Soulless: Awakening - Chapter Nine
Title: Soulless: Awakening
Chapter: 9/11
Fandom: SS501, cameos of Super Junior, BEAST and SHINee
Pairing: KyuMinSaeng
Rating: PG-16
Warning: AU, Dystopia, Angst
Summary: Arc I. The year is 400 AM…400 After Man. Humankind is extinct, but they didn’t leave Earth uninhabited. For 400 years androids have lived in their place. Citizens have the same thoughts, same likes and same dislikes as every other android in their model. But even an automated society has its troublemakers. A terrorist group calling themselves the Soulfuls operate outside their model programming and stir unrest. The government advises all citizens to report any Soulful activity immediately, and to stay away from them, for Soulfuls are those infected with a virus causing them to behave erratically…a very contagious virus…
A/N: Arc I was written for National Novel Writing Month 2010, hope you enjoy! Do not own the characters, but the plot is all mine. Please comment <3
The next KyuJong heard of the new recruits, they had been grouped into their own cell rather than join HyunJoong’s. This, he was surprised at.
“Why don’t they come with us?” He inquired, blinking. After watching JungMin hang upside-down from the bed for a good hour, just watching them, he had wondered what the redhead was seeing and done the same. It was extremely pointless, but he was somewhat mystified at watching the others walk around like they were on the ceiling.
“We have our own pace, and they have theirs,” YoungSaeng shrugged. Somehow YoungSaeng’s and JungMin’s room had become the unofficial meeting spot for when KyuJong wasn’t working and they weren’t either recharging or on missions. “It’s good that they came in as five, and that they already seem to have their own form of teamwork. Some people in the first cell are going to watch over them until their designated leader figures out how to lead, but other than that, we’ve got our fourth cell.”
Right, KyuJong mused. They had a third cell too. He still hadn’t met any of them, and his questions were never answered, so he had stopped asking. “Who’s the leader?”
“JinKi,” JungMin laughed, shaking his head. “They don’t listen to him at all.”
“Like you don’t listen to HyunJoong,” KyuJong countered, smirking, and yelped when JungMin tickled his exposed belly.
“I don’t listen to him when he’s being a twit, there’s a difference.”
“He must always be a twit then.”
“There you have it.”
YoungSaeng watched with amusement. “Let’s not start a fight, we have a meeting in a few minutes.”
“Meeting?” KyuJong blinked around JungMin’s long legs at YoungSaeng.
“Cell meeting,” YoungSaeng elaborated.
“We have meetings every second, over the comm line.”
JungMin rolled his eyes, grabbing KyuJong’s flailing hands and pulling him right off the bed and onto the floor, the Model 6 yelping. “Quit arguing and let’s go.”
KyuJong flailed on the floor for a moment before he got his hands free from JungMin’s and his legs untangled, standing up properly. “What about?” he asked, feeling the beginning of nervousness. The last time he had attended a cell meeting, it had been both the first and second cell and had resulted in him, YoungSaeng and SungMin climbing into the base of the tower in 4-01 and nearly being killed.
“Actually, we have no idea,” YoungSaeng smiled sheepishly. “Which is why we need to go see what’s going on. As far as I know, the other cells aren’t involved. They’re still helping Key recover and figure out how to walk again.”
“Key?”
“The fifth new recruit,” YoungSaeng elaborated as they slipped out the door of his room and he closed it behind them. “The one who came in pieces? He actually chose the name KiBum, but we already have a KiBum, so he took a nickname just to be less confusing.”
KyuJong blinked at him. “You can have two people with the same name?”
“Of course,” JungMin snorted. “Humans didn’t have an endless amount of names. There were quite a lot of overlaps. KiBum in particular seems to be a popular name.”
Supposing it made sense, KyuJong slowly nodded, wondering if there was another Kim KyuJong somewhere, who just didn’t know he had a name.
Reaching the meeting room a few minutes later, KyuJong watched as YoungSaeng knocked before opening the door, stepping aside to let JungMin and KyuJong in. Following the redhead inside, KyuJong paused and blinked. HyungJoon and HyunJoong were already there…as was KiBum. Not the new recruit KiBum…but the one whose Model KyuJong couldn’t figure out to save his life. Even now as he looked at the other man, his system threw up error messages as it automatically tried to identify the Model number and failed.
HyunJoong smiled at them as they came in. “Hey. You should turn off your mics now.”
YoungSaeng and JungMin did so automatically, KyuJong following with hesitance and, as usual, a question. “Why would it matter? We’re all here, aren’t we?”
KiBum was the one who answered to KyuJong’s surprise. “Maybe, but comm lines have been tapped into before, and why take the risk when it’s so easily fixed?”
KyuJong blinked. “The government can listen in?”
“I never said anything about the government.”
That confused KyuJong, as well as had his attention. “What do you mean?” he asked, slowly sitting down in one of the chairs around the table. YoungSaeng was closing and locking the door behind them, before the 3 took a seat next to JungMin and curled up with his head against the 7’s arm.
“It’ll become clear in a few minutes,” KiBum smiled, before sitting back and looking at HyunJoong. KyuJong did the same, wondering why KiBum was even here. Wasn’t it a cell meeting? KiBum was definitely not in their cell…KyuJong wasn’t even sure he was in a cell, though he could very well be in the mysterious third cell.
YoungSaeng and JungMin, when he turned to look at them, looked just as confused at first until some sort of understanding dawned. Then, their reactions surprised him. YoungSaeng grew quiet and slightly nervous, while JungMin seemed to become a touch…angry?
HyunJoong smiled at them, clearly noticing the tension in the air but ignoring it for the moment. “We have a few things to go over for now, sorry for the short notice. Don’t mind KiBum ah, he’ll be listening in to the first half of the meeting.”
“What’s going on, Hyun?” YoungSaeng asked quietly.
Their cell leader’s lips twisted into a rueful smile. “I guess I’ll cut straight to the chase then. Remember when our very own mechanic over here nearly ended up as facility bait when he was found near the research lab in 4-08?” He motioned to HyungJoon sitting next to him.
“Yeah,” JungMin wrinkled his nose at the younger android. “Still no idea what you were doing over there.”
“That’s what we’re talking about now,” HyunJoong said simply. “Right, Joon?”
HyungJoon bit his lower lip lightly. “…Yeah. Well…” He floundered for a moment before sighing. “I was sent there to find out information.”
“By who, by HyunJoong?” YoungSaeng asked quietly.
The 7 shook his head, and pointed at KiBum. “By him.”
JungMin stared at KiBum. “…Why one of us? Why not send your friends like you usually do?”
“Because right now, I’m thinking one of my friends might have been compromised,” KiBum said quietly.
KyuJong looked from one person to the other, feeling like they all understood what was going on except for him. “I think…I’m missing something.”
HyunJoong looked to YoungSaeng, who bit his lower lip before turning enough to see KyuJong on JungMin’s other side. “KiBum only asks people to carry out missions for him for one reason, Kyu yah,” he said quietly.
The 6 blinked. “And…what would that be?”
KiBum’s lips curled. “Do you know what it is I do in this organization, KyuJong sshi?”
KyuJong shook his head.
HyunJoong opened his mouth, but it was HyungJoon who answered.
“He’s our expert for detecting the Soulless.”
That took a moment to process fully. KyuJong blinked, remembering the term, and what he had been told long ago when he joined the Soulfuls.
What are the Soulless?
They’re androids engineered to behave like us. There are purpose inconsistencies in their programming to imitate the idea of a ‘soul’…but they aren’t like us. They’re just imitations.
His CPU ran at full-speed then, latching on to another piece of remembered conversation.
What is their purpose?
To get into HQ and bring us down.
…Wait…
Have there ever been any Soulless infiltrations here?
KyuJong’s eyes widened as it finally clicked, and he looked up. “You think there’s a Soulless here.”
HyunJoong nodded, and looked towards KiBum.
“We know there’s a Soulless here,” KiBum said quietly. “And right now, all fingers are pointing towards the first cell. So I asked HyungJoon to carry out the mission rather than my friends in that cell…because for all I know, it could be one of them.”
The Model 6 blinked. “That means there’d had to have been a Soulless in here all along…weren’t they in this organization since the beginning?”
“The vast majority of them were, yes,” KiBum sighed. “That’s part of what confuses me…all the signs point towards them, but the Soulless activity only started recently. Information leaks.”
“What kind of information?” YoungSaeng asked quietly. “What happened?”
KiBum looked at them. “The government knows there’s a Model 8 still alive.”
Everyone in the room paled.
“Do they know where he is?” JungMin demanded.
“They know we’re hiding him, but since they don’t know where we are yet, that secret is still safe. But if there’s a Soulless hidden here…” KiBum rubbed his temples.
“We need to move then,” YoungSaeng said quietly. “This place isn’t safe, the Soulless would have given the location away.”
KyuJong felt unease at that. This place…YoungSaeng had once called it ‘home’. And it was home, in the material sense, but also the emotional and psychological sense of the word. They belonged here. What would happen to this place? What would happen to all the human belongings in the vault? They couldn’t move them all…
And then there was DongHae….in the week since KyuJong had been introduced to the Model 8, DongHae moving past his fear and opening up tremendously, a strange protectiveness had formed in his chest concerning the 8. He wanted to keep DongHae safe, and he knew the feeling was one the entire organization shared. Those who were aware of DongHae’s presence looked after him with complete care, and he knew they would be devastated if anything were to happen to him.
At first, KyuJong had thought the feeling was this ‘love’ thing YoungSaeng had tried to explain. But it didn’t match, not completely. He cared about DongHae, yes, but DongHae didn’t feel like a part of him like YoungSaeng had said it would feel. If something happened to DongHae, it would hurt, but it wouldn’t be as crippling as losing a power core. He was tempted to ask YoungSaeng about it, but the 3 had been avoiding any discussion of love, so he had kept it to himself.
“This place still looks to be safe,” KiBum said quietly. “Remember the patrols of 3’s from a few days ago?”
They all nodded. KyuJong recalled seeing the patrols from his apartment window.
“They were looking for us. Whoever the Soulless is, he hasn’t given away where we are.”
“That doesn’t make sense though,” YoungSaeng murmured. “Wouldn’t that be the very first thing they give away?”
“Normally. But we hacked into the city network, and there’s no sign of any knowledge of this HQ. And if they had known, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
JungMin frowned. “So if we find out who it is, we can still stop them from giving away this location, right?”
KiBum nodded. “Right. That’s why all of you are here right now. I asked HyunJoong for help, and he said you would give it.”
“What are we going to do?” YoungSaeng asked.
“Sneak into one of the facilities,” KiBum replied. He tapped a button on the top of the table, a holographic screen flashing to life. “They store information on Soulless in there, the android numbers and everything. If you can find out who it is, we can stop this from going the same way the cells in Old China went.”
KyuJong blinked, listening. “Wait, can’t we just ask everyone in the first cell if they’re a Soulless?” he asked, frowning. “And wire into their CPU to see if they’re lying? It would register as a lie, wouldn’t it?”
“That would be true…if not for one possibility,” KiBum said, leaning forward. His eyes met KyuJong’s and held them.
“Only about half of the Soulless created know what they are.”
The 6 blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”
“…Let me put it this way. Remember the tracking chip HyungJoon pulled out of you on your first day with us?” KiBum asked simply.
KyuJong nodded.
“Did you know that was there?”
“…No,” KyuJong replied slowly. “I had no idea.”
“So if we had asked you before you knew about it, if you were bugged or not…you would reply as no, and it wouldn’t register as a lie because you don’t know, right?”
“Right,” KyuJong nodded.
KiBum’s smile was bitter. “Think of Soulless programming like that tracking chip. It’s there, it dictates what they do, how they act…but only about 50% of Soulless know it’s there. The other half of the group…they’re what we call Sleepers. Hidden agents. The programming is dormant until it is called upon, sometimes called upon without the Soulless himself even knowing it was.”
HyunJoong picked up as KiBum trailed off. “If the Soulless in our organization is a Sleeper, then even if we were to ask him flat-out if he’s a Soulless or not, he could respond no and not be caught in a lie,” he said quietly. “Because to him, he wouldn’t be lying at all.”
KyuJong thought about that, biting his lower lip. “So it really can be anyone.”
KiBum nodded. “We have our theories who it is, since I’ve known all of the first cell for well over a century, but we need proof before making any accusations.”
That sparked KyuJong’s curiosity again. “Who do you think it is?”
They all looked at each other. After a long moment, HyunJoong sighed and looked to KyuJong.
“We think it’s KyuHyun.”
That made KyuJong’s eyes widen. He could see the Model 9 in his mind’s eye, snarky but helpful, muttering to himself while he helped piece back together an android that should have by all accounts been shut down due to his injuries.
“KyuHyun?” It didn’t register right away. “Why?”
“Remember when we told you KyuHyun was caught by the facility, Kyu yah?” YoungSaeng said quietly, having caught on.
KyuJong nodded.
“We think they did something to him before we could get to him,” HyunJoong explained, eyes sad. “KyuHyun originally was definitely on our side, but…we think they bugged him while he was there.”
“Is that even possible?” KyuJong asked, eyes wide.
“It is,” KiBum nodded. “Just like it’s possible to shut us off like any other android. We think he wasn’t…bugged, precisely,” he continued, eyeing HyunJoong. “We think they changed his entire CPU.”
Shivers ran through KyuJong’s form at the idea. “They…does that get rid of whatever makes us Soulfuls?”
“We’re almost certain it does,” KiBum murmured. “If that’s what they did…then the KyuHyun we know right now is nothing more than a Soulless designed to imitate the old KyuHyun so perfectly we would never be able to tell it’s no longer him until it’s too late.”
“Either way, we won’t know until we go to the facility,” HyunJoong pointed out. “It’s a tough mission, not many people make it in there without being caught. Are you guys up for it?”
YoungSaeng and JungMin exchanged looks out of the corner of KyuJong’s eyes.
“I’m okay with it,” YoungSaeng said quietly.
“If he’s going, I’m going,” JungMin responded firmly.
“Me too,” HyungJoon piped up, and HyunJoong chuckled.
“I think back up might be the best you can do,” he shook his head, patting the 7’s head as HyungJoon protested. “Considering how well your mission went last time.”
KyuJong looked between them, unsure. “I don’t know how much help I would be, but…”
YoungSaeng smiled reassuringly. “You’re good with information, Kyu yah. We need someone like that to get through the facility files. I can hack in, but only to a certain extent, and we gave up letting Min ah anywhere near databases,” he chuckled teasingly.
“Yah,” JungMin huffed.
HyunJoong looked between them all approvingly. “So you three will infiltrate, and HyungJoon and myself will be on backup.” He looked to KiBum. “Is there anyone we can trust with this, or is it just us?”
The unknown Model thought for a moment. “The first cell is out, and the fourth lacks training…I’ll see if I can get a hold of the third cell, but for now, plan as if you are the only ones able to take on this mission.”
The others nodded. KyuJong couldn’t take his gaze away from KiBum, wondering just what Model he was, and how high he was in the organization. He talked as if he wasn’t in any cell, but more above the cells instead…
“We’ll plan the infiltration to take place in 100 hours,” KiBum said after a moment, standing. “Keep me updated, and I’ll let you know if there are any new discoveries regarding our Soulless mole…” Bowing, he excused himself from the room, closing the door behind him.
HyungJoon stretched out in his seat, groaning. “Well, that was interesting.”
“Meeting with KiBum always is,” HyunJoong chuckled, brushing his hair out of his eyes and tapping his fingers against the table. “HyungJoon and I will work on setting up, I suggest you three get some rest.”
KyuJong, JungMin and YoungSaeng nodded. The redhead stood up, grinning at them. “Let’s go back to our room then?”
YoungSaeng nodded with a smile, standing up as well.
Thinking about that, KyuJong smiled. “Actually, I think I’m going to read in my room for a bit.” Some quiet sounded good right now; as much as he enjoyed the chaotic and vibrant atmosphere the HQ was saturated in, it still made his head spin at times, and he wouldn’t mind a few hours just to think.
JungMin pouted, but YoungSaeng smiled at him in understanding. “All right. You know where to find us, Kyu yah.”
Kyujong bowed and let himself out, walking down the hallway to his room. On the way, he passed by SungMin who was looking much healed, smiling brightly and laughing with RyeoWook. He greeted KyuJong when they passed by with a wave, the Model 6 returning it along with a smile.
An odd feeling twisted in his stomach. Someone in the first cell was a Soulless. He had met the entire first cell, and none of them looked like Soulless in the least, each so vibrant and open-minded it was hard to imagine it was programming.
It could be KyuHyun, like they suspected. It could be SungMin, bright and happy SungMin who never failed to greet him with enthusiasm. It could be LeeTeuk, the somewhat hopeless but kindhearted leader. It could be YeSung, clumsy to no end but always with a wide grin regardless. It could be any of them.
And that person, whether he knew it or not, would betray them all.
Arriving in the hallway his room was located in, KyuJong glanced at DongHae’s door out of habit and noted it was closed. He hadn’t seen the artist in a while.
Clearing his head, he smiled as he opened the door to his room and stepped inside. No matter what, the sight of the forest painted on his wall, so lifelike, made him feel better instantly. Picking up the book from his nightstand, KyuJong lay down and began to read.
**********************************
It was hours later when KyuJong pulled himself back out of the story, reaching the last page. The smile on his face was a little sad as he closed the book and sat up. It was almost like seeing an entire world come to an end, and he would never see those characters again, somehow becoming attached to them as they went through struggles and hardships and eventually came out on top.
Wondering what other books YoungSaeng had, KyuJong decided to ask. The Model 6 listened for the usual sounds of banter on the comm line, and blinked when he heard nothing. They must have their mics switched off.
Didn’t matter much, they were right across the hallway. Standing, KyuJong looked down at the book with a smile as he opened the door to his room, and paused.
KyuHyun waved at him, helping the android KyuJong guessed to be Key across the hallway. “Don’t be an idiot, you’re not used to your new legs yet,” he scolded the new recruit as he helped him along.
“What happened?” KyuJong blinked. Key shot him an annoyed and pained look.
“Brains over here decided he was okay to explore around even though we all told him to stay in his room until his CPU reconnects with his legs properly,” KyuHyun rolled his eyes.
KyuJong nodded, watching. He couldn’t banish the idea that KyuHyun was most likely a Soulless from his mind. “Need help?”
“No, I’ve got it,” KyuHyun said wryly. “But if you see him walking around within the next 100 hours, sling him over your shoulder and carry him back before he breaks something else.” Shaking his head in exasperation, he opened the door to a room not that far away and helped Key inside, the new recruit clearly holding his tongue.
Not sure whether to be amused or skeptical about KyuHyun, KyuJong sighed and put the matter from his mind as he closed the door behind himself. They’d find out soon enough.
Walking to the door across the hallway, KyuJong knocked once before opening the door and stepping in. “Hey, I was wondering if…”
KyuJong’s voice trailed off. Both YoungSaeng and JungMin were in the room, but it wasn’t what he’d thought they were doing, maybe composition or recharging. JungMin was sitting on the edge of the bed, YoungSaeng perched in his lap with the redhead’s arms circled around his slim waist. They were locked at the lips, both men’s eyes closed as YoungSaeng tugged lightly on locks of red hair.
The Model 6 wasn’t sure how long he stood there, trying to figure out what was going on, before the two finally noticed his presence. Breaking away, YoungSaeng looked up at KyuJong, the 3’s eyes somehow darker than usual. Or maybe it was just KyuJong’s imagination.
“Kyu yah,” the older android murmured, and JungMin looked towards the surprised man at the door as well, blinking.
“Hey Kyu.”
“…Uh…” KyuJong wasn’t sure what to say.
Watching his expression, YoungSaeng smiled understandingly. “Kyu yah, come over here,” he said, reaching out to the other man without leaving JungMin’s lap. It seemed unlikely the redhead would let him go anyways, arms locked around the Model 3’s waist.
Still scrambling to understand, KyuJong slowly walked forward, standing uneasily beside them. “Sorry for…interrupting…whatever that was.”
YoungSaeng smiled. “I thought that latest book would have introduced kissing…no?”
“Kissing?” KyuJong recalled seeing the word in the book somewhere, but not knowing what it meant. “That was kissing?”
YoungSaeng nodded. JungMin just watched KyuJong in amusement, cheek against YoungSaeng’s shoulder.
“Why?” KyuJong asked, puzzled.
“It’s a positive experience,” YoungSaeng murmured. “Just like love. Related to love, actually.” He tilted his head slightly to one side, observing KyuJong. “Have you ever wondered why the humans would design us so close to them, that even though our sense of pain is dulled, we still feel touch? Warm temperatures are pleasant to feel, and cold temperatures aren’t? What use would machines have for something beyond just registering that it is in fact, hot or cold? Why make us feel comfortable with one and uneasy with the other?”
KyuJong just shook his head, unable to come up with the answers to the questions YoungSaeng was posing.
“Because they want to make us as close to human as possible,” YoungSaeng murmured, patting the bed for KyuJong to sit down next to JungMin. “To feel everything in it’s entirety, and appreciate it. Some touches are like music…they speak to us in a way normal drones can’t understand.”
Once KyuJong was sitting down, YoungSaeng reached out and brushed his fingers lightly against the Model 6’s cheek. KyuJong’s eyes widened slightly at the light caress. “You feel it, don’t you?” YoungSaeng whispered. “You register the pressure, you know my hand is warm, can feel the texture of my skin. But there is something else. Do you like this?” He brushed his thumb along KyuJong’s cheek. “Do you like it when I do this? Don’t think about it, don’t think why, just answer.”
“…Yes,” KyuJong murmured, eyelashes fluttering slightly. It felt…nice. It was a positive feeling, but he didn’t know why he felt it.
YoungSaeng smiled, watching him. “Think of touch like this as an art, an art like the paintings DongHae creates and the music we listen to. Only those with a soul can feel the emotions behind each touch. They stimulate responses that machines do not have the capacity to understand.” He smiled questioningly at JungMin, who pouted lightly but nodded, expression a little disgruntled.
Turning his attention back to KyuJong, YoungSaeng motioned him closer. Caught, KyuJong shifted closer on the bed until his legs were brushing JungMin’s thigh and YoungSaeng’s knees on either side of the redhead’s waist.
“Answer me with the first thing that comes to mind. The first emotion. What do you feel when I do this?”
YoungSaeng reached out and brushed KyuJong’s hair back out of his eyes, fingertips lingering against his skin.
“…Cared for,” KyuJong murmured, the sentiment registering somehow at the light touch.
“How is that so? All I did was clear your vision.” YoungSaeng’s smile widened at the thoughtful look on KyuJong’s face. “What about this?” His hand found KyuJong’s, fingers linking together and squeezing lightly.
“Compassion,” the Model 6 replied. When YoungSaeng held his hand, he didn’t feel alone, lost in the middle of trying to understand something he had no hope of understanding. It felt like YoungSaeng was showing him the way.
YoungSaeng nodded, his hand leaving KyuJong’s. “What about…”
He reached up, brushing his thumb lightly over KyuJong’s lips, and the android stuttered. It was suddenly hard to concentrate, synthetic skin tingling where the other man’s thumb had ghosted over.
“What do you feel, Kyu yah?” YoungSaeng whispered, and even though KyuJong couldn’t answer, his voice box suddenly rendered useless like there was something clogging his throat, the Model 3 smiled as if he had received a response regardless.
Soft but strong hands cupped either side of KyuJong’s face, YoungSaeng watching him for a moment before leaning over, JungMin’s grip around his waist keeping him from falling. KyuJong watched, startled and not sure what to do, as the other man drew closer.
And then their lips met.
Chapter: 9/11
Fandom: SS501, cameos of Super Junior, BEAST and SHINee
Pairing: KyuMinSaeng
Rating: PG-16
Warning: AU, Dystopia, Angst
Summary: Arc I. The year is 400 AM…400 After Man. Humankind is extinct, but they didn’t leave Earth uninhabited. For 400 years androids have lived in their place. Citizens have the same thoughts, same likes and same dislikes as every other android in their model. But even an automated society has its troublemakers. A terrorist group calling themselves the Soulfuls operate outside their model programming and stir unrest. The government advises all citizens to report any Soulful activity immediately, and to stay away from them, for Soulfuls are those infected with a virus causing them to behave erratically…a very contagious virus…
A/N: Arc I was written for National Novel Writing Month 2010, hope you enjoy! Do not own the characters, but the plot is all mine. Please comment <3
The next KyuJong heard of the new recruits, they had been grouped into their own cell rather than join HyunJoong’s. This, he was surprised at.
“Why don’t they come with us?” He inquired, blinking. After watching JungMin hang upside-down from the bed for a good hour, just watching them, he had wondered what the redhead was seeing and done the same. It was extremely pointless, but he was somewhat mystified at watching the others walk around like they were on the ceiling.
“We have our own pace, and they have theirs,” YoungSaeng shrugged. Somehow YoungSaeng’s and JungMin’s room had become the unofficial meeting spot for when KyuJong wasn’t working and they weren’t either recharging or on missions. “It’s good that they came in as five, and that they already seem to have their own form of teamwork. Some people in the first cell are going to watch over them until their designated leader figures out how to lead, but other than that, we’ve got our fourth cell.”
Right, KyuJong mused. They had a third cell too. He still hadn’t met any of them, and his questions were never answered, so he had stopped asking. “Who’s the leader?”
“JinKi,” JungMin laughed, shaking his head. “They don’t listen to him at all.”
“Like you don’t listen to HyunJoong,” KyuJong countered, smirking, and yelped when JungMin tickled his exposed belly.
“I don’t listen to him when he’s being a twit, there’s a difference.”
“He must always be a twit then.”
“There you have it.”
YoungSaeng watched with amusement. “Let’s not start a fight, we have a meeting in a few minutes.”
“Meeting?” KyuJong blinked around JungMin’s long legs at YoungSaeng.
“Cell meeting,” YoungSaeng elaborated.
“We have meetings every second, over the comm line.”
JungMin rolled his eyes, grabbing KyuJong’s flailing hands and pulling him right off the bed and onto the floor, the Model 6 yelping. “Quit arguing and let’s go.”
KyuJong flailed on the floor for a moment before he got his hands free from JungMin’s and his legs untangled, standing up properly. “What about?” he asked, feeling the beginning of nervousness. The last time he had attended a cell meeting, it had been both the first and second cell and had resulted in him, YoungSaeng and SungMin climbing into the base of the tower in 4-01 and nearly being killed.
“Actually, we have no idea,” YoungSaeng smiled sheepishly. “Which is why we need to go see what’s going on. As far as I know, the other cells aren’t involved. They’re still helping Key recover and figure out how to walk again.”
“Key?”
“The fifth new recruit,” YoungSaeng elaborated as they slipped out the door of his room and he closed it behind them. “The one who came in pieces? He actually chose the name KiBum, but we already have a KiBum, so he took a nickname just to be less confusing.”
KyuJong blinked at him. “You can have two people with the same name?”
“Of course,” JungMin snorted. “Humans didn’t have an endless amount of names. There were quite a lot of overlaps. KiBum in particular seems to be a popular name.”
Supposing it made sense, KyuJong slowly nodded, wondering if there was another Kim KyuJong somewhere, who just didn’t know he had a name.
Reaching the meeting room a few minutes later, KyuJong watched as YoungSaeng knocked before opening the door, stepping aside to let JungMin and KyuJong in. Following the redhead inside, KyuJong paused and blinked. HyungJoon and HyunJoong were already there…as was KiBum. Not the new recruit KiBum…but the one whose Model KyuJong couldn’t figure out to save his life. Even now as he looked at the other man, his system threw up error messages as it automatically tried to identify the Model number and failed.
HyunJoong smiled at them as they came in. “Hey. You should turn off your mics now.”
YoungSaeng and JungMin did so automatically, KyuJong following with hesitance and, as usual, a question. “Why would it matter? We’re all here, aren’t we?”
KiBum was the one who answered to KyuJong’s surprise. “Maybe, but comm lines have been tapped into before, and why take the risk when it’s so easily fixed?”
KyuJong blinked. “The government can listen in?”
“I never said anything about the government.”
That confused KyuJong, as well as had his attention. “What do you mean?” he asked, slowly sitting down in one of the chairs around the table. YoungSaeng was closing and locking the door behind them, before the 3 took a seat next to JungMin and curled up with his head against the 7’s arm.
“It’ll become clear in a few minutes,” KiBum smiled, before sitting back and looking at HyunJoong. KyuJong did the same, wondering why KiBum was even here. Wasn’t it a cell meeting? KiBum was definitely not in their cell…KyuJong wasn’t even sure he was in a cell, though he could very well be in the mysterious third cell.
YoungSaeng and JungMin, when he turned to look at them, looked just as confused at first until some sort of understanding dawned. Then, their reactions surprised him. YoungSaeng grew quiet and slightly nervous, while JungMin seemed to become a touch…angry?
HyunJoong smiled at them, clearly noticing the tension in the air but ignoring it for the moment. “We have a few things to go over for now, sorry for the short notice. Don’t mind KiBum ah, he’ll be listening in to the first half of the meeting.”
“What’s going on, Hyun?” YoungSaeng asked quietly.
Their cell leader’s lips twisted into a rueful smile. “I guess I’ll cut straight to the chase then. Remember when our very own mechanic over here nearly ended up as facility bait when he was found near the research lab in 4-08?” He motioned to HyungJoon sitting next to him.
“Yeah,” JungMin wrinkled his nose at the younger android. “Still no idea what you were doing over there.”
“That’s what we’re talking about now,” HyunJoong said simply. “Right, Joon?”
HyungJoon bit his lower lip lightly. “…Yeah. Well…” He floundered for a moment before sighing. “I was sent there to find out information.”
“By who, by HyunJoong?” YoungSaeng asked quietly.
The 7 shook his head, and pointed at KiBum. “By him.”
JungMin stared at KiBum. “…Why one of us? Why not send your friends like you usually do?”
“Because right now, I’m thinking one of my friends might have been compromised,” KiBum said quietly.
KyuJong looked from one person to the other, feeling like they all understood what was going on except for him. “I think…I’m missing something.”
HyunJoong looked to YoungSaeng, who bit his lower lip before turning enough to see KyuJong on JungMin’s other side. “KiBum only asks people to carry out missions for him for one reason, Kyu yah,” he said quietly.
The 6 blinked. “And…what would that be?”
KiBum’s lips curled. “Do you know what it is I do in this organization, KyuJong sshi?”
KyuJong shook his head.
HyunJoong opened his mouth, but it was HyungJoon who answered.
“He’s our expert for detecting the Soulless.”
That took a moment to process fully. KyuJong blinked, remembering the term, and what he had been told long ago when he joined the Soulfuls.
What are the Soulless?
They’re androids engineered to behave like us. There are purpose inconsistencies in their programming to imitate the idea of a ‘soul’…but they aren’t like us. They’re just imitations.
His CPU ran at full-speed then, latching on to another piece of remembered conversation.
What is their purpose?
To get into HQ and bring us down.
…Wait…
Have there ever been any Soulless infiltrations here?
KyuJong’s eyes widened as it finally clicked, and he looked up. “You think there’s a Soulless here.”
HyunJoong nodded, and looked towards KiBum.
“We know there’s a Soulless here,” KiBum said quietly. “And right now, all fingers are pointing towards the first cell. So I asked HyungJoon to carry out the mission rather than my friends in that cell…because for all I know, it could be one of them.”
The Model 6 blinked. “That means there’d had to have been a Soulless in here all along…weren’t they in this organization since the beginning?”
“The vast majority of them were, yes,” KiBum sighed. “That’s part of what confuses me…all the signs point towards them, but the Soulless activity only started recently. Information leaks.”
“What kind of information?” YoungSaeng asked quietly. “What happened?”
KiBum looked at them. “The government knows there’s a Model 8 still alive.”
Everyone in the room paled.
“Do they know where he is?” JungMin demanded.
“They know we’re hiding him, but since they don’t know where we are yet, that secret is still safe. But if there’s a Soulless hidden here…” KiBum rubbed his temples.
“We need to move then,” YoungSaeng said quietly. “This place isn’t safe, the Soulless would have given the location away.”
KyuJong felt unease at that. This place…YoungSaeng had once called it ‘home’. And it was home, in the material sense, but also the emotional and psychological sense of the word. They belonged here. What would happen to this place? What would happen to all the human belongings in the vault? They couldn’t move them all…
And then there was DongHae….in the week since KyuJong had been introduced to the Model 8, DongHae moving past his fear and opening up tremendously, a strange protectiveness had formed in his chest concerning the 8. He wanted to keep DongHae safe, and he knew the feeling was one the entire organization shared. Those who were aware of DongHae’s presence looked after him with complete care, and he knew they would be devastated if anything were to happen to him.
At first, KyuJong had thought the feeling was this ‘love’ thing YoungSaeng had tried to explain. But it didn’t match, not completely. He cared about DongHae, yes, but DongHae didn’t feel like a part of him like YoungSaeng had said it would feel. If something happened to DongHae, it would hurt, but it wouldn’t be as crippling as losing a power core. He was tempted to ask YoungSaeng about it, but the 3 had been avoiding any discussion of love, so he had kept it to himself.
“This place still looks to be safe,” KiBum said quietly. “Remember the patrols of 3’s from a few days ago?”
They all nodded. KyuJong recalled seeing the patrols from his apartment window.
“They were looking for us. Whoever the Soulless is, he hasn’t given away where we are.”
“That doesn’t make sense though,” YoungSaeng murmured. “Wouldn’t that be the very first thing they give away?”
“Normally. But we hacked into the city network, and there’s no sign of any knowledge of this HQ. And if they had known, we wouldn’t be here right now.”
JungMin frowned. “So if we find out who it is, we can still stop them from giving away this location, right?”
KiBum nodded. “Right. That’s why all of you are here right now. I asked HyunJoong for help, and he said you would give it.”
“What are we going to do?” YoungSaeng asked.
“Sneak into one of the facilities,” KiBum replied. He tapped a button on the top of the table, a holographic screen flashing to life. “They store information on Soulless in there, the android numbers and everything. If you can find out who it is, we can stop this from going the same way the cells in Old China went.”
KyuJong blinked, listening. “Wait, can’t we just ask everyone in the first cell if they’re a Soulless?” he asked, frowning. “And wire into their CPU to see if they’re lying? It would register as a lie, wouldn’t it?”
“That would be true…if not for one possibility,” KiBum said, leaning forward. His eyes met KyuJong’s and held them.
“Only about half of the Soulless created know what they are.”
The 6 blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”
“…Let me put it this way. Remember the tracking chip HyungJoon pulled out of you on your first day with us?” KiBum asked simply.
KyuJong nodded.
“Did you know that was there?”
“…No,” KyuJong replied slowly. “I had no idea.”
“So if we had asked you before you knew about it, if you were bugged or not…you would reply as no, and it wouldn’t register as a lie because you don’t know, right?”
“Right,” KyuJong nodded.
KiBum’s smile was bitter. “Think of Soulless programming like that tracking chip. It’s there, it dictates what they do, how they act…but only about 50% of Soulless know it’s there. The other half of the group…they’re what we call Sleepers. Hidden agents. The programming is dormant until it is called upon, sometimes called upon without the Soulless himself even knowing it was.”
HyunJoong picked up as KiBum trailed off. “If the Soulless in our organization is a Sleeper, then even if we were to ask him flat-out if he’s a Soulless or not, he could respond no and not be caught in a lie,” he said quietly. “Because to him, he wouldn’t be lying at all.”
KyuJong thought about that, biting his lower lip. “So it really can be anyone.”
KiBum nodded. “We have our theories who it is, since I’ve known all of the first cell for well over a century, but we need proof before making any accusations.”
That sparked KyuJong’s curiosity again. “Who do you think it is?”
They all looked at each other. After a long moment, HyunJoong sighed and looked to KyuJong.
“We think it’s KyuHyun.”
That made KyuJong’s eyes widen. He could see the Model 9 in his mind’s eye, snarky but helpful, muttering to himself while he helped piece back together an android that should have by all accounts been shut down due to his injuries.
“KyuHyun?” It didn’t register right away. “Why?”
“Remember when we told you KyuHyun was caught by the facility, Kyu yah?” YoungSaeng said quietly, having caught on.
KyuJong nodded.
“We think they did something to him before we could get to him,” HyunJoong explained, eyes sad. “KyuHyun originally was definitely on our side, but…we think they bugged him while he was there.”
“Is that even possible?” KyuJong asked, eyes wide.
“It is,” KiBum nodded. “Just like it’s possible to shut us off like any other android. We think he wasn’t…bugged, precisely,” he continued, eyeing HyunJoong. “We think they changed his entire CPU.”
Shivers ran through KyuJong’s form at the idea. “They…does that get rid of whatever makes us Soulfuls?”
“We’re almost certain it does,” KiBum murmured. “If that’s what they did…then the KyuHyun we know right now is nothing more than a Soulless designed to imitate the old KyuHyun so perfectly we would never be able to tell it’s no longer him until it’s too late.”
“Either way, we won’t know until we go to the facility,” HyunJoong pointed out. “It’s a tough mission, not many people make it in there without being caught. Are you guys up for it?”
YoungSaeng and JungMin exchanged looks out of the corner of KyuJong’s eyes.
“I’m okay with it,” YoungSaeng said quietly.
“If he’s going, I’m going,” JungMin responded firmly.
“Me too,” HyungJoon piped up, and HyunJoong chuckled.
“I think back up might be the best you can do,” he shook his head, patting the 7’s head as HyungJoon protested. “Considering how well your mission went last time.”
KyuJong looked between them, unsure. “I don’t know how much help I would be, but…”
YoungSaeng smiled reassuringly. “You’re good with information, Kyu yah. We need someone like that to get through the facility files. I can hack in, but only to a certain extent, and we gave up letting Min ah anywhere near databases,” he chuckled teasingly.
“Yah,” JungMin huffed.
HyunJoong looked between them all approvingly. “So you three will infiltrate, and HyungJoon and myself will be on backup.” He looked to KiBum. “Is there anyone we can trust with this, or is it just us?”
The unknown Model thought for a moment. “The first cell is out, and the fourth lacks training…I’ll see if I can get a hold of the third cell, but for now, plan as if you are the only ones able to take on this mission.”
The others nodded. KyuJong couldn’t take his gaze away from KiBum, wondering just what Model he was, and how high he was in the organization. He talked as if he wasn’t in any cell, but more above the cells instead…
“We’ll plan the infiltration to take place in 100 hours,” KiBum said after a moment, standing. “Keep me updated, and I’ll let you know if there are any new discoveries regarding our Soulless mole…” Bowing, he excused himself from the room, closing the door behind him.
HyungJoon stretched out in his seat, groaning. “Well, that was interesting.”
“Meeting with KiBum always is,” HyunJoong chuckled, brushing his hair out of his eyes and tapping his fingers against the table. “HyungJoon and I will work on setting up, I suggest you three get some rest.”
KyuJong, JungMin and YoungSaeng nodded. The redhead stood up, grinning at them. “Let’s go back to our room then?”
YoungSaeng nodded with a smile, standing up as well.
Thinking about that, KyuJong smiled. “Actually, I think I’m going to read in my room for a bit.” Some quiet sounded good right now; as much as he enjoyed the chaotic and vibrant atmosphere the HQ was saturated in, it still made his head spin at times, and he wouldn’t mind a few hours just to think.
JungMin pouted, but YoungSaeng smiled at him in understanding. “All right. You know where to find us, Kyu yah.”
Kyujong bowed and let himself out, walking down the hallway to his room. On the way, he passed by SungMin who was looking much healed, smiling brightly and laughing with RyeoWook. He greeted KyuJong when they passed by with a wave, the Model 6 returning it along with a smile.
An odd feeling twisted in his stomach. Someone in the first cell was a Soulless. He had met the entire first cell, and none of them looked like Soulless in the least, each so vibrant and open-minded it was hard to imagine it was programming.
It could be KyuHyun, like they suspected. It could be SungMin, bright and happy SungMin who never failed to greet him with enthusiasm. It could be LeeTeuk, the somewhat hopeless but kindhearted leader. It could be YeSung, clumsy to no end but always with a wide grin regardless. It could be any of them.
And that person, whether he knew it or not, would betray them all.
Arriving in the hallway his room was located in, KyuJong glanced at DongHae’s door out of habit and noted it was closed. He hadn’t seen the artist in a while.
Clearing his head, he smiled as he opened the door to his room and stepped inside. No matter what, the sight of the forest painted on his wall, so lifelike, made him feel better instantly. Picking up the book from his nightstand, KyuJong lay down and began to read.
**********************************
It was hours later when KyuJong pulled himself back out of the story, reaching the last page. The smile on his face was a little sad as he closed the book and sat up. It was almost like seeing an entire world come to an end, and he would never see those characters again, somehow becoming attached to them as they went through struggles and hardships and eventually came out on top.
Wondering what other books YoungSaeng had, KyuJong decided to ask. The Model 6 listened for the usual sounds of banter on the comm line, and blinked when he heard nothing. They must have their mics switched off.
Didn’t matter much, they were right across the hallway. Standing, KyuJong looked down at the book with a smile as he opened the door to his room, and paused.
KyuHyun waved at him, helping the android KyuJong guessed to be Key across the hallway. “Don’t be an idiot, you’re not used to your new legs yet,” he scolded the new recruit as he helped him along.
“What happened?” KyuJong blinked. Key shot him an annoyed and pained look.
“Brains over here decided he was okay to explore around even though we all told him to stay in his room until his CPU reconnects with his legs properly,” KyuHyun rolled his eyes.
KyuJong nodded, watching. He couldn’t banish the idea that KyuHyun was most likely a Soulless from his mind. “Need help?”
“No, I’ve got it,” KyuHyun said wryly. “But if you see him walking around within the next 100 hours, sling him over your shoulder and carry him back before he breaks something else.” Shaking his head in exasperation, he opened the door to a room not that far away and helped Key inside, the new recruit clearly holding his tongue.
Not sure whether to be amused or skeptical about KyuHyun, KyuJong sighed and put the matter from his mind as he closed the door behind himself. They’d find out soon enough.
Walking to the door across the hallway, KyuJong knocked once before opening the door and stepping in. “Hey, I was wondering if…”
KyuJong’s voice trailed off. Both YoungSaeng and JungMin were in the room, but it wasn’t what he’d thought they were doing, maybe composition or recharging. JungMin was sitting on the edge of the bed, YoungSaeng perched in his lap with the redhead’s arms circled around his slim waist. They were locked at the lips, both men’s eyes closed as YoungSaeng tugged lightly on locks of red hair.
The Model 6 wasn’t sure how long he stood there, trying to figure out what was going on, before the two finally noticed his presence. Breaking away, YoungSaeng looked up at KyuJong, the 3’s eyes somehow darker than usual. Or maybe it was just KyuJong’s imagination.
“Kyu yah,” the older android murmured, and JungMin looked towards the surprised man at the door as well, blinking.
“Hey Kyu.”
“…Uh…” KyuJong wasn’t sure what to say.
Watching his expression, YoungSaeng smiled understandingly. “Kyu yah, come over here,” he said, reaching out to the other man without leaving JungMin’s lap. It seemed unlikely the redhead would let him go anyways, arms locked around the Model 3’s waist.
Still scrambling to understand, KyuJong slowly walked forward, standing uneasily beside them. “Sorry for…interrupting…whatever that was.”
YoungSaeng smiled. “I thought that latest book would have introduced kissing…no?”
“Kissing?” KyuJong recalled seeing the word in the book somewhere, but not knowing what it meant. “That was kissing?”
YoungSaeng nodded. JungMin just watched KyuJong in amusement, cheek against YoungSaeng’s shoulder.
“Why?” KyuJong asked, puzzled.
“It’s a positive experience,” YoungSaeng murmured. “Just like love. Related to love, actually.” He tilted his head slightly to one side, observing KyuJong. “Have you ever wondered why the humans would design us so close to them, that even though our sense of pain is dulled, we still feel touch? Warm temperatures are pleasant to feel, and cold temperatures aren’t? What use would machines have for something beyond just registering that it is in fact, hot or cold? Why make us feel comfortable with one and uneasy with the other?”
KyuJong just shook his head, unable to come up with the answers to the questions YoungSaeng was posing.
“Because they want to make us as close to human as possible,” YoungSaeng murmured, patting the bed for KyuJong to sit down next to JungMin. “To feel everything in it’s entirety, and appreciate it. Some touches are like music…they speak to us in a way normal drones can’t understand.”
Once KyuJong was sitting down, YoungSaeng reached out and brushed his fingers lightly against the Model 6’s cheek. KyuJong’s eyes widened slightly at the light caress. “You feel it, don’t you?” YoungSaeng whispered. “You register the pressure, you know my hand is warm, can feel the texture of my skin. But there is something else. Do you like this?” He brushed his thumb along KyuJong’s cheek. “Do you like it when I do this? Don’t think about it, don’t think why, just answer.”
“…Yes,” KyuJong murmured, eyelashes fluttering slightly. It felt…nice. It was a positive feeling, but he didn’t know why he felt it.
YoungSaeng smiled, watching him. “Think of touch like this as an art, an art like the paintings DongHae creates and the music we listen to. Only those with a soul can feel the emotions behind each touch. They stimulate responses that machines do not have the capacity to understand.” He smiled questioningly at JungMin, who pouted lightly but nodded, expression a little disgruntled.
Turning his attention back to KyuJong, YoungSaeng motioned him closer. Caught, KyuJong shifted closer on the bed until his legs were brushing JungMin’s thigh and YoungSaeng’s knees on either side of the redhead’s waist.
“Answer me with the first thing that comes to mind. The first emotion. What do you feel when I do this?”
YoungSaeng reached out and brushed KyuJong’s hair back out of his eyes, fingertips lingering against his skin.
“…Cared for,” KyuJong murmured, the sentiment registering somehow at the light touch.
“How is that so? All I did was clear your vision.” YoungSaeng’s smile widened at the thoughtful look on KyuJong’s face. “What about this?” His hand found KyuJong’s, fingers linking together and squeezing lightly.
“Compassion,” the Model 6 replied. When YoungSaeng held his hand, he didn’t feel alone, lost in the middle of trying to understand something he had no hope of understanding. It felt like YoungSaeng was showing him the way.
YoungSaeng nodded, his hand leaving KyuJong’s. “What about…”
He reached up, brushing his thumb lightly over KyuJong’s lips, and the android stuttered. It was suddenly hard to concentrate, synthetic skin tingling where the other man’s thumb had ghosted over.
“What do you feel, Kyu yah?” YoungSaeng whispered, and even though KyuJong couldn’t answer, his voice box suddenly rendered useless like there was something clogging his throat, the Model 3 smiled as if he had received a response regardless.
Soft but strong hands cupped either side of KyuJong’s face, YoungSaeng watching him for a moment before leaning over, JungMin’s grip around his waist keeping him from falling. KyuJong watched, startled and not sure what to do, as the other man drew closer.
And then their lips met.