[EN] LIFELINE (Jilix)

VI.

"The handle wasn't damaged in any way, he must have let them in without checking first," Felix sighed as he and Chris left another building in which they hadn't celebrated any success. All they found were a few stray cats.

"From what you're saying, he certainly didn't just get towed away," Christopher tried to comfort him as he sat down in the car.

"I know, but maybe if I'd been a few minutes faster..." freckles pressed his lips together to hold back tears.

"Don't blame yourself, it's not your fault. I know it's hard, but right now we have to let the "what ifs" go, and we have to focus on what's happening now."

Felix nodded and rubbed his eyes. He felt shivers creeping onto him. That was not a good sign...

He got strattled when Christopher's phone started ringing. The sanguine immediately picked up the call and started to drive.

"Yes, Seungmin?"

"Guys, we located Jisung. He's weak, but he's alive. I'm sending the address to Felix's cell phone."

"Oh my god," freckles whispered to himself as the notification on his phone dinged. This time he didn't try to stop the tears. He's alive... They don't know what condition he's in, but he's alive.

"Thank you," Christopher smiled and entered the address into the navigation system.

"How far is it?" asked Felix, and then he sniffled.

"If we go fast, and we will, we should be there in half an hour, it's just outside the city."

Felix nodded and wiped his nose with his hand. There was blood on his fingers. He cursed softly and started looking for tissues.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about me and go."

Christopher nodded sceptically, but without saying anything, he turned on the police beacon and stepped on the accelerator.

"We're sending reinforcements and an ambulance, they should meet you there," the operator continued.

"Great. Thanks again."

"You're welcome, it's my job," Seungmin laughed and ended the call.

***

Heavy footsteps were approaching quickly. Of course. It was clear the giant was going to want his phone back, though it took him almost twenty minutes to realize he didn't have it. It didn't matter now anyway, the police were on their way.

Jisung slid the phone back to where he found it before pretending to be passed out. He tried to calm his heartbeat as well as his breathing. He just had to hold on for a few more minutes, it would be over soon and this would just be a bad memory.

He heard the door open. Then someone entered and stopped for a moment.

"Dead, of course," the newcomer muttered under his breath.

He felt his gaze on him, but held his position unchanged, even though his mouth filled uncomfortably with saliva. His attacker must have concluded that he had won, because the next moment he had left the room.

When the door clicked, he sat up again and swallowed several times in a row. He desperately needed a drink.

***

Felix was leaning forward, pressing at least the fifth tissue to his nose. Apart from the heavy nosebleed, he was suffering from a fever with hypothermia and his head was pounding from the sound of the police siren. He wished this was all a nightmare he could snap out of in the warm bed next to Jisung, but this was his reality at the moment. He couldn't believe that only a few days ago he had laughed at Changbin because his girlfriend had eaten the chocolate he had saved for later.