It should be illegal for the sun to shine at funerals. But ironically enough, the day they put Davyn Grant in the ground, it shone in all its late June glory.

Tom couldn't take his eyes off the hole in the ground, wondering why this meant so much. A big part of him still hated the guy. The other realized there was nothing left for him to hate. And oh, how he'd wanted to hate him. For the torture that had left his skin covers in tattoos, for the insecurity, the danger. The hunger. For the pain, the hope and the happiness. For finally telling them the truth. For saving them when no one else would.

He should have stuck around enough for Tom to forgive him. Enough to be thanked for the twisted way in which he'd raised them and protected them from their own parents.

But Freider had taken that away from them. Just like he'd taken away their chance at a normal life the moment he'd decided to marry his brother's sweetheart.

"The perimeter seems secure," Billy mumbled from next to him.

"That's good," Tom answered, still not looking away from the hole in the ground. There were a lot of people around meant to secure the area. And since Angie and his kids weren't there, he could risk being less than alert.

They'd managed it this time, convinced the girls that there was no point for all of them to be there for this. They'd already said their goodbyes to the dead man, so they were much safer staying at Max's place for another few days while they took care of the funeral. And they had a job to do. Find the safest place to set up camp and begin their crusade against the Counters.

Well, continue their crusade, because Kyle had double-crossed them in the most satisfying manner. The moment the hole in the ground was covered, it was code red.

"You seem a bit out of it," Billy observed.

"I am." Tom turned to him, taking in the signs time had left on the face of his cousin and best friend. His hair was darker, resembling wet sand rather than straw, and his eyes had definitely settled on a dull grey. "The last few days have been a bit shocking, don't you think?"

Billy rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess so."

"I'm a little surprised you decided to join us."

"Don't be mad at me, Tom. It was hard staying away from you."

"Why couldn't you at least tell us you were still alive?"

Billy hesitated as if thinking of the best argument out of many to present him with. "You didn't try to contact me after you found out I wasn't dead."

"You didn't try to reach out so we left you alone. Which once again proves you could have told us."

"You never really thought I was dead."

"You stayed dead for over four years before revealing yourself to Jimmy. Does it matter anymore what we thought?"

Billy stayed quiet at this and Tom continued his contemplation of eternity. Not like anything they said could change what had happened. And if he were completely honest, Tom didn't hold a grudge against Billy. He was just glad to have him back.

"I'm not disappearing again," Billy said, as if guessing his thoughts.

"I know. Kyle's technically your boss now, so there's nowhere for you to scamper off to."

Billy huffed. "True. Ironic that it ended up happening. So he's not going to leave the reins to Sam?"

Tom had thought about that, too, even if they hadn't discussed it yet. He highly doubted it however. If anything, Sam seemed relieved to finally step away from his leadership role. What they had to do next was highly different. No more delicate history mysteries, no more fighting against nature and ancient traps. This was about people. The wrong kind of people. And Kyle had always been better at that.

Then there was the matter of Davyn actually naming Kyle his successor, so it might be a bit more difficult to switch it up. Not that Kyle seemed to want to. Even now, as he stood by the gravestone, there was a strength in his posture that Sam could never match. None of them could, not even Jimmy.

In spite of everything, being alone with Davyn for so long had changed Kyle. He was still their brother, of course, but there was something else there as well. A combination of sensitivity and power, of understanding and resent. He'd gone through hell and came out stronger. He'd changed a man's life and then had to watch him die.

The thought made Tom shudder and he was glad that the final part of the service started. The church had been hard enough. Unlike any other time, all of them had said a few words about the man they were now laying in the ground. His part had been short and inappropriate, damning him again for the missed opportunity to make amends, reinstating his forgiveness which he was sure would come in time.

What shocked Tom most was his need to thank him, a need which he apparently shared with everyone involved. And it was Phillip's words which had shaken him the most.

"This is it, my friend. You've done what you were meant to do. And now, you're finally free."

Spoken at the very end, they had stayed with Tom and kept haunting him. Was he free? They certainly were, as much as their new position allowed them.

His eyes drifted to the other side of the grave, to Jimmy and Jerry who were watching the coffin going down, lowered by Eye Patch and Rud. Kyle leaned his elbow against his own gravestone. It had been his decision to put him there and not in the next one where Ron, his mother and Bill rested. Now, right under his name was a new inscription.

Davyn Aiden Grant
April 10, 1974 - June 25th, 2023
Those who are lost will always be found if they shine through the darkness

"This is so weird," Sam said coming next to them. "I never thought I'd be sorry to see him go."

"How's Mom?" Tom asked, since Sam had spent his time by her side so far, maybe the only one who didn't resent the hell out of her at the moment.

"She's still here. I just left her under that big ole tree so that she'd be less visible." He nodded towards his right, but didn't elaborate on how she'd taken the funeral she hadn't been involved in.

Tom followed the direction and spotter his mother a few yards away. She wore a black dress and a shall draped over her hair, with black sunglasses. From the distance, he couldn't tell if she was crying or not. Tom didn't mind. He'd had enough of her crying to last him a lifetime. At least this time there had been no drama. Kyle and Phillip took care of the funeral and there was no overstepping either of them.

Sam at least had appeared relieved that he didn't have to be involved in another memorial service. Not like any of them would have had any clue what to do and where to actually bury him.

The sound of the coffin hitting the bottom of the hole returned Tom's attention to the matter at hand.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust," Jerry muttered. Appropriate since they hadn't actually brought a priest out with them.

"Um, I think..." Eye Patch wiped his brow as he dropped the rope and picked up a shovel. "Um, do you want to--?"

Kyle pushed himself into a full standing position and took the shovel from him. "I think I'll want to do this."

"Are you sure, boss? Rud and me can finish it faster."

Kyle winced the slightest bit as Eye Patch called him boss, but shook his head. "It's not about the speed. I think I need to do it."

"And I'm guessing you don't want help," Jimmy said. The moment Kyle nodded, he picked up a handful of earth and tossed it in. "At least you're at peace now."

The rest of them did the same, with Tom remaining last. When it was his turn, he just glanced into the hole, at the earth splattered over the lid of the coffin. He'd had it much worse. Hell, they'd thought they buried Kyle, and Skye's grave was only a few headstones away. But he'd never felt so confused.

He wanted to say something, but he had no idea what. It felt like his brothers had taken the best lines.

"I really do hope you were proud of us," he found himself blurting out. Then he tossed the handful of moist dirt in and turned away.

"I'm proud of you," Kyle muttered, obviously directed at the dead man, and the moment he did, the sound of earth hitting wood signaled that he'd started covering it up.

Tom walked to his brothers and Billy, doing his best to keep it together because he had no idea why he was so emotional. Not that he was the only one. Rud and Eye Patch had moved away and they seemed to be bawling their eyes out.

"Billy, you should go ensure the perimeter as well," Sam said. "Make sure that no one shoots Mom."

"Eh, not sure I want to prevent that," Billy said. "I'm just kidding," he added with a laugh once Jerry and Sam glared at him and he scampered away.

"Do you guys think Kyle's okay?" Tom asked the moment it was just the four of them.

"He'll feel better after this," Jimmy said. "It gives you a weird form of closure. But once he's done, we'll need to move." His gaze drifted towards their mother who had sat down at the bottom of the tree. "I hate that we have to take her with us."

"We can't leave her at Max's place. We'd be putting him in too much danger," Sam said. "The fact that no one has seen us or her there in years is the best protection he has. But I wanted to show you guys something else." He reached inside the back pocket of his black jeans and pulled out a folded news paper. "I've been thinking how convenient it is that everyone thinks Kyle is dead, so..." He unfolded the paper and showed them the front page.

"Oh, shit, that's brilliant," Tom said the moment the headline became visible.

It stretched across the front page in big bold letters which declared "Snitch Gravel Victorious".

"Excuse me?" Jerry took the newspaper from Sam and started skimming the text. "He's dead. I wouldn't call that victory."

"I don't think that's what the headline means, Jerry," Jimmy said with a grin.

"We're declared dead, aren't we?" Tom asked, because this reeked of Sam's special brand of genius. "And let me guess. Lisa wrote it."

Sam shrugged. "I called in a favor."

"But this is..." Jerry turned the page, a frown on his face. "Yes, we appear to have died tragically. But Sam, this is a lie. An oh-so-obvious lie."

"It's a rumor," Sam said. "Which will be picked up as news without any background check, as rumors tend to be. It will confuse the Agency and that's what we want, really."

"They won't believe we're dead," Jimmy pointed out.

"They believed Kyle to be dead," Sam said.

"And even if the bosses don't," Tom added, "it can still confuse the grunts."

"Yes, that is true." Jerry folded the paper and passed it back to Sam. "But unfortunately, seeing that it was published today and might spread like wildfire, it sort of makes it harder for us to move."

"We're not lingering. We'll all go to our houses before nightfall to get whatever stuff we think we might still need, and then we're out of here."

"No, we're not and you know it," Jerry said with a sigh. "We still need to go to the Agency and make sure they don't have any of the jewels."

Jerry was right, of course, even if Tom doubted they had anything. Ever since Davyn had mentioned a facility near Washington DC, Tom was sure there were higher chances of anything being in there. After all, they'd been in charge of research and development in Chicago and there had been no jewels there.

"I wish we knew more about their offices," Sam said. "But since Davyn jumped ship a million years ago, they probably changed a lot. The facility in California didn't even exist back then."

"I've been thinking," Jerry said. "Do you guys think it would be safe to stay in the labs in Montana for a while? Phillip mentioned a part of them were rebuilt."

"That is an option," Sam said. "We'd still be in the country and that place was remote enough to work. But we'll have to see what Kyle thinks." He glanced over his shoulder as their brother who was maybe halfway done the job.

"How long do you think it will take?" Jerry whispered.

"At the rate he's going, maybe ten minutes?" Jimmy said.

"No, I meant this. Code red. How much longer do you think we'll be in danger?"

Tom heaved a sigh because he'd wondered the very same thing for the past few days. He'd always ensured Angie they'd be done in no time, but he really wasn't sure.

"I don't know," Sam said. "We know too little about them to tell. We haven't even gone through all of Davyn's files. We need to regroup and rest first."

Jerry nodded in acceptance and they spent the following minutes discussing how to move stuff from their houses stealthily. It depended mostly on getting inside Jimmy's house and using his equipment to neutralize all surveillance cameras in the area and move around unnoticed. Fortunately, since it was a Wednesday and they lived in a neighborhood filled with young working people, their neighbors were at work, so the chances of actually being spotted were remote.

Tom only half-paid attention, his mind running back into the jungle in Brazil, to all the information Davyn had shared with them about the Counters. How much more did he know that he hadn't included in his files? If he hadn't known about Freider still being alive and helping Von Crooken, had he counted on having more time with them? To tell them more, explain more? The thought killed him.

"I'm thinking we should destroy the jewel we have right now," Sam said, drawing Tom's attention back to the present. "There's no way we can risk the Agency getting their paws on it."

"And how exactly are we supposed to destroy it?" Jerry asked. "I don't think a hammer would do it and it just amplifies laser."

"Kyle mentioned that Davyn didn't want to destroy it in case we ended up needing it," Jimmy said.

"Do you see us weaponizing it against anyone?" Tom asked. Because even if he was chaos incarnate, he couldn't see himself using a weapon like that, even if just because the damn Counters wanted to. He was all about not doing what they wanted.

"Eeeeh..." Jimmy glanced back at Kyle. 

He was done with the shovel, but kept staring at the headstone, so Tom guessed he still needed a moment. Hell, he wanted several moments himself. Several years of moments. Could they just retire after this? But the idea felt strangely boring.

"We'll ask Kyle what he thinks," Jerry said with a nod. He'd taking the whole Kyle-is-in-charge thing the easiest.

Not that Tom had anything against that. It felt oddly poetic and he was all for poetry. It was, after all, his inheritance, his legacy. How ironic that Kyle's father had left him an empire when theirs had only left lies behind. Made a murderer out of their mother. That strangely didn't bother him either. It felt like it was always meant to happen.

"It's so odd to be standing out in the open," Jimmy said, glancing towards their mother.

"Yeah, we should go. I think Billy can handle her, help her pack." Sam shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Tom could sense he was nervous and part of him wanted to ask why. The other part was aware it was more than just their first hit against the Counters, so he wasn't sure he wanted to know. After all, some things were private, even between twins.

He was saved the trouble by Kyle heading towards them, shovel still in hand. He looked a bit more peaceful if anything.

"What's the plan?" he asked once he reached them.

"We were thinking of sending Mom away with Billy and going to our homes for a few moments to pick up some stuff," Jimmy said.

"Good idea. Mom should pack up, too. And Billy should be enough. We don't want to draw too much attention." He threw a fleeting look over his shoulder towards his grave.

"By the way," Jerry said. "Sam had us killed, too." He passed the paper to Kyle.

He only gave the headline a short look and a sad smile filled his face. "Great, now we're all dead."

"As long as necessary," Sam said with a shrug. "Look, I think we shouldn't maybe leave together. It could draw too much attention."

Tom narrowed his eyes because it was a blatant lie.

"That's okay, Sam," Kyle said, clasping his shoulder. "Go to her. Say goodbye. We'll meet at Jimmy's place."

Sam nodded and walked away from them. Tom's heart clenched painfully as he realized what the turmoil inside Sam actually meant. Skye was there, and being on the run meant he would no longer be able to visit her. Hell, the flowers on her grave hadn't even withered from Sam's last visit.

"He'll be fine," Kyle said. "We'll all be. As soon as we get this over with. So we should start it, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah, true..." After all, Tom wanted to go home one last time, too.

🧭

This was more painful than Sam had anticipated. For the longest time, he hadn't even computed what going under really meant. There would maybe be years until they could safely return to Chicago. It was the place he was born, the place he'd always called home. The place he'd fallen in love with Skye, had Sammy, formed his family.

And even if he would be taking Sammy, Christine and the twins with him, he couldn't take Skye. Leaving now meant mean leaving her behind.

His knees wobbled as he approached her headstone, the guilt smothering him. He'd made a promise. That, once he died, he'd be buried next to her. But now, with the prospect of sudden and violent death at the hands of angry secret agents looming above him, he wasn't sure that could happen. Too much of that promise had been based on the faulty assumption that he would die on his own terms.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, placing his hand on the stone. "I never... I didn't think..." He didn't even have fresh flowers to replace the ones who had not yet started to wither, but soon would.

This was so stupid. He knew what she would say to his predicament.

Snowflake, bones can't talk. I'm inside your heart.

Which was true. But it had always been so much easier for him to speak to her here. It was a place only for them, where he brought Sammy so that she would realize that her mother had been real, not just a photo or a story.

"I just wish it had been different," he whispered, sitting next to her headstone and tracing his fingers over her name. "That I wouldn't have to leave you behind like this." The guilt was maybe pointless, but it hurt that he couldn't do more.

Unless... He took out the knife strapped to his belt. As he dug the tip into the stone, he thought of her. Her smile, her laugh, the way she always challenged him to be better, how he'd changed his life and made sure that he could survive anything, including losing her. She'd been his hope, a dream come true, even if they'd started out hating each other. At least until they started paying attention and realized that they were everything they wanted.

She'd been so smart, caring and kind, willing to admit she was was wrong, giving people chances to be better. And he'd risen to the challenge, showing her he could be so much more than she'd first thought. And once he was, he'd fallen in love with her.

As he continued carving, his mind moved to Sammy, their adorable child, her light and her joy, the way she had accepted that her mother was in Heaven, but she had another mother who loved her. He still had Sammy, and Christine who he loved as much as he could love anyone with what was left of his heart. He had Austin and Jayden.

He would protect his family if it was the last thing he did.

Right now, he still had some time to pick up the essentials from his house. The picture of Skye in Sammy's room, the photo albums, their original documents, Sammy's favorite toys, Christine's books and her favorite outfits. All the weapons and the reminders of the memories they made in that house.

Yes, there was work to do, and Skye would encourage him to suck it up and do it. And even if this was hard, he still had her letter. He'd take that with him and never forget her.

"I don't have to say goodbye," he whispered, getting back to his feet and placing his hand on the headstone. "Because I'm taking you with me. And maybe, just maybe, we will end up next to each other."

But it wasn't as important. At least not until he did what he had to do. So, with a knot in his throat, he turned around and walked away, leaving a crude snowflake engraved next to her name.

🧭

It was so strange to he back inside his house after such a long time. It was even stranger to find it empty.

Ever since they'd moved in, Kyle had never spent time alone inside his home. It was always filled with the laughter and chatter of his children, Kay moving pots and pans in the kitchen, music playing somewhere.

Now, it looked so cold and deserted. He moved through it like the ghost of the dead man he was supposed to be, a tiny knot in his chest.

He'd always been aware that his home was wherever his loved ones were, but that didn't mean nostalgia didn't creep up on him.

After all, this was where he and Kay had moved in after they got married and returned from their honeymoon, already expecting their kids. They'd picked the furniture together, painted the nursery. It's where Jenny and Alex had taken their first steps, said their first words. They'd all been so happy in that house.

He stopped in the middle the living room. It was strangely clean, so it was obvious that Kay had packed the essentials before shipping the kids off to her parents. Which meant he just had to take care of all documents they might need and pick up some clothes for both him and Kay. And maybe more toys for the kids.

Once he started packing, his mind moved from pleasant memories to what they had to do next. He already had a burner phone and the moment they all met up at Jimmy's place, he'd be calling code red. He hoped Corey had already read all the information they'd left behind and knew what he was getting into. Then there was the matter of his goon empire which he'd mostly sent to Montana for now to regroup. It wasn't like he could give out any orders until he figured out exactly what his father had left him.

As the bags were packed and ready, he opened the fridge, hoping to find a snack or something. He still wasn't fully recovered after everything he'd been through and he needed to start eating more. Just as he was considering digging into a tub of ice cream, he heard the front door open.

In an instant, he was out in the hallway, gun out and pointing. He wasn't very surprised to find Eric Matthews in his house, his hands raised in surrender. Kyle lowered his gun, leaning his shoulder against the wall.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see how you were."

Kyle narrowed his eyes. "Bullshit."

Eric opened his mouth, but closed it again as if realizing lying was pointless. "I don't know what to do with myself."

"Nothing's changed, kid. I'm still officially dead, you'll get another squad leader and go on with your life." He hesitated for a moment, but he guessed it was about time to let out what he had to say. There were chances he'd never see Eric again. "Look, I appreciate you being there for Kay, keeping her safe. But now, with us gone, maybe you can... Move on?"

Eric flinched. "I don't think there's any going back for me. Not after what I've seen."

"You've seen people dying before," Kyle said, even if he was sure that wasn't the issue.

"Yes, I have. I've seen a lot. And I've been able to handle it because of the training you gave me. Because you were there."

"I'm sure you'll be just fine--"

"I want in."

Eric's words had Kyle halting. "In?"

"Yes. Whatever this thing you're doing is, whoever you're fighting, I want in."

"Eric, you have no idea what we're up against."

He tilted his head as Kyle said his name, because he didn't do it very often. "I saw what you went up against in Brazil. And I realize this is even worse. I want to help."

"You'll be putting yourself in a lot of danger."

"I don't care. You're doing something big and I want to be a part of it."

Kyle glanced at him a bit shocked that he wasn't against it. Eric was loyal, useful, and definitely old enough to make a decision like that for himself.

"Are you sure? Because if I tell you what this is all about, there's no going back. And it also won't mean that you'll be hanging out around Kay." He narrowed his eyes. "You'd still have to move on from that."

There was the tiniest wince for him before he grinned. "Nothing like a life of adventure to heal a broken heart."

Kyle smirked and holstered his gun. "Your funeral, kiddo. Just so you know, you're signing up to save the world."

Eric grinned back. "And there's nothing I want more."

🧭🧭🧭

I always enjoy a nice bit of closure. And so many funerals... But maybe this one is the last? At lest for a while.

We're up to packing and running away from home like rebellious teenagers. We also say some goodbyes. Now it's time to smash stuff, right?

Hope you're enjoying this very drawn out ending and are eagerly waiting to see how to brush with the Agency will go.

Stick around to find out as the final chapters unroll! Vote and comment for all the support.