The ride Zhou Mi gives them to just inside the Capital is far too short. Kyuhyun thought it would have been a good time to reflect, but he hasn’t even gotten past the thought that this was the end, one way or another, before the journey is over. It’s almost like a dream when he steps out from his hiding place in the wagon.

But this is reality, and Kyuhyun needs to stay focused if the mission is going to have any hope of success.

Concealed by the shadows of the surrounding buildings, the rest of the smuggled Resistance members join Kyuhyun in subjecting themselves to the filthy air of the Capital. Without their usual facemasks, it’s harder to ignore, but there’s a reason for the lack of that particular accessory.

“By the end of the day,” Heechul tells them, “we’re either going to be heroes, or we’re going to be dead. Either way, let them see our faces.”

Leeteuk is the last to exit the wagon. It’s strange seeing the man in a different setting than the Bunker; he’d given up missions for strategizing long before Kyuhyun joined. But outfitted in his gear, and with practically an entire arsenal strapped across his body, Kyuhyun thinks he’s never looked more like a leader.

Zhou Mi stands by the wagon to make sure they all get out before he turns to the group with apologies written all over his face. “I’m sorry I can’t stay longer,” he says regretfully, “but I have to get moving before anyone gets suspicious.”

Leeteuk gives him a small smile. “You’ve already done more than we can repay you for, Zhou Mi. No apologies needed. We’ll meet you at the gate in an hour; if you’re still waiting after another hour passes...get as far away from the Capital as you can. Tell Shindong and Henry what happened.”

“I understand. I, um, guess I’ll get going.”

Kyuhyun meets Zhou Mi’s gaze as it flickers toward him nervously, as if the latter is unsure about how much of a public goodbye Kyuhyun is comfortable with.

Today would be a good day to stop acting like a coward, Cho.

Before his rational mind can tell him otherwise, he surges forward to wrap himself around Zhou Mi, pressing his lips to the other man’s for a heated kiss ━ because, really, if this is Kyuhyun’s last opportunity to kiss him, he’s going to kiss him. There’s a wolf-whistle or two from the crowd at his back, but they’re irrelevant compared to the way his heart beats erratically in his chest, nearly overwhelmed with the rush of emotion he feels for the man in front of him.

Ba-dum, Ba-dum, Ba-dum.

Zhou Mi doesn’t pull away completely. He tilts his head down so that he can murmur against Kyuhyun’s lips, a goodbye meant for only the two of them to share.

“Come back to me, Kui Xian.”

BadumBadumBadum.

Kyuhyun’s heart threatens to beat itself straight out of his chest. He thinks I love you and says “Stop worrying so much,” but the look on Zhou Mi’s face is a dead giveaway that he’s been understood regardless. Even when the caravan driver leaves, and Leeteuk gathers the members together for one last speech, Kyuhyun can’t forget the smile that’s like the sun breaking through the clouds.

Leeteuk gives a long look to the circle of strangers-turned-brothers that stand around him, seeming to ponder the right words to say.

“There’s no one else in the world I’d rather have fighting at my side,” he finally says. “That’s something that hasn’t changed for the past two years. And no matter what happens today, I want you to know how proud I am of every single one of you.” He takes a deep breath, pulling himself together. “Now let’s go make our sacrifices worth it. On my count: one, two, three!”

A chorus of voices join together to shout their battle cry.

“KILL THEM ALL!”

~*~

Yesung isn’t going to lie; even after all this time, he’s still intimidated by Heechul. Especially when said man is currently looking out over the Capital from the group’s rooftop position as though he’d like nothing better than to burn the whole city to the ground. It doesn’t help that on his other side, Sungmin is tossing a detonator back and forth between his hands, waiting only for Heechul’s cue.

When the time comes, all Hell is going to break loose.

“Well, boys,” Heechul says, breaking the tense silence. “It’s been a great ride. Let’s do our job, and if all else fails...let’s try to at least get ourselves in the news.”

Not half a minute later, his hand goes to his headset. “Got it,” he replies to the message only he can hear, and turns his attention back to the men by his side. “That’s our cue. Sungmin?”

To the others’ surprise, the Boom Squad member doesn’t hit the button. Instead, he offers the detonator to Yesung with a smile. “Would you like to do the honors?”

“What? I, um...yes, of course.”

Yesung takes the remote-sized object with shaking hands. After standing in the background for so long, trying to help whenever he could, he’s about to be the catalyst for revolution. If Yesung can do this, he can do anything.

If I make it out of this alive, I’m not going to hide anymore.

His finger traces the edge of the detonator, still hesitant, but then he remembers Kibum and Han Geng’s excited faces the eve before what would become their final mission.

He presses the button.

~*~

Whatever you do, don’t let Leeteuk down.

This is the thought that sticks out most prominently in the forefront of Eunhyuk’s brain as he waits for his signal. The mission relies on everyone’s success, yes, but if his own team fails, it won’t just mean the plan won’t work out; it means they’ll be running away from the Capital’s entire defense force with nothing else to draw the Mayor’s eye away from them. Not to mention the other task that Leeteuk has entrusted him with…

“Kyuhyun,” Eunhyuk whispers to the younger man. “I need you to stick with Ryeowook. I’ll do my best to keep him safe, but there’s only so much I can do while coordinating everyone else.”

“Of course.” They share a look, and while Eunhyuk doesn’t say it aloud, he’s sure the other man understands: Kyuhyun has earned his trust.

A boom thunders in the distance, and Eunhyuk feels his adrenaline start to kick in. Still, he waits. Any moment now, the police patrolling the prison camp should leave to defend the government headquarters. Only the Drones should remain, and then the real action will begin.

Briefly, a hand squeezes how own, and he doesn’t need to look to know who it is. The simple touch works wonders: the nervous pounding of his heart slows to a steady, focused beat.

Thank you, Donghae.

It’s less than a minute before, just as predicted, a stream of Capital forces flood out of the main gates.

“Follow my lead.”

Eunhyuk steps out onto the protruding ledge of the building, carefully slinking along the wall toward the prison. If he had read the blueprints correctly, they should be able to follow the precarious route over the gates and get down on the other side ━ as long as the other watchtowers are unmanned in the midst of the chaos Heechul’s team has created.

For once, they’re lucky.

One by one, they drop the short distance down to the ground and conceal themselves in the long shadows cast by the watchtowers. There’s no one in sight, but Eunhyuk isn’t surprised; it wouldn’t make sense to keep people imprisoned so close to an exit. He signals to the rest of the team, and they move silently into the deeper recesses of the facility.

The moment Kyuhyun hacks them through the next door, Eunhyuk is greeted with the terrified expressions of five girls who can’t have been older than thirteen.

, were they going to turn these five into Drones at this age? Or keep them locked up until they’re adults? It’s even worse than I thought.

“We’re sorry, sir!” one of the girls squeaks. “We weren’t trying to escape, but our door was left unlocked and━”

“Be quiet, Seungwan!” another of the girls cuts in. “What she meant to say was that we got lost on our way back from the mess hall. It won’t happen again; I promise.”

Donghae steps forward, thankfully taking over. Even just his smile seems to calm the group. “What’s your name?” he asks the girl who’d spoken last.

“Kang Seulgi, sir.”

“There’s no need to be afraid, Seulgi. We’re not policemen; we’re with the Resistance.”

Seulgi’s eyes go almost comically wide. “You actually came? We’ve heard the stories, but...let me take you to Mister Kim. He’s the one we all listen to.

They’ve found their ticket into the prisoners’ good graces, it seems. Eunhyuk gratefully accepts Seulgi’s offer, and he follows her group through the gloomy hallways. As they walk, it infuriates him to see the pristine state of the building. The government has clearly spent more resources fortifying a place to hold their citizens captive than giving them much-needed aid.

Seulgi walks through another entrance, and the hallway gives way to a different space entirely. Suddenly there are eyes trained on them from all directions. Prisoners ━more than Eunhyuk can count━ look at the newcomers like they’re not sure whether to be hopeful or fearful.

“Mister Kim, the Resistance is here!” Seulgi announces.

A young man in the middle of the room stands up, brushing back a fringe of jet-black hair from his face. “Kim Jonghyun,” he says by way of introduction. He’s younger (and shorter) than Eunhyuk expected, but it’s clear from the way the other prisoners look at him that he’s earned their respect.

“Lee Hyukjae,” Eunhyuk introduces himself in turn, giving his real name as a show of trust. “Like Seulgi said, we’re with the Resistance.”

Jonghyun gives the Resistance members a brief once-over. He seems to be satisfied, because rather than questioning their claim, he asks, “How did you manage to get inside? Don’t get me wrong; I’m glad you’re here. I just find it hard to believe the Drones would let you walk right past them.”

“A distraction. One of our teams blew up Mayor Park’s monument so we could sneak in under their noses, and so far everything’s going to plan.”

“ In that case, we owe you our thanks. But something tells me you’re looking for a favor from us. I can see you trying to think of how to ask.”

Observant and straight to the point. I like him.

“There is one thing we need your help with,” Eunhyuk admits. “Actually, our mission depends on it.”

“I’m all ears.” Jonghyun looks wary, but far from opposed to helping. Selling the plan won’t be impossible if Eunhyuk does it correctly.

He cuts right to the chase. “A third team is uploading a broadcast we created at the comm center, which will hopefully be the beginning of the Mayor’s end. We need you to draw the Capital citizens out to watch the broadcast, tell them about how you were locked up here waiting to be turned into mindless husks. And beyond that...if you rush the government headquarters while we draw the Drones away, it could make a huge difference. Somewhere inside, there should be the control station for the Drones. Disable that, and it would cripple the Capital’s defenses.”

Jonghyun bites his lip. “It...seems like a long shot,” he says doubtfully. “But it’s still better than any plan we’ve had before. Here’s a question: what do you expect us to do against the police guarding the Mayor? We don’t have any weapons.”

“With your numbers, you should be able to overwhelm them, even without being armed. But there’s going to be plenty of weapons on the way out of here; the Drones will have recovered from the chaos by now, and we won’t put their guns to waste.”

For a long moment, Jonghyun locks gazes with the skinny boy sitting at his side, seeming to have a silent conversation with the other. Then he turns back to Eunhyuk. “We’ll do it,” he says, “But on one condition.”

“I’ll do my best.”

The smirk on Jonghyun’s face look absolutely lethal. “You have to let us teach these monsters who kept us here a lesson they won’t forget.”

~*~

The communications hub is housed in a tall spire near the center of the Capital. On a normal day, there would be a steady trickle of government workers coming and going through its doors, but this is no ordinary day. The moment the explosion sounds nearby, shaking the ground the building stands on, all semblance of normalcy ceases. Police swarm from behind the set of double-doors, and Siwon sends one last thought out to the universe.

God, please give us strength to help these people.

“They’ve done it,” Leeteuk says. “Security should be as minimal as we’re going to get; let’s go.”

“Wait.” Kangin holds up a hand. “Are those reinforcements at our three o’clock?”

Siwon turns in that direction, but he sees nothing of the sort. “Are you sure you meant three o’clock?” he asks, turning back around.

He’s just in time to see Kangin disappearing through the double-doors. Alone.

“Damn it,” Leeteuk hisses beside him. The Resistance leader bolts out of their hiding place in Kangin’s footsteps, but when he tugs at the door handles, they won’t budge. Siwon is at his side just as he begins to pound on the metal, calling, “Open the doors, Youngwoon!”

“He still has his headset,” Siwon reminds him. “Get in contact with him.” The words come out sounding much more calm than he feels, but calm is what Leeteuk needs right now. Calm to counteract his building hysteria.

The Resistance leader’s shaking hands fumble with his earpiece for a moment before he yells into the mic for Kangin’s attention. Siwon knows he’s gotten it when his expression suddenly shifts. “You don’t have to do this, Youngwoon,” Leeteuk says earnestly. “You don’t have to martyr yourself to be a hero. Just...what? No, that’s not…”

He spares Siwon a brief glance before he says, “I know you were the one who forgot to seal the Bunker, okay? Heechul saw it written all over your face, but instead of telling everyone, he redirected their focus. Because just like me, he knows it was an accident. You can’t keep carrying around the burden of your own mistakes, Youngwoon. And you know who it was that made me believe that? You.”

Pride swells in Siwon’s chest at Leeteuk’s words. It comforts him to see that the other man is finally beginning to find peace. The thought, however, is eclipsed by the silence that follows the speech. Has Kangin listened? Is it too late?

Leeteuk’s voice grows gentle. “Of course I still do,” he says to the question only he can hear. “Please, if you won’t do it for yourself, do it for me. I’m begging you, Youngwoon; you have to walk out of that building.”

One two, too many beats of silence, and the Resistance leader turns to Siwon with anguish written all over his face. “He’s not answering.”

Siwon feels his stomach drop, but tries not to show it. “Have some faith in him. There’s nothing else we can do.”

For a few minutes, even the air itself seems to hold its breath. A brief whisper of a prayer falls from Siwon’s lips, but otherwise the near-suffocating silence remains undisturbed.

Kangin, my friend, perhaps you can find your peace in the afterlife...I wish I could have done more to help you while I had the chance.

“Jungsoo...I don’t think he’s coming back.”

“No,” Leeteuk insists, shaking his head furiously. “No, I can’t lose him, too.”

“It was his choice. Don’t━”

The doors open, and Kangin stumbles out, bruised and battered but very much alive.

A relieved sob bursts from Leeteuk’s mouth, and in the blink of an eye, he has his arms around the other man. “You idiot,” he says through his tears.

And all around them, projected onto every building’s walls, a recording begins to play. Shindong’s voice cuts through the muted noise of the city.

“Citizens of the Capital, we are the Resistance. And we have a message for you.”

~*~

The hallway outside of the prisoners’ quarters is not as empty as when the Resistance had broken in. Far from it; additional Drones must have been sent in place of the policemen who’d left, because the moment Kyuhyun steps out after Eunhyuk and Jonghyun, a swarm descends upon them.

Jonghyun his gun ━a gift from the Shadow Squad leader━ and calls back to the prisoners. “For our freedom!”

Kyuhyun struggles to keep his footing as the group nearly 200 strong charges out of the doorway behind him and throw themselves into the fray. It’s almost awe-inspiring to see the tidal wave of ferocious punches and kicks that descend up on the Drones ━ perhaps not killing them, but leaving them far beyond the point of incapacitation.

Still, the prisoners’ courage doesn’t change the fact that the Drones are armed with weapons more lethal than any fist. Gunfire plows into the encroaching horde, and Kyuhyun resists the urge to clap his hands over his ears to silence the screams that follow. Coupled with the shrill battle cries, the confrontation sounds like something ripped straight out of a nightmare.

Right in front of him, a woman launches herself onto one of the Drones, locking her arms around its neck with a brutal intensity. The gun is knocked out of the Drone’s hand, and Kyuhyun moves to fire at a different target before he catches sight of another Drone with its gun trained on the occupied woman. A cry of warning rises to his lips, but he hasn’t needed to worry after all; a hole appears directly between the Drones’ eyess. Jonghyun stands a short distance away, holding a still-smoking gun.

“Nice try, you bastard!” Kyuhyun hears him yell over the sounds of battle, and in seconds he’s back to taking down his opponents with a finesse even Eunhyuk was probably jealous of. The Resistance members may have been the catalyst for the jailbreak, but Jonghyun and the prisoners are the real heroes.

After a particularly satisfying headshot, the sound of a door banging open fills the space, and it takes Kyuhyun a few seconds to register its significance ━ he can hear it. No banshee-like screams, no rattling of gunfire. Just that one bang! before the prisoners stream through to the outside of the compound, along with the scattered noises of a handful of last skirmishes.

Jonghyun and Eunhyuk are right behind the group, Kyuhyun following in their wake (and refusing to look at the bodies he has to step over). By the time they’re outside, their assistance is hardly needed. It hasn’t come without a price, but the oppressors have finally become the overthrown.

“We actually did it,” Eunhyuk says, amazed. “I thought it was possible, but…”

The expression on Jonghyun’s face is hard to read. The headcount he seems to take brings a pained look to his gaze, but he sounds sure of himself when he says, “I’m proud of them. I almost wish we’d have staged an escape much earlier, if it was possible this whole time.”

“You still wouldn’t have had anywhere to go, even if you’d have been successful. It’s probably for the best that...Kyuhyun, are you okay?”

The Shadow Squad member in question is rooted to the spot, staring in horror at a pair of unconscious bodies on the ground. They’re Drones, yes, but not with the same unremarkable features he’s used to. Kyuhyun would recognize these two faces even on his deathbed.

“Those are my parents,” he says in a whisper, pointing a shaking finger. “Oh god, those are my parents.”

He sees Ryeowook’s hand clap over his mouth in matching horror, seeing the other man turn away. He hears Eunhyuk tell Jonghyun to go ahead with the prisoners, to not forget their mission. And he feels Donghae’s strong arms wrap around him in wordless comfort, trying to provide some sense of security,

But how is Kyuhyun supposed to feel comforted when the two people who loved him and raised him for more than 20 years have been turned into monsters? They deserve so much better than this.

“Ssh, don’t cry, Kyuhyun,” Donghae murmurs in his ear, and Kyuhyun is about to object when he suddenly becomes aware of the wetness on his face.

It’s the first time he’s cried since his mother and father had been ripped away from him on that awful day over a year ago. He never would have admitted it, but ever since, he’s kept that spark of hope tucked away in the back of his mind ━ the small chance that they were somewhere safe, waiting for him to return. In an instant, that hope is snatched away, and now his pain refuses to be contained. It claws its way out of him in heaving sobs and makes him feel sick to his stomach.

Donghae doesn’t let go, even when the nausea peaks and Kyuhyun empties his stomach’s contents onto the ground. He holds Kyuhyun’s hair away from his face, turning the younger man away from the scene. “You’ll be okay. I’ve got you.”

Behind them, Eunhyuk fires two shots.

“I’m sorry, Kyuhyun,” the Shadow Squad leader says softly, “but we need to keep moving.”

They can rest in peace now, Kyuhyun tries to tell himself. They don’t have to be in pain anymore. This is a good thing.

He throws up again.

And even from within the prison’s towering walls, he can hear the broadcast begin to play.

~*~

Heechul feels adrenaline pumping through his veins as he sprints, keeping him moving forward even when his lungs and legs scream in protest. Yesung and Sungmin match his pace, and they stay right beside him in their race to the city gates. They’d seen the broadcast light up the Capital; Kangin’s team had been successful. Any minute now, they should meet up.

Speak of the devil…

Leeteuk, Kangin, and Siwon race out of an alleyway just in front of them. The Resistance leader looks shaken, but they’re thankfully all in one piece.

“Jungsoo!” Heechul calls. “Over here!” and when their eyes meet, the two groups seamlessly merge into one, still running hard.

“Have you seen Hyukjae’s team?” Leeteuk asks between breaths.

“Not yet. It shouldn’t be too long now, given━ Wait, there they are.”

Eunhyuk sees them first. He dashes to their position with the others right behind him (Did he have to be born with ing gazelle legs? Heechul thinks with more than a touch of jealousy), but Heechul is more focused on Kyuhyun, who looks more than anything like he could use a hug.

“Kyu, are you━?”

“There are Drones right behind us,” Eunhyuk interrupts, giving him a ‘don’t talk about it’ look. “We need to hurry before we get cut off.”

“How many?” Leeteuk asks.

“All of them.”

.

“Please tell me you’re exaggerating.”

“I wish I was. The police are forming a barricade around the government building, since they’re the only ones the Mayor trusts with his safety. That leaves the whole hoard of Drones for them to put on our tails.”

Heechul doesn’t think he can run any faster, but that does the trick.

Almost there. If we can just stay out of sight a little longer━

“There’s a barricade up ahead!” Yesung calls.

Leeteuk swears under his breath. “No way we’re getting through that. Heechul, is there another route?”

“Side street to our left. It comes out at the same distance to the gates.”

The group changes course, and Heechul just starts to think they’re home free when he has to pull up short, nearly causing Ryeowook to careen into his back. There’s a wall of reinforced barbed wire in front of them, cutting off their path. A dead end.

Heechul whirls around to the Boom Squad leader. “Any way to knock it down?”

“I can try.” Kangin quickly unholsters his rifle, jamming the of it into the barricade. Several hits later, the metal wires still hold, and he’s forced to give up with a frustrated grunt. “It’s too sturdy,” he says, turning back to Heechul with an apologetic shake of his head.

“There has to be another way,” Eunhyuk insists. “Let’s double-back to the main road and then━”

“Get down!” Siwon yells.

Heechul drops to his knees as fast as he could. Not a second later, a round of bullets rips through the air above him, just missing his head.

There’s a loud crash, and suddenly Leeteuk is yelling, “Get inside the warehouse! Move, move!” More shots ring out down the street, and Heechul bolts to the door that the Resistance leader has just kicked in. He can sense the others right on his heels.

His feet carry him through the doorway unharmed, and he can breathe again. That recovery time, however, turns out to be only a few precious seconds before Leeteuk is giving out orders more decisively than he ever has.

“Boom Squad, set up a barricade with these steel crates. Shadow Squad and Ryeowook, block the entrance. Heechul, I need to talk to you for a minute. We don’t have much time, so hurry!”

The teams start splitting up even before the instructions are finished. Curious, Heechul goes to Leeteuk’s side, only to be led further away from the other members. What’s so important that it can’t be said in front of anyone else?

“I have something for you,” Leeteuk tells him in a low voice. He draws something out of his arsenal and places it in Heechul’s palm, who immediately doesn’t like where the conversation is going.

“I’m guessing this grenade isn’t just to lob at the Drones before they get inside,” Heechul says warily. “The amount of firepower packaged into this thing is almost ridiculous.”

“No, it’s a last resort. In a minute, they’ll be swarming through the door, no matter how much we try to seal it. And if we know we’re not going to make it…”

“We’ll take them all down with us,” Heechul finishes for him with a shudder. A building collapse would certainly solve the Drone problem...but the Resistance would never make it out alive.

Leeteuk looks at him helplessly. “Like I said, a last resort. I honestly don’t know what else we can do besides do our best to shoot them down. But I can’t make the call, Heechul. I just can’t. That’s why, if you’ll accept it, I’m putting the decision in your hands.”

The smile Heechul gives him feels crooked and forced. “What are best friends for, right?”

“Thank you.” Leeteuk’s bottom lip just noticeably trembles, but otherwise he looks ready to take on the world. “Not just for this; for everything.”

“You don’t have to treat this like a goodbye, you idiot. There’s still to kick and battles to win.”

He’s about to get a response, but Eunhyuk calls from the other side of the room, “The entrance is blocked!”

“And the barricade is as good as it’s going to get.” Kangin adds.

Heechul hastily clips the grenade in his hand to the belt around his waist, covering it with the hem of his shirt. The drop in morale if the others knew about the backup plan...it wouldn’t be pretty. He and Leeteuk join the others behind the hastily-made barricade.

We’re wedged between two floor-to-ceiling shelves, so they shouldn’t be able to flank us, Heechul notes. As long as they don’t get close enough to kick away or fire over the crates...we might have a shot.

That’s the last thought he has time for before the stack of boxes in front of the doorframe is suddenly riddled with bullet holes.

“Boom Squad,” Leeteuk commands, “have your guns ready to fire. Eunhyuk, Yesung, Donghae, you’ll be on firing duty while the other three are reloading. Ryeowook and Kyuhyun, you two stay back and have the med kit ready. Heechul, you make sure they stay covered. I’ll keep the weapons distributed and the ammo flowing.”

He’s just finished the last word when the Drones burst through the entrance in a cloud of smoke and gunfire. Heechul gets down to the ground immediately, scrambling back from the barricade on his hands and knees. Kyuhyun and Ryeowook crawl to the spot just behind him, and for the time being, all they can do is observe ━ and wait.

Not that there’s much to see of the battle itself. Heechul doesn’t have a view of the Drones’ assault, but he can hear the constant crackle of offensive and returning gunshots. What he can watch is the way that Leeteuk’s strategy works like a well-oiled machine: three members mow down their enemies while the other three load up another set of rounds, switching off effortlessly while the Resistance leader shouts orders over the chaos.

The machine runs perfectly until one of its cogs is knocked out of place. Sungmin lets out a cry, dropping his gun and clutching his shoulder tightly.

“I need someone to take Sungmin’s place!” Leeteuk yells.

Heechul’s hand shoots up. “I can━”

“Kyuhyun, grab a gun.”

A/N: And...cue dramatic cut-off. I'd forgotten how long this chapter was, but hope you all enjoyed it! And that you're excited for the next update. ;) Thanks for reading/subscribing/commenting, and I'll see you next Friday!