Looking into Junhong's circuitry was beautiful. And amazing. And incredibly invasive. Youngjae felt as if he shouldn't be seeing what he was seeing, but he knew he had no other choice if he wanted to repair Junhong at all.
 
Youngjae had gotten halfway through figuring out just how Junhong worked when Jongup began gathering everybody around the monitors.  
 
"Guys, this doesn't look good," Jongup said, his voice going soft.
 
Youngjae walked up behind the others, trying to see what was going on. He caught a glimpse of the Council building.
 
"This just in. Several Legion tanks have entered Council to apprehend the terrorists, but are the tanks currently at a standstill in the lobby," an announcer said. "A soldier has stated that they are hesitant to simply overrun the building for fear of killing thousands of innocent citizens trapped inside and destroying historical documents."
 
"That'll buy us time, but not too much," Yongguk muttered. He turned to Youngjae. "How's Junhong coming along?"
 
Youngjae blinked. "Not too good. I just... I need more time."
 
Yongguk nodded, but Youngjae thought he saw a sliver of discouragement in his eyes. He turned to everybody else. "We'll escape the building first, find another place to go, then figure out what to do about the coup."
 
Everybody nodded.
 
Zico raised a hand. "I'll create a diversion for you guys to escape, and then leave. Block B needs me."
 
"Where is Block B?" Yongguk asked.
 
Zico smiled, but it didn't have the same wickedness or playfulness in it anymore; it just looked...mournful. "It doesn't matter, Yongguk. I'll be the diversion you guys need to get your asses out of here."
 
Yongguk looked like he wanted to press Zico for an answer, but he didn't. He simply nodded. "Alright."
 
//
 
In just five minutes, Yongguk, Himchan, and Zico had formulated a plan to get Guernica out of the Council building and into District 1 to pull off their coup d'état.
 
"The Empress's entire life is the palace, so I'm sorry, Youngjae, but you're gonna have to go back in there," Zico said, pulling up a blueprint model of the palace on a holoscreen. "The palace is a dangerous place. After Youngjae and Junhong's little escapade, security's more than tripled, making it harder for us to do this. I'll see what my group can do to draw them out, but we can only do so much. Once you guys cross the border into District 1, you're on your own."
 
"So...," Daehyun said, "Once we get into the palace, what do we do?"
 
Zico turned to Yongguk, and Yongguk cleared his throat before speaking. "We head into the palace inside a Legion truck. Everybody else will think we're a platoon heading in on orders of the Empress. But, we need to get hold of a news van, or at least a camera. We'll kill the Empress and televise it to the entire nation. Once the citizens know that she's dead, it'll be complete anarchy."
 
Youngjae timidly raised his hand, and once Yongguk acknowledged him, he asked, "If we leave the nation without a leader, it will stay as complete anarchy. The citizens will run the nation into ruin."
 
Yongguk nodded. "We considered that, and we've agreed that Guernica will be the leaders of the new Korea."
 
Youngjae bit his lip. He hoped that idea would work.
 
"Once we do that, the soldiers will swarm us, so we'll have to get out of there before that happens," Yongguk explained. "I hate to say this, but it'll be every man for himself. If you can't keep up, you'll be left behind."
 
Youngjae gulped, glancing at the other members. They all had the same look of anxiousness he currently felt.
 
"Make sure to have plenty of ammo, and carry a ray gun too," Yongguk said. "Even if you run out of ammo, the ray gun will be an adequate substitute."
 
"How do we get out of here, then?" Jongup asked.
 
"That's where I come in," Zico said before Yongguk could. "I'll get some soldiers in here, we beat the out of them, take their armor, and stuff the guys into body bags. Everybody else will think it's us in the body bags when we'll actually be in the armor. We separate after we're in the clear."
 
"With that," Yongguk said, stretching his arms, "I think this plan needs to be put into action now."
 
"See you ers later, then," Zico said, making his way to the door. "It'll take about fifteen minutes for me to come back with the soldiers from the lobby."
 
Everybody else began working as soon as Zico stepped out. They gathered ammo and guns and as many supplies as they could carry. Youngjae stood, multitool still in hand, and stared at Junhong, hoping that maybe Junhong would repair himself. Youngjae wondered if Junhong had nanorobots inside him too, but when he looked inside just ten minutes before, it was obvious to see that wasn't the case. Youngjae wasn't even sure if he had the capability to fix Junhong.
 
"Youngjae, here's a ray gun," Daehyun said, handing Youngjae the weapon. He paused. "What's wrong?"
 
"I can't repair Junhong. His technology is beyond what I can do," Youngjae whispered. He felt devastation weigh heavy in his mind.
 
Daehyun didn't say anything for a moment. "That's not true. Remember when you repaired that bot from District 8?"
 
"Yeah, but that was simple, and it took me nearly an entire day to get it done," Youngjae protested. "And I've barely had thirty minutes with Junhong. Daehyun, I can't do it."
 
Daehyun grabbed Youngjae's shoulders, gripping them tightly. "Youngjae, you can construct entire machines out of scrap metal and wires. You've built AI's . Do what you know how to do, and even if it's not enough, I know Junhong would have appreciated it."
 
Youngjae looked back down at Junhong. He was an android. He wasn't even supposed to have feelings. Even if he was autonomous.
 
"Alright."
 
Daehyun let go of Youngjae, and smiled, leaving a kiss on his temple. "You're a genius, Yoo Youngjae."
 
Youngjae directed his attention back to Junhong, newfound determination slithering back into his mind.
 
"Just now, Zico, leader of another infamous terrorist group named Block B, has come out of Council and claims to be representing Guernica temporarily," one of the monitors announced.  "Let's see what he has to say."

//
 
Not even five minutes passed when Yongguk came up to Youngjae. The other members followed Yongguk, crowding around Youngjae and Junhong. Youngjae had never felt more suffocated in his life.

Youngjae had been working on rewiring the circuits that had been damaged, but there were just too many holes in Junhong, and Youngjae just needed more time.

"How's Junhong?" Yongguk asked, peering over Youngjae's shoulder.
 
Youngjae didn't reply. Getting there, he wanted to say.
 
"Close him up. I'm sure he's fine," Yongguk reassured.
 
Youngjae did as he was told, and stood up from his stool, sighing.
 
Yongguk grabbed Junhong's legs, and nodded to Youngjae. "Help me flip him over."
 
Youngjae grabbed Junhong's shoulders, and rolled him over. Youngjae stepped away from Junhong, feeling an uneasy weight begin to settle in the pit of his stomach.
 
"It's okay," Daehyun whispered, his hand landing softly on Youngjae's shoulder.
 
"Wake up, Zelo," Yongguk suddenly said. He said it as if he'd done it millions of times before.
 
Youngjae looked back and forth between Yongguk and Junhong. The others waited in tense silence.
 
Junhong's eyes flickered open, and his limbs began moving one by one as if he was being defrosted. He sat up, and faced the group. Youngjae felt hope well up in his chest.
 
"System booting up. Please do not touch the power button," Junhong said. His eyes were blank, but he blinked and he seemed to come to reality. He directed his attention to Yongguk. "Bang Yongguk. Rogue soldier. Extremist."
 
Yongguk stiffened, and he faced the others, ushering them away from Junhong. "Guys, get away from him."
 
Jongup resisted, pushing against Yongguk. "But Junhong—"
 
"Junhong isn't here anymore!" Yongguk said, his voice climbing in volume, and Jongup stared at Junhong in disbelief.
 
Junhong continued listing the members as if their names held no meaning to him anymore. "Moon Jongup. Former student. Extremist. Kim Himchan. Former nurse. Extremist. Jung Daehyun. Extremist. Yoo Youngjae. Former student. Extremist. All individuals against the Republic must be eliminated."
 
Youngjae stared in horror. Something must have gone wrong in Junhong's hard drive when he was shot. They were naive to think Junhong could be fixed. Too hopeful. Too faithful in Youngjae.
 
It was Youngjae's fault Junhong was like this. He failed to repair Junhong in time.
 
Junhong picked up the multitool Youngjae left on the table, and jumped at Yongguk, murder and hatred in his eyes.
 
"!" Yongguk grunted as he dodged Junhong.
 
Junhong turned to Yongguk again, snarling, and ran towards him. Before he could get to Yongguk, though, Jongup grabbed hold of Junhong's arms, trapping him. Junhong struggled, and Jongup was barely able to hold him back.
 
"Junhong," Jongup pleaded, his forehead pressing in between Junhong's shoulder blades. "Stop it. I know you're in there somewhere."
 
Junhong was quiet, but everybody seemed to know that Jongup's attempts were futile. It was far too late for Junhong to be saved now.
 
Junhong was dead. Now it was only Zelo.

Somehow, Youngjae had expected this. He knew Junhong would never return after he uttered his last words. Youngjae felt a hand in his, and he turned to find Daehyun beside him, eyes wide and scared at the scene unfolding before them.

"Jongup," Yongguk said. "Let him go."
 
Jongup looked at Yongguk. "But—"
 
"There's nothing we can do about him now," Yongguk insisted, and a hint of desperation had creeped into his words. He pulled a gun out from behind his back. "Let him go, Jongup."
 
Jongup frowned, but he released Junhong anyway. Junhong yanked his limbs back, and charged for Yongguk again.
 
Yongguk took aim and fired at Junhong's forehead.
 
Junhong crumpled to the ground right at Yongguk's feet, the multitool in his hand falling beside him with a deafening clatter.
 
Everybody stared at Junhong, devastation in their eyes. Youngjae closed his; he felt as if he was reliving those moments back in District 1.
 
"I'm sorry," Junhong whispered, the whirring of his internal machinery slowing, "Madame."
 
The light finally left Junhong's eyes, and Yongguk picked Junhong up, tucking him into his arms.
 
"We should get ready for Zico," Yongguk ordered, but his voice was thick with emotion.
 
Everybody bowed their heads as Yongguk placed Junhong back on the table.
 
//
 
About fifteen minutes after Zico disappeared from the lobby with several soldiers on his tail, he knocked on the door to the seventh control room.
 
The instant the door opened, Zico ducked inside, barely missing the bullets and lasers flying past him. In under a minute, the soldiers were down. Another minute, and everybody was getting into their own armor. One more minute, and they were piling the unconscious soldiers into a single body bag; Junhong was carefully placed in a separate bag.
 
"Let's go, guys," Yongguk said, his voice ringing clear in everybody's earpieces.
 
A collective nod amongst them, and they walked out of the seventh control room.

//

As they all walked out, they were swarmed by reporters. Youngjae's eyes widened, fearing that they'd be found out, but he followed

"What's become of the extremists from inside the Council building?" a man questioned, shoving his microphone too close to Yongguk's helmet.
 
"We wish to abstain from providing any statements as of this moment," Yongguk said. He bowed his head as he pushed through the crowd. "Thank you."
 
The reporter insisted, following Yongguk. "But––"
 
"Thank you," Yongguk repeated, poison lacing the words this time, and Youngjae could just imagine the scowl on Yongguk's face. The reporter's eyes widened, and he looked the tiniest bit dejected as he backed away.
 
They all got into an empty Legion truck with Yongguk in the driver's seat, and drove away from Council. As Yongguk rounded a corner, Zico tapped his shoulder.
 
"Hey, Yongguk, this is my stop," Zico said, tapping Yongguk's shoulder. "I'll call up my group and we'll get working as fast as we can."
 
Yongguk pulled the truck to a stop, and Zico hopped out. Before he walked away, though, Yongguk stopped him, rolling down his window. "Zico, hold on."
 
Zico turned around. "What's up?"
 
"Thanks," Yongguk said. "For everything."
 
Zico saluted Yongguk, and Youngjae could only imagine the wicked grin behind Zico's helmet. "Anything for my fellow Legion scum, you know?"
 
Yongguk laughed. "Legion scum, he says."
 
"Get going, nerd. We don't have a lot of time," Zico said.
 
Yongguk saluted Zico as he turned away, and then drove off.
 
//

It wasn't very hard finding a news station van. They crawled in the city, simultaneously looking for the next story that wasn't already being covered and avoiding the wilder parts of the city that had been taken over by furious citizens.

Yongguk stopped beside a van that had seemingly been left alone. Daehyun and Jongup climbed out of the truck, and entered the van with ease. Just minutes later, they came back with hands full of a camera and other wires.

"There was a reporter and two other crew members in there," Daehyun said as he closed the door of the truck behind him. "It was amazing. They just gave us the stuff."

Those three were scared, Youngjae realized. He wondered what these people would do if they were pushed past their breaking points.

"Is everybody back inside?" Yongguk asked.

"Yeah," Jongup replied.

Yongguk started the truck again with a nod, and they were driving out of the city.
 
//
 
Once they were safely on the highway, they removed their helmets, and lowered their guards just a fraction. Youngjae never thought the Legion armor would be such a struggle to move in. Maybe it was because he wasn't used to it. Yongguk seemed to move more naturally in it, though, as if it was a second skin.
 
"You okay?" Daehyun asked.
 
Youngjae nodded. He just wanted to get out of the armor and feel Daehyun's warmth.
 
"So... What'd the Empress tell you?" Daehyun asked after a moment.
 
After the question left his mouth, Youngjae felt the anxiousness inside him swell as the other members' eyes went to him. He gulped, unsure of how to start. He didn't know how they would react to him being a clone, let alone a government experiment.
 
Youngjae took a deep breath. it, he thought. "I'm a clone."
 
A chorus of incredulous "What?!" echoed around the truck, and Youngjae bit his lip as Yongguk tried to get the truck back inside its own lane. A tense silence filled the van like a poison. This was what Youngjae was afraid of.
 
Suddenly, Daehyun began laughing, loud and forced. "You're joking, right? You're not actually a clone, right? Youngjae, what the ?"
 
The toxicity grew. Youngjae turned to look at Daehyun; his eyes were wide, incredulous and expecting a punchline. No, this was what Youngjae feared.
 
"I'm...," Youngjae took in a deep breath. "I'm part of an experiment observing how clones act outside of a lab. Madame Hyosung said that I turned out to be a genius which is why she's been trying to get me back under her direct control. She also had nanorobots injected inside of me. That's how I'm able to heal so quickly."
 
The members continued to stare at Youngjae with mixed emotions in their eyes. Youngjae closed his eyes, wanting to disappear or maybe melt into the ground.
 
"You're a product of the Republic. Right to the very core," Daehyun stated, and it wasn't hard to detect the disgust in his voice.
 
"Daehyun, stop," Himchan said, his tone reprimanding.
 
Youngjae shook his head, opening his eyes. "Himchan, it's okay." He turned to Daehyun. "I know what I am now, Daehyun, and if you refuse to acknowledge me again, I... I'll respect that, but if you let that stop what we're trying to achieve, then you're an idiot. Our freedom––the entire nation's freedom––is more important than what I am at the moment."
 
Daehyun stared at Youngjae, eyes unblinking and a little apprehensive, but lying underneath all that was sorrow. 
 
The rest of the ride was spent in silence, and Youngjae closed his eyes, wishing away the lump that had grown in his throat.

A/N: So this is definitely gonna end soon, maybe one or two more chapters to go but who knows. I hate to end it, but if I don't do it soon, I'm only gonna be dragging it out. And almost nobody likes fics that have been dragged out. c:

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