Sam had chosen to start his search with the top-most floor containing mostly offices, even if he was sure he'd find nothing there. He was actually certain that the jewels weren't there at all, but it felt foolish not to check before bringing the building down.

All the cubicles and tiny offices he'd encountered had been empty both of people and killer precious stones, so with a sigh, he headed to the lower floor.

This one was painfully familiar as it housed mostly storage spaces for weapons and discarded technology. It also held the corridor he'd paced for hours in front of one office, at first dreading having to go in, then dreading that he would find it locked.

First, he searched the storage spaces, even if he knew he'd find nothing. Then, he headed further down towards the dark wood door which one held the inscription for doctor Skye Brandon.

Even if Skye had quit the moment they'd gotten engaged and Sam was well aware that a new psychiatrist had been employed, being there still reminded him of her. After all, he'd never set foot on that floor since she'd left, never needed help. He'd managed everything on his own, saying goodbye to her included.

He stopped in front of the door and glanced at the new sign. Doctor Ian Patel. Sam had never met him, and yet was about to ransack his office for potential hiding places. As he picked the lock and stepped inside, the knot in his throat only grew.

Doctor Patel had changed the outlay of the office completely, nothing in there reminiscent of Skye, and yet the discomfort Sam felt stayed as he searched. He was too aware of everything that had happened in that room, of Skye's words and her actions. How they hated each other before they fell in love.

That room should mean nothing, it would go down with the rest of the building. And yet... Sam felt a sense of unexplained relief when he found nothing and exited the room. He didn't have to linger there any longer and they could finally cross this place off their list. Unless Jimmy found something in Keeves' office, but he doubted it. He would've let them know by now.

He checked his watch and headed down the stairs. They didn't have much time left and it was dangerous to stay more than necessary even if the building was almost empty. And yet, he couldn't help but falter at the entrance leading to their floor, the place they'd worked for so many years, foolishly believing they were doing the world some good.

Like in a trance, he made his way down the hall to the office which used to belong to Herrison. Of course, it no longer belonged to their coordinator, to the only man within the Agency who had looked out for them and wanted to see them succeed and still be safe, whole.

It now belonged to his son, a man Sam had no interest in saving. But for some reason, he couldn't just walk away, even if he wasn't sure what he wanted to say to his former best friend, if anything at all.

But the door of the office was open and Harry sat alone at his desk, mindlessly scrolling through something, his cheek in his hand. He wore a black suit, white shirt ensemble, as always, and seemed to have gone through a few sleepless nights.

The sight of him stirred mixed feelings inside Sam. That bored expression was too familiar and reminded him of classes and how Harry would almost fall asleep during the ones he didn't like because he could always count on Sam to explain it to him later.

They'd always had this dynamic. Harry having the social news, Sam paying attention in class for both of them. And it never annoyed him before, but now, being an adult, he realized that Harry had always avoided the things he didn't like, be it boring classes or hard to swallow truths. And it only made Sam want to shove a giant bitter pill down his throat.

He leaned his shoulder against the doorframe and spent another few seconds simply glancing at Harry. This lack of awareness would get him killed in the field in no time. If he lived, would the higher ups send Harry to hunt them down? Could he do it? Sam's guess was no. But he wasn't here to admire his former best friend or take a ride down memory lane. There was a certain bit of payback he wanted to deliver, so he knocked on the jamb.

Harry jumped violently and raised his gaze to Sam. His eyes widened to comical proportions and his jaw dropped open. Sam waited as he opened and closed his mouth a few times, already used to the gimmick.

"What are you doing here?" Harry finally asked. His curious eyes moved to Sam's jaw which was still slightly purple.

"Why so disappointed that I'm not dead?" Sam asked.

"But the papers said..." His gaze drifted to the scattered papers on his desk before returning to him. "You can't be here!"

If it wasn't for the tone, Sam could've thought that Harry was worried about him. But it was clear that the guy was more concerned about breaking rules than Sam's well-being.

"And yet, here I am."

"Not after what you did. How did you even--?"

Sam raised his eyebrows, completely done with the blame game. Hard truth time. "After what I did? So it's my fault again?"

"You and Jimmy and Tom blew up an entire floor!"

"Because that's the problem, not the fact that you held me hostage and basically tortured me. Not the threats or the admission that it was you who killed my family."

Harry winced. "I didn't--"

"Of course you didn't. You're innocent."

As the conversation progressed, Sam wasn't sure what he'd hoped to achieve coming here in the first place. But as long as he'd made the effort, might as well get it done, even if a big part of him wanted to just turn around and walk away, let the building fall on top of Harry.

"I didn't give out any orders against you!"

Yeah, enough of that dramatic bullshit and inability to own up to anything. "Do you know what they're doing?"

"Um, what?"

Sam leaned harder against the doorframe. "Their purpose. Why Snitch Gravel left them in the first place."

Harry squinted at him, guessing it was a trick question. "Did Snitch Gravel get the jewel before you?"

"That's what you go from the headline?"

Harry's gaze shifted to his desk once again, to the printed copy of the news article. "It says something completely different."

"Here's what you don't get, Harry. It says what I want it to say."

Harry raised his eyes, the fear in them obvious as he came to realize that they were way ahead of them. "What are you doing here?"

"I asked you first. Do you know?" He shifted uncomfortably, but didn't answer, so Sam continued. "Do you know that they want to build a weapon of mass destruction using those jewels?"

Harry huffed. "I've heard that nonsense flying around. It's obviously what Snitch Gravel--"

"Do you know that they're secretly trying to develop the super-soldier serum Kyle has, but with the side effect of numbing emotions, turn the subject into a remorseless killing machine?"

"What the hell--"

"Do you know that they've been experimenting on Jimmy for just that purpose and William before him? That they were trying to wipe out Jimmy and make him fight Kyle?"

"Sam, this is ridiculous!"

"It is ridiculous. Because Jimmy already has the serum."

The words shut Harry up and he actually stood, stepping further away from the desk as if to put more space between him and Sam. "What?" His voice shook as badly as his hands.

Sam narrowed his eyes. "You missed it. You thought that once Kyle was gone, you could bully us into submission, that we would bend over and take it. Well, surprise, assholes! It was a temporary set back, but now we're done letting you think you can control us. And there you have it, that's why I'm here."

"To threaten us?"

"Well, not you personally. You're obviously innocent. But yes, your bosses. We still have a super-soldier. Keeves got it right. We've been sabotaging you from the inside for the past four years. And you'll be seeing the effects of that in the next ten minutes."

The fear in Harry's eyes was replaced by a passing look of concentration, followed by frustration. Sam found that more satisfying than he thought he would. It felt good to finally leave the doubt and the fear behind, and it had to be the height of irony that it was Snitch Gravel who had set them free.

"Your panic button isn't working." He shook his head. "Do you really think we'd be in here without Jimmy deactivating all your security systems?"

All color drained from Harry's face. "You're all here?"

More than he knew, but Sam was not about to give Kyle away. That was a secret they could still benefit from. The rest... Yeah, that could all be shot at Harry in the form of a very obvious threat. "Of course we are, genius. Now tell me, who's in charge?"

Harry's mouth dropped open again before he caught himself and frowned. It seemed like he wouldn't tell, but Sam knew him well enough to read the truth. He didn't know.

"Okay, then, where are the jewels?"

"What the hell is wrong with you, Sam?"

"Wrong with me? What the hell is wrong with you? You should've known that the kicked dog you got used to isn't me. That it was all an act. That I did what I had to do to protect my family and stay under until I could finally break away from this shitshow."

The news seemed to shock Harry some more and Sam wondered how he could be so blind. But, then again, ever since he'd joined the Agency, denial had been his best and only weapon.

"Yes, Harry, it was all an act."

"Everything?"

Sam could read through that desperate question. "Yes, everything. Including that bogus apology you forced me into by taking advantage of how desperate I was that my family was being killed off."

"You--" Harry clenched his jaw as if he realized calling Sam names wouldn't work at this point.

"Liar? Fake? Terrible friend? Who am I even talking about right now? Me or you?"

"That's enough!"

"It's not even close to enough." Sam pushed himself away from the doorframe. "Given what's about to happen, I'm not sure if you'll ever see me again."

"That's right, you better run and hide," Harry spat.

Sam wanted to bite back the laugh bubbling inside him, but realized he didn't have to so he let it out. "Depends how you look at it. Because it's us who will be hunting you down, not the other way around. Maybe we won't target you personally for old time's sake, but we're not going to make it easier for you or spare the ones who are trying to destroy peace for financial comfort. Because death rays are expensive, Harry. So are super soldiers and secret formulas.

"But that's not between you and me. It's between us and them. So you have the knowledge and the chance to get away, should you chose to stop being a coward and do one thing right in your life."

"You have some nerve--"

Sam raised his hand to stop his words because he was not done having the nerve. It felt strangely liberating to speak his mind again, not care how his words and actions could be interpreted. He'd missed this. And now that he had all the information, he never had to hide and cower again.

"It's always been that way, Harry. You mooching off me and getting things your way, ever since we were kids. But I didn't mind, didn't really care because you were my best friend and I would've done anything for you. Including not starting a relationship with Christine or even breaking up with her if you only would have told me."

"I'm so sick of you always getting everything--"

"I got it through hard work! Including my current wife and children. Nothing was ever handed out to me. You, on the other hand, always expected me to give you everything."

"You didn't have a broken home!"

Sam heaved a sigh. "You're right. I didn't." At least not on the surface. "But that didn't make it my responsibility to fix you. You need to fix your own shit. But for that to happen, you have to admit that you have a problem, that you're a traitorous asshole who can't own up to anything. And just so we're clear, it was you who stabbed me in the back with Christine, not the other way around. I forgave her because what happened changed her, and I fell in love with this new her. You, on the other hand ,will never change."

"Oh, fuck you, Sam!"

Sam shrugged. "No thanks. Turns out I'm way out of your league." He turned around to leave, relieved that he'd let it all out and wiped out all previous humiliation he'd had to endure on the matter. At least now everything was out in the open.

On some level, it hurt, because he'd always hoped Harry would come around. Hell, even Davyn had managed to redeem himself after everything. A part of him hoped he could have his best friend back. But he'd chosen his loyalties, so now it was a bed he had to sleep in.

As he stepped out of the office, his heart clenched uncomfortably. He couldn't do it, as much as he still kinda wanted to punch Harry in the face. Even if their friendship was obviously over, he couldn't walk away like this. For Herrison, he couldn't let his son blow up.

So he stopped with a huge sigh and glanced over his shoulder. "By the way. The building will blow up in ten minutes. Just in case you would like to live."

"What? Sam, what?"

Sam didn't stop to offer any further explanations. He'd done what he needed to do. So as he met the others in the parking lot and made his way out, his mind drifted away from Harry. He had plenty of time to get out of there. Maybe he'd live to see another day and inform his superiors of what they'd done.

"A well placed threat," Tom concluded as the five of them waited in a parked car at a safe distance from the building.

"I'm not sure you should have told him all that," Jerry said.

"What's the point in hiding anymore?" Jimmy asked, playing on his phone. "Let them know we're coming and tremble."

"But the jewels..."

"They would have to be idiots not to realize we're coming for them," Kyle pointed out. 

"And, we're done," Jimmy said, leaning back in his seat. "Our houses have been officially locked down. If we ever feel the need ever return, hopefully we'll have something to return to."

"That sounds both optimistic and apocalyptic at the same time," Jerry mumbled.

"Anyway, Sam, whatever happens, I'm glad you got that off your chest," Kyle said. "Maybe this can serve as a wakeup call for Harry."

"You're still thinking he might switch?" Tom asked, interested.

Kyle shrugged. "Maybe not now, but who knows along the way?"

Sam hoped Kyle was right, but his hopes weren't high. It didn't matter at the moment. All he wanted to do was watch that building blow.

And it did, in a fabulous burst of fire and to a chorus of ambulance sirens.

Their war against Counter Intelligence International had officially began.

🧭

The labs had burned down almost entirely courtesy of Ron, but Phillip had began rebuilding even before they decided to settle down there for the time being.

Jessie sat cross-legged outside in the shade of the forest, analyzing the blueprints for the new  building they planned to raise. It was somewhat ironic that they didn't have a construction engineering degree between them, but this was something they could handle. The goon squad was obviously proficient at building stuff. 

As were Kyle and Jimmy who had started working on a bigger obstacle course for the kids. They were just a few feet from her, both of them hammering away, talking and joking as if they didn't have a care in the world.

Honestly, since they arrived there, it felt like none of them did.

Yes, there had been anger and frustration and a lot of screaming once the boys returned from Chicago with the news that they'd blown up the Counters and initiated code red without them. But after she'd had time to process the news and calm down, she realized that the possibility for all of them to go on dangerous missions had become severely limited the moment they agreed to go under.

There was no leaving the kids with other people anymore, though Eye Patch turned out to be a remarkably good babysitter. Even now, he was entertaining Jenny, Alex and Robin with a story which hopefully did not include curses and too much gore. Jessie wasn't too worried since they were within hearing range of Kyle and Jimmy and no one cursed around the kids. Apparently not even hardened criminals.

All she had to do now was figure out where to put the medical wing. She wanted it to be fully equipped to handle any potential medical emergency, from broken bones to bleeding holes.

"Can you believe this?" Kay joined her, arms crossed over her chest. Her pregnancy had started showing for real now, even if she was merely entering her fourth month.

"What? That Eye Patch ended up babysitting our kids?" Jessie asked, glancing up at her.

"That, too. But I mean how quiet it is."

That was also true in some way. Even if there was noise, since they were basically now living inside a worksite, it was also oddly still. From the topmost floor of the new buildings they had a clear view of their surroundings and could see anyone coming. Ironically, for the first time in years, they actually felt safe and it showed in the way the boys were a lot more relaxed. The only one with a stick still up her butt was Maxi, but Jessie couldn't blame her. She was definitely not used to this life or being around them for long stretches of time.

"It is quiet," Jessie agreed. "And I feel safe."

Kay tensed at this before sitting next to her. "I do, too. It's very easy to forget about the outside world here, and we deserve a break."

Her hesitance said it all, and Jessie agreed. It was only temporary since they still needed to get the jewels. But just another sunlit day seemed possible at the moment.

Kay rested her forearms on her knees, her eyes on Kyle and Jimmy who were busy nailing together some planks to form a platform. "How much longer to you think we can keep them here?"

The question sent Jessie's stomach into her throat and she did her best to push down the nerves overcoming her. "I'm not sure. Depends how long it will take Corey to obtain the security plans for the compound in DC. Or how much longer it would take us to comb through Davyn's papers on the Counters."

"Yeah. I guess we're still involved in that." She sounded bitter.

"Kay..."

She leaned back on her hands, raising her face towards the sun. "I know, Jessie. After everything that happened in Brazil I'm more aware than ever that this is something they have to do without us. And not necessarily because of the kids, but because for them, it's personal. The Agency didn't do us much harm because Phillip didn't let them. They were a means for us to build our lives together. But for them, it was betrayal. It was taking away their purpose."

Jessie bit her lip, turning over Kay's words. Yes, she'd sensed that it was much more personal for their husbands than it was for them. At least for some of them.

"It's sort of personal for me, too, after what they did to Jimmy."

"They need us here."

That was also true. Because they were by no means turning into housewives. They had research to do. Lots of it. So even if they would maybe skip most of the action, they would help plan it and be involved in any decision that was to be made. Kyle had made that much clear. He might be the leader of this new formation, but he wasn't planning to keep any of them out of it.

"Hey guys," Angie joined them, a stack of files in her arms. "Guess what I found."

"What are those?" Jessie got to her feet at the same time as Kay.

"I remembered this garbage being here from last time," Angie said as if to spite them that she'd been on the mission they'd missed. "And apparently they didn't burn down."

"Is this the research on the serum that you mentioned?" Jessie asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Yep. The subjects before Kyle." Angie dropped the files on the floor unapologetically. "These are just a few of them."

Jessie picked one at random and opened it. The medical data looked so familiar even if it was more than twenty years older than the one in Jimmy's files. Merely seeing it made her sick. As Phillip had pointed out, there was absolutely no reason for anyone to continue studying this.

"Where are the others?" she asked, flipping the pages.

"Cleaning up more of these files."

"Did they say anything about what they'd like to do with these?" Kay asked. She held one folder up gingerly, a look of disgust on her face.

"Burn them," Tom said, coming towards them with his arms full of more files.

Sam and Jerry followed. Their approach drew Kyle and Jimmy away from the obstacle course and towards them, so that they finally met around the huge pile of death files.

"Shit, I forgot about these," Kyle said. "I can't believe they survived the fire."

"As all bad things tend to," Jerry mumbled. "And to think that fire was supposed to be purging."

"It's going to be purging now," Jimmy said. "There's no way we're letting anyone get their hands on these. Even if the Jewel Project might still live, the Serum Project fucking needs to die."

"Agreed," Sam said, glaring at the files. "And let's hope that what they have in California is the end of it." He looked to them. "Does anyone have a different opinion?"

"Seeing as they have the formula wrong, no," Jessie said. She would have been interested to research the potential effects of the serum on their kids, but it's not like it was the same thing. They had it by birth, not as a result of some sick experiment gone wrong.

"Then..." Tom took out a lighter, lit it, and unceremoniously dropped it in the pile of files.

The worn paper caught fire instantly, the flames growing in intensity with dizzying speed. It caused Jessie a huge amount of pleasure to see them burn.

"Camp fire!"

Jenny, Alex and Robin rushed towards them and started dancing around it, laughing. The contrast brought a smile to Jessie's face. Yes, they could do this. With innocence and grace and just a dash of fun.

"Yes, kiddo's, the campfire of doom," Tom said with a smile.

"What's doom?" Robin asked.

"What we are the harbingers of." 

"What's a harbinger?"

"Ah, where to begin? But I think it would be more fun to dance around the flames." And Tom was off with the kids doing their best to imitate them.

They all started laughing. Yeah, this would work out. Together, they would make the compound safe and homey for the kids and they would survive it. And after they were done surviving, they would finally live.

🧭🧭🧭

More closure for our favorite people, and things are actually starting to go their way. Harry has been verbally punished (or maybe he blew up, who knows?) and they finally have a safe place to crash, at least for the time being.

Of course, there is still the matter of finding the jewels and the leaders of the Agency, but everyone needed a break. So we get fun interactions instead.

We're so close. There are only three chapters left! And then the Epilogue. Yes, yes, I'm getting very emotional and I hope you guys are enjoying the ending. Let's see how things turn out.

Vote and comment for support!