I cover my face. 

Grab a match box from the side.

Fill my pockets with potions.

And go to cause chaos for the resistance.

I vault out the window onto the roof next to mine, running across, and dropping down onto the pipe running up the side of the building. I don't look down at the city far below as I climb swiftly down to the house I know is empty, slipping inside and out another window. I know what building's the right one, scanning the skyline until I spot it. I check the clock at my side. 6am. They'll be too tired to realise past the immediate distraction what I'm doing. 

I jump from the building, landing on another, and continue on towards the resistance base. The top floor window is easy to break with a couple of kicks.

I climb inside.

And light the room on fire.

A moment to fire jump back out the broken window, and the the fire alarm blares. I dash out of sight, scaling the wall, crossing the roof and lighting another fire as I go. Down the other side, along the street, breaking into another house. But instead of just leaving potions there in the storage as I did before, I find the trapdoor, breaking in, and climbing down into the medical area.

I pause, silent, as I cross the room. Scar's there. Grian's there. I can't look away. I have a moment to spare, catch my breath, seeing if they wake up. Outside the room, all I hear is chaos. Yelling. I try to think of what I'd do if Scar or Grian wake up, can't, and realise I have to move on. Leaving the potion on the table between them, I take one last look at them, silently hope the potion's enough and run into the main area. 

No one notices. Everyone's too busy with the fire to spot me, yelling about an intruder. I slip around the back to where I know the main prisons are. A sleeping potion deals with the guards, letting me grab their keys, entering.

Etho's not there.

I backtrack, worry filling me. Is he dead, or somewhere else? The only thing I can think to do is wake one of the guards, pinning them to the wall as I question.

'Where's Etho?'

They don't reply.

'Take me to him or I force you to.'

'INTRUDER!' I cover their mouth but it's too late. Faces turn towards me and I have to sprint away, keys still in hand, trying to remember where everything is. Footsteps behind, chasing me. I throw a potion backwards. It smashes, blue crystal reacting and shooting from the ground. A warning.

My eyes scan over rooms as I try to remember which is which. My hand grips around the smallest potion bottle. The one I should've used on the other guard. Still running, I pull it out with a wad of material, shake a few drops on, seal and pocket the bottle again, and spin sharply, grab a guard, and hold the cloth over their mouth and nose.

'Where's Etho?' I interrogate. They blink, confused, responding.

'That door. High security prison. He betrayed Skizz.' A pause. The guard takes a breath. 'I once cut to the front of the line and blamed Jimmy for it.'

I let the list of irrelevant truths continue as I run to the door they signalled to. Worried by the truth potion, a few of the other guards focus on that, letting me go free, unlock the door, and slip in.

The tunnel beyond is dark, leading down. I descend, silent, pulling the fabric from my face and taking a deep breath. Distraction done. Potion done. Rescuing Etho, about to be done.

I reach a metal door and fumble for the keyhole. Every key I try is wrong, until finally I hear a click, and the door opens.

'Hello?'

'It's me. We need to go.'

I help Etho to his feet, leading him from the prison. He stumbles along behind, out towards the corridor...

A dozen guards stand at the door, guns aimed at me and Etho. I raise my hands in surrender.

'Well this is very interesting.'

I forgot to cover my face again.

Crap.

As I stand there red handed, Etho's brain does what it normally does and runs twice as fast as mine, grabbing potions from my pockets, checking, and throwing them both. Nothing for a moment, before the guards slump asleep. I cover my face, mutter thanks, and run off again, Etho behind.

Towards the medical ward again, knowing the other exits are either covered, on fire or both. Inside, I catch my breath again. Someone screams.

There's a medic there, standing with potions in hand, eyes wide. I signal for them to be quiet.

'We go in peace.' I assure. 'We won't hurt you. You're the only reason they're still alive and for that I thank you. Save another couple of lives and let us go.'

She nods.

'Don't tell anyone what happened.' Adds Etho. I nod. She lets us past to the exit where we climb out into freedom.

Outside, it's morning. For a moment I just stand there, before sitting on the edge of the roof. Etho joins me.

'You didn't have to come back for me.'

'I did. We're in this together.' As I glance over at Etho, I finally realise how beaten up he is. Bruises cover his face and it's clear he hasn't slept or been fed in the days it took me to prepare for the rescue. I hand him a bottle of water and some food from my pocket. He pulls down his mask, thanking me before devouring it, clearly starving
.

'What happened in there?'

'I was caught. Grian tried to help me... I explained you were providing the potions. But didn't mention your name.' He adds hastily at my expression. 'Impulse acted like Impulse and decided to imprison me.'

'I set their entrance building on fire.' I add.

'I thought I smelt smoke...' Is all Etho replies. I laugh.

'No regrets. After all they've done...'

'Sit don't think they're as bad as Ren?'

'You know what Ren did.'

Silence follows.

'Ready to head back?' I nod, and the two of us set off back home, victorious.

Theories?