"Vincent," she called out, craning her neck painfully to the right. His heavy lidded eyes regarded her coolly. Had he been crying? "I think you should kill your son yourself. It's the least you can do."

"No," Vincent replied. His hands balled into fists.

Edward put a hand on Vincent's shoulder, just like Angela thought he would. "The girl has a point." He pushed Vincent into the sunlight, his eyes flashing with cruelty. "He is your son. You created him; I think it would be fitting for you to destroy him."

Vincent flinched as Edward took a rifle from the marksman and put it into his hand. Angela imagined the bullets nestled inside, waiting to be released into her brain. Her breath caught in her throat and her guts loosened at the thought. She wouldn't let the fear come. Cam nodded her on. It was working and she shouldn't give up.

"It's okay, Vincent. We deserve it. We fled Area 14, and that has always been a crime. You helped us flee a that's okay a you were saving your son. You had honourable intentions. And now you have the same honourable intentions a protecting your town. The weight of the town is on your shoulders. Just you." Vincent approached slowly with his eyes fixed on his son.

Sebastian knelt with a straight back. He stared intently at Ginge. He seemed to take in her face one last time.

"You make the decisions," Angela continued. "No one else." Her head indicated Edward, hoping that Vincent would follow her. It was her only hope. If she could make him see how Edward manipulated him, maybe they'd be saved.

Vincent didn't reply but his hands trembled. He stopped a few feet from the four kneeling teenagers, and raised the gun towards Sebastian. A trickle of sweat wormed its way down Angela's forehead. She turned to Cam in a panic. She was a fool to try and manipulate him. Her heart hammered against her chest. She had nothing left, nothing to say to stop him killing his own son.

"Ye cannae do this," Ginge said. She shuffled on her knees, trying to rise. The guard advanced and hit her back down. "No! No, ah won't accept it. Ah won't die today. Not from ye basterd scum. An' if ah do die ye'd best watch ye back, acause ah'll haunt ye atil ye shit ye pants wi'fear. Ah'll haunt ye atil ah make ye mad an' ye gouge ye own eyes out." Her voice shook with anger.

Vincent flicked off the safety catch, and Angela screwed up her eyes. She couldn't watch.

Her ears thudded with her own pulse as her blood roared through her veins. A number of morbid thoughts flashed through her mind: she'd never see her mother again; she'd never start a family; would she lose her bowels when she died? Then she thought of the people she loved: waking up to Cam; the sleepovers with Mina after school; tea with Mum and Daniel.

She screwed her eyes tighter and sweat snaked down between her shoulder blades. Time stood still, and yet it was too fleeting. Thud... thud... thud... went her heart. Nothing happened. Then, finally came the sickening crack as the gun fired. Her body jolted and she let out a loud, heart-wrenching sob, bending down to the ground, waiting for her own death. She'd never open her eyes again; instead she'd enter the darkness in darkness.

"Open yer eyes," Cam whispered. "Open them and turn around."

"I don't want to see," Angela sobbed. Tears streamed down her face. "I don't want to see him."

"Open your eyes."

Angela began to doubt herself. Had she been shot? Was she in heaven with Cam? Maybe it really did exist. She opened her eyes and saw the same spread of towns and fields she knew to be Area 14. Cam indicated for her to turn around and she did. Edward lay face down on the stones, bleeding from his head. Sebastian stared at his father with his mouth wide open. Ginge leaned against his shoulder. Around them stood the guards, casting fleeting glances at each other and unsure whether to arrest Vincent or wait for orders.

"Whaawhat... It worked? I talked him out of it?"

Cam leaned in and nudged her with his forehead. "It worked. Yer incredible, Ange."

A weight lifted from Angela's chest. She had another chance. She was alive. They all were. Vincent had chosen them over Edward. She laughed, crying at the same time, wishing her hands were free so she could hold Cam in her arms. She had another chance to live her life with Cam; to see and do everything she'd always wanted.

"Thank you," Angela said to Vincent, who stood still as a statue, staring at the lifeless body of the man who had almost persuaded him to kill his own son.

Vincent hardly registered Angela. He just nodded. "Guards, release them."

The security guards hurried forwards with their keys ready. Angela moved so they could reach her hands, and then rubbed her wrists when they were released. As soon as they freed Cam, she flung her arms around his neck; holding her close to him; letting tears flow over her cheeks and onto his shoulders. It was only then that she realised just how close they'd come, and how much she wanted to live. She never wanted to let him go.

Angela felt a tap on her shoulder and reluctantly pulled away. She saw Sebastian, his eyes red raw from tears, and emotion. "I don't know what I can say. I just... I just don't knowaa"

Angela opened her mouth to tell him to go and talk to his father a that they needed to sort out everything that had gone on between them. She wanted to say that she thought there was something redeemable in Vincent because she knew about redemption. She'd needed it herself when she let the jealousy take over. But she didn't get time to say any of those things because the battle cry of dozens of men stopped her.

The prisoners emerged from the headquarters, swinging metal bars and chains. Behind them followed an army of hundreds, swamping the tiny courtyard. The guards hardly had time to act before the men were upon them. Angela watched the chaos in complete shock a her feet frozen to the cobbled ground.

A man strode through the crowd. He wore long leather boots and tattered jeans. Coarse salt and pepper hair sprouted from his chin, and he had the red face of a man who worked outdoors.

He continued through the fighting as though taking a walk in the park, and moved directly up to Sebastian's father. His arm raised. Angela stumbled towards him. She saw the gun in his hand.

"No!" shouted Sebastian.

Vincent tried to lift his rifle but the man was quicker. Angela and Sebastian both burst forwards just as he pulled the trigger, spraying the ground with red. Sebastian collapsed, Ginge folding with him, holding his head in her arms. Angela dodged away from Cam as she ran straight for the gunman.

"What've you done?" she screamed at him. "What've you done?"

He stepped towards her, and Angela realised she knew him and he knew her. They were neighbours. In fact, she knew many of these men; they worked in the markets or lived a few streets down. These people weren't Resistance. They were Blemished.

"Alfred?" she said in disbelief.

He looked her up and down. "You'd best get out of here. Go back to your mother. We've business to take care of."

He tried to walk away but Angela moved ahead of him. "You murdered a man."

"I just executed a war criminal. We're taking back Area 14." He gestured to his men. "Restrain them."

Ginge tried to fight off the man pulling Sebastian away from his father. She took a punch to the chin and staggered back. Cam lunged at the man coming for Angela, knocking him to the ground. They fell together with a thud against the cobbles. At the same time a bunch of fighters fell upon him and fists flew as Angela stood in horror. They lifted a bloodied Cam from the courtyard floor. He squirmed and fought against their grip, his face reddening in frustration as they tied his hands. In a blur, Angela found her wrists bound together and a gun jabbed in her back. Tears pricked her eyes. They'd been so close. Her eyes trailed the destruction around her: dead guards bleeding over the stones; looters dragging belongings out onto the courtyard.

With a malicious grin Alfred hopped up onto the low wall surrounding the courtyard. "Rot in hell, Vincent Cole! The vilest Commander we've ever known." His men cheered. "And now we leave this god-forsaken place and join the Resistance in London to show the bastard GEM exactly what the Blemished can do, because now is the time for change. Now is the time to stand up and be counted. You've seen the broadcasts, you've seen the bombs, and you've seen the power of the Resistance. It's time to take back our country before it's too late."

A roar of cheers broke out, and Angela's skin prickled with goose bumps. She watched as the men raised their weapons in the air and chanted, "Four-teen, four-teen, four-teen..."

28 * Daniel *

Daniel found himself in a strange situation. The people back at the church considered him some kind of hero. Ali winked at him and nicknamed him "Golden Boy" in a mocking way, but everyone else seemed to regard him with some sort of awe. Kitty said he looked like a "heart-throb" a which didn't impress Mike a and Luce blushed every time she saw him.

He didn't know what to make of it all. It certainly hadn't been his intention for any of it to happen. Des wanted Daniel to film more heroics to recruit from the Areas. He wasn't in London to be some poster boy for the Resistance. He was there to get Mina back to the Compound, safe and sound.

A few hours after the bombing, and after scrubbing the blood and dirt from his body, he pulled Jonathon aside. "We can't work with these people. I don't trust Des, and Hiro says he's hiding something."

"Daniel, we've been over this. We can't get into the GEM without the help of their insurgentaa"

"Why won't you include me in the plans?" Daniel snapped. "I'm sick of being left out and not knowing what's going on. I want to get her back. I need her back."

"Don't you think I want that too?" the Professor's face flushed bright red and he barked his reply like a teacher at the end of his patience. "She's my daughter for God's sake. You think you're the only one hurting? I am doing everything I can to get her back, and if that means placating the Resistance, then so be it. Once the gun shipment comes inaa"

"Which it will tonight." Des strode over to them with a large grin on his face. He leaned nonchalantly against the wall.

"Then we go soon?" Daniel asked.

"We?" Des said, with a glance to Jonathon. "We're letting children in on this now? First you force your way to the bombing by going against me, and now you want in on a dangerous mission? No, no, I don't think so."

A flash of red hot anger seared through Daniel's veins, and he almost lunged for Des. Jonathon held him back.

"Des, Daniel is important to our mission. I think he should be there. He's one of the few who can talk Mina round," Jonathon said.

"Fine. But you should know that there are bigger things than getting your daughter back. We've had word from K that the GEM are building an army. They have thousands of genetically modified soldiers to come at us with. After this, you're not going back to the Compound. You're needed here. As fighters."

"Fine," said Daniel. "I'll fight against the Ministry. I'm not fighting with you though."

Jonathon sighed and shot Daniel a glare. "So be it. The priority has to be Mina, and that's final."

A heated discussion arose regarding the infiltration of the Ministry Headquarters. Ali favoured the idea that only two or three of them would sneak into the GEM. Unfortunately, according to their Insurgent's information, Mina lived in a staff apartment on the twelfth floor, with her mother in the next room. The only time Mina left the flat was to train, so either they had to break into the flat at night a and potentially have to silence the mother a or they had to wait until she was at a training session and take her then. They'd all seen the cars and boulders in the room. It was too dangerous to try and take Mina when she had so many weapons available.

"You know, the GEM aren't expecting an attack any time soon," Matthew pointed out. "If your insurgent let us into the GEM, perhaps we could create a scene in one area and snatch Mina when they least expect it."

"But that would mean putting our people in danger," Luce said. "You'd need serious manpower for any sort of attack. The guards carry guns. We could lose good fighters."

Des raised a hand to silence her. "He does have a point, though. It's dangerous, but we have good fighters here."

"But, Des-" Luce began.

"Think of what we'd gain, Luce. She's a valuable weapon," Des said.

"She's a fifteen year old girl." Jonathon leaned across the table and glowered.

"You're the one who said she was a weapon," Des pointed out.

"Yes, but I also know she's my daughter first. You're thinking of her as nothing more than a weapon. You're losing sight of her humanity."

Daniel nodded. He hated the way people talked about Mina as less of a person because of her powers.

Des held up his hands. "All right, all right. You're right, of course. Mina is not just important as a weapon; she's a person, someone's daughter and many people's friend."

Luce scoffed. "She doesn't seem like much of a friend to me. Not the way she left you lot in the lurch. And to think you came travelling all the way down to London for her."

"We had no choice," Matthew said. "And you know nothing about her. So shut up."

Ali turned to Matthew and smirked, amused by his outburst.

"Don't tell my people to shut up," Des said in a slow, warning voice. "Back to business. We've examined the blueprints of the GEM building based on our insurgent's Plan-It feed.

Dale unrolled a long sheet of paper. "It's not quite exact. Pretty close though."

Daniel leaned over the plans. They mapped out each floor in blue ink. "Did you draw these?" he asked Dale.

"Yes."

"They're impressive."

Dale's cheeks flushed. Something told Daniel that he didn't get a lot of the credit he deserved from the Resistance.

"What's the easiest way in?" Ali asked.

"There are five exits at the back of the building a mainly fire exits." Dale pointed to the paper. "The main entrance is here. There's an underground car park at the back of the building, which is only accessible via handprint."

"Do ye think yer insurgent can let us in the car park?" Ali asked.

"Yes, I don't see why not. As long as she managed to sneak through without arousing suspicion," Dale replied.

Ali's eyes travelled over the blueprints. "What about the trainin' area?"

Dale pointed to a large rectangular room on the tenth floor.

"An' her living quarters?"

Dale indicated a small flat on the twelfth floor nestled alongside many identical apartments.

"So the lass has te travel along the stairs, here? It's the easiest route. If we can find out the times she moves te train, we can intercept her on the stairs an' take her down the fire exit here a which leads all the way te the car park." Ali's finger trailed down each floor, indicating exits along the way. "With a diversion in the lobby here, there wouldnae be many workers movin' around the building. They'll flock te the action... have a gawk."

"Very perceptive, Ali," Des said. "It's almost identical to what we've been talking about all along." His voice had an icy quality about it, as though he hated another person taking control of his meeting.

"What about Mina?" Kitty said. "It's not like she shies away from action. As soon as it goes off she'll want to be there, too."

"That's where yer insurgent comes in. Ye say this girl has made contact, an' it appears she's become a bit o' an assistant fer Mina's mother. Mek sure she keeps Mina an' Anna on the stairs."

"That's a lot to rely on someone we've never met," said Jonathon. "It's all very tenuous. A lot can go wrong."

"But security around the place is rock solid," Matthew pointed out. "There's not much else we can do. Even getting there is going to be a challenge."

"What about dressing up in lab coats," Kitty suggested. "Or faking GEM passes."

"We don't have time for that," Des said.

Daniel watched the debate continue until there was nothing else to say. No one came up with a plan better than Ali's and they decided to get some rest. Dale and Des went to talk to their insurgent and explain the plan. The priest informed them of the weapons drop and Daniel found his proof that Des was telling the truth. He just wanted to know who this insurgent was. He wanted to sit down and talk to her and tell her just how important it was for her to do a good job. If only he could make her see how much they needed this, how much he needed this.

"So, this Mina must be pretty important to go to all this trouble." Luce appeared in front of him.

Daniel had been so deep in thought, that he'd not even noticed her wander over. He sat on his bunk bed as usual, staring into space.

"Yeah, she is," he said.

"So, is she still your girlfriend?" Luce asked.

Daniel was caught off guard with her direct question. "Well, umm, I don't know. I guess it depends on what Mina wants when we get her back."

Luce raised an eyebrow. She stood with her hands tucked into her jeans pockets and her head leaning to one side. "But what do you want?" She sat down next to Daniel, her leg just touching his. "Do you want her back after everything? Do you still love her?"

"Yes," he said. "I think so."

"Think so," Luce said. "Hmm, promising."

Daniel frowned, wondering what the hell she meant.