The two tomboys sat opposite each other at the Apollo Café, lost in their thoughts. To on lookers it would appear they were staring each other down, about ready to launch at any moment but they didn't even see each other due to the thoughts racing through both of their heads. The silence between them was broken when Kai snapped herself back, in turn bringing Keo's attention to her when she ruffled her hair in frustration. "Ugh! I don't know what to do!" She exclaimed before slumping back in her seat and letting her head fall back to stare up at nothing in particular. "Part of me just wants to stay here. Fuck the war.. Fuck everything. Let them come is what I think. But that's stupid.. Right?"

Keo watched Kai slowly give up on the galaxy and her frown returned. She also had feelings of wanting to just abandon the fight and let the Reapers take over but she'd never voice them with Kai sitting there. "Yeah, it is." The blonde muttered, lowering her voice to avoid attracting unwanted attention. "I saw the vids, they're decimating us. I think they're taking hostages but it doesn't take an idiot to see it's just to psyche out the troops. I don't even want to think about what they'll do to them afterwards."

"What do you mean?" Kai frowned, lifting her head to face her sibling who had on the grimmest of expressions. She knew the Reapers were a machine race and that they were invading. That was about it. Kai hated being at a disadvantage, especially when information could mean life or death.

Keo glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping then leant towards Kai over the table. "I don't know much about the Reapers as they were supposed to be a myth."

"But?" Kai asked, knowing Keo would have looked into the topic regardless of myth or legend.

"But when Shepard started talking about them, I did some digging. Of course the Council wrote her warnings off and tore apart her every word, that was to keep mass panic from happening but I didn't believe it. So I researched them. There isn't much of anything to go on, which is bloody suspicious considering legends and myths usually have more lore and information than I could get. But I found something strange.."

Kai stood and moved to sit beside Keo, making it easier on the both of them. At least they didn't look as secretive now. "Y'mean stranger than them being as mysterious as the Illusive Man?"

The biotic shook her head and leant back against her chair, eyeing a group of civilians who'd all gathered at one of the kiosks. "There's record of them vanishing off into dark space. At least that's the myth. They were here and then they weren't. That's it."

Kai slumped once again in her seat and hung her head, "Great. So we're fighting giant shrimp machines with no tactical information to go on. They have no weaknesses, no origin and the only one who really knows anything about them is Commander Shepard because she has some freaky Prothean translator in her head.. Can't wait. When do we get thrown into the fight again?"

"ASAP." Came a gruff voice that startled the two into a stand. Yongguk chuckled at the two who'd busted out the karate hands, "Go easy on me, girls. I'm a recovering patient."

Kai gave the soldier the once over and frowned, straightening up to stand normally. "You look like shit. What happened to yo-" Keo suddenly latching herself onto the man broke Kai from her smart ass comments. "...I'm clearly missing something."

"Woah, Babydoll! Easy." Guk winced as he hugged the biotic who just sniffled and mumbled unintelligible words into the fabric of his shirt. He petted at Keo's hair and flicked his gaze to Kai with a sigh, "It's a long story. Mind if I sit to explain?"

"No. You must stand. Of course! Fucking idiot." Kai joked to ease the sudden tension.

Yongguk sat down at the table after getting Keo to sit down first, he'd chosen the seat beside her and taken her hand as her eyes had gone that misty way again. Kai took the seat opposite and gradually worry started to grow within her. "Right.." Guk started, "It was when the Lunar base got hit. I was escorting Keo to where she could get her gear then I left to find the others and make sure they were alright, something knocked me a fair distance and when I came to I was trapped under some debris. Turns out it was the debris that hit me. Had I landed a few centimetres to the left though.. I'd be a stain on the floor. Luckily one of the guys I trained with heard and found me and he helped me to a shuttle. Now I'm here, a recovering hospital patient."

"I thought you'd died, Guk." Keo mumbled. She wanted to tell him how she got here too, about being trapped and about Sgt. Davis and Bill but that would also mean telling him about Daehyun. The man had already been beat up physically, to be emotionally beaten would be too much.

"Nearly." He spoke, earning a noise from Kai as she quickly moved over to sit at the other side of him and take his other hand. "I'm alright. Just worried... I haven't heard from any of my boys.."

"Well we know w-" Kai went to tell him about Daehyun but by the look she received from Keo her tongue stopped working. It was the look she'd dubbed The Dragon. "I mean.. We know where we are at least. That's a start. We'll help you try to get in contact, yeah?"

Guk nodded tiredly and flashed the two one of his gummy smiles but he looked so weary. By the bags under his eyes he hadn't been getting sleep and by the way his index finger kept tapping against whatever surface it came across let them know every inch of him wanted to be out looking for his brothers. He didn't like having to sit in that hospital all day, which was why he'd snuck out. Yongguk was overjoyed to have spotted the two girls he'd come to see as family sitting in the Café but nothing would be right until they were all sitting there. Every single one. So it was clear he was dreading the worst. What if one had died on the base? Or all had died? What if only one made it out? He hated being in the dark. It was tearing him apart inside and he felt guilty for not being strong enough to hide it from the two tomboys. "Thanks.. With so many shuttles leaving at once.. They could be anywhere. I'm glad I've at least found my girls though."

Keo glanced to Kai, "Don't you have Youngjae's email? Try messaging him." She tried. She had a suspicion that Kai had already tried to get in contact with everyone, after all Kai was smart and wouldn't just sit idly by while family were god knows where.

Kai frowned and activated her omni-tool, beginning to type another message. She'd already sent around five asking about the boys safety, his where abouts and if he was with anyone else. So far she'd had no response which sent her mind into over drive. She'd even tried Jongup's omni-tool but even he didn't respond. She would be strong for the man they'd come to call 'Appa' however, so yet another message was sent to Youngjae, knowing that if anyone would respond first it'd be him. Hope had a way of dwindling with every message gone unanswered but with this message she could say where she was and that her and Keo were with a worried Yongguk. Perhaps the mention of the soldier would be enough to bring them all back home. Kai had been so unsure about everything but then she saw Yongguk's face. He had a way of inspiring the fight back in her. If Appa was there, they could face the Reapers and she knew Keo felt the same way.

Yongguk on the other hand was unaware of how much faith he brought the two beside him. He was humble that way. "So.. How did you two get here anyway? You look rough."

Kai lowered her gaze and rubbed at the plating over her shoulder, feeling self conscious of the still healing wound. Keo could easily mask her wounds with her silver tongue but it would be impossible to explain a stab wound. She wanted to tell Yongguk the truth but even she could see that it'd just bring him down more than he was. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him. "I fled with the Alliance." Kai finally muttered out. "I got on a shuttle and met Keo here."

Keo looked over at Kai with shock, she'd been expecting her to just tell the man straight out but there she was lying to him. "..Yeah. I met Kai here.."

Yongguk's posture shifted instantly and he released their hands to fold his arms. "So you have bad news. Out with it then."

"What?" Kai gasped, surprisingly managing to act convincingly. Of course the soldier didn't believe it though. He use to live with the king of fraud; Daehyun.

Yongguk shook his head, a small smile forming. "Listen, I know when I'm being lied to. It may have only been months but you're my girls. I know when you are lying to me and when you're telling the truth. So what actually happened?"

"Dammit Gum!" Keo whined, throwing herself back in a mock fit of defeat. Kai and Keo shared a look and Keo took it upon herself to fill him in. It had clearly pained Kai to lie to Guk the way she had, so there the biotic sat informing the man they both respected that one of his family had tried to kill Kai and kidnap her. She told him everything from the very beginning, which even drew in Kai as she hadn't been told majority of it. She spoke of waking up after the debris hit the base, of Davis and Sophie. Then her first meeting with the phantom. She struggled explaining how Davis died then calmed when explaining the entire shuttle struggle. She brought up how Kai had tried to get her to hand Daehyun over to the Alliance but stuck with her when she made a reckless move and opted to flee instead. Then she informed him grimly of the outcome; Bill's death and Kai's stab wound. When she was done Guk just sat there staring at the table with a blank expression. He didn't appear angry nor sad which unsettled the two. "So... We've been sitting here ever since."

Yongguk wasn't a violent man. He never had been, in fact he was a pacifist. It was odd for him to have joined the military if that was the case but he'd actually joined up because of Zelo. The kid had wanted to make a difference in the world and hone his biotic ability, so off to the Alliance he went. Naturally Guk had been opposed to the idea as the Alliance was a dangerous career move, but Zelo had convinced him of his ambition for it. So of course he followed after to look after his boy. Family was everything to Yongguk which meant the news he'd just been told would take longer to process. Most would curse or call themselves stupid for trusting Daehyun, they'd yell betrayal but not Yongguk. He knew his boy. He knew Daehyun had trouble with his past, he also knew Cerberus had done some freaky shit to him and that it was always a delicate subject. But Daehyun had always hated Cerberus. One mention of them sent him into a rage. "Thank you, Babydoll." He finally uttered, turning his gaze to the nervous wreck.

"What?" Keo squeaked out. At most she'd expected him to get up and just leave them there. Not thank her. "...It's my fault he escaped. He was right there, Guk. I could have tackled him or put him in a barrier but I didn't.. I protected myself instead and shut my eyes like a coward."

"Babydoll." Guk smiled weakly, placing a hand on her shoulder to calm the girl. "It's not your fault. Never apologise for thinking of your survival. In that situation, after what you saw him do, I'm proud of you for protecting yourself."

Kai watched the two silently, still processing everything her sibling had mentioned. It was no wonder she had been mute on the shuttle over. She'd stared right into the eyes of a demon who just kept landing hits every time they crossed paths. She'd witnessed two deaths she was helpless to stop and was aware this phantom was hunting her to hand over to Cerberus all the while still believing she could save him. Personally she was unsure whether to admire that or call her stupid.

"But.. I'm sorry." Keo sighed, dropping her head tiredly. She didn't cry or start her shaking. She just stared down at her lap. "I should have just handed him over to Captain Johnson.."

"No." Yongguk frowned, his voice holding a stern growl to it which caused both girls to stare at him with wide eyes. "You did what I'd do. The Alliance and Cerberus aren't the best of friends and given the war.. They wouldn't waste time. They'd just find the information they need and dispose of him. Your gut was right. It was reckless but... I'm glad you did it and I'm glad you think it isn't him."

"You..You're glad?" Kai piped up, catching Yongguk's attention. "You think he's got a control chip?"

Yongguk nodded firmly, brows furrowing as he let out air through his nose in a deep sigh. "He'd been complaining of headaches.. Hours before the debris hit he pulled me aside saying he had a terrible migraine. He looked so awful and had to hold onto me to keep standing.. I thought it was his implants and took him to his barracks to rest. As his Hyung I should have known better."

Kai raised a brow, catching Keo perk up from the corner of her eye. "What? Wait. So he does have a freakin' control chip? Didn't the Alliance catch that when they let him sign up?"

The soldier lifted a hand and rubbed at his temples, grumbling incoherently for a moment before rubbing his face and sitting up fully to explain. "You'd think. Youngjae was the closest to Daehyun, he'd done some research into Cerberus methods. Turns out they don't just clip the control chip on, they infuse it into you. Scanning wouldn't be any good, the only way to properly tell if he had it would be to get him on an operating table and perform brain surgery on him. That wouldn't fly with the Alliance, we have enough red tape to stop us breathing wrong let alone putting a guy through surgery who might or might not have a control chip. Youngjae tried to access Daehyun's files but a scary amount of it was restricted or classified. Our guess was that because they couldn't find the proof to get the boy in the lab, they settled with constant surveillance and studied his abilities while he trained."

"So they just used him to see how a phantom works?" Kai frowned. Granted it was smart but the entire thing gave her a headache. "Is that why he was in so many different classes?"

"Neh.. Test him in different situations. Find the weaknesses. It was smart but did nothing for his health." Guk glowered. "The constant check ups and scrutiny of his superiors had him paranoid and extremely pissed off."

Kai scratched at her head and pulled a leg to her chest, resting her elbow on her knee cap. "But it sorta made sense, right? I mean he'd been in Cerberus."

Yongguk looked to Keo who'd edged closer to listen then back to Kai and groaned a little. So much for a leisurely stroll to escape the confines of the hospital. Apparently he was a story teller. "He understood, don't get me wrong. But he hated Cerberus with a passion. None of it was his choice."

"Bullshit, you always get a choice." Kai commented.

"Not when you're born into the wrong family." Keo piped up, catching the two off guard by the airy tone that sounded out. "He told me bits and pieces.. Not everything mind you.. Just that he was sent away to some place when he was a kid, a facility that 'helped' him get his abilities the way they are."

"Cerberus are breeding phantoms?" Kai gawked, horror clear on both her face and in her voice. The very thought of parents willingly sending their children off to be made into phantoms sent chills up her spine. It was bad enough that he'd been implanted by a control chip but now she'd learnt he'd essentially been sold to be made into the perfect stealth fighter against his will. Cerberus had never been an issue before in Kai's mind as she wasn't well informed on them but now the more she heard the more she wanted to bring them down.