Deep End | Hyunlix

6

The last thing Chan heard before the chaos erupted was Felix's urgent yell: abort. In that instant, everything went sideways. The lights cut off, plunging them into pitch-black darkness. Chan's heart raced, and adrenaline surged through him. He and Seungmin immediately drew their guns, senses heightened, ready for whatever was coming next but Felix's next order never came.

He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, gunshots rang out, the sharp sound echoing through the warehouse. Instinct kicked in, and Chan ducked behind a stack of boxes, pulling night vision goggles from his pocket. The world around him turned a faint green hue, but the chaos was far from over.

"Guys, what's happening? I just heard shots fired?" Han's voice crackled through the earpiece, worry laced in his tone. He sounded ready to charge in.

"Stay put for now, Han," Chan responded, keeping his voice steady despite the uncertainty. "We're figuring it out. Seungmin, are you clear?"

"Yes, I'm taking cover right now. Felix, what's our plan of action?" Seungmin's voice came back, but it was met with silence on their end. Felix still hadn't answered.

Chan peeked around the corner of the boxes. He could see Seungmin crouched behind some crates to his left, but Felix was nowhere to be found. His heart sank. The last thing he wanted was for the younger to be taken.

"Felix, come in," Chan said into his earpiece, his pulse quickening. "Seungmin, do you see Felix?"

"Negative," Seungmin replied, his voice tight with concern.

Shit, was he grabbed? Why would they grab him? Chan's mind raced as he tried to push panic aside. They needed to stay calm, he was the second-in-command now, and it was his job to lead the team through this mess.

"Okay," he began, forcing himself to focus. "We can only assume his earpiece is out, and he either managed to get away or was grabbed. Han, start the car and be ready for us. Seungmin and I will be coming out hot. I.N, check the cameras. See if you can see anything."

"You got it, let me know when you're ready for me," Han responded immediately, the engine of the car humming to life.

"I'll search through the security cameras," I.N's voice came through clearly, the sound of fast typing following his words.

Chan took another quick look around, his heart racing in his chest. The plan had gone from smooth to chaotic in a matter of moments. He couldn't afford to let fear take over.

"Seungmin," he said quietly, "on my signal, run towards the doors. I'll cover you until you get there. Once you're in position, let me know, and I'll need you to cover me from there. Han, we'll need you out front, be ready."

"Understood," everyone responded, their voices unified in purpose despite the tension.

Chan breathed deeply, but his nerves were still on edge. With Felix missing, the pressure was higher than ever. Keep it together, he told himself. We need to get everyone out of here safe. He glanced over the boxes again, his eyes locking onto the three guards slowly advancing toward them from the opposite side of the warehouse. The silence was deafening now, the calm before the storm.

Chan looked at Seungmin, signaling for him to move. Seungmin darted out from behind cover and sprinted toward the door. Chan immediately opened fire, taking shots at the guards to keep them distracted. The first guard was hit in the shoulder, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground with a pained shout. The second guard bent down to help him, while the third guard turned, aiming at Chan.

"Seungmin, go!" Chan barked, his voice low as he fired again, striking the third guard's arm. Blood sprayed from the wound, but the guard kept coming, and Chan gritted his teeth, ready for the next move.

"I'm good," Seungmin reported, panting heavily from his sprint.

Chan glanced over his shoulder to see Seungmin already crouched behind the plastic strip curtains, taking cover. The guards, meanwhile, had paused their advance to tend to the injured one, giving Chan a brief window to make his move.

"Han, we're ready for you," Chan said, his voice steady, but his nerves were barely contained.

"See you soon," Han replied, the van's engine roaring as he prepared to move into position.

Chan nodded at Seungmin, signaling that it was time to run. He could hear the beat of his own heart in his ears as he prepared to make a break for it. The guards were still distracted, but it wouldn't be long before they recovered. He knew he had only moments to act. He backed up slowly, keeping his gun aimed, ready to take down any threats.

But just as he turned to sprint, a shot rang out.

The impact was sharp and sudden, a searing pain hit Chan in the side. He stumbled forward, losing his footing and crashing to the ground with a grunt. The breath was knocked out of him as he felt the cold sting of the bullet wound. He immediately touched the spot, relieved to feel the bulk of his vest absorb most of the impact. But the pain still burned through him.

Seungmin's frantic voice echoed in his earpiece, but Chan couldn't make sense of it, the pain and dizziness overwhelming his senses. He forced himself to focus, ignoring the wave of nausea. He had to keep moving. The mission wasn't over.

"I'm fine," he managed to gasp, pushing himself up as quickly as he could. He started running toward Seungmin, who immediately began covering him, shooting at the guards as they moved into position.

"Are you okay?" Seungmin asked as Chan reached him.

"I'm good. Let's get out of here," Chan replied, his teeth gritted. He followed Seungmin through the back door, his mind still reeling from the gunshot, but there was no time to dwell on it. They needed to move.

Han was already waiting for them, the van parked and ready to go. They jumped into the vehicle, and Han slammed on the gas, speeding away from the warehouse.

"What the hell happened in there?" Han asked, glancing at the two of them through the rearview mirror, his concern evident.

Chan looked at Seungmin and then back at Han, his mind still spinning. "I.N, catch me up on what you found out," he said, needing to focus on what came next.

"I'm going through the footage now," I.N replied, his voice steady as ever, despite the chaos that had unfolded. "I'll have answers soon."

Chan leaned back, rubbing his side where the bullet had hit. Stay focused. We'll get through this, he thought, but his mind kept returning to Felix. Where was he? What had happened to him inside that warehouse?

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