Chapter Text
Blood trickled from Seonghwa’s nose and hands, staining the tight black wet suit that clung to his battered body. Desperation engraved itself across his face as he clawed at the cage bars, straining with all his might to bend them enough for an escape. His breath came in ragged gasps, the metallic taste of blood mingling with the fear in his mouth.
Suddenly, a powerful kick slammed into the cage, sending him sprawling backward. The impact rattled the cage ominously. Seonghwa lay there for a moment, dazed and breathless, the pain radiating through his body.
“Shut up! You’re more annoying than my goddamn dog,” a voice growled. The smuggler stood there, his face twisted in disgust. He pointed a gun toward the cage’s opening, the barrel gleaming menacingly under the dim light. “Scratch the fucking bars again, and I’ll put a bullet in your head. We have three others anyway,” he threatened, his voice a cold promise of violence.
Seonghwa watched, helpless, as the smuggler walked away, his heavy footsteps fading into the distance. The truck's engine roared to life, the vibrations making the cage shake. He caught his breath, his chest heaving with effort, and crawled back to the front of the cage.
They had all been captured in their sleep from the facility. Seonghwa had been waken by the screams, not even able to sit up before someone’s hands had yanked at him. The thieves' outfits made it clear they weren’t the government and weren’t the doctors who had been "taking care" of them. Only four of them had been taken alive, Wooyoung, Yunho, and Yeosang. They were in cages before him, the night glow reflecting against the silver.
Wooyoung hadn’t woken up yet, his form unnervingly still. Seonghwa’s heart clenched with worry, but he kept calm. Panic wouldn’t help them now. He made eye contact with Yeosang, who had tears glistening in his eyes. The sight broke Seonghwa’s heart, but he could see the silent plea in Yeosang's gaze. He shook his head ever so slightly, stopping Seonghwa from speaking.
The message was clear: now was not the time. They rode in silence, the truck's quivers preventing them from remaining still. Seonghwa’s hands still throbbed from his useless attempts to bend the bars, but he ignored the pain. He needed to think. Escape seemed impossible at the moment, but he refused to lose hope. They would find a way out, they had to.
Hongjoong sat in the front of a sleek, black car, his mood as dark as the tinted windows. They had been chasing these guys for far too long, and if his reputation wasn’t on the line, the money wouldn’t even be worth it. "Why is the tracker going so fast? I thought you said this was just a random dude who owed us. Why does it seem like he’s running?" he snapped, glaring at San, who was gripping the steering wheel tightly.
San glanced to the side, his eyes meeting Hongjoong’s. "He’s a criminal. Maybe he knows we’re after him," San replied, his voice steady despite the tension.
Mingi leaned over the seats from the back, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Well, if he’s a criminal, maybe he has a prize for us," he implied, a smirk playing on his lips. The idea made the four of them smile, their minds already calculating the potential gains.
"Ah, less work for us if his debt can be paid in one visit," Jongho mumbled, leaning back and closing his eyes as if the thought alone had tired him.
San pressed harder on the gas pedal, the car roaring as it sped up, coming dangerously close to the truck they were tailing. The truck driver seemed to catch on that they were being followed, swerving and dipping through traffic to lose them. San was an amazing driver, weaving through the vehicles with ease, his focus unbreakable.
Hongjoong’s eyes narrowed as he watched the truck. "Keep on them. I want to know what’s so important that he’s risking this chase," he ordered, his voice a low growl.
The truck swerved again, narrowly missing a collision, but San expertly maneuvered the car, closing the gap once more. Hongjoong pulled out a walkie-talkie, his voice steady and commanding. “Now, Hyunwoo,” he said.
A crackle came through the speaker, followed by a cheery voice. “Aye aye!”
Suddenly, a drone emerged from the night sky, zipping down the highway with pinpoint precision. The truck veered onto a separate, less-traveled highway, the dim streetlights casting long shadows on the asphalt. The drone zeroed in on the truck, aiming carefully before releasing a bullet from its holster. The back tire exploded with a sharp bang, and the drone fired again, sending the truck into a wild spin. It careened out of control before crashing into a guardrail with a deafening screech of metal.
San brought their car to a halt, and the four of them leaped out, sprinting toward the wreckage. A passenger stumbled out of the truck, disoriented and fumbling for a weapon. Before he could react, the drone fired, and he crumpled to the ground.
San checked the front seat, noting the driver’s lifeless body, blood trickling from a fatal wound inflicted by the crash. Meanwhile, Hongjoong, Mingi, and Jongho rushed to the back of the truck. With a grunt, Mingi heaved the door open, revealing the dark interior.
Inside, their eyes widened at the sight of four cages. Three of them contained young men who looked frightened but for the most part unharmed. The fourth, however, held an unconscious young man.
Hongjoong’s breath hitched as he took in the scene. “What the hell is this?” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
Mingi whistled low, shaking his head. “Looks like we found ourselves a bigger prize than we thought.”
San joined them, glancing into the truck. “What are we going to do with them?” he asked, his eyes flicking to Hongjoong for guidance. He kneeled by the cage with the unconscious boy, gently shaking it. “Hey, kid! You alive in there?” He stirred slightly but didn't fully wake up. Jongho frowned, looking behind them nervously. “Guys, we won’t have much time before people come out here.”
Hongjoong bent down, keeping eye contact with the boy in front of him. “My name is Hongjoong. Do you know me?” he asked, surprised when the boy shook his head. It might be better if he didn’t know his true identity, Hongjoong thought.
“You guys seem hurt. We have a medic back at our base. Do you want to come with us?” he asked. The boy hesitated, but a small grunt drew his attention. Another boy in the cage across from him stared intently, almost as though they were speaking through their minds. After a few seconds, Hongjoong turned his attention back to the boy in front of him.
“Yes,” the boy said quietly, and his voice sounded like the most beautiful thing Hongjoong had ever heard. He didn’t have time to dwell on that, though, because police sirens could be heard in the distance.
“Boys, everyone grab someone and go,” Hongjoong ordered, quickly picking the lock in front of him. The three behind him quickly moved to do the same, each of them picking up a boy from the cages. The boy Jongho picked up clung to him tightly, but never took his eyes off the boy San held.
“I won’t hurt him,” San reassured, noticing the look he was getting. The boy didn’t look like he believed him, but he said nothing. They ran back to their car, gently placing the boys in the back with Mingi.
San got back in the driver’s seat, driving off quickly as soon as everyone was inside. The sirens grew louder, but they sped away, leaving the wreckage behind.
“Alright, can we know your names?” Mingi asked, feeling awkward in the heavy silence. The three conscious boys exchanged glances, the smallest holding the passed-out one in his arms. After a silent agreement, the boy with long black hair spoke first.
“I’m Seonghwa,” he said, his voice hesitant.
The tallest one spoke next. “I’m Yunho.”
Then the smallest spoke, his grip tightening around the unconscious boy. “I’m Yeosang, and he’s Wooyoung.”
San glanced at them from the rearview mirror. “Is he alive?”
The three didn’t answer, but Jongho leaned down, feeling for a pulse. “Faint, but yes. What did those guys take you for? You owe them money?”
Seonghwa shook his head. “We don’t know.”
Mingi scoffed. “You don’t know?”
Hongjoong looked behind him, locking eyes with Seonghwa. He felt a weird pull, but he couldn’t put it into words. “Do you work for someone who owes people?” he asked.
The boys didn’t answer. Jongho tried again. “Listen, we will take care of you and get you back to where you need to be—home, even—but you have to tell us—”
Seonghwa interrupted him. “Gone. Our home is gone. They killed everyone.”
The truck fell silent, Seonghwa’s words sinking in. Suddenly, Hongjoong laughed a sinister sound that sent chills down the boys’ spines. “Did they now?” he said, his tone dark. San groaned, already knowing where his captain was going with that tone. “Well, sounds like those boys owe me more than just money now. Doesn’t it?” Hongjoong asked, smiling to himself.
Jongho and Mingi exchanged a glance, adjusting themselves. They knew once Hongjoong felt like innocent people had been harmed, he didn’t let it slide. These four new boys weren’t going anywhere now that he had taken them under his wing.
The police sirens faded into the distance as their car drove deep into the night. Slowly, Wooyoung stirred, letting out a pained whine. Yeosang sprang to attention, his hands gently rubbing Wooyoung’s hair to soothe him. “Sangie?” Wooyoung croaked, his voice weak and raspy.
“It’s okay…we got out of the cages, you did good,” Yeosang whispered, trying to keep his own emotions in check.
Wooyoung’s eyes fluttered open, struggling to focus. “Is…everyone?” he asked, his voice barely a murmur.
Yeosang felt tears welling up, but he fought to keep them from falling. “Seonghwa, Yunho, and I are here. Everyone else…gone.”
Wooyoung let out a small, sorrowful “oh” before pulling Yeosang into a tight embrace. Seonghwa and Yunho leaned back into the truck, exhausted.
“Joong,” Mingi said quietly, a hint of a threat in his voice. The other three boys felt what Hongjoong had just moments ago suddenly, and it was overwhelming. They watched as Wooyoung, Yeosang, Seonghwa, and Yunho held each other like their own little bubble was around them.
“We will get them,” Hongjoong reassured Mingi. “I will make sure of it.”