Silence filled the space. After a long while, James cleared his throat. "This is the tamest family reunion I've seen in a while."

Ashley's squeal managed to drag Kyra back from the dark pit of her mind as the girl rushed forward, reaching her brother in two strides. They laughed, sinking into each other. James spun, his eyes wide and unblinking, gripping her tighter and tighter. His lips were moving, whispering something only Ashley could hear.

James pulled back to touch either side of Ashley's face. "You're alive," he whispered, voice thick.

She nodded, pulling him in for another embrace. "And so are you. What the hell are you doing here?"

"That Enforcer your buddy just dragged around the corner? My partner for the night." He pursed his lips, thinking. "Wondered why she was taking so long in the bathroom."

"I thought you weren't working tonight?" Kyra asked, finally finding her voice.

"The Commander found me an hour ago and told me to be on duty nearby. I guess he was in a charitable mood."

Kyra and Ethan exchanged a glance. Charitable was one word for it; she preferred 'destructive' or 'manipulative', but each to their own.

Nico clapped his hands. "We have to get out of here. Now."

Ashley's eyes narrowed. "Give me a second with my brother, for all he knew I was dead."

"For all we know we could be dead any minute."

James glanced out the window. "He's right. Every Enforcer in the city is on high alert."

"Well, the supply truck plan is out then," Kyra murmured. Her eyes itched to find Demario, to see whether what he'd just done was weighing on him as much as it was weighing on her. Her mind flicked between images of the Enforcer and the body she'd seen in her dream about her father month's ago. Different people, different ages, different killers - both bodies fell like broken puppets, silent, still.

"No one will be allowed within a kilometre radius without permission from the president himself."

Kyra's chest tightened. To conceal her expression she bent to retrieve a stun gun from its spot on the floor. As she rose, a hand slipped into hers. The familiar calloused palm almost made her feel right. Almost.

"Are you okay?" James' whisper was steady; knowing her voice wouldn't be, she nodded. She shivered but didn't recoil as his hand squeezed, gentle – and then her palm was cold once again.

James stepped into the centre of the room, pacing. "There must be other ways to get you out of the city."

"I have an idea." Ethan glanced outside, thinking. "Have you heard of the old fire escapes? They were created for workers to get in and out of the wall while they were building it. When it was done they boarded it up but the tunnels are still there. I don't know where they are but I know how to get them open."

"The Exempt use the neighbouring tunnels all the time, I've seen the entrances I just figured they led to nowhere. Where do they come up?" James asked.

"The tree line."

"One problem - those doors are screwed shut, we'd need serious tech to get out."

"My original plan when I was going solo involved the tunnels, there's an identical one back home. That was before, you know, your leader tried to use me to infiltrate the Control centre and betray everything and everyone I've ever known." Ethan's voice faded into silence. Clearing his throat, he added, "Anywho, I can get it open."

"Alright, it's settled then. Leave in pairs, follow behind me and Ashley. One group every ten seconds. No matter what, don't lose sight of us. Alright?"

The others nodded. Kyra tugged sharply on Ethan's arm to pull him away from the group.

"This doesn't feel right. We should leave James here."

He shook his head. "We can't, he's the only one who knows how to get to the exit. And besides, it's one more set of eyes on Ashley."

"I know. That's what I'm worried about." She glanced over her shoulder at Ashley and James, both smiling despite the chaos around them. Her knotted chest forced her to look away. "Another target."

"There's nothing we can do about it now."

They exchanged a long look. Sighing, Kyra turned away and finished preparing her bag. Anything to take her mind off the anxiety churning in her stomach.

Kyra started as Demario tapped her shoulder lightly. "Partners?" he asked.

Her breath caught in her throat. How could she trust him after what they just witnessed? She knew someone had to stop the Enforcer but the image was embossed in her eyelids and every time she looked at him, she heard the snap of a spine. Unable to say anything she nodded in response.

The pairs departed until it was just her and Demario, the sound of his counting breaking up the deafening silence. Now that Kyra had two lives on her hands - and not just anyone's lives, but the lives of her loved ones - the nausea was so strong she wanted to double over. What could she do? She only had a few months of fighting experience, guns terrified her, and words were no help to her now. Kyra was useless.

Demario nodded at Kyra; she followed close behind as they slipped through the door, wincing as it snapped shut in their absence. The city below was in chaos, flashing lights blinding her with each blink. It took all of her strength not to rush forward in a sprint, but she knew doing so would only raise suspicion - Enforcers didn't run, people ran from them. She stayed at Demario's side, matching his brisk pace despite the aching of her chest. The dust and cold air were finally taking a toll on her body.

Demario yanked Kyra down as a spotlight whizzed overhead.

"Why are we stopping?" she asked, though the gratitude was clear in her voice. She held her chest in one hand, feeling short of breath and more winded than she should have been. But she couldn't let it get to her.

He raised his visor. "Too many people up here would look suspicious when everyone should be securing the gates."

Kyra nodded. "Speaking of people, shouldn't we be able to see the others?"

"Yes." Demario's dark eyes narrowed as he peered into the distance.

A sound like lightning rang through the air – the sound of a bullet leaving the chamber of a gun. Demario jerked into a sprint, pulling Kyra with him. What awaited them, she wasn't sure; her hand tightened unconsciously over the gun, its smooth surface like silk to her palm.

As they rounded the corner they screeched to a halt, watching as a blur of white unfolded before their eyes. Ashley's helmet laid abandoned on the ground as she fought Enforcers two-to-one. Nico and James were impossible to spot in the madness, but every so often a helmet would fly off, exposing the easiest and most vulnerable attack point. Demario launched into the thick of the action, his fists finding contact on the harsh plated armour of the enemy. Ethan, raised visor exposing paled skin and dark eyes, crouched by a side wall. As she approached his eyes widened.

"Please, I'm being held captive, I'm not one of them." He held up his shaking and chained hands, the rattle of metal piecing together the thoughts swimming in her head. Ashley had the key to Kyra's cuffs, and without them she was just another Enforcer - so much for being kidnapped.

As she hurried forward to quiet him, she began taking off her helmet, exposing her neck. "Ethan don't worry it's–"

A sharp object against the back of her neck made her stop. She straightened from her half crouch, trying to ignore the weapon digging into her skin. Whether it was a taser, a baton, or even a gun, she had no idea - all she knew was that it was too close for comfort, and far too easy to kill her.

"Don't move. It will only make your punishment worse."

"Please, this isn't what you think, I'm-"

The Enforcer kicked her behind the knees, forcing her to ground. Kyra took a shallow breath. A thousand thoughts ran through her head; she knew she should run, knew it was her only option. Fight or flight – or freeze. And that's exactly what she did. Her reflection in an abandoned helmet caused her to double take. The helmet hid all features; she was just another Enforcer. An idea came to her in a rush of energy. No one knew it was her. No matter what happened, her true identity was safe, so long as she didn't remove the helmet. Curling her fingers into a tight fist, she knew what she had to do.

As the Enforcer grabbed her arm and pinned it between her shoulder blades, the sharp pain pulled a gasp from between her lips. She jabbed backwards with her free arm and was rewarded with a sickening crunch as her elbow connected with the Enforcer's helmet.

Kyra spun and watched as, before her eyes, the dark glass of the Enforcer's visor shimmered and rebuilt itself block by block. Pain racked Kyra's ribcage as the Enforcer lunged, knocking her to the solid concrete and the air from her lungs. The Enforcer reached for their belt with their left hand, using the other to pin Kyra's shoulder to the ground. Her mind was cloudy as she tried to remember something from her fight lessons, anything that could help. As the Enforcer raised their arm, Kyra ducked under it and kicked up, her foot connecting with their chest. Kyra scrambled to her feet, pulling the Enforcer's helmet off with her.

It was a woman. Unfamiliar. Innocent. But that didn't change what she knew she had to do if she wanted to see her father, if she wanted her friends to make it out of this alive. Without a second thought, or a glance at the others, she pulled the stun gun from her belt and fired. A vibrant green dart found its mark in the woman's neck; she slumped against the wall, still, the only movement from the slow rise and fall of her chest. With each blink she saw a different body lying on the ground. James. Ethan. Danny. Her mother.

"Kyra!"

Gasping, she turned to face the others, trying to place the voice. The gun felt warm in her palm, almost familiar, comfortable. She felt sick. And then she spotted him. James. An Enforcer's boot pressed his bloodied face into the concrete. As she raised the gun once again, the figure toppled sideways, Ashley's weight pushing them to ground. She pulled off the helmet in time for Ethan to shoot another dart into the crowd.

One by one, the Enforcers lost their helmets, and each time a dart was shot into their neck. Kyra lost count of how many she fired, focused only on the task at hand rather than faces and pleas. If she allowed herself to think of their assailants as people, there was no way she could leave the top of that wall. In the midst of everything, somehow, Kyra saw it: the stairway door swing open, the Enforcer walk out, gun trained on Ashley, a familiar watch on his wrist. The warning was still leaving Kyra's lips when he fired. Two darts hit the man as Ashley fell backwards into James' arms. Kyra's whole body ached but she didn't let herself think of anything else until the last Enforcer dropped.

The weapon slid from between Kyra's fingers as she skidded to James' side.

"Asshole didn't even try to disarm me first," she muttered through gritted teeth. Ashley slid off her shoe, revealing an odd crimson stain on her sock that grew as they watched.

"Did you see who shot you?" James asked.

Kyra didn't know who they were but she knew what: an Exempt. The watch gave it away - it was the same one James had, the one that gave him strange burns on his wrist.

"I don't care who it was I want to strangle them," Ashley murmured, wincing as she moved to stand but Kyra's hands pushed her back down.

"There's no time for that, the Enforcers must know you've escaped now." James ran a red stained hand through his hair. "You don't have long to get to the tunnel, let's get her up and moving."

"James, we can't-" the expression on his face stopped her– "I don't think she should be moved in this condition."

He looked at her through his lashes, voice soft, hands sure on his sister's shoulders. "She can't stay here."

"I need to see the wound." Demario was so silent at her side she nearly forgot he was there. He gently eased back the sock thick with blood. It was nothing like the textbooks depicted; rough around the edges, blood oozing from it in trickles that stained her pale skin. Kyra dug her nails into her thighs to stop the urge to run, and forced herself to breath despite the metallic scent making her body quake.

"Healing time?" James' voice was hoarse.

"Hard to say. I can try my best to temporarily fix it."

"We don't have time." It was Ashley that answered, grimacing as she sat up.

Fingers fumbling through her hair, Kyra said, "We have enough."

Demario nodded. "If we stop the bleeding and bandage it, she can move. We have to apply pressure." His glare was replaced with a look of determination unlike anything she'd seen before. He slid Ashley's armour up and pulled down her jumpsuit underneath, cutting away the bottom section of the fabric. Kyra pulled the first aid kit out of her backpack. Demario grabbed her hand, using it to apply pressure to the wound while he ruffled through the kit with steady fingers, pulling out the disinfectant and bandages. His fingers worked faster than anything she'd ever seen.

The pounding of boots against steel staircases shook the wall's foundation, drowning out each and every thought with an insistent beat. It was unflinching, unfaltering, unwavering - and heading for them.

"We have to go. Now." Nico returned with Ethan in tow, their hands stained crimson. The Enforcer's unconscious bodies were piled high, creating a maze along the rooftop big enough to slow the others down.

Demario dropped his bloody fingers to his lap. "Can you move it?"

Ashley's face paled. "Yes."

"No, you can't." He sighed and glanced between the faces above. "I need more time. You three go ahead, clear a path."

James opened his mouth to retort but Ashley gripped his hand on her shoulder, squeezing tight. He clenched his eyes shut. "I'll go but only if you swear you'll come right after us."

"She will." Kyra surprised herself by speaking, but the urge to comfort him was natural, innate.

"There's an access hatch in the stairway wall. Screw it up and run, don't stop until you reach us." James gave his sister a swift kiss on the forehead, and then they were gone.

Demario went back to work. Wiping her hands on her pants, Kyra stood to keep watch, pausing to overlook the city. Red lights flashed from each city tower, painting the inky sky crimson. From that height she could see the people, running around like ants, unaware of the much larger events in progress. Kyra imagined how they must feel about the lights, the sirens, the panic. What excuse had they come up with to keep the citizens in the dark? A loud bang pulled her out of her reverie. Gasping, she dropped to a crouch, watching as Enforcers filed out of a staircase in the distance.

"Time's up."

Ashley's foot was wrapped in clean white bandages. Still crouching, Kyra pulled Ashley's arm over her shoulders. The girl's hand, slippery with blood, gripped Kyra's in a vice; she held back a grimace as Ashley's nails broke through her skin. Demario guided them forwards, weapon clutched in his steady grip. The door slammed shut behind them as they eased down the stairs, Ashley paling with each movement; how they were supposed to escape with Ashley in such pain was beyond her, but she didn't question it. She couldn't.

"Why do you people have so many stairs?" Demario muttered.

The door at the top of the staircase flew open with a bang. Voices flooded the space. Enforcers. There were three stories between them but moving Ashley took too long. Demario flew down the next flight with his hand on Kyra's arm, pulling her feet from under her as she and Ashley tumbled down after him. They fell in a heap on the landing. To their left the metal panels of the wall had been pulled apart to expose a dark expanse beyond.

"That's it," Demario panted. He climbed in first and reached out for Ashley.

Kyra's head spun; the pounding footsteps, the struggle of supporting another person's weight, the tumble down the stairs. Her ears were ringing. She was so focused on picking up Ashley, she didn't notice him until it was too late. An Enforcer emerged from the darkness below them, his visor up, exposing icy blue eyes that haunted Kyra even in unconsciousness. The Commander. He raised his arm, hand steady, gun ready to fire. And for a second, when his eyes met hers, she thought he might not do it. He might not do what he said he would. He might be a good person.

Ashley's arm slipped away from hers as Demario yanked Kyra through the hole, her body sprawling to the ground as her legs caught on the wall. A gun shot rang out like thunder. She gasped in air that was never enough for her lungs, trying to formulate a single thought but coming up blank. All she could hear was the bang, bang, bang ringing through her mind. Demario threw himself into the wall and screwed the bolts back into place.

Kyra regained her focus enough to speak. "What did you just do?"

"Saved your life." He pulled her to her feet like a ragdoll.

"We promised to keep her safe!" She wrenched her arm out of his grasp and swung forward, but he easily caught her weak attempt at a punch. She tried to step around him but he pushed her back. "You just left Ashley out there to die."

"No I just pulled you in here to live. If I'd wasted another second you wouldn't have."

"We had time! We could have saved her."

"And in that time you might have died. I made a promise to keep you alive, I'm not breaking it."

Without a second pause he forced her onto the ladder leading into darkness. Her mind was buzzing with his words: a promise? To who? Who would ask him to keep her alive? At the bottom she turned left and ran as if her life depended on it. Maybe it did. Now that her brain was catching up with her body, it couldn't help but process what just happened. And that made her run faster - faster and faster away from the man behind her.

Kyra plowed into a door, still struggling to get air into her lungs as the faces around her came into focus. Nico, frowning. Ethan, his eyebrows creased. And James. Oh, James. Ethan caught Kyra as she stumbled to a halt. She hadn't realised she was crying until the salt touched her tongue.

James gripped Kyra's arm. "Where is she?"

Her lips moved without sound. "James, I–"

"Ashley knew she wouldn't make it to the outside." Demario appeared out of the shadows. "So she disarmed me and said that if any of us came after her, she would kill us. But she made us promise to make sure you get outside, if it's the last thing we do."

James dropped to his knees. Kyra's hand fell to his shoulder as her legs buckled. He grabbed her hand, forcing her to look down into his glassy blue eyes. "Is it true?" he asked. Never, not even when his grandfather died, had she heard so much pain in his voice. The emptiness of her heart, the numbness pounding in her brain, the tears carving paths across her blood stained skin - it was all nothing compared to the pain of seeing his face. And in that second, she knew she had to do everything she could to make it go away.

"Ashley made me promise. She said you have to do what she can't." The lie tasted like acid on her tongue.

Nico crossed to a small staircase in the far corner of the room that was blocked by the ceiling. Using his shoulder he pushed against the metal, hard, harder, each with a resounding bang. A popping sound filled the small space, followed by a crash as the panel of metal flew upwards on its hinges.

One by one, the others scarpered up the staircase and into the unknown beyond. All Kyra could see through the gap was a continuous grey blur, broken up by the occasional bright light. The stars. How something so beautiful could exist in the world at that time was beyond her; all she knew was the tightness of her chest, the ice in her veins, and somewhere, deep down... anger.

James' hand encircled hers, but the action that once calmed her did the opposite. She held onto him tighter though, both for support and because she knew this could be one of the last times he would hold her hand like that and still trust her. Sooner or later the truth would come out, whether she wanted it to or not, and when it did he would never forgive her. They would never be the same.

"Don't let go of me," James whispered.

As he stepped forward, she stopped him. "James, I... I'm so-"

"Don't, you've got your apology voice and I'm not ready to hear what you have to say." Despite the harsh edge to his voice he turned to her and he smiled, a small smile that didn't reach his eyes. "And it's not like she's dead, right?"

Her chest contracted so painfully she wanted to fall to her knees right then and there. But she couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't open her mouth to lie again. "Right." She clutched his hand tighter as they took to the stairs.

The path spat them into a copse of trees. It was silent. The tip of a tower could just be seen over the fence, blindingly bright even from afar. She wondered what was happening on the other side; where was Ashley? Had their ruse worked? The odds were stacked against them. If she closed her eyes, she could picture them. Enforcers. Thousands of them. Hunting.

"What do we do now?" Ethan asked.

Kyra's glance flickered between each of their conflicted faces. One member short, the question felt like a joke, a taunt. Escaping was supposed to be the hard part, but outside, in a cold world she'd always been afraid of, she knew nothing. Kyra was the outsider now.

"We run," James said, his voice thick. She looked up at him, at his familiar blue eyes that were now dry, at the anger swirling in their depths. "And we don't return unless it's to burn those walls to the ground."

--- THE END ---

(14/6/19) Five years of rewrites, ~at least~ eight drafts, and about a thousand break downs later - we finally made it! Right now, 'Citizen' has 13k views, 1k comments and nearly 1k votes. I know compared to many stories on here that isn't much but to me it is everything. A big, big, big thank you to everyone who has helped make this happen. I honestly would be nowhere without you guys, you make all the hard work worth it.

So big ticket question, what did you guys think of this chapter??

This may be the end of 'Citizen' but it definitely isn't the end of The Command Series. What do you guys think will happen next?

Again, thank you guys for everything. Lots of love, Brianna x