~Hongjoong's POV~

The universe outside the ATEEZ had begun to warp from where I stood watching. Super novas, planets, black holes and all things hidden within the fabric of our plane shifted and melded together into one unending bend of color until all at once we were swallowed up into the deep black. It was so complete that it didn't just blanket us but smothered every bit of light that dared filter through. I strained to see anything outside of the ship even though I knew it was completely useless to try. We were in the in between, the most dangerous place we could possibly be. A bend was a dangerous but necessary risk if we wanted to reach Jongho in time.

The in between is an endless dimension that's parallel to our own plane. It serves as a realm, where all manner of bloodthirsty beasts and shapeless Gods, are allowed to exist. One of these Gods in particular, a three headed serpent whose body is a roiling mass of tendons and scales, has been confined there for years lying in wait for the moment we let down our guard, an opportunity to take back what he believes is rightfully his.

I breathed a sigh of relief when space suddenly reappeared outside. The spinning slowed and our surroundings took on permanent shapes as the ship stopped. We were safe for now.

My head snapped up when I heard faint footsteps heading in my direction. Yeosang finally emerged from behind the doors of command and locked eyes with mine, giving me a hesitant smile even though he trembled with exhaustion. "Are you doing alright?" I asked. He looked pale but gave me a small nod as he leaned against the door.

"Y-yes," He breathed. Sweat travelled in rivulets down his forehead and he swiped a hand over his forehead, smearing the moisture into his hair. "I've gotten us to Andromeda and as close as we can be to the military base without detection." He answered as we both looked out of the hull into deep space. We were now millions upon millions of light years away from where we had been just minutes before.

"Did you feel him out there?" I inquired, noting how he had suddenly tensed at my question. Worry filled my mind as I watched my navigator. "Did you feel him while we were in the in between?"

Yeosang felt so far away for a moment as his eyes clouded over. I could feel him trapped somewhere in his dark past. A past I'm sure he'd much rather forget. He inhaled sharply and met my eyes. "You want to know if I can still feel Chronos?"

I scratched my head and looked away feeling horrible about bringing him up all of a sudden. "It's okay if you don't want to tell me—"

"I do," Yeosang answered turning back to look outside of the hull. "Every time I pull us through I can feel him out there," His last words were full of bitterness. "he's never going to stop looking for me Joong, not if he thinks I'm still useful."

"I won't let him take you," I vowed and Yeosang looked up at me startled. His fear bolstered my own bravery as I leveled a look of determination at him. "That bastard is sealed away forever and as long as I'm alive I will keep you safe. I'll keep all of you safe."

Yeosang gave me a sad smile as if he wanted desperately to believe in my words but was too afraid to let himself. "I hope so." He scratched at the fresh bandage on his head from his fight and I exhaled.

"Thank you Sangie," I told him quietly. "I'm sorry for the position I put you in back on Aquaceria--"

"Captain don't," Yeosang said blinking away the moisture in his eyes. Within the sag of his shoulders I felt as if I could see the weight of the world. Yeosang had to endure more than one lifetime's worth of pain in an EXO suit but he never let it swallow him up, instead chosing to wear his misfortune like a pair of wings. "I did what I did for Jongho. I want him back just as badly as you do. So don't take on all of this yourself. It's a bad habit of yours you know."

I laughed dryly and nodded my head. "I know, I'm working on it Sangie," I noticed how his eyes had become heavy as he tried to concentrate on our conversation. I heaved a sigh and reached out to smooth his hair away from his face. "Try and recuperate as much as you can. I'm going to be meeting with the teams going inside the base to go over the plan."

"Okay," Yeosang agreed as he pushed himself off the wall to head down to the sleeping quarters. Before he got too far away however he stopped and shot a glance over his shoulder at me. "And captain?"

I raised my eyebrows questioningly. "Yes?"

His dark eyes burned with intensity and he clenched his jaw. "Make all of them pay for what they did to Jongho." He said darkly before turning back and disappearing around a corner. I stood listening to his echoing footsteps until they faded away.

I clenched my fists and turned to look back out of the window. Then and there I made the same silent vow that I made every time we went up against someone who dared threaten one of us. My crew, my friends, my family, my brothers...

I swear to the stars I'll kill them all.

~Yunho's POV~

I took a deep breath as I strapped myself into the soldier's uniform that Monster had given me. Nerves made me feel jittery but at the same time I was eager to get going.

Everyone else that would be infiltrating the base stood around either anxiously shuffling their feet or speaking quietly to one another. There was a very real fear that saturated the air. We knew our chances of success were slim and if we were caught our only hope was to be killed instantly. The military was well known for their, creative ways of torturing their prisoners so capture was not an option. But even with death looming over us never before had I seen the crew more ready to fight. We all desperately  wanted Jongho back so we were prepared to lay down our lives.

"Alright everyone," Hongjoong announced as he stepped into the semicircle we'd formed. "Last check to make sure your microphones work then we will be boarding the ship."

Everyone slid on their helmets and I placed my own on over my head. I winced at the sound of the microphone crackling to life next to my ear. "Can everyone hear me?" Hongjoong's voice came in loud and clear which earned a round of nods from everyone.

"I don't know what exactly we will face once we step foot on that base but I want everyone to be on high alert. Stay in your groups and watch each other's backs. Whichever group finds him will notify everyone as soon as possible and we will reconvene back at the ship. Remember we're not taking any unnecessary risks."

"Copy that," I replied. Everyone else voiced their compliance and Monster stepped up next. He pulled a duffle bag over his shoulder and unzipped the contents presenting them to the captain. Hongjoong gave one curt nod and Monster closed it back up.

"What's that?" I asked feeling apprehension burrow into the pit of my stomach. Both the captain and Monster turned to me and then back at each other.

"An insurance policy," Monster answered cryptically before stepping onto the ship first followed by his men. I could see the others glancing between each other but no one else raised anymore questions.

"Let's go guys," Hongjoong said quietly. Everyone else boarded the ship leaving just the captain and I standing alone facing each other. The glare of the harsh lights in the hanger reflected off of his helmet as he turned to me. There was a beep next to my ear as he opened up a private communication line. "He hast to choose you, Yunho," He reiterated firmly. "Are you certain you're prepared to go, knowing that?"

"He will," I said immediately, hoping that I sounded more confident than I felt. "But I'm prepared for either outcome."

"And the consequences if he doesn't?" He added as he rested a hand on the grip of his gun. My heart constricted painfully in my chest at the thought of my little brother. It had been so long since I had seen him that all that was left in his wake was a faded memory. A past full of stealing food in order to survive and sleeping in dark alley ways huddled next Gunho, who was just a little boy at the time. We were both filthy, wisps of skin and bone but at least we had each other. I had to take steadying breath. "Yes I'm ready."

The captain seem to consider my words for a moment before nodding. "Then let's get going. Jongho has waited for us long enough." He turned and walked up the steps to join the others leaving me alone in the quiet of the hanger with my thoughts.

"Please be safe Gunho," I whispered. "I'm going to get you out of there."

~Jongho's POV~

It was reassuring when I was finally able to lift myself up off the bed. It may have seemed like a small feat from the outside but it proved to me that slowly but surely my strength was coming back to me. My arms were shaky as I rested my weight back on them, staring up at the blinking red light of the camera. I didn't know if anyone happened to be watching but I was willing to take my chances. I had to know if I was beginning to recover or not.

A tingle travelled up from the tips of my fingers to my biceps as my limbs slowly came back to life. I quietly debated on trying to stand but ultimately decided against it. If anyone but Gunho stepped through that door I'd be screwed if I couldn't even pick myself back up off the floor.

The soldier in question had adjusted my drip earlier in the hopes that I could gain enough strength back for tonight. I flexed my fingers and winced against the needle like feeling poking at my nerves beneath the skin. It was beginning to look like my chances of escape weren't so bad after all. I glared up at the camera and tested out my flexibility by giving it the one finger salute.

However the red recording light was now gone.

The door swung open and I let out a breath of relief when I recognized Gunho. He quickly slipped out of his helmet to reveal his smiling face. "You're sitting up!" He said excitedly as he moved to the side of the bed. "That's going to make everything a lot easier for tonight."

"We're going to make our move tonight?" I asked as I chewed on my bottom lip, a nervous habit. I was eager to get out of here but if I couldn't even fight, let alone walk, then escape was going to be difficult.

"Unfortunately I don't think we'll have another window of opportunity," Gunho said regretfully, running a hand through his dark hair. In this light he really did look a lot like Yunho and I felt a pang of homesickness. "A supply ship is suppose to be docking tonight and we won't get another shipment for another month or so. But by then Commander Arcturus will make sure both of us are dead and gone. The Elders they—" He stopped himself and looked at the ground.

"What did the Elders do to him Gunho?" I asked after a moment of silence. I didn't like the look of terror that crossed his face or the way he flinched when I said their name. "Just what are the Elders? Why're you so afraid of them?"

"Jongho..." Gunho began as his eyes drifted around the room. "I can't really talk to you about them... they— they could be listening to us right now for all that I know."

I felt the hair on my arms raise as the room grew imperceptibly colder, fear gripped my chest making my arms feel like lead. It was obvious from the way that Gunho's eyes darted around the room as if looking for some unseen threat that he believed his words. "How— What do you mean they could be listening...?" I asked hesitantly unsure if I even wanted to know the answer.

"I mean that they," Gunho seemed to think better of speaking aloud and shifted closer so that he could whisper to me, bed sinking as he sat down on the mattress. "They serve an entity simply known as the Void and this- this thing is said to be omniscient and so powerful and it's- it's..." His eyes travelled over my face as his voice began to shake. He looked into my eyes, his reflecting back the absolute terror he felt. "It's evil Jong..."

I blinked at his words before looking down at my hands which were clenched painfully tight on my lap. It was only within the whispers of ghost stories or in the dark realms of nightmares that I had heard of the thing called The Void. An all powerful being, existing everywhere and nowhere, that moved within the shadows orchestrating the birth and death of the entire universe, bending everything to it's will. This couldn't be true. This couldn't be reality because that would mean...

That our reality was in hell.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I barely noticed Gunho place something in the palm of my hand. Confused I looked down at the small sleek holographic file and back up to Gunho who closed my fist firmly around it.

"This is all the information I could dig up on the cyborg 10-24," He told me clenching his jaw tight. He leaned in closely, so close his breath fanned across my face before he spoke his next words that filled my core with overwhelming dread. "Whatever you do don't lose this, Jong. Make sure this gets to Hongjoong no matter what. He deserves to know the truth about what that thing is." I gulped and stared at the innocuous looking device in my hand. I made a silent vow to keep it safe, no matter what, before tucking it away.

Gunho finally stood up from the bed and ran a hand down his face gathering his thoughts. "Regardless of the Elder's hand in this our biggest threat is Master Commander Arcturus so we need to get out of here..." He sighed. "He's become completely unhinged. I can't even imagine what he'll do to us if he gets the chance. So two hours from now we make our move."

"So you're coming back with us?" I asked suddenly feeling hopeful. Yunho would be ecstatic to have his brother back. Gunho gave me a small smile and nodded placing a warm hand on my shoulder. "Yes I'll come home." He promised. "It's been far too long, Jong."And then all at once the memories came rushing back to me, just as real as the day I'd made them with the crew.

Hongjoong reaching a hand out to me on the day we first met. At the time I couldn't even speak his language but I could feel what he was trying to convey. He wanted to give me the home I never really had. He wanted to give me hope. "You've always belonged with us Jongho. That's what your heart told you that day."

Mingi's reassuring presence as we stood back to back in the midst of a particularity dicey fight. He clapped me on the shoulder afterward and gave me a disarming smile that didn't fit his intimidating appearance. "You're probably the strongest person I've ever met Jongho." He praised. Even if the whole world had turned against us I knew the he would always be there to look out for me.

Seonghwa, quietly sitting next to me as I cried for the first time in my life. He was always there to patiently listen to any complaint no matter how small. I always left with a smile on my face and a stomach full of his delicious cooking.

Yeosang patiently teaching me the art of wayfinding. How his eyes shone just like the stars that night as he showed me how to read their patterns. "If you can find the secrets they try and hide in their glow you'll never truly be lost, Jongho."

Wooyoung throwing his head back and letting loose his infectious laugh as we drank side by side at a bar bathed in neon. "You're hilarious Jong and you don't get all sappy on me like some of the guys when they get drunk," He said while playfully mussing my hair. "you're officially my favorite drinking buddy."

San bringing me along to help him with a trade which also happened to be my first outing. "I thought you'd appreciate this place." He said while flashing his signature dimpled grin. It was a beautiful windy planet where the crumbling cities floated high on currents through the clouds. He explained to me, my eyes filled with wonder, that they had been suspended there by ancient magic for thousands of years.

Crouched next to Yunho in a moonlit field as I watched him cast a spell that breathed life back into the wilted flower he held in his hands. "Even when the situation is the most dire Jong," He whispered as the petals unfurled gracefully into a strange bloom that pulsed with light. "Life will always find a way through..."

Yes, I would let myself believe we would all be okay. I gently rested my hand over Gunho's and squeezed, tears making my vision blurry at the thought of seeing my family again. It's finally time to come home.

Author's note.

Sorry to all my readers for making you wait so so long!! Life is so freaking hectic for me right now it's not even funny... I hope everyone's doing well though and you enjoyed this chapter.:)

In other news who's ready for the comeback!! Ahhhh! I can't stop watching the teaser for Wonderland....

See you all in the next chapter everyone!:)

-Jess