11.

SeHun wakes to a sound of continuous beeping, the shrill alarm pounding at his temples. He felt uncomfortably warm and wet, sweat lining his skin and limbs as heavy as lead. It takes him a moment to blink open his eyes and scramble his memory for where he was.

“Kyungsoo?” he calls, voice hoarse and scratchy. He squints into the darkness that enveloped the room; a faint beam of light escaping the slightly opened door illuminated his surroundings.

“JoonMyun?” he says, louder. The urgent sounding beeps still continued to echo, pounding at his temples along with the steady beating of his heart, telling him that he was alive and awake.

It took almost all of SeHun’s strength to sit upright without doubling over.

“Yeah… perfectly alive and in pain…” He hisses, long and low, as his wound stabs at his body, the anaesthesia long worn off. Slowly catching his breath, he gets to his feet, albeit a bit unstable. Stepping out of the bedroom, he leans against the doorframe as he adjusts to the lighting of the empty living room.

“Right,” he murmurs, “they said they were heading out.”

If there was anything SeHun disliked, was being left behind during missions. But knowing that he’ll drag everyone behind was worse. So he opts for a frustrated sigh, and wipes away the dampness on his forehead. He works his feet towards the beeping that came from Chanyeol’s computer on the kitchen table. Rubbing at his throat and reminding himself to fetch some water, his fingers hover over the open computer to turn the damn machine off, until he reads the message that had popped up on a blue screen.

His entire body freezes, and the hairs on the back of his neck rise. And this time, it wasn’t from pain.

“,” he breathes. Ignoring the dryness of his throat, or the shooting cracks of pain in his stomach, he sits himself down in front of the computer as his eyes quickly scan its contents.

WELCOME: E.xO.Dus Maintenance Shut Down.

System “Termination”

Status: Activated

∞

“I’ve activated the termination sequence.” Lay says, checking the gun Kris hands to him. He turns to LuHan and Tao, “I want you two to lead the groups. Tao head up to the control floor, and LuHan scan the main basement floor.”

Unlocking the gun, Lay motions for his men to move out.  “You men have 20 minutes before this building goes up in flames, take it upon yourself to get out and meet back at base.”

LuHan could taste the stale air around him, muscles tense as his heart pounds through his ears. He remembers Lay’s words and keeps a mental track of the time left.

15 minutes…

“You’re not here to grab a glass of water, are you?” LuHan breaks the silence first, eyes flickering from the gun pointed at him, and then to the expressionless mask of solitude. The dark eyes reflected the dim lights of the hallway, and LuHan finds himself on the verge of lost temptation.

“You’re not exactly here to grab another drink either,” the boy replies, much to LuHan’s surprise. His voice was deep and brooding, a low tone that struck an odd cord in LuHan’s chest.

Biting his lips, LuHan curses his own self. He shouldn’t have thoughtlessly opened his mouth. The more he stared, the more he wanted to know about this mysterious intruder. And now that he had a voice to match the face, he was finding it even more difficult to pull away from his inner dilemma. Why was he finding it so difficult to pull the damn trigger?!

Come on, LuHan. You should know better…

With a firm resolution, LuHan steels his emotions; he felt like he was stopping a runaway train.

“Which group sent you?” LuHan murmurs, frowning. “You do realize you are illegally trespassing into a corporate building. I have all rights to fire—“ Before LuHan could finish, the boy’s arm tenses as the first bullet is fired without warning. LuHan hisses with surprise as the bullet narrowly misses his body, but he has no time to think as the boy lunges forward to strike; a kick towards the chest that LuHan just avoids. But as quick as the attack came, the boy follows up with another kick, which successfully makes contact with LuHan’s arm; the gun in LuHan’s hand clatters to the ground and away from reach.

Quick to retaliate, LuHan doesn’t panic and balances on his legs, gaining momentum, he lunges forward and strikes with a roundhouse kick to the face. He watches as the boy blocks with his arms, gun still in hand. LuHan quickly follows with a punch to the abdomen, which was open for attack.

Much to LuHan’s surprise, the boy’s stance falters with a sharp groan. Was my punch that heavy? He thinks vaguely. Quickly shifting, he hooks his feet behind the boy, and kicks at the back of the knees, but just as he thinks he had the boy under submission, he finds a firm grip on his forearm. Jerked forward, LuHan coughs as the air is knocked out of him when a knee collides with his stomach.

Narrowing his eyes, he reaches out to grab the gun in the boys other hand. Within a flurry of movements and a silent scuffle of feet, the gun is thrown to the ground as LuHan finds himself pinned against the floor by the boy. A hand covered the lower part of his face, warm hands flush against his lips in a motion of silencing. One of his arms was trapped at his sides by the boys legs, and the other arm was restrained above his head by a strong grasp. 

LuHan struggles with a frown, a cry muffled when the hands around his face tightens.

“I suggest you stop moving unless you want your jaw dislocated,” the boy quietly threatens.

LuHan breathes through his nose, body heating in outrage and frustration. He stares up at a pair of unwavering eyes looking down at him in what LuHan thought was something along the lines of muted contemplation. His throat suddenly dries when he suddenly felt too aware; he could feel the heavy tensed muscles pinned against his arm and leg, the large hand that tightly secured his wrist above his head, and the fingers that framed his jaw.

It was an impulsive curiosity that quickly turned into desire and a longing to be held by these arms; embraced and protected by this boy of unknown origin.

It frightened LuHan, enough to have him momentarily forget about Lay’s orders, about Echo, about Jino; as nothing but the body that sat atop of him, possibly ready to kill him, filled his senses.

Unknowing to LuHan’s internal turmoil, the boy leans forward, eyes searching for answers. “What is your and Echo’s involvement with the Blood Wine? Do you realize tha—“ his words are suddenly cut off as his eyes focus elsewhere; his ear piece faintly buzzing with static. “I’m on my way,” the boy whispers, eyes fixating back on LuHan as he ends his transmission.

He’s not alone… LuHan thinks, the mention of Echo and the Blood Wine slapping him to his senses. He tenses his legs, glaring up at his captor as he abandons that sweet yearning clouding his mind. But before he could even attempt to struggle, he finds the pressure around his jaw tightens; tears form in his eyes as he starts to see black spots, unable to breathe. He passes out, unshed tears glistening on his closed lashes, mind drifting in the thoughts of will I be killed…

LuHan is out like a light when the boy finally releases his grip, fingers caressing the motionless face for a brief seco