My heart thuds heavily in my throat and my various injuries ache from the exertion, but it doesn't matter. My body was made for this. My stride is effortless and free, my legs propel me forward, away from the Madam's tower and deeper into the city.

I glance down as I run. The Mech Enforcers are steady in their pursuit of Luca and I, though their blank faces show no trace of strain. They stare up at me, hundreds of pairs of cold, unfeeling eyes burning through my exterior and hardening my resolve.

I can hear Luca's breath at my back- slightly ragged. I wonder vaguely if he is still keeping track of the people he has killed. After all this, I can assume he'll have an elaborate design to add onto his tattoo.

Tearing my eyes away from the murderous sight below me, I shake my head in an effort to clear my thoughts. My own callousness shocks me; clearly the things I have seen and done tonight are beginning to take their toll.

And we still have a long way to go.

The sound of our footsteps ringing off the iron grid is muffled by the pouring rain. I squint through the mist, straining to make out the lights ahead. Will and the rest of the City soldiers are on track to meet us and I am uncomfortably aware that I am hand-delivering them a pack of wolves.

The city buildings crowd in around us, stretching past the grid and up towards the hangar. Jaron and the rest of the Wasters will be making their way up and out, using Babel's ships to evacuate the wounded and destroying their remaining airfleet. After that, the only way out of this dome will be through the hole we blew in the wall near the Irrigator. This fact and a million other details swirl through my mind as I sprint. Will says that the prisoners from the Irrigator are still being pulled out; our job is to keep this fight going for as long as it takes the last person to make their way through the hole and onto one of Meg's airships.

Until then, I have to keep running.

I hear Will's army before I see it. Amongst the sounds of falling water I can make out shouts and the rhythmic stomping of many booted feet coming to greet us. A grim smile pulls at my lips and I increase my speed, leaning into the wall of rain and hurtling towards them.

The grid reverberates beneath me, the buildings loom above and suddenly, there he is.

The soldiers collide with the Mech Enforcers with the force of a boulder meeting stone walls. I don't bother to slow down, throwing myself over the ledge of the grid and landing amongst the soldiers. I am vaguely aware of Luca dropping somewhere near me but I am already focused on getting to the front of the pack, knowing that's where I'll find him.

Mech Enforcers crowd in on all sides, wielding their deadly, oversized swords. They move in smooth, concentric motions, never slowing or breaking stride. The Madam's robotic army is an overwhelming display of strength. Fighting them feels unnatural, like we are up against something perverse and malformed.

Everywhere I move the swell of Mech Enforcers presses in further. I hack and slash, continually pushing aside the feeling of claustrophobia. I just want this to be over. I want to get Will, get out of this dome and never, ever come back here again. Babel is a place of nightmares; it is no wonder that I am no longer plagued by memories when I sleep. Babel has shown me worse. It has shown me hell.

When I find Will it is almost by accident. I duck to avoid a blow with a Mech Enforcer's elbow, withdrawing my dagger and swiping at his calf. He falls but makes one last stab at me and I have to kick out in a desperate attempt to dodge his blade. The action sends me flying backwards and I collide with a soldier, who reaches down to yank me to my feet.

"Hey, Red." His grey eyes crinkle at the corners. My heart immediately lifts as we exchange relieved grins.

It's all right. We're all right.

Will and I fight back to back, spinning in circles as we battle the unending Mech army. Spurts of black goo fly back and forth, drenching us and staining the ground below. I jump and dodge, continually kicking back anyone who gets too close, but the tide of Enforcers never seems to let up. Each enemy I slay is immediately replaced by another, an identical pair of dead, unseeing eyes focused on me, gunning for my blood.

It doesn't take long for Will to notice.

"What's going on?" He shouts at me through clenched teeth as he shoves an Enforcer free of his sword. The freak of nature falls to the ground, staring blankly up at the rain as the gear on his chest ticks steadily backwards.

"I don't know." I tell him honestly. "They've taken a liking to me." I shove my blade through someone's neck. "It must be my good looks."

"That, or the Madam knows something about you." He glances up at the tower in the distance, shuttered tightly against the rain and the fight.

I bite down hard on my lip, tasting blood as I jump and bring my elbow down on an Enforcer's gear, finishing him off while the mechanical implement slowly ticks down to completion. There is no doubt that the Madam has taken a vested interest in me, but I couldn't care less about the reasons for her attention.

I just want to go home. Whatever that means, be it the City or the Wastelands, I simply want to be away from this; the constant, unending cycle of horror and death. I finish off yet another Mech Enforcer and make a silent vow to myself, that this callous, cold-hearted version of the Runner will stay behind in Babel. If we ever make it out of here, I will live quietly and love openly.

I glance over at Will. He is grim-faced as he fights, never more than an arm's length from me. I keep one eye on my enemy and one eye on our commander, needing to be certain that he is safe. He does the same and together we remain perfectly in synch; deadly and untouchable.

It is difficult to be sure, but it seems as though the enemy is dwindling. The swell still presses in around me, forever vigilant in their determination to strike down the Runner, but they are no match for our soldiers. The Mech Enforcers may possess a brute-like force, but we have something stronger.

Hope.

When the radio at my waist crackles to life, I don't immediately notice. Confused, I look to Will.

"It's Gus." He indicates that I should retreat up to the grid. I nod, sheathing my sword and accepting a boost up onto the scaffolding.

It is a moment before I am able to quell the shaking in my hands long enough to press the talk button on the radio. I plug one ear, still keeping my eyes trained on the fight and Will. The scene below is reminiscent of one I witnessed just prior to Rowan's death. I shake off the too-fresh memory and concentrate on Gus' voice.

"Are you done?" I ask.

"...nearly. We are just clearing the last level." The Babel tech sounds tired, but satisfied and I breathe a sigh of relief. We're almost through.

"How much more time do you need?" I keep my questions short, eager to return to the battle.

"...no more than twenty minutes. Can you hold off that long?"

"Yes." Whether or not I believe it to be true, does not matter. We are damn well going to try.

"...you can tell Will...now is the time to blow up the Irrigator." Gus' voice cuts out and I can't be certain that I've heard him correctly.

Looking below, I manage to lock eyes with Will. A guilty expression crosses his face and I know instantly that once again, I've been left out of his plans. It only takes him a minute to climb up onto the grid, but that is long enough for the full weight of his decision to hammer its way home. Fear and rage reverberate through me, and it takes every ounce of restraint I have to not shove him off the grid when he appears at my side.

"Blow up the Irrigator?" I stare up at him, fighting to wrap my head around the new information. "No, Will."

"If we don't finish this, then the Madam will just look for more people to enslave. Once the Irrigator is destroyed, it will be over. Forever."

"But why does it have to be you, who goes back?" He reaches for me and I step out of reach. "Why does it always have to be you?"

His jaw clenches and his eyes flash. "Because it is my duty."

And that is when I finally understand. I will never take precedence; he will always be the City's commander first. Everything else is secondary. Including me.

The realization sends a sudden jolt of pain through my chest. I stagger and he catches me. I am vaguely aware of the mechanical army below us, silently and robotically clamouring for my throat.

"You asked me to change." I hear myself say. "And I did. I did it for you."

"I'm coming back."

There is no time to argue, and so I play my final card. "I'm asking you to stay. For me."

He pauses for the briefest of instants, his expression unreadable in the pelting rain. "I'm sorry, Kay. I am doing this for you."

Without another word he pulls me to him and presses his lips against mine. I shut my eyes tight, allowing myself to be consumed, in return drinking in every part of him, the familiarity of his mouth and the feeling of his chest against mine.

He holds my head in his hands as we draw apart, forcing my eyes into his. "I'll be on the radio. When it blows, get out. Don't wait for me."

"You aren't going alone. I'm coming with you." I nod towards the ledge of the grid, indicating the horde of Mech Enforcers below us. "You're an idiot if you think that I'm going to pass up the opportunity to escort my new friends to the Irrigator's undoing."

A slow smile twitches near his cheek. "I love you."

"I know. Now, let's go."

Together, we leap over the railing and hurl ourselves back into the fray. Will shouts the order to pull back and we begin leading the soldiers and the Mechs further into the outskirts of Babel. As we retreat, I wield my sword with a new, savage ferocity. The Mechs are the unfortunate recipients of my fury, gamely absorbing the full weight of everything I have pent up. I feel myself tiring, I feel my muscles straining, but still I swipe and stab, unleashing every ounce of frustration, every sense of injustice, every instance of wrongdoing against the Madam's mechanical monstrosities.

They fall at our feet, ticking away their final moments. I use a fallen body as a stepping stone and throw myself into the air, spinning in place and bringing my sword across the neck of the three Mechs crowding me. They are replaced instantly by three more and Luca appears at my side, smoothly helping me to dispatch them.

When my radio finally sounds I toss it to a City soldier, directing her up to the grid so she can shout Gus' messages down to us. She disappears into the sheets of rain above and a moment later, belows the three most beautiful words I have ever heard.

"They're all out!"

There is a spattering of celebratory hollers and the fight increases in fervor. I wipe the rain from my eyes, gritting my teeth and bringing the hilt of my sword across a Mech's skull.

"You should go on ahead!" I shout at Will over the sounds of battle. "Find Gus and get on his radio, I'll handle this lot."

"All right." He throws his elbow up behind him, crushing the bridge of a Mech's nose. I finish the monstrosity off, stepping just out of reach as he falls.

Will grabs my hand, squeezing it for the briefest of instants before disappearing into the surge of rain-drenched soldiers. I watch him go, waiting until he has vanished before squaring my shoulders and turning back to the fight.

We make steady progress towards the Irrigator. I am light on my feet, continually dancing backwards, leading the pack of mindless droves to their doom like some kind of twisted Pied Piper. Gradually, the city buildings fall away and we enter the flattened stretch of farmland. My eyes dart around, straining to make out our surroundings through the darkness and the pelting rain.

"Marc!" I shout and my friend instantly materializes.

"What do you need?" His breath is ragged and I suddenly realize that it has been scarcely a day since he escaped from the prison belowground.

"Lead the soldiers out." I tell him. "Will is going to blow up the Irrigator and I want everyone clear of the area."

"What about you?"

"The Mech Enforcers are going to follow me up the grid." I grimace as I reach past him, handily cutting down a Mech. Gods, but I'm tired of this fight. "Don't worry about me, I'll leave as soon as Will comes back."

Marc doesn't reply immediately, his expression strained. I take advantage of the lull in battle and wrap my arms around his waist, hugging him quickly.

"Stay safe." He murmurs into my hair.

I nod wordlessly, giving him a tight smile as I step back. I catch the radio when the soldier tosses it to me and secure it to my belt, shooting Marc one last look before dodging the remaining Mechs and jogging towards the stairs set against the far wall.

When Luca breaks through the throng and begins to run alongside me I don't bother to feign surprise, instead relaxing into our familiar, steady pace. It feels good to run with someone, even when the destination is mutually-assured destruction.

We take the stairs two at a time, circling up to the third level of the grid. The iron platform rattles crazily beneath our feet as the Mechs follow in pursuit, their heavy tread threatening to spring the scaffolding loose from the wall.

I grapple for the radio, holding it to my lips. "Will, are you there?"

He doesn't respond immediately. I exchange a look with Luca, grabbing the railing when our platform sways dangerously.

"...I'm here." I can barely make out WIll's voice over the sound of the rain and many booted feet pounding against the iron scaffolding. "...just sent Gus up to the airships...barrels of gunpowder stacked on the top Irrigation level...safe distance."

Luca jumps up suddenly, grabbing hold of a bar over our heads and swinging his legs into the chest of an approaching Mech. The oversized freak of nature stumbles backwards, colliding with another Mech and causing a domino-like effect down the line. We take advantage of the distraction and clamber up a further two levels.

I speak into the radio again, wheezing slightly in my haste. "We're on the grid just above you. Give me some warning before you detonate and I'll make sure we are directly overhead of the Irrigator."

"...just give me a few minutes to get out of range."

"Take all the time you need." I glance over at Luca. He's red-faced from exertion, but nods gamely.

We change our direction, heading back towards the Irrigator. More than once I slip on the slick gridwork, my bad knee now throbbing angrily every time I stumble. In contrast, the Mechs are surefooted and steady, continually pursuing us as we dart back and forth, drawing ever closer and making wild stabs with their oversized swords.

One intrepid Mech breaks ahead of the pack and springs towards us, catching Luca in the side with the point of his blade. Luca falls and I spin in place, inserting myself between the Waster and the Enforcer. The Mech brings his sword around again and I block it with my own, pushing his weapon aside and sweeping his legs out from under him. As he teeters I shove him back with everything I have, watching with satisfaction as he topples over the railing and disappears into the blackness below.

I grasp Luca by the hand and yank him to his feet. He has paled considerably and clutches his side but is able to run haltingly along with me. Together, we manage to work our way back to the Irrigator. I glance over the side, noting the swarm of Enforcers on the lower levels clambering their way up to us. Past that, there is the conspicuous destruction of Babel's wall. I can make out a faint glow on the other side; our army and remaining airships are waiting patiently for the final stragglers.

As if on cue, my radio crackles and Will's voice echoes up at me.

"...are you ready?"

I exchange a look with Luca. He removes his blood-soaked hand from the wound at his side, furling and unfurling his fists as he readies himself. This is it.

Holding the radio up to my mouth, I first offer up a silent prayer to the gods, asking them to watch over Will before giving my consent.

"Blow it."

There is a low rumble, a kind of gentle quaking that starts low to the ground and gradually increases in intensity. The grid shakes, rattling violently and causing the Mechs to freeze in their tracks. Luca holds me to him, pinning me against the banister as we both grip the rail, teeth clenched while we fight to hang on.

I blink, straining to see through the darkness beneath us. The earth surrounding the entrance to the Irrigator and the L levels splinters and cracks, caving in on itself. A hole opens up, black and endless as the hell below. I can feel Luca's heart beating rapidly against my back and furl my hands more securely around the railing, holding my breath and awaiting the inevitable.

There is a deafening explosion, followed by several more bursts of combusting gunpowder. The scaffolding below our feet tilts and sways, sending several Mechs hurtling over the ledge and into the pit. I grit my teeth, tensed as one by one, the levels of the grid spring loose from the wall, shards of iron flying in all directions while the world around us continues to shudder and shake.

When I tear my eyes away from the sight, I catch a glimpse of the Mechs still steadily clambering up towards Luca and I. Their cold, blank eyes render them completely oblivious to the chaos occurring around them, their swords glinting as sharp as ever in the low light.

I shout a warning to Luca who releases me, swinging his bow out from under his shoulder and firing off three shots in quick succession. The Mechs drop away, disappearing from view while the platform we are standing on whips free of its supports and hurtles crazily through the cavernous space. I bite back a scream as we slide down the rain-slicked floor, grappling madly for hold of something, anything to keep me from flying over the ledge and into the pit below.

My fingers catch in the spokes of iron gridwork, my joints yanking painfully as I make a desperate attempt to hold on. The floor disappears below me and my legs drop into the abyss. I grit my teeth, muscles straining as I dangle a hundred feet over the fiery pit containing the mangled remains of the Irrigator. One finger slips free, then one hand. My eyes stretch wide and I chance a look over my shoulder, watching as the remaining Mechs tumble wildly from the ruined grid and hurtle to their doom.

I make one last attempt to pull myself up, crying out when my flesh tears on the jagged edge of the platform. Blood drips down my arm and my vision spots. I can feel my fingers losing their grip and one by one, they spring loose. I shut my eyes, feeling my body go slack as I fall.

Something wraps around my wrist and my arm pulls painfully in its socket. I look up. Luca has appeared over the broken ledge and grabbed hold of my hand, holding me securely. He grimaces, heaving me up and dragging me back along the ruined platform where we remain crouched, catching our breath.

"Thank you." I finally manage, clutching my chest as I wait for my heartrate to return to normal. I loll my head back against the railing, realizing for the first time that the rain has stopped.

"It is nothing." Luca responds, his voice gruff. I look over at him, frowning at the blood still soaking through the wound on his side. He fingers it gingerly, wincing.

"We need to get out of here." I glance around what remains of the grid, noting the precarious perch we find ourselves on.

Babel's overheard network has been effectively destroyed. Shards of iron hang limply from the wall, held up by threads of wire and bolts. The rest of the crumpled gridwork lies below us, fragmented by the blast and scattered around the gaping hole in the ground. The Mechs have disappeared, thrown from the grid and tossed into the wreckage below. If I strain my ears I can make out the faint ticking of dozens of robotic bodies.

I turn back to Luca, lending him a hand and helping him to his feet. The tilted scaffolding shifts ominously and we freeze in place, after a moment beginning a slow, awkward shuffle towards the wall. We make our way to the ground via a series of half-destroyed stairs and precarious drops. It is only when we finally find ourselves back on solid terrain that I grab the radio and press the talk button, letting Luca lead me towards the hole in the wall while continually glancing around. Everything is ominously still, there is no sound but the creak of swaying iron and the tick of dying Mechs.

"Will? Are you there?"

Silence echoes back at me. My chest gives a painful lurch and I try again.

"Will? Come in, Will."

Nothing.

We step over the rubble and make our way through the gap blown in the wall by the Wasters' catapult. Several Wasters and City soldiers are gathered near the rift, wielding torches and reaching forward to help us through. I barely notice the crowd that swarms us, continually speaking into the radio, my panic gradually increasing with every moment of silence on the other end.

Meg appears, relief etched clearly across her porcelain features. I can see Gus, Marc and Jaron over her shoulder, but there is still no sign of Will.

"Did he make it out?" I ask her.

She shakes her head, slowly. "I haven't seen him, yet."

I curse and try the radio again. "Will, please, where are you?"

The static stemming from the device mocks me, impassive and useless. I fight the urge to hurl it away, instead clipping it onto my belt and turning on my heel to head back into the dome.

"Kay, wait." Meg has grabbed hold of my arm and placed herself firmly in my path. "You can't go."

"I have to." I shake her off. "He could be trapped in there." I can hear my voice rising in panic but am powerless to stop it.

"We have to get out of here."

"So, leave." I make to step around her. "I can't yet, Meg. I'm sorry. Go on, I'll catch up."

She stays firmly rooted in place. "Kay, you need to think about this. You're hurt, you're exhausted. I'm sorry, but even if you did find him, you wouldn't be able to help."

"I have to try!" I fairly shout and shove her aside, my vision swimming as I stomp back towards the wreckage.

At that moment, the radio comes back to life. I halt in my tracks, grappling for the machine and holding it to my ear with trembling hands. "Will?"

Silence, and then an unfamiliar voice crackles up at me. "...sorry to disappoint you."

My heart skips a beat. I look up at Meg, eyes wide. Her expression echoes my own and she steps closer, leaning in to hear what is being said.

I recover my breath and bring the radio up again, fighting to keep my voice from shaking. "Who is this?"

"...oh, I think you know perfectly well who this is." She responds. "Just as well as I know who you are, Runner."

Meg has paled, staring at me wide-eyed while slowly shaking her head. I bite down hard on my lip, tasting blood before asking the dreaded question.

"Where is he?"

The Madam takes her precious time in responding, letting me stew in my fear before finally deigning to speak. "...he's with me."

I feel my legs give out and I collapse to the ground, supported by Meg who helps to lower me gently into a kneeling position. I sit with my head in my hands, my temple throbbing and my eyes pricking with unshed tears.

Finally, I manage to respond. "What do you want?"

"...to meet. I want you to come here, to my tower. I have a surprise for you. If all goes smoothly, I will allow you to leave Babel with your lover, alive and well. What do you say?"

"How do I know that Will is alive?"

Silence, and then his voice crackles faintly through the static. "...Kay?"

The knife in my heart twists agonizingly and I keel over, rocking back and forth. "Will? Are you all right?"

"...don't come. It's a trap. I..." He is cut off and I cry out, pressing the button and calling his name desperately.

"...I think that's enough. When shall I expect your arrival?" The Madam is maddeningly calm and it takes everything I have not to scream from the combination of rage and fear.

A single tear falls down my cheek and I brush it away angrily. "If I come, you'll let him go?"

I feel Meg's steady hand on my shoulder and I look up. Her expression says everything but I shake my head, my mind already made up.

"...yes."

My eyes squeeze shut tight, keeping the last of my feelings at bay. "All right. I'm coming."

I rise slowly to my feet, my movements heavy, as though I am dragging a thousand pounds of dead weight. Meg helps me up, her blue eyes never leaving my face.

"You heard him, Kay. It's a trap. If you go in there, you won't be coming back."

"I don't have a choice."

"Of course, you have a choice." She grips me by either arm, forcing me to look at her. "I know that you love him, but you need to use your head. Will doesn't want you to go. I don't want you to go. That place holds nothing for you but death."

I stare up at her, unblinking. "What would you do, Meg, if it were Jaron?"

Her mouth opens. Closes. Opens again. "Please, don't go."

I pull her to me, embracing her tightly. "I'm sorry." I whisper in her ear. "I would do the same for you."

When we draw apart her jaw is set determinedly. "I'm going with you."

"No, Meg."

"I am coming, as well." Jaron has stepped forward, aligning himself with the Queen. "This war is not over, yet."

I shake my head, my eyes darting back and forth between them. "You can stay here. She only wants me."

"If the Madam wants our Runner, then she is going to have to go through all of us." Marc has materialized, followed by Luca and the rest of the Wasters and Miners.

I choke, placing a hand to my mouth as I fight the wave of emotion coursing through me. Bloodied and bruised, my people stand before me. Mere steps from the airship and home, they instead choose to follow me back into the fray, back into the unknown. There are no words for the overwhelming sense of gratitude I feel for this haggard group of men and women.

"You don't..." I stumble on my words, drawing a breath and trying again. "You don't have to."

"We swore to continue the fight until every one of our people was free." Jaron places a hand on Meg's shoulder, exchanging a look with her. "There is still one more we have to retrieve."

"Will is our Commander." Marc speaks up, again. "He stayed behind for us. It's only right that we go back for him."

"Thank you." It's all I can manage. Meg reaches towards me, grasping my hand and squeezing tightly. I give her a shaky smile, pulling my shoulders back and standing as straight as I can. "All right. Let's go get him."

Our journey back into Babel is long and silent. The heavy sense of dread encroaches from all sides, ominously apparent from the way we have to step around the charred remains of the grid and the Irrigator. We pass through the flattened expanse of farmland and enter the city. The skyscrapers loom over us, dark and seemingly devoid of life. I suppress a shudder as we pass beneath them, trying to focus on placing one foot in front of the other, rather than on the countless terrible scenarios running through my mind. Meg keeps my hand clasped in hers, calm and ready where I am uncertain. I draw strength from her, keeping my jaw set and my eyes trained forward.

Finally, we reach the center of the dome. The square surrounding the Madam's tower is brightly lit, illuminated by flickering streetlights. Bodies still litter the ground and I have to look away, slowing my pace and stopping as the doors to the tower fly open.

We draw our weapons, but the Mechs flooding from the tower don't approach, instead spreading out around the square and glaring at us, their expressions blank. I feel my brow furrow and exchange a look with Meg. She looks as confused as I am but says nothing, instead glancing up at the balcony high above our heads.

I follow her gaze, my eyes stretching wide when I see that for once, the tightly-shuttered balcony door is open.

My heart neglects its beat. The Wasters and Miners linger behind me, swords and staffs at the ready. My people are brave, but the night has taken its toll. We are weary and wounded; I know that we stand no chance against this fresh batch of Mech Enforcers. If anyone else has come to the same realization, they remain silent. Together, we await the inevitable.

I withdraw the radio and hold down the talk button. "I'm here."

Her answer is immediate. "...turn your radio to channel one."

I do as she says and the mechanical loudspeaker holding dominion over the square releases a cringe-inducing burst of static. When the Madam speaks, it is as though I am still hiding amongst the Babelonian citizens, listening to yet another round of evening announcements.

Only, this time, she is speaking to me directly.

"Welcome, Runner."

I speak into the radio and my voice is projected out through the speaker, audible to everyone present. "I'm here. What do you want?"

"I see you've brought your friends. How delightful, I always enjoy putting on a show."

"Then show yourself."

"Gladly."

My head snaps up towards the balcony. A figure emerges, moving out of the shadows and into the silvery glow cast by the moonlight. The Madam is taller and rounder than I expected, draped in swathes of shimmering gold fabric. She is pale, although that could be a trick of the light. Even at this distance, her eyes glint cruelly, gazing down from her perch and searing through my exterior.

Next to me, Luca reaches for his bow. I extend a hand to stop him, shaking my head fiercely.

"That's right. I recommend you keep those arrows to yourself." The Madam holds Will's radio to her lips, her eyes never leaving mine. "One false move and I will end the handsome young Commander. You should know that if something were to happen to me, that my soldiers are under orders to open fire."

"Where is he?" I demand.

She tuts, shaking her head disapprovingly. "Such impatience. I have done so much for you and your people, I should think that you could show me a little more courtesy."

My fingers furl so tightly around the radio that the casing cracks. "We never asked for anything from you. You stole us away from our homes and forced us into labour. We owe you nothing, do you hear me?"

"That is certainly a negative take on the situation. The way I see it, my work has saved more lives than it has taken. I can see your Queen Megra down there, perhaps I should ask her how her City is faring with that sudden food shortage?"

I glance over at Meg. She colours but says nothing.

"You see, Runner, it is all a matter of perspective." The Madam continues conversationally. "This dome that I have created may possess flaws, but it has wrought a level of progress that you could never have hoped to achieve. Your backwoods City and your savage Wastelands are pitiful compared to what I have accomplished."

"What you are doing is inhumane. You call progress power, but it comes at the expense of human life. That is not progress, that is barbaric." I fairly spit, fury and indignation spurring me onwards.

"Such noble words." Her condescending tone only fuels my rage. "Your sense of morality is unwavering, isn't it? I wonder what the infamous Runner would do if she were faced with a problem that had no right answer."

The Madam snaps her fingers and several Mechs appear on the balcony next to her. My vision swims and my breath catches in my throat when I see the two people being dragged forward.

Will.

And Lara.

They are bound and held tightly. Lara is trembling violently and her face is streaked with tears. In contrast, Will is standing tall and staring daggers at the Madam. A trickle of blood runs down the side of his face and his lip is split, but he appears otherwise unharmed.

I feel my stomach roll as realization slowly begins to sink in. Instinctively I look towards the Mechs surrounding the tower. They have withdrawn their rudimentary guns and have them trained on our army. My mind turns over a dozen scenarios for rescue, but try as I might, I can't come up with a solution that ensures Will gets away unharmed. The Madam has orchestrated this situation perfectly, creating a public spectacle as revenge for what we have done to her city.

"I am sure you have noticed that I have taken a special interest in you, Runner."

The voice projected through the loudspeaker interrupts my thoughts and I bring my gaze back up to the balcony, locking eyes with Will.

"I first received word of your exploits when your City fell and my treaty with King Francis was brought to a most unfortunate end." The Madam speaks of the past with a fondness that sends chills down my spine. "I thought to myself, who is this anonymous Commoner that can inspire such loyalty that she could topple a King?"

She bares her teeth, leaning forward so that she is peering directly down at me.

"You know, you remind me a little of myself."

I shudder, bringing the radio back up to my mouth. "We are nothing alike."

"You would be surprised." She hisses, straightening. "After King Francis was killed, I had to strike a new alliance. That was when I began to pay closer attention to the City and their most precious Runner."

At this, she runs her hand tenderly along Will's jaw. He jerks his head away, struggling in the Mechs' iron grip. I think I hear Lara release a small whimper, but at this distance, I can't be certain.

The Madam prattles on, never breaking pace. "You managed to broker peace with the Wastelanders. An impressive feat; I'll admit. I was certain that your two civilizations would be tied up in a pointless war for years to come." She drums her fingers thoughtfully against her chin. "I underestimated your influence, clearly."

"Is there a point to this soliloquy?" I demand.

"Naturally." Her lips curl up into a cruel smile. "I was willing to let sleeping dogs lie, but you insisted on beginning a fight that you could never hope to win." The creepy smile at once slips off her face and she fairly shouts her accusations at me. "You have infiltrated my home, stolen my labourers and destroyed my drill. Do you have any idea of the lives you have cost tonight? Do you realize how many years you have set humanity back?"

My stomach churns in warning. "You were the one who began this, with your sick puppeteering and controlling complex."

"Enough." She straightens and reaches into the folds of her robe, at once withdrawing a shiny, pointed object. She holds it up to the light, twisting the needle so that we can all get a good look. "What I have here is a remedy. Tonight, one of your friends has reached the end of their life cycle."

I squeeze my eyes shut tight, fighting to control my emotions. "You don't have to do this."

"How can I resist? It is such a pleasure."

"Please." The word tastes like acid on my tongue. "You asked me to come, I'm here. Take me and let them go."

"So self-sacrificing." Her tone is mocking. "But you see, Runner, I don't want your life. No...that would be much too simple." She crosses her arms, tilting her head at me thoughtfully. "What I want is for you to suffer, the way you have caused me to suffer."

"There is another way."

"Undoubtedly, but I am not interested in negotiations. Make your choice, noble hero. Who will you save?" Her dark eyes glint maniacally. "Your lover or your oldest friend?"

I press the button on the radio but no words come out. I stare up at the balcony, my eyes darting from Lara's tear-streaked face to Will's battered one. If I save him, Lara will die. Regardless of what my former friend has done, she doesn't deserve this. I could never live with her death on my conscience. My addled brain fights to find another solution, but nothing comes up. I look to Meg, feeling my heart sink at the expression on her face. She looks as lost as I feel.

"Choose, Runner, or I kill them both." She holds the needle up to Will's neck. "This post-Burn world is cruel, and the choices we must make are not always easy. There is no such thing as true righteousness, even heroes fail. Now, choose."

"Don't do this." I try one last time. "We've both made mistakes, but I'm willing to look past them. Think of what we could accomplish if we worked together."

"Choose!" She screams, her shrill voice rocking from the speaker and sending a reverberation throughout the square that rattles me to my bones.

"Will!" I cry. "I want to save Will."

Silence. Every face is turned up towards the balcony. The Madam has frozen in place, the deadly end of her needle mere inches from Will's throat. I can't move, I can't breathe. All I can do is stare at him, my heart ceasing to beat as slowly, very slowly, she lowers the syringe and brings the radio back to her mouth.

"Stupid girl. Did you really think it mattered?"

I collapse onto my knees, my hands dangling limply at my sides and the radio falling harmlessly to the ground. My heart feels as though it has been ripped free of my body, held aloft by a vicious, grimacing Madam.

She continues her speech, oblivious to the way the world is collapsing around me.

"You see, true morality is a myth. Until today, you thought of yourself as a good person, but I have shown that you are capable of ordering the death of an innocent. You can try to do what you think is right, but there will always be elements outside of your control. History will not remember its heroes as the people with the greatest sense of right and wrong; the true heroes will be the ones who allowed humanity to evolve, to achieve greatness in a scorched world. This boy's death may seem meaningful to you, but trust me when I tell you that one person is nothing in the grand scheme of things."

I stare blankly at the rain and blood-stained earth below me, seeing and unseeing. Hearing but not believing.

The Madam's voice echoes above my head. "Despite what you may think, I am not a monster. How about I allow the two of you to speak, one last time?"

My vision swims as I reach out numbly for the discarded radio. I stare at it blankly until his voice sounds over the speaker.

"Kay? Kay, stand up. It's all right."

Someone helps me to my feet, holding me by the elbow while I fight to see him through the veil of moisture clouding my vision. I blink forcibly, bringing the radio up to my lips, my voice shaking. "No, it isn't."

The Madam is holding the radio for him and watching my reaction carefully. I ignore her, my every intent focused purely on Will. He stands as tall as ever, his brow furrowed with that familiar intensity. My heart tears anew and I nearly stumble again, held upright only by the firm grip someone has on me.

"This isn't your fault." He says, fiercely. "Do you understand me?"

"I'm so sorry." I whisper.

"No. You have nothing to be sorry for. I broke my promise to you and went back when I should have stayed. This has nothing to do with you." Even at this distance, his grey eyes burn into mine. "This is a sick situation that you had no control over."

Tears flow freely down my face but I make no attempt to brush them away. "I have to save you."

"You did." His voice breaks, along with everything inside of me. "You did, Kay. You loved me when I should have been unlovable. You showed me the true meaning of courage. Every bit of goodness I have inside of me is because of you."

"You have always been good." I tell him. "Always. You're the best person I've ever known."

"I know that we can't make promises to one another, but I want you to try once more, for me." He shifts in the uncomfortable grip the Mech has on him.

"Anything."

"Keep fighting." His voice has regained some of its vitality. "You think that you're broken, but you're not. You're a fighter, and I want you to show the world how strong you can be."

It is only with a superhuman effort that I am able to able to say my last three words. "I love you."

"I know. I love..."

And then the Madam plunges the needle into his neck.

Someone screams, and it is only when I feel the arms wrapping around my waist and tugging me backwards that I realize it is me. My throat is raw as I fight to get to him, watching with wide, wild eyes as he crumples to the ground and disappears from sight.

The Mechs surrounding the tower open fire, driving us back into the city. I twist violently, screaming and crying as Luca pulls me forcibly away from the square. Someone else grabs hold of my arms and I am yanked back, battling my friends the entire way.

City skyscrapers and open farmland pass by in a blur. I can barely make out the sights, in my mind's eye continually seeing Will falling, his last words replaying over and over, echoing across the open square and tearing agonizingly through my ruined heart.

The pain is unlike anything I ever experienced. I pray for the sanctity of Harmen's torture chamber, for the sweet relief of Lara's betrayal. I wish for hot pokers to be driven into my eye, for my scarred back to be ripped open and filled with shards of glass. Anything, anything to bring him back. Anything to keep from leaving this hell without him.

At some point we pass over the charred remains of the Irrigator and exit through the wall, boarding an airship and taking off into the pre-dawn sky. I remain slumped in a corner, staring blankly at the wooden deck and rocking back and forth. Meg sits next to me, clasping my cold hand in her warm one. She strokes my hair but doesn't speak.

There's nothing to say.

We freed our people, defeated the Madam's army, ruined her air fleet and destroyed the Irrigator, but to me, it was all for nothing.

I couldn't save him. The person who mattered most.