Taecyeon woke up to his head aching and could feel ropes binding his hands. Opening his eyes, he only saw black with something covering his face but it was soon yanked off, “Look who woke up.”

Slowly, he opened his eyes to see he was in a cement cell, “Where am I?”

“You should know because you broke in. I mean who breaks into prison?”

Taecyeon yanked on the ropes and flexed his muscles trying to break free, “What do you want from me?”

The man laughed, “Funny of you to ask me questions. Bigger question is why are you here? Which prisoner were you trying to break free? Or are you here to disrupt the Party in some other way?”

Taecyeon laughed, “Why would I answer any of those questions?”

“Why you scum!” The guard was about to hit Taecyeon but the order to stop came from behind.

“Step away from him and leave.”

The guards bowed at the woman who walked in, “Yes mam.”

The woman watched as the guards scrambled away in fear, “When I heard someone broke into the prison, the last person I thought I would see is you. From everything I taught you, this is suicide.”

“You think I don’t know that? I got in here by accident. I was in the woods and it led me into your prison. I think I deserve some answers to why that is.”

The woman pulled up a chair and sat down looking at him, “I think you forgot who gave you those orders to go into the woods. How would I know that it would lead you back to my prison?”

“If you didn’t know, then who would go over your head? That seems rather unlikely.”

The woman sat back in her chair thinking, “. This is worse than I thought.” Getting out of her chair, the woman released Taecyeon, “Go to the Resistance and tell the leaders that we have all been burned.”

Taecyeon shook off the ropes, “What do you mean burned?”

“It means the Party knows. I don’t know how they know but if what you are saying is true, even the upper members of the Resistance that are hiding in the Party have been exposed. I will get you out, but I won’t follow you.”

“What do you mean? They will kill you if you are already exposed.”

“They have been playing me this whole time, so what does it matter? I will stay to not raise suspicions. For now we need to get you out.” The woman gave Taecyeon some handcuffs and a key, “Take these. There is a secret way out in one of the cells behind the toilet. Get out when the lights go off. That is the best I can do.”

Taecyeon followed behind the woman who locked him in the cell, “I can’t leave you here alone.”

The woman smiled, “We all have to make sacrifices for the greater good.” She turned to walk away but Taecyeon caught her clothes.

“No. I can’t accept this. You can get out. Right now, with me. Please…Wan Sun…I can’t leave knowing you are being sent to your death.” Taecyeon pleads to the woman who just smiles back and releases herself from his grip. She doesn’t say a word as she walks back into the darkness.

Taecyeon collapses to his knees grasping his hair and resisting the tears that were to fall. He knew the war was starting, but he didn’t want it to start like this. He didn’t want to say goodbye to the most important people in his life. He didn’t want to be this defenseless. However, he submitted and cuffed his hands, he acted like he was locked up in that cell and waited until night fall before he slipped behind that toilet and crawled out to the other side.

In the darkness Taecyeon felt his heart break once again, how could he just walk away like this? What was all the training he received for? Wasn’t it for moments like this where he could break in and save the innocent? No. He was trained to walk away. He was trained to not break his cover. So, ultimately, he did what others told him. He was not a leader, but a loyal knight following the will of his leaders. Yet tonight…one of them were killed, maybe not today, but soon she would be just another innocent lost to this 30 year battle.

Taecyeon wondered where he should go. Knowing that Wan Sun had her cover blown, he couldn’t be safe either so he wondered if it was finally time that he officially joined the Resistance.

----------------------

The next morning, Taeyeon and Yuri returned to the Resistance hide out and called an emergency meeting with her group and Level 1 personnel.

The mood was already glum with most of the undercover Resistance members integrating back into the underground hideout. It seemed like all their progress thus far was for naught. So the news that Taeyeon had to deliver today did not raise moral.

“Taeyeon what you are Yuri did was reckless. You know how many Resistance members lives’ are in danger right now and on top of that, you are injured! Yuri you should have known better with your position to control Taeyeon’s impulsive behavior.” Mr. Ok sighed as he chewed out his favorite disciple, “However, I know you went on good intel so we will hear you out.”

Taeyeon stood up and placed a map on the projector set up in the room, “As you know we went to the sports arena on a tip that there might be some activity going on there before the 30^th Anniversary of the Party. I persuaded Yuri to let me out to investigate and right here we found hundreds of home-made bombs.” Circling the area of interest, Taeyeon sighed, “We can’t defuse them all. It is impossible.”

Yunho shifted in his seat, “So what are you suggesting?”

“We blow up the arena.” The room erupted in almost everyone murmuring an objection, but Taeyeon silenced them again, “Look, in less than a week this stadium will be filled with people. Innocent people from the Party to start the 30^th year celebrations. We know they will set off the bomb then or we can act now and make it go off earlier when we know the stadium is empty.”

“What if there are workers or someone like that in the arena at the time we want to do this? We know they are preparing hard, so we can’t assume it is empty like most other times.”

Taeyeon nodded, “I know so we have to make a diversion to evacuate the building before we plant our own detonation devices. I want to gather a small team. If we have too many people on the ground, that will be dangerous too. I need a squad of 2 for distraction and another 2 for setting up the detonation device near the bombs.”

“Taeyeon this is risky. The closer we get to the event, the more guards they will have surrounding that stadium. It won’t be as easy as it was last time.”

“I know,” Taeyeon stood with her hand on her hip looking at the projector, “but we need to try. They want to start the 30^th off with a bang and I think that bang is directed at us. They want to start the war again and finish it this time. We can’t give them the fuel that they need. We also can’t watch while they play with the lives of their people for their agenda. That is why we formed the Resistance. We were tired of how the people were treated and I could think of no worse treatment than death.”

Mr. Ok stood up, “I am making an order that all Resistance members that leave the facilities now need to carry firearms. I see this action from the Party as a declaration of war so we as the Resistance need to equip ourselves properly when faced with a threat. Please raise your hand if you agree.”

Taeyeon watched as the whole table raised their hands in acceptance of the new policy, “What time should we leave sir?”

“Taeyeon I don’t want you to be on this team that goes.”

“What? But I know exactly where the bombs are.”

“Your leg…you barely came back here without those crutches. Yuri will go with the team and guide them to the bombs.”

“Sir!”

“No! I won’t allow it. Have faith in your team Taeyeon. You trained them well.”

Mr. Ok nodded before gathering his belongings and leaving with other Level 1 people as Taeyeon’s team stayed behind, “Taeyeon are you okay?”

Taeyeon waved Juno’s hand off, “Yea. I will leave this mission with Yunho so he will brief those that are going.”

“Taeyeon, you can still lead the team.” Yunho interjected.

Taeyeon shook her head, “You are the true leader Yunho, I was just standing in until you came back. Yuri knows where the bombs are so she is more than enough.”

Yunho nodded, “Okay. Get some rest or try to rest.”

Taeyeon grabbed her crutches and limped away from the room. She was angry and frustrated that her body prevented her from doing the things she needed for the Resistance. Stuck in these cement walls, Taeyeon wanted her body to magically heal so she could go out and help her team. Instead, she hopped around on one leg through the halls, going back to her room and sulk.

Luckily, she was greeted with a welcomed guest, “Hey.”

Taeyeon smiled as she threw her crutches to the side before throwing herself onto the girl sitting on the bed, “I missed you…”

Jessica giggled, “Missed you too. I heard you came back in this morning. Sooyoung told me that you were in a meeting so I came here to wait, but then I got tired and took a nap…”

Taeyeon adjusted herself to fold over Jessica’s body and placed her head into the comfort of Jessica’s neck, “Meeting .”

Jessica reached up to caress Taeyeon’s hair, “Let me guess, you want to go out again but your leg.”

Taeyeon nodded, “I need to be out there.”

Jessica hummed, “I know. You are very important to the Resistance, but why have a team if you can’t trust them to do their job?”

Taeyeon groaned as she flopped onto her back, “I do trust them. I just want to make sure it is done and they all come back safely.” Sitting up Taeyeon held her bad leg, “why won’t this thing heal? We have the anniversary coming up so I feel like I need to be out there more.”

Jessica kissed Taeyeon’s cheek and moved down to kiss Taeyeon’s neck, “I can try and distract you from that leg if you would like. I mean we have this room all to ourselves…”

Taeyeon giggled as she leaned over and kissed Jessica on the lips, “You are a good distraction.”

Jessica smiled as she climbed on top of Taeyeon, “So let me make you forget your worries.”

-------------------------

Sooyoung took her job very seriously as the guard of the door leading into the Resistance, so much so that she was very caught up in the best card game she played against herself to kill the endless boredom while Yuri is away. She was about to finally win this stupid game and run around doing some goofy happy dance, but the door to the bar swung open, nearly unhinging the door from the frame.

Startled, Sooyoung reached for the gun that was under the bar, “Who are you?”

The man walked in tall and in control before placing a coin on the table, “I need to enter.”

Sooyoung examined the coin before looking up at the man, “I know you.” Pulling out her gun from under the table, she pointed it right at his head, “What is the member of the Party doing here with this coin?”

Taecyeon laughed, “So that is how I am viewed?”

Sooyoung cocked her head, “I don’t know who you are trying to fool, but just because you show up with this coin, doesn’t mean I am going to have you enter. You will have to do more than that.”

Taecyeon smiled, “Ask your leaders if it is alright for another Ok to enter the Resistance.”

Sooyoung eyed up the man before reaching over to a phone connected to the wall, “Operator, I need Level 1. Right away, we have someone unauthorized trying to enter. Ok Taecyeon.” She waited for a while on hold, but to her surprise, she was given a different answer than she expected, “I see.” Hanging up the phone, Sooyoung removed the gun from the man’s head, “You had me fooled.”

Taecyeon put his hands in his pockets, “I did my best.”

Sooyoung opened the first round of doors, “Have you ever been down here before?”

Taecyeon shook his head, “No. Born up here and never blew my cover to go down, but I can’t say the same for my family. I am the only one not to enter the Resistance until now.”

Sooyoung closed the first door, “You will be greeted on the other side by someone who will show you your accommodations or the interrogation room. Depends how loyal they think you are.” When the first door latched, the second door opened and Sooyoung rang over the intercom, “Go to the end there. See you later comrade.”

Taeyeon laughed as he shook his head, “Seems offensive when you call me that.” Walking down the narrow hallway, he could hear the second door shut behind him. The dreary grey cement walls were foreign to him. He was used to living the high life in the Party or the cozy home he had with his father. This place seemed far from homey.

Reaching the last door, he waited until a green light came and it opened. On the other side, Taecyeon saw who was there to greet him and opened his arms in a big hug, “Dad.”

Mr. Ok embraced his son, “You know I am glad to see you, but everyone in Level 1 is confused to why you broke your cover.”

“Wan Sun…her identity is known. Dad…she is going to die.”

Mr. Ok stopped walking and looked down at his feet for a few moments, “So it starts.”

Taecyeon put his arm around his father, “They must know the identity of all the Resistance leaders dad…including you.”

Mr. Ok nodded his head, “It is good you came back.”

Taecyeon gave his father a sad smile, “I was hoping to embrace you again when the war was over.”

“I am afraid starting tonight, we this war will begin once more.”

Taecyeon turned to look at his dad, “What is being planned now?”

“The stadium is going to blow up, but I assume you have more things to tell us. Wan Sun was having you investigate Sector 11.”

Taecyeon reached in his pocket and pulled out a device, “I don’t know what this is, but I found it underground in the woods. The only reason I met Wan Sun is because the underground area of Sector 11 lead into the prison. There is something more the Party is planning and I think it has something to do with this.”

Mr. Ok took the device, “I will get this to the lab. For now, rest up in my room.”

Taecyeon nodded in agreement, “Yes sir.”

Handing Taecyeon the keys, “Here. I will come for you when news of the mission is completed. Some people down here do not know you were Resistance.”

“I know…I suspect they will be confused.”

“For now, you need to be seen with me. The Resistance is already on high alert and we have started armed combat training. When we get you integrated, I would like you to brief Level 1 about Party strategies. We only have a week or less until he Party acts on what is going on tonight.”

“Even if they do act, they do not know where this safehouse is.”

“But our other Resistance members out there can be in danger. We have sent teams out to warn of possible retaliation.”

Taecyeon sighed, “I understand. I shouldn’t keep you from your duties.”

Mr. Ok hugged his son once more, “Welcome home son.”

----------------------

It was early the next morning when Jessica rubbed her eyes, waking up to a warm body. She smiled wondering when was the last time she had Taeyeon by her side like this. For a second she let her fingers play with the scars on Taeyeon’s back, sometimes hoping her gentle caresses would make them magically disappear.

Taeyeon awoke to the tickling of her back and groaned, “It is early.”

Jessica smiled as she kissed Taeyeon’s shoulder, “Then go back to sleep.”

Taeyeon flipped over to face Jessica, “Someone is very distracting.”

Jessica snuggled into Taeyeon, “I was just thinking I miss times like this. Waking up next to you without a worry.”

“There is always things to worry about. Like how you should be at work in 2 hours.”

“I meant worries about you. I know right now, you are in my arms safe.”

Taeyeon held Jessica closer, “I feel the same way.” Holding each other close, the couple let the hours pass until Jessica’s alarm rang throughout the room, “Now we really have to wake up.”

Jessica groaned and tried to resist the temptation to shut off her alarm, but got up and threw on her clothes from last night, “I will see you at meal time?”

Taeyeon nodded, “Yes. I will go on a briefing about last night’s mission, but it should be finished by then.”

Jessica smiled widely, “good. See you then.”

Taeyeon watched as the door closed behind Jessica and smiled, “Maybe not going on that mission was a good idea.”

Knowing she had to get up too, Taeyeon gather a few clothes and went to the shower room to wash up for the day. She thought of getting breakfast but as she passed one of the rooms it was already filled with people, “What is going on?”

Mr. Ok rushed Taeyeon in the room, “There was an accident.”

Taeyeon came in to see Yunho and Junho covered in dust, “Taeyeon…I am sorry…so sorry…”

Taeyeon looked around the room to see dried tears in most of the people’s eyes, “What happened?” No one answered, “What the hell happened!”

Mr. Ok reached forward and embraced Taeyeon, “The stadium collapsed but the detonation team didn’t get out. Yuri and Siwon were on that team.”

Tears came rushing out of Taeyeon’s eyes, “No…no no no no no.” This couldn’t be happening.