[Hellion Brothers: Book #1] Hellion Brothers

53: The Traitor

"Tao, we have to go." Suho gently patted Tao's shoulder, knowing that the leader was still quite emotional from what he just did. They all knew it took him a lot of courage to let himself be separated from his anima, so it was a great deal that he knew what was the better thing to do, despite of how painful it could be. He was starting to learn how to be a great leader.

Tao looked down for a moment to blink back his tears, and his stern face returned as soon as he lifted his head. Everyone became attentive, knowing what they should do. A puff of black mist appeared right beside Tao.

"Kai, bring them to their positions." Kai nodded and grabbed Suho and Xiumin first. All three disappeared in the black mist, and in just a second, Kai has returned again for D.O and Sehun. As the Hellion Brothers disappeared pair by pair, Tao glared up at the Gold Moon, now starting to dominate the darkening sky. Once the sun has completely set, Kris would definitely be at the location at any minute. By then, Tao would've already made sure that once he comes in, he'll have no way out. Tonight, it's either he'll give up, or he'll die trying to escape.

He felt Kai reappear behind him. "Are you ready?"

"If ever things don't go as planned, I want you to take care of Maeji for me."

Kai's brows furrowed. "Don't say that. Everything will go as planned."

"I want you to promise," Tao turned around to give him a stern stare. "I chose you to be the only person to know where she'd be, because I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt her. I trust you, Kai."

He wanted to question that, but he knew Tao was serious. He took a deep breath and offered his hand. "I'll take care of her, I promise."

As soon as Tao accepted his hand, black mist swirled around them, until there was a moment that they were in complete darkness. Then the garden was replaced by the familiar playground, the one where they took Maeji about a month ago. They stood still, looking around the moonlit place, listening to the silence of the night. Tao's phone vibrated, and he answered the call.

"We don't see him anywhere," Suho's voice mumbled through the phone.

"Just stay alert." Tao ordered and glanced at the pond at the east of the playground, where Suho and Xiumin were located. In fact, the boys were scattered all over the spacious place, hidden under trees. Kai and Tao were the only ones out in the open, totally visible. Hopefully, cornering Kris from all sides could work. It was the only thing they could be sure of, after all.

"There it is. Coming from the South." Kai mumbled. They set their feet firm on the ground, ready for anything that would come to them. No matter how powerful it would be.

Just a few seconds later, something landed on the sand a little to violently about 30 feet away from them, making dust fly everywhere.

"We're ready when you are, Tao." Kai mumbled. Tao gave a small nod. As the dust settled down, the painfully familiar figure slowly filled their eyes. Kris was smiling, able to hold a piercing gaze even within 30 feet away.

"Good evening, Tao. I'm glad you didn't back out this time." He casually looked around to scan the empty area. Then he shook his head, chuckling. "Let me guess. Xiumin and Suho are beside the pond, D.O and Sehun are in that toy house, and Baekhyun and Chen are by the electric cables."

Tao's fists clenched. The atmosphere got tenser and tenser by the second as they started to feel unsure about this. They already thought about the possibility that Kris would know where they are, but they still hoped that he wouldn't figure it out this quick. But of course, he was a genius. It's almost impossible to outsmart him.

Kris started slyly walking towards them as he marveled at the bright Gold Moon in the sky.

"I kind of expected you'll have Lay beside you, though, but I guess you're starting to have some guts. The courage to take a blow even if it hurts. That's good to know, actually. You're starting to have some leader in you. At least I can now be rest assured that they didn't choose a very useless man to be leader, after all."