The thunder was so loud, it could be heard inside the cage. Kyle stopped pacing and listened. It was maybe small, but any indicator that there was a world outside their imprisonment was welcomed.

"What the hell is going on?" Jessie mumbled.

Unlike him, she kept moving, stopping in front of the bars every few minutes to stare down the corridor as if she expected Jimmy to show up and rescue them.

"He's not just going to walk in here," Sam pointed out.

"He's not just going to wait for us to walk out either," Jessie snapped. She clutched her head in her hands. "I'm sorry. I just know how hard it was for him to return to himself and I was a big part of that. They unbalanced him now."

"You mean I unbalanced him," Jerry muttered.

"Oh, stop blaming yourself already," Jessie snapped. "I get why you did it. No one hates you so stop hating yourself."

Sarah let out a huff. "Look at us. We weren't half as nasty when we were being held separately. Distance does make the heart grow fonder."

Kyle gave her a smile and not just because she was protecting Jerry from Jessie's wrath, but because she knew how to make them all see sense and stop squabbling.

"We're just frustrated, that's all," Christine said, her voice soothing. Then she stood and banged her palm against the bars. "And I want out of here already!"

"We have a plan," Sam said, his voice calm and collected. "And it doesn't depend on whether Jimmy gets here or not. If we're lucky, we'll meet him outside."

Jessie huffed. "Yeah, right. Or he'll try to break in and get killed. Because we all know how well luck works for us."

Her words had Kyle restarting his pacing. Because she had a point. Jimmy would not wait, which was why it was important for them to get out of there faster. All they needed was a damn goon, but they've been left alone for what felt like forever.

Finally, the distant sound of an opening door had all of them scrambling back except for Sam who took his position by the door. Kyle's muscles tensed, but Kay put her hand on his forearm to calm him down. They shouldn't look threatening.

In what felt like forever, three men appeared before the bars, two of them carrying shotguns. This didn't look great.

"You," the unarmed one said, nodding to Sam. "Come with us."

Kyle made to step forward, but stopped himself. This wasn't part of the plan.

Sam frowned. "What, like now?"

"No, yesterday." The man rolled his eyes and unlocked the gate. "Yes, now. The boss doesn't like to wait."

Sam threw everyone a fleeting glance, biting his lower lip, but it wasn't like he could do anything about it. Their plan was delayed, at least until Sam returned.

Once he stepped out, the armed goons flanked him while the other one made to close the gate. Jerry stepped forward and lodged his foot between the wall and the gate. It bumped into him hard and he fell over, sucking air through his teeth.

"What the...?" The goon took out a pistol, but didn't point it. "Get the hell back inside."

Kyle was torn between the need to get to Jerry and help him and the knowledge that if any of them moved to help, what Jerry was doing would be in vain. As it was, everyone stepped farther from the gate, looks of mingled fear and surprise on their faces.

"I'm sorry," Jerry wheezed just as the goon attempted to close the door again, over his chest this time. "I just can't...get...up..."

The man rolled his eyes, his gun hand slack and for a moment turned to his mates who were hopefully halfway down the hall with Sam by now.

"Nah, I'll handle it," he said, waving them away.

Kyle strained his hearing beyond their annoyed companion and picked up on the steps moving away. They were faster than usual and he believed he had Sam to thank for that. Even if he'd left, Jerry had picked up the mantle and was seeing their original plan through. 

Which wasn't so bad ignoring the fact that they had to bust Sam out of Snitch Gravel's office now.

All in due time. First step, escape. And once the footsteps faded and the man left made another attempt to push Jerry back inside the cage with his foot, the time finally came.

Jerry got into a crouch. The man's eyes widened and he raised his gun, but before he could point it, Jerry shot up and jabbed him on the jaw hard enough to send him tumbling back. He fell against the opposite wall, unconscious. Jerry slid the gate open, then headed for the man and grabbed his gun and keys.

"Come on," he said, pressing the safety of the gun and stuffing it under his belt.

The call wasn't necessary. Jessie had already sprinted out, followed by everyone else. Kyle stopped to pick up Tom and they all stopped in the middle of the hallway. It was so odd to be free again, to have to choose a direction.

"Great job, Jerry," Kay said, giving him a pat on the back.

"Not so sure because now we have to get Sam back, but I saw the opportunity and took it." Jerry glanced around, frowning in thought.

"This sucks," Tom mumbled. "Why the hell can't I walk?"

"Let's be grateful that you're alive for now and not bleeding, okay?" Angie asked, looking down the corridor. "Now, who knows where the exit is?"

Her words were greeted with silence. The most they knew was where Snitch Gravel was, but not about any door that may lead outside.

"We'll just have to wing it," Jessie said with a shrug. "We've been through worse. At least these corridors don't have booby traps."

"I love the way you think," Tom said on his old flamboyant tone. "But let's try to avoid potential death. I have an idea." He nodded towards the wooden door across from them. "They'll be coming this way when they realize we escaped. Why not confuse them a little?"

"That's a great idea," Angie said.

Kyle agreed, but he also saw a potential difficulty, so he lowered Tom and passed him over to Angie.

"Let's just make sure we won't end up trapped somewhere else." He tried the wooden door, but since the cage beyond it was now empty, it was open.

A knot in his stomach, Kyle charged in and down the steps. His eyes lingered for a moment on a small brown stain at the base of the stairs, but he rushed further inside his old cage and reached the bars. He pulled them aside and they opened so he signaled to Jerry who was in the doorway that they could all climb down.

His breathing stopped once everyone came in, but no one took any notice of the dried blood, not even Kay who, except for a slight limp, seemed as energetic as always. She was still a liability. Her, Angie who also limped and had fresh cuts, and Tom who couldn't walk. But they would figure it out.

So they exited the cage and started down the corridor. Kyle took the lead together with Jerry and Jessie and they stopped the moment they reached the stairs.

There were sounds of footsteps and voices, but nothing to indicate their escape had been discovered yet.

Kyle threw a glance over his shoulder and grabbed Jessie's arm before she darted out into the open.

"Let's strategize for a bit. We should stay in front. Kay, you and Christine should take the back. Let Sarah help Angie with Tom."

"Um, what?" Tom asked.

"You can't walk," Kyle pointed out. "Ergo, you can't fight. We need to protect you."

"Then shouldn't I be in the back?" Angie asked.

"No. You're not in the best of shapes yourself."

Which was an understatement. They really needed to get out of there and see a doctor. What Kyle found hard to believe was that it now seemed possible.

"We should try and go forward. Maybe we can find another way up," Jerry said.

Kyle agreed, even if they might get lost. But he also knew full frontal impact was not a good idea, as much as his action deprived body craved it. So they continued down the same hallway, and when they didn't find any alternative stairs, used one of the empty cages to climb higher.

By the time they cleared the next floor as well, the sounds of agitated voices and hurried footsteps reached them.

"Where the hell are they? They're eight fucking people. They couldn't have just disappeared!"

"I guess it's safe to say our escape has been noticed," Tom said on a cheery voice.

"Are you gonna sit back there and provide commentary?" Kyle asked between his teeth, peeking around the nearest corner. The entire building was like a freaking maze of identical corridors and cages.

"Why yes, since I have nothing more useful to do."

"How about shutting up and not giving us away?" Jessie mumbled. "Are we lost?"

The sound of a crash from above had them all looking upwards.

"Do we follow the sound of mayhem and death?" Jerry asked.

"Tom's enough, Jerr, I don't need you turning quippy as well," Kyle said, only half paying attention.

But the truth was, they did need to go up. And since they'd ended up on a corridor with no more cages, they had to rely on the normal stairs.

"This way," he said, heading to the left.

The others followed and they all reached the stairs just as a group of goons appeared from the other side of the corridor. Before they could shake off the stupor, Kyle and Jessie charged. Three of them went flying instantly and Jessie picked up a sword off the floor, holding it with frightening precision.

"They're weak and unarmed!" someone yelled from the back.

"They're not unarmed, they have swords!"

Kyle didn't care much to listen to goons randomly yelling at each other. His body buzzed with life and he charged forward. He dodged a dagger, a sword and a few punches, slamming bodies against the walls, moving farther down the corridor. He could hear the sound of metal on metal behind him, more hits and grunts, but he concentrated on clearing the pathetic before them. One of the men had a sword as well and swiped at his head. Kyle crouched out of the way and tripped him, bringing him headfirst to the floor. He then grabbed the goon's hair and smashed his face against the stone.

Another swipe of a blade caught his shoulder. He sucked air through his teeth and picked up a fallen sword, raising it just in time to block a second hit. This was weird. No guns, but aiming blades at their heads. What did Snitch Gravel want?

Not that it mattered anymore. They were getting out of there.

Two men charged at him, both of them armed with more katanas. Kyle had never wielded a sword in his life, but that didn't mean he didn't know what he could do with one. So he threw it like a javelin, impaling one of the incoming men. The other faltered and it was enough for Kyle to take the necessary steps and punch him in the gut.

"Kyle!" Jessie called.

He glanced over his shoulder and noticed the others were at the bottom of the stairs. Jessie had two swords, both of them dripping blood and had obviously made short work of another group which had charged at them from upstairs.

"We need to move," Jerry said, slight panic in his voice.

Kyle knew he had a point, even if he could see a bunch of new goons heading down the hall in front of him. But even if he ached to take them out, he turned his back on them and hurried to catch up with the others as they started up the stairs.

"Can we please stick together?" Kay mumbled the moment he reached her and Christine who were bringing up the rear.

"Sorry," he said back, his eyes still fixed over his shoulder just to make sure no one decided to shoot them in the back.

They reached another corridor and headed to the right, towards another set of stairs. A group was already heading down towards them, calling out to reveal their position. Footsteps sounded from behind them as well. Angie and Sarah stopped, putting Tom down, both of them panting.

Kyle's muscles tensed as he tried to do the math. It was him, Kay and Christine in the back and Jerry and Jessie in front. This didn't look good.

"Let me fight," Tom said.

"How?" Angie asked, the despair and exhaustion obvious in her voice.

"Christine," Kyle whispered, "go help Jessie and Jerry. Angie..."

"No." Tom slid down the stairs and stopped between Kyle and Kay. "I can do this."

"Do you want me to knock you out?" Kay asked, her words trembling with annoyance.

Kyle was only half listening, his attention on their followers. There were a lot of them, all of them armed, some even with shotguns, while none of them had a bullet proof vest on. If they got shot, that was it. Whips, swords and punches he could handle.

"What do we do?" Kay whispered.

The rattle of thunder shook the building, then the sounds of a fight broke from behind them. Jessie either had no choice or had figured out what to do. Kyle couldn't look behind him even for a second. He had to offer them protection from what was in front of him. And there was only one way in which he could do that. He raised his hands and stepped forward.

"I give. I'll come quietly."

"You'll what?" Kay shrieked.

Tom shushed her from his sitting spot at the base of the stairs. Kyle ignored them both and walked forward. The nerves were doing the trick and the sense of danger was bringing his nastier impulses to the forefront, pushing against his self restraint, begging to come out and anihilate the danger. The goons didn't seem so sure, but they moved out of the way so that they could surround him.

"Anyone got a pair of cuffs?"

"What about the others?"

"Let's immobilize this one first."

Kyle brought his fists forwards, his wrists exposed, waiting for the cuffs they weren't finding yet. As he did, he glanced over his shoulder. He was completely surrounded, the others far away from him and safe. Which was perfect.

He closed his eyes and gave in. In the solace of darkness, he could feel his body moving, hitting, blocking. Screams filled his ears, but he tuned them out, ignoring the sting of cuts, the hits, the bruising, the pathetic attempts at hurting him, bringing him down. His fists connected with flesh, his fingers wrapped around hilts, blood sprayed his face.

That last bit rattled his consciousness and helped him pull himself out of it. It didn't want to yield. He pushed harder, forcing the rage back, trying to convince himself that it had done what it had to do and he was safe.

Kay. He needed to think of Kay. His hearing instantly tuned in to pick up the sign of her voice. When he didn't hear anything, his eyes shot open and the darkness vanished. There was a lone man in front of him, holding a dagger with a heavily trembling hand. Kyle looked from him to the katana in his hands, the blade dripping with blood. He dropped it and punched the man in the face before turning back towards the stairs.

There were no more men behind him. The few who had escaped his wrath had retreated in the opposite direction from the others, but he couldn't see the rest of the group either. A sense of panic overwhelmed him and he shot towards the stairs. His body ached, but it was muted by the urgency and he didn't have the time to assess his wounds. To his relief, the others were a few steps higher, fighting their way towards the next floor.

"Thank God, what were you thinking?" Kay breathed the moment she saw him. "Don't go where I can't follow."

Guilt plunged into Kyle's stomach, but he smothered it down since this was neither the time nor place for that particular discussion. As it was, he could barely contain his darkness, his need to finally let out all the killer impulses he'd been suppressing while captured. Kay didn't need to see that, and the thought that she may have no choice scared the shit out of him.

"Told you he would be fine," Angie said.

"Where's Tom?"

Like an answer, Angie and Kay both stuck their backs to the wall of the stairwell as a goon came tumbling down. Kyle jumped over him and he hit the landing with a dull thud.

"He found a way to be useful," Angie said with a smile.

"Aren't I the most useful doorstop ever?" Tom asked from a few steps above them.

"Let's go, we need to get out of here." Kyle surpassed Kay, Angie and Tom and headed further up to the front where Jessie, Jerry and Christine were trying to break through a barrier of men.

The moment they saw him barreling towards them, they seemed to decide it was time to hightail it out of there, so they just turned around and sprinted up.

"This is not going great," Jessie said, wiping the blood off her cheek. She had a small cut on her forehead which was dripping all over her face.

"Agreed," Jerry panted, his arms covered in cuts and bruises. "We have no idea where we are. Where the door is. And then there's that." He pointed upwards and Kyle heard it, too.

The sound of clanking metal and bodies hitting things.

"It's Jimmy," Jessie said, though she didn't sound relieved at all. If anything, Kyle recognized the same rage inside of him manifesting in her.

"Let's get to him then. The door might also be that way."

"We didn't pick up Sam," Jerry pointed out.

"Fuck!" Somehow, with all the mayhem, Kyle had completely forgotten about Sam. But there was no way all of them were bursting into Snitch Gravel's office. "We should get to Jimmy and then I'll go back for Sam."

"Kyle, we need to move," Christine called from behind.

"I have an idea," Tom said. And before anyone could tell him to shut up and stick to the plan, he started talking. Except no sound came out of his mouth.

"Let them through," Snitch Gravel called out from somewhere above them.

The men faltered, looking over their shoulders.

"Come on. Move. Now!" Kyle took the lead and marched forward, keeping his rage bubbling right beneath the surface, ready to let it out at the slightest sign of danger.

"I said move," fake Snitch Gravel instructed. "I want them all in one place."

The second order had the goons sticking their backs against the walls to let them pass through. It wouldn't take long until they'd catch on that Snitch Gravel was not there, until they'd remember that Tom could change his voice and throw it around at will. But for now, they'd take advantage of the confusion and reach Jimmy.

It turned out, he was right on the next floor. The moment they cleared the landing, Kyle caught sight of Von Crooken and Eye Patch surrounded by half an army of goons. They stood at the end of the short corridor that lead into a massive hall-like room. A room full of the other half of the army of men who were trying their best to immobilize Jimmy.

Or at least someone who looked like Jimmy. There were reddish highlights in his hair and he wore a gi, though it was so cut up, the bullet proof vest underneath it was visible and stained crimson. He had katanas in both hands, the blades drenched in blood. He moved with ease, grace and balance, avoiding hits and sinking the killer blades deep in flesh. And yet, all of that had nothing on how strange his face looked.

Kyle's muscles tightened and he had to fight with all his might not to go over the edge himself as the serum battled to take over and protect him from the imminent threat.

Jimmy's eyes were like black, soulless holes. And Kyle had never felt more danger in his life.

🏯

Sam's knees bounced up and down as he sat on the chair in front of Snitch Gravel's desk. He knew what had happened the moment he was taken, that his brothers had taken advantage of the situation to put their plan in motion.

If everything had gone well, they were now free from the cage, looking for a way out. The only snag was that he was in here instead of out there with them. And he was terrified that Snitch Gravel would read the truth in his eyes.

But Snitch Gravel seemed more interested in the storm outside his window. Lightning flashed, thunder rolled, and they sat in silence. Sam's knees bounced harder as his ears strained to pick up any sound which might indicate that the others had been discovered.

"Why am I here?" he finally asked, unable to stand the silence any longer.

"I'm a little confused that Jimmy isn't here yet," Snitch Gravel answered, finally looking away from the window. "I've been expecting him since last night."

So had Jessie, but Sam was not about to mention that. "So you want me to go after him or something?"

Snitch Gravel shook his head. "I'm sure he'll come. You're here because I'm sure he won't come quietly. I need you to tell me what to do when he does come."

Sam blinked and stared harder. "Um, what?"

"I need him to calm his shit and listen. Just like all of you. So how do I do that without all hell breaking loose?"

"If you wanted him to come in peace, you shouldn't have forced Jerry to take Jessie."

"Tell me another way in which they would've come here willingly."

"How about not kidnapping anybody?" Sam felt a bit disappointed because he thought Snitch Gravel was more intelligent.

He grinned, looking amused by Sam's outburst. "Didn't I tell you I needed to see if you're still worth the hassle?"

"You told me a lot of stuff and very little of it makes sense." Sam clenched his fists. "You tore me away from my family, you tortured us, and now you're claiming you want to talk?"

Snitch Gravel shook his head again. "Nope. I kidnapped you, tortured you, tested you, fucked up, and then I realized this was not what I wanted."

Sam glared at him, clenching his fists tighter, aware that he couldn't lash out. And it wasn't just that he wanted to hide the attempted escape. It was also him wondering if Snitch Gravel knew about Cannon, if that would bring punishment upon Tom, upon them all. It was the need to keep Snitch Gravel sort of on their side because his crazy moods could dictate their deaths.

"Things changed," Snitch Gravel said with a sigh. "They changed a lot and I need this to be over. So help me out here and let's see how we can end this without anyone else getting hurt."

"Um..." Sam wasn't sure if he meant Tom and Angie or Kay or if something had happened that he wasn't aware of. "This is strange coming from you."

"You think it might be a trap."

"Well, yes, obviously."

Snitch Gravel grinned. "Life is a grand thing. We have come full circle. You'll just have to choose whether to trust me or not."

And wasn't that a bitch? In normal circumstances, Sam wouldn't have even dreamt of placing his trust in Snitch Gravel. But things had improved since he'd show up. The torture had mostly stopped, and after everything, Sam was aching for it to be over. To understand why. Why they were there, what Snitch Gravel wanted from them, what the jewels did and what the deal with the Agency was. He wanted answers. And there was only one way to get them.

"You want to tell us the truth, don't you?" he said, his voice low. "That's what you meant when you said some things should only be said once."

Snitch Gravel quirked a brow. "What truth?"

Sam could tell he was messing with him, so he pressed on. "Why you wanted to kill us."

"Wanted?"

It was Sam's turn to grin. "Please don't pretend you still want that. Not after all the weird stuff you've been doing and all the shit you let us pull."

"Fair enough. But let's first solve the Jimmy issue."

Sam shook his head. "I agree with you, but I'm the wrong person to ask. You should've gotten Jessie in here."

"I know. Trust me, you were my second choice. But I felt she'd be less than cooperative at the moment."

"She's the one who could convince him to drop his guard."

Snitch Gravel joined his fingers and leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. "Okay, I get that. The question is, could you convince her? Convince them all to drop the hostilities and listen?"

That was a very good question, especially after what had happened to Tom and Angie. Sam had to agree that, had he not wanted to distract Snitch Gravel from the potential escape attempt, he'd be more inclined to hit things than listen. He doubted Tom, Kyle and Jessie could be easily persuaded to come quietly. Then there was the matter of them actually slipping under his nose.

"I could try," Sam finally said. "But you have to understand that some of your recent decisions haven't made us your biggest fans."

"Tell me about it," Snitch Gravel mumbled. "That's why it has to stop. Before it's too late. Before someone does something we'll all regret."

"I--"

Sam's word were cut off by the sound of a scream. Snitch Gravel frowned and straightened in his seat.

Sam's heart shot into his throat and he too strained his hearing, trying to pinpoint the sound.

"Shit," Snitch Gravel muttered, standing. "I think we might be a little too late."

Sam stood too, though he wasn't sure what to do. Snitch Gravel obviously thought it was Jimmy, but maybe it wasn't, maybe it was his brothers finally coming face to face with guards.

The door opened and one of Snitch Gravel's personal guards stuck his head in, out of breath.

"Sir, he's here. Von Crooken gave out wrong orders." He faltered once his eyes landed on Sam.

"Oh, that fucking moron," Snitch Gravel said between his teeth. "You'll have to do. Come on!" And he strode out of the office after his man.

Sam lingered for a second, his mind whirling with the speed of light. He was alone and it would only last seconds, but in those seconds, he calculated all the implications of what was going on. He didn't trust Snitch Gravel. He didn't trust anyone but his family and friends. So there was no way he wasn't taking advantage of this. 

He rushed around Snitch Gravel's desk, opened the drawer, and pulled out the giant jewel. He didn't really have where to put it, so he grabbed the coat off the back of the chair and shrugged it on.

He'd just stuffed the jewel in the inner pocket and taken a step towards the door when Snitch Gravel returned, seething with anger.

"Are you waiting for a special invitation? Move your ass!"

"Sorry." Sam jogged to the door.

"What the hell are you doing with my coat?"

"I was cold." Sam shrugged, hoping the gravity of the situation would make Snitch Gravel drop it.

It worked, because he just swore under his breath and headed to the end of the hall and up the stairs. Sam knew there was something wrong right away, because the place was swimming with henchmen who were either bleeding, bruised or looked terrified.

Snitch Gravel seemed a little uneasy as well as he made his way between the men. Sam followed, keeping as close to him as possible, aware that he was the only reason those men made no move to immobilize him, tear him apart.

Two stories up, they turned right on a short hallway. Snitch Gravel froze and Sam almost walked into his back. When he glanced over his shoulder, Sam's brain jammed.

He could see Von Crooken and Eye Patch, the former carrying a shotgun and the latter a katana. But what made his blood freeze in his veins was what was beyond them.

The hallway led into a massive room with a tall ceiling. His brothers and the girls were at the end of the hall, in front of Snitch Gravel's top henchmen. The large room was strewn with bodies, most of them bleeding.

And on the other side of the room, covered in blood himself and staring down his own brothers as if he wanted nothing else than to tear them to pieces, was Jimmy.

🏯🏯🏯

Surprise update because Ruins reached 5k reads and I'm happy about it! And I think you guys needed to see the rest of the climax. Is it over? Nope. Is it almost over... Well, yes.

What do you think? Was it tense, enjoyable? Climax like? We're so close to the end. Just four chapters left. So... Everything is free game.

Don't forget to vote and all thoughts are greately appreciated. Here's to another 5k.