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The surprise attack.

That's what comes to mind when I walk away with the soldier - Suga, Namjoon, Taehyung, and Jin are still on standby. All I need to do is buy them more time. Surely they'll be ready when we need it...

The soldier stops walking and faces me when we reach the corner of the parking lot.

I brace myself.

"So!" the soldier rubs his hands together. "You've decided to join us. Wise choice. Your buddies will stay safe, you'll help the government... it's perfect, isn't it?"

Not really.

"There's just one more thing, Y/n. Where's your mask?"

"Huh?" I blink.

The soldier raises an eyebrow. "Your mask. We sent it to you in the mail."

Oh.

Fudge, where is it?

I remember Jimin handing it to Namjoon, and Namjoon throwing it to me. I must've left it back in the red truck.

The soldier tilts his head at my lack of response.

"I'll ask you one more time," he murmurs. An orange street light casts dark shadows across his face. "Where is your mask, Y/n?"

I take a deep breath.

In, out.

C'mon, think think think-

"I...uhh... " I clear my throat and cross my arms. "I left it in the toaster."

It was the first thing I could think of. I grimace right after, expecting a bad response, but the man doubles over in laughter instead.

His voice rings loudly over the abandoned parking lot.

"Oh, Y/n," he says, wiping tears from his eyes. "What a fool. You've made a big mistake."

"Your existence is a bigger one," I blurt.

Sh*t.

I clap my hands over my mouth. Not good. It just slipped out - a side effect of living with seven other people who bicker all the time.

The soldier stops laughing and narrows his eyes. "What did you say?"

"Nothing."

He doesn't say anything else. I keep my gaze locked on the ground, afraid to look up because of what I might find - a stern frown, perhaps, or maybe cold dark eyes... 

The silence makes me uncomfortable.

I shift under his gaze.

"I've had enough of you, Y/n," he sneers. "Turns out you're nothing without your buddies. Nothing. You're a coward."

I'm the one who insulted him and I'm the coward?

He starts approaching me slowly. One step at a time. There's energy building up inside him - he's about to do something that'll hurt.

"W-Wait! I'll..." I stutter. What happened to the deal? Why is he so angry? Can't we continue without the mask? What's going on?

I look back at the group in panic.

Help!

I was hoping they'd send me a signal of what to do, but then I realize that they probably have no idea what's happening anyways. The flicker of hope dies just as quickly as it formed - I'm on my own.

I guess I'll just have to keep stalling till the surprise attack comes.

"I really want to go with you! I really do!" I put my hands up in a surrender position desperately. "But you're right, I'm a coward. So I want some reassurance before I go with you. Please."

At this the soldier seems to snap out of his angry trance; seeing that he's close to accomplishing his goal, he's surprisingly responding.

I exhale in relief. "You really won't harm my friends?"

"That's a promise," he says sincerely.

I try to be more random to throw him off. "And when I join you guys, can we have a karaoke night every Friday?"

"Of course!" He says it without hesitation.

An obvious lie.

"Will there be muffins? Chocolate muffins are my favorite."

"The principal has more than enough in stock. I'm sure he'd be willing to spare some," he replies smoothly.

They're empty promises upon empty promises that make me wince from how fake they are - but I keep going, to buy us more time.

Come on Namjoon... come on... fingers crossed...

The surprise attack doesn't come.

I try to stay as original as possible but before long, nothing new comes to mind and I end up having to repeat questions.

The soldier catches on.

"This was all just for you to buy time, wasn't it? You were never going to join us."

"... yeah."

He scoffs. "The boundary between bravery and stupidity is a very fine line, Y/n. And you've just crossed it."

Well, there's nothing that can be done now.

I may as well go all in.

"At least I had to cross the line to get to stupidity," I retort. "I can't imagine what it must feel like to be born in it like you."

And wow it feels good to say that.

(Thank you Suga for the practice.)

The soldier says nothing back. I feel really smug, but then I notice his eyes turning into a cold green color - an earth elementalist - and that's when I realize that he's about to strike.

He seethes. "I'm going to make sure you regret your own existence, Y/n."

I change my stance and prepare myself for a fight.

Ok Y/n, remember your training. You got this. Do it for Namjoon. And Jin. And Suga. And J-Hope. And-

"Not so fast, you nugget!"

We both jump at the new voice. Another guy - he looks like a typical Commander - comes out of the shadows. A black cape is billowing behind him and he's got an air of authority. Definitely a leader of sorts.

The Commander's eyes are so dark, they even make Suga's glare more inviting in comparison.

"You idiot." The Commander whacks the soldier's head. I struggle to control the smile on my face. "You almost killed the girl because you couldn't control your own emotions."

"Forgive me, sir."

The Commander says nothing, and just looks at him with a scrutinizing glare. The soldier, all powerful and furious before, now cowers before him.

I'm astonished at how drastic the change is.

"You won't be forgiven again," the Commander says airily. "Make use of this second chance I give you."

The soldier nods eagerly.

He turns back to me. "Sorry about him, Y/n," he says. "I was watching and you were doing everything right. You had reason to question him like that. I'd be skeptical too, if I were in your shoes."

I nod, relieved that the Commander isn't... fire beaming me into pieces or something.

"Let's bring this back a bit," he says, twirling his fingers. The motion is strangely hypnotizing. "I'll keep your friends safe. I know you're skeptical, but you can trust me on that. Just as they kept you safe for the past week. Imagine them back in their base, safe and sound. Laughing at inside jokes..."

I think about them bickering at the dinner table.

"Imagine them having fun and being themselves. Away from worry, not having to move around all the time because of you."

Wait... I'm a burden to them?

"Think about the all the time and food and energy they've wasted on you. But you have the chance to help them now. You can make it happen, Y/n. You can join us, and they'll be free. They'll be happy. We can help each other and make the world a better place together."

It makes sense, somehow. There's something about the Commander that makes me subconsciously trust him.

I look back at the group to contemplate my decisions, and that's when Jungkook makes deliberate eye contact with me.

There's a strange glimmer in his eyes. It seems really meaningful, but I can't figure out what he's trying to say.

"I know what it's like to be separated from your friends," the Commander says as he glances back at the group with me. "You must be going through a lot. But you have to understand, there's no other -"

He pauses.

I look up to find him smiling widely (creepily wide) and his predator eyes are locked on someone in the group. The personality change throws me off.

"Well, well. Who do we have here?"

Uh oh.

The Commander strides toward the group. Seeing the opportunity to reunite with my friends, I follow. The soldier trails behind me.

"Park Jimin, eh?" The Commander smirks. "We meet again."

Jimin?

Suddenly everyone's focus is on Jimin, who looks up reluctantly and stiffens when he makes eye contact with the Commander.

"Oho!" the Commander exclaims. "I must say, well done. You're impressive for someone as short as you are."

Well done?

A thick silence follows.

The Commander just chuckles and continues to twirl his fingers in that hypnotizing motion. He walks to stand right in front of Jimin, within arm's reach. I stand at the sidelines with baited breath.

Seeing the Commander's gaze up this close, I'm afraid to even breathe. I can't imagine what Jimin must be going through under his direct gaze.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here. Nor you," the Commander says, glancing at J-Hope. "Jimin, didn't I tell you that we wanted Y/n and Jungkook only?"

I can't take my eyes off Jimin as a thousand thoughts run through my mind.

He wouldn't, I tell myself. Surely not.

"Jimin?" J-Hope whispers.

Jimin's gaze is trained on the floor again. His face is so void of expression, it's impossible to tell what he's thinking. No one else breaks the silence.

Then he sighs.

It's soft. And gentle. Like wind whispering through the trees.

"I'm sorry."