DIAMOND | Stray Kids

1;4

Four.

The number of digits in the passcode, and the number of attempts.

Nine.

Obvious. Player nine.

Two more digits.

"You have any ideas?" Seungmin asked rather arrogantly.
"Yeah," Chan mumbled.
"Like what, exactly?"
"Two digits," Chan replied calmly, "Four and nine. I'm not sure of the order but it's a start."
"And how would you know that? Do you work for these people or something?"
Chan rolled his eyes.
"No," he stated matter-of-factly, "I worked in beta testing puzzle games, I know exactly what I'm doing."
"This isn't a game," Seungmin scoffed.
"I am aware," Chan turned to glare at him, "But it's structured like one. It's all educated guessing, designed to make you panic and throw you off."
"And you knowing that somehow makes you better than the rest of us?"
Chan rolled his eyes, turning back to the keypad by the door and just trying to think.
"I bet my whole life you're the one who put us here, since you know so much," Seungmin guessed, "Care to tell us where we a-"
He barely had time to finish his sentence before before Chan had him pinned to the wall by his shoulders.
"Do you want to get out of here or not?" He growled, "I'm not the one who put us here, but even if I was, I'd still be your only chance."
"Chan," called Minho, "Let him go, we don't need this now. We'll have all the time in the world to argue once we're out of here, but right now the eight of us need to work together."
Chan backed away, turning back to the door.

Eight.

The number of us awake right now.

"Three digits," Chan said.

- - -

"Any clue about the last number, then?" Seungmin asked.
"No," Chan shook his head.
"What was all that big talk then?" He laughed, "All that big talk, but you were so hell bent on finding the passcode that you didn't think about hot-wiring the panel? So much for being the problem solver."
He walked back over to the door, pulling a metal comb from his back pocket and trying to pry the panel open.
"I don't recommend doing that," Jisung said, trying to stop him, "It's really not a good idea."
"I know what I'm doing," Seungmin replied, jamming the comb between the panel and the wall.
"You really don't-"
"Watch me."
"The comb is metal, it'll-
Seungmin instantly yelped and jumped back, clutching his hand. The comb was still wedged behind the panel, and he moved his hand back to retrieve it. Jisung stopped him.
"Not with your bare hands, you'll electrocute yourself again."
He took a step forward and kicked the comb, narrowly missing the keypad. The comb, now dislodged, fell to the floor.
"Thanks," Seungmin said, picking it up.
"No problem," Jisung replied, surprised that Seungmin had actually thanked him.
"Guys," Chan called, "I think Minho's got it."
Jisung and Seungmin looked up up and walked back over.
"Have you now?" Seungmin rolled his eyes, "What is it?"
"Another nine," Minho answered nonchalantly.
"Any idea about the order?" Jisung asked.
"4989," Minho replied, "We think."
"So go ahead and try it, then, genius," Seungmin huffed.
"Indeed I will," Minho smirked, striding over to the keypad.
He confidently punched the numbers in, eyebrows furrowing in confusion when the lock buzzed afterwards.
"It's wrong," he muttered, puzzled.
"Try 8949," Chan said.
"Eight... nine... four... nine," Minho mumbled as he inputted the numbers.
The lock buzzed again.
"No... Chan, we've got to try something else, I think the numbers are wrong."
"I know they are," Seungmin muttered.
"Then what are they, then?" Minho half shouted, annoyed, "You can't just choose to not get involved in anything, and then complain when it doesn't go your way. That's not how it works. So if you have any idea what's going on- at all- please, enlighten us."
Seungmin stood in shock, and Chan looked at Minho, in the hope of calming him down.
"He has a point," Woojin spoke calmly, unlike Minho, "There's no use in you doing nothing and getting annoyed at us. If you know anything we don't, just say so."
"Sorry, Minho," Seungmin apologised, turning back to look at Woojin, "I think I might have some idea."
Woojin smiled, putting a hand on Seungmin's shoulder.
"Then tell us, so we can all leave here together."