Archive of Our Own

Work Text

"We've patrolled here before-""We're doing it again!" I snapped and Seungmin shut his mouth."Sorry, Minho!" He whispered and I sighed, shaking my head as we kept walking the fence, careful not to touch the electrified fencing. How that little mech kid managed to make this fence electric, I didn't know, and I wasn't about to go ask him to find out. That kid scared me."Base to radio seven." I heard Hyunjin over the radio and sighed, grabbing it from my belt."Radio seven, go ahead, base." I answered and stopped walking, Changbin and Seungmin eyeing me now as we waited."We've got some movement out by the sensors in the east woods. Go check it out." Hyunjin said and I frowned."Why us?!" I asked but heard him scoff back."Because you're the closest, Minho! Orders from above, go!" He said and I took a deep breath through my nose."Radio seven, going to check out the movement!" I spit and silenced my radio, taking my team of three to the nearest gate and leaving our compound. When we got to the east woods, I thanked God it was dark and gripped my bow tighter."What movement could there be this late?!" Seungmin whispered, but I glared at him, and he shut his mouth. "Your wrist, Seungmin!" I hissed and he quickly turned on his bracelet. Anyone on patrol needed to wear them. They emitted a low enough light that the undead wouldn't react to them, but humans would know the shadow coming closer was another human. Or, on a few rare cases, newly turned infected. I looked back in front of me and went towards the sensors in the east woods, kneeling beside them and looking around."Do you see anything?" Changbin whispered, checking the sensors to make sure they were working properly."No." I whispered and took another step forward, yelling out as I fell."MINHO!"Chan's POVI turned as I heard yelling and frowned. I set down the boar I'd killed and went towards the sounds, hearing the sound of people yelling out and infected."WE NEED TO FIND HIM!" I heard as I ran towards a man, who was laying on the ground with an arrow through his thigh. I grabbed him and his eyes widened, but I covered his mouth right before infected ran past and he froze, neither one of us moving as we stared at the undead woman who had stopped to sniff the air, his friends further up the hill yelling out and firing guns. They're going to make things worse! I glared at the hill and looked back at the woman as she ran off, probably to find a way up to those two guys I could hear."She's gone!" I breathed and looked at the man."Come on-""My friends-""You'd slow them down with that arrow in your leg! And it sounds like they're plenty capable!" I grunted and lifted him up, his arm over my shoulders as I held his waist and went towards the boar."Oh, really?!" I huffed as I saw three infected eating the boar now."Was-was that you?!" The man hanging off my side asked, and I huffed."Shh! Quiet until we get there!" I said and he nodded, getting quiet as I carried him towards my shelter. When we got to the cave, I pushed the bear skin cover back and gently set him down on the cot."How have we never-" He stopped as I went back out and grabbed the large tree branches, yanking them in front of the entrance to my home."Oh, that's how!" He breathed and I looked at him, going past him to light a fire."Is it poisoned?" I asked as I went to grab what few medical supplies I'd managed to resource from the old cities and QZs."What?""The arrow. Is it poisoned?" I asked as I kneeled beside him, and he frowned some."No. They-they're hunting arrows- FUCK!" He yelled when I yanked the arrow out of his leg. He ground his teeth together as I sighed, grabbing a needle and threading it to stitch up his leg. When I looked back at him, I saw him passed out. Most likely from the pain, or shock. Not sure which. I sighed and ripped his pants leg, getting to work on stitching him up.~*~*~*~I looked up from my wood carving as I heard him groan and eyed him, watching the stranger carefully as he slowly came to."Where... Where am I?" He whispered and I smirked as he looked at me, looking confused."Fuck! It wasn't a dream?!" He breathed and I shook my head."Radio is shot. I tried to fix it, but you must have landed on it. Thing's busted." I said and he looked over at his pack, which I hadn't gone through. I just tried to fix the radio, but as I'd said, it was shot."I-I have to contact my people! Let them know I'm not dead-""We can't go out right now." I said and he frowned."All that gunfire last night? It attracted more infected. There's maybe a hundred just outside the cave. I can't even begin to imagine the number near your base." I said and he licked his pretty lips."La-last night? How long was I-""It's been almost twenty hours since I found you." I said and he cursed, closing his eyes now as he relaxed back onto my bed."So, what now?" He whispered and I shrugged, making him look at me when I was quiet too long."I'm Chan." I offered and he frowned."Minho." He said and I smiled some."Nice to meet you, Minho. Well, not nice, but-""Why'd you save me?" He asked and I sighed, setting my carving down now and going to get some rations for him."For every human we save, it's one less infected we have to fight." I said and went over to him, sitting and offering the ration. He glared at it, and I sighed, taking a bite before offering it again."It's dried venison." I said and he took the meat, biting into it."How long have you been here?" He asked and I sighed, eating my own venison jerky."A couple weeks. I don't stay in one place long." I said and he nodded."You?" I asked and he sighed."Three winters, so three years." He said and my eyes widened."Your base has been here for three years?!" I asked and he nodded."I found this place with my- With someone I'd saved, who became my brother." He said and I sighed."Well, as soon as those infected clear out and you're well enough to travel, we'll get you back-""I'm not showing you where I live!" He snapped and I shrugged."Fine. Then I get you back enough for you to feel content and we go on our separate ways!" I smirked and he sighed through his nose."Fine!" He huffed and I smirked."Ration that! I don't know when I'll be able to hunt again!" I said and stood, stuffing the last of my jerky into my mouth as I went further into my cave to work, leaving the man to lay on my bed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I glared at the man as he did something to a deer skin, watching him closely, then winced as my thigh throbbed. He looked over at me, so I must have made a sound, then set his tools down and came over. He looked at my leg then sighed some."It's getting infected." He whispered and I took deep breaths."So?""I need to get you medicine. Just- Stay here, okay?" He said and stood, grabbing his pack."Not exactly able to walk!" I smirked and he sighed, shooting me a look."I'm serious! Stay here or you'll be torn apart!" He said and I nodded, knowing he was right. In my current state, I'd be lucky to make it five feet without collapsing."Okay." I whispered and he went to the entrance of the cave, giving me one final look before he left.~*~*~*~I sighed as I eyed the drugs in the old pharmacy, but I couldn't find antibiotics anywhere."Don't fucking move!" I heard and sighed, putting my hands up slowly."Turn around!" I heard and turned, frowning as I saw six guys standing there."How the hell did you sneak up on me?" I asked and the guy with freckles frowned."That's seriously what you ask when we're threatening you?!" He asked and I looked at the young man aiming his shotgun at me."Go ahead, kid! Fire, but you'll have infected crawling all over here in seconds and I won't be the only one dead!" I spit and he frowned, glancing at the guy next to him with the muscles."Easy, Jeongin!" Muscles said and I frowned, recognizing his voice."Minho." I said and all six men stared at me like I'd just said, "I'm Jesus.""How do you know-""He's with me!" I said and the kid aimed his gun at my face again."Where is my brother?!" He snarled and I sighed, lowering my hands and smacking his gun away."Sick, asshat! I found him when your friends here thought firing their guns was a great fucking idea after he fell down the hill!" I said and turned, looking for antibiotics again."What-what kind of sick?!" The kid, Minho's brother, asked and I sighed."He got an arrow in his thigh, I pulled it out, the wound's gotten infected! Not undead infected, but infected!" I said and looked at them."Are you going to help me find antibiotics or not?" I asked and they moved, looking for something."Here." I eyed the freckled boy and he handed me some penicillin."Find a clean syringe!" I said and we began looking. When we had what we needed, I eyed them and sighed."I'm Chan." I said and Freckles frowned."Felix." He said and I smiled some."You guys?" I asked and they huffed, introducing themselves."Now where is my brother?!" Jeongin asked and I waved them along, going to my cave. Even managed to catch a few squirrels on my way back."I bring guests!" I called as I walked in, but frowned when I saw Minho's head back, his eyes half shut."Minho!" Jeongin ran to his brother as I went over, feeling his head."Shit!" I cursed when I checked the wound, seeing it was really infected now."What did you do-""I didn't do shit!" I snarled at Hyunjin and huffed, grabbing the antibiotics and injecting the medicine into him where the wound was. When I was done, I grabbed my knife and cut the infected skin, getting the puss out."Get me clean water!" I ordered and Han brought over my bucket of water. I cupped my hands and dipped them into the water, letting it drip out over Minho's wound."I need you to get me the bandages from my pack!" I said and Seungmin did, handing them to me."Grab me that stick!" I said and Changbin glanced at it."It's in the fire-""Exactly! Grab it!" I snapped and he grabbed the stick, grabbing the not burnt end."Open his mouth!" I rushed as I grabbed a strip of fabric, Hyunjin pulling Minho's mouth open now as Jeongin sobbed, gripping his brother's hand."Sorry, Minho! This is going to hurt!" I breathed and stuffed the cloth into his mouth, taking the hot stick and taking a deep breath. I pressed the hot end to his thigh and he suddenly screamed into the rag, wide awake now."YOU'RE HURTING HIM!" Jeongin yelled, but I ignored him as Han and Changbin held Minho down, letting me cauterize the wound. When I was done, I threw the stick back into the fire and wrapped up his leg, keeping my eye on Minho as he panted into the cloth. He was covered in sweat, his eyes lidded and hazy, and he was breathing heavy, but he was awake. That was good."Minho?!" I pulled the cloth from his mouth and he groaned."If you ever burn me again, I will fucking kill you!" He breathed and I smiled, his friends and brother chuckling some."I found some people who say they know you!" I said and Minho's eyes slid over, softening as he saw his brother."Hey, Innie!" He breathed and his brother brushed his sweaty black hair off his forehead."You scared us!" He whispered and I looked at the two holding him down, motioning them back."What-what happened?!" Minho panted and I sighed."You passed out. Infection got worse in the hour I was gone, but I think the drugs are working-""You gave me drugs?" He asked and I snorted."Penicillin, an antibiotic, I think. Your freckled friend there found it. Either way, you're awake and already more cognizant." I said and Minho nodded."I'll go see if I have something easy for you to eat." I said and went to stand, but Minho gripped my wrist and I looked at him."Thank you!" He breathed and I nodded, watching as his hand slid off me and he turned to face his brother. I sighed and stood, going to the back of the cave to see what I had for Minho to eat without doing too much."Chan, was it?" I turned to Changbin and nodded as he came over."That medic work was pretty nice." He said and I forced a smile."My... my dad was a doctor." I said and his expression changed to one of understanding."Which QZ?" He asked and I cleared my throat."North Busan. We-we had family there, before the big outbreak, and flew in from Sydney to see them." I said and he nodded."You?" I asked, but he shook his head some."I came from the Seoul QZ with Jin. Minho and Jeongin are from the South Busan QZ, they showed up together. Seungmin came from the Ilsan QZ and Felix..." He trailed and I looked at the freckled kid."Felix and Han showed up together, from the Jeju QZ." He said and I took a deep breath. Everyone knew of the Jeju QZ, what happened there, and the horrors that some of the survivors had done to the others. Some days, according to rumors, the survivors would have chosen infected over the people in the walls with them."Minho said you guys have a base nearby." I said and grabbed some of the berries I'd found."We don't-""I don't want to go to your base!" I spit and looked at him."But if it's nearby, then he doesn't have far to travel to get back there!" I spit and he nodded."It's only an hour walk or so from here." He said and I nodded some."With his leg, I bet it's longer." I said and went back to Minho, who was quietly talking to his family."Here." I said and handed him the berries once he'd sat up."Raspberries, non-poisonous. I've ate them myself." I said and he nodded, smiling softly."Thank you, Chan." He said and I nodded."I can fashion a stretcher, for them to carry you back-""You're not going with us?" He asked and I scoffed."Going with you? No. Besides, you and Beefy here both made it very clear I'm not allowed in your base. Besides, I'm looking for someone." I said and Felix frowned at me."Looking for someone? How do you expect to find anyone in this world-""That's my business!" I spit and he flinched some, but Han glared."Watch it-""You can get back by nightfall if I get to work." I cut him off and went to the pile of skins I had, grabbing some strong wood and beginning to fashion something like a stretcher for Minho to get back to his base.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"He did a good job." Mrs. Bahng said as she checked over my wound, eyeing it."What did you say his name was?" She asked and I sighed."He said his name was Chan." I said and looked at Jack as he came over, humming as he looked over my wound."Well, Minho, this Chan may have saved your life!" He said and I smiled softly. I looked down at his prosthetic hand, one Felix had made for him from a bunch of scrap metal, gears, and wires, then back at him."You know, he kind of looked like you!" I said and Jack smiled softly."Is that so?" He asked and I nodded, looking over as Hannah came in."Momma, Hyunjin says they went back to that pharmacy they found that guy in. This is what they brought us." She said and Jessica took the basket as Jack helped me stand."Give it a couple weeks, you can go back out. For now, use this." He said and gave me a crutch to keep the weight off my leg."I want to hear about this man." Jessica said and I nodded, hobbling outside with her to where the council was sitting. When I sat, Jessica gently grabbed my hand and I sighed."Tell us, Minho." Jessica prompted and I shook my head."He was- I didn't even know he was there until he covered my mouth after I fell and kept the infected from finding me! He took me to his cave, which was just a few hundred yards from the hill, our sensors even, and it was- It was in plain sight, but we'd never have found it if we didn't know it was there-""A skilled hider?" Jackson asked and I nodded."A hunter too. He'd killed a boar but dropped it when he heard the commotion. I saw infected eating it when he took me to his cave. He even complained about it after, saying he wasn't sure when he could hunt again." I said and sighed."He is a good medic, but also a good cook. He made jerky, venison and rabbit and- And he had found a bunch of edible plants too, like raspberries and even a few blueberry bushes.""A hunter, hider, forager, medic, and cook? Is he from a QZ?" Lisa asked and I nodded."He said he came from the North Busan QZ. Told Changbin his family had gone to Busan before the big outbreak, that they flew in from Sydney." I said and huffed."Then he said he was looking for someone, he was trying to find someone named... I don't remember exactly, but he said the person he was looking for was named 'Bluebell'-" I stopped as Jessica gasped and we looked at her."Jess?" I called, but she shook her head."Oh, it can't be!" She breathed and turned as Hannah came over."Hannah, go find your brother and father! Now!" She rushed and I frowned, looking between the two women."Jessica, what-""What did he say his name was?!" Jessica asked and I licked my lips."He said his name was Chan." I said and looked over as Jack came back with Lucas and Hannah."Darling-""It's Chris, Jack! Minho's savior is Chris!" Jessica said and stood, then looked at me."Who is he looking for, Minho?!" She asked and I cleared my throat."Blu-Bluebell-""Chris!" Hannah cried and I frowned."I'm so confused!" I said and Jessica sighed."When Hannah was little, Minho, she was obsessed with blue flowers! Then as she got older, our eldest son Chris said she had a tinkling laugh, like a bell, and nicknamed her Bluebell! Hannah's name is Bluebell-""And your family is from the North Busan QZ, you came here from Sydney before the big outbreak to see your family." Lisa said and Jessica nodded."When the QZ fell, we got separated from our son! Chris was- We lost him in the chaos, but-""We thought he'd died!" Jack said and shook his head."Do you remember what he looked like?" He asked and I sighed."I can have Hyunjin sketch him out." I said and Jessica nodded, helping me up. I went to my house with the other six and grunted as I walked in, Seungmin coming to my side."Where's Hyunjin?" I asked and he frowned, glancing at the Bahng family then me."I'll go get him.""Tell him to bring his sketchpad and a pencil." I said and he nodded, going to find the artist as I sat and Jeongin eyed me."Minho-""I'll explain in a minute." I said and looked up as Hyunjin came into the living room, our friends with him."You need my artistic skills?" Hyunjin asked and I nodded."I need you to sketch Chan." ~*~*~*~"That's him." I said and Jessica took the sketch then I saw tears in her eyes and I knew."It's him!" She breathed and stared at me."Wait, this is your eldest son you said died in the QZ?!" Felix asked and Jack nodded, taking the sketch in his prosthetic."He introduced himself to you as Chan, which was his name as an infant. Before we immigrated to Sydney and he became Chris. I'd completely forgotten about his birth name." He said and looked at us."But if he's out searching for Hannah, and it led him here-""Then he at least knows she's alive." I said and Changbin sighed."Or was, if he's following a trail. He could believe he's following a dead man's trail. Uh, dead woman's trail." He said and I sighed, looking at the doctors."When am I fit to travel?" I asked and Jessica shook her head."Not for at least a week-""He could be long gone by then, mom!" Lucas snapped and she sighed."We'll go." Han said and I looked over at him."Changbin and I can go after him. We can find him, bring him back." He said and I nodded."How will he know you're telling the truth though?" Jeongin asked and Hannah stood, going to Han and giving him something."Tell him Bluebell never lost her rose. He'll know what it means, and that I'm the one who gave you this." She said and Han nodded."Go, now!" Jack said and the two nodded."Bring our son back here!" Jessica begged and those two left, going to find Chan now. I looked at Jessica and Jack then sighed."He looked healthy, you know. He had a few scars, but-""We all do these days." Jack said and clenched his metal hand."But... Did he seem okay?" Jessica asked and I shook my head."He seemed... sad, lonely, afraid." I admitted and licked my lips."But, maybe, knowing you're still alive will bring life back to him." I tried to soothe and they nodded, hoping what I said was true.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I jumped behind the overturned truck and gripped my rifle tighter, controlling my breathing now as the infected ran past. I let out a breath and looked through the cracked windshield of the truck, seeing the infected running off. I stood then went back to my home, hiding the entrance before I shed my pack and went to the map, glaring down at it."Where are you, Bluebell?" I whispered and heard a noise behind me. Too close behind me. I grabbed my Glock and turned, aiming now before I realized who was at my door."Han, Changbin?!" I questioned the two with their hands up."We come in peace!" Han rushed and I frowned, glaring at them."What are you-" I stopped as pendant on a gold chain dropped from Han's hand, the chain wrapped around his fingers. The pendant itself was a little blue flower in a resin casing, a gold band wrapped around it."Bluebell says she never lost her rose." He said and I looked at his face, my hand quivering now."Where did you hear that?!" I breathed and stormed over, grabbing his shirt and slamming him to the wall."Where did you get that necklace?!""From Hannah Bahng!" Changbin yelled and I turned to glare at him, my gun still in Han's face."Your sister is alive, Chris!" Changbin snapped and I looked down at Han then shoved back, glaring at him now."How do you know my sister?!" I asked and looked between them."We know your sister, your brother, mom, dad! They're alive, Chris! In our compound, all four of them!" Han said and I shook my head."My-my name is Chan!" I snarled and Han frowned, slowly standing now."Okay, your name is Chan now! But your family is back at our compound, they're waiting for you! They sent us to bring you to them, Chan!" He said and I looked at the pendant again."Give that to me!" I snapped and he held out the necklace, letting me take it. I looked down at the pendant then saw the chip in the resin where I'd accidently threw it against a wall not long after Hannah got it. I remember I was searching for something else and didn't see the necklace until it was too late. Hannah didn't talk to me for a week until I got the pendant wrapped in the gold band now protecting it from further damage."This... This is hers!" I breathed and looked at the two men, who were still apprehensive as I kept my gun aimed at them."Please, we just want to take you to them!" Changbin said and I slowly lowered my gun, gripping the necklace tightly."Take me to my family!"~*~*~*~"OPEN THE GATES!" I stared as the big fence slowly slid back, the buzzing from it saying I'd be safer not touching it, then I walked into the compound with Changbin and Han, Hannah's necklace gripped tightly in my hand. When the gate was shut, another gate opened and we walked into the main compound. To my right was a large field of wheat, some sort of bushes, and what looked like an orchard. To the left was an array of shops and stalls that looked like trader posts and some sort of medic building if the big red cross on it was anything to go by. And in front of me, I saw that this used to be a neighborhood or something that kept a lot of houses. They were the nice suburb houses Seoul had sometimes, but the ones outside the main city."Pack?" I looked at the woman as she came over and glared, gripping the strap of my pack tighter."It's okay, Chan! It's just to make sure all resources are shared equally!" Han soothed me and I looked at him then glared at the woman again, who stepped back."It's okay, Jaime." I heard and looked over, my mouth dropping slightly as I saw him. Then I saw his metal hand."You-your hand!" I breathed and dad smiled some, looking at it."Infection can't spread if the limb is cut off." He said as I stumbled towards him, hugging him tightly. He gripped me tightly then I clenched my eyes, taking in the feeling of my dad here, alive, in my arms."Chris!" I pulled away from dad and let out a sob, mom hugging me tightly a second later. I took a deep breath and set my hand on the back of her head, holding her close as Hannah and Lucas ran over. I wrapped my other arm around them and felt Hannah sobbing as she gripped me, holding me tightly."We found you!" Mom breathed and held my cheeks, smiling some as she looked me over."You look so good!" She said and I nodded, looking at Hannah again."Here!" I whispered and put the necklace back around her neck."Back where it belongs!" I hoarsely said and she laughed, nodding as she held me."So, you've been looking for me?" She asked and I sighed."It's a long story, but it doesn't matter! I found you, all of you!" I said and dad chuckled."Do you think maybe you'd be up to staying now?" He asked and I laughed, nodding now."I think I can manage to stay." I said and mom smiled."Let's get you to the medics, okay? Check you over." She said and I felt a bit apprehensive."Is-is there another doctor? Aside from you two?" I asked and she frowned some, but nodded."Of-of course. We... Hannah, go find Wonwoo please." She said and Hannah went to find this person as dad eyed me."Son, are you okay?" He asked and I nodded, looking over as Han and Changbin were greeted by their friends. I noticed Minho had a crutch under his arm, keeping his weight off his leg, and looked at my family."I- Can you guys just... Call me 'Chan' now?" I asked and mom nodded, pushing my curls back some."If that's what you want, Chan." She said and I nodded."Go to the medic building. Wonwoo will meet you there." Dad ordered and I forced a smile, going to the medic building to wait for this Wonwoo.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I looked at Wonwoo as he left the building and Jessica went over, giving the younger man a worried look."Is he-""He's not infected, Jessica!" Wonwoo soothed her and I sighed."So why did he ask for someone else to look him over?" I asked and Wonwoo sighed."He-he said I can only tell Minho what I saw." He said and Jessica and Jack looked at me then nodded."Okay!" Jessica said and Wonwoo grabbed my arm, pulling me into the lobby of the medic building away from my friends and Chan's family."Well?" I asked and he huffed."Minho, I'd guess that forty percent of his body is covered in scars! It's almost worse than those from the Jeju QZ!" He softly spoke and I frowned."How bad?" I asked and he looked down at his notes."He doesn't have infected bites, but there are bitemark scars from a human all over his arms, sides, thighs, and even a few on his back. That doesn't include the numerous knife scars, a few bullet scars, and what appear to be even burn scars." He said and looked at me."The other thing I noticed was his aversion to me getting close to his pubic bone. Not like your brother's aversion, but-""Trauma, like Han?" I asked and he nodded."With all of the physical trauma I saw on him, Minho, it wouldn't surprise me if he's got scars we can't see.""You think someone raped him?" I asked and looked further in the building, but unable to see Chan from where I was standing."If not fully, then at least touched him! He's been out there on his own for as long as seven years if he was out there since the QZ fell." He said and I looked at Wonwoo again."What do you suggest?" I asked and he sighed."Normally, I'd suggest we get someone to talk to him! But- Has he shown you any aversion to being called 'Chris'?" He asked and I shook my head."But Han and Changbin said he refused that name, kept saying his name is 'Chan'. What are you thinking?" I asked and he sighed."Something I heard about from a few survivors, but had really hoped wasn't true! We need to talk to the council and his family!" He said and escorted me out."Wonwoo, Minho?!" Hyunjin called as we went towards the council building, but I wasn't sure what was going on. When we got to the council building, I saw the four people inside already and Wonwoo sighed."Council." He bowed his head and the four people bowed back."Have you examined Chris Bahng?" Seungcheol asked and Wonwoo nodded."He asked me to only tell Minho, but... I feel it's important you know." He said and Lisa frowned."Know what?" She asked and Wonwoo sighed, looking back at me for a moment, before he focused on the council."Forty percent, give or take, of Chan's body is covered in scars. I recorded no infected bitemarks, but... Someone- A human has been biting him, hard enough to leave behind almost perfect indentations of their teeth. I was able to measure a few and I'd guess that at least three different people bit him. And he has numerous knife, burn, and bullet scars all over him as well. He has a strong hatred for being called 'Chris'-""Psychological trauma?" Jackson asked and Wonwoo nodded."And he almost decked me in the face when I happened to brush his hip with my sleeve. An aversion to my hands being near his pubic bone-""You don't think it was..." Jiwoo asked and Wonwoo nodded."What, Wonwoo?!" I snapped and he looked at us then sighed."When the Jeju QZ fell, some of the better survivors made their way to other QZs, bases, compounds. Like Felix and Han found their way here-""But the others?!" Jack asked and Wonwoo sighed, looking at the council."I've heard chatter recently, both over the radio and from new survivors, of a particular group of survivors. They... They pick up lone travelers, or those traveling in packs of no more than three. The-the torture they inflict on their prisoners is... I've heard it's hell, but I have never seen their work in person-""And you think these people found Chan?" Seungcheol asked and Wonwoo nodded."It's my belief they found him, kept him for some time since his QZ in Busan fell, and- Well, he's been free long enough for his wounds to scar over, so it's been at least a year. His most recent scar was roughly a year and some months old, it looked like. I tried to ask him, but he shut me down and said if I asked again, the infected wouldn't be the ones to kill me." He said and I frowned, turning and leaving the council building. I went back to the medical building and walked in, slowing as I saw Chan sitting on a bed, his shirt and pants on, his hands gripping the bed on either side of his waist and his head bowed."Wonwoo told you then?" He whispered and turned his head some to look at me over his shoulder. When he turned, I could just see a partial bitemark scar on the back of his neck."It was them, wasn't it? The freaks from the Jeju QZ?" I asked and approached him slowly. When I got in front of him, he looked up at me and sighed softly."They call themselves "The New Gods"." He said and I licked my lips some."What did they do to you, Chan?!" I breathed and he shook his head, looking away from me."It doesn't matter." He said and I frowned."Doesn't- They tortured you!" I snapped and he stood, glaring at me now."And why do you care?!" He growled, but I didn't have an answer for him. I didn't know why I cared, but I just did. Maybe because these are the people Felix and Han ran from, maybe because the man who saved me didn't deserve this torture and trauma, maybe..."I don't know!" I breathed and he shook his head, glaring to the side now."Where can I sleep?" He asked and I took a deep breath."Your family has a house. Down the main strip, fifth on the left, faded yellow paint." I said and he grabbed his pack, storming out and going to find the house now as I tried to figure out why I cared so much about this guy.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I stared at the town as I walked, uneasy about how safe they pretended they were, then sat in a shady spot beneath a tree. I looked up as Hannah sat next to me and softly smiled some, looking at the town again and sighing."You want to ask-""He said you had bitemarks, Chr- Chan!" She said and I nodded, looking at my lap."I do." I said and looked over at her."Can I tell you something?" I asked and she nodded."I don't remember much." I said and she frowned."I remember Sydney, the plane ride to Busan, the QZ, all of that horror! But... After the QZ fell and I lost you guys, I don't..." I trailed and sighed."I remember wandering around, for days, maybe months or weeks. Then I remember... I remember falling, then black. The next thing I remember is being covered in wounds, running through the woods, hearing dogs chasing me." I said and she looked so sad."You forgot the trauma." She said and I nodded."The only thing I could clearly remember was 'Bluebell'. I just remember telling myself I had to find Bluebell." I said and she nodded."That's why you said the story was long." She said and I nodded."Because if I went into it, I'd have to explain the scars and-" I shook my head and she huffed."Well, you're safe now-""Nowhere is truly safe, Hannah!" I said and she sighed."This place is, knock on wood." She said and gently knocked on the tree behind us."We've been here for four years. We found this place not long after the QZ fell, and it was just beginning to rise then. So, I'd say it's about five years old or so, give or take." She said and I shook my head."I just- I wish I could remember!" I huffed and she grabbed my arm."Maybe you not remembering is a blessing, Chan!" She said and I looked at her confused."If you remembered, then maybe you'd be broken! Maybe the trauma would shatter your mind, so you forgot it to keep yourself together!" She said and I went to reply, but someone walked over and I sat up some as Hannah forced a smile."Jimin." She whispered and he smiled some then looked at me."The council says you need to let them look through your pack if you want to stay." He said and I sighed, standing with Hannah."Can you go get it from the house?" I asked and she nodded."I have a feeling he won't let me go get it alone." I said and Jimin gave me a sad smile before Hannah ran off."I was trying not to intrude. Your conversation looked important." He said as we walked towards the council building."Who are the council?" I asked and he sighed."The first four to have found this place. Jackson, Lisa, Seungcheol, and Jiwoo. They stumbled upon each other out there then found this place and cleared it, cleaned it up, secured it as best they could." He explained and I nodded."How is that fence electric?" I asked and Jimin smiled some."Felix. He's got this thing with making just about anything out of a pile of junk. My friend Namjoon jokes and calls him Hephaestus. You-you know, the-""Greek God who was the blacksmith or whatever, right? Who could make anything." I said and he nodded."He repurposed some old solar panels we had and now we have an electric fence. Keeps humans, animals, and infected at bay. The panels are in a secure cage in the middle of the camp under constant guard. If those go down-""We're fucked." I said and he nodded."Why are you telling me this? I could turn on you-""Because you're Jessica's and Jack's son." He said and stopped, looking at me."I know you've been out there on your own for five years, and we all know about the torture you endured, but you still saved Minho, protected him, didn't kill any of our own, and you came back without a single scratch on Han or Changbin when they went to find you. If you were a bad person, I doubt you'd do all that just to get into a compound you had no idea was here." He said and I nodded, looking over as Hannah came over with my pack."Come on." Jimin said and we went to the council building then I frowned as I saw all fifty survivors in here now."Chris-" I sneered and Jackson stopped."Sorry, Chan." He smiled and took my pack from Hannah, who stepped back with Jimin. I eyed them then looked at the council."This isn't about my pack." I said and Lisa gave me a grim smile."We were told of your scars-""I don't show them off!" I spit and she nodded."We weren't going to ask you to, Chan." Seungcheol said as Jackson rifled through my pack."We just want to know what you remember of these people-""All I remember is they call themselves The New Gods, they used traps to capture survivors, and they chase you with dogs if you get free!" I growled and he frowned."You don't remember?" Jiwoo asked, but I shook my head and heard murmurs behind me."I- As I told my sister, I remember my childhood, my life in Sydney and coming to Busan and the outbreak, the QZ, when it fell, wandering around afterwards. I-I remember falling down, then black. The first thing I remember after that is running through the woods covered in my own blood with dogs chasing me and people yelling and firing at me." I said and Seungcheol sighed, looking at Jackson, Lisa, and Jiwoo."It's a trauma response." I looked over my shoulder at Minho then he came over, clearing his throat."He-he's purposefully blocking it out, even if he doesn't realize it. Chances are, based on the scars he has, he's suppressing the memories to make sure he doesn't go fucking insane from what he went through. His torture could be that bad." He said and I smiled softly at him."Do you dream?" I looked at Lisa and saw she was dead serious."No." I said and she frowned some, looking behind me before looking at me."Your mother claims you talk in your sleep-""Then I dream, but I don't remember what I dream!" I spit and she flinched."You're safe here, Chan!" Jackson soothed as he pulled my Glock out of my bag."That's mine-""Easy!" He said when I went to snatch it back, glaring at him now."Only soldiers are allowed to carry weapons inside the gates-""If you take my gun, I'm leaving!" I snapped and he frowned, looking at the others."Then allow us to keep the bullets." Jiwoo offered and I glared, but I could live with that."Fine!" I hissed and Jackson emptied the clip and took all the bullets, handing me the empty gun. I slid it into the waistband of my pants and felt a bit more relaxed with the familiar weight of it there."You said you don't remember your dreams, or what these New Gods did to you." Seungcheol said and I nodded."That's right." I said and he sighed."Do you think you'd be willing to let someone stay with you? Record what you say in your sleep?" He asked and I frowned."Who?""Me!" Minho rushed and I looked at him then he cleared his throat."I-I'll do it, if you let me." He said and I looked at the council then took a deep breath."The more we know of these people, Chan, the better we can prepare to stop them so no one else goes through what they put you through! Whatever that may be!" Jiwoo said and I sighed, looking at Minho."Only-only you!" I softly spoke and he nodded."Okay." He smiled and we looked at the council."Promise me it'll only be him, and I'll do it." I said and Jackson nodded."As you wish then, Chan. Minho will watch over you in your sleep, write down anything you may say, and report it to us. If we can figure out where these people are, we may be able to stop them and keep others safe from them." Lisa said and sighed."But you will need to move into his home then, with his friends." She said and I nodded."Okay." I said and Jackson handed me my pack, minus my bullets."That was all we needed, Chan." He said and I nodded."Okay." I whispered and Minho smiled at me."Come on, let's get you moved." He said and I nodded, walking out with him and his six friends.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"You'll be sleeping here." Minho said as I walked into the room with him, eyeing it. It was obvious he lived here, slept here, but there wasn't stuff spread out all over. It was sort of confined, like he expected someone to stay with him."The others share too." He said and cleared his throat as I set my pack down on a dresser, looking at him."Seungmin typically shares with Hyunjin, I'm sure they're at least fucking. Felix and Changbin share a room too, they're just friendly with each other. And Han shares with my brother, Jeongin. I-I know for a fact that those two are dating, so, uh...""I'll expect the typical sound of sex then." I said and he nodded, clearing his throat."We um... The eight of us, with you now, share this house. We-we just ask that you, you know, knock on closed doors and be-be mindful-""How will you record me if you're sleeping?" I asked and he nodded, turning and pulling a tape recorder out of the drawer of the night stand behind him."I have three tapes. I'll record one, let the council or whoever needs to review it while we use a different one, then I'll get it back and erase it so we can keep using them." He said and I nodded."Do-do you want a shower? We have some spare clothes we can offer you too." He said and I nodded."I'd like that." I softly said and he nodded."Our bathroom is through there. We have what would have been the master bedroom, so, uh, yeah." He said and I nodded."Towel?" I asked and he cleared his throat."In there on the counter." I nodded and went to the bathroom, seeing it was pretty nice considering it was a bathroom in the end of the world. I sighed and turned the water on, smiling some as I felt the water get hot. I sighed and locked the door behind me, striping down and getting into the spray. As I stood beneath the water, I took deep breaths and closed my eyes, trying to think of that three years I can't seem to remember."STOP!" I heard my own voice scream and flinched, feeling pain in my back. I heard echoes of screams in my head, felt pain beginning to cover my back, and gasped as I forced my eyes open. I took a few breaths and calmed down, shaking my head out and grabbing the soap to start washing up. When I was done, I got my clothes back on and sighed, toweling my hair as I stepped out of the bathroom. I saw a pile of clothes on the bed with a note, saying everyone was downstairs, and sighed as I threw the towel down onto the bed and went downstairs."But Wonwoo said it was human bites!" I slowed before I rounded the corner of the steps and frowned, listening closely."Han can tell you, but that sounds like the freaks from our QZ." Felix said and someone huffed."Either way, this guy is fucked up! I mean, someone doesn't just forget that! He may have repressed the memories, but there's no way he forgot them entirely!" Changbin said and I took a deep breath."That's why I'm going to record him when he sleeps." Minho said and I frowned, looking at the wall in front of me."But, what if he doesn't say anything in his sleep? What if these people continue to hurt other survivors because he couldn't remember?" Jeongin asked and I finally had enough. I went down the last of the steps and grabbed my gun, slamming it onto the table as I passed."I'm going for a run!" I snarled and left the house, faintly hearing Hyunjin ask if I'd heard them. I nearly wanted to scoff at that. As if I couldn't hear them with how loud they were. I shook my head and started running, doing laps around the neighborhood. I ran for hours, the sun slowly dipping lower and lower in the sky, before I forced my feet to take me back to the house. When I walked in, the door slammed behind me and I slowed as I saw Minho setting down plates on the table, everyone else sitting to eat."Hey." Minho softly said and I glared at him then went upstairs, getting another shower. I braced myself on the wall and sighed, washing up before I dressed in the new clothes and went downstairs to eat dinner."Did you have fun?" Han tried to ask, but I ignored him as I shoveled food into my mouth, silently telling him I wasn't in the mood to talk."No guns on the table." I looked at Minho and he gave me a smirk."We put your gun in the study. No guns at the table. It's a rule we like to have here-""Great, but I don't have bullets in my gun." I smirked and his right eye twitched some as he stared at me."Even so, the rule stands!" He spit and I sighed, looking at my food. It was quiet for a few more minutes, everyone eating, before I shut my eyes and sighed."I remember chains!" I finally spoke and the sound of metal on porcelain plates stopped, everyone no doubt looking at me."And-and the smell of burning flesh." I said and shook my head."When-when I was running, I remembered... There was this... this woman! She was tall, blonde, didn't look like she was from Korea originally. Like, she came here before the outbreak, maybe. She spoke English too, not that it really matters much these days." I said and looked at Minho, but saw Hyunjin writing in a notepad."I-I remembered people, the other freaks, calling her 'Goddess'." I said and Minho nodded."Okay! Do you remember anything else?" He asked, but I shook my head."Just-just pain, and screaming! Pain, everywhere, and my own voice going out from screaming so fucking much!" I hissed and he set a hand on mine, which I quickly yanked back away from the touch."Even so, Chan, this is good! What you do remember is good! It'll help us to find her!" He said and I nodded, setting my free hand in my lap as I kept eating."Sorry." I mumbled and someone hummed curiously."About... about my gun. I'll keep it away from the table." I said and sighed."Goodnight." I said and stood, going upstairs and to my room. I sighed and pulled my boots off, laying in bed, but remembered the tape recorder. I sat up and grabbed it, loading up a tape and hitting record before I laid down and tried to sleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I panted as I kept moving, up and down, taking deep breaths as my whole body hurt. I heard people passing by, whispering, felt them pointing and staring, but it didn't bother me. What bothered me is that now that I was eating regularly, actual food, with somewhere safe to lay my head at night, more of the memories were coming back. Minho had plenty to record at night, when I did sleep, and on the chance I did, I often woke up in a cold sweat and damn near panic state from the nightmare fading from my mind."Chan." I looked up and saw some of Wonwoo's and Seungcheol's friends. The one closest to me was that shorty, Jihoon, and he had Mingyu and I think it was Vernon behind him. I took a deep breath and moved to stand on my knees, pushing myself up and standing now as I brushed my hands off."What?" I asked and Jihoon looked up at me."Seungcheol wants to see you." He said and I frowned some."Where is he?" I asked and Jihoon turned, leading me to Seungcheol. He was off in the barracks of the compound, standing at a table and leaning over it, bracing himself now as he looked at a map. When I got over to the table, I saw the last nine of Seungcheol's friends, including Wonwoo, and frowned."He's here." Jun said and Seungcheol lifted his head to look at him then turned to look at me."Chan, come here." He said and I eyed him, but slowly went to the table and frowned as I eyed the marked spots on the map."This is-""I know that city." I said and pointed to the city that was marked out. Ilsan, it looked like."You talked about it during one of your nightmares." Seungcheol said and I realized what this was."You've been marking the places I talk about in my sleep?" I whispered and looked up at the man beside me."We're trying to figure out where these New Gods could be." He said and I looked at the map then realized something was wrong."This mark is wrong." I said and pointed to the one over the river."How do you know?" Jeonghan asked, but I couldn't explain it."I wasn't at a straight stretch of river. I was at the bend, here, where the cliffs look over the river. I remember because I remember hiding in one of the caves down by the bank that looked like an old bear den." I said and Seungcheol took a black marker, slicing a line across the X and moving it to the bend."That tells us the path you took then." Mingyu said and I eyed him."Look. This is the Busan QZ you were at with your family." He said and pointed to a map of the country, then to a different part of the map."You said your earliest memory after the QZ is here, when you got to Ilsan." He said and I looked at the city as he traced the marks."You slowly moved west, before you can't remember anything when you were passing through this stretch of woods here." He said and I braced myself, looking at the woods that was near Seoul."I was nearly at Seoul when I can't remember anything." I whispered and Seungcheol huffed."Seoul is overrun with infected! If we send anyone there, we never see them again or we have to kill them when they get back because they've been bit." He explained and I took a deep breath."What were you guys? Before all this?" I asked and Dino smirked."Would you believe us if we said we were idol trainees?" He asked and I frowned, staring at him."No you weren't-""We were." Seungcheol chuckled and I scoffed, shaking my head."How about you?" Hoshi asked and I sighed, shaking my head."I-I was still living in Sydney. I was supposed to move out here to join a company, but then everyone started getting sick so I never made the trip." I said and Seokmin frowned."So, you were almost a trainee?""What's in those woods?" I asked and Seungcheol sighed."We're not sure. We haven't gone there before-""Give me a car then, I'll go out there. Maybe... Maybe if I go back, I'll remember." I said and Seungcheol looked at his friends then me."Are you sure? If you remember, it could make things worse for you." He said and I looked up at him."I have to know, Seungcheol. I have three years of my life that I can't fucking remember and I am covered in scars now. I have to know." I said and he nodded some."Take your house then. They seem closest to you, so I feel like they'd be able to help you more than any of us." He said and I nodded, looking at the map then I sighed. I turned and left the barracks then went towards my house, going inside to see all seven of them here in a rare instance."We're leaving." I said and they looked at me confused."What-""Seungcheol has tracked where I was last before I forgot my memories. He wants the eight of us to go out there, to see if it'll trigger some memories for me. It's a stretch of woods outside of Seoul." I said and Hyunjin frowned as he stood."Seoul is overrun with infected! If we get close, we could die!" He growled and I sighed."I-I know, trust me! But- If these New Gods are somewhere around there, if they can explain what the fuck they did to me that I can't even stand to touch anyone now, then I'll go! I'm not asking you to go!" I said and Changbin frowned."Seungcheol is telling us to!" He said and I nodded."I'm happy to go alone, but... He wants you with me. He said that-that because you're closest to me, you could help me more." I said and Minho stood then came over."Do you want to do this? To remember?" He asked and I nodded."Three years of my life, Minho! Even if they're fucking horrible and I hate the memories, I have to know!" I whispered and he nodded."Okay. Then, let us get our packs, and we'll go. Go meet us by the big gate, tell Jungkook we'll be taking the usual car." He said and I nodded, giving him a soft smile."We'll grab your pack too." He said and I nodded again, turning and leaving. I got to the big gate where the cars were lined up and looked around for the usually bubbly guy, but couldn't find him. I was about to call out for him when I rounded a car and stopped, clearing my throat as I saw him pinned by that little guy, Yoon something."Uh, ahem!" I cleared my throat and they broke their messy kiss apart then Jungkook looked at me and went red."Chan! What are- Uh, hi!" He said and I forced a smile."Minho-Minho says to ask you for the usual car. Seungcheol is sending us out." I said and he nodded, going to the key shed and handing me a set of keys."What about gas?" I asked and he chuckled."Felix repurposed all the cars to be electric. They run off the solar panels they have inside the cages on their roofs." He said and I nodded."Sorry to uh... Interrupt." I said and Yoon something shot me a glare as I turned and shook my head, going to find car 143.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I gripped the wheel tighter as I saw Seoul coming up on our left then I slowed some, rolling the window down to listen."It's silent!" Minho whispered and I looked at him."This early in the day, I would think they're moving around." I said and he nodded, looking confused."Felix, what did the last scan of Seoul say?" He asked the guy behind us and I stopped the car, turning to look at him. Felix pulled up his laptop he somehow had and tapped around on the mousepad, frowning some."The city was full of zombies. I took that scan just two weeks ago." He said and I looked at Minho."Two weeks ago and the city is now silent?" I asked, but he shook his head."Let's just get to the woods, find your memories." He said and I nodded, driving again. Our compound was a good hour outside of Seoul City by car, if you drove straight there, but we had to go around broken up roads, old world car traffic from evacuations, and overturned cars as well, so that added another hour to the drive. Plus we were going about forty minutes outside of the city to the woods in the mountains, which made everyone antsy now because we were going to be upwind. Meaning if the wind blew just right, the infected could smell us and come running for food."The GPS coordinates are half a mile into the woods that way." Felix said and I looked at him then sighed."Let's park the car here and go." I said and we stopped, everyone getting out and gearing up. I took a deep breath as I held my rifle in my hand then sighed, following Felix and Changbin as they led the way into the woods."Do you remember anything?" Han asked, but I shook my head."It just... Looks like trees!" I huffed and he nodded."Well, hopefully, you'll remember something. The council says these guys, The New Gods, are worse than what Felix and I remember from the QZ." He said and I looked at him."What... was it like? The Jeju QZ?" I asked and he sighed."When I first got there, it was months after the original outbreak. My QZ in Incheon was in the middle of collapsing, so people were evacuated and taken to different QZs around us. I got put on the bus to Jeju by mistake, lost my family. Anyway, when I got there, Felix was the first person to talk to me." He smiled and I looked ahead at the freckled tech guru."He was super sweet, shared his rations with me, and helped me set up in his place." Han continued and I glanced at him."We lived together for weeks before the first mention of... Well, of these New Gods got out. They'd brought in infected, kept them in cages and experimented on them. I don't remember much of them, but... The QZ grew fearful of them, said they'd end up killing us before long, and they were right." He said and I eyed him curiously."Three days before our QZ fell, infected got free inside the walls and the soldiers tried to keep us safe. It was futile though, because the New Gods went around and broke down doors, let the infected into our homes. Felix and I barely got out in a car he'd been working on." He said and I looked at him."The-the car we took?" I asked and he nodded."Car 143 is ours, from Jeju. We found a ferry boat and used that to bring the car to the mainland, then just wandered until Jackson and a few others found us. They were out on a scouting trip to look for resources, but found us. We owe them-""We're here!" Felix called back and I went to him, seeing we were at the GPS coordinates of where I last remember."Well?!" Seungmin asked as I looked around, trying to remember something, anything! I frowned as I saw a really big evergreen then I went to it, gently touching the bark."I-I remember this tree!" I said and looked around, trying to find something off about the ground. "Here!" I said and kneeled, pushing the leaves way. The guys came over and helped me then I saw a net and grabbed it."Back up, back up!" I called and they stood, moving back now as I pulled the net. I groaned when it would give for a moment then it gave and I fell back on my ass, cursing as Minho ran to me."Chan!" He grabbed my arm and shoulder, but I pushed him back and stood, looking down to see a ground trap."This is where I fell!" I breathed as I stared down at the trap, which had bones in it. It looked like mostly animal bones, but there was a couple human skulls in there too."This is the trap where-" Hyunjin stopped as we heard the familiar scream of infected then I shook my head."The tree! Climb into the tree!" I rushed and they ran to the evergreen, climbing it. I grabbed Minho and started to help him climb it when the infected broke the tree line."Shit, shit!" I cursed and turned, pinning Minho between me and the tree as the infected man ran towards us. This is it; this is how I die! I clenched my eyes, turning my head away, and got ready for the pain of being eaten alive. Except, well, it never came. I slowly opened my eyes and looked over, staring as the infected was in my face, glassy eyes almost looking right at me, but he sniffed the air and I felt Minho gripping my sides tightly, barely breathing."Chan, Minho!" Jeongin breathed from above us, but no one moved as the infected clicked his teeth together, getting closer. I pressed further into Minho and frowned as the infected sniffed me. It was like he couldn't smell me, like I smelled infected to him! He let out an ear piercing scream then turned, running off through the trees. When I couldn't hear him anymore, I let out a breath and Minho sighed, relaxing against my back."Chan, what-what was that?!" Minho asked, but I shook my head."I-I don't know!" I admitted and looked at him."Are you-""I'm fine!" He said and I looked back in the direction the infected ran."He went to Seoul." I breathed and looked at Minho."Let's go, now! Before more show up!" I said and we helped the others out of the tree then silently walked back to the car. The entire drive back, it was silent, but I knew we were all worried. Somehow, that infected couldn't smell me or Minho. It was barely two inches from my face, but... It's like I was invisible to it. How is that even possible?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I shut the door to the car and saw the council then frowned at them."We need to talk, now!" I urged and they nodded, taking me to the council building with the seven guys behind us."What-""We think Chan is immune." Minho said and Jiwoo frowned, looking at me."How do you-""We found the trap the New Gods used to capture me. It-it was by this evergreen, and- Before we could figure out more, an infected found us. The six of them got into the tree safely, but Minho and I couldn't before the infected saw us. Well, not- It's hard to explain-""The infected guy ran at Chan and Minho, until Chan covered Minho's body with his." Felix said and sighed."Then he just- Stopped! Like he couldn't smell Minho anymore! He was in Chan's face, barely an inch from his face, and he just-" Felix stopped and I shook my head."It was like he knew we were there moments ago, but we were invisible now! The same thing happened the night I found Minho! An infected woman ran right up to us, but I remember I was holding Minho down and was half over him! She just ran off too! I didn't think of it, but-""Han, Felix." Jackson cut me off and the two came forward."You said the New Gods were experimenting with infected in Jeju, correct?" He asked and Felix nodded."What if they made a way to appear invisible to the infected?" Jackson thought aloud and I frowned at him."You think they've found a way to hide in plain sight from the infected?!" I asked and he nodded."And they had you for three years, Chan! There's no telling what they did to you, especially if you can't remember!" He said and I took a deep breath."The infected ran to Seoul. I want to go there-""Absolutely not!" Seungcheol snarled, but I glared at him."It was silent when we passed it, Seungcheol! If it was overrun still, then wouldn't there be some sound coming from the city?! But it was silent, dead silent! And it was day, so they would have been able to see just fine! Plus, maybe you didn't notice, but a moving car at the end of the world isn't exactly hard to miss! So how come infected didn't overrun us when we were barely an hour from the city?! And upwind at that!" I said and he took a deep breath, looking at the others."How sure are you that you're immune?" Lisa asked, but I shook my head."Immune?! I doubt it! But somehow have camouflage?! The infected was in my face! I can tell you what his nose hairs looked like! He was in my face, but he couldn't see me at all!" I said and Lisa nodded."Go see your mother, get vials of your blood, and tell her to give them to your friends. I'd like to test a theory-""Lisa-""Please, Seungcheol! If this boy can walk among the dead, then don't you think we can use that to our advantage?! To find these people and, if they did this to him, figure out how?! This could be the key to ending the apocalypse! It could be the key to finding a way to save the world, Seungcheol!" She argued and he looked at me."I have lost too many-""You said you were a trainee before all this, right?!" I asked and he frowned."So what?!""So, give me a chance to give other kids a chance to be a trainee too! If Lisa is right and this is the key to ending this apocalypse, then don't you think I should try to do that?! I should at least try to end this if I can!" I snapped and he looked at the other three council members then me."We do the test run just outside the walls! Where we can protect you!" He ordered and I nodded."Thank you, Seungcheol!" I breathed and turned, taking my friends to the medical building."I don't like this!" Dad snapped as mom drew more blood and I sighed."I know, dad, but-""He's right, Chan. This could go wrong in so many ways!" Mom argued and I smiled softly."And if it doesn't? If I have a chance to fix this world?" I asked and she set her syringe down, glaring at me."Then you fucking fix this world, Christopher!" She said and I nodded."I'll get the blood necklaces set up!" Mom said and took the vials of blood to her desk, working to get them set up as I held a tissue to my arm and Minho brought me a water."Here. You must be dizzy." He said and I smiled, taking the water."What if this doesn't work, Chan? If we go out there and the infected come for us?" Jeongin asked and I looked at him then frowned."None of you will get bit, I promise!" I swore and he gave me a sad smile, nodding some. Two hours later, we were in front of the outside gate and everyone in the compound was gathered to watch."Ready?!" Yoongi asked, Jungkook's something, and I nodded."Chan, I'm scared!" Felix breathed and I reached out, gripping his hand. He stared at me in shock, but I smiled."If they start running at you and don't stop, break the vile and dump it on yourself. My blood, if that's what it is, should deter them!" I breathed and he nodded, lacing his fingers with mine. I looked at my other side and saw Minho frowning, but offered my hand and he smiled some, taking it."No one is dying today!" I said and looked in front of us as the gate opened. I took a deep breath then stepped out, leading my new friends out of the safety of our home. We went out a hundred feet then stopped, standing in the open field now as we waited for the infected."Come on, come on!" Changbin huffed and I looked over as he grabbed Felix's other hand, Seungmin gripping his. I looked to my other side and saw Hyunjin, Han, and Jeongin also holding hands and looked in front of me as I heard screeches."They're coming!" I ground out and Felix gripped my hand tighter. We saw four infected running for us then I closed my eyes, ready to either die, or come face to face with another infected. It was silent as the infected ran at us, aside from their angry screams, then I felt hot breath on my face and I opened my eyes, staring as I saw a woman. She had half a face, the other half probably eaten off, and I felt sick to my stomach now but held it back as she clicked her teeth, looking right at me."Chan!" Minho breathed and I looked over, seeing some infected man in Jeongin's face, but it was the same as with me. It was like they couldn't see us, like we were invisible to them."It-it's working!" I breathed and looked to my left, seeing the other two infected wandering around, sniffing the air as if looking for us."Holy shit!" Seungmin breathily laughed and I looked behind me at the compound, seeing the guards at the top of the wall looked astounded."Let's go back!" I said and looked at the infected as we backed up, slowly going back to the gate."Get behind me!" I urged and my friends moved behind me, letting me be the last one in before the guards shut the gate. When we were safe behind the walls, the inner gate opened and we went inside, but the council was gaping."That- How?!" Jiwoo asked, but I shook my head."They did something to me, and it's like Lisa said! This could be the key to ending this nightmare!" I said and Seungcheol nodded some."Go, Chan! Take your friends, go to Seoul, and find these bastards! We need to figure out what they did to you!" He said and I nodded."What was that?!" Hannah asked and I looked at her then down at my hand, where there was a faint scar of some kind of blade. I looked at my sister then shook my head."I don't know, but we're going to figure it out. Stay here, okay?" I said and she nodded."Before you go, can I get more blood from you? I want to study it." Wonwoo said and I nodded."If I can replicate whatever they did to you, I may be able to do the same to all of us." He said and I smiled some."Sure, Doc." I said and went with him to the medical building as my friends prepared for our trip to Seoul City.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Are you guys ready?" I asked and they nodded. We got out of the car then Hyunjin came up to me and I looked at him as he took a deep breath."Can... Can we go somewhere?" He asked and I nodded."Where?""My old house." He said and I gave him a soft smile."Okay." I whispered and motioned for him to lead the way. We followed Hyunjin through the empty streets of Seoul and to his old apartment building. When we got inside, he took us to a staircase and up to the thirteenth floor."The door is automated. It may not-" Han stopped as I kicked the door in and Hyunjin smiled gratefully at me."Thanks." He whispered and I nodded, going inside with him. We walked around his apartment as he went to a room near the back then I slowed as I saw a photo of younger Hyunjin with a dog in his arms, his parents standing on either side of him."I've got what I need." Hyunjin said and I looked at him."You had a dog?" I asked and he came over and smiled some."I did." He said and that was all I needed to know. His dog most likely died in the outbreak, or not long after."Was he..." I trailed, but he shook his head."He died before the outbreak. About two weeks before the outbreak." He said and I nodded, looking at his hands to see a nice wooden box with a dirty plaque on it."Let's take him back then, okay?" I said and he nodded, gripping the box tighter."How do we find these guys? The New Gods?" Changbin asked as he leaned on the outside wall, the window behind him."We just have to explore." Felix said and Seungmin scoffed."Felix, do you happen to know how big this city is?" He asked and Jeongin looked at me."Chan knows." He said and I looked at him."Even if you can't remember, you know where they are." He said and I looked at the windows then went to them, looking out."Let's take a night." I looked back at Minho and he sighed."It's getting late, and we won't be able to see in the dark when night hits. Let's stay here tonight, start fresh in the morning. As long as you're okay with that, Hyunjin." He said and Hyunjin nodded."Yeah, okay." He whispered and I nodded. So we set up camp in Hyunjin's old apartment, sticking to the living room mostly, and I sighed as I stared at the lantern we had set up for light as everyone started to lay down."Aren't you going to sleep? I've got first watch." Changbin said and I looked at him then forced a smile."I don't sleep much." I said and he came over, sitting beside me."You should still try-""You hear me back home, Changbin! If I sleep, I'm likely to start yelling in my sleep. If I do that, I could attract the infected who are here." I said and he sighed, looking at our friends now as they tried to sleep."We'll make sure it doesn't get to that point, Chan. You just need to trust us." He said and I smiled at my friend."I do trust you, I just..." I sighed and shook my head."It'll be fine, I promise!" Changbin said and went to set a hand on my shoulder, but stopped."You-you can. I've gotten better about it." I said and he smiled, setting his hand on my shoulder and gently shaking me."We've got this, Chan! We'll figure out how you're invisible to the infected and we'll right the world!" He said and I nodded, looking at the lantern again."Lay down, Chan." Changbin said, and I sighed, laying down and trying to sleep. I must have been more exhausted than I realized, because I don't remember falling asleep.
I let out a whine as I hit the ground, the chains around my wrists and ankles jangling, then I looked back at the Goddess, who was glaring down her sloped nose at me.

"This one is stronger than the rest!"

"FUCK YOU!" I yelled and she laughed, stepping into the cage and shutting the door of bars behind her.

"If you're so inclined, Chris!" She said as I shook my head, crawling backwards as far as I could go while she pulled her dress off.
"Chan!" I shot up gasping then shoved the person touching me back, moving back some as I tried to get my brain to boot up."Easy, Chan!" Minho's soft voice reached my ears and I blinked some, focusing now and seeing the concerned faces of my friends."You were crying again." Han softly said and I brought my hand up, touching my wet cheek. I quickly scrubbed my face, trying to get rid of the evidence of tears, and Minho came over."What was it, Chan?!" He asked and I frowned, actually remembering this nightmare now."The-the lady! The one they-they called Goddess! She-" I stopped and shook my head, feeling disgusting now."She's the one who-who called me 'Chris', who-who touched me!" I spit and Minho gave me a sad look."She can't hurt you anymore, okay?!" I nodded and he gently grabbed my hand, smiling some when I didn't immediately pull away from him."You're safe with us-""Guys, that yelling got us attention!" Seungmin said from his spot at the windows."Time to test the blood!" Felix said as we packed up and left the apartment. When we got in the stairwell, I stopped as the infected ran up them and pushed the guys back, standing against the wall. Then the infected ran right past us, leaving us in the stairwell."I love this!" Jeongin huffed and I smiled, going downstairs with them."Does anything ring any bells?" Han asked me and I sighed, looking around the city in the early morning light."Sort of, maybe?" I huffed and shook my head."Let's just start walking, maybe you'll remember!" Minho said and I nodded, walking down the empty road with them. It was silent, which was super scary, but we managed to make it to a park before I remembered something. I frowned as I looked at the park and went over, gently grabbing the old swing set post. The swing itself was long gone, broken off and taken somewhere, but I remembered this old yellow frame."Chan, what is it?" Changbin asked as he came over. I grabbed the yellow pole tighter and got flash images, memories, of being tortured here. Hung up here, bit."The-the bite marks are made by infected!" I breathed and looked at Changbin."The-the scars on me, the bites, they were infected bites! The New Gods hung me up here to make sure I got infected, to-to experiment on me!" I said and Changbin looked sick to his stomach."So-so your blood-""If the compound gets infected-""No, no!" I cut off Minho and shook my head."I remember- I remember one of the New God scientists saying I wasn't infectious, that-that my blood couldn't infect others, I can't infect others!" I rushed and looked at the swing set again."I remember them! The New Gods used this park because it was close by!" I said and looked around, trying to find something else that triggered a memory."Close by? Like, to their base?!" Han asked and I nodded, looking everywhere. When I saw the bookshop across the road, I jogged over to it and pushed on the door, getting it open after a few tries. When I walked in, I saw that a couple shelves had broken and books were scattered to the ground."Chan, talk to us!" Minho urged as I walked around, going to the back corner. I eyed the little sitting area from before the outbreak and went over, kneeling down and gently touching the blood stains on the carpet."This-this is my blood!" I breathed and looked at them over my shoulder."They used this shop to beat me! I remember I was here when they whipped me!" I said and stood, but Minho caught my arms before I could run out."Chan, if they're nearby, then-""Hello, Chris." I heard and looked behind Minho, shoving him behind me now and protecting my friends as I saw a bunch of guys in dirty clothes with mele weapons, and a foreigner with blonde hair. She smirked at me and tilted her head some, her glittering red dress hugging her frame and just barely touching the floor."You've come back to us, just as I suspected you would! And you brought us more toys to play with! You've done just as you were ordered, little wolf!" She said and I frowned, not sure what she meant."Flip his switch!" She told someone over her shoulder and I looked at the man beside her as he grabbed a remote, smirking at me before he hit a button and everything went black.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Chan?!" I called him when he straightened up, lost his confused expression."Come here, Chris!" The blonde called him in English and, like a zombie almost, Chan went to her and stood beside her."Ch-Chan!" I cried, looking at my friend then the woman."What did you do to him?!" I snarled and Jeongin grabbed my arm before I stormed over to this woman."A special little device we put in his head! Gives us full control of Chris!" The woman said and smirked."And it looks like he brought us quite the haul! Seven new little toys to play with!" She giggled and eyed me."Take them!" She ordered and Chan came over to me."Chan-" I barely got his name out before he punched me in the face, knocking me out.~*~*~*~"Minho!" I heard as someone rocked me and groaned, my head pounding. I groaned and pried my eyes open, looking around to see I was in some sort of cage, my best friends and brother with me, and slowly pushed myself up."Where-where are we?" I asked and put a hand to my head, trying to clear the brain fog."In an old subway station." Hyunjin said and I looked at him then looked around, my eyes widening as I saw Chan standing just outside the cage."Chan!" I breathed, but he didn't react."He's just been standing there!" Felix said and I slowly stood, gripping the bars as Chan stared at me."Chan, it-it's us!" I said, trying to wake him up, but it was no use. He just blinked at me."You can't talk to him." I looked over as the foreign woman came over and she pushed Chan's dark hair back some, off his face."He's our little soldier now! His mission? Find us survivors and bring them to us! He's been a good little soldier for two years now! Until he got away one night after a little mishap!" She said and I frowned."That's why he can't remember! He's got what?! A chip in his head to control him?!" I snarled and choked as she gripped my throat, someone grabbing me now as she glared at me."He doesn't want to remember!" She growled but I spit in her face and she let me go, Changbin pulling me back now as she sighed and wiped her cheek."Disgusting, vile creature!" She yelled at me and I took a deep breath."You should see me when I have to piss!" I spit and noticed a hint of humor in Chan's eyes and got an idea."Chris, watch them! Make sure they don't misbehave!" She said and scoffed, leaving us with the click-clack of her heels on the old tiled floor. I waited until she was gone then looked at Chan, who was giving me a blank look."Chan, please! I know you're in there!" I tried to wake him up, but there wasn't even a flicker of recognition in his eyes."Felix, how are they doing this?!" I asked and looked at him, but he shook his head."May-maybe the chip is emitting a frequency to take away his sense of self? I-I don't know, Minho! I'm good, but not that good!" He said and I went to talk, but coughed as Chan grabbed my throat and pulled me against the bars."No talking!" He growled as I tried to shove him away."Ch-Chan! I-I can't-can't breathe!" I coughed out and saw, for a split second, our Chan in there. That second was all I needed as he loosened his grip and Changbin and Han yanked me back. I coughed, holding my neck as I breathed again, and looked at Chan as he gave me a blank look."We need to wake his ass up!" Hyunjin spit as Changbin rubbed my back, making sure I could breathe."How?!" I breathed and looked at Felix."Don't look at me! I don't know!" He said and I looked at Chan again as he turned his head some, turning and leaving the station. When he was gone, I slowly sat and Jeongin hugged me close to him."What do we do now, Minho?" Jeongin softly asked, but I shook my head."I-I don't know!" I admitted and sighed, getting as comfy as I could in the iron cage. We must have spent hours in there before a soldier came over with a tray and seven bowls on it."Here." He said and slid the tray in through a slot on the bottom of the door. Seungmin went over to grab the tray, but the soldier tipped it and the soup spilled all over the ground."Oops! My hand slipped!" The soldier laughed and I grabbed Seungmin, pulling him back before the soldier could do anything."You boys really think you're getting out of here?" He asked and I glared."We'll get Chan back and we will get out of here!" I spit at him and he laughed, cut off as a familiar voice let out a sudden scream."Chan!" Felix gasped and I shot up, glaring at the guard."What are you doing to him?!" I demanded and he grinned."Little bitch has to learn not to run away! Best way to teach these dogs is through pain!" He growled and I flinched as Chan screamed again, the power flickering as he screamed."Stop it!" Jeongin screamed and the guard grinned."Then one of you has to take his place!" He said and I looked at the hallway Chan went down as more screams filled the air and the power flickered again."I will!" I snapped and the guard's eyebrows went up."Oh, will you?!""Yes! He's been through enough!" I snarled and he grabbed his radio, holding it close to his mouth."Boys, Chris' bitch has offered to take his spot! Send the dog to fetch his whore!" He said and I clenched my fists, looking over as Chan came out a few minutes later. Now though, he was shirtless and I could see every scar on his sweat covered body. He even had fresh wounds on his stomach, blood dripping down into his dirty jeans."Open the door, Chris." The guard ordered and Chan opened the door, grabbing me by the hair."Minho!""You move and I put a bullet in him!" The guard told my friends, Changbin and Han almost reaching for me as Chan shut the door with me in his grip."I'll be okay!" I promised and tried to force a confident smile. I had to believe I was okay. I had to be okay."Minho, please! Don't do this!" Seungmin begged, but Chan yanked me along before I could reply. I cursed as he forced me to walk, the guard behind us, then we got to a room with a big ass generator and some jumper cables."Chain him up, Chris!" The guard ordered and Chan took me to the wall, slamming me back and holding me there as some guards chained my wrists and ankles to the wall."Chan!" I begged, searching his pretty brown eyes, but there was nothing there to suggest he was my Chan."Don't do this, please!" I pleaded, letting out a whine as he let me go and backed up."For every month he was gone, you get one shock." The guard said and grinned as his buddy grabbed the jumper cables and the generator was turned on. I tensed as they approached then the one who would shock me chuckled."He only got shocked twice. He had eight more to go. Can you stand that, I wonder?" He asked and I was about to retort, but he chose that moment to electrocute me and all I remembered was blinding, white hot pain.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Here's your bitch!" I heard as I was thrown to the ground and I felt multiple hands on me, but it hurt. Everything hurt. I slowly lifted my head and looked over my shoulder, staring at Chan as the guard shut the door and Chan stared down at me."Minho!""What'd they do to you?!""You're shaking!" Voices overlapped as I stared at Chan, met his eyes. His brow furrowed for a second then he looked at the blonde as she came over, smiling at us."So, you're the leader of this little troupe? Good! I can use you to make the others behave!" She grinned as I pushed myself up, forcing my legs to work as I glared at her."You can't keep us! Our base knows we're here-""Seoul is a big city, and supposedly overrun with infected! No one who wants to live will venture here!" She chuckled and grabbed Chan's jaw, forcing him to look at her."I guess it's a good thing you don't want to live, hmm?" She said and I looked away right before I heard the disgusting sound of her kissing Chan. I clenched my eyes as she hummed then I looked back when she sighed, seeing a satisfied grin on her face and Chan was still as expressionless as he's been since the bookstore."The gay ones always kiss so well!" She said and I looked at Chan for a split second. I hadn't realized he was gay. Not important right now, Minho!"Stop touching him!" I snapped and she smirked, stepping closer to the cage."Are you offering to take his place again?" She asked and I went to say something, but Chan suddenly slammed her head to the bars and she screamed, the guards grabbing him now. I stared at him in amazement then watched his eyes get glassy as he submitted, the moment of clarity gone."You fucking wretch!" She snarled as she touched her now bleeding forehead."What happened, Doctor?!" She asked a scientist as he held a tablet, looking at something and looking confused."His brain managed to override the chip! He-he forced it to stop working for a second for some reason!" He rushed and the blonde looked at me then squinted, looking at Chan again before looking at me."He loves you!" She breathed and I frowned, looking at Chan as Hyunjin grabbed my arm and held me."N-no!" I spit and shook my head."Chain him up outside for a day! Punishment for touching me!" She snapped and Chan was dragged to the steps of the subway station as the woman eyed me."I'm going to be overseeing your experiments myself!" She growled and walked off, probably to get her head looked at."Minho, he-""I know!" I cut off Hyunjin and winced as my stomach where the burns were hurt like a bitch."Fuck!" I hissed and curled in on myself."Sit down!" Han rushed and helped me sit, only for Jeongin to lead my head back into his lap, forcing me to lay down. Changbin looked at my belly then hissed."How many times did they burn you, Minho?!" He asked and I closed my eyes, groaning as pain flared again."Ei-eight! He-he was gone ten months, he got two burns and I got eight!" I explained and winced as Changbin carefully wrapped a strip of cloth around my burns."It's all we can do for now until we have proper medical supplies." He said and I noticed Hyunjin was missing part of his shirt now when I opened my eyes."When she mentioned hurting me, Chan came out!" I breathed and Felix sighed."If his connection to you is strong enough, then maybe... Maybe he was strong enough in that second to override the chip frequency and that's why he hurt her!" He said and I nodded, leaning into my brother's hands as he brushed my sweaty hair off my forehead."But now he's going to be hung up on that swing set again for an entire day!" Seungmin said and I took deep breaths."He's immune, Seungmin-""To the bites, not to being torn apart!" Seungmin argued with Changbin and I sighed some."If-if we can get to him, I can get to him, maybe I can get him to come back!" I said and flinched again, wanting to hold my belly, but it would hurt more if I did."How?" Hyunjin asked and I looked at him."She seems keen on making him watch us, to torture us psychologically. He's right there, but we can't reach him!" I explained and he nodded."We just need to wait it out, for him to come back, and we can try to reach him." He explained and I nodded."What if he doesn't come back, Minho?" Jeongin asked and I looked up at his upside down face."He's Chan, Innie! He'll come back!" I smiled at him and he nodded, probably hoping I was right.~*~*~*~I watched as the soldiers dragged a guy out of the subway station then frowned, watching them take him to the park and chain him up to the old swing set. I glanced over as Yunho kneeled beside me and he sighed."They caught him again?""It's been nearly a year since he was last hanging there. I wonder what he did-" I stopped as the woman came out of the subway then she went to the man, saying something to him before she slapped him across the face."He pissed her off is what he did!" Yunho said and I snorted, looking at him."You think so? I doubt that!" I sassed and he rolled his eyes."Geez, Yeosang, no need to get sassy with me! Save it for Jongho!" He said and I smirked, looking at the man again as the New Gods went back into the station."Tell San to activate the devices." I whispered and Yunho went to do so, to make sure this guy didn't get eaten alive by the infected. When Yunho came back, we watched as infected went near the park, but screeched and stayed away from him."It's working!" Yunho sighed and I huffed, leaning back on the wall of the balcony now."We just need to keep an eye on him." I said and looked up as Seonghwa stepped out, grabbing the railing and staring at the park."Where are his friends he was with a few days ago?" He asked and I sighed."Bitch-Zilla has them. Probably in the subway station somewhere. This guy did something to piss her off and he's getting punished for it." I reported and he glanced at me then nodded."If he pissed her off personally, he probably defended his friends in some way.""Don't they all have those chips in their heads though?" Yunho asked and Seonghwa sighed."Then he managed to override his chip somehow, Yunho! I'll tell Joong, you stay here and watch him! Keep him alive!" He ordered and I nodded, setting up my sniper rifle and keeping it trained on the man as Yunho used his binoculars to keep an eye on the main park and to alert me of any infected who managed to get by our sonic devices.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I screamed as the guard hit me again, my body tensing up before it relaxed, and the chains jangled as they pulled taught on my wrists."Welcome back, Chris!" I forced my eyes open and looked over, seeing Chan standing there now. He had a few new bitemarks, smaller than the ones he'd already had, but I didn't see signs of infection so I wasn't sure who bit him."Watch him, Chris! We're going for dinner." The guard said and they left, leaving Chan and I in the room together."Ch-Chan, please!" I panted and tried to get him to focus, to see me."Chris!" I begged and his eyes darkened more."Chris, come lift me up." I ordered and he came over, grabbing my thighs and lifting me. Finally, I could breathe properly and I took a deep breath."Thank fuck!" I sighed and wrapped my legs around his waist, letting him hold me as I began to breathe."Come closer, Chris!" I ordered and he stepped closer, his body leaned in more, his face now inches from mine."Chan, please! I know you're in there!" I began to softly speak to him and saw no flicker of recognition. I'd just have to try harder."They're hurting us, Chan! Felix, Jeongin, Seungmin, Changbin, Han, Hyunjin, me! They're torturing us!" I said and his eyes got clearer for a second."I know you can hear me, somewhere in that big brain of yours! You're letting them do this to us, letting them hurt us!" I said and shook my head."If you don't respond, Chan, then I'll have to resort to something I didn't want to do!" I said, but his eyes didn't change."Please don't punch me!" I breathed and leaned in, straining my shoulders as I pressed my lips to his. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to see the lack of Chan in his eyes, and felt a tear slip out of my left eye and down my cheek. He's gone, Minho. Right as I thought that, I felt his hands tighten on my thighs and felt his lips begin to move, kissing me back. I broke the kiss and moved my head back, looking at him confused. He blinked a few times, his brow furrowing, then his eyes cleared and he looked around."Min-Minho?" He breathed and I let out a wet laugh, unable to hold back as I leaned in and kissed him again. He groaned and slid his hands to my ass, holding me tightly as he deepened the kiss and I sighed into his mouth, happy Chan was back."It worked!" I breathed and laid my forehead on his."What-what happened?!" He asked and I sniffled as I looked at him."It's a long, long story! Think you can unchain me first?" I asked and he looked at my hands then gasped, looking around for something for me to stand on."Okay, deep breath!" He ordered and I took a deep breath then he set my legs down and I groaned as my lungs were squeezed. He grabbed a box then came over, setting it under my feet. I managed to just stand on it and he reached up, grabbing the keys off his hip to unlock my chains. When I was free, I fell into him and he held my waist, smiling at me."We need to destroy that console before we do anything!" I whispered, motioning to the console the scientists had said controlled the microchips in the slaves' heads, and he nodded."Can you stand?" He asked and I stepped off the box, holding his shoulders for a second before I stood on my own."Ye-yeah." I whispered and he stepped back, grabbing one of the pipes the guards had been using to torture people and going to the console. As he began smashing it, I had a split second thought of 'I hope this doesn't kill him too'. But he never fell to the ground, so we're good. When the console was perfectly destroyed, he looked at me and nodded some."Let's go get our friends!" He said and I took another pipe in hand, leading him out the way I'd been brought. As we walked, I noticed a lack of anyone and knew they were all at dinner."Come on!" I whispered as we ran across the main subway station, going to the cage where the guys were."Minho!" Hyunjin gasped as Chan grabbed the keys, trying to find the right one."Chan-""I'm going, Minho!" He hissed and I looked over as I heard boots on the floor."Someone is coming! Hurry up!" I growled and Chan handed me the keys."I've got it!" He said and grabbed my cheeks, pecking my lips before he set the pipe down and went to find the person."Okay, what?!" Han asked as I went through the keys, hearing grunting and choking a second later when I finally got the right key."Yes!" I breathed and opened the cage, going to Felix and hoisting up the nearly unconscious boy."Felix!" Chan gasped as he came back, panting now and new scratches on his arms, but I forced a smile."You didn't do this, Chan-""Did I stop it?" He asked as Changbin lifted Felix into his arms, holding him close."No, but-""Then I'm the one who did this!" Chan cut off Seungmin and sighed."Is there anyone else-""Not anyone who isn't half turned or infected." I said and he nodded, looking around."We can't let them live." He said and looked at me."What do you suggest?" I asked and he frowned."That console I destroyed. I-I remember it wasn't just for the chips." He said and I licked my lips."Then what else, Chan?!" Hyunjin asked, but there was an answering screech of infected."It controlled the sonic devices to deter the infected from coming down here!" Chan breathed as a few infected ran into the subway station."Out! Get out now, before we're trapped!" I rushed and we ran to the steps, going up them as more infected ran down. When we got outside, I saw what could have been every infected in the city now running for us."OVER HERE!" I turned as I heard someone yelling and saw a couple of tall guys waving us over."Go, go!" Chan urged and we ran, going to the guys."Hurry, this way!" The tall guy with the mole on his face said and we went down an alley, going around a building."Wait, that's our-""Yeah, we stole it! Go!" The other tall guy yelled and we ran to the car, where six other guys already were."Are we in-""JONGHO, FUCKING DRIVE!" The pretty boy with the mark by his eye yelled as I slammed the back door of the truck shut, infected running towards us."Go, go!" Hyunjin screamed and the truck suddenly lurched, tires screeching as we sped away from the scene.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I panted as I laid on the floor of the back of the car, hearing the panting of everyone around me and the rumble of the car as we drove, then I opened my eyes and forced myself up."Who are you?" I asked and the guy with boba eyes smiled."I'm Hongjoong. That's Seonghwa, Jongho at the wheel, Wooyoung beside him, San there, Yeosang there, and these two are Yunho and Mingi. We've been scoping out those freaks in the subway for awhile, trying to take them out to stop their slaughtering of the survivors and to get their secret cure for the infection. Just our luck you eight happened to distract them long enough for Wooyoung to get into the lab and get what we need." He said and I licked my lips as I saw the vials in his hand."What's your plan then? With that?" Chan asked and Hongjoong sighed."Find a way to mass produce it, get it out into the world, revive the human world and kill off this apocalyptic infection." He said and I looked at Chan, who nodded."We have somewhere then." I said and Hongjoong nodded."On the GPS, follow the directions for home." I ordered and Jongho tapped on the screen, doing as told.~*~*~*~"CHAN!" Mom cried as she ran over, hugging me. I groaned and gently held her, taking a deep breath as dad grabbed my shoulder and the other fifteen got out of the car."Hi! Ow, easy!" I begged and mom let me go then stepped back, frowning as she saw me."What happened to you?!" Dad asked as the council came over."We-we found them! The New Gods!""More like they found us!" Hyunjin scoffed and mom sighed."Let's get you boys to medical! Come on, all of you!" She said and ushered the sixteen of us to medical. Minho, Felix, and I had it the worst. I guess Felix got beat up pretty bad after being caught trying to pick the lock of their cage. I felt horrible about it, after being told I was the one who caught him, but my friends had argued that it wasn't me, but that thing this chip in my head turned me into. It wasn't Chan, but Chris who had caught Felix."Ouch!" I looked at Minho as dad carefully dressed his burns then I stood, my mom protesting as I did."Hey." I whispered to Minho and he looked at me then I pushed his bangs back, smiling down at him."It just hurts a little!" He breathed and I nodded, looking at dad."I'm nearly done." He said and we were quiet aside from Minho's occasional hiss of pain as dad worked. Once everyone was patched up, the council came in to see us, but I had Hongjoong explain since he had the vials of cure."We... We were in Seoul when the QZ fell." Hongjoong started and Seungcheol frowned."We got stranded there, but we found a way to survive in the city despite the hundreds of infected. Then Yeosang saw the New Gods, saw how they moved in, used these... Sonic devices to protect themselves from infected. We began to keep an eye on them. That's how we saw Chan when he first got captured four years ago." Hongjoong said and Seonghwa sighed."Wooyoung broke into their lab regularly, to see what they were doing and to tell us if we had to be worried. When we found out they were developing a cure for all this, we... We waited. It's horrible, how many people we let die-""But it was to ensure they found a cure. It was for the greater good." Yunho said and Yeosang frowned."If someone we saw go in came out as an infected, we'd put them down. We may have let them die, but we weren't going to let them be monsters for the rest of however long." He said and Jackson sighed."So the cure is lost then?""No." Wooyoung said and grabbed the five vials from his pocket."When these guys were busy distracting that Bitch-Zilla and her dicks, I snuck in and got the cure. This was all they had. Then they...""I destroyed their main control console." I said and Lisa looked at me."The one they used to control the chips, and the deterrent devices. Infected swarmed the subway. There's no way any of them survived. Even if they had been immune-""They were torn apart either way." Jiwoo said and I nodded. Wonwoo came over then took one of the vials, comparing it to the vial he'd created from my blood."Let me make sure this is right, and I haven't messed up. We'll go from there. You boys get home, you deserve to sleep." He said and I smiled, helping Minho up as Changbin and Han grabbed Felix to help him up."What about us?" Hongjoong asked and I looked at them then the council."We have a free house, it has four beds. You can use that until the world is right again." Jiwoo said and Hongjoong smiled."Thank you." He whispered and she nodded."I'll have Rose take you to the house." She said then we left medical and made our way home."When you said "let's go to Seoul", I wasn't expecting to be captured, tortured, and nearly killed." Minho said and I snorted, holding his hand as we walked down the road."Yeah, I wasn't either! But, either way, we made it out!" I said and he chuckled."We all made it out." Hyunjin said and I smiled as he set his head on Seungmin's shoulder."So, if this cure works out, what will you guys do?" Jeongin asked and I hummed. "Rebuild." Changbin said and we looked at him."I want to help rebuild the world, the buildings. There's been a lot of destruction, so someone needs to fix it." He said and I hummed."That sounds like a great idea!" Han said and we chuckled at his enthusiasm."What about you, Felix?" I asked and he sighed."Well, someone has to feed the people who are working hard. I've always been great at baking, plus I'm great with technology. I can go either way, you know?" He said and I smiled, looking at Hyunjin."Jin?" I asked and he sighed, shaking his head some."There's going to be a lot of people who need some guidance. I've always liked helping people, so why not?" He said and Seungmin hummed."I want to be a guiding hand. Maybe politics of some sort. To make sure we don't destroy the world like we did before." He said and I laughed, looking at Jeongin."How about you, kiddo?" I asked and he sighed."A lot of kids will be without parents and vice versa. I've always liked helping kids, so... So maybe I can help build families." He said and Minho hummed."Like a foster home?" He asked and Jeongin nodded. Minho chuckled and ruffled his brother's hair, making his brother grumble."What about you?" I asked and Minho looked at me as we reached our house, standing on the porch now."Felix is great at baking, but... I'm a great cook. I can feed everyone, make sure people get plenty of food." He said and I smiled, gently holding his cheek."What will you do, Chan?" I looked behind me at Changbin and sighed, looking out at the compound."I... I don't know." I said and smiled at Minho."I guess we'll have to wait and see if this cure works. Then, well, I'll go from there." I said and Minho grinned."Come on, let's go rest!" He said and I nodded, taking his hand and going inside with him and my family.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Two Years LaterI flipped the page of the newspaper then smiled as I saw President Kim Seungmin had been the deciding vote on a new bill regarding the old QZ walls. Guess they were being torn down now."Excuse me!" I looked up and saw three girls standing there, who can't be more than thirteen or fourteen, and the one in the middle smiled."Are you Bahng Chan?" She asked and I chuckled, setting my coffee cup down."I am." I said and she squealed then her friends calmed her down."Can you sign my book?! I'm such a huge fan of your book!" She said and I took her book, opening it and signing it. I signed the books of her friends too then handed them to her."Yah, scram!" Felix snapped and the girls ran off, making me chuckle as Felix set down a cupcake for me and lit the candle that was in it."Happy birthday, Chan!" He whispered and I smiled at him."Thank you, Felix!" I said and made a wish then blew the candle out."Did you see Seungmin's new bill?" Felix asked and I nodded, looking at the paper again."Yeah, just saw it." I said as he unwrapped my cupcake for me."Do you have plans for tonight?" He asked and I looked at him, smiling softly."Maybe. If he's home, yeah." I said and he gave me a sad smile."Where was he when you last spoke?" He asked and I sighed."Well, his last call said he was somewhere in the middle of Old New York working on the reconstruction with Changbin and Han." I said and Felix hummed."Do you think they'll be home tonight?" He asked and I shrugged."I don't know honestly." I said and sighed, looking at the tv as one of the few channels running now broadcasted news about America."Hey, turn that up." I said and Felix grabbed the remote from his pocket, turning it up as everyone turned to look."-Gods ring leader, Fiona Devin, was found today hiding in what was once Las Vegas, Nevada. Devin was the cult leader of apocalypse cult, New Gods, who were behind the miraculous cure of the infection that swept the planet. Along with this, they tortured and murdered countless survivors including author of the international book "My Life With Gods", Christopher 'Chan' Bahng. Known to most as Bahng Chan, Mr. Bahng has settled in what is now New Seoul, built where Seoul was before the apocalypse. It was thanks to his efforts and the efforts of his closest friends, who have remained out of the public eye, that we are here today." The news anchor said and I sighed."That Bitch-Zilla actually survived the subway!" I scoffed and Felix looked at me."Well, at least she was caught! And if she was, then you can bet Seungmin will make sure everyone loyal to her will be caught and anything they were doing will be shut down." He said and I nodded, sighing as I grabbed my wallet and set some money down."Chan-""Felix, you know how I feel about you giving me free food!" I said and he huffed, holding his hips."Fine! But do you mind stopping by and giving this to Innie and Jinnie?" He asked and I took the bag of food then stood."You only have to suggest it, Felix! I don't mind." I said and he smiled, watching me as I left his cafe. After the cure was dispersed throughout the world, it took only a few months for the world to begin to blossom again and reconstruction had started almost immediately. That was a year and a half ago. It's a miracle we managed to spread the cure so quickly, but Wonwoo had devised a way to make the cure air born and spread through birds and insects. He's rather smart, even has a job at Namjoon's lab where they work to make sure something like this doesn't happen again. And everyone even got to accomplish their dreams. Felix opened a bakery, Changbin started an entire company dedicated solely to reconstruction with Han as his right hand. Seungmin became the president like he'd wanted, which wasn't hard given how few people wanted to be involved in politics, and had been working so hard for equal rights and ensuring everyone got help. Speaking of help, Innie and Jinnie opened an orphanage and shelter for kids and even adults who had nowhere to go or family to help them out. They provided food, homes, support, and even found families for the kids to make sure everyone had an equal chance to live in this rebuilt world."Watch out, Mister!" I heard and caught the soccer ball coming for me, smiling as I kicked it back to the kids. As I watched them, I thought of Minho. He'd joined up with Changbin and Han, traveling with them to help feed the workers rebuilding and was often gone for long periods of time. Since the world was revived, I think I've seen him a total of two months. And me? I couldn't find something to help me, so I published a book. In it, I talked about my QZ, my family, the capture and torture from the New Gods, the cult, Fiona Devin, and how my friends helped me to get free and save the world. I'd even included their names at the end to explain what part they played in saving the world. I didn't really keep up with Hongjoong and them, Seungcheol, Wonwoo, Namjoon, Lisa, Jackson, or any of them as often as I wanted to, but I still heard things through the grapevine about them. Like how Namjoon and Wonwoo just developed a cure for most forms of cancer. Or how Seungcheol and his friends, aside from Wonwoo, had opened up a center for those struggling to get back to normal life. And I think I even heard something about Jungkook and Yoongi opening a center for pets to help people find that companionship. Last I heard, those two had gotten married or something."Mr. Bahng!" I chuckled as I walked into the orphanage and shelter then the little kids ran over, swarming me."Down, you dirty children!" I laughed and held the food bag up, smiling as Hyunjin came over."Felix send you with food?" He asked and I handed him the bag, making my way through the swarm of children."I almost prefer the undead to those little scamps!" I said and Hyunjin grinned as we went to the kitchen where Jeongin was cooking lunch."Innie, food from Lix!" Hyunjin said and Jeongin looked at us then smiled."How's Min?" I asked and Hyunjin looked at me then sighed."Busy, but he makes time for us." He said and I nodded, looking at Jeongin."And Han?" I asked and he cleared his throat."I haven't heard from him. You?" He asked, but I shook my head."He said he'd be home for my birthday, but... I haven't heard anything." I said and Hyunjin smiled, gently hugging me."Happy birthday, Chan!" He said and I laughed, patting his back."Thanks, Jin!" I said and Jeongin dried his hands, leaving their food to simmer as he came over and took a brownie from the tub Felix had packed them in."Happy birthday, old fart." Jeongin said and I rolled my eyes."I'm only twenty six-""Still old!" He said and I shoved his head lovingly."Daddy!" Hyunjin's head shot up at the cry of his daughter then relaxed as Seungmin walked in with numerous bodyguards and Deji in his arms."Don't scare me like that, Min! I thought something was wrong!" Hyunjin huffed, but kissed his husband and Seungmin smiled at the elder."Sorry, Angel." He said and looked at me."Happy birthday, grandfather." He said and I rolled my eyes."I'm going home to rest before the big dinner tonight!" I said and Deji waved to me."Bye-bye, Grandpa!" She said and I huffed at the four year old. Seriously, I couldn't stay mad at that child."Bye, Chan!" Hyunjin waved and I left, sighing as I walked home. I guess we were hosting tonight, but we had such a big apartment, I wasn't really surprised. I was surprised though to walk through the front door and smell something cooking. I frowned and looked at the entryway to see a new set of shoes there. "Minho?!" I called and went to the kitchen, smiling as I saw his hair back into a tiny ponytail as he turned and smiled at me, bunny teeth on display."Happy birthday, baby!" He beamed and I let out a breath, going to him and kissing him. Finally, my day was perfect.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Jimin!" I cheered and hugged the man as he walked in, Tae and Hobi right behind him."Happy birthday, Chan!" Tae said and I smiled, giving them both hugs."Everyone is here!" I said and shut the door, going to the main floor of the apartment and smiling contently as I saw all of our friends from the compound. Even my family had flown in to visit. They'd returned to our house in Sydney once air travel was reestablished a few months ago and had began rebuilding it. Dad got a new prosthetic hand, Hannah started college, Lucas had gone into high school, and mom opened her own practice with dad to help those who were still in the first stages of infection."Hey, you." I looked at Minho and smiled, hugging him close as he held me and sighed."So, a good birthday?" He asked and I looked at him then beamed."The best in a very long time!" I said and leaned in, softly kissing him."Mm, I have a present for you!" He said and I hummed curiously."What is it?" I asked and he grinned."A timed gift. It'll be ready in an hour or so. Just enjoy for now." He said and I chuckled, kissing his head."You're a tease!" I grinned and he gave me a flirty smirk."You love when I tease!" He said and I rolled my eyes."Seungcheol!" I beamed as the taller man came over, offering me a drink."Mind if I steal a word, famous author?" He asked and I laughed, going with him outside to the balcony and sitting with his twelve best friends now."Hey!" I sighed and Jihoon grinned."You looked like you were suffocating inside." He said and I huffed, sipping my drink."I'm... Not used to this still." I said and waved my hand around."The social interaction or humans?" Josh asked and I scoffed."All of it!" I said and shook my head, looking down at my drink."I keep thinking this is a dream. I expect to wake up in that subway, in a cage, or those woods. I keep expecting all of this to just be some sort of fever dream. That, or I'm dead." I said and they laughed, but Minghao gave me a smile."You're not dead, Chan! You're twenty six now! You lived through the worst of the apocalypse, which says something considering it was literally the apocalypse!" He said and I nodded."How are you doing? After all that?" Seungkwan asked and I took a deep breath."Uh, only-only Minho knows the story behind each scar! He's the only one I've let actually touch them, or-or me. But uh, I'm good. The book helped, you know? To get it all out there." I said and Seungcheol set a comforting hand on my shoulder."Whatever it takes to help, you know we're here for you too." He said and I smirked."Thanks, Councilman." I said and he rolled his eyes."I'm not that anymore!" He said and we laughed, Jeonghan giving his lover a fond smile. Well, one of his lovers."Has anyone said anything bad?" Dino asked, but I shook my head."Nah, not to me. There's been a few hate comments about my book, but it's the first time that everyone has collectively loved something, you know? Like, the only people who seem to hate my book are those that were politics before the world fell. Those who had a hand in starting the apocalypse." I said and they nodded."Baby." I looked up as Minho came over then he smiled and set his hand on the side of my neck, kissing my cheek on the other side."Felix has the cake done, sweetheart. Come on, time to sing for you." He said and I smiled, standing and going inside with him and everyone else. When everyone was gathered around the five tier cake in the living room on the coffee table, I was sitting on the couch and everyone was singing to me, Minho sitting right beside me and holding my hand."Make a wish!" Jungkook yelled when they were done, and I made a show of thinking of a wish before I blew the candles out. When I had, everyone cheered and Felix worked on serving out slices of cake to everyone. There was more laughter, more talking as we ate cake and they had me open my probably hundreds of presents."Minho, where's your present?!" Seungmin grinned mischievously and Minho scoffed."It's here, you fucker!" He said and stood, going down the hall. I let him be, knowing he had been planning my gift for a long time, and looked at Jeongin as he lovingly kissed Han, whispering to his boyfriend."Oh, my god!" Hyunjin gasped and I looked over, my eyes widening as Minho came out with a beautiful brown and white dog."Minho, what the hell?!" I laughed as he handed me the puppy."Her name is Berry! Jungkook found her for me-""You hate dogs-""But you love them!" Minho said and I smiled, petting the dog. Then I noticed something tied to the bow around her neck and frowned, untying the bow and grabbing the little pouch."What is this?" I asked and looked at Minho, who took the pouch and opened it."You cheesy fuck!" Someone yelled as Minho slid off the couch, standing on one knee and holding a beautiful silver band."Min!" I wheezed as the room got pen-drop silent and he gave me a worried smile."I-I suck at this shit, and this was the best way I could ask. You know I suck at words. I mean, our first kiss was literally me trying to make you not kill me, so-""Minho!" I laughed and he beamed."Chan, I met you in the literal apocalypse, but I somehow fell in love with you and we saved the world together. You could have left, when the world was right, but you didn't. Even if I left, traveled, and fixed the world, you waited for me. But... I'm done leaving, and I hope you'll stay by my side now as I stay. So, uh, will you marry me?" He asked and it felt like the room itself held it's breath as everyone turned to stare at me, waiting for my answer. Even Berry was looking at me as I smiled at the man who'd taken my heart and carved himself a spot in the middle of the end of the world."Baby?" Minho breathed, looking worried, and I nodded."You'll have to kill me for me to say no!" I said and he beamed, applause ringing out now as I leaned over carefully and kissed Minho."I love you, Chris!" He breathed and I stared at him, grinning wide now as he slipped the ring on my finger."I love you too, Minho!" I breathed, kissing him again. Maybe the world had fallen apart, died, and I lost everything for a bit. But, here, now, I had reached it. I reached my perfect life. It just took a cult freak, the end of the world, and fucking zombies.