t much of a breeze like before.

“On our team we have the same people. Haechan, Hendery, Shotaro, Lucas and you. That team has Jaemin, Renjun, Jungwoo, Taeyong, and Chenle,” Kun answered and Ten sneezed again. “Did you just catch a cold?”

“Man, it’s the air conditioning of this place. We better get rid of Na Jaemin soon. Donkey, you in position?” Ten asked his team mate, Hendery answering.

“Yeah, I don’t like being tied up,” Hendery grumbled. “In the bathroom. This is the first time I’m bait.”

“You’re just a distraction, Donkey. We need to get rid of Na Jaemin. Talking about him, where is he?” Kun sighed, spinning on the chair in one of the conference rooms.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Taeyong’s Team

“Doyoung, where are you?” Taeyong asked Doyoung who gave a grunt. He too, was in the vents, his white dress shirt beginning to turn a dusty gray.

“I entered the vents from the elevator shaft. Rather you ask Na Jaemin where he is,” Doyoung grumbled. “I’m shadowing Ten, I know he’s somewhere around the Marketing department. Na Jaemin, where are you?”

“I’m in position,” Na Jaemin’s voice said. “I’m the janitor. It’s very nice to be recruited, Leader.” He giggled, mopping the floor a little bit too aggressively, Taeyong giving out a scoff.

“Please, I don’t think I have a choice,” Taeyong answered when there was a pause. “Give me a moment, someone just came in with papers to sign.”

There was the sound of a shuffle before Taeyong spoke again.

“Doyoung, you got the minutes for the last meeting we had?”

“It’s with Nina from Advertising,” Doyoung replied. “Okay, guys. Let’s get a move on, did Kun’s team take the bait for the fake key?”

“Yeah, he came and thought I was the real janitor so I gave him the fake key. The only real key is with Johnny,” Jaemin replied. “I’m going on the elevator. Say, how about Haechan? We can’t trust him, you know.”

“Somethings never change,” Doyoung quipped. “I’ll just shadow Ten, you guys go with the plan. Remember, we need to go to Johnny’s room and steal that trophy of his. I really don’t want to lose to Kun and pay for the company dinner tonight.”

Na Jaemin hopped forward, pressing his fingers on the elevator when it dinged and he entered it. He froze when another janitor was right beside him and Na Jaemin blinked, whispering into his earpiece.

“I’m inside the elevator with another janitor… Do I attack him?” Jaemin’s voice trailed and he squinted at the old man.

“Is it Haechan?” Taeyong asked, Jaemin stepping closer, the janitor blinking at his action.

“His wrinkles look very real,” Jaemin said when there was a sound and the elevator stopped. He grabbed the side of the elevator to regain balance, looking up at the camera to see it blinking. “Crowd! The elevator stopped—”

“Goddamnit.” Chenle cursed. “I lost control of the elevators. Shotaro is doing his thing and verbally hacking. SHOTARO! I CAN HEAR YOU FROM HERE! Guy is yelling out javascript and control V like he’s at a debate—”

“Crowd,” Taeyong warned. “Try to regain control.”

Chenle let out a frustrated sigh. He couldn’t when Shotaro was working with three screens and he was nowhere near as good as Shotaro but he could do one thing and eliminate one of Shotaro’s attack. Chenle’s hands flew over the keyboard when he finally gave a smirk.

“What are you doing?”

“Hacked into his Bluetooth speakers so he can’t hack verbally—”

Boom…booom…booom…

The sound of the song rang throughout the IT floor and he could hear Shotaro let out a frustrated sigh, Chenle taking the opportunity to take control over the elevators.

“Trying to get a hold of it, Na Jaemin—You’re reaching the Marketing department in two minutes.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kun’s team

“Crowd hacked into the Bluetooth speakers and—” Shotaro grumbled, kicking the Bluetooth speakers to put it off when it went back on. “It’s so annoying. Kun, the other team made one of them forge as the janitors.”

“What?”

“I saw two janitors in the same elevator. There should be only one janitor on shift.”

“One of them is Na Jaemin, I’m sure of it. No one else would forge as a janitor,” Kun answered. “Ten, which one of the janitors did you get the key from?”

“The old one. But Kun, I got it really early morning so I think it couldn’t be Na Jaemin, right?”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[Marketing department]

“I gave the key to him early in the morning, guys. Don’t worry, he probably thinks it’s real. But Crowd, can you please open up the elevator doors? The old man looks like he’s going to faint,” Jaemin rambled, the old janitor loosening his top button to breathe. “But again, it might be Fullsun.”

“I got it, I got it,” Chenle said. Right at that moment, the elevator opened and Jaemin hopped out, turning to stare at the janitor, speaking.

“I know what you are, old man,” he said, the janitor blinking and frowning at him.

“I know I’m a janitor, you don’t have to rub it in,” he grumbled, closing the elevators and Jaemin huffed. It was time to try to infiltrate Johnny’s private office and get that trophy! He held the mop in his hands when Renjun’s voice spoke.

“Nana, I planted a fake mess in front of Johnny’s study. Go and clean it up, pick the lock and grab that trophy,” Renjun said. “I’m in the coffee lounge, making coffee.”

Jaemin hummed to himself, moving forward and making his way through the marketing department when he reached the front of Johnny’s office. He stopped when he saw Lucas leaning down and wiping the mess up with a tissue, the security of the opponent’s team looking up and flashing him a smile.

“Oh, you don’t have to clean this up anymore, janitor,” Lucas said, standing up. “Na Jaemin, I know it’s you.”

Busted.

Jaemin growled at him. Of course, he would know! Shotaro must have told him. Jaemin’s eyes ran through the ceiling and back down to Johnny’s private office that was locked at all times. The original plan was to pick the lock but it would be impossible if Lucas was standing guard there.

“Leader, Lucas is here,” Jaemin said, Renjun showing up with a cup of coffee. At the sight of Lucas, Renjun glared at him, baring his teeth. “Should we attack him?”

“We should,” Renjun said, placing the cup down to loosen his tie.

“Woah, calm down. Not when there are employees around. Doyoung, status?”

“Still shadowing Ten. I don’t even know why I’m in the vents,” Doyoung sighed. “We all know Johnny’s study is not accessible from the vents. He made sure of that—”

“Where is Fullsun?” Renjun asked, frowning. “I don’t trust him. Why do I have the feeling he’s working for Kun?”

“Guy double crosses people like it’s his career,” Jaemin said, shaking his head. Lucas crossed his arms, standing guard. “And Lucas is here standing guard like his life depends on it.”

“You are not getting that trophy,” Lucas answered. “But yes, where is Haechan?”

At that moment, there was a huff and a man ran in. He looked disheveled, his hair sticking up in all the wrong places. He smoothed down his tie and he his lips, the suitcase in his hand wet. He looked jumpy and Renjun narrowed his eyes at him.

“Sorry, I’m late,” the man said, bowing down to Renjun and Jaemin. “So sorry….”

“Who are you?” Renjun asked, tilting his head at him suspiciously. “Where do you come from?”

“I’m… Pete,” the man floundered. “From finance?”

“This is the Marketing Department. What are you doing here?” Renjun asked, his eyes focused on the newcomer.

“I’m… actually working with one of the marketing employees. I have to handle the marketing expenses…” Pete from Finance said when Renjun heard a sound in his ear.

“Pete from Finance?” Doyoung asked, the male being the head of the Finance department. “I don’t remember us needing anything from the Marketing department. Could that be Fullsun?”

“Right.” Taeyong was in an empty meeting room, the male nodding. “Renjun, tell Pete from Finance to come here. Let me talk to him, he might be Fullsun trying to infiltrate the Marketing Department.”

“Pete from Finance…” Renjun breathed, jerking his head to the side. “Lee Taeyong wants to talk to you. Third room, on the left.”

The male looked flustered, making his way to where Renjun told him to go. He gulped, walking to the empty room and Taeyong stood up when he entered, studying him. Could it be Haechan wearing a mask? But Haechan said he would work for them…. Taeyong moved forward, sniffing the air around the man as he stood rooted on the spot. Where was Tae-il when you needed him?

Tae-il, Sungchan, and Jeno were with Johnny at some meeting. Taeyong circled him carefully before deciding to give him a task. Could Pete from Finance be an imposter?

“Pete from Finance,” he said. “Go and make me coffee.”

“Y-Yes… sir,” the male said, rushing to the coffee lounge. It didn’t take long before he brought back coffee and Taeyong sipped it, his eyes on the guy. He had seen him around, Taeyong working on the same floor as the Finance department with Doyoung. He had taken over Corporate planning. But what was Pete from Finance doing in Marketing?

Suspicious.

“How’s the coffee?” Doyoung asked, Taeyong moving away to answer him.

“He didn’t put the creamer.”

Doyoung gasped. “Pete from Finance never forgets the creamer!”

“Exactly,” Taeyong said, turning to Pete from Finance and patting him on the shoulders. “Mhmm. You got buff, boy. I guess… Go and do your… financing.”

Pete gulped, bowing to Taeyong before leaving.

“He’s sus,” Taeyong said. “Renjun, keep an eye on him. Is Lucas still in front of the room?”

“Yeah,” Jaemin replied. “He’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”

As Jaemin was talking, Pete from Finance had taken a seat in one of the empty cubicles and Renjun narrowed his eyes on him. He slowly reached for the stapler, making his way towards the man before standing behind him, stapler in hand.

“U-Uh…”

“I’m keeping an eye on you, Pete from Finance.” Renjun’s voice was low and threatening, the male clicking the stapler. Pete jumped and Renjun smiled at him.

While Renjun was handling Pete, Jaemin began to study his surroundings. Johnny’s study was filled with glass and what Jaemin could see was that there was a window. Lucas watched him before speaking softly under his breath.

“I have no idea why no one would think of entering through the window,” Lucas said mildly before gasping, a hand going to cover his mouth. “No, sorry. I forgot.”

But Jaemin heard it and squinted at the window. If he could climb out of the window from the bathroom and scale the side of the building, he could break Johnny’s window and get that trophy! He quickly told Taeyong, the strategist giving out a hum.

“We can give it a try,” Taeyong said, Na Jaemin rushing out of the department to go to the nearest bathroom. As he left, Lucas smirked and reached up to his earpiece, speaking to Kun.

“Kun. Na Jaemin took the bait. Renjun is occupied with the real Pete from Finance and he thinks he’s a fake… and Doyoung is shadowing Ten. Hendery, you better start making noise. I’m following him and I’ll lock the door behind him so he’s trapped in the bathroom.”

Hendery was in the bathroom, forging as the real Pete from Finance who got abducted. They couldn’t tie up real employees, so they crafted this perfect plan of him being Pete from finance. Shotaro had hacked into the street lights to turn them red, thus putting Pete from Finance in traffic. Hendery heard Na Jaemin walk into the bathroom, the male muffling out loud when he heard the click of the door.

Lucas had locked Na Jaemin in.

Jaemin looked at the source of the sound, pushing the cubicle door open to see a tied up Hendery as Pete from Finance. Na Jaemin gasped, his eyes widening when he quickly undid Hendery’s wrists.

“What’s your name—Oh. My God. You’re Pete from Finance!” Jaemin screeched.

“Hendery, do not speak,” Kun said to Hendery. “We don’t have voice changers.”

“Why isn’t he speaking?” Jaemin was saying, shaking Hendery aggressively on the shoulders. “Oh. My. God. He’s traumatized! QIAN KUN!”

Jaemin began to mutter to himself.

“How dare you, Kun! How dare you tie up a normal civilian? This is a game of war! We do not play dirty!” Jaemin said hastily before wagging a finger at Fake-Pete. “Wait here, Pete from Finance. I will need to go get something from Johnny’s study and I will be back in a jiffy!”

And with that, Jaemin rushed to the window and tried to open it, frowning. But Kun’s team was prepared and Hendery had bugged the windows with an electronic lock the day before, Shotaro’s rapid tapping closing the window and locking it tight. Jaemin shook it.

“Crowd! They locked the windows! Goddamnit. Don’t worry, Pete from Finance! I will get us out of here!” Jaemin said to Hendery, the male just pretending to be traumatized. “Crowd, do something!”

“Shotaro, let me in your network!” Chenle yelled, Shotaro scoffing. “This is another level of “closing your window”.”

“Wait….” Renjun’s voice popped up. “If the real Pete from Finance is in the bathroom… Who is this Pete from Finance?”

There was a moment of silence from Taeyong’s team when Renjun grabbed the chair and turned him to face him, his eyes squinting at the employee.

“Pete from Finance….” his voice trailed, Renjun holding the stapler in hand. “Are you really Pete from Finance? Who is Pete from Finance?”

“Uh… Yes, I am.”

“AHAH! That’s exactly what a person who is pretending to be Pete from Finance would say!” Renjun said shrilly before looking around at the people who were staring at him. “What are you staring at? This is between me and Pete from Finance!”

He turned back to Pete.

“Now tell me, Pete…. How do you sleep at night, knowing you’re a liar? Tell me, Pete from Finance… Are you happy?”

Pete from Finance’s bottom lip trembled and Renjun could see tears forming.

“I… I’m sorry!” he finally said. “I know I said I’m here to check the marketing expense but in reality, I calculated it wrong so I’m here to fix it! I promise— I wanted to come since morning but somehow the street lights wouldn’t change and…”

“I know a liar when I see one, Pete from Finance….”

“Yes, I’m a liar! It’s a mistake! I promise!” the male said. “Don’t fire me, please. I just lost the love of my life to my adoptive brother yesterday and I am devasted—”

“That’s something Haechan would say. Cut the crap, Fullsun. I know you’re in there! Take it off, tell everyone who you really are!”

“I’m a liar!”

“Yes, you are!” Renjun bellowed at him.

Lucas broke into laughter watching Renjun yell at the real Pete from Finance.

“Ten, you need to come and give me the key so I can open the door and get the trophy,” Lucas said. “Everyone is occupied.”

“Guys, I’m leading Doyoung so I’ll go over to the Marketing Department now,” Ten said, moving a bit too fast. He crawled on his elbows, hearing the echoing of Pete’s crying and Renjun’s yelling as well as Jaemin’s screeching from the bathroom when he paused when he heard a creak. “Uh….”

“What?” Kun asked, Ten feeling a dip. “What’s wrong?”

“Damn, Mcdonalds,” Ten mumbled and at that moment, the ceiling crashed and Ten felt himself fall down onto the ground, except that he didn’t feel the impact of the ground. People screamed and Ten jumped up, his eyes widening when he saw the man on the floor. “Oh, . Robert from Marketing!”

The employee was on the ground and Ten fell on his knees, slapping him across the cheek. Lucas was about to come over but Kun’s voice spoke.

“Don’t leave your post! It might not even be Robert from Marketing,” Kun said. Ten looked up to see Doyoung peek up from the ceiling, his eyes widening in shock at the situation.

“Kun, I’m pretty sure it’s Robert from Marketing.” Ten shook him and the man stirred. “I literally dropped on him.”

“Dude, Robert from Marketing is one of our oldest employees,” Lucas spoke. “Guys, Robert from Marketing is down.”

“Well… Is he bleeding?” Kun demanded, Ten frowning.

“No. But he’s not alive.” Ten stared at Robert from Marketing, Doyoung dropping down as everyone gathered around the unconscious male. “Someone call the doctor.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A few moments later in an empty meeting room

“Hello? Jeffrey? Jeffrey, we have a problem. It’s Robert,” Ten said to the phone. “Yes, Robert. That Robert. The ceiling caved and you have to come save him.”

There was a pause.

“Jeffrey… Johnny cannot know about this! Johnny is in that meeting with Tae-il, Sungchan, and Jeno. Okay. Come fast,” Ten said when Chenle cleared his throat.

“Uh… Johnny is coming,” Chenle said. “His phone just pinged thirty minutes away. I’m hacking into the street lights. Yuta's driving Johnny and the rest. Shotaro—”

“I got it. You handle the first two, I’ll handle the two after that,” Shotaro said, sighing. “He’ll be stuck in traffic for a very long time.”

“Oh my god, what do we do?” Ten asked, pacing around the room. Everyone had already taken off their masks and gathered in the empty meeting room on that floor.

“This is operation “We tried to have an in-house assessment but the ceiling caved on top of Robert from Marketing and Johnny can’t find out.”” Hendery said, Jaemin still glaring at him. “What?”

“I can’t believe you pretended to be Pete from Finance,” Jaemin growled, Hendery chuckling.

“Robert from Marketing,” Hendery called, the man had already awakened and was bleeding through his nose.

“Yes, sir.”

“We’ll get through this together, Robert. Don’t worry,” Hendery sang, Robert nodding.

“Yes, sir. I need a doctor, sir.”

“