"You have a few hours before the mission, why don't you go get some fresh air? Your face is tight-looking. Maybe it'll help you loosen up," Kori suggested as they finished the debriefing.

The way Kori put things was interesting, but always honest. He liked that about her.

"I think I will," he said with a faked smile.

It had been hard to smile recently. He hadn't laughed once in the past few days, either. He knew the others noticed, but it didn't really matter. Nobody was laughing anymore.

Rogue thought about going to the lookout, but it pained his heart too much. Another option was to travel into the village. Mersor would be ordering to make a spectacle that day.

Rogue knew what he would be seeing and it viciously tore at him. Somehow, he decided he would go anyway. Maybe it was a way of trying to be stronger. Maybe it was a way to punish himself. Mersor had done it for so long he just began doing it all by his own.

He pulled on some civilian clothes and a cap to hide his hair. It was chilly out so putting a scarf around his mouth wouldn't look suspicious.

Time to see what hell is like.

Rogue took a four-wheeler to the edge of town and hid it amongst the brush before casually walking in. There was a river bordering the forest and a bridge leading over it into the village. Just from where Rogue stood on the far side, he could see what he was about to fully witness.

He pulled up the collar on his coat and used it to shield his eyes from it. He didn't want to see it until he was in a place to take a good look. He went a little up the road and stopped, taking brisk breaths and watching the cloud puff away from his mouth as he did so.

It was harder to turn around than he imagined. Rogue always thought himself rather brave, but in this moment he felt pathetic.

With a sharp breath, he turned and looked behind him.

Rogue had seen many horrific sights in his life. Many times he even created such monstrous scenes. But somehow it was as if he had never seen bodies so lifeless before.

Mersor had done it. He had killed his foe. He had made a spectacle of it. He had defeated the 'leader' of the rebellion.

For the first time since that dreadful day, Rogue laughed. But it wasn't a sweet laugh. It was bitter and dry. He laughed because after all that, Mersor was still clueless and it was morbidly blissful to finally have the ace up their sleeve. Mersor was going to taste only the beginning of his son's revenge that night.

...

When Rogue met his Supai team at the rendezvous point, Kori approached him privately.

"You went to see it didn't you?" It was barely a question. Rogue merely glanced at her as he slipped on his gloves.

"That wasn't what I meant by getting some fresh air. You were supposed to get it out of your system, not all wound up in it more!" She refrained from speaking above a lowered voice, but she might have raised it if they had been alone.

"I saw what I had to. It just makes it easier to take her place," Rogue replied with a growl in his throat. He could tell it took Kori aback, but she frowned and got closer to his ear, jabbing him with a finger as she did so. "Do you remember that mission where Zephyr took you and Gunk out for a training run?"

Rogue nodded. He had saved her life that night. Maybe if he had been there he could have done so again. She could be safe. She could be leading the mission instead of him. She could be smiling at him. She could be wrapped in his arms.

"That night she ordered no one to be killed. It wasn't because she cared if they died. It was because our duty to follow orders needed to be stronger than our thirst for blood. Zephyr never had to take that test because everyone knew she didn't want blood. She never did. But can the same be said for you? Can you walk away from vengeance and the anger so you can do your job?" Kori backed away to roughly pull on her own gloves, "I hope so... because I trust you. We all do. If not on our own accord, because Zephyr did."

Rogue remained silent. Being sized up to Zephyr didn't seem fair. She was bigger than life. She was better at leading – probably because she chose to lead from the back rather than the front. She made the people around her want to do things without having to make speeches or rousing pep talks. Zephyr wanted to crush the enemy, but she wanted to do so with no death. That's what people didn't realize about her. They say she had been a realist when in reality she was the most idealistic person Rogue had ever met.

But she was gone. Rogue was the one Zephyr put on the plate. He wondered if he really deserved it or had what it took to do so. He may be a master spy, but he had been trained to be independent. Some part of him wished Kori had been made leader of Supai, but in his heart he knew he had to honor Zephyr's choices. She must have seen something he couldn't.

Rogue tucked his thoughts and Kori's words away into the back of his mind as the team head out into the forest. He set aside his anger and wishes for revenge... for now. He saved it for a day when he only held responsibility to himself and the word was to hit Mersor with everything he had.

Supai had discovered a safehouse with some recent activity and decided there was enough suspicious security to check it out. With Gunk there, it was easy to take down the security and snipe any guards before they knew what hit them. The safehouse continued underground and it seemed anything of value was going to be down there, so Rogue left a couple of scouts on the surface and continued inside.

It was small, but the soldiers there were unprepared for the surprise of Rogue's team. Still, after clearing out the rooms, there didn't seem to be anything there.

"What do you think? Is it a red herring?" Kori asked as she reloaded her gun.

Rogue shook his head, "No, there is something here. It's just well hidden. Everyone search for secret entrances."

Everyone knocked on walls and looked under beds until Rogue and Gunk were able to pull out a bookshelf.

"That's a door if I evah sawr one," Gunk chuckled.

The team lined up in defense before opening it. As they did, no fire came through and it was silent. They entered to find a regular furnished room just like the others but with man tied up on the floor with his back against the wall. In front of him stood a tall man with a well-trimmed beard and angled brown eyes.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the runaway himself!" The man smiled darkly. "I expected trouble, but I didn't expect you to figure it out."

Rogue knew this man – he knew him rather well. What he didn't know was what he was talking about. But that didn't keep him from playing along. "You know me, Guder. I'm a smart man."

"Apparently not smart enough to stick with your old man. He's gotten the rebels good, you know. It won't be long before Akram makes his move. I'm sure he wouldn't punish you too harshly if you came back now," Guder talked as if it were a normal conversation. He stood firmly with his arms crossed and his feet spread.

"The rebels aren't defeat just yet. And I'd rather die for my conscience than live for what Akram has planned." Rogue shifted uneasily under Guder's gaze. He couldn't predict if or how he would strike back.

Guder sighed, "Well, you've got your conscience and I've got a job to do. Looks like our small talk has come to an end. Don't worry about me, Rudy, I'll let you have the lad. All you have to do is shoot me."

"...What?" The room was strangely silent. The 'lad' was obviously awake, but his head was covered and probably gagged.

Guder chuckled, "I know I'd never live against you and Mersor won't let me off for failing to bring this boy to him unless I'm almost dead. I'm valuable to him now that you're gone. He'll keep me alive if I have a good excuse. You know where to aim the bullet. Serious, but not fatal."

Rogue thought a moment before glancing at Kori. She took a step back with raised eyebrows as if to say 'I'm staying out of this.'

"Okay," Rogue finally said, "I've always respected you. Tell my father I don't miss him."

Rogue raised his gun and shot the man, wounding him badly. Kori immediately knocked him out as he fell to the floor.

"And him?" She nodded to the tied up figure.

"Untie him. I want to see why I should know who he is," Rogue holstered his gun and stood in front of the man as Kori grabbed the bag over his head and tugged it off.

The whole room went quiet.

"Well, now we see why you should know him!" Kori exclaimed as she removed his gag.

Rogue let his jaw hang open as he stared down at the face in front of him. He, too, stared up in shock.

"You nevah told us ya had a brother!" Gunk laughed.

It was like Rogue was staring into a mirror and his reflection was blinking back at him. Vague, shaky memories came back to him as a child. His mother told him the baby in her tummy would be a secret. When he was born, he left as fast as he came. His mother never let them talk about it and eventually Rogue came to believe it never happened.

"I thought- I thought you were dead... or that I had dreamed you up," Rogue managed to say.

"I thought you were with Mersor!" The man said, glancing at the unconscious body on the floor.

"No," Rogue quickly snapped, the mere idea of being back at his father's feet sending a shudder through his body. "Not anymore. Wait, how do you know about me? How does Mersor know about you? I didn't even know about you!"

"I've known about everything my whole life. I had to know if I was to stay alive and away from him. Mom knew what he could – would do to you and me. She couldn't hide you from him or he'd kill both of you. When I came along, she hid me before he knew I even existed. I might have lived a normal life if I didn't look so much like you. But as soon as he saw my face, he dragged me across the world. And could- could you please untie me?" He shifted his body so Kori could cut his bindings.

Rogue offered a hand as he stood up. "You're destination isn't far off. It's a good thing we were passing by," Rogue paused with a grimace, "I don't want to think what would have happened if you met him."

It was quiet as the thought seeped into their minds, but Rogue quickly plastered a grin on his face, "Hey, I bet Mersor didn't know his own son's name was Luke."

"You remember my name?" Luke asked, astounded.

"Yeah! Not everyone can recall something like that from when they were four. Comes with practice," Rogue winked and put his hands on his hips. "Well, if there isn't anything else of value, we should bring you back to base."

Kori stepped up, "Do you think that's a good idea?"

"He's my brother," Rogue blinked.

Kori looked at him from under furrowed eyebrows, "Exactly."

Rogue chuckled, "We bring him in just like everyone else."

...

Rogue knocked on the door.

"Come in," was the reply.

He stepped in and closed the door behind him. His brother stood bent over a bag on hi bunk, pulling out books. When he saw who it was, he gave an awkward smile.

"Hi. Someone graciously lent me some things to read while I stay here. Uh, take a seat."

Rogue sat on the edge of Luke's bunk. "That's a nice collection," he said turning over the classics.

"Heh, Yeah." Luke sat as well, running a hand through his longer, curly red hair. "Was there something you needed?" he asked.

"A normal life?" Rogue didn't mean to say it out loud, but he did. Being nervous made him slip.

"We could both use one of those. Although... I guess I had more of one than you did." Luke said, leaning his back against the wall.

"You're not completely unskilled. Your test numbers are above average," Rogue did the same and casually crossed his arms.

Luke scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah, well, I had to know some things if I was going to avoid daddio. Oh, by the way, why did you tell everyone my name was Luke?"

"The fewer people who know your real name, the fewer chances you have of being caught. It was easier to let them believe something else. Luke will be your code name."

"Why Luke?" he asked, looking off into space.

Rogue snickered, "Luke, I am your father."

Luke squinted suspiciously at him, "No. No you didn't."

"Yes I did."

"You're a terrible brother."

"That's what big brothers do."

The two laughed until silence filled the room once again.

Rogue picked at a piece of fuzz on his black shirt. "Was there someone out there? Someone who will miss you?"

Luke shook his head, "No, I knew if I was to be with anyone, I would have to tell them who I was. I could never allow myself to do that. What about you? Do you have someone here?"

"Ha!" Zephyr's memory made his fresh wounds throb in his chest. "For the first time there was someone. She was here. She was... my redemption. But just like mom – he cut her down." Tears burned his eyes. He didn't want to think of it right now. He didn't want to care so much.

"Let's beat that bastard," Luke said with his hands curled into fists.

A morbid smile spread across Rogue's face, "All in time."

...

Rogue leaned against the wall with his arms crossed as he watched Amanda step away from the stand. She hadn't said much, but it meant a whole lot. He knew she was used to controlling her emotions, but as she sat down, he could see her swallowing the tears.

He couldn't blame her. He wasn't sure if he could make it without fogging up. Whether it would be from grief, anxiousness, or both, he wasn't quite sure.

He couldn't get over how unnatural it felt to walk up there and look over the small audience. He was a spy – trained to blend in with the shadows. He never prepared for speeches. The last time he gave a speech was probably in third grade when he talked about the leadership of George Washington and bent up the paperclip in his pocket –twice.

Rogue didn't have a paperclip this time, and he never had the skill of the monologue.

Looking down at the seated faces he recognized, he tried to piece them together to resemble her. He closed his eyes and imagined her sitting there to encourage him. But that's why they were here, wasn't it? She wasn't.

"I don't know why I was asked to speak," he began trying to be relatable. But he just couldn't joke. Not about this. "... No... I do know why."

He sighed and stared down at the empty stand. "It might have become apparent to most of you that... that Zephyr and I had become close. I had never... been with someone before. But she made it easy. She made it easy to laugh. She made everything easy," Rogue paused to gulp away the lump in his throat. It was too soon for this. He looked at Amanda to see her nodding in agreement.

"As a leader she had to seem cold and brooding. Heh, but no one ever really believed that, did they? She could never mask what shone inside." He shifted his weight and wiped a hand over his face, scratching at the stubble on his chin. "I realize it wasn't just me she touched. If you were lucky enough to have a moment alone with her, you know how she can change how you think with one phrase. How she can leave a print on you with one kind smile. Or if you were special enough to receive one of her warm hugs! She was skinny so I don't know how she makes it feel like she's holding you when you're twice as big as she is." Rogue wiped the smile that crept onto his face and cleared his throat, hoping no one noticed how he accidentally changed tenses. There was a chuckle or two at the last bit, but mostly it was silent.

"I'm sure she was different things to different people. But to me she was my salvation. Because she taught me how to escape the darkness when she never even knew I struggled in it."

There was so much more he wanted to say. There was so much he wanted to tell them. There was so much he wanted to show to a world that didn't know what a treasure it had lost.

But there was nothing left after the tear the slipped down his cheek. He quickly turned away with a short, "thank you" and left. He left the room. He couldn't listen anymore. He didn't want to listen to anyone that wasn't her.

With his legs bent and his back against the wall, he barely held himself up. He held his head in his hands and hoped no one would walk by. He couldn't let them see him like this. Zephyr never did.

"Hey, you alright?" a faintly familiar voice asked softly.

Rogue shot up straight and nearly fell over, grasping the wall to steady himself. He scoffed in a depreciative chortle as Luke gazed at him with a worried expression. Rogue let his forehead lay on his fist as it rested against the wall, "I could be better."

"Something happen in there?" Luke nodded to the door beside him.

"A funeral."

"Oh. For, uh..."

"Yeah."

Luke nodded and ruffled the hair on the back of his head, "Didja want some coffee? My treat."

"You have money?" Rogue asked with a raised eyebrow.

Luke grinned and raised his chin, "I have a mean poker-face."

Rogue returned a grinned and stood up straight. "You'll have to test it against Psych sometime," he mused as they began down the hall.