Convict Unit: Black Parade

The Secret Service mission hit a snag before it had even started.

“You people can’t possibly accompany me looking like that! It simply will not do!” Dia Kim declared, shivering with disgust at the five convicts’ shabby appearances.

“I shall lend you my stylists. All five of you will be primped and polished to a standard worthy of my Queenstagram!”

“Ehhh…”

“You have one hour! Begin at once!”

The moment Dia Kim snapped her fingers, her personal secretary and team of stylists rushed in, setting up an impromptu salon in an empty waiting room on the 10th Deck.

And so, Jae-hee found himself getting his hair trimmed, his face made up, and even fitted for a handsome bodyguard’s suit by the President’s daughter’s personal stylist.

“Whoaaa…”

After the whirlwind makeover was complete, Jae-hee stood before a mirror, stroking his now-smooth face.

He was dressed for the first time in his life in a perfectly tailored black suit and a crisp white shirt. His shaggy mess of hair had been neatly thinned and styled, the back and sides clipped short to create a clean, sharp line.

Jae-hee ran a hand over his perfectly sculpted fade, deeply moved.

“Who knew a mission would lead to such luxury…!” He sniffled. “Are you watching, Barber bro? They fixed my unruly mop so nicely…”

“What are you on about, calling for a dead guy?” a gruff voice came from behind him.

Jae-hee turned, and his jaw dropped. “Wha—?!”

Heels clacked on the floor as a figure in a suit approached. Jae-hee pointed a finger at the now-unrecognizable person, finally managing to speak.

“M-M-M… Master?!”

Ghost emerged from the makeshift salon, dressed in a form-fitting suit and wearing half-palm gloves. Her low-heeled shoes clicked on the corridor floor.

The leather gloves squeaked as she gave them a firm tug, pulling them taut. Above the stark black leather, the delicate contours of her slender white wrist and prominent wrist bone stood out.

Ghost let out a long breath. Her white hair, usually tied up in a messy high ponytail, was now gathered in a low ponytail at the nape of her neck. The simple change completely altered her aura.

And finally, the sunglasses perched on the bridge of her nose. They weren’t standard black, but a deep, bluish-black.

Ghost’s brow was deeply furrowed, as if she was displeased with something. 

Noticing Jae-hee gaping at her, she let out a threatening growl. “What’re you looking at?”

“Whoa! You surprised me! When you actually get dressed up, you look incredible!”

“Don’t make such a fuss…”

With her wild hair tamed and her surprisingly youthful face framed by the sharp suit, she looked nothing like the terrifying inmate from Deck 0.

“Of all the bullshit missions I’ve ever been on, now I have to get dolled up for one.”

Ghost grumbled, pushing her sunglasses up with a long, leather-gloved finger. The bluish-black lenses were a perfect match for her piercing blue eyes.

“The sunglasses look great on you! The gloves, too!”

“They got all excited, squealing amongst themselves, and started adding accessories left and right.”

“Still, it’s nice to get dressed up for a change of pace, don’t you think~?”

“What reason does a damn convict have to get dolled up?”

Looking utterly stifled, Ghost undid the button on her suit jacket, loosened her tie, and yanked one side of her shirt free.

In an instant, the look was hers again—rebellious and undone.

Then she rummaged through her jacket pocket and pulled out a cigarette.

Jae-hee didn’t like the smell of smoke, but the sight of the beautiful woman in a slick suit holding a cigarette to her red lips was a work of art.

“Anyway, it’s free styling! I’m happy with it. Hehe.” Jae-hee beamed, clasping his hands together in pure, simple admiration.

Chewing on the unlit cigarette, Ghost snorted. “What do you mean, free? This is all being paid for with our lives.”

“Huh? Oh… you’re right.”

Next, the Doctor emerged, styling complete.

The suit revealed her characteristically androgynous frame, and a white armband was wrapped around her left sleeve to identify her as a medic.

She still wore her lab goggles and mask, along with white latex gloves on both hands. Those, it seemed, were an indispensable part of her identity.

“You look great, too, Doctor sis!”

“…Why am I even doing this…” the Doctor grumbled, clearly displeased as well.

Following her, Shield Bearer came out, fully made over. The suit looked quite good on his long, lanky limbs.

“How do I look?”

“You look great, Shield Bearer bro!”

“Thank you. Heh heh. I’ll be sure to protect Miss Dia.”

Jae-hee tilted his head. “Say, Shield Bearer bro, don’t you usually draw out the ends of your sentences?”

“Ah… hahaha. I tend to switch it up~ like this~”

“Aha, I see.” Jae-hee smiled happily. “I’m counting on you for this mission, Shield Bearer bro!”

“Likewise, haha. I’ll follow along and learn from you.”

“It’s not about following me. You’re the team leader, so you have to give the orders…”

“Ah, that’s right, I’m the leader, aren’t I? Hahaha~ Just a little nervous~”

Something seemed a little off about Shield Bearer, but Jae-hee chalked it up to nerves, just as he’d said, and let it go.

In any case, with all four of them standing there in suits, they looked quite sharp—like actual agents, not convicts.

“Now all that’s left is for, uh, Mr. Rabid Dog to finish his makeover.”

Even as he said it, Jae-hee broke into a cold sweat. The thought of putting a suit on that… person, who crawled on all fours like a dog, was dizzying.

“Will the stylists be okay…?”

“Well, they seem like professionals,” Ghost said. “They’ll figure it out. Maybe give his fur a nice brushing or something.”

And she was right.

When Rabid Dog emerged from his styling session, his filthy fur had been washed, dried, and brushed clean. The stylists had clearly put their souls into it, because he had become a truly magnificent… dog.

He practically sparkled. A noble-looking, large golden dog.

Though most of his face was hidden by fur, for some reason, his expression seemed to have become haughty. His eyes even looked more profound. A glossy sheen rippled through his lustrous coat.

Everyone stared, mouths agape in admiration.

“Wooooow!” Jae-hee offered his honest impression. “He looks like the kind of dog you’d see being walked three at a time on a leash held by a rich lady in a designer coat in some high-rent district…!”

“Isn’t that a little too specific?”

Just as Ghost was about to say something more, a stylist’s voice came from inside the waiting room. “I’ll bring out Mr. Rabid Dog’s accessory! We thought a leash would look great in the shots with our Miss Dia. Could someone come get it?”

“Oh, yes! I’ll get it.” Jae-hee quickly went inside.

As Rabid Dog trotted haughtily toward the other prisoners, Shield Bearer stepped forward.

“Well now, Mr. Doggy!” He approached Rabid Dog, waving his long arms. “You look fantastic! May I pet you?”

Shield Bearer reached out his hand.

“…Grrrr.”

The vicious dog’s eyes glowed red beneath its shimmering golden fur.

It lunged.

“Huh?”

Shield Bearer’s doltish yelp was drowned out as the massive dog crashed down on top of him.

With a sickening crunch, Rabid Dog tackled Shield Bearer, sending them both tumbling to the floor.

It happened in the blink of an eye, so fast that not even the Doctor or Ghost could intervene.

“I’m back~” Jae-hee announced, returning with a fancy black leather leash. “Wow, these people even keep leashes on hand. I guess this can be a fashion item, too… huh…”

His mouth and his train of thought froze simultaneously at the scene before him.

“Grrrr…”

Rabid Dog was on top of the lanky, suit-clad body of Shield Bearer, chewing and tearing at his throat.

The dog thrashed its head from side to side.

“Grrrrrrrrr!”

“…?”

Each violent shake sent blood spraying from Shield Bearer’s limp neck in crimson arcs that splattered the white walls.

He had died instantly, without a scream, his head lolling with every jerk.

“Ah, ah, AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” Jae-hee slapped both hands to his cheeks and let out a delayed scream.

“This is why rabies shots are so importaaaant!”

***

“This… isn’t Shield Bearer.”

Five minutes later, the Doctor was crouched in front of the horribly murdered body, examining it.

“It’s someone else,” she declared.

“What?”

“A Shape-Shifter disguised as Shield Bearer. Look.”

The Doctor tapped the dead man’s cheek, and his face shifted, changing into that of a completely different person.

Jae-hee covered his mouth in shock. “You mean an Awakened who can shapeshift snuck in, got rid of the real Shield Bearer, and was planning to impersonate him?”

“Correct.”

“That explains it! He went down way too easily for a defense specialist! And he stopped drawing out his words like he usually did after the makeover because he was an impostor!”

“…Now that you mention it, that’s true,” Ghost nodded.

She was sitting on top of Rabid Dog, pinning him down with a blade pressed to his neck.

Though it was now clear Rabid Dog had his reasons, she didn’t release him. Instead, she pressed the tip of her blade even tighter against his throat.

Rabid Dog let out a discontented growl, but he quieted down when the Doctor stroked his head.

Jae-hee let out a sigh of relief, clutching his chest. “Well, that’s a relief, anyway. I thought Mr. Rabid Dog just committed murder out of nowhere…”

“No, it’s not a relief.” A cold sweat broke out on Ghost’s brow at his optimism. “Rabid Dog killed him instead of capturing him alive. The real Shield Bearer is now missing in action. And a third party has crashed our mission.”

Just then, Commander Seo, having been contacted, rushed into the room.

“…What the hell is this now?”

The commander looked back and forth between the blood-soaked waiting room and the corpse of the Shape-Shifter, then shouted in disbelief.

“Dying before the mission even deploys? What kind of new record is that?”

“…”

“Team… are we fucked before we’ve even started?!”

Everyone in the room nodded in unison.

Even Rabid Dog.