“I don’t like it,” Kris hissed, looking around the room for anything odd.

“We have to split up,” Lay shrugged, “it would look weird if a large group of us were all in the same place.”

“That isn’t what I was talking about,” Kris replied, “doesn’t it seem…….quiet to you?”

“Quiet?” Lay frowned, looking around at the council members talking amongst themselves. Sure they weren’t exactly yelling and screaming, but it wasn’t like you could hear a pin drop either.

“So quiet is the wrong word,” Kris sighed, “but something feels off. Like…..like something should be happening right now, but it isn’t.”

“You’re right,” Lay nodded after a moment, “something’s missing.”

“Were is everyone?” Kris asked, “do you remember were they were sent?”

“Um,” Lay frowned, counting everyone off on his fingers, “Hongbin is with Yuri and Jihu…..”

--

“Why are we being kept here?” Hongbin scowled as he watched Jihu go over the monitors playing the security camera footage.

“You’re a healer,” Jihu explained, “a prime target for the enemy. And Yuri can hear everyone’s thoughts and was targeted once already. It would be stupid not to keep you in the command center until you’re needed.”

“He’s right,” Luhan nodded from by the doors, “it’s best if you two stay here until we need you elsewhere.”

“Safer,” Jihu hummed in agreement, “we need both of you alive if we want to keep any kind of advantage.”

“So why is Jaesun here again?” Hongbin frowned.

“Big target,” the nymph shrugged, “if someone figured out who I am……”

“Right.”

Jihu kept monitoring the video feeds, switching from hall to hall. The whole time he kept a mental list of who was where.

Kris and Lay station in the entrance hall, Sori stations in the north right wing with Suho, Baekhyun and Hyuna…..

--

“Something feels wrong,” Sori bit back a growl as she watched council members and their children walking passed her, Suho, Baekhyun and Hyuna.

“Yeah,” Baekhyun nodded, “but at the same time, everything looks and sounds normal.”

“Just means we have to keep on our toes,” Suho sighed, not knowing what else to do.

“I think I feel something,” Hyuna informed the others, “someone is feeling very…….very……”

“Very?” Baekhyun prompted her.

“It’s all mixed up,” she frowned, “I can feel pride and fear and a bunch of other things that feel super out of place when no one else feels like that.”

“Can you identify who?” Suho asked, looking around in hopes of locating this person himself.

“They just left my range,” Hyuna sighed, “should we radio the others? Tell them to keep an eye out.”

“No fae on their teams,” Sori replied, “they couldn’t pick up on the feelings and identify who they belong to even if they tried. But we should still give them a heads up about this.”

“Right,” Suho nodded, radioing them now.

--

“Thanks,” Hyoyeon nodded even though she knew Suho couldn’t see her, “for the heads up.”

“They found anything?” Ravi asked, “And…..”

“He wants to know how Sori is,” Jessica smiled slightly, “but is too scared to ask since we should be all professional now.”

“Sori is fine,” Sooyoung giggled, “she is the one of the strongest shifters in the world after all.”

“I know,” Ravi sighed, “but I’m just worried.” He turned to Hyoyeon, “so what did Suho say?”

“Hyuna picked up some weird emotions,” Hyoyeon told the other three, “but whoever was feeling them left before they could identify them.”

“Doesn’t do us much good, though,” Jessica sighed sadly, “even if they walked right by us, we wouldn’t know a thing.”

“Still good to know,” Hyoyeon shrugged, “we know something’s up and that gives us an advantage.”

“I could have told you something was up,” Ravi gave a bitter chuckle, “this whole place feels wrong. Very wrong.”

The others hummed in agreement before fanning out to heck the perimeter of their area. There weren’t too many people out and about anymore, most heading in to the meeting hall. However a few people still remained and the four agents needed to keep an eye on them. Ravi glanced out the window as he walked, catching a glimpse of Ken patrolling outside with Taeyeon. He hoped they would be ok if anything started to happen.

--

“Shouldn’t I be in there?” Ken asked, “wouldn’t I be of more use inside?”

“Jihu’s orders,” Taeyeon shrugged in reply, glancing about trying to find whatever was making her feel weird.

“But it works to have you out here,” Ken sighed, “you’re a plant nymph and we’re surrounded by plants out here. If my magic was more nature based, it would be fine, but its not.”

“Don’t know what to tell you,” Taeyeon shrugged, “to be honest, I don’t understand why Chanyeol is paired up with Lina. They’ll get distracted trying to protect each other.”

“They’d be distracted trying to protect each other regardless of where they were positioned,” Ken sighed, “I’m scared that Ravi and Sori will be the same.”

“Sori isn’t someone you have to worry about for that,” the young nymph assured him, “she’s got her game face on today. And Ravi might slip a little once things start, but once he has a second or two to think he’ll be alright.”

“You think?”

“I know,” she smiled, “so just focus on the task at hand. Don’t worry about anyone else.”

Ken was about to agree when several explosions went off around the building.

“Holy !” Ken cried, “What the hell happened?”

“Bombs,” Chanyeol answered a second later, landing with Lina beside the spell caster and nymph, “a bunch of them.”

“Nothing very big,” Lina added, “just large enough to cause chaos for those inside.”

“Then let’s go,” Ken decided, “radio Jihu, let him know what we’re doing.”

“Right,” Lina nodded, doing as told as she followed behind the others.

A/N: oh dear, seems like the craziness has started. And soon, so will the death. ……..yeah, some of you probably hate me for that death comment, right?