Noctura

forty five

minho

THE WATER in my glass swirls as I rotate the glass, until I set it back down on the table and watch as the water stills, becoming serene.

I don't know how long it's been since I started swirling the water in my glass.

When I look up, my eyes fall on the clock on the stove: 9:31 p.m.

How is it already this late?

"Minho?"

I look over to my left and see Jinwoo standing in the living room.

"Have you... have you heard anything?"

I look down at my phone on the table and see the black screen, no lights showing I have any messages.

"Nothing." I look back at Jinwoo.

He nods, slowly sitting down on the couch.

"Yoon said he was going to turn himself in. I believe him. He has to be there now." I sigh. "The AAN has him now."

Silence fills the house.

"Can't we do something?" Jinwoo asks suddenly.

I turn my head toward him. "What?"

He stands up, moving toward me. "We can't just leave him there. We know he's there. Can't we do something to get him out or something?"

I think for a long moment, trying to figure out what to say.

"No?" Jinwoo questions, then sighs. "We can't help him?"

"I..." I trail off, forming my words coherently. "The AAN is composed of individuals who dedicate every second of their time to killing Nocturas. They've learned how to be good at what they do. I don't know how we would be able to save him."

"But..." Jinwoo hesitates, swallowing before continuing. "That file from the lab about me, remember it? I'm stronger than other Nocturas. That means I'm definitely stronger than humans. Maybe because of that, we'll have a better chance."

He is right...

Jinwoo is stronger than other Nocturas...

Ideas start forming in my head and I suddenly look over at Jinwoo, my eyes wide.

"I think I have an idea."

I get up and start moving toward my bedroom. I hear Jinwoo following me.

"Minho? What is it? What's your idea?"

I go into the bedroom and open the closet. I grab a black sweatshirt and hand it to Jinwoo. Then I grab a gray one and throw it over my black shirt.

"Minho? What's going on?"

I look over at Jinwoo. "We're gonna go in through a back door. They're probably keeping Yoon in one of those interrogation rooms, so we'll have to weave through some hallways to get to him. People are going to see us, and they're going to come after us. You have to get aggressive and go after them, Jinwoo. You fight everyone off and I'll go and get Yoon."

Jinwoo nods. "Okay, that makes sense. But..."

"But what?"

"But what if I can't change or something?" He asks suddenly. "What if I can't fight them?"

"You were in the Noctura fights, remember?" I ask him. "You were able to take that guy down, once you got angry and aggressive. These are just humans, so they're not as powerful as Nocturas. You just have to change and go after them."

"How do I change?"

I take a deep breath, putting my hand on his shoulder. "I promise if you let yourself slip into instinct, you'll be fine. The only thing is that you have to watch out for their guns and knives. They'll try to shoot you in the head and you cannot let them do that. Once they've shot your head, you go unconscious and they slit your throat. You can't heal fast enough from that. But you can heal from other gunshots and stab wounds. Your instincts will take over and your need to survive will kick in more than usual. You'll be fine."

"And you'll get Yoon?" Jinwoo asks.

I nod, dropping my hand from Jinwoo's shoulder. "I'll go after Yoon. You just do everything you can to defend me and him, okay?"

Jinwoo takes a deep breath. "Are you sure this is going to work?"

"I hope so," I answer. "There's only one way to find out, right?"

Jinwoo puts the sweatshirt on while I head toward the front door. I quickly redirect myself into the kitchen and open one of the drawers, pulling out a long piece of metal and then stuffing it in my jeans pocket.

I pull my hood up over my hair and turn to see Jinwoo doing the same.

"Ready?" I ask him.

He nods.

We leave the house and step out into the dark streets. I move a couple steps in front of Jinwoo, but he never trails behind. Our pace is quick, but not too quick, in case anyone were to see us out here.

Once I can see the AAN building, I grab Jinwoo's arm and pull him into an alley. We move down the alley and come around on the back side, so we'll end up behind the AAN building.

Jinwoo follows me, his footsteps as light as mine, if not lighter.

When we're close to the AAN building, I have Jinwoo stop and kneel down. I look around the corner of the building to see that there are no guards around the AAN building.

"How are we gonna get in?" Jinwoo whispers.

"I have a piece of metal," I tell him. "I can pick the lock. I need you to get aggressive though, Jinwoo."

"How?" He asks. "I don't... I don't know how."

I take a deep breath. "Those people in there have Yoon. They're probably torturing him as we speak. We have to go in there and save him, Jinwoo. They're going to kill him if we don't."

Jinwoo gives me a concerned look. "Minho... I can't."

"Yes you can," I tell him. "Don't say you can't. You can do it, Jinwoo. Just think about it. Think about the situation. Envision your eyes changing, the adrenaline running through your blood."

Jinwoo closes his eyes, thinking.

"You can do it," I whisper to him. "Come on, let's go."

I bring him out from the alley and over to the back door of the AAN. We kneel down together and I bring the long piece of metal out from my pocket, immediately starting to pick the lock.

"Minho, what if I can't?"

"You can, Jinwoo," I say confidently. "But I'm gonna need you to do it pretty soon."

I hear a click inside the lock on the door. I turn to Jinwoo.

His eyes are full of concern.

"Minho—"

I interrupt him by pushing against his chest, causing him to stumble backward.

"What was that for?" He suddenly asks.

"You're worried," I tell him. "You're not changing. Come on, Jinwoo. Do it."

I push against his chest again.

He glares at me. "Do you really think pushing me is going to do anything?"

"Get it together, Jinwoo!" I whisper angrily, shoving him again.

He glares harder and I watch as his eyes change to black and violet.

I grin. "There. Now don't lose the aggression."

I turn to the back door of the AAN building.

This is for Yoon.

I open the door.