The Monster From The Shadows

5. Nighttime Talks

Autumn sits awake in her bed. After Mrs. Wu had told them the story and announced that they would be starting the plan to save Exo, she had told all of them to go pack and get to sleep, since apparently they would be moving to a safer location in the morning.

But Autumn couldn't sleep. She wasn't sure whether it was fear, or if she was excited. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know either.

'Is anyone awake?'

Kris's voice rings in her head. She waits to see if Luhan would reply, which he doesn't.

'I am' she replies.

She feels Kris mentally sigh.

'Good. Are you going to be awake for long?'

'Probably.'

'Can you... Nevermind.'

'Can I... What?'

'Nevermind.'

'Come on Yifan, it's just me.'

She feels Yifan hesitating.

'Can you... talk to me until I fall asleep?'

The last part was rushed, and she smiles at his cuteness.

'Of course Yifan.'

He sighs in relief.

'Why do you want me to talk to you? Cuz' you wanna hear my soothing voice?' she jokes and chuckles to herself, but then sombers when she hears his reply.

'Yes. Anyone's voice would be okay. I just need to know that someone is there.'

She feels immediate guilt. He had been locked with Luhan at first, but when Jongin had brought him back to the basement, he was alone. That must've been terrifying.

'I'm sorry Yifan.'

'What?'

'I abandoned you. I'm so sorry.'

'Autumn, you didn't have a choice. I'd rather have you and Zitao safe then myself.'

'Still... I'm really sorry.'

'Don't worry about it Autumn.'

She swallows.

'So what do you want to talk about?' she asks, quickly changing the subject.

'I don't know, anything.'

She smiles and starts to tell him a story. Soon, she can hear him dreaming. The pulls herself out, then drifts to sleep herself.

🔸🔸🔸🔸

The boy was absolutely defeated. His once firm, strong body was now bony. His pale skin was painted different shades of black, blue, green, and orange. There were red trails on his body and stains of the same shade on his minimal clothing. The cuff around his wrist had visibly chaffed his skin, and Leeteuk could tell from the enflamed flesh that it was infected.

Yixing was the only one who Leeteuk hadn't sent away using Kangin's power; his power was so beneficial to himself and the rest of his gang. But also, he was the only one who couldn't fight back even without the cuff.

Leeteuk didn't exactly regret his decision to release Kris, he owed Kris's mother a favor which he fulfilled in releasing her son. But he did regret letting Autumn. Luhan and Zitao were of no use to him if he had Autumn.

Leeteuk leans down and unlocks the cuff around Yixing's wrist. The younger's power goes to work immediately. His bruises fade, cuts close, his infected wrist goes back to its normal size and color. His power even fills in some of the empty areas if his body so they are not as skimpy anymore.

Leekeuk grabs a fistful of Yixing's dark, overgrown hair and slams him against the wall.

"I know you know something, Yixing," he growls, "So tell me, where are they?"

Yixing whimpers pathetically.

"I don't know," he manages to mewl, "They never said anything about where they stayed or if they stayed with anyone."

Leeteuk growls and throws Yixing down. He kicks Yixing in the ribs, and is satisfied when he hears something, most likely a rib, crack. Leeteuk then bends over and puts the cuff back on him before he can heal himself.

"You know something Yixing, and I will continue to beat it out of you if you don't tell me now," he hisses, "How'd you catch them?"

"They went to the same school as Jongin and Sehun," the boy replies, his voice pained.

"But you said they didn't recognize them at first," Leeteuk growls, kicking him again, "How did you figure out it was them?"

"I saw the back of Autumn's neck at the chicken restaurant she worked at," Yixing snivels, curling in on himself, "She has a burn scar from her first encounter with Chanyeol."

Leeteuk smirks.

"Chicken restaurant?" he asks.

Yixing nods.

"That's where she worked, at a chicken restaurant!"

Leeteuk's smile grows bigger.

"What's the name?" he asks.

"I don't know!"

Leeteuk's smile disappears.

"Wrong answer."

With a snap of his fingers, two of his men, Ryeowook and Shindong enter and go to work on Yixing. His cries can be heard as Leeteuk exits.

"That boy is lucky I'm not sending him with the others yet," he mutters, pulling out his phone and dialing Sungmin's number. Sungmin's picks up on the second ring.

"Do you have anything?"

"All I found out from the school is that Luhan, Zitao, and Autumn live with their 'mother'."

"Find out who she is," Leeteuk replies, then remembers something Autumn told him, "Search for a woman named Yvonne, the right one should work at a chicken restaurant in the general area of where they were hiding before."

"I'll have Siwon go check it out, how many people should this task need?"

"No more than two," Leeteuk replies, "People can believe twins walking around together, but probably not triplets or quadruplets."

"Got it. I'll tell him as soon as this call is over."

"Remember, if you find anyone with abilities before you find Autumn, have Zhou Mi bring them back here so when we have her, she can take their powers."

"The boys?"

"If they get in the way, take them out. Except for Yifan. He is not to be touched."

"Yes Leeteuk."

The call is cut and Leeteuk puts his phone back in his pocket. He makes his way back to the cage that Exo was held in. It was now occupied with fifteen to thirty year olds. All of them wandered around aimlessly, not even realizing they were trapped thanks to Shindong. And they would stay that way until they got Autumn back and they weren't needed anymore.

🐢🐢🐢
Authors note
Happy New Years! Kinda missed the mark but whatever, I'll do it today.
This took a while to write, sorry about that. I have no clue when the next update will be but it probably won't be soon, this is the last day before my winter break is over and school piles on the work.
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