PERSONA ✓

39.

Namjoon was lucky that his exam was in the afternoon instead of the morning. He and Hoseok had met up earlier that morning, heading to the study hall together. People were giving Hoseok glares and cold looks, but Namjoon scowled right back at them, and they'd backed off for the time being. He put an arm around Hoseok's shoulders protectively, and they kept walking forwards.

Jungkook had a final exam he was taking, and Namjoon wasn't sure about Jimin's whereabouts.

He and Hoseok hung out for a bit outside the school before a loud, screeching noise had interrupted their rather peaceful morning.

They both looked at each other, realization dawning in their eyes. They both transformed and flew at full speed towards the Skyscraper---Jungkook had informed them through the comms where to go.

Jungkook had also said he'd be a little late to the fight, and so would Jimin, which sparked worry in Namjoon, but he had no time to think about that right now. He had to prioritize. He was sure Jungkook could hold out on his own, and he assumed Jimin was with him as well. They'd be fine.

Namjoon stopped in front of the Skyscraper, hovering in the sky, and Hoseok stopped as well.

"What the fuck?" Hoseok said.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Namjoon murmured.

At the base of the Skyscraper was a large crowd of civilians. Namjoon watched as more and more people joined the crowd. They all seemed to be moving in a trance-like state, unaware of what they were doing.

"Is this frequency he's blasting the same as the mind control?" asked Namjoon. "All of the people are moving like zombies."

"How come we aren't we affected?" Hoseok asked.

From beside them came a voice. "That's 'cause he can't blast a frequency strong enough to control us."

Namjoon turned and was met with Yoongi and Seokjin, who had arrived in their suits. Seokjin's orange suit was slightly banged up, which made Namjoon assume he'd flown into the wall of a building or something on his way here. Yoongi's suit was without a scratch.

"Jungkook told me about this," Yoongi continued. "The frequency that led Hoseok to be mind controlled is much harder to emit as a loud sound. So, if we think of it like that..."

"The frequency being emitted right now isn't strong enough to control us because we're aware," Seokjin finished. "It's essentially a watered down version of whatever was controlling Hoseok. We're fine because our minds have put up walls. The rest of Seoul, and the world... They're not as lucky."

In the corner of his vision, Namjoon saw a purple suit flying towards them. Taehyung slowed down as he arrived, hovering in the air next to them.

"Does anyone have any idea where Jungkook and Jimin are?" Taehyung asked.

They all shook their heads. As Taehyung tried to go on, a loud sound came from the top of the Skyscraper, like the sound of someone powering something up. Then, right before their eyes, the entire Skyscraper was surrounded by some sort of bluish-purple forcefield.

"He's blocked us out," said Taehyung. He scanned the building and then pointed to a small doorway on the ground level, where the mind-controlled citizens were entering and exiting from. "It seems he left that area open for his convenience. It looks like the only way to get in."

Namjoon nodded. "Alright, alright. Uh... Jin hyung, Tae, you guys clear the citizens from the doorway. Hoseok, Yoongi, and I will get in. Jungkook and Jimin are probably already aware of the problem and finding a solution... I hope."

They all nodded and, without hesitation, flew towards the Skyscraper.

-

"CAN'T YOU RUN ANY FASTER?"

Jungkook wasn't able to answer Jimin, because he was too busy running for his life. Jimin ran ahead of him, towards Jungkook's house, where both their suits were waiting.

Jimin's hadn't been working and didn't come to him when he called it. Jungkook's was still in development.

And that was really inconvenient, considering the mind-controlled citizens had recognized them and turned on them, chasing them out of the school.

Right now, Jungkook and Jimin were running as fast as they could through the streets. They'd jumped a few fences and cut through some streets to try and lose the large crowd of people behind them, but it didn't work very well.

Upon seeing his house, Jungkook let out a yell and sped up as much as he could. Jimin reached the front door and flung it open for the both of them and they threw themselves inside, frantically locking it behind them. They continued running until they made it to HQ, where the mind-controlled butlers and maids couldn't get them. Once they were locked inside HQ and safe, Jungkook collapsed on his knees, gasping for breath.

Jimin hauled him up and they headed straight for the desk which had the computers. Jungkook sat down in his chair heavily and, still gasping after his run, reprogrammed his and Jimin's suits. He didn't say a word throughout the ordeal, only keeping his eyes on his task. On his other computer screen, he had pulled up the vitals of the team and the video footage from their suits. He could grasp what was going on well enough.

Jimin was behind him, watching while holding his breath as Jungkook fixed their suits from his computer before standing up and bringing Jimin into a separate room, where the suits were waiting. Jungkook stepped towards his yellow one, Euphoria, and it surrounded him like armor. Jimin followed, suiting up with Serendipity.

"How do we get out of here?" Jimin asked. "They're right outside the door!"

"You seriously think I made our HQ 'n didn't give it any secret passages?" Jungkook headed over to the east wall, running his hand along it. He pressed down on the spot where he'd hidden a secret panel; a door slid open, leading straight into their side yard.

The two of them exited HQ. The door slid shut behind them and they took to the skies, leaving behind the mind-controlled infested house.

"What's going on at the Skyscraper?" Jimin yelled over the sound of wind howling in their ears.

Jungkook glanced at the vitals of the team in his peripheral vision before answering, "Doyoon's probably got his big mind control device up there. All the citizens are probably being used to guard the area, too. Joon hyung and the others are probably having trouble getting in."

"I don't understand why Doyoon would use Hoseok to steal money, though. He's doing everything else illegally, anyways."

"There are some materials you can only access with a license or a high-ranked job. Doyoon may have gotten fired from E.C.O., but he's still a scientist. I just don't think he was rich enough to---"

"Jungkook! Jimin!" Seokjin's voice yelled in their comms.

"Jin hyung! What's wrong?"

"Are you two on your way? We need---some help---Ow!"

"What's going on?" Jimin asked.

"The citizens are blocking the entrance to the building. We got Hoseok, Namjoon, and Yoongi inside but now we're being attacked, and---some mind controlled toddler just latched itself onto my arm whatthehell---"

"We're on our way now!" Jungkook informed him. "Just hold out a few minutes longer!"

The line of communication went dead. Either Seokjin wasn't in the position to respond, or he'd faced death by toddler. Jungkook figured it was probably the first option.

He and Jimin sped up, pushing their suits to fill capacity. They would be late to the fight but hopefully, once they got there, Team Persona would be able to stop Doyoon once and for all.