*Not beta read

Seonghwa lightly sipped on his cocktail as his eyes scanned thoroughly over the crowd. The lights were bumping and he could feel the bass thrum through his very veins. Every now and then when the swarm of withering bodies parts, he could spot Ravn on the other end of the club doing the same. He looked rather tense and a bit out of his element but blended in more or less.

Club Desire was mostly what he expected from a typical club but tended to favor a bit of the darker side. In fact, it was the very club that Hongjoong had asked him to check out on Mingi's behalf. This information coupled with the fact they were meeting up with an informant here was enough to set the other on edge. He really hoped that things turned out in their favor. This was a rather bare-bones operation for the sake of discrepancy so they were already at a significant disadvantage. 

In the middle of the dance floor the agent could spot Hwanwoong moving rather effortlessly. Seonghwa had to admit, the other was rather in his element as he worked the crowd, flitting from one partner to the next. If the other didn't know any better, he would assume that the boy was just another inebriated clubber but his eyes spoke differently. He was very much aware of his immediate area as they waited for contact from their informant.

They had been at this for about an hour now and Seonghwa was quite impressed about how fast Hwanwoong had pulled all of this together. It was quite impressive. However, he was not exactly happy in what the young agent had deemed appropriate club attire for the two leaders to wear. Sometimes he had to wonder how he happened to get in this kind of situation.

After leaving the office, Hwanwoong had texted that he needed exactly three hours in order to get everything together for that night. The two leaders were rather skeptical of this statement but decided to trust their young member and decided to look up as much as they could about the location that they would be observing. The club was fairly new so there wasn't much in terms of information other than it was a club with a rather obvious theme. It was clear that if they didn't fit the part, they would be easily rejected entry into the building.

This was where Hwanwoong shined. True to his word, the man returned exactly three hours later with his arms laden with bags as if he had just come off of a huge shopping spree with daddy's credit card. And in a way, he had been, if that card was CCG granted money.

So now Seonghwa stood, rather uncomfortably, he might add, in a black sheer turtleneck with a silver chain draped around his neck that dipped underneath the tight blazer that he wore to protect some of his modesty but still teased enough of his chest to still be enticing. His legs were encased in form fitting black pants that were tucked into chunky combat boots. His hair, for increased anonymity, had temporarily been dyed using some product that Hwanwoong had found in a store that would come out after a wash or two and had been swooped back on one side but his bangs had been left free and framing his very lightly charcoal lined eyes. He also wore one dangling silver earring in the piercing hole he had gotten in his last year of the academy that he had just never let close.

After Hwanwoong had finally let him go after his transformation it felt like he was a whole different person staring back at him in the mirror. He couldn't exactly say he hated it but it was definitely something that someone would have to get used to. He was glad that once this was all over he could go back to his black suits he was used to seeing himself in.

Ravn hadn't escaped the younger's clutches either but it felt almost unfair how "toned down" the other leader was compared to Seonghwa. He was dressed in a similar color scheme as he wore a black fitted blazer that was laced tight with red string and was looser at his hips to accentuate his small waist. He was left shirtless underneath to tease at a defined chest but, unlike Seonghwa, seemed perfectly fine with showing just a little off. He wore black pants and black dress shoes. Around his neck was a barely visible and highly delicate silver chain and his hair was left free and unchanged.

The biggest shock difference was Hwanwoong's choice in attire for the night. He had on a fitted black shirt with a grey smokey pattern with the first two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms. On top of it, he wore a short black vest that was left open. His shirt was tucked into tight black pants that were cinched tight with a black belt and on his feet he wore slightly heeled black boots without laces. His hair was now a silvery color and striped with faded pastel colors as if he were some sort of unicorn. His eyes were coal rimmed and smokey. He had a small hoop earring in his ear that was connected to a small chain that attached to a false lip ring that he had fastened securely to his lightly glossed lips.

It was quite a stand out look but as Hwanwoong had said, sometimes you have to stand out to blend in, and as Seonghwa looked out at the crowd of young people dressed in a similar or more outrageous fashion, he couldn't help but agree.

"If you keep gripping your glass like that, it's going to shatter," Seonghwa said lightly as he slid next to his friend and co-leader. Ravn's eyes hadn't left Hwanwoong's form as he sensually danced with yet another partner for the night. He did have very smooth moves and was attracting quite the crowd that either wanted to dance with him or just stand and watch. The undercover agent didn't respond to Seonghwa's ribbing and instead loosened the iron grip he had on his scotch glass and his knuckles regained color.

"You know, you're going to have to be a bit more subtle if we're going to pull this off." Seonghwa shook his head. A pause. "Have you told him?"

This caught Ravn's attention and he looked at the other out of the corner of his eye. He lifted his glass up to his lips. "Told who what?"

"Hwanwoong," The agent shrugged as if it were obvious. "That you like him."

Ravn choked on a bit of scotch, pounding at his chest to grain air to his lungs. "W-what are you talking about? I do not like Hwanwoong. He is my subordinate."

Seonghwa raised an eyebrow and grinned a bit smuggly. "You sure stare quite a lot for someone who doesn't like him."

"We're supposed to be watching out for him. Of course I'm staring." Ravn frowned.

 "Not just that." The undercover agent denied. "You're pretty protective of him and you both are rather close."

"In case you've forgotten, my only other subordinate died. Of course I would be protective of him." The dark haired male narrowed his gaze, thoroughly put out.

"It's more than just being protective of a subordinate." Seongwha sighed. "I've seen the way you look at him when you think I'm not paying attention."

Ravn just sighed, his shoulders slumping just a little in defeat. "Can we just...please not talk about this right now."

Seonghwa just shrugged again and took a drink out of his glass. He really didn't like the idea of drinking on the job but it was a club. Appearances had to be made as long as he just did it slowly.

"What about you?" The other leader deflected. "This morning you looked like you were about to either rip someone's head off or cry your eyes out. Tell-tale signs of a break up if you ask me.'

"Something like that." Seonghwa muttered into his glass, not sparing the other a look.

"Guessing it's one of those things you don't wanna talk about, huh?"

The agent nodded. "You would be right."

Ravn offered a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "We really do have it rough."

Seonghwa was just about to answer when out of the corner of his eye he noticed the back of Hwanwoong's head being led away. He nudged Ravn and gestured to where the younger was headed. He frowned but neither made a move towards the other as to not give away their cover. Hwanwoong was wired and they should be able to hear everything but it did little to comfort the two leaders.

Now was the time Hwanwoong had been waiting for. Now was the time to prove himself.

XxX

Hwanwoong could feel the sweat trickle down his neck and his shirt stick to his body as another clubber pressed close to sway sensually with him. The room was a bit smokey and lights flashed in the dark briefly illuminating his partners as they leaned in, alcohol heavy on their breath. Here, on the dance floor, the young agent seemed to lose all concept of time as he moved but despite the hypnotising rhythm of the music, his mind was still firmly focused on the mission.

He seemed quite popular on the dance floor for as soon as one person was whisked away by the crowd, another would take their place. It seemed that he was one of the few people that really knew how to move their body and didn't move stiffly like a board. He did hope that they found their contact soon, however, as he didn't know how much longer he could keep this up without a break. His muscles were protesting as he entered his second hour of nonstop movement.

Just as he was debating stepping off to at least get a drink of water, a woman slithered up to him. She was a bit taller than he was with her black knee-high heeled boots but not by much. She had long midnight black hair with the underside dyed a deep but vibrant blue with her bangs the same color. She was dressed in a black jacket with lace peeking out of the high collar and sleeves and black shorts.

It was easy to see that she was very attractive. There seemed to be a line of drooling men vying for her attention but she seemed to only have a focus for Hwanwoong. Her eyes were glinting in the dim light and her smile just slightly sinister, like a shark smelling fresh blood, as she easily wrapped her arms around the young man's shoulders. 

Knowing that he couldn't really turn her away or risk giving himself away, he humored her and accepted her advances graciously. He slid his arms around her waist but at a respectable height to make sure that she didn't get any ideas and know that this was just a dance. Together, he slowly moved their hips to the bass beat.

They danced like this for a while, the woman never letting her gaze stray from the agent. After about five minutes of this, she seemed to want more as she pulled Hwanwoong closer. She leaned her face closer and for a moment, the agent thought that she was going to try and kiss him, but just as her lips were about a hair's width away, she suddenly ducked to the side and pressed her lips close to his ear, her hot breath brushing the shell.

"I believe that I'm the one you are looking for?" The woman spoke, her voice sensual and dripping like honey.

For a moment, Hwanwoong thought she was propositioning him and was about to shut her down when his eyes widened in sudden realization. As slowly as he could as to not be suspicious, he pulled back and got a good look at the woman's face. She was staring back at him, mildly amused, and with a raised eyebrow as if challenging him.

"That depends," Hwanwoong spoke lowly to keep up appearances. "Do you have what I want?"

The smile on the beautiful woman's face grew and her eyes seemed to darken, like a predator locking onto its prey. Instead of answering she let her hands slide from Hwanwoong's shoulders and descend the length of his body and his arms before she latched well manicured fingers onto his own hand. She turned and, casting one last sultry look over her shoulder, pulled him through the crowd.

Hwanwoong could do nothing but follow and trust that this was the contact he was supposed to be meeting with. They hadn't received much information on who would make contact but no one else knew the reason why he was here so his odds were currently in his favor. Still, he hoped that Ravn and Seonghwa were watching enough to be able to see where he was going.

Together the two moved through the crowd and dodging club goers. The woman obviously was familiar with the layout of the club. He just hoped that his superiors didn't lose sight of him while weaving through the floor plan.

Finally reaching the back of the club, the two entered a hallway and Hwanwoong was surprised how immediately the loud bumping of the music went from a blood pumping volume to a dull background roar upon their entry. The agent glanced around the hall and noticed that there were sound absorbers hung high on the ceiling all down the expanse of the hallway, explaining the sudden volume change.

Just as suddenly as the noise changed, so did the woman's demeanor. Immediately, she dropped Hwanwoong's hand and the sultry smirk slipped off of her face and was replaced with all business. For a moment, the agent was confused at the sudden switch as the woman just waved Hwanwoong along through the hallway before slipping into an open room.

"I apologize for the earlier behavior," Was the first thing the dark haired woman said as soon as Hwanwoong had closed the door behind himself. "People come here expecting certain things and it would have looked odd otherwise."

"It's ok," Hwanwoong replied, a bit dazed by it all. He took a moment to glance around the room. Like the rest of the club, it was decked out in velvet dyed a deep, warm red color with couches and drapes. The woman took a moment to walk towards one of the couches and took a seat, gesturing for the agent to do the same.

"I'm Siyeon, from the East office." The woman began in a very business like manner. She leaned back on the couch and crossed one leg over the other. "But outside these walls, and to everyone else in that club, I am Monica. It would be best to refer to me as such if we ever cross paths outside the office again."

The agent nodded his head and extended a hand for a friendly shake. "Hwanwoong, from the West office."

"I figured as much," Siyeon smirked. "You blend in quite well but your two followers seem rather uncomfortable."

Hwanwoong had to resist the laugh that wanted to bubble out of his chest. "It isn't their scene for sure."

"Made it a bit easier to find you, though." The woman said. "But it makes me wonder how many others noticed it too."

The young agent frowned. He hadn't thought much of that. Siyeon didn't let him dwell on it much and instead launched straight into business.

"Well, seeing as this meeting was short notice and you aren't my usual contact, you have only been minimally briefed?" Hwanwoong nodded. "Right. My team and I have been investigating an underground auction ring for the past three months. So far we've deduced that the auction gets their victims through a variety of sources but there is one man who pulls more than any other. We have dubbed him the Supplier."

Siyeon paused as she waited for the information to sink in. Hwanwoong shifted in his chair. "He meets them online. Offers them something they want. Once he figures out what it is, he sets up a meet up."

"He grabs them at the meet up," The young agent concluded for her.

Siyeon pursed her lips together and nodded gravely. "Next thing they know, they're on the auction block."

"So why do you think we can strike now if you've been tracking these guys for three months?"

"We were hoping to get enough information to ensure the mission's success." The woman said smoothly. "That, and we heard a rumor that there would be some...interesting people present."

During the explanation, Hwanwoong had clasped his hands together and at that last bit of information, he could feel them tighten, knuckles turning white. Whether it was in fear or anticipation he wasn't sure. Interesting people could possibly only mean one of two things, right?

"You think he is going to be there, don't you?"

"It is a possibility." Siyeon nodded. "I heard that your team has been on the Butcher case for a while, I'm hoping that can put us at a bit of an advantage if the time comes."

"Well, I'm not sure how much help we will be." Hwanwoong answers honestly. He rubs a finger over his brow. "Even with all our focus on him, we still didn't get very far. It cost me a teammate."

The agent felt a thump form in his throat at the mention of Xion and Siyeon looked at him with kind, sympathetic eyes as she reached out and placed a hand on Hwanwoong's clenched ones. 

"I'm sorry for your loss." The woman said softly. "It's always hard when you lose someone. We will do everything we can to catch the bastard terrorizing the streets."

"Yeah, well," Hwanwoong shook his head while clearing his throat. Now was not the time to be sentimental. "When is this auction taking place?"

"Friday night,"Siyeon said, not wasting any more time. 

Hwanwoong paused. "But thats two days from now."

"Actually," The woman grabbed her phone as she stood, checking the clock. "As of now, it is after midnight meaning it is officially Thursday." She looked up, her eyes severe. "This was kind of the reason why I had to meet with someone as soon as possible." 

"You really think we can get everything together in time?" The agent stood with Siyeon, obviously picking up that their meeting was coming to an end.

"We don't really have a choice."

XxX

Jongho stared at the door before him as he mentally prepared himself to walk into the training room. He had woken up pleasantly that morning with a snoozing Yeosang on his chest after falling asleep on the couch during a movie, the end credits still rolling across the screen to soft music. The younger couldn't help but smile as he watched the other sleep peacefully. He quite enjoyed that the other didn't seem burdened by whatever thoughts were going through his head earlier and, that if he wanted to, he could just reach out and brush against that endearing birth mark.

His peaceful morning was interrupted, however, by the ringing of his phone. Carful not to wake Yeosang, Jongho shifted to reach for the device. He frowned as he saw the notification painted across his screen.

Now, here he was a little cranky at having to leave the comfort of his couch to prepare for a training session with his new squad. He knew that this would be an important moment for them all to see if they worked together as a team before they were deployed but did it have to be so early in the morning?

Shaking off the lingering tiredness, Jongho took a deep breath and scanned his key card, stepping through the door as it opened to be greeted by five sets of eyes in the blank room. The youngest did a quick scan of the room and noticed that someone was missing.

"Where's Eden?"

"Said he would join us later," Hui was the first to answer as his gazed returned back to the control panel he was typing at. "Good to see you again, Jongho."

"Wouldn't it be a bit weird to run drills without him?" The younger didn't let up as he raised an eyebrow. He didn't see much of a point of running simulations if not everyone was present.

"Relax buddy," A hand came out of nowhere and patted Jongho roughly on the back, enough to cause the young man to nearly stumble. The agent looked up to spy Wonho smiling down at him with a half eaten sandwich in his hand. "Eden has been working in the CCG for forever. I'm sure he can adapt to anything on the field by now."

From another corner of the room, Moonbyul wrinkled her nose just slightly as she eyed the food in the beefy man's hand. "Didn't you just have breakfast?"

Wonho just shrugged as he took a large bite of his sandwich. He spoke around a mouthful. "Got hungry again."

Dami rolled her eyes at the display but couldn't hide a small smile on her face.  She turned her attention to the youngest. "You ready to show us what you got, hotshot?"

Jongho frowned at the nickname and opened his mouth to say something but a voice stopped him. 

"Eden texted," Woozi stood up from where he was leaning agains the wall to make his pretense known. "We have our orders.  Friday."

The room grew serious as it seemed everyone stood a little straighter. Now was no longer the time for jokes. They were about to all get our first real test and it was a lot closer than they would expect. 

"Well it's a good thing we have the drills set up." Hui said, standing up from the control panel he had been typing on. "C'mon guys, we have work to do."

XxX

Yunho bit lightly at his thumb as he paced the break room. He had decided just a while ago that the group was past due in having a meeting all together. He needed to share the information that he had gotten from KQ the other day and hopefully they would back him up on the idea that had since taken root inside his head. 

There was a soft knock on the door frame. Yunho whipped around quickly to spot San standing there with a pensive look on his face. When he got the blonde's attention, he stepped into the room.

"Wooyoung is on his way." The shop owner said as he flopped into one of the soft leather chairs. He looked up at Yunho. "Rough night?"

The blonde sighed. "Just not really looking forward to this conversation."

San raised an eyebrow at that but didn't comment further. He figured that whatever information he wanted would come later once they were all together. Instead, the barista continued his pacing.

"Did you call for Hongjoong too or is it just going to be us three?" San decided to break the ice as his eyes followed the blonde. If he didn't stop soon he would surely run a hole in the carpet.

"Its everyone." The blonde just answered briskly.

"That serious, huh?" The tattooed Ghoul said, a little taken aback. 

Yunho opened his mouth as if to say something more when a blonde head popped into the doorway, panting. 

"Sorry," Wooyoung huffed, moving past the door and onto a chair, particularly the leather one that San was currently occupying. There was some space for the both of them but it mostly ended with the blonde half on top of the other. "Lecture ran long."

"Did I say you could sit on me?" San huffed. His words were rough but there wasn't any real heat to them as you could see the man's eyes sparkle in amusement. 

"Too late," Wooyoung fired back, wiggling just slightly to stake his claim on the chair. "I'm comfy."

San rolled his eyes at the other's antics and Yunho sighed. "Could you not be all over each other once everyone else gets here?"

Wooyoung looked like he was about to fire back a smart reply when someone from the doorway cleared their throat. Three heads swiveled to see a fidgety red head standing there. However, he was not alone.

"Mingi?" Yunho furrowed his brow. "What are you doing here? I thought you were running home to change?"

"Yunho!" The brunette ignored the other's confusion and in two quick strides, he crossed the room and grabbed the blonde's face between his large hands, smooshing the young man's cheeks. He pulled Yunho's face closer and quickly placed a short kiss on his lips, much to the barista's shock. When Mingi pulled away, the blonde's eyes were large and his hands were frozen midair. "I remember!"

The phrase must have been enough to break the other out of his shock and Yunho made a happy but slightly strangled sound before he launched his body at Mingi and wrapping his arms around the other man's neck. The brunette didn't seem to mind the extra weight and instead, he wrapped his arms around the blonde's waist tightly. The brunette laughed a little wetly as he spun the boy around in happiness.

"And he said we're all over each other," Wooyoung leaned over to whisper to San. The shop owner just lightly tapped the other on the shoulder in a small reprimand as he watched the two, smiling softly at the scene. 

"Oh!" Mingi suddenly exclaimed as he dropped the other and pulled away, holding Yunho by the shoulders. "I have so much to tell you about the other night! They're trying to make Ghouls and there is this cult and-"

"Wait, wait, Mingi." Yunho held up his hands in a halting motion as he tried to slow the other's rambling. "You're speaking too fast and besides," The blonde shifted his gaze behind the brunette to Hongjoong standing there. 

The brunette seemed to get the message. "Oh, it's ok. I know about Hongjoong and he knows I know."

"W-huh?" Yunho suddenly sputtered, his eye growing wide. "How-When did this happen?"

"Wait," San suddenly spoke for the for the first time since the other's entry. "He knows what about Hongjoong?"

Mingi turned, seemingly noticing the other two's presence for the first time. His face suddenly paled and his mouth made a small 'o' shape. His eyes flickered between Yunho and San as if he had suddenly stepped in it. The blonde barista sighed as he ran a hand over his face.

"Why don't you grab a seat, Mingi." Yunho gestured to the couch. "We have a lot to talk about." 

 The brunette nodded and let himself be guided to a seat on the couch. Hongjoong followed and claimed a space beside him, being quiet thus far. Yunho sighed as he sat down on the couch opposite of the other two. He stayed towards the front end of the cushion and put his elbows on his knees while clasping his hands together rather nervously, his palms starting to sweat a little.

Taking a deep breath, the blonde looked at the two on the chair. "Mingi....knows that I'm a Ghoul."

"What!?" Wooyoung hollered loudly, his eyes as wide as saucers. 

"Do you have some kind of death wish?" San sat up in the chair, slightly shifting Wooyoung who was still pressed a little into his side. "It is one thing to get close, which was your first mistake, but to actually tell him? Are you out of your mind?"

"It was an accident ok!" Yunho held up his hands to in defense. He should have known this was coming eventually but had put it in the back of his mind. It wasn't like the other two were exactly innocent of keeping secrets, however. "I didn't tell him. He just sort of...found out?"

"Don't blame Yunho." Mingi interrupted, trying to play peace maker and attempting to keep the other from jumping out of his seat. "I know but I would never turn him in. The thought never even crossed my mind!" He paused before tilting his head curiously as a thought occurred to him. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've met."

The shop owner sighed before sitting back. He rubbed a hand over his face in exhaustion. "San." He answered shortly. "I've known Wooyoung and Yunho for a while. I know who your are though. I helped out while you were unconcious."

Mingi nodded in a form of thanks, accepting the answer. "I'm guessing you both are Ghouls too?" The two smushed on the couch bobbed their heads. "I promise, your secret is safe with me. I care about Yunho and Hongjoong. I would never do anything to hurt them."

San just pursed his lips but didn't say anything more. He knew just how important Mingi was to Yunho. He was there and saw just how upset the blonde had gotten when the other was still unconscious with no immediate signs of waking up. He trusted Yunho's judgement but he was a firm believer of people proving themselves and earning that right. He was going to hold any opinions until Mingi could do just that.  And if the brunette had any information on the cult attack, seeing as he was the victim, it might be worth it to hear him out for the time being. He could let Yunho have it for being careless later.

"How did you even know about Hongjoong?" Yunho asked, suddenly curious. As far as he knew, they had been spending most of their time together so it was unlikely for Mingi to walk in on anything unless the red head had just gotten careless or told the brunette himself.

"I just...sort of had a hunch?" The tall man shrugged his shoulders, unsure.  "Well with the eye-patch and the hair color change, plus him spending a lot of time away from me, I figured something was going on. He was secretive and had suddenly stopped sharing stuff with me." Hongjoong shifted a bit in his chair guiltily. "It was something that was nagging me in the back of my mind but didn't really believe was true. So, I just decided to ask." Mingi suddenly frowned. "Then I remembered."

"What exactly....did you remember?" Wooyoung asked,  seemingly sensing the need to change the subject a little. He was less concerned about Mingi's knowledge considering he had already been exposed to Ghouls that night in the club. Instead, he was desperately curious about that night. 

Mingi shifted a little in his seat. He had expected to share what he remembered but he wasn't prepared for the extra audience. The brunette suddenly felt a small hand land on his shoulder. He turned his head to see Hongjoong looking at him, giving a small nod of support. Mingi took a deep breath.

"Well, I had gone to look for the bathroom," The brunette began as he rubbed his suddenly sweaty palms on his jeans. "I went into this back hallway and everything seemed to go quiet. There was an open door. I thought it was the bathroom so I peeked inside. It wasn't."

 At this, Mingi bit at the corner of his lip apprehensively. "A man was tied to the chair. At first I thought I had accidentally walked in on someone giving the guy a lap dance but then another woman walked up. She pulled out a syringe and the gave it to the first woman dancing." The brunette swallowed, his throat going dry. "She injected herself with it and seemed to go into a trance for a moment, getting her high. When she was done she... she bit the guy on the shoulder."

The other occupants of the room frowned or made a face at this information. It was never pretty when someone watched a Ghoul feed. Some made it look like something straight out of a horror movie.

"I tried to get away but Sunny knocked me out." Mingi continued as if lost in his own world. Yunho's hands clenched involuntarily at the mention of the woman's name. "I woke up to her pouring water on me. She said she was looking for salvation. To become something that would make her more powerful. She wanted to become a Ghoul."

A muscle in Hongjoong's jaw twitched as he gritted his teeth together. It was highly likely that the same people that changed him were changing all the others. "Did she say who could change her?" He swallowed past the dryness in his throat to speak.

"She's working for the Butcher."

A collective silence ran through the room at the name. No one dared to speak as the air grew heavy in the room. In the backs of their minds they knew they would probably eventually have to deal with the power hungry man terrorizing the streets but they had hoped to stay out of it for as long as they could. That was no longer an option, however. Now he was knocking on their front door.

"What happened then?" Yunho tried to encourage. He reached out over the coffee table and placed a hand over Mingi's knee as best as he could. The brunette gave a meek smile in thanks but it fell quickly.

"After that, things got a little fuzzy but I remember a prick in my arm." Mingi grabbed at the crook of his elbow and rubbed his thumb over an invisible mark where the phantom pain had been. "I don't know if it was the same drug I saw that woman take but the world kind of tunneled out. I could see and hear everything but I couldn't control my own body. I was like a zombie."

"They took me to a room, kind of like a cellar." The brunette continued. "They put a bag over my head but not before I saw a bunch of people dressed in white.  They had these masks on with different red markings and they were chanting. I remember a voice saying that it was a blessing to be a sacrifice to one chosen to become a higher being."

Hongjoong felt his face pale and a cold sweat sweep through his body as he listened to Mingi talk. Suddenly visions of people in white and the hell hospital swam passed his eyes. There were actually people out there that wanted what happened to him? That chose this half damned life? To potentially be hunted and to live in constant fear while looking over your shoulder?  His stomach churned. He was going to be sick.

"Do you think that he is the one manufacturing and distributing this drug then?" San suddenly spoke over a frown. "Or are they buying form another source?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you all about that." Yunho shifted in his seat. "When Mingi was in a coma, KQ came by and took a blood sample. Said he had a friend that worked in a lab."

"Were they able to pull anything form the sample?" Hongjoong asked as he tried to push past the nausea building and stay in the conversation.

"A little." The blonde answered. "By the time we got it, the drug had mostly passed through his system but it increased his RC cells. This is one of the main things that makes a Ghoul, a Ghoul. Its like an extra antibody we have in addition to white and red blood cells." 

"And human's don't." Hongjoong connected the dots while frowning.

Yunho gnawed at his lip slightly, nodding. "Normal humans don't have this so Mingi's body couldn't take it. It was why he was so unresponsive when we found him and why he later had a seizure."

"So its likely that this drug can have a different affect in a Ghoul, right?" San furrowed his brows. "If we already have RC cells, too many could be bad?"

Hongjoong's eyes suddenly widened. "The Ghoul that attacked me awhile ago. Seonghwa said there was a drug in his system. They aren't two different drugs, its the same one. It makes a Ghoul go berserk and a human go catatonic."

The barista's face was dark with a scowl. "It is likely the case."

"But what is the point really?" Wooyoung tilted his head curiously. "Why do they need to make a Ghoul go crazy? And what is the point of using the drug on a human when there are other ways to subdue someone?"

"Well, Sunny was going to commit cannibalism right?" Mingi winced as San spoke. He mentioned it so casually. "What if having the RC cells introduced organically is some kind of key for a person to become a Ghoul?"

Hongjoong frowned. Brief flashes of white passed his vision as broken memories of hospital beds and electric shocks arose.  Did these people go through all of that and still want to become a Ghoul? He wasn't so sure if these were the same people though. But would there really be so many groups out there with such a twisted agenda?

"I'm not sure." Yunho shrugged. "I don't really have much information but KQ seems to think that we might be able to get a drug sample at an auction this Friday."

"That's tomorrow." Wooyoung furrowed his brow. "Do you really think it would be a good idea to go?"

"We would have to be careful," The barista spoke, "But I think we should go. Personally, I think this drug is too dangerous to be left out on the streets like it is."

"Should I call the boys?" San quirked an eyebrow up towards his hairline. "It might be a smart move to have back up."

Yunho bit the inside of his cheek. "They can't be seen. The more people on this, the riskier it gets but I would feel better if we had some back up."

San nodded and leaned back in his seat, plans already forming in his head. Mingi and Hongjoong had mostly sat quietly but both seemed rather worried. Finally, the brunette couldn't hold his thoughts in any longer.

"I want to go with you."

The red-head whipped his gaze to the side, staring at his tall friend incredulously. "Are you joking?"

Mingi shook his head. "I don't feel good about letting Yunho, or any of you, do this. I want to be there to help."

The blonde dancer smiled in a sympathetic manner, the way a parent does when they are about to give bad news,  before reaching out and placing his hand on the brunette's from across the coffee table. 

"Mingi....You know you can't come." He spoke softly.

A line went across the brunette's forehead as the corner of his lips dropped in a sort of pouting scowl. "I just don't want you to end up in danger."

"That's sweet," Yunho began to move his thumb, caressing the back of Mingi's palm. "But you know you can't. They would smell you from a mile away."

"Fine," the brunette grumbled as he sat back in his chair. He pulled his hand away and crossed his arms, accepting. "It doesn't mean I like it."

"So we're really doing this?" Hongjoong asked the room while he placed his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. He clenched his hands tight as they became slightly clammy. He wasn't exactly excited about the idea of walking into a room full of Ghouls, but he couldn't pass on this opportunity. He had a gut feeling that this would be a good chance to gather information. It would be the first time he was surrounded by so many Ghouls that weren't part of their little rag tag group.

And if things went to shit, guess he would have to put those training hours into practice. 

There was a collective nod from the rest of the occupants, the air serious and all traces of humor sucked away.  Even Wooyoung sat with a determined look on his face. This would be a very serious operation that required the utmost tact and stealth. They couldn't really afford room for error. 

For the rest of the afternoon, they planned.

XxX

Yeosang cupped his hands and brought them close to his face as he blew into them for warmth, the edged of his breath visible as a wispy smoke in the air. He checked his phone one more time as he bounced on his feet for warmth. 9 pm. They would be here soon.

The sandy brunette had woken up alone that morning to a hastily scribbled note of apology from Jongho but he didn't mind much. He wasn't sure how he would have reacted if he had seen the other's face up that close. Besides, being alone made it a lot easier to try and keep how anxious he was for what he had to do today a secret. 

In the end, the agent couldn't even brink himself to go into work today. He didn't trust himself to keep mellow enough through out the day without checking his watch every five minutes. Instead, he made some kind of lame excuse to Seonghwa and the others on why he couldn't come in and that he needed to work from home for the day. The leader didn't seem particularly happy with him but didn't push it. 

Instead, the older sent him details about an operation that they would be assisting with tomorrow and that he should get all the rest he possibly could. They were only going to provide back up to some other teams but it was of the upmost importance that everything ran smoothly. Seonghwa said he would send more details as they came up.

9:01

Yeosang really hoped that this guy would show up soon. He wasn't sure how much longer he could stay outside without freezing his fingers off.  The alley way he was currently standing in wasn't that promising either.

Suddenly, from the other end a figure walked into the area the brunette was currently lurking. The street lamp was behind the other but Yeosang could make out that the person wasn't small. In fact, the person stood at a solid six foot at least and seemed muscular. The agent didn't move and instead just watched at the figure came closer. The light on his face grew brighter to reveal a man with a rather gruff looking exterior.

"Hethetmon?" The man grunted as he came to a stop near Yeosang. The brunette got off from where he was leaning against the dirty alley wall.

"Depends on whose asking." The agent ran a calculating gauze over the man. "You have what I'm looking for?"

Instead of answering, the man pulled aside one of the lapels of his coat. Outwardly, Yeosang tried to not make any sudden reactions but couldn't help stiffening just slightly in preparation for whatever was going to come out. The man didn't seem to notice this and pulled his hand out, a vial pinched between his forefinger and thumb. He held it up to the light, revealing the dark and slightly green liquid contained within. 

"Got it right here," The man shook the vial a little. "You have my money?" 

Now it was Yeosang's turn to reach inside his coat. He felt around for a moment before finding what he was looking for. Gripping it, he pulled out a wad of money and tossed it at the man's chest. 

Catching it with one hand, the gruff stranger quickly leafed through the contents. Seeing that everything was there, he nodded in satisfaction and tossed the vial. Yeosang caught it swiftly and held the vial in between his fingers and held it up towards the moonlight for a better look. He turned it this way and that to see if he could spot any defects but not even exactly sure what he would be looking for. 

Figuring that it must be alright, the agent deftly pocketed the item. "Pleasure doing business with you."

Seeing that the deal was done, Yeosang turned and made to walk towards the end of the alley. He had made it about five steps before he felt hands from behind grab at him, a cloth pressed tightly over his face. Eyes widening in panic, the agent reached up and tried to pry the hands gripping him away as he kicked his feet but soon he found his limbs growing weak and his vision blurring as the smell of the cloth permeated his senses. 

Chloroform.

"Sorry pretty boy," The man from before's voice whispered in his ear, the heat of his rancid breath causing Yeosang to shiver. "A deal's a deal but I have a feeling you would snatch quite the nice penny."

Feeling his heart rate in his ears, the agent tried to kick harder but his facilities were compromised. As a last effort, Yeosang tried to reach into his jacket pocket. He grabbed the item he desired as a black car pulled up to the end of the alley. Just as he was about to press a button, he dropped the item. As he was tossed into the back seat of a car, his vision went black and the car pulled out.

There, left on the cold wet ground,  was the pen Jongho had given him, unused.

Notes:

I'M BACK! Sorry it has been awhile. It has honestly been such a roller coaster ride lately in my life and it is just getting worse but hopefully I can brighten your day just a little bit by posting. I tried to get this up by Jongho's birthday (since I've kinda made it a habit of posting on people's special day) but didn't make it. Hope you enjoyed anyway even though it is a few days late.

I PROMISE THIS IS THE LAST BUILD UP CHAPTER. Next one, is the auction I believe so enjoy some good action (I hope) this one was kinda hard to get out because I was bored with it.

***IMPORTANT NOTICE***

So, lately I've had my story added to some don't read lists which is a little rude in my opinion (don't like, don't read) and maybe it was a joke or a reminder to themselves to not read but that list could have been private to themselves. I don't like other's trying to color people's opinions . like that but maybe it is just me (even though these people still read/vote/and comment on my story)

Also, from now on any obnoxious, annoying, inappropriate, threatening, or hateful comments will be deleted. I should of done this before but honestly, I just absolutely love to hear genuine thoughts and feed back that I let some of the worst slide but sometimes they just make me go "really??" I love you all and I'm so glad people like my story but there is only so much I can handle and I know a lot are meant to be jokes, especially about what I do to my characters, but it is fanfiction. I can do whatever the heck I want.

Love you all 💕 

PS: check out my profile in the next few days because I will be releasing teasers/summary of side project or stories. I will start working on after Asphyxia is done. I want open a vote for what I should work on next! Follow me if you want a notification for when I post those or just check in from time to time to see~

Song recs (not fic related):

Fallin' Flower- Seventeen

Daisy- Pentagon (their whole new album is sooooo good 😭 )

Golden Goose- A.C.E (kings that deserve better in Korea)

Clover- A.C.E

Chocolate- MAX

Home- Yezi