Act I: Sag es Durch die Blume

(Say it through Flowers)

~Prologue~

“The number of body dumps have rapidly increased in the last few days and the police are hard at work investigating these heinous crimes. All the bodies were found to have been mutilated, something the medical examiners say, only a real monster would be capable of doing. Authorities advise civilians to be on guard and remain inside their homes while investigations are ongoing. These murders have recently been connected to a number of kidnappings, and it is suspected that a large crime syndicate is behind all this. The Chief of Police, Lee Sooman, refuses to comment on the new findings, and as left in the dark as we are, are the city streets safe to walk in? Stay tuned for more updates. This is Yang Nara, reporting from Kapitel, NeoSeoul-ΔVII.”

With an audible click the television flickered into black as it was switched off, some static crackling from the screen and giving off a soft fizzing sound to the otherwise silent room. Next to the television, a projection hovered before a white screen, reflecting a soft light on the six individuals in the darkroom. The image before them crepitated, splitting into several slits for a few moments before increasing in sharpness to finally form a full image- a shadowed figure of a man behind a wide office desk. Nothing more could be seen but his outline and several office paraphernalia neatly piled on the table. Present even through the screen was an authoritative air surrounding the man with an equally authoritative voice. His words emanated from the speakers installed all over the room, and the effect made it so that it seemed that he was in the room himself, if not for the garbled sound of his voice produced by the sound masking device planted on the telephone.

“Hell, here is your new assignment.” Their attention was focused on the man only known to them as Staunton, every little movement made by him noticed by the eyes of the trained assassins. His image on the screen lifted a finger, and a petite young woman emerged from the shadows of the room and handed a thick file folder to the man sitting in the front row. “Report to Min immediately as soon as the assignment is over.” He briefly waved a hand towards the same woman who brought the file over. “Kwon will give you the rest of the details.” This time another man of medium build appeared, his face concealed by the darkness.

With another sharp click, the projection vanished and the lights were switched on, the bright fluorescents temporarily blinding the occupants of the room. With a low buzz from the ceiling lights, six figures were illuminated, five men seated, and one young woman leaning against the wall at the back of the room. The one called Min pressed another button on her remote, and the projector flashed a series of photos on the wall.

“This is your target.” She turned towards Kwon who handed out another folder of files. “We traced the kidnappings to Tony Ahn, leader of a small-group underground syndicate. He runs a bar off the border of district IV, and his schedule is in those files.”

“The new Bauer will join you on tonight's recon mission,” Kwon added, taking his own remote control and changing the images on the white screen. A photo of a young woman with fiery red hair appeared, her eyes an intense green, matching the mischievous smirk that played on her lips. “Her name is Kass Lee, 24, discharged from the Police Academy last year due to insubordination. Staunton has her primed for our operations. She's waiting at drop point Z as we speak.”

“We don't need a new Bauer,” scoffed a platinum blonde in the middle of the room. His stormy gray eyes bore into Kwon's, but the latter was unfazed.

“Staunton's orders Nichkhun. Try not to kill this one,” the shorter man replied with a bite to his tone.

Nichkhun's eyes drew to the side, his own sign of belligerence, and he set his jaw tight. “Tch. Fine. Only if she's up to standard. We don't need more women on this team.”

“If you have something to say, say it to my face you-”

“Rai, calm down.” Chansung, the youngest of the field team stood up from the first row and made a beeline towards Rai, who already had her fists ready and was heading towards Nichkhun. Chansung laid both hands on her shoulders, effectively blocking her from launching herself at the blonde and easily pushing her back to the wall. He shot an alarmed glance towards the eldest member of the group, Junsu, who lay lazily with his feet up on the sofa, but Junsu only waved a finger. Rai did not appreciate being manhandled, but she gave in nonetheless when she saw Chansung’s plead for help. Sagging into the wall, Rai raised her hands, palms up to show Chansung she wasn't going to attack Nichkhun, not if Junsu was going to be involved.

Ignoring Chansung, the eldest made himself even more comfortable in his seat. “Misogyny is never a good thing,” Junsu drawled, his remark directed at Nichkhun. “Personally, we need more women. If I had it my way, I'd have Miss A team up with me instead,” he added tipping two fingers towards Min who merely rolled her eyes in disgust. “Besides, the new girl is hot.”

“Does it matter? If she gets killed even before the mission begins, what's the point?” They all turned towards the last member of the team, Jinwoon. He pulled his wheelchair towards the main computer next to Rai and after a few moments of tinkering, a collective beep and vibrations were heard across the room. “I've inputted the data into your phones, please don't lose those. I worked hard on them.” He smiled brightly at everyone, a stark contrast to the dark air the others had around them. He fished out another phone from the pockets of his wheelchair and handed it to Chansung. “This is for the new girl. Tell her to take care of it.” He rummaged the pockets again and this time produced an earpiece less than a centimeter in diameter. “This one's hers,” he said as he handed the bud to Chansung and turned to the others. “Please try to at least tolerate the buds, life is easier when we all hear each other.” Grunts were all that Jinwoon received as a response, but he smiled again, setting his headpiece over his ears and adjusting the mic on his lips. “Can you hear me?”

Nichkhun all but growled at the youngest and resident computer specialist and hacker. He stood from his seat and picked up his sword, slinging it across his back. “Let's go,” he said, leaving no more room for complaints nor questions about the mission. Acknowledging Nichkhun as the leader, the rest of the crew followed him out  and gathered their equipment along the way, though Junsu lagged behind, rolling his eyes as the blonde walked past him. With much effort, Junsu heaved himself off his seat, sighing dramatically as he dragged his feet towards the door Chansung was holding open.

He was the last to exit, and when the door shut behind them, Jinwoon turned to both Kwon and Min who were readying to leave. “How long do you think before they kill each other?” he asked, a slightly amused lilt to his voice.

Kwon frowned and gathered the rest of the papers Hell left behind. “Do you know how hard it is to find a replacement Bauer? It took me a month to even find someone remotely suitable for this team, twice as much time before she was suitably trained and briefed about the association. That girl has way too many questions.” Kwon gave an exasperated sigh and continued piling the papers on his arm. “I am going to throw a fit if Hell ends up killing each other. I doubt I can find anyone just as good as they are.”

“Hopefully this new Bauer lasts long enough. They need a female on their team anyway, it’s Staunton's standard protocol, two females to a team.” Min stressed the latter part more than Kwon and Jinwoon thought was necessary, but the two men said nothing about it. “I hope Kass kicks their asses. Hard.”

It was a nice night, the moon was full and the air just right. It was a nice night to kill indeed.

“Visual on the new Bauer?” Chansung asked, turning the corner into Point Z and decelerating to a full stop a few meters away from the drop-off point. He eased his helmet off his head and turned where Rai rode with him. Like him, she pulled off her helmet and dismounted his custom sports bike. Her short black hair flew in different directions and she patted it down, running her fingers through the strands before securing her hair on top of her head with an elastic.

“No, nothing yet,” came Junsu's voice from their earpieces.

Rai fiddled with hers a little more before rolling her shoulders to ease the discomfort. “Maybe she died,” she suggested, no hint of irony in her voice.

“That can't be good,” Junsu replied.

“I thought she was already here?” Chansung asked, looking up and into the roof of the establishment nearby where he vaguely saw Junsu's outline lounging next to the gutter.

“She should be,” Jinwoon answered from the confines of his computer lab. “Kwon confirmed a GPS signal from her. She should be in the vicinity. I'm locking into her position now.”

Chansung unconsciously the simple black stud on his left earlobe. To others it appeared as an earring, a mere decorative trinket of his own preference, however, it was more sinister than that. Directly across the street from him, he saw that Rai was feeling just as uncomfortable as he was. He didn't know what her mark was, and he was almost afraid to ask.

“Chansung, Junsu, Bauer should be directly in front of the convenience store.”

Junsu's eyes scoured the ground below him, and a flash of red hair immediately caught his attention. “I found her. I'm going in for the swoop.”

“No,” Rai cut in before Junsu could move from his position. “I'll go first.”

Rai met Chansung's eyes for a moment and the female stood from her crouching position behind the bushes and flexed her arms. When Kass had her back turned to her, Rai burst out running towards her, each step laden with the intent to harm the new Bauer. Her footsteps were deadly silent as she kept her body tight and centered, running crouched and arms dropped to her sides minimizing wind drag. She zipped through the air and as soon as she was a few steps away from Kass, Rai clenched her fists tight, revealing sharp claws released from the knuckles of her leather gloves. She vaulted herself from the ground and into a moonsault, leaping into the air, feet up, head down and body straight, twisting so that she was face to face with Kass. As she lifted off, she swiveled her feet to boost herself into a high somersault and turned 180 degrees, repeatedly slashing into the air for as much as she could airborne. She landed on the balls of her feet, one knee touching the ground and without giving her or Kass time to recover she pushed herself from the ground and attacked Kass again.

Taken completely off-guard, the redhead barely managed to avoid Rai's sudden assault and she mentally cursed at herself for being careless. Kass felt a sting on her forearm, and a glance at it showed her a bright red scratch where Rai had grazed her in her instinct to defend herself. Snarling at the girl crouched on the ground before her, Kass dug her heels into the ground, stabilizing her center of gravity, and she saw very clearly when Rai jumped at her again.

This time Kass was prepared and as Rai launched herself at her, Kass tugged at her thin silver chain bracelet and a long tungsten wire gleamed in between her wrists. Dodging Rai only angered her more, and Kass smirked to herself, dropping low to the ground evading the claws directed at her. Seeing an opportunity, Kass quickly slipped behind Rai as she recovered from the previous dodge, but before Rai could turn to face Kass again, the new Bauer caught Rai's neck in between her wrists.

“You , what was that all about?” Kass asked from behind her, pulling harder at the thin wire and choking Rai.

Unable to breathe or speak, Rai struggled against Kass, relaxing her fists and retracting her claws, and she tried to break from Kass' trap. She could attempt cutting through the wires, but that would risk slicing her own neck.

“What? Speak up!”

If Rai could roll her eyes, she would have. She rammed into Kass, pushing her back, and when she gained the momentum she needed, Rai flung her left leg towards the air and the action lifted her high enough to somersault over Kass' head.

Not allowing Kass to even react, Rai flung herself at her again, this time rage fueled her and the rush ran hard through her veins only to be pulled back abruptly by Chansung. Before they really did kill each other, the remaining Hell members intervened, Junsu wrapping an arm around Kass, and Chansung using both arms to restrain Rai. Nichkhun emerged from the shadows and stepped in between the two parties, though his attention was on the more volatile member of their group.

Rai bared her teeth at him, angered that they had intervened. “What was that-” Rai never got to finish her sentence, as a cold harsh slap silenced both her and the men around her. Shaken and surprised at the cold sting on her left cheek, Rai's eyes wavered as she looked at the man who had dared lift a finger against her.

Nichkhun grabbed her by the chin, his cold fingers digging into her skin. “I don’t care what you do, just get the mission done,” he hissed before letting her go.

Rai's eyes were pure venom as she watched Nichkhun walk away from her and towards Kass who was getting well acquainted with Junsu. Rai clenched her fists tight again, ready to attack him instead, but Chansung's grip only tightened, and she let out a loud cry of frustration.

“I'm sure he has his reasons.” She heard Chansung say. Looking up at the much taller man, she yanked herself away from him and angrily stalked towards the other group.

“Looks like she'll live long enough,” Junsu commented, twirling a few strands of Kass' hair around his fingers, “Natural redhead?”

Kass sent him a sultry gaze. “Wouldn't you like to know?”

Nichkhun didn't let the conversation continue on as he drew his sword, pointing the tip at Kass' neck. “Don't think I was helping you. The last Bauer died on his own, and if you don't want the same to happen to you I suggest you listen.”

Kass was unruffled and she eyed the y blonde before her. A brow quirked up as Nichkhun brushed past her without so much more a word or even a glance. She liked her men aggressive, and she wondered how long until he was under her as well.

“Well then,” Junsu spoke right after Nichkhun left, “looks like you're riding with me.” He led Kass towards a sleek black sports car as soon as he saw Rai and Chansung approach. He opened the passenger side door for her and helped her in.

“Nice. I wasn't expecting that,” Kass replied as she pulled out her seatbelt.

“What? We can't ride in style?”

Kass flashed him another smile. “You try to kill all your new members the first time you meet them?”

Junsu laughed as he stepped into the driver's seat. He waited until Nichkhun passed by him in his own white car, “Usually, yeah. Bauers have a high turn-over rate. You however, are a rare commodity. Don't get killed by Rai.” It was a warning, and he meant to be serious, but Junsu was well distracted by the beauty mark Kass had under her right eye.

“I'll take it Rai isn't Miss Friendship.” Rai. There was something about her that bothered Kass, and it wasn't her claws either.

[A/N]: Well!!! its up XD weeeeeee. was it worth the wait ? <3 *happy spazzy dance to every 2PM song*