The only sounds the next morning were signs of gear being gathered. Clicks, snaps, fabric rustling, zips. Not a word was spoken, for there was nothing that needed to be said.

The plan was set.

Now, all the team of seven had to do was get into their own mindset so they could be ready for the day ahead of them.

Hongjoong swallowed yet again while pulling the velcro strap on his gloves tight around his wrist. They were a pair of black, leather, fingerless gloves that he had ordered in for everyone. Comfortable but durable.

Everything they had today was as practical as they could get.

Seonghwa and Wooyoung had their special suits on, making it so they needed the least amount of new gear. If they had more time, Hongjoong would have loved to examine them and see if he could make something similar. Maybe one day...

The couple had full access to his arsenal, so Wooyoung had layers of knives strapped to his body along with a few hand guns, while Seonghwa had two rifles, several hand guns, and a few knives of his own.

They were both lethal, which was also why they'd be going in first.

All Hongjoong had been able to provide for the rest of them was bullet proof vests and some padding to be strapped onto their arms and legs. It made them a little bulkier, but they needed to be as safe as possible.

Another snap came from his right and Hongjoong glanced at where Mingi was attaching a belt to his waist that had a small shotgun hanging down from it for easy access. He also had picked a selection of knives, all of which were in sheathed around his hips next to his lock picking set.

None of them knew what dangers they might be facing, so they all needed to be prepared in their own way.

Yeosang had his drones ready to accompany them which could all be controlled by the laptop in his backpack. He was the least armed out of all of them, choosing instead to have his gadgets ready and waiting.

He was going to stay back with San and Yunho, where he could be protected. The three of them would make up the rear of their infiltration since Yunho was still injured.

The driver was doing good at keeping his pain on the down low. Only a random flinch or small hiss of pain gave away the fact that he was struggling. San stayed by his side the entire time, watching his every move and making sure he could get around ok.

Yunho somehow managed to muscle his way through the pain enough to walk, but he was slow moving. If he was attacked he would have a hard time getting away...

There was no stopping him, though, no matter how many times Mingi tried to convince him otherwise.

Dr. Kim had come by with pain killers that he injected directly into Yunho's leg. He was against the idea of the driver leaving as well, but there was no stopping him now, so he said the shots would help for now. Once this was all over Yunho would most likely have to have surgery to help counteract any long lasting effects from the car accident.

And he was more than happy to do that as long as they survived.

"Are we ready?" Yunho asked, spinning in place to look at everyone.

It almost felt weird hearing words in the air. All seven of them paused what they were doing and glanced at each other.

After a few seconds, all eyes fell on Mingi.

Normally Hongjoong would have a hard time handing over control, but Mingi was the one who had brought them all together. He was the glue, the single most important person to all of them.

"Alright." Mingi's eyes fell to the floor and he fiddled with one of the pads around his left forearm. "We all know what we need to do. I'm... I'm not one for speeches or any glamorous pep talks, so I'll keep it simple. Be smart, stay safe, and use your best judgment. We can do this."

"Way to boost the mood, Min." Yunho chuckled and flashed a wide smile. "Come one, this is just another day on the job."

The tension crumbled at his words, soft laughs coming from everyone.

"I love you guys." Wooyoung said, his voice barely above a whisper. He captured everyone's attention and turned red under their shocked gazes. For a moment he looked like he wanted to run away, but then Seonghwa grabbed his hand and laced their fingers together.

Wooyoung immediately looked up at him and puffed his chest out a little, then turned back to the rest of the room. "I know it may sound crazy, but I do. You're the only family I've ever had. Thank you for accepting me and giving me a safe place to call home. No matter what... what happens tonight, I'm so glad that I got to meet you."

Hongjoong couldn't help but smile at his words. Even though none of them had known each other long, they really did feel like a family. A family of misfits, maybe, but still a family.

Before he could say anything, San stepped forward and gently grabbed Wooyoung's hands. They stared at each other for a moment, then closed the gap and hugged each other.

It was a sweet moment and one Hongjoong felt was probably long over due.

As much as he hated to interrupt it, they were on a time limit, so he cleared his throat and clasped his hands behind his back. "I couldn't agree more, Wooyoung. Once this is over..." He paused, suddenly unsure of what he wanted after this.

The thought of going back to what he had done before seemed almost meaningless or empty. He liked having everyone here. The Hongjoong before would have been disgusted at the idea of sharing his home with others, but now...

Hongjoong bit his lip and sought Mingi's eyes. They grounded him in a way nothing else ever had, and Hongjoong couldn't help but thinks that he was such an idiot.

"Let's just get through tonight." Seonghwa said, saving Hongjoong from having to find the words to finish his sentence. "Are we ready?"

Everyone nodded once.

It was time.

Hongjoong led the way to the garage where their rides were waiting for them. There was one last surprise he had in store for them, something he had yet to share that actually excited him.

One final piece of the puzzle to boost the mood.

In the main garage, sitting in the center were four sleek, black motorcycles. They were top of the line, high speed bikes that were durable but surprisingly lightweight, making them easy to control.

Seonghwa immediately hurried forward and ran a hand over one of the bikes. "Hongjoong, these are incredible! Where did you get them?"

"Called in another favor. A friend of mine, a certain Mr. Yeo, designs them."

The older laughed and shook his head. "Father has been trying to get him for years."

"I thought it was fitting." Hongjoong smirked. "He also did something else for me." Reaching over, Hongjoong flicked a light switch and several overhead lights came on.

The gasp he got was worth every penny.

Yunho stumbled forward, a little wobbly, but he did nonetheless, and practically fell forward onto the hood of his newly restored car. He ran his large hands over the vehicle, taking in every inch of it and shaking his head the entire time. "Joong... Th-Thank you."

Hongjoong had nearly forgotten what it was like to do something out of the kindness of his own heart. Seeing Yunho's reaction filled him with so much warmth. "Don't mention it. I don't know if it's exactly how you had it before, but I told him to get as close as he could get. I figured this would be easier for you than a bike, and I have it rigged so you can drive with your left foot so that you don't put too much strain on your right. From everything Mingi's told me, you're the best driver out there."

"You bet it am! I won't let you down!" Yunho beamed,

"Alright, no that that's done, let's get ready to go."

A somber mood feel over everyone except Yunho, who kept stroking his car like it was the love of his life. San just watched him with an adoring look in his own eyes while making sure all the weapons he had selected were safely strapped to his body.

Yeosang walked over to them and slipped into the backseat without saying a word. He was the only one who hadn't spoken, but no one blamed him.

They had yet to hear anything about Jongho's fate. Hongjoong never expected they would, but he couldn't blame Yeosang for worrying. He had no idea what he would do if Mingi had been taken...

"Ready?" The thief whispered from next to his chosen bike.

"Ready as I can be." Hongjoong pursed his lips and walked forward to place a hand on the taller's chest. "Don't do anything stupid, ok? I need you to stay safe."

"I could say the same thing about you." Mingi chuckled and grabbed Hongjoong's waist while leaning back against the bike, bringing Hongjoong with him.

"I'm serious, Mingi. Please stay safe. I don't... I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." Hongjoong's words barely left his mouth. He was never one to share the deepest desires dwelling in his heart. This wasn't easy for him, but he was attached to Mingi, more so than anything else in his life.

"I will. But you need to be careful too." Mingi whispered. He grabbed Hongjoong's chin to tilt his head back and dipped down to give him a kiss. It was short, but full of all the passion that Hongjoong had been missing in his life.

The other couples were having a similar, quick moment to themselves before the chaos began.

Yunho and San slide into the Illusion and Yunho's joy could be heard even as he revved the engine several times.

The other four slipped their helmets over their heads and flipped down the visors after pulling on thick, black leather jackets.

"Testing. Can you all hear me?" Yeosang asked through the ear piece they were all wearing.

"Loud and clear." Hongjoong answered, looking over his shoulder at the Illusion. "Everyone check in."

"All good here." Seonghwa answered first.

Mingi's deep voice came next, followed by Wooyoung's. He was sounding anxious, but he didn't show it by how he was straddling the bike. It was like they had melded into one.

With a few more breaths, Hongjoong took a moment to calm his racing heart before leaning over to press a button on the side of his bike.

The long garage door in front of them started to rise. As it did, all four bikes roared to life, filling the air with vibrations.

"This is it." Hongjoong said, shifting in place a little to find his seat. The bike below him swayed in perfect harmony with his movements. "Stay focused. Stay sharp. Trust in your own abilities. They will get you a lot farther than you think."

"You got it, Boss." Yunho said, his overwhelming joy spilling through their connection. "We will follow your lead."

Hongjoong couldn't help but smile. "Let's do this."

All five engines growled while rocketing forward across the smooth, concrete floor. They drove in a loop while making their way to the surface and left through a warehouse a couple of block away.

It was late enough at night that there wasn't a lot of traffic on the streets. That was something they weren't really worried about, though.

The Pack would know soon enough that they were on the move if they were watching them as closely as Yeosang believed they were.

They fell into attack formation once they were on the open road.

Seonghwa moved to the front with Wooyoung flanking him on the right. A short distance behind them was Hongjoong and then Mingi. The four of them made a loose diamond with Yunho bringing up the rear.

They drove fast and hard, weaving through traffic when needed and ignoring any traffic lights along the way.

Even when they reached a heavily forested area, they still kept up their speed.

This was it. This was the fight they had all been preparing for.

The night to finally destroy the Pack.

Everything hinged on their plan going off successfully. Each one of them was ready to do what it took to bring peace back to the city.

They would either succeed... or die trying.