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CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT

❝APREMONITIONTOOLATE❞

Sunggyu pressed his back against the wall. The caramel haired man cautiously peaked around the corner. An armored truck was parked down the road from him. A couple of men in all black were on the ground. They weren’t moving. Sunggyu didn’t need to inspect them to know they were dead.

“Is that the supply truck?” L asked, rushing to Sunggyu’s side and mimicking his actions. Said man didn’t answer and continued to survey their surroundings.

The area was surprisingly desolate and grim. From his position, Sunggyu could even see the ginormous gates in the distance that led to sector nine and yet there was not a single guard patrolling the district.

Sunggyu narrowed his eyes, not liking the situation they walked in. It was quiet, too quiet. Where were the supposed mercenaries? Was Tao here, somewhere? The young man quietly sighed. He knew this had to be a trap. The moment he and L stepped foot out into the open, they would probably be surrounded and attacked.

Normally, in circumstances like these, Sunggyu would scope out the area, locating all possible threats and gaining the upper hand in the situation, but he didn’t have time for this. He needed to return to the others. He had been feeling a sense of dread from the moment he had stepped foot out of the apartment. If it had just been Sungyeol and Sungjong, he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be feeling like this. But it wasn’t just them. Woohyun was with them, and that’s what really worried him.

Sunggyu knew when push comes to shove, Woohyun knew how to defend himself.  But that was about it. Woohyun wasn’t a soldier like him. He wasn’t a fighter like the rest of them. It was obvious, from the conversations he had had with the younger, that the brunet had gone through his share of hardships in his life, but Woohyun was just a kid. He wasn’t fit for this kind of world, this kind of environment.

People, like him, shouldn’t have to live in a world like this.

Woohyun may be able to throw a punch or two, but Sunggyu could see it in his eyes. Woohyun was too fragile, too sensitive, too pure for any of this.

He would never be able to make it on his own in a world-a time-like this.

Sunggyu was hesitant at first, when Sungjong and Dongwoo brought up letting Woohyun join INFINITE. The younger was annoying and a bit of burden–still is–but Sunggyu didn’t have the heart to force Woohyun to go.  Plus, he was beginning to grow fond of the brunet. But, Woohyun had nowhere to go. And no way back to his own time, if it was still possible.

The rebel leader wished he had paid more attention to the things Himchan used to tell him when it came to the means and science behind time traveling. The number of times Kris had forced the blond through the threshold and the amount of the times he had been experimented on for the sake of traveling, Himchan had became an expert on the subject matter.

“Let’s go,” Sunggyu said, stepping away from the wall.

“It’s obviously a trap,” L frowned.

“I know, but we need to hurry, and there’s not much we can do about it.” Sunggyu didn’t wait to hear anymore of L’s complaints and walked out into the open towards the supply truck. He heard L’s hesitant footsteps follow behind. The leader approached the dead men on the ground. They both had gunshots holes in the head: a quick and painless death.

“Check the trunk,” Sunggyu ordered L.

Said man grunted, heading to the back of the vehicle. He wrenched open the trunk. Boxes upon boxes filled the back of the truck. The young man opened a few, checking its contents. Some were filled with medical supplies, others were filled with weapons and ammo and other technical stuff. “Everything’s here.”

“The great Kim Sunggyu has finally arrived!” Sunggyu heard a voice call out. He glanced over his shoulders and saw a group of guards and soldiers rush towards them. They surrounded the two rebels, their guns aimed at them.

Sunggyu moved away from the truck, not caring in the least about all the guns aimed at him. He eyed all of the soldiers, trying to pick out the voice he had just heard.

“I was starting to think you’d never come,” the voice said again, lightly chuckling. Behind the soldiers directly in front of him, Sunggyu saw a young man approach them. He had short, light, fluffy, brown hair. He wore a long, black buttoned up trench coat. His hands were stuffed in his pockets as he moved past the circle of soldiers and stood in front of Sunggyu. He smirked at the rebel before glancing at L behind him. His smirk widened before his eyes fell upon Sunggyu again.

“Who sent you?” Sunggyu asked, getting straight to the point.

“Hold on! Before that, let me just tell you how honored I am to be in your presence!” The young man smiled, excitement flickered in his eyes. “Like I’ve read reports on you and heard how you were considered a legend in the military back in the day.”

Sunggyu’s brows furrowed not expecting to hear that. “Um–”

“While I was a trainee, I always aspired to be like you!” He quickly ed his coat, revealing a plain white shirt he wore underneath. He tossed his coat to the ground and raised his right arm sleeve. “I even got your name tattooed here!” In bright pink letters with cute, tiny red hearts surrounding it was Sunggyu’s name etched on the man’s surprisingly muscular bicep. The young man flexed his arm a little, making the hearts wiggle a bit.

“…Thank you?” Sunggyu’s face scrunched up in confusion. He tilted his side, blinking. To say he was disturbed was the understatement of the year. He heard L snort behind him.

“No, thank you, Kim Sunggyu!” He bowed.

“Uh, Baekhyun, sir? When are we going to attack?” One of the soldiers asked, lowering his weapon.

Sunggyu frowned, almost forgetting the situation they were technically in. He glanced over his shoulder at L, nodding at his partner. L nodded back. They needed to take advantage of their distracted enemies.

“Ah, just a moment! One more thing, Kim Sunggyu.” Baekhyun crouched down, rummaging through the pockets of his coat. He pulled out a notepad that had Sunggyu’s face printed on it. “Can I have your autograph?!” He shoved the notepad and a pen in Sunggyu’s face.

Instead of signing his name, Sunggyu tossed the pad over his shoulder and grabbed Baekhyun’s outstretched hand, pulling the soldier towards him. He quickly turned him around, pulling his gun out and pressing it to his head. L turned around, aiming his weapon at the guards that were behind them as well.

“No, Baekhyun, sir!” All the guards gasped, aiming at Sunggyu.

“Stay where you are, or I’ll shoot!” Sunggyu threatened. Unfortunately, there were too many guards for him and L to handle. This distraction would have to do.

“Listen to him, boys!” Baekhyun coughed as Sunggyu’s arm around his neck tightened. “I’ve got this!”

“Now answer my question from earlier,” Sunggyu demanded. “Who sent you?”

“I can’t believe I’m being restrained by the Kim Sunggyu,” Baekhyun smiled, not even attempting to break out of the hold.

“Answer me, dammit!”

“Yongguk, sir, sent me!” He finally answered. Sunggyu frowned at the name. It always came back to Yongguk in the end.

“How did you know about this, the supply truck?”

“We have our ways!” He placed his hands on Sunggyu’s arms, finally trying