I rush to the living room once I hang up with Namjoon, grabbing the remote control amd switching on the television, finding the news channel.
The boys all stare at me weirdly, but their attention is soon averted to the screen as a young reporter speaks.
"ㅡbreakout is said to have occurred late at night, however, there is no real proof of how or when the breakout happened as all the security cameras were out of system as well as their tapes being completely gone. The police reported the death of all the staff inside the shelter, including guards, doctors, and nurses, all except the receptionist, Jung Hoseok, a young man in his early 20s, who is reportedly missing. It is assumed that he was kidnapped by the Code: RED hybrids during the breakout, although the reason behind it is still unknown. The government advices all people to stay in their houses for now until they find the escaped monstersㅡ"
"The Code: REDs escaped the shelter?" Jimin says in a low voice, now all eyes fixed on him with the reporter's voice fading in the background.
Jungkook had long left Taehyung's embrace, and is now staring at black space, his ears standing on edge and his eyes wide.
"Yeah," I trail off, my eyes going back to the screen playing a video of the shelter from outside, blur covering the bloodied bodies of the dead staff as they're being moved to ambulances. "They did."
"And it seems to be well-planned," I add, looking back at Jimin. "The security cameras were off and the tapes are gone. They must have been planning this for a while, but how? Each hybrid is in a room on his own."
"Wㅡ They're smarter than you," Taehyung says, raising an eyebrow at me suggestively, "Pretty sure they found a way, don't you think? After all, Code: REDs are smarter than humans."
I turn to Taehyung, watching how he leans back with his arms and legs crossed, his face blank. He seems unbothered with the news as he looks away from me and to the television screen, rolling his eyes at the reporter's words.
Jimin glances at Taehyung then looks at me, staring intently as if trying to tell me something, and after a few seconds of eye contact, he breaks it and glares at Taehyung.
"I think we need to go," Jimin says, finally tearing his eyes away from the hybrid. "Jungkook?"
He stretches a hand out and Jungkook takes it, walking with him to the front door. I open the door for them, waiting by it when Jimin comes closer and whispers in my ear.
"I don't trust him. Stay safe, Seol," He says, and with one last glare at Taehyung, he walks away and I shut the door.
I look at Taehyung, now leaning to the side with his elbow resting on the arm's couch to support his head, but his eyes aren't watching the news anymore. Instead, they're narrowing and dilating frequently, emotions flickering through them as thoughts run through his mind. His ears are alert, flinching at every little sound and his tail is still, way too still.
"What are you thinking of?" I ask.
His ears flick towards me faster than his head does, and once he looks at me, his eyes go back to how they normally are, and his tail starts swaying gently again. It takes him a few seconds to reply.
"Nothing," He lies.
I hum, walking closer. "Do you... know anything about the breakout?"
His eyes study me, scanning me head to toe before he talks. "What do you mean?"
"You're not stupid to not get what I mean," I say.
"You don't trust me?"
"This isn't about trust." I sigh. "Thiㅡ"
I'm cut off by my phone ringing again, and I immediately pick up when I see it's Namjoon.
"Did you see the news?" He asks from the other line, and I hum in response, keeping my eyes locked with Taehyung's.
"Listen, Hanseol, something weird is going on. Thisㅡ this breakout isn't normal and I justㅡ I don't know, I really don't, I just don't have a good feeling about it. It's the start of something. Do you get me?"
I hum again, and the line goes silent for a few seconds. Namjoon senses my lack of response, and so he asks, "Is he in the room?"
I hum again.
"Don't you trust him?"
"I do, but," I finally say, looking away from Taehyung.
"It's alright, I know you can't talk right now," Namjoon says, "But listen, Hanseol, if you really trust Taehyung, and he trusts you back as much, then make sure of it, because if what's on my mind is true, then we'll need him."
"What's on your mind, boss?"
I stare back at Taehyung looking at the television screen, a hint of a smile showing on his face when it again displays the dead staff.
"A riot."
Code: RED: End
Code: RIOT: Begin