Kyungsoo’s wounds were slowing him down, and he knew it.

The eerie darkness didn’t make it seem better. He could hardly see where he was going with only some broken streetlights to guide him. Somehow, Luhan’s offer didn’t sound so bad now. Kyungsoo felt like kicking himself in the shins.

“Well, it’s not like things are gonna get worse,” Kyungsoo said out loud, sighing at the same time. A deadly silence greeted him, and Kyungsoo stepped back, instantly alert. Sweat trickled down his forehead.

Grrrr.                                                           

He widened his eyes in dismay as pack of dogs, no monsters, stepped out of the shadows, snarling viciously. The creatures were disgustingly ugly, with dog’s head, a lion’s body, and a tail that looked strangely like a snake’s. Kyungsoo swallowed once and stepped back again, the ground crunching under his feet.

I’m being cornered, he realized, trying not to panic. The leader of the pack growled at him, saliva dripping from its mouth. Slowly, without breaking eye contact, Kyungsoo reached for the gun inside his satchel, only to have his hands close in on nothing.

I must’ve dropped it while I was being chased. his lips nervously, Kyungsoo tried to think of a way out.

I can run, but my wounds are going to slow me down. Besides, they’ll outrun me. The only option left is to fight, or to distract them somehow. Kyungsoo took another step back, and then the animals pounced.

The leader was on him in an instant, its claws scrabbling at Kyungsoo’s neck. It bit down hard on Kyungsoo, who screamed in pain, trying to struggle free. He whipped out a pocket knife from his belt and stabbed it in the chest, listening to it whine until it fell limp onto the ground. Wiping the crimson off his hands, he narrowed his eyes as the other beasts began to prowl towards him.

Another one leapt at him, and Kyungsoo jumped up, slashing his knife in midair at the monster. With a howl of agony, it fell to the ground, twitching. Kyungsoo staggered, clutching at the wound in his shoulder where the pack leader had bit him. He wasn’t going to last any longer. The creature’s saliva probably contained something venomous, as Kyungsoo was starting to feel light headed. From the corner of his eye, he saw another one bound over to him, its sharp teeth showing, and he held his knife up, only to drop it onto the floor.

My whole arm’s going numb, Kyungsoo realized in horror, his arm limp at his side. He widened his eyes in shock as the dog jumped at him, its jaws open wide–

Bang!

Kyungsoo looked up in surprise as the monster dropped down to the floor, red staining its chest. Its allies stepped back as another man walked out from the shadows, a smirk etched on his face.

“Seriously Kyungsoo, I thought you could’ve done better than that.” A familiar voice sounded next to his ear, slightly teasing. Kyungsoo widened his eyes in recognition.

“S-Sehun?! What the hell are you–“

“No time for questions. Can we finish this first? Oh what, you’re injured? That’s no fun,” Sehun complained, reloading his gun. “Here, take this.” He tossed a silver Beretta to Kyungsoo, who caught it with his normal arm.

“Now then, who wants to play first?” Sehun said softly, challenging the monsters. One charged at him, roaring angrily. Sehun shot it in the head, a sadistic smile on his face. Kyungsoo watched with his mouth open as Sehun fired continuously into the pack, his shot never missing its target.

“Come on, Kyungsoo,” Sehun whined as the last of the creatures slumped down onto the floor. Sehun shot it twice in the head before walking back to Kyungsoo. “These things are seriously weak.”

“Well, try fighting them with an infected shoulder please,” Kyungsoo muttered sarcastically. Sehun laughed good-naturedly.

“I came to keep you company. If it weren’t for me, you’d be dead by now.”

“What the?! Did you even ask for permission?”

“Nope!” Sehun raised his eyebrows. “Do I need to?”

Kyungsoo sighed and covered his face with his hand. “Never mind. Forget that I even asked.”

Sehun smiled and kneeled down, taking Kyungsoo’s good arm and slumping it over his shoulders. Together, they stood up shakily, Kyungsoo leaning onto Sehun for support.

“Hmm, I wonder where we can find shelter and-oh gods you have to be kidding me.” Sehun stared, dumbfounded, as one by one, the dead beasts began to stand up, shaking their pelts like nothing had happened. Kyungsoo gazed blankly at the pack as they the two of them, their eyes gleaming with hunger.

“Um, Sehun?” Kyungsoo asked weakly. Sehun narrowed his eyes dangerously. Whipping out his gun again, he fired at the leader, the bullet meeting its head. It groaned for a moment, then the bullet dropped out of its forehead onto the floor. Sehun stared at it.

“Okay.....I guess they’re not so weak after all?” Sehun cursed under his breath, letting go of Kyungsoo’s arm. “Kyungsoo, I want you to go run and hide.”

“What? No way!”

“Please, Kyungsoo. These creatures, they’re immortal. They are going to tear us apart.” Sehun smiled at Kyungsoo. “I’ll be fine. Now hurry and go.”

Kyungsoo shook his head calmly. “I’m injured and I’m not going to be able to hold on any longer alone. I’m staying.”

Sehun sighed. “I tried, okay? Just don’t go blaming me in hell later on.”

“Yeah right,” Kyungsoo smirked. He took out his silver Beretta and tightened his thumb on the trigger. “I’ll cover your back.”

Sehun whistled. “If we make out of this alive, I’ll treat you to something good.” He fired into the pack, bullets meeting their target. But every time the beasts went down, they would just be revived. Kyungsoo clenched his teeth in despair, his bad arm hurting like a thousand needles plunged deep into his veins.

“Sehun, this is just never-ending!” Kyungsoo shouted, firing his gun.

“I know!” Sehun shouted back, his eyes half crazed. For some reason, there was a deranged smile on his face. “Maybe we should–Kyungsoo!”

Kyungsoo looked up just in time to see the pack leader bounding towards him with its jaws wide open. The gleam in its eye looked completely evil as Kyungsoo bought up his hand, his finger tightening on the trigger.

He fired. The bullet missed its target. Kyungsoo watched as it growled and leapt towards him. He closed his eyes in defeat, bracing himself for his fate.

“You give up too easily,” a deep yet familiar voice whispered into his ear, and then he was being pulled into a whole different dimension, shivers travelling up his spine. He could hear the yelps of Sehun being pulled along with him, soft and faint, and then he opened his eyes.

They were back in the hideout from before. Luhan was still sitting on his chair, sipping at his unfinished cup of coffee. There was another girl with long blonde hair pulled into a braid sitting next to him, polishing her gun. Luhan’s eyes widened as they appeared.

“What the-?! Kai, you brought him back again?” He exclaimed, standing up.

“I had to,” Kai said softly from next to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo noticed that their hands were still tightly entwined together, and he flushed. “They were in trouble.”

“’They’? What do you mean by ‘they’– oh.” Luhan caught sight of Sehun, freezing at the spot. Faint spots of pink tainted his cheeks. Sehun however, didn’t notice.

“What’s this place? You know them, Kyungsoo?” He scanned around the room, eyes stopping on the monster-like machines. “Woah.”

“I guess,” Kyungsoo muttered, thinking back to the strange power that Kai had used. Kai let go of Kyungsoo’s hand, his fingertips brushing lightly against his palm. Kyungsoo shivered at the touch.

“They were being cornered by Chimeras. A whole pack of them,” Kai explained, walking over. The girl whistled and set down her gun at the table.

“They were lucky to have survived,” she said, eyeing Kyungsoo up and down. “He doesn’t look that special to me.”

“You’ll see Charles,” Kai laughed. “He’s more than he looks.”

“Considering that you’ve learnt your lesson today, I guess you’ll be joining us?” Luhan asked, his eyes darting over to Sehun. Kyungsoo sighed.

“I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t really trust you guys back then. But I’m still not sure if–“

“We’ll join,” Sehun interrupted, patting Kyungsoo’s shoulder, who yelped at the pain. Kyungsoo glared at Sehun.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he hissed quietly. “These guys are apparently terrorists–“

“Isn’t that better? You need information to find out about the culprit, don’t you?” Sehun hissed back. “This is the perfect opportunity.”

“I don’t understand,” Kyungsoo hissed. “If they find out about our identities, we’re dead.”

Sehun said nothing, just winked at Kyungsoo. “So, how can we be of use?”

“Well, you guys can start by....”

Kyungsoo ignored them. Instead, his eyes flickered over to Kai, who was walking away from the group.

“He’s Kai,” a voice sounded next to him. “Our leader.”

Kyungsoo turned his head to see the girl, Charles, standing next to him. “And yes, he’s an Outcast. He doesn’t use the power often though.”

Kyungsoo nodded silently in understanding. “I’m Kyungsoo.”

Charles smiled at him hesitantly, and he could see that she still didn’t fully trust him. He couldn’t blame her though. “I’m Charlotte, Charles for short.”

Kyungsoo nodded silently, his mind whirling with questions. As if on cue, Charles opened and looked at him steadily, her eyes wistful. “All of us here joined for a reason. For me, my parents were killed in one of the Republic’s attacks.”

Kyungsoo closed his eyes. “I’m sorry.” You liar, Kyungsoo.

“For what?” Charles laughed. “The past doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is the future.”

Kyungsoo stayed silent for a while. “What about Kai?”

“Kai?” Charles looked down at the floor. “It’s just a rumor among us, but I heard that his friend was taken away by the Republican soldiers when he was young. They were both orphans, you see, and he never saw his friend ever again.”

“I see,” Kyungsoo mumbled, guilt stabbing him in the stomach. Taken away? To where? He had never witnessed any Inferiors being taken into Republic. He frowned at the thought.

“Our freedom was stripped away. Giving us that name, Inferiors, so they can mock us. Those bastards.” Charles held her head high, her eyes angry.

Kyungsoo felt sick to the stomach. The Inferiors were also people, not just rag dolls to be played with. Why couldn’t there be peace between the two? Which side is the right one? He had always thought that the Republic was right, but now he didn’t know anymore.

Charles looked at him in disgust. “You clothes are really torn up. Why don’t you go take a shower and change some clothes?”

Author's Note

Hectic week for me, I must say. Romance will be blossoming soon! <33