[CONTENTID1] The Puppeteer [/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2] Four [/CONTENTID2] 

[CONTENTID3] [/CONTENTID3] 

[CONTENTID4] 

"Idiot." Jisoo mumbled.
Wonwoo gritted his teeth. He had no idea what had happened. One moment, they had been sitting at a table in a restaurant about to order something, and the next moment, one had left, one had got up about to leave, and one was staring at him in annoyance.
"Why? What's the problem?!" he snapped at Mingyu while Jisoo slowly put on his jacket.
"He's a Controller." Mingyu huffed.
Wonwoo was speechless. "That's all?"
"That's all."
"Are you kidding me... how old are you? And Jisoo, I've seen the file. You're freaking three times as old as me! Do you want to tell me that you are so narrow-minded that you accuse someone who finds it damn hard to even go to a restaurant feeling embarrassed? Have you ever thought about how he feels about it?" Wonwoo asked in disbelief.
"How would he feel? He is a Controller, he's used to it, everyone reacts like that. There's a reason why most Controllers avoid the public eye." Jisoo hissed back and struggled with the second sleeve of his jacket.
"And this is because humans and mutants like you are forcing him into this situation. He's gone. You're welcome to eat here. I'm going to apologize right now! And you should do the same, Hyung!"
Jisoo stared at him in amazement. "Hyung...?"
Mingyu sighed and stood up. "I'm not going to get a lesson in decency from someone who's just grown up... I'm going home. You go have your tea party alone and try to save the world." he growled, pouting.
"Isn't he our teammate? We're working together on the case!" he tried again.
Mingyu stared at him, the white plasma in his eyes seeming to move slightly.
"We are not a TEAM. We're four officers working together on a case, but that doesn't make us a team."
Wonwoo gritted his teeth. "Okay, I admit we've barely known each other since..."
"Thirty hours." snorted Mingyu, and Wonwoo nodded stubbornly.
"Yes. But we'll have to work together to solve this case. Didn't you hear the Chief? We all have a special ability and must trust each other."

"Let me tell you this. I am not human. I do my job, and I take pride in my job. But I'm not a team player. None of us are. And I don't give a what the Chief says. Mind stabilization is risky and potentially fatal without established trust between the Canvassers. And I don't play with Jisoo's safety. My call stands. No means no. We did not make the impression to agree to the Canvassing. Neither did Jisoo signal any agreement to be considered by me. And stop with your damn happy team theory."
Wonwoo looked at Mingyu in confusion. "What are you even talking about? And why is it your call? Jisoo's the one to undergo the procedure. Who's asking for your permission?"
"You wouldn't like to know." Mingyu deadpanned.
"Yes, I would much like to know," Wonwoo challenged. "It's crucial we're transparent with each other, especially if it involves the case we are literally paid by taxpayer money to solve."
Mingyu rolled his eyes, but Wonwoo pressed forward. Knowing he wouldn't get anything from Mingyu, he turned to Jisoo.
"If I'm clueless, then would you care to explain?" the Saver asked, earning an unpredictable stare from him.
Before Jisoo could say anything, Mingyu said, "Don't even think about answering. This boy's head would implode from trying to comprehend a mutant connection. You know how humans are regarding their relationships and dating dynamics. People are simply too impulsive and their actions are far too unpredictable. Just ignore him, humans are complicated."
Wonwoo was just about to think of something that didn't exactly penalize the dynamic between human relationships when he noticed Jisoo's annoyed look toward Mingyu.
Still, Wonwoo got angry. "Are we talking in riddles now? A date is a date, why prioritize it with your race?" Wonwoo asked cheekily.

Jisoo had to pull himself together to stay calm. But Mingyu was right.
Humans would never understand how mutants treated each other. Wonwoo probably would need to find out where his ex-partners, who had been with him for a few years, were. Or his partner before that... Or before that.
Wonwoo cleared his throat. "Anyway, it would be helpful if you were more open. Jeonghan is a Controller and a mutant. But just because everyone treats him like that doesn't mean we have to treat him like that." 
"We treat him the same way we would treat any other Controller. It's nothing personal." said Jisoo, turning up the collar of his jacket and heading for the exit.
"But that doesn't mean he doesn't suffer from it." Wonwoo whispered and stood up abruptly."I knew that working with mutants would be different, but that it would be this childish was the last thing on my mind." Wonwoo grumbled and stomped past Jisoo out of the restaurant.

 Jeonghan sat on the couch in his apartment.
He stared at the wall, thinking about what had happened. He wasn't used to all this. He was working in a team, especially with other mutants.
It made him anxious, and he felt like he was suffocating. It had taken him over 20 years to be recognized in his old department, and he had no desire to try again. 
He ran into the kitchen and made himself something to eat. Then he sat down on the couch and watched one of his favorite series, and when it was finished, he forced himself to watch a boring movie.
And yet his thoughts kept wandering back to the restaurant. He had learned a long time ago that the best way to be a Controller was to push people away from him from the start in the hope that no one would feel the need to hurt him. It had worked for the last few years, but today's visit to the restaurant had almost brought down that façade in front of the others he had worked with for years.
He was annoyed by the grateful feeling Wonwoo had given him when he wanted to be seen with him in public without fear or embarrassment. The young human regarded him with a neutrality he hadn't felt in decades. At the same time, he was ashamed that he had put Mingyu and Jisoo in the situation of being seen with him. Jeonghan looked up in surprise when his mobile phone rang. He picked up the phone but didn't recognize the number and frowned.
"Hello?" he asked skeptically.
"Hey, it's me, Wonwoo. I'm near your house and thought you might like a beer?"
Jeonghan was speechless. "What?"
"I'm sorry for behaving like that at the restaurant. I won't do it again, and I'll apologize properly, so I thought you might like to have a drink with me." 
Jeonghan panicked. There was no way this idiot had asked for his company in public. 
"No, I don't want to. I'll see you in the morning," Jeonghan mumbled and hung up.
There was no way he would start getting close to someone again only to be treated like garbage again. He'd rather be alone voluntarily than lonely involuntarily.
Jeonghan's phone signaled a notification, and annoyed, he saw it for a few minutes before curiosity took over. He had a message and opened it.
- I live in the neighborhood. Do you want me to take you to the office tomorrow? Jisoo. -
Jeonghan stared at his mobile phone and started to tremble. Without meaning to, he tapped the call button.
It rang a few times.
"Yes?"
"Why did you text me?" Jeonghan gritted his teeth. He didn't know whether to feel anger or shame.
"Just wondered if you are all right...?" murmured Jisoo, and Jeonghan hung up, tossed the phone to the floor, and pressed a pillow next to him to his head. Pity was the last thing he needed right now, especially from a damn Death Catcher who hated him.

Mingyu sat back on the meeting room desk and put all the pictures on it. He focused on every detail and little stone on the floor, but it was all fifty years ago. Something was missing, but he didn't know what. It had always felt like they could catch the murderer at any moment, but the result was that he was far away.
"It's getting late." He heard a voice, and Taeyong entered the room.
"Chief." Mingyu just nodded and continued to stare at the pictures.
"Are you alone?" Taeyong asked and looked around the room.
"Jisoo will come later, and the Saver needs sleep as a human." He muttered.
"Did you guys fight?" Taeyong asked.
Mingyu was surprised because he hadn't expected such a question. Taeyong had like a sixth sense when it came to fighting in his department.
"Not at all." Mingyu lied.
After the scandal in the restaurant, he and Jisoo fought in the car because the idiot suddenly started saying that Wonwoo was right to some extent. Mingyu stubbornly returned to the police station and worked in the meeting room for hours after Jisoo had clarified that he would not tolerate any further urge mechanism.
"There's a reason I put the four of you on the case together. Each of you has skills that help each other to achieve the best results. But you are also similar in character and working style. Jeonghan hasn't been involved in any missions or operations requiring his crime scene skills since he graduated from the Academy. Give him a chance, okay?"
"I said we didn't argue, Chief." Mingyu muttered, staring stubbornly at the projector.
"And I said give him a chance." Taeyong grumbled, and Mingyu grinned as he heard him slam the door behind him.
Mingyu sighed.
It wasn't that Mingyu didn't like mutants or humans. And he didn't usually have any prejudices. Mutants thought differently from humans. One of the main traits of a mutant was the lack of empathy and imagination. Humans were incredibly easily offended, but that wouldn't happen to a mutant in most cases. 
In perfect timing, as far as offended humans were concerned, the door opened behind him, and Taeyong cleared his throat.
Mingyu smirked.
"Have you found out anything new?" Taeyong asked and walked around the table.
"No, we're still going through the data. Jeonghan and Wonwoo don't know all the facts yet."
"I made an appointment for tomorrow night at the autopsy department. Jisoo needs to read the victim´s mind." Taeyong said and didn´t flinch at all when Mingyu let his fist ram on the table. On the contrary, he stepped towards the angry mutant without any hesitation."I don´t know how to say it in retard language... this is NOT a request."
"He will not do it, Chief." Mingyu repeated.
Taeyong looked at him. "Do you think he's going to stop? Do you want to be the one knocking on another parent's door to tell them their girl was brutally murdered? Jeonghan will stabilize him. And this should not even be a subject to talk about! It's decency. I know it is a private matter with your goddamn instinct, but Jisoo is a police officer, and he is not the first Deathcatcher that does get stabilized while in a vision with a victim and Jeonghan´s skills are excellent."
Mingyu bit his lip."I don´t trust him. We don´t trust him."
"You are a police officer, Mingyu. And you will do whatever it takes to close this case and catch the murderer. I don't give a damn about the trust problem you guys have. I do not give a damn about any urge mechanism or connection standards. I need results, not a picnic."
Mingyu wanted to yell at him, but he knew the Chief was right. His personal feelings had nothing to do with the case, but his instinct was instinct.
"It´s not that easy!" Mingyu complained.
Taeyong stood up and turned towards the door."As I said, I need results, so we need the information from Jisoo´s vision. And if you interfere, I promise you that I'll let you knock on the damn door of the next victim´s parents with the information that you could have saved their daughter from getting slaughtered but had been too stubborn to get crucial information. So get your