A mixture of anxiety, fear, and a dash of excitement stirred in the air as Seulong shrugged on his stab vest. “Captain, are you sure we can finish this course?” he asked, uncertainty lacing his voice, “in an acceptable time?” he added as an afterthought.

Schatten was out on the field, gearing up for their turn at the course. The obstacles and machinery in the evaluation facility were being reset for its next run- everything was going to be different from Wahrheit’s course. Changmin looked over to where Seulong stood, the latter still halfway through putting on his equipment.

“We’ll finish,” Changmin paused, taking a breath as he looked for the right words, “on time.”

“What is on time exactly, Captain?”

Changmin turned to find Junho already geared up and ready to go as he approached the pair. He held an awkward pistol bow that was designated as his weapon for the course.

Changmin’s hand unconsciously dropped to where the plastic jutte was holstered at his thigh. They were forced to be equipped with weapons as per regulation. Standard plastic juttes for the rest of them and an airsoft bow for Junho. “A suitable time,” he assured them. “We don’t need to break any records, remember that.”

Junho nodded as Taecyeon came up by his side, a defeated look already on his face. “Do I really have be out on the field?” he whined.

“Yes,” Fuu answered tartly from behind them, not bothering to look up from where she sat with her laptop. Her eyes were on the screen as she ran through the course, crosschecking some of the equipment that lay nearby. She squinted, positioning the monitor away from the glare as she crossed her right leg over her left and pushed her glasses up on her nose.

Taecyeon sighed melodramatically and a quiet chuckle escaped Junho’s lips. He shook his head, knowing Taecyeon’s attempt had been futile to begin with. His eyes roamed the field, falling on the previous team that had appeared, their colored suits heavily contrasting the traditional military equipment colors that everyone sported. It almost made them seem like a joke, but their recent show said otherwise.

“Mai!”

Mai looked up from where she was trying to adjust her body armor to see Daesung approaching her, his eyes still covered by the black visor. He removed his helmet, a charge of electricity fizzed through the air, and he shook his head, letting his hair loose from the cramped space as it settled nicely on his head.

Taecyeon joined Seulong as the two tallest watched Daesung approach one of their own. The lessened sounds around them told them that the other members had also slowed what they were doing, curious of the interaction between Mai and one of the members of Wahrheit.

“Ready to go?”

Mai smiled up at him and shook her head. “No. You guys were amazing, way to put pressure Dae.” Outside she smiled, but inside the pressure to do just as good was eating up at her.

He laughed, tucking his helmet under his arm. “I’m sure you’ll do great. I-”

“Daesung!”

Daesung turned to find Youngbae jogging up to him, his helmet also under an arm. What surprised Mai the most was how his hair could stay styled as it was, his mohawk untouched even after he wore the head gear.

“Bom wanted to see the data log saved on your drive, she’s watching the video of our evals now and she doesn’t look happy.”

Daesung’s eyes narrowed for a moment before his eyes widened and he broke into a large grin. “Right! I forgot to plug her my stats. Right...right...” He inched backwards, looking like a fool. He waved at Mai before turning to leave, skipping his way towards their tent.

“Hey,” Youngbae turned to Mai and he smiled, his eyes turning into crescents, “Mai, right?”

She nodded, eyeing him curiously. Daesung was acting weird, but the thought easily slipped her mind when Youngbae spoke again.

“I was wondering, after the evals, maybe we could go out for a drink?”

Mai’s eyes slowly widened and she found herself staring at him. Never in her life had anyone asked her so boldly, so suavely like there was no room for her to say no. “D-drink?” she stuttered and blinked in surprise, her eyes falling on the grass below her. She looked back up, and a small irrepressible smile graced her lips. “This isn’t considered as fraternizing with the enemy?”

“I usually don’t have enemies I’d like to ask out on dates,” he answered smoothly.

Mai caught her tongue before she could stutter again. She bit the sides of her cheeks to further repress a would-be embarrassing smile, and she controlled the rate of her breaths before replying.

Youngbae wished her good luck before he started to back away, and with one last smile he turned around to head back to his own group. Mai watched his receding back before she turned around, aware that she couldn’t let down her guard just yet. Schatten’s eyes were on her, and she blatantly ignored them as she casually resumed putting on her gear.

From her periphery, she could see Taecyeon and Seulong giggling and whispering, and this she disregarded. What bothered her significantly was the unit captain’s stern expression as he approached her.

“Captain, about that,” Mai started, straightening her back, not wanting Changmin to speak first. Regardless of her utter respect for him, her instincts were to defend herself first.

“We heard him, but not you. You better have said yes.”

She broke out into a relieved sigh and a smile, slightly turning away from the other Schatten member’s prying eyes. “I did, Captain, so I apologize if I don’t make it to tonight’s get-together.”

Changmin smiled in return, satisfied with her answer. Sighing, his eyes took another sweep across his team. They were ready, in terms of equipping themselves. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, he wasn’t so sure. Uncertainty gripped at him. After Wahrheit’s performance, even though the captain knew there was no practical point in wanting to surpass them, a part of him felt compelled to do just as good. Lee Changmin wanted to prove Schatteinheit’s worth. At least they were relaxed, he thought, if Taecyeon and Seulong’s quips at Mai were any indication.

“You know what I don’t get,” Taecyeon said, walking over to Mai who was still ignoring him, “is why, out of all the girls on his team and ours, in the world really, Mr. Glowy Beams of Doom asked you. Why not Fuu? Surely there are less scary women on this field alone.”

Mai’s right eye twitched as she faced him. “Does Eunhee even know-”

“Taec’s not that stupid Mai, of course Eunhee doesn’t know,” Seulong retorted. “But yes, Taecyeon has a point. What does Mr. Glowy Beams of Doom see in you? And how does Junho feel about this?”

“Please don’t drag me into this,” Junho muttered, walking past them and towards the cooler to get a bottle of water.

Seulong’s eyes followed Junho’s back. “See Mai, he doesn’t look too happy.”

“I concur,” Taecyeon added, “Mai, how insensitive.”

“Girls, girls, don’t take it out on Mai if Mr. Glowy Beams of Doom asked her out and not you,” Fuu cut into the conversation smoothly, effectively silencing the two men, at least for a moment. She laid a hand on the other girl’s shoulder and smiled. “This is normal behavior from these two, I’m sure you’re aware of that.”

Mai returned the older woman’s smile. Even she could not deny how attractive Fuu was, and Taecyeon noting the same only reinforced that fact more. Still, Youngbae did approach her, and for Mai, this was just another sign that humanity was not as superficial as most people believed.

Three chimes from the warning bell signalled that the field was ready for the next team. Schatten filed into the grounds one after the other. Junho shifted nervously on his feet as they waited for the signal to begin. Sweat was forming on his brow, and his hand fidgeted at the standard pistol bow given to him. It was heavier than he was used to, and the sight lens bothered him. Looking at his targets from a reticle was foreign for him, and his chest was beginning to heave from the unease.

One look and Mai knew exactly what it was that was bothering her partner. She nudged him lightly with her elbow, and he turned to her with a self-deprecating smile. “Relax,” she said, “you’ll do fine.” Deciding what it was she needed to do, Mai lifted a hand and pulled off his glasses and tucked them into his chest pocket. “You aim better with these off.”

She was about to say more, when Wooyoung brushed past her, leaving her slightly stumbling forwards, losing all train of thought. All she was left to do was to glare at the inspector’s retreating form.

Fuu was relocated to a booth next to the starting point. As soon as the clock was started, she quickly pulled out the files for the facility. Their mission was to neutralize an attack on the facility, points were given to every suspect taken down, bonuses were added for stealth. There was no way for Fuu to pinpoint where these enemies would appear, but she could direct the team for blind spots. “Captain, there’s a long hallway ahead after the main entrance. It’s too open for a direct assault. There are other entry points at the back and on the side.”

Changmin crept quietly against the front wall. Unlike the previous course, the wall was no longer covered in various traps, it was cameras instead that they had to look out for. Stealth was of importance and it would at least buy them enough time to finish the course, plus enough time to take out all the enemy units. Directly behind him were Mai and Junho, and the captain now regretted putting Taecyeon and Seulong together to infiltrate from the sides.

Wooyoung was already out of his sight, but Changmin was not worried about him. Not really. He, Taecyeon, and Fuu had worked out a strategy, giving Wooyoung all the freedom he needed. In other words, they took Wooyoung out of the planning completely. It was their only option.

According to Fuu, this course was not as complicated as the maze Wahrheit was given. This new revised course was simple, in fact, so simple, that stealth was close to impossible. Schatten was definitely not made for stealth. Taecyeon tiptoed cautiously towards the back of the facility, spotting an emergency ladder a few meters away from him, and he knew that was his best bet for an entrance. Next to him, Seulong was hopping nervously from one foot to the other. Both of them were not field units, neither of them being any proficient with the use of a jutte, and while they were given back up pistol bows, both men still did not feel very confident about the evaluation.

Seulong nudged Taecyeon’s shoulder, prodding the other man to take the first step up the ladder. The two stared each other down for a moment before the latter gave in. Beads of sweat trickled down Taecyeon’s forehead and back. “Detective Ok Taecyeon, is an analyst, for goodness sake. Not a field agent,” he grumbled, pulling himself on top of the roof.

The air vents were a mere meter away from them, and Seulong smiled, his idea flashing clearly in his eyes. He pulled out a few smoke grenades from his vest- as with everything else, these were harmless, but the lovely volunteers acting out the enemies were sure to act out being stung in the eye just as accurately.

Without even thinking twice, Seulong peered into the dark depths of the shaft. Just as he had expected, several armed men were standing inside the room. He dropped two bombs without notice, and he and Taecyeon dropped into the room, their helmets protecting them from the smoke.

Both men tripped on each other as they landed on the floor. Blindly searching out their enemies, Taecyeon swung the jutte in front of him, cheering to himself every time he would hear the ding! that indicated he just hit a target. Seulong kept low on the floor, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the smoke. Choosing to use his pistol instead, he eliminated as much adversaries as he could find. Trust both of them to land themselves in a trap room.

“Captain, I just received clearance from the Weather Station’s aerial thermographic cameras,” Fuu reported as she overlayed the facility prints against the heat sensor images. “You have three enemies in the left room, and one guarding the entrance to the right.”

Changmin and Mai took the room, leaving Junho to take out the lone guard to the right. It was a quick shot for all three of them, and the captain, for once, was feeling confident about finishing the course in a more than respectable time.

He and Mai walked back into the corridor, Junho stood still, and Changmin called his attention. Slowly, Junho turned to them, a bright yellow splotch on his vest. He heard Mai gasp lightly, but he caught her arm before she could get closer to the sniper. “Let’s go,” the captain said sternly, pulling Mai with him, passing the other guard, also with a bright yellow stain on his chest.

Wooyoung glanced down at the men on the floor. Why they had to feign unconsciousness, he found silly, and he stepped over the bodies and out to the main room where he found Taecyeon and Seulong. The former had the pink LED lights on his vest all switched on, and Wooyoung shook his head disdain.

“Wooyoung, two last to the room down the hall. That’s the end of it.” Fuu directed the last set of guards, rechecking her monitors for any more attackers.

Wooyoung didn’t waste any more time, ignoring Seulong asking him if he needed assistance. Two guards were not anywhere near a challenge for Wooyoung, even with a standard jutte, and he simply tapped the sensors on each vest. Slipping behind the guards didn’t even take him effort- Wooyoung was bored.

At the sound of the alarm, Schatten clocked in at 6:23. It was an acceptable time, but back inside their tent, Changmin was not pleased. “Don’t look too happy,” he said, reprimanding his team, “had this been the real thing, someone would have to call Taec and Junho’s families.”

Taecyeon’s face turned sour at the thought of someone having to break the news of his death to his fiancée, and he turned to Seulong who looked contrite. “This is your fault,” he mumbled as he narrowed his eyes.

Seulong cringed. “Hey, I panicked, you were the closest thing I could hide behind. I told you, I’m not made for combat!”

Despite the lightened air, Mai remained serious. Junho was silent at her side as he packed his armor neatly and tucked it away. Would it have been her job to make the call? How could she though? Junho had no family, but it appeared as if not even Changmin knew.

Fuu walked in, the recorded tapes and the result sheets in her hands as she looked over and addressed the group, “Well, we passed. Aside from the casualties, I think we’re allowed to celebrate. I volunteer Taec and Seulong to pay for tonight. I already reserved a place, we just need to wait for the official end of the day.”

…

“I hope you guys don’t mind I invited some people to join us,” Fuu announced as she walked with the others towards the parking lot.

“As long as it’s not Wahrheit,” Seulong and Taecyeon answered at the same time, giving each other knuckle bumps.

Fuu rolled her eyes. “No, I would never. We’re here to celebrate a job...done. I wouldn’t want to spend it with them either.”

“Do we know these people?” Taecyeon asked.

Fuu’s answer was lost on Junho’s ears as his eyes remained focused on the other side of the parking lot where Mai and Youngbae were. The Wahrheit member assisted his partner into his black sedan, and Junho’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the car.

“Don’t worry about her, Mai can take care of herself.” Changmin slapped a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. This caught the attention of the other members, and Taecyeon and Seulong exchanged glances.

“Anyway, so who’s riding with who?” Again, it was Fuu who steered the conversation away. Seulong was already calling shotgun to Taecyeon’s car, and Fuu sighed at the lack of maturity. “I guess you’re with me Junho. I hope you don’t mind me bringing a friend with us.”

Junho shook his head. Like Youngbae, Fuu also had a black car, and as much as he wanted to decline the night’s offer, he knew it would have been rude to do so. Mai would give him a beating too, if she were to find out he didn’t join the get-together.

Behind him, Taecyeon and Seulong were making a scene. Two Weather Station personnel had shown up, and Junho watched curiously at what appeared to be a mini-reunion.

“I cannot believe you died out there,” a young woman Taecyeon’s age said. “What would Jay say to that?”

“Taec and Jay broke up when Jay got drafted to interpol, Taec’s moved on. He’s an engaged man now,” Seulong quipped, raising his hand for a high-five which the other girl happily returned.

Taecyeon sneered and smacked Seulong upside the head. “At least I’m engaged, what about you?”

“Taec’s engaged!” she squealed, turning to her companion. “G.O, how is that even possible?”

Changmin shook his head, amused at the gathering. “Those are our friends from the Weather Station, Amihan Cruz, and Jung Byunghee. We get most of our footages from them,” he explained to Junho. “I don’t think you and Mai ever saw them around campus. They were a lot of trouble for us in the Disciplinary Committee.”

Junho didn’t fail to notice the nostalgic look in his captain’s face. “You were in the DC?” he asked, not at all surprised.

Changmin laughed before he answered, “Someone had to make sure these guys didn’t get kicked out.” The light in Changmin’s eyes dimmed, as if remembering an unwanted memory. A distance away from them he saw Wooyoung getting ready to leave, and Changmin thought it was perhaps futile to have invited the inspector in the first place.