Doubler || NCT || Completed

63

Before the elevator doors had even opened, Taeil pushed Yujin back and positioned himself in front of the group. His shoulders were tense.

"Don't shift, hyung", Yuta said, reminding him of what Taeyong had said. "We want to get rid of their knowledge of us, not give them more of it."

The elevator doors opened and eight men filed out. Clearly, they were surprised to see the intruders, as they stopped on their tracks when they noticed the group of doublers staring at them in the middle of the hallway.

"How damn big this freak circus is?" one of the men commented out loud after the initial shock had worn off.

The other poachers answered by swinging their shiny, black batons. Some of them had knives. They looked like a group of thugs in their casual clothing and menacing smirks.

"It's gonna be a good payday, guys", one added.

"Our goal is to get out as quickly as possible", Taeil spoke up quietly, not turning his sharp gaze away from the poachers who were still standing in the other end of the hallway, blocking the elevator and staircase. "Especially the hard drive, Yujin and Renjun, since we don't know if they have more of those injections."

Yujin eyed the guys and noticed that Jisung looked like he was about to pass out. It was way too soon for him to face the poachers again, just one day after escaping. Yujin wished that she would've told him to stay at home.

And what about Jeno, Chenle and the others? Yujin's stomach lurched. Had the poachers attacked them as well?

Something was shoved into her hand.

"Take this", Yuta mumbled, not looking into her direction while giving the hard drive to her. "We'll try to get you to the staircase and then you have to get Renjun and get out, okay?"

Yujin stuffed the hard drive into her hoodie's pocket and closed the zipper since it would be better for her to have her hands free.

"It's not safe for her to go alone", Ten whispered. "Someone has to go with her."

"I'll go", Taeil promised.

The poachers seemed to be done sizing them up.

"Fancy seeing you here, boy", the biggest of them taunted Jisung, who didn't react to his words. "Hopefully your new friends like puzzles since that's what they'll have to deal with once I'm done with you."

Ten scoffed. "That probably sounded way more bad-ass in your head."

Lucas and Haechan chuckled.

The poacher didn't need further provocation and apparently his friends had been offended by Ten's reaction as well because they all decided to jump into the action.

Their leap for attack was reciprocated by people surrounding Yujin, as Lucas, Haechan and Yuta were the first ones to meet the poachers mid-way through the hallway. They were soon joined by the rest of the search party, when Ten, Hendery, Yangyang - even Winwin found their places in the messy fight.

Taeil pulled Yujin's hand. He, Jisung and Yujin were the only ones not participating in the loud mess. One of the poachers yelled and the sound was followed by Haechan's cackle.

"Let's get you out and make sure that Renjun's okay", Taeil explained.

Yujin, in turn, grabbed Jisung by his arm. "Come with us."

Yangyang and Hendery bulldozed a route through the fight for them. A few time Yujin was pressed against the wall when punches were thrown towards her but, otherwise, getting through was surprisingly easy. Two of the poachers were already on the ground, the fight probably wouldn't take too long considering the anger that was motivating the doublers. Even if some of them hadn't met poachers before, they all were aware of the destructive power of the money hungry poachers.