Project IZ*ONE II

Chapter 12- Reclamation

After about a half an hour of travel, the group arrives on the outskirts of the campus. Because of the camouflage, Eunbi and the others struggled to point out to the driver where exactly to stop until Sakura and Yena directed them. The campus may have been invisible, but the two could still sense the technological and electrical currents. When they reach a good spot with cover, the driver pulls over and lets everyone step out. The members then thank him before he leaves the group on their own.

"They have the electric shield set to kill..." Yena observes as she stares at the shield. As if to prove her point, a bird flying overhead bumps into the invisible wall and immediately gets fried.

"Yikes...poor bird." Nako mumbles.

"They must really be serious about keeping control of this place." Sakura says while searching for a weak point they could use to break in like last time.

"You don't think Gaeun and the others are..." Wonyoung doesn't even finish her sentence, but everyone knew what she was thinking. What if their friends were already gone?

"Nonsense, Wonnie. They wouldn't have doubled the security if they were hiding nobody." Yujin says to calm the younger girl down.

"Why don't we use the tunnel we used last time?" Hitomi asks curiously.

"Because if they followed us down that path, they probably already shut it down." Chaeyeon responds.

"Yena, come help me over here." Sakura calls after finding a spot they could break in. The tech-girl could feel a control box on the other side of where she was staring, but needed Yena's help to reach it without being shocked. With her power over machines, Sakura had some extra resistance to electricity. Sensing the extra volts of electricity coursing through the shield though, the tech-girl decided she needed the duck to absorb some of it before she could do anything.

A couple minutes later, the duo manages to break through and create a hole for the group to get in. Sakura quickly hacks into the security cameras planted on the trees, and connects the group via her mental link.

"Alright, girls. You know your roles. Time to split up." Eunbi orders as the group goes their separate ways.

~~~~

"What the hell happened here?" Yena asks when she sees the state the campus was in. Normally at this time of day, trainees would be bustling around going about their daily routines. Now though, the campus was littered with guards everywhere, not a trainee in sight. It looked more like a military base now than a school.

"They've beefed up the security since yesterday..." Sakura observes, scanning for the building that housed the server room. Eventually, she spots it and motions for the others to follow her.

"That's the same building that those members of ITZY got into, right?" Yuri asks. There was that name again- ITZY. Chaeyeon got the short version from Eunbi the night before, but there were some details she was clearly leaving out. But why though?

"You mind giving me some more information on that team? Saku-chan and I don't even know what their powers are." Chaeyeon asks curiously. She doesn't miss the way Yena looks at Yuri gingerly, as if signaling her to proceed with caution.

"Well...Yena-unnie and I fought them, and they were really tough. From Eunbi-unnie's report, they have fire, shapeshifting, elasticity, teleportation and speed powers. Actually for that last one, it was more of slowing down time around her to make her appear faster or something." Yuri whispers as they arrive a few meters away from the data center's entrance.

Slowing down time...? It can't be. Chaeyeon thinks to herself. These powers being listed felt familiar to her, but she wasn't too sure.

"Enough chatter, guys. We need to break in now. Yuri, do your thing." Sakura interrupts. The hamster nods and walks up to the guard at the door, striking up a conversation. After thirty seconds, Yuri gives the go-signal, and the guard ushers the group inside.