Elliot Knight had initially always worked with dodgy people. He had just had to. Of course, as a mere thief, when he had finally eluded HIVE Academy and bought his very own decent apartment, he wasn't able to pay the dreaded rent, often grovelling for favours to at least stay a little more. He was surely going to be homeless if he hadn't done anything about it. So, in a last act of pure desperation, he had pleaded to this specific notorious crime gang for work in which he could receive any mediocre amount of payment in return. It was often obtaining illegal substances from defenseless vehicles or others somewhat similar. However, he soon swiftly stopped that when he was nearly poisoned after for just one mistake, unluckily abandoning his present task he had been given. Immediately, he had blocked all means of any particular communication with them, and swore to never work with such dangerous, unpredictable psychopaths ever again. And with that, he had forgotten all about it. Foolishly, too.

Because sometimes his past caught up with him.

Kyd Wykkyd bounded eagerly to the door at the loud knock on his spacious apartment door. Hopefully, Seymour Smith was planning to stay overnight- they had such glorious fun then. Keenly, he opened the once locked door, now fervently regretting he was still in his dark, Batman-like costume. However, as soon as his amber eyes saw out into the modern corridors-

He froze.

He scarcely uttered two words.

"Well, crap."

Kyd tried urgently to flee backwards but immediately a large, bulky gun was shoved menacingly over his rapidly beating heart. The awfully familiar, thuggish snickers mocked him ruthlessly, almost as badly as the willing finger hovering over the perilous trigger. Elliot gulped fearfully and shakily raised his gloved hands in a defeated surrender, just as he cunningly prepared himself to teleport away. His initial panic was soon replaced with a hard determination, surging desperately to elude these specific people he had so vehemently strived to escape from before.

However, he was almost perfectly ready, only to then practically forget how to breathe when the familiar, metallic collar was clipped on his vulnerable throat from behind. He had helped make this. Kyd jolted frightenedly, abhorring himself fervently for such a vacuous mistake as to not hear that coming and attempted direly to teleport. Except his dark magic seemed to have been absolutely deactivated, to such a dreadful extent he couldn't even heal the tiniest cut on his mere little finger. Elliot intelligently remained limp as the insidious crime gang securely tied up his pale hands behind him, manhandling him roughly. The malevolent criminals pushed him aggressively backwards so soon Kyd was sat tensely on his own sofa, breathing raggedly. The many thugs part of this particular crime gang surrounded him, just as two criminals smartly locked the apartment door and closed the blinds meticulously.

The truly malicious leader, who was wielding the large gun, moved the lethal gun onto Elliot's exposed throat instead. Kyd gulped frightenedly and gazed panickedly at the exact same person he had once begged desperately at when he was one week off being fifteen for work. They hadn't changed a bit. He was extremely dirty and had dark brown hair in a short cut which was heavily matted too. He wore studded, classic punk like attire, and mysteriously all anybody knew about him was that he was the leader of this crime gang. Therefore, he was known simply as only "the leader". His intimidating height and almost unbelievable muscle merely added to the dark, malicious atmosphere he brought with him unconsciously as he smirked excitedly, just anticipating for the slightest excuse to kill Kyd. Why did he have to pick a crime gang to get money?

"Well, well, well. Looks like we have finally caught the elusive Kyd Wykkyd, hmm? After around two years, I'd have thought you would look less like a stick, but I guess that's not the case. Well, seeing as you won't be going anywhere, I would like a little chat, and you know that I like to get right to the point,"he sneered mockingly in his same husky voice, pressing the hard gun barrel harder.

"Go o-on,"Elliot stammered as fearlessly as he could muster.

"Well, after you just randomly left us in the middle of our task we set you, well, we haven't been very happy, see? Cos what we asked you to get… was really important. We need your girly gymnastic skills and stick figure, and everyone else here isn't a stick like you. So. To cut to the chase. You will go and get it now or… we kill you. Keep the collar on too, we don't trust you enough with your magic,"he explained diabolically,"Do you understand?"

A tense, edgy silence reigned over.

"I understand."

Meanwhile, Seymour Smith was ahead of the Hive Five, his gloved hand resting on the useful helmet's sleek dial. He, along with the Hive, were dressed appropriately in their styled costume, walking in resolute, eerie darkness. As usual, Seemore was leading the way, using his sharp night vision to decipher his way through the pitch black warehouse, always tensely keeping a fast pace due to the menacing presence of his savage leader, Private Hive behind him. His large eye scanned the entire room meticulously until finally he found the very same item they were all particularly looking for. An ancient book lay in a immaculately clean glass display case amidst the isolated warehouse- just the exact priceless relic they had been searching for. Apparently, it is said to contain magical properties, able to curse and enchant with mere practice and it supposedly even came from Azarath itself, that very library too. At least that was the ongoing rumour, anyway. Seymour scoured the vast, dark area until he too successfully discovered the many security lasers that were invisible to the naked eye protecting this one, precious book. They would require someone really flexible and nimble for such tasks- except they had Gizmo to disable them. Seemore spun around eagerly.

"The book is in the middle of this place. All we need is for Giz to find a way to disable those lasers and I will be able to lead you all there,"he explained keenly.

"Right, Gizmo, get to work and don't take years please,"Private barked authoritatively.

"Sheesh, sure, no need for manners,"Gizmo grumbled irritatedly, flying off cantankerously in his advanced jetpack,"Barfbrain."

"Right well-,"Jinx began annoyedly, before pausing and enquiring warily,"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what, Jinx?,"Mammoth asked unnervedly.

"I just heard… a footstep. Like a real stealthy one,"she replied nervously, tensing her pale hands for her unlucky magic.

"You probably misheard,"Private dismissed exasperatedly.

"Yeah,"she nodded along relievedly, though still shakily.

Seymour held his breath unsettledly and went to speak when abruptly there was an elated squeal. All of the Hive Five looked in the general direction anticipatedly.

"I did it! I did it! I can turn on the lights too!,"Gizmo shouted pleasedly, yet also smugly.

"Well done, Giz,"Seemore yelled back pleasantly, flinching as he was slapped hard across the back by Private.

Of course.

"Idiot! Keep it down!,"Private Hive retorted viciously, simultaneously twisting Seymour's noticeably thinner arm backwards painfully.

Seemore scarcely bit down his pained cries and sighed heavily in just pure relief as Private eventually let go reluctantly. Roughly, Private Hive pushed Seemore to the hard floor and Seymour soon found himself sprawled on his front, just as the bright light switched on abruptly. They blinked as they gradually adjusted to the sudden change in light, and heard the reassuring hissing sound as the adept security lasers were defused perfectly. Immediately, all of their eyes shot eagerly to the precious glass stand but-

It was entirely empty.

Private Hive clenched his large fists frustratedly, just as Mammoth, Jinx and Gizmo groaned defeatedly. Seymour gawked confusedly as he stayed sprawled out, as he caught glimpse of a tall, lissom figure sneaking away from the far corner of the isolated warehouse. Amber eyes met his one eye, and they both stared at the other, until the pair of amber ones retreated away. Obviously, Seemore knew instantly who that was. But he didn't know what was going to unfortunately happen next. Abruptly, a hand roughly grabbed a vast fistful of his styled spandex and yanked him unpleasantly into the air. Seymour gasped fearfully and attempted to wriggle away when Private aggressively slammed Seemore to the hard floor. Seymour cried out painedly, rubbing his horribly throbbing side urgently, as Private towered over him menacingly.

The amber eyes halted, staring seethingly.

Mammoth, Jinx and Gizmo stared incredulously, having never seen this before.

"You little liar! It isn't here! You've stolen it for yourself, haven't you? Private accused furiously.

Immediately, he charged over to the poor boy, who was shuffling away fearfully, and set for a ferocious punch when, the exact second he would've hit Seemore, a lean figure pounced in front and shielded them both with a practically unbreakable cape. Private's fist cracked painfully as the merciless leader howled at the burning agony along his bulky knuckles. Seymour gazed up admiringly at Elliot Knight's lean, lanky figure holding the awkward position, his sinewy muscles, determined frown and strangely… metallic collar? Well. questions later, he supposed. He expected Kyd to swiftly teleport them away like always but instead he leapt, like a nimble feline, onto Private's broad, muscular shoulders. Elliot tightly held onto Private Hive's vulnerable throat, scowling with such murderous wrath it frightened Seemore to no end. That look shouldn't be on Elliot Knight's face, of all possible people.

"Hey, are you okay, See?,"Mammoth asked gruffly, gently lifting him up to his feet.

"Yeah, snotmuncher, that looked bad, I hate to admit it though,"Gizmo sighed irritatedly, patting Seymour's small back comfortingly.

"Well, at least Seemore knows not to take loot for himself in the future,"Jinx added jokingly.

However, he wasn't paying any attention to them whatsoever. Instead, he was watching stunnedly at the scene before him.

Kyd was snarling furiously, musing of only all the awful agonises this arrogant, vacuous tyrant had caused his own boyfriend as he swiped agilely at him. Private was beginning to tire from continually dodging the vicious, nimble swings of the terribly sharp and bladed cape of Kyd Wykkyd, panting raggedly. In a desperate attempt, Private surged for Elliot's collared throat, only for Kyd to leap up stealthily in the air, away from him much too easily. Kyd's vehement rage fuelled his now unrelenting attacks, like sunlight to a solar panel. Private fell clumsily to the hard floor and had no time to even start to react when agilely Kyd pounced onto his large back, pressing him down roughly. Private Hive groaned painedly, thrashing urgently when suddenly he moaned anguishedly. Elliot furiously, slowly sliced his razor sharp cape along Private's exposed back, eliciting fresh blood to gush out alarmingly. As soon as he had done one severe cut, he moved on along further up, even more blood spilling down Private's back, even onto his own, sleek, dark blue gloves.

"Please! Kyd! No! Stop!,"Seemore screamed shrillily, lurging forwards so that soon he was right in front of Elliot Knight.

"Why? Why should I stop, Seymour? This- this- savage has nearly killed you, Seymour, killed you,"Kyd hissed wrathfully.

Elliot paused momentarily- he had now done many fervently bleeding lins of wounds, and now, his bladed cape lay on Private Hive's exposed neck. It would only take one easy maneuver… and Private Hive would be dead. Kyd actually started to sob, thinking of how many times he had agonisedly healed Seymour Smith from nearly dying, just as Private simultaneously whimpered frightenedly, praying to God in a tense silence. Ellliot didn't desire to do this anymore, so much he was trembling, weeping and forgetting to breathe all together.

Seemore didn't know what came over him. All he knew was that Elliot was too precious to murder anyone as he sprinted over urgently. Immediately, he grabbed his taller partner's pale face and pulled him desperately into a pleading kiss, instantly feeling Kyd Wykkyd melt into it thoughtlessly, leaning forwards beggingly. The pair were much too engrossed to notice Private Hive slipping away, crying fearfully as he pelted as far as possible; Jinx gaping stunnedly; Mammoth still horrifiedly at the fresh blood on the hard warehouse floor; Gizmo banging his tiny fist against his bald head baffledly. The pair were much too engrossed to notice the crime gang leader silently slide in and swiftly grab the precious book as he clicked a flashing red button; that Kyd's deactivating collar fell off with a satisfying hiss; that the confused, horrified silence taking place gradually. Eventually, the pair separated, though they ensured their foreheads were still pressed together.

Jinx stepped forwards and announced sheepishly,"Private isn't going to be coming back any time soon. So. If that's alright with you all, I step up as leader of the Hive Five. Kyd… do you want to join?"

Seymour Smith nodded reassuringly and Elliot Knight smiled appreciatively.

"I thought you'd never ask."