Changbin stopped, causing Jongho to halt, looking at him in confusion.

"Jongho, why don't you have Yeosang carry Cheonsa? You and Kyungsoon and I should take another check around to see if there's any other survivors we didn't find. I just feel like we missed someone."

Yeosang nodded, pulling Cheonsa from Jongho's back but Jongho paused a moment, holding her tight.

"We don't have a lot of time, are you sure this is smart?" Jongho asked, not wanting to leave Yeosang alone.

Yeosang rolled his eyes, finally taking Cheonsa from Jongho and placing her on his back.

"I'll be fine. Wooyoung and San are going to be with me, too," Yeosang snapped.

Jongho looked at Changbin and sensed the warning in his eyes. He understood.

Something was wrong. And he wanted to get anyone who couldn't fight to safety.

So why did he want to bring Kyungsoon?

She had decent aim but...she'd already injured a member because of it. It would be safest for her to go with the group.

Unless...Kyungsoon was the problem.

"Okay. Fine. I guess we've got an extra hour. Don't you dare lock the door on us," Jongho said, trying to diffuse the tension Changbin was poorly hiding.

"You'd better hurry. If you're too slow, we'll leave without you," Yeosang teased and Jongho cracked a smile.

"Then I guess we'll make sure to make it quick," Changbin said, turning away.

The group walked away, blissfully ignorant.

Changbin walked towards the middle of the lobby, Jongho and Kyungsoon following behind.

As they reached the center, Kyungsoon slowed her steps.

Jongho turned, Changbin following suit.

"So, you figured it out?"

Jongho's eyes darted to Changbin, just for a second.

His theory was right then. There was something off about Kyungsoon. How did Changbin figure it out?

"What is that mark on your wrist?" Changbin asked.

Jongho looked down just before Kyungsoon put her hand over the dark injection site. His eyes looked up in horror.

"I think you already figured that one out."

"Are you a zombie or not?" Changbin asked, his glare hardening.

"Not quite. But they listen to me quite well. You know, almost as well as all of you. You're way too trusting for you own good."

Jongho took a step back, trying to keep his expression hard.

"Especially you, Choi Jongho. I really expected more of a fight. You're normally so suspicious. You missed all of the signs. It was so simple, really. All I had to do was flatter you with a simple sentence. You're really that shallow?" she scoffed and Jongho felt his fists clenching at his sides.

It was all an act.

"I worried you might be suspicious if I was just taking cover all alone so I came up with a pretty exceptional plot for my cover story. Especially the little interaction on the command board. I was so close to letting you guys reach your friends. But it was just too tempting to let the zombies in."

Changbin took a step forward.

"You...you're the reason...you killed Felix!" he screamed, a tear falling down his cheek.

"I didn't kill him. He's one of the good boys who didn't disobey me. Unlike those two giants. It's such a shame that they decided to take their lives. Now I'm short two puppets."

Changbin felt his temper rising, his pulse heightening. Jongho felt the same beside him.

"If Mingi had just followed my plan, he wouldn't be laying on the floor of the closet. He could be walking around with his friends. With Hongjoong."

Jongho stared at her in horror.

"You—you had the zombie bite Mingi!?"

"No, that would be far too intricate. I can't control who a zombie bites. I had to do that one myself."

Jongho's eyes widened.

"You—you—"

"Well I was hoping he wouldn't notice so quickly. It would have been far more convenient if he'd taken the rest of you with him when he turned. I figured the space was small enough, and with Jongho out of the way, they didn't stand a chance. None of them had the guts to kill one of their own members."

Jongho's body pulsed with rage.

"Why!? Why the hell did you do this!? What kind of sick human being could do something like this!?" he cried, his voice sharper than ever.

"I thought it was obvious. You realize, with this injection—anyone who gets bitten is under my command. I control them. They can't do anything about it. I own them."

The two stared at her in horror. She was...insane. They'd dealt with sasaengs tracking their cars, stalking them at airports, touching them without consent, waiting up for them at hotels—but they'd never thought someone would go this far.

It was inhuman.

"You...you made this virus—just to take control of us?" Changbin whispered, eyes wide.

"What about—what about all of those innocent lives lost!? You had no reason to hurt any of them!" Jongho screamed, unable to contain his anger.

"Oh Jongho, that's where you're mistaken. They were essential. You see, without them, where would I get my army?" Kyungsoon grinned, shaking her head in laughter.

"All of those lives...you sacrificed them—and you don't even..." Jongho felt himself crumbling.

But Changbin was recovering his senses.

"What about your brother? Was that just some sick joke to distract the others?" Changbin demanded, stepping ahead of Jongho.

"Saem? No, of course not. He's the most important person in my life," Kyungsoon said, her eyes softening as she became defensive.

Seeing genuine affection cross her face...it made Changbin sick.

"Then why the hell did you even bring him here?!" he yelled.

Kyungsoon slowly slipped back into her grin, shaking her head.

"You really think I'd bring my little brother here without a way to protect himself?"

Jongho looked up. His eyes shook with fear.

"You don't mean..."

"Trust me. I'm not worried about him one bit. He's the final piece of my plan, after all. I can't just let you get away, now can I?"

Jongho got to his feet, stumbling backwards.

He turned to Changbin and their eyes met.

"The others. They don't know."

They rushed forward towards the south end of the building but Kyungsoon started to laugh as they ran.

"You realize I control all of the zombies in this building, don't you?" she called.

They flew to a halt as hundreds of zombies began to pour out of the auditorium.

"Fuck!" Changbin shouted, pulling out his gun and starting to fire.

"We need to take her out first, then they won't be so aggressive!" Jongho said, turning so his back pressed against Changbin's.

"How the hell are we gonna do that!? I can't even see her anymore!" Changbin yelled, kicking back any zombies he couldn't shoot fast enough.

Jongho knew it was a fair question but he didn't have an answer either. He was already struggling enough as it was. He couldn't imagine finding one face in the crowd.

But for all they knew, she could be following right after the others. And if she got on that plane—who knew what kind of chaos she would cause.

"We need to get to the stairs!" Changbin yelled, following Jongho's train of thought.

He grabbed Jongho's gun for a quick second, shooting a forceful path ahead of them before tossing it back and charging forward, Jongho following close behind.

They pushed back any zombies who closed in from the sides, shooting any if necessary. But with the multitude of zombies, they didn't have nearly enough ammo to take even half of them.

As they began to close in on the stairwell, Changbin came to a reeling halt, causing Jongho to crash into him.

"What the hell are you doing!? We need to—"

Jongho stared ahead, feeling his stomach sink.

The zombies around them froze, turning and moving away. Leaving only one zombie, standing before Changbin.

"Hey, Bin."

Felix.