I’ve gone back and forth on how I wanted to end this. It took me a while to even get to the stage where I was ready to. The concept of not writing it anymore, of not sharing my life with people, felt wrong. It was terrifying actually.

I considered writing something. A note or a letter to thank everyone who read this far but every time I tried to sit down and write it, my mind was empty. I couldn’t find the words so instead, I’m going to just tell you what happened. I don’t know if it even matters or if anyone is still reading. You all know why happened. You know what it took.

Part of me wanted to lie about that. I wanted to lie about what we saw, hide the truth from you all to protect you. You don’t need to hear the details, to experience what we saw and what we went through, but it’s for the best. I don’t want to lie. I don’t want to be like the Council and hide things from you because I don’t think you can handle it. You deserve to make that decision yourself.

Peggy had found some schematics as we continued through the ship, a map. Harvey’s office was on the top floor, next to the war rooms. Inside them technically. And the journey there… it was horrible.

There’s no real way to put into words just how bad it was. We passed countless Guardians, all either dying or dead. We paused too many times, letting them clutch our hands as we promised that help was coming.

A lot of them apologised. Men and women, some little more than children, sobbed as they told us that they were sorry. They didn’t want to hurt people, they tried not to and they bore the scars to prove it. People’s eyes had been gouged out, puckered and badly healed cuts dotted their arms, even circular scars from stun batons which had been turned up too high were visible.

I think the worst part was the ones who were too far gone. The Guardians that couldn’t recognise us. They clutched at us anyway, leaving blood on our flight suits as they cried out for their parents, brothers, sisters, friends and anyone else who they thought of as they died. They couldn’t hear our words past the blood blocking their ears. All they could do was cry.

We kept expecting to be attacked, to be shot at, but I don’t think most of the Guardians even saw us pass and the ones that did couldn’t move enough to fight, not that they wanted to.

Too many of them had foggy eyes, covered in a white film. They stared unseeingly and blood dripped from their mouths, pooling on the floor or their chest below. Some had bullet wounds, blood sprayed on the wall behind them and a gun held loosely in their hands. I assumed they were self-inflicted, probably trying to end the pain caused by the poison.

Occasionally, we’d find one of them, someone who wasn’t as far gone as the others. Someone who could still speak and make sense.

There was a Guardian like that outside the war rooms. She lay on the floor, surrounded by a pool of her own blood that she’d vomited up or that had flowed from her nose or eyes, crying. The soft, pain-filled noises echoed down the corridor.

We could see her on our scanner as we approached and the moment she came into view with our mods, we were even more on guard. But the moment we rounded the final corner towards the war rooms and our fell on her, I glanced at Cas.

His jaw was clenched behind his helmet, his expression furious. I had never seen such raw hatred on his face.

We edged slowly closer, freezing as a camera whirred to life, our guns snapping upwards. It had been pointing at the dying Guardian but now, it was fixed on us.

My gaze darted towards the impressive metal doors of the war room, half expecting the door to open and more Guardians to pour out but still, they didn’t come.

It was too still. Suspiciously so.

“Hello?” the woman called having spotted movement through her misty eyes, her voice weak.

It could be a trap, Cas thought reluctantly. She’s right by the door.

I nodded, glancing at the heavy metal door.

She was. It would be the perfect place for an ambush. We’d be too distracted trying to help her, they’d rush us from behind and we wouldn’t be able to defend ourselves.

But then I saw the bloody handprints on the door. She had been trying to get them to open it. I needed to help her, I couldn’t just let her die. Asra deserved to live.

It could be. You stay ready and keep your gun on the door. I’ll talk to her, I said.

Cas glanced at me unhappily but he nodded, agreeing to my terrible plan.

We edged closer to the woman, our eyes darting between the camera and the door, waiting for the ambush that never came.

Finally, I crouched down next to the woman, keeping my back to the wall and a hand on my gun.

I didn’t know what to say to her or how to act as her cloudy eyes struggled to focus on my face.

“Is it… is it really you?” she asked, her words barely audible.

“It is,” I said.

A noise close to a laugh came out of her mouth.

“How did you know to come?” she asked.

My eyes went to the door again. Even with my mods, I couldn’t see through it. Either that or it was empty and the bodies were long dead but that didn’t feel right. I should have still been able to see the heat of the computers if I could see through the door.

“A scientist here posted details about what was happening online,” I told her gently, pausing and waiting for her to finish coughing before continuing. “A member of my crew, Peggy, she found it.”

Despite how weak she looked, despite the fact that she was dying, she laughed again.

“He did it. Oh, he did it. He always hoped she’d be the one to find it,” the woman muttered to herself. “He’s the reason this all happened? That this is finally coming to an end?”

“Yes,” I told her truthfully.

She laughed again but it turned to tears.

“I didn’t think he’d do this when he found out,” she sobbed. “I thought he’d make us fight, I didn’t think he’d just give up.”

Cas glanced away from the door, looking at the woman for a moment.

“What do you mean? He’s given up?” he asked sharply.

“He’s given up. He’s gone,” the woman said. “It’s all over.”

“What?” Cas asked again, emotions flitting across his face. “No. He can’t be gone. He’s in there, I know he’s in there. Open the door!”

He stared up at the camera as his shout echoed down the empty corridor.

The woman laughed again, the noise gurgling and bloody.

“It’s over, it’s all over.”

Cas slammed his fist against the door, making me jump.

“It’s not over. Open the door,” Cas cried, his voice rising to a shout as he smacked his fist again. “I know you’re in there. Just open the fucking door, Dad! Come out and fucking face me!”

The woman, Asra, grinned. It unnerved me and I slowly stood, scanning the corridor as Cas hit the door again and again. His glove wasn’t padded enough, I knew it must be hurting him but he didn’t stop.

He glared up at the camera again before reaching up for his helmet. Disengaging it, he threw it to the side where it skidded along the blood-soaked corridor and stared up into the camera again which was fixed on him.

“It’s me, I’m here. This is what you’ve wanted this whole time, let me in!” he begged.

Cory, how safe is the air here? I asked quickly. Cas has taken his helmet off.

There was a pause, broken only by the smack of Cas’ hand against the door again, before Cory answered.

It’s safe.

Okay. Peggy, can you open the door from there? I asked, knowing she’d be able to do it quicker than I ever could if I were to try.

My hands were too covered in blood anyway. I wouldn’t be able to use my screens.

Yes, I’m working on it. The security is high but… no one is fighting back, she told me. I don’t know if there are any technicians in there, it might all be Guardians.

I swallowed and nodded, gripping my gun tighter.

Cas, I started but he didn’t answer me.

“Cas,” I said loudly, my hand catching one of his failing arms as he tried to pry the door open. “You need to ready your gun. Peggy is going to open the door and there might be Guardians in there.”

He stared, barely seeing me, consumed by rage.

There were specks of blood on his face. They must have splashed off the door but he didn’t even seem to notice.

“What if he’s not there?” he asked, the question sounding like it was ripped from his throat. “What if he’s gone and we never catch him?”

“We’ll find him,” I promised.

Almost got it! Peggy told us. Now!

The door thunked loudly and Cas and I lifted our guns instinctively, ready for the fight but…

Every person in the war room was dead. Not poison. They had been executed. A single gunshot to the head. I’m not sure why they were still in their seats. Had they not fought? Or had they just accepted their fate? Accepted that they were going to die.

We were silent for a moment as we surveyed the carnage. I thought I was numb, that I wouldn’t react to it but the coldblooded scene before me left me shaking.

“Where is he?” Cas snarled finally, marching into the room, fury radiating off him. “Where the fuck are you?”

Peg, there’s another door here. Can you get it? I asked, my eyes wide and my legs unsteady.

“Dad, open the fucking door right now!” Cas bellowed, standing before the gold-edged door.

It was ornate, disgustingly ornate amongst all of the blood. The Council seal was printed proudly in the centre and another camera was placed above it, pointing at us.

I don’t know what’s back there, Peggy warned us, sounding scared. Harvey could still be there.

He could. It could all still be a trap. I was terrified that he was about to open the door and kill Cas, just like he’d killed everyone else.

Cas, I said, laying a hand on his arm. Stand out the way so that Peggy can open the door.

He sent one final, furious look at the camera above the door before letting me pull him to one side.

I tried to position myself in front of him, knowing he might be too distracted by his rage to get a good shot, but he refused. He planted himself firmly in front of me, not moving as I tried to edge around him.

“Cas,” I started.

“No,” he cut me off. “I’m not doing this. If he’s in there, I won’t let him kill you instead of me. He’ll be aiming for me.”

Peggy, don’t open the door yet! I thought.

Open it, Cas begged. I’m ready.

“Move out the way. I’ll be a better shot,” I told him but he still didn’t move or take his eyes off the door.

He looked young, despite the fury that distorted his face. Sometimes, I think it’s easy for people to forget that we’re just seventeen.

“I don’t care. If he kills you and not me… I can’t. Please, just let me do this.”

I hesitated, glancing at the camera again.

We were taking too long. If he was there, Harvey could override the door and kill us both as we argued. We were still facing the door, obviously, but we were distracted. We just had to act.

“We take a side each,” I decided, knowing it meant that Harvey’s attention would be split and that it might make him hesitate. “If we see him, we both take the shot.”

Harvey might be able to hear us. He might have been watching us, I knew that. It was stupid, risky.

“I love you,” was all he said in response before darting to the other side of the door.

Ready? Peggy asked.

I checked my gun quickly and glanced at Cas who nodded.

“I love you,” I told him before thinking, We’re ready.

The door opened and a gunshot shattered the silence.

I looked at Cas, searching for any trace of injury. I couldn’t see any but he looked like he was in shock. He stared ahead, his face pale and his eyes wide. He wasn’t injured but I wasn’t either.

Cas? I asked, needing to know that he was okay.

I couldn’t look away from him and look back into the room until I knew.

I killed him, Cas thought softly.

I looked away from him, my gaze searching the room ahead.

Seated at the head of a table not dissimilar to the one in Freo’s inner war room was Harvey. His head was tipped back and there was a clear bullet wound in his chest.

It wasn’t bleeding though.

But there was a thin stream of dried blood snaking down his chin.

“No,” I breathed softly. “He was already dead.”

A cup lay on the table in front of him, empty.

He poisoned himself? I heard Peggy ask but it sounded like it came from far away.

We finally gathered the courage to pad into the silent room. It still felt like a trick, like at any moment, he could wake up and kill us both.

“Is he… he’s definitely dead, right?” Cas asked, unable to tear his eyes away from his Dad’s face.

I stared back at Harvey.

His eyes were ever so slightly open, as was his mouth. His skin was unnaturally pale, he wasn’t giving off a heat signature but most importantly, he wasn’t breathing.

“He’s dead,” I whispered, my voice shaking.

Cas finally looked away from Harvey, staring at me with tear-filled eyes.

“It’s over?” he asked.

It was over. The Council were dead and for the first time in potentially our entire lives…

“We’re free.”