COLD ᝰ.ᐟ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐗

[ 22 ]

A fragile whimper echoed from the corner of the dark basement each time someone walked past the door that kept Changbin shut in darkness.

Everything in the boy's body ached. Even staying still, dull aches plagued every inch of his body, and dare he move, it sent a burning rush of pain coursing through his veins, cutting brutally through his insides.

As much as he didn't want it to be, the darkness was his friend. It was a protection. He couldn't see himself. All he could do was feel. He could feel the dried blood on his skin and the open wounds cascading down his torso and back, but at least his pitch black surroundings masked his thinking and perception. It was much worse than what the darkness made it out to be. And much worse than Changbin thought. He couldn't see the amount of blood lining the walls and floors, he couldn't see the cigarette burns that coated his palms, he couldn't see the broken ribs that with any one wrong movement could puncture his lungs. He could feel it all, but that was just pain—all just pain.

He couldn't see shit.

"We found blood behind the old pizzeria, it was a dead end so that's likely where Changbin was caught," Hyunjin relayed to the rest of the members now that they were back at the vans.

"Yeah," Felix said, "they definitely scrapped it out there. One; 'cause Changbin wouldn't ever go down without a fight. And two; 'cause there's clear evidence of a struggle. Kicked up dirt, drag marks, more splattered blood, ec cetera."

The members nodded grimly. Changbin was hurt, but just how bad? Jeongin was silently pushing back tears as he listened to the boys explain what they saw. He felt awful, to say the least. Chan noticed the poor boy and kindly placed an arm around his shoulder, pulling him into his warm grasp. Jeongin said nothing, instead quietly accepting the gesture, enjoying the warmth of the older boy who held him comfortingly.

"We looked around a little more and found a set of what looked to be footprints but as we followed them down the alley out of the dead end, they quickly ended up looking like whoever owned them was being dragged," Minho explained, showing a few photos they'd taken of the said place.

Everyone nodded again. They hadn't a clue what to do and couldn't do much to 'interpret' the photos placed before them.

"What's the plan?" Jisung spoke up.

Felix bit his lip and glanced up at Hyunjin. The blonde nodded.

"I have one," he spoke. "But it's risky and has little to no ground."

Jeongin looked down, apprehension and worry riddled in his eyes. Whilst Chan seemed distracted, gaze fixed on Hyunjin Minho quietly reassured Jeongin with soft whispers, placing his hand in the youngest's.

"Okay," Hyunjin had to grab everyone's attention, "listen up!"

They were going to filter through what security cams were in and around the area in which Changbin was taken, in search of what they really needed.

A lead.

Jeongin quickly pulled up the cams and looked around. They were few and far between, in the slums people got away with shit all the time—why bother trying to prevent it.

An intense silence coated the room as Jeongin's fingers danced furiously across the keyboard, filtering through security footage from every cam he could possibly find.

"Wait," Minho spoke up.

Jeongin turned around quickly. "What?"

"Play that tape back," Minho pointed at the screen. His finger continued to hover over the screen as Jeongin did as he was told.