Super

16. poetic justice

"No offence, but out of all of us, you look like you're the most likely to frequent a bar," Ten said.

"Wow, okay," Kai muttered in indignation, shaking his head for effect, but in reality, he wasn't too affected by the judgement. "Why not Lucas? He has the big, buff bouncer vibes."

"Vibes." Lucas, who was sitting at the window, poring over the mound of the conspirator magazines, rolled his eyes. "I don't have bouncer vibes."

"See?" Kai pointed an index finger at him with the hand that was holding a bottle of Gatorade. "That statement itself sounded like something a bouncer would say."

Lucas raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware you knew a lot of bouncers."

"I do."

The man's eyebrows rose as he ingested this confirmation. Lucas opened his mouth, not sure how to respond. "Okay?"

"It is something to be proud of, in case you were wondering," Kai replied to no question in particular, biting the straw sticking out from the bottle containing the drink, and took a long sip.

"We weren't wondering," Taeyong said dryly, "but thanks for the information."

"FYI." Mark grinned. They all looked at him, and the grin turned sheepish. "Sorry."

"Guys, can we focus?" Baekhyun demanded. He was looking like a tired soccer mom, Kai noticed, complete with the comfortable pants. He even had the van. "The mission is more important than your petty banter."

"'Mission'," Taeyong echoed, snorting. "I was under the impression that missions were supposed to be about serious stuff, not grown men walking into bars asking about kidnappings."

"Grown men do go to bars, Taeyong."

"I was talking about the context. That's funny."

Lucas frowned. "It is not."

"Yeah," Ten said, nodding. "I've heard better jokes from you, Taeyong. Wonder what happened to your sense of humor."

"Okay, jeez." Taeyong frowned. "Stop bullying me."

Baekhyun set down the pile of folders he was carrying and placed his hands on his hips, pursing his lips in a stern-parent way. Kai noticed that he did that a lot, along with the frowning and the hip thing he did. He half-expected him to procure a whistle and start screaming at them. "Everyone, pay attention," he repeated, clapping once. "Yong, the files, please."

Taeyong obliged, getting up from his rather lethargic position on the recliner and making his way towards the pile that was now dumped on the central table. Kai smiled a little, realizing that he hadn't objected to Baekhyun calling him 'Yong', and had offered less resistance than usual. He really was warming up to them.

"So, Kai and Lucas, the two of you take up your positions in the Mayfly tonight an hour before midnight," Taeyong said through the pen cap in his mouth, still managing to sound clear. He must have a lot of practice, Kai thought. "You'll have earpieces, but try not to speak to us unless it's important in case there's someone from the Foursaken around."

"Is that what we're calling them?" Mark asked, wide-eyed. "Really?"

"Wait, did you say Lucas?" Lucas asked, astonished, and gestured to Kai. "I thought he was the only one going!"

Kai would have made a joke about him having bouncer vibes, but something Taeyong had said had caught his attention. "The Mayfly?" he asked, frowning. "That's, like, a block away from the place Taemin found me."

"Is it?" Taemin raised an eyebrow, his first contribution to the conversation since it had started. "I found you in a burning parking lot, not a nightclub."