𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒍 //𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝑲𝒊𝒅𝒔 𝑭𝑭//

~𝟮𝟰~

As we crept up to the warehouse, my brain and body wouldn't stay calm. My muscles were practically trembling from how tension-filled they were. My brain kept conjuring up not-so sweet images of what would happen if we didn't find him, or even worse ones if we did. As I stood next to Changbin right at the door of the warehouse, I swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in my throat that felt like it was choking me. When I felt a tap on my shoulder, I knew it was time for me to take charge.

I leaned slightly forward, feeling on the door of the warehouse. It wouldn't budge. When I was sure there was no one on the other side, I jumped out and kicked it down, the boys fanning out and running past me into the building. I took off after them, catching up to Changbin. I informed the members over the comms of the storage spaces above us that could be used as vantage points, and of where there were rooms that he could be hiding in. Pretty soon, Changbin and I got to the door with the keypad, my stomach churning as I looked at the floor. A red stain was permanently set in the concrete. The blood of my former teammate, Rachel. All the blood was washed away by now, but the stain stayed, just like the memories. I took in a breath before turning back to Changbin.

"I'm going to open this door. Cover me?"

He nodded and I turned my back on him. My fingers fumbled, but my mind could remember the code clear as day. I tried to hurry, not wanting the same thing to happen to Changbin that happened to Rachel. I finally got it opened and turned around to find Changbin still standing. Relief washed over me, but it was short-lived as I heard a sound. I turned around; the room dark in front of me. Changbin handed me a flashlight. I held it up to the room and stepped inside. The beam of light cast by the flashlight caught something that looked like the tip of a man's dress shoe. It took all my strength not to pull away the flashlight and run out of the room. Then it took even more to force my wrist to turn and shine the light on the rest of the being in front of me. My hand trembled, but I managed to move the beam of light up, catching the figure in the light. I walked closer when I realised the person was dead. I circled around the body seated on a chair in the middle of the room. It wasn't him.

I scanned the entire room, but he wasn't there. I looked back down to the body, shining the light on the person's face. My eye caught a piece of plastic in the person's mouth. I gently took hold of it and pulled. A piece of paper was lodged inside the plastic. The plastic was stained red with the victim's blood, the gaping wound on his neck a clear indication why. I put the flashlight in my mouth and opened the plastic. I unfolded the little piece of paper. There were only a few black letters on it, but they sent chills through my body.

You're next, Ava.

Just as I read it, we heard a crash come from outside the room. A person ran past the door. I dropped the letter and followed Changbin after the person, but I almost stopped when I registered who it was. It was him. I slowed slightly when he dropped a letter, snatching it up in the run. I completely stopped when I read it.

You better choose: your team or me.

I felt my heart pull as it started fighting with my head. My head told me that I had to go after him, knowing that the boys could handle themselves. But my heart told me that losing them would be much worse than losing him. So I made up my mind and yelled after Changbin, making him stop and turn to me. I barely managed to yell that it was a trap before gunshots started raining down on us from all directions. We ducked behind a pile of metal crates.

"Are you all okay?" I heard Chan call out over the comms. The boys all replied yes, as did I.

"Ava, do you know a way out of here?" he asked.