Hell & Back

5: The Spiders Web

Minho slowly regained consciousness, his head throbbing with pain. As his vision cleared, he found himself in a dimly lit room, the walls bare and cold. He tried to move, but his hands were tied behind his back, and his ankles were bound together.

Panic surged through him as he struggled against the restraints. The door creaked open, and two men stepped inside. Minho recognized them as the same boys he had seen before losing consciousness.

"Well, well, look who's awake. Welcome to the Spider's Web," one of them sneered. "Hope you enjoy your stay."

"Where am I?" Minho demanded, his voice shaky but defiant.

The other man laughed. "You're in a safe place, for now. But that depends on your cooperation."

Minho looked at the guys, all scared. "Wh-what do you mean?"

One of the men hit Minho with the butt of his gun on the side of his hip, causing him to let out a sharp scream. Another man grabbed his phone, calling someone. "Jackson, we've found the boy you've been watching," the man said, nodding to whatever the person on the other end was saying. "Boss said to leave him tied up here."

They left Minho in the room alone. After what felt like a few hours, a guy with blond hair came in.

"Hello, pretty boy," the newcomer said.

"Go to hell," Minho said, scared.

"Oh no, thank you. I think they've killed too many people for my liking," the guy replied, talking about Hell's Strays. Minho looked at him, a bit scared.

"I'm Jackson. Nice to meet you," the guy said.

Minho rolled his eyes and looked down at the ground.

"You know how bad Chan is? He's quite a terrible person. He killed my little sister. She was my only family, and now she's gone," Jackson said, looking at the floor before meeting Minho's eyes again. "You shouldn't be scared of me, though. I'm a good guy."

"How are you a good guy if you tied me up?" Minho said, looking Jackson in the eyes.

"Oh, right," Jackson said, pulling a pocket knife out of his pants. He walked over to Minho, who flinched as Jackson got closer. Jackson cut the ropes binding Minho.

"Thank you," Minho said, getting up and looking at Jackson.

"I'll show you around," Jackson said, smiling at Minho.

Jackson led Minho through the Spider's Web, an old warehouse converted into a gang hideout. Minho kept his guard up, not sure what to make of Jackson's strange mix of kindness and hostility.

"This is our main base," Jackson said, gesturing to the various rooms filled with equipment and people. "We're not all bad here. Just trying to survive like everyone else."

Minho eyed the people around him, some of whom glanced at him with curiosity or suspicion. "Why are you showing me this?" he asked, trying to understand Jackson's motives.

Jackson sighed. "Because I want you to see that we're not just monsters. We're people with lives and losses. Chan killed my sister, but I'm not going to stoop to his level by killing you."

Minho was silent, absorbing Jackson's words. Despite the danger, he could see the pain in Jackson's eyes, a pain that mirrored his own fear and confusion.

Minho was silent, absorbing Jackson's words. Despite the danger, he could see the pain in Jackson's eyes, a pain that mirrored his own fear and confusion.

"Speaking of gangs and shit, you should join ours. We're looking for more people, and I'll make sure you won't do anything dangerous. Just tag along for racing and stuff," Jackson said, turning to look at Minho.

Minho hesitated, looking at Jackson. "Maybe. I don't know. I've never been in a gang, and plus, I've just moved here from Korea, so I'm still learning," Minho said, looking around the Spider's Web. He sighed, contemplating the gravity of the decision. Joining a gang was not something he had ever considered, but the situation he found himself in was far from ordinary.

Jackson watched him, his expression softening. "I understand, Minho. It's a lot to take in. But we could really use someone like you. You don't have to make a decision right now."

Minho took a deep breath, trying to weigh his options. He felt a strange mix of fear and excitement at the thought of joining the gang. Despite his reservations, he also saw an opportunity to learn more about the world he was now a part of, and maybe even find a way to bridge the gap between the rival gangs.

"Okay," Minho said finally, meeting Jackson's gaze. "I'll join."

Jackson's face broke into a relieved smile. "Great. I promise you won't regret this, Minho. We'll look out for you, and you'll be part of something bigger."

Minho nodded, feeling a mix of apprehension and determination. He knew this was just the beginning of a new and uncertain chapter in his life, but he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

 Chan was in Hell's Strays' hideout, pacing back and forth in front of his gang members. The tension in the room was palpable as he suddenly slammed his hands down onto the table.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN MINHO JOINED THE SPIDERS?!" he roared, his voice echoing through the room. Chan's face was a mask of fury as he knocked over his chair, unable to contain his anger. The person he thought was a close friend had betrayed him, and the betrayal cut deep.

"Hyung, please calm down," one of his members, Hyunjin, said cautiously.

Chan grabbed Hyunjin by the collar, lifting him slightly off the ground. "HOW CAN I BE CALM WHEN SOMEONE I THOUGHT WAS CLOSE BETRAYED ME, HUH, HYUNJIN?!"

Felix, noticing the escalating tension, quickly intervened. He grabbed Chan's arm, trying to diffuse the situation. "Hyung, please calm down. There has to be another reason why he joined."

Chan's grip on Hyunjin loosened slightly, but his anger was still evident. "What reason could there be, Felix? He left us for them!"

Felix met Chan's furious gaze with a calm, steady one. "Maybe he didn't have a choice. Maybe there's more going on than we know."

Chan let go of Hyunjin, his anger giving way to a mix of frustration and confusion. "I need to find out what's really going on. I can't just sit here and do nothing."