Chapter Text
It was three in the morning when Hongjoong’s phone went off, the loud irritatingly high pitched jingle that Mingi had somehow programmed as his ringtone and then made it so he could never change it singing in a cutesy voice asking about dating. Groaning and quickly smacking the glowing green phone button to shut it up, he took a minute to rub over his face before putting the phone to his ear.
“Mmlo?” He managed to get out, voice slurred in sleep.
“Agent Kim, I apologize for contacting you on your night off but we need you to come in.” Eden’s voice was polite and even as always, but Hongjoong could hear the underlying concern.
“What’s wrong, sir?” Hongjoong asked, sitting up and turning on the side light by his bed, chasing off the rest of his sleep with the darkness in his room.
“An attack. A rogue werewolf killed two and turned one. I will be pulling in your team.” Eden replied.
Hongjoong grimaced, he knew the others had spent a bit of the night enjoying themselves. He felt a pang of remorse that their sleep would be interrupted over this. “Alright. Be there in twenty.” He was already up and heading to the bathroom.
“Try and make it fifteen. We don’t know where this wolf went but tomorrow is full moon. I’d like it taken out tonight if possible. Be safe.” Eden was shuffling papers as he spoke, more than likely at his desk.
“Mm, be safe.” Hongjoong replied, hanging up and sighing as he began to wash his face. Giving his platinum hair a quick comb, rubbing over the short fade along the back of his head, he sighed. “Mingi is gonna be grumpy.” he muttered, deciding to head to the café down the street once he got dressed. Nothing cheered a bunch of sleepy Hunters up like coffee.
Fifteen minutes later, armed with one iced americano, some kind of hideously sweet vanilla monstrosity, two regular black coffees and a cold brew caramel something-or-other, all as large as they’d make them, Hongjoong stepped into the black and steel building that housed the second largest organization of Hunters in Twilight City. He scanned his wrist that held his ID chip against the security check at the door, nodding to the guard. He then scanned it again at the elevator, then again off the elevator when he headed into the long hallway of offices that Eden resided on.
Finally reaching Eden’s office, he headed inside to see the other three members of his team were already there with their handler. Yunho looked up, his dark hair hanging in his tired eyes but he smiled at Hongjoong in a cheerful friendly way. Mingi was barely awake, dark circles also under his eyes and he glared at the blond like all of this was somehow his fault. Their youngest, Jongho, looked pretty alright though he seemed far too happy to receive his americano, drinking it down gratefully with a quick “Thank you.”
Mingi’s glare vanished when Hongjoong handed him his caramel coffee, the teal haired agent finally gracing him with a bright smile and an affectionate shoulder bump. Yunho received his hideous sugar overload with a nod, already distracted in crime scene photos that he was thumbing through on his tablet.
“What do we know?” He asked as he handed Eden one of the black coffees, adding sugar to his own before he began to sip it, wincing at the bitterness, but it woke him up.
“This wolf is a younger pack member of the Half-Moon pack.” Eden replied, sipping his coffee. “They’re tracking him right now, they’ve been working with us completely. They’re just as shocked as we are that this happened.”
“We’ve never had an issue with that pack, have we?” Jongho asked, frowning. He continued when the others gave him a curious look. “I learned about them at the academy, they’re a smaller pack but they’ve been in the city forever, right?”
“Yeah, they’ve never had any issue like this. When someone applies to become a wolf, if they want to join Half-Moon there’s a big thing you have to go through to even be considered.” Yunho replied, looking up. “They’ve never even hinted at being aggressive like this, why now?”
“It only takes one to get lost, and then this sort of thing happens.” Eden sighed. “It wouldn’t have been as bad except we’re so close to the full moon, his wolf was stronger than normal and vicious. We’ll figure out the why once he’s neutralized.”
“Are we trying to capture, or kill?” Hongjoong asked, draining the rest of his coffee, wanting to be able to head down to the armory once Eden answered.
“Capture, if we can. Lethal force is allowed.” Eden frowned as he studied his laptop screen. “Argent district, Eclipse park. They’ve got him cornered by the old zoo.” he clicked a few keys and all four of their phones chimed with a synced up map. “I’ll update if they lose him, go.”
“Let’s roll.” Hongjoong told his team, heading for the elevator, not even questioning if the other three were following.
It only took the elevator doors to close when Mingi first spoke, his face serious as he looked at the blond leader. “I don’t like this, Joong. We shouldn’t be trying to bring this guy in alive. We’re at a serious risk of being injured.”
Hongjoong looked at him with sympathy, nodding. “I know, but if that’s what the Council wants we have to do it. Whatever happened to this wolf to make him freak out like this, we need to make sure it’s just him and not some crazy disease or sickness.”
“Why was he even around non-aspects this close to the full moon? Shouldn’t he have been with the pack in their run location?” Jongho asked, running fingers through his dark red locks to push his fringe from his eyes.
“Normally yes. It’s a messed up situation all around, and one I’m sure the Council will investigate. We’re not here to answer the questions, we’re here to neutralize the problem.” Hongjoong gave them all a sharp gaze. “Get your heads in this, understood?”
“Yes sir.” Mingi and Jongho echoed reluctantly.
Hongjoong glanced at Yunho, but the dark haired Hunter had been completely ignoring the conversation. He could see the peek of the other’s wireless earbuds in, no doubt some very loud angry music pumping into his head to keep him calm while he gathered his weapons. Hongjoong never quite understood how metal calmed someone, but Yunho had yet to prove his concern right.
The earbuds stayed in until they were at the black bullet-proof SUV that Yunho would drive to the park. Popping them out and tucking them into the pocket of his vest under his jacket, the dark haired male looked at the others, smiling at them. “You guys ready? Mingi are those grenades?” he raised a brow at the teal haired male.
“No. Well, yes, but they’re just modified flashbangs. I figured the sonic ones would be useful just in case we needed to pull out one big gun.” Mingi replied, shrugging.
Hongjoong snorted, smiling faintly and nodding to Yunho to start driving. “Smart thinking Minky. Alright, plan is we go in, make contact with the Half-Moon Alpha, and neutralize the target. Jongho takes the shot from a distance, the rest of us are distraction.” he looked at Jongho. “Two darts should do it, we’re close enough to dawn. Get a third ready in case.”
Jongho nodded, putting his long rifle case on his lap, beginning to pull the modified Telazol into his darts carefully. Once the first was loaded with the proper amount he placed it into the rifle, loading the next and then slipping it into the rifle as well. He then loaded the last, capping the needle on the dart and sticking it in the bullet holder on his vest.
“Scan incoming.” Yunho called out, approaching the large open gates that lead into the aspected part of the city. He shivered when he felt the small electric thrum in his wrist as the chip embedded in his flesh buzzed with the identification check everyone had to go through when entering this particular space.
“Ugh, I always hate that feeling. Five years and it still makes my hair stand up.” Mingi grumbled as he worked to double check his rifle, shaking his left hand to work the tinglies out from his chip.
“Unfortunately it’s necessary for everyone’s safety.” Hongjoong flexed the fingers in his right hand for the same reason Mingi had, the tingle was like a numbing shock that he was pretty sure got worse over the years. If it wasn’t to keep non-aspects from coming to mess with the aspects at night when they were most active they wouldn’t need those stupid gates in the first place.
Eclipse park was near the back of the quadrant, it was the last real vestige of civilization before the mountainous forest stretched off to where the wolves and other aspects that needed trees and shadowy hidden places to survive went and thrived. It was one of Hongjoong’s favorite places in the aspect section of the city, he would come there in the spring during the equinox festivals and always stock up on fae wine. Tonight though it was silent, the only movement the flickering of shadowed wolf shapes in the moonlight. They parked the SUV on the outskirts of the park, each grabbing their weapon of choice to head deeper towards where the old zoo was. Zoo was a misnomer really, it had been used hundreds of years ago as a place to house feral aspects, a cruel practice that had thankfully ended with the Council coming down hard on mistreatment of aspects and the creation of large medical complexes for both the aspected and non-aspected parts of the city. Now it was changed to a small adventure park, a place to rock climb and run around while still within confines, a great place for pups to learn to hunt and for fae to practice enchantments. He’d even heard tell the vampires tended to come there at night to just spend time near the woods, but thankfully no one else seemed around this night.
Hongjoong looked around, blinking fast twice and activating the mirror-tech contacts he wore. The darkness fell away, filled in with false color as the modified night vision kicked in. Now he could see them, four wolves had started tracking them, forming a protective barrier around the Hunters. He couldn’t help the small smile that brought to his face, even with one of their own afflicted and being hunted the pack was going to protect the non-aspected, it was a nice reminder of just what the city could do outside of the politics and nonsense some spewed on both sides.
They reached the entrance to the zoo, one of the wolves slipping past him, scurrying ahead with a chuffing bark sound that was answered by a low growl and a chuff back. Hongjoong had been doing this for six years, and it still startled him just how big werewolves were. Even in their pure wolf form, like this pack currently was, they were over his waist in height at their lowest point on their back. In their gauru form they were over nine feet tall. He hated facing them in that size.
A chuff came from his left and Hongjoong turned, and caught the tail end of a transformation. He winced as he heard the cracking of bone, but quickly schooled his face when the older man turned to approach them. Not at all caring about his nudity, he nodded to them grimly, pale grey eyes searching first Hongjoong, then the others. “We have him trapped within one of the caves. What is your plan?” his voice was deep and commanding, it matched his muscular bulky form, his salt and pepper hair hanging wildly down his back. This was an elder, the scars along his body spoke of fights he’d won to be standing in front of them.
Hongjoong took a quick breath, wanting to make sure he sounded respectful. “Thank you Alpha, our plan is to distract him while our sniper,” he motioned to Jongho, who gave a small nod at being acknowledged “will knock him out. We also have modified sonic flashbangs, to try and disorient him if the tranquilizer doesn’t work right away. We’re going to do everything we can not to have to kill him.”
The grey haired male nodded sharply. “His brother is with him right now, attempting to calm him. He has not responded to any of our words. I have never in my time seen anything like this.” he frowned. “I will go back to my pack to calm them, let us know when you are about to move and I’ll pull us back so you can step forward.” he turned, heading away, stepping behind another low rock wall. A few moments later a great white wolf was running deeper into the zoo, no doubt to inform the others of what was about to happen.
“He’s never seen a feral wolf before? That sounds weird.” Yunho said as he moved to take point, checking his rubber bullets and teargas, slipping on his mask to hopefully block out the worst of it if he had to run through the chemicals.
“Sounds like maybe this isn’t just a wolf gone feral, that was one of the oldest alphas I’ve ever seen, I bet he's seen a lot.” Hongjoong replied, doing much the same as Yunho, pulling his face mask down. “Jongho you ready?” he looked towards the redhead.
“I’ll get set up on the ridge over there.” Jongho pointed over about twenty feet away. “Good luck.” he tapped his ear piece to make sure it gave a small thump to the others, and then headed off once he got the nod from Hongjoong.
“Joong you want me to be the distraction?” Mingi asked as he followed the blond and Yunho towards the cave.
“Only if you want to. I know you’re not exactly keen on tangling with a wolf.” Hongjoong looked back at him, the memory of Mingi’s last fight with a packless wanderer clearly forefront.
Mingi snorted. “I didn’t die that time, and I won’t die here. Besides that time we didn’t have an entire wolf pack behind us.” he winked at the squad leader. “I’ve got this, you guys just back me up.”
Coming up on the cave was quick. Hongjoong glanced where Jongho had set up, but the redhead had picked a perfect vantage point. It could easily see down into the small courtyard outside of the cave, once they led the wolf out there he could take all the shots he wanted. The large white wolf Alpha was sitting beside a blond teenager, who was talking into the cave.
“Eddie come on, it’s okay. Dad and I just want you to come down, please? Just shift into your lupine, we’ll head home.” The youth was saying, voice gentle and sweet.
Yunho winced in sympathy, glancing at Hongjoong when they heard nothing but a feral snarl from the cave. “Gauru form.” he said quietly, looking to Mingi. “You sure?”
Mingi nodded, dark eyes flickering in that gleaming mirror way the contacts did when any of them were switching the modes. “I’m ready.”
Hongjoong made a growling sound in low in the back of this throat, before a rough imitation of the chuffing they’d heard from the wolves before. It had the desired effect, the pack alpha looked back to see them, giving them a nod with his big head before nudging the youth he’d been sitting beside.
The boy looked back, eyes widening at the Hunters. He looked frightened, gripping onto the alpha’s fur. He looked back at the cave. “Eddie...please.” he pleaded. There was nothing but a growl in response from the confines of the cave.
The alpha stood, pulling the boy gently away, and reluctantly the teen finally gave up, following after the wolf, looking at them worriedly once more before disappearing behind some rocks. Hongjoong took a quick breath, putting up his rifle and flicking off the safety.
“Alright Mingi. You’re up.” He said quietly, knowing it would be picked up by their earpieces.
Mingi nodded, stepping forward towards the cave entrance. “Hey! Wolf asshole! Where are you? Just hidin’ out in some damp rock? Coward. Come on, come face me and see what you can do!” he shouted, voice pitched aggressive and irritating.
Hongjoong winced when he heard the explosive snarl that erupted from the cave, finger twitching on his rifle trigger. He positioned himself to the right, where anything that came out of the cave couldn’t immediately see him. Yunho did the same to the left, trying to make it look like Mingi was alone. Hongjoong could see the tense muscles in Yunho’s shoulders at the next snarl that erupted from the cave, and he forced himself to stop worrying for Mingi. He needed to just focus on protecting him.
“Keep going Minky, you almost got him.” He called through the comms.
Mingi backed up just a few steps. “Come on you mangy asshole, come and try me!” he risked firing into the cave, a single shot of a rubber bullet that thankfully didn’t hit anything, but it had the desired result.
From the cave came a hulking black beast, gold eyes focused with mindless rage on Mingi. The gauru stood near ten feet, blood matted fur from both the fight and no doubt the murders earlier that night It let out a loud howl into the night air, before lunging at the teal haired hunter, claws out. Mingi managed to dodge, taunting as he went, long legs carrying him quickly as the beast turned to charge after him.
Fire one . Jongho’s voice came over the comm, and suddenly the beast had a dart in its neck.
The gauru howled again, turning it’s golden gaze where the dart had come from as it staggered a bit from the drug. It bared its teeth, but the second dart slammed into its chest on the left. It staggered once more, shaking its head in an obvious attempt to stop the tranquilizer now thrumming through its system. It turned back on Mingi, attempting to chase after him once more, but finally the creature staggered, collapsing on the ground right outside the cave.
Hongjoong took a quick breath. “Don’t go near him.” He called out to Mingi and Yunho, stepping forward hesitantly towards the beast.
“That should go for you too.” Yunho chided quietly, keeping his rifle aimed at the beast while Hongjoong moved closer.
“Yeah well, do as I say, not as I do.” Hongjoong replied, getting close enough to nudge the beast’s leg with his foot.
He breathed a sigh of relief when there was no reaction, just even breathing of the sleeping gauru. He pulled out the heavy duty cuffs they all carried, carefully moving the beast so he could get his arms behind his back. By this point Yunho and Mingi had ignored his order, helping him shift the gauru. Jongho came up, still staying a respectful distance away, talking on the phone.
“Extraction team will be here in ten minutes. They want to take him to the hospital first.” The redhead said as he hung up, looking them over quickly as he always seemed to do, checking for injuries.
Hongjoong nodded, flashing him a quick smile. “Good job, Jongho. Those shots were perfect.” he praised, looking over when he heard the chuff of a wolf. He straightened up just a bit as the alpha approached, letting the white wolf move to sniff over the sleeping gauru’s face.
The alpha looked impossibly sad, gently nuzzling into the gauru’s slumbering neck, before pulling away. He gave Hongjoong a look that the platinum blond understood deeply; take care of him. He gave a nod of acknowledgement, and then the alpha let out a howl, taking off towards the exit of the zoo. Hongjoong could hear the other wolves respond, and even though he knew this pack meant them no harm, it still made the hair on the back of his neck creep up. He didn’t like being reminded that the only reason he and his team were able to do their job, sometimes, was because the creatures they protected and worked with actually worked with them in a peaceful manner. They chose not to kill them, and it made him nervous.
Burying those thoughts ruthlessly, Hongjoong turned to look at his men, letting out a quick breath. “Alright, Yunho, Jongho, head back to the SUV. We’ll ride with extraction and meet you at the hospital, then head home. We can do our paperwork in the morning.” he grinned. “Let’s make it a late morning.”
Met with a cheer from Mingi and bright smiles from Jongho and Yunho, Hongjoong couldn’t help but feel the small dark mood lift. It wasn’t just the aspects choosing, he had to remember. He and those he led were some of the best hunters in the city. They survived and flourished because they earned the respect of their aspected counterparts, and because if push came to shove, they could beat them in a fight. He had to remind himself this wasn’t some kind of crazy war, there hadn’t been an ‘us vs. them’ thought process in a thousand years. Letting Mingi’s babbling about how excited he was to go to bed wash away the last of the thoughts, Hongjoong joined in, chiding him on focusing on the task at hand while also casually asking him what he wanted for lunch. Just another night in Twilight City, he decided.