GROUND ONE • LEE DONGHYUCK •

twenty-two.

JISUNG STARED AT SAGE AS SHE GOT CLOSER TO THE COMPUTER.

"My mother was the first fucking experiment," she breathed out. She clicked a few buttons, Jisung growing his eyebrows.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Printing out this damn study so we can go."

The sound of the printer whirring sounded, meaning that they were starting to print. Sage didn't know how to feel or think. Did the experiment cause her abusive behavior? The time frame would make sense because her mother didn't become abusive until she was eight.

The lights in the basement began to flicker— the computer beeping rapidly. "The fuck?" she mumbled before they were engulfed in complete darkness. The printer stopped and Sage shook her head. "No no no." She grabbed the papers that had printed and sighed. It wasn't the whole study, hell it wasn't even half.

"Sage we have to go."

"Bu-"

"There's nothing we can do about the papers. The computer is fried. Either we stay here and die or we go up there and get out of here."

She didn't respond to him as she walked up the stairs. She pulled the door open, the quietness shocking her. It was too damn quiet especially since they were in the process of being ambushed.

Her feet were silent as she walked through the hallway— Jisung following close behind her. Sage peeked around the counter, bodies everywhere. They all had on black suits so she knew it wasn't none of her friends.

"Sage!" she heard Donghyuck yell out. "Sage!"

She ran towards his voice, the man turning towards the sudden footsteps. His worried face turned to relief as he looked at her. "I told you to stay in your spot," he said, pulling her into his embrace.

"Jisung pulled me away from there. Sorry for worrying you."

"It's okay as long as you're safe."

She looked at his bruised face, frowning. She remembered that she had the study in her hands so she pulled away from Donghyuck, handing it to Taeyong. "We need to talk when we get to the other safe house."

"What is this?" he asked.

"I'll explain later," she assured. "Let's just go okay?"

Taeyong gave her a questionable look but nonetheless, he lead them all out to the getaway truck. They all jogged towards the car that was in the garage. Taeyong opened pressed a button and the garage opened up to reveal a black, armored truck. The windows were all tinted so no one would be able to see inside of it. He unlocked the doors and they all eventually began to get inside of it. There was a passage and driver seat but the back of the truck didn't have any seats. Taeyong got into the drivers seat and Mark accompanied him in the passager's.

Sage sat down, her face showing no sort of expression. She was in shock. Did her dad know about this? How long did they test on her mother? No matter how much Sage hated that woman, it still affected her. Those experiments were the reason why she was given the same trauma Ground One looked for.

Taeyong placed the keys into the ignition, Donghyuck placing on arm around Sage. She leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes. Her leg shook out of anxiousness. "You okay?" he asked. Sage didn't open her mouth as she grabbed his hand- squeezing it lightly.

She was far from okay.

Taeyong exited the garage and made his way towards the path that led towards the underground. Due to the base having so much land, it was a few minutes away.

Sage heard a crack behind their car, moving away from Donghyuck. "Did y'all hear that?" she asked. Chenle shrugged. "We are in the forest it might be branches or animals."

Sage shook her head, getting closer to the back window. She squinted due to the tint and night affecting her vision. Her eyes widened as headlights turned on, a car revving up from behind them. "Taeyong," she yelled.

"I see them," he told her, speeding up the truck. Taeyong moved one hand away from the steering wheel and grabbed something from his bag underneath his legs. He handed it to Mark. "This is an explosive device," he told them. "When we get under that tunnel one of you need to throw it so it'll stick to the top of the tunnel. I have a button that i'll press when they try to follow us in.

The car behind them began to fire gunshots, the bullets ricocheting because of the bulletproof armor. Mark turned around and looked at the group.

"I'll do it," Jeno said as he grabbed the device. The car sped up from behind them, lightly hitting their car. "Shit," Taeyong cursed as they did it again, this time with more force. "Hold on."

Taeyong pressed the gas pedal all the way down, launching the group's body towards the back of the truck. Donghyuck clung onto Sage and gave the back of Taeyong's head a small glare. "I told you to hold on," he muttered.

As they approached the tunnel, Jeno inched closer to the door— ready to get the car from off of their tail. "Now Jeno!"

The man quickly opened the door, his body slightly hanging out. He threw the device and sure enough, it stuck. He got back into the car and closed the door— Taeyong pressing the button. The explosion rumbled the entire tunnel, bricks beginning to fall from the sky. Sage watched as the car ran straight into the rubble, the gunshots stopping almost immediately.

She let out a sigh of relief before slumping into Donghyuck's embrace.