After weaving through multiple corridors and twisting passageways, Hongbin was sure they were lost. Probably forever.

 

He was too shy to say something to N in the lead until they finally ended up in a huge room.

 

"This is essentially mission control." The commander explained. "All of the fun happens here."

 

'Define fun.' Hongbin thought, looking around. This time he didn't have to wait for the contents of the room to materialize.

 

This room was darker. A few overhead lights dangled precariously over the center of the room. Two circular platforms were bolted to the floor. One glowed with a soft white light, the other seemed to be off.

 

Jaehwan paced around the room while Ravi was hunched over a computer screen again. A younger boy was the only one to pay Hongbin any attention. He looked up and waved, grinning brightly before returning his attention to Ravi's computer screen.

 

"Where are they?" Jaehwan spat. Ravi looked up at him and scowled.

 

"What makes you think I know more than you?"

 

"You're the one with the fancy technology." Jaehwan pointed at the fuzzy screen. Every once in a while it would flash black with some numerical pattern. Ravi swiped his hand in the other's direction, missing narrowly.

 

"Ladies, please calm down." N rolled his eyes. He crossed over to the computer station. "Whats going on?"

 

"Some kind of block." Ravi tapped a key a few times. "We can't see anything."

 

"Bring them back."

 

The younger boy sighed. "We can't."

 

Hongbin watched the scene awkwardly. "Can I try?"

 

They all raised their eyebrows.

 

Ravi scoffed. "What could you possibly-"

 

"Go ahead." N interjected, chasing Ravi away. "Let's see how good you are."

 

Hongbin nodded and sat in front of the computer. Unknowingly, his fingers flew over the keys. Ravi crouched next to him in awe while Jaehwan stomped off.

 

"What kind of program is he on?" The youngest boy asked N, who looked on approvingly with his arms folded over his chest.

 

"None yet."

 

With a final tap on the enter key, the screen went completely blank before streams of code flashed across it. It blinked twice and a video game popped up.

 

"." Ravi hit escape and a strange radar system took its place. "We're back online."

 

"Genius." The young boy breathed.

 

"It's not that big of a deal, Sanghyuk." Jaehwan said snidely.

 

Sanghyuk shrugged. "You couldn't have done it in a hundred years."

 

Just as Jaehwan swung his arm at Sanghyuk, the lighted platform hummed and a pixelated image started to form. A tall, slightly agitated man stepped down and headed for the door.

 

"Hey, jackass." A girl flashed in after him. "I was talking to you."

 

"You were." He smirked, looking down at the small girl. "And now we're back here so I don't have to acknowledge you."

 

She huffed loudly as N pulled her back. "Knock it off you two."

 

"I hate it when mommy and daddy fight." Ravi pouted dramatically, losing his demeanor and cackling wildly.

 

The girl drew her finger across slowly and he went silent.

 

"What's happened?" The leader rolled his eyes.

 

"He keeps running off and doing whatever he wants; he's impossible to work with." She tucked her chin-length hair back and crossed her arms.

 

Hongbin finally recognized her.

 

"You're-"

 

She glanced at him and nodded before turning back to N. "I need a new partner."

 

"The only one available is Jaehwan."

 

Jaehwan shook his head profusely, attempting to slip behind Sanghyuk for cover.

 

"I'll go solo."

 

"Hana, be reasonable." N pleaded. She didn't budge. "We'll talk about this later."

 

"Hongbin, these are our other two operatives, besides Jaehwan." He directed his attention to the feuding pair. "Leo and Hana."

 

"We've met." Hana said airily. "Can't I be partnered with my brother?"

 

Everyone looked over at Sanghyuk, who stood frozen.

 

"He's still training." N shook his head. "I said we'll talk about this later."

 

"We have to install the newbie." Ravi clapped his hands loudly and rubbed them together.

 

Hongbin was lead to a particularly frightening looking chair. Hana pushed him back into it before binding his wrists and ankles.

 

"H-hi." He finally sputtered.

 

"Hey." She didn't even look up before walking away, standing by Leo's and Jaehwan's sides.

 

"This won't hurt." Ravi bounced next to him, removing his glasses and attaching circular white stickers to either of his temples. "Much."

 

He gave Sanghyuk a thumbs up and a surge of electricity shook Hongbin's body. His arms pulled against the restraints and a yelled ripped from his throat.

 

Sanghyuk ducked his head behind the screen, turning away from the sight before him. How the others could stomach it amazed him. He silently thanked whatever fate that allowed him to be born with the Intersect.

 

"That's enough." N said flatly. Sanghyuk eagerly terminated the installation process and Hongbin settled down.

 

"What did you just do to me?"

 

"We've installed a program called the Intersect." N hovered by his shoulder as Ravi gingerly released Hongbin from his restraints. "It unlocks parts of the brain that otherwise go unused."

 

"No thanks to the System." Ravi muttered and pulled Hongbin upright. Every muscle felt like it was tearing at once. "Easy."

 

"I didn't sign up for this." He groaned as Ravi flung his arm over his shoulders and dragged him from the room.

 

"By taking the white pill, yes you did." N's eyes narrowed and he remained toneless. "Get some rest because we've got a lot of work to do."

 

Ravi brought him to a small, dark room and helped him lay down on the wood-framed bed.

 

"What did I do?" Hongbin attempted to cover his eyes and yelped in pain. Everything made him sensitive today.

 

"It'll only be a dull ache by tomorrow." Ravi said. "You actually took it really well. It seems like your brain is already pretty developed for a human."

 

Hongbin grinned inwardly.

 

"Now I have to write a stronger program, jerk." He scoffed and left the room, leaving Hongbin alone with nothing but a pounding sound between his ears.

 

---

|| AN: Well that orz moving along!

-Mickey