Two days. Two long days of no communication from Father, Marina, or anyone else. Two days of anxiety humming through Kanden's veins, taunting him with the worst-case scenarios. And when his mind didn't quiet, Zephyr happily filled the silence, chattering nonstop about anything and everything. Kanden's reprieve came in the form of squishy yellow ear plugs, identified by the box in the office supplies locker.

Eyes closed and still seated with his legs crossed, Kanden leaned against the wall and sighed in contentment. Zephyr could talk as much as he wanted now without risking strangulation or suffocation. Until five minutes ago, both options had been appealing.

In his lap sat a thin book — Antigone, an Ancient Greek play written by someone named Sophocles. The story itself was interesting, describing a young woman's moral duty to her family despite facing a harsh sentence from her king. The most disturbing parallel to the Undergrounders' current plight was that Antigone had been buried alive for Creon to avoid directly killing her. Equally troublesome was the king's hubris and punishment from the gods.

Whichever ancestor brought this story must have possessed a bizarre sense of humor. This was the second time in as many days Kanden had come across Greek references from the world above.

Setting the volume to the side for Ryker later, Kanden inhaled and exhaled until his breathing steadied and his eyes grew heavy. His rib continued with its steady ache, but the pain had become more manageable since acquiring the injury. His ears didn't ring as much, though he almost preferred the tinnitus to Zephyr's boredom induced rambling. While Kanden adored him, considering him family, he could only handle his loquacious friend in small quantities. Zephyr had exceeded that threshold almost two hours ago.

It wasn't until something soft hit the side of his face that he jerked awake, grunting when the movement jostled his rib. Scowling, Kanden sought the source of the smooshed pillow directly to Zephyr, who laid on his stomach while propped on his elbows. A slight smirk graced his features as he watched Kanden with mischief glittering behind bright green irises.

Removing his earplugs, Kanden snapped, "What are you, twelve?"

Zephyr lifted a shoulder in an unapologetic shrug. "What is age when we all live to die?"

That wasn't depressing or morbid at all. Perhaps it would have been best not to let certain information slip. Nihilism was the last thing anyone needed. Then again, maybe that attitude had already been at everyone's subconscious thoughts, never knowing if or when they'd see daylight again.

Kanden sighed before climbing to his feet and retrieving his book. Walking to the table where everything else sat in organized piles, Kanden carefully set it down before taking something else off the stack.

This book was thicker, containing brittle pages and a tattered cover and broken spine. Across the front was the title Nineteen Eighty-Four, but upon closer inspection of the blurb, decided to seek something else that didn't terrify him to the core of his soul.

Settling for Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Kanden brought it to Zephyr's bunk and sat beside his best friend. While the latter shifted to make room, Kanden settled himself against the wall and waited for Zephyr to join him before opening the book. "Do you want me to read aloud or keep it to myself?" he asked, flipping to the first page.

Hugging the pillow he'd snatched from the overhead bunk, Zephyr said through a yawn, "Out loud, please. I really just wanted your company; I'm starting to feel restless."

Understandable. Zephyr never spent more than five minutes in one spot; he was squirmier than a toddler fighting bedtime. Being bedridden couldn't have been easy.

"You could read too, you know."

Zephyr shrugged again before resting half-propped against the head frame. "I could, but I like to hear you read. Your voice is soothing."

Oh. That's nice. At least it wasn't annoying, though something in Zephyr's inflection made Kanden's stomach bubble with anxiety. The more time they spent together in this tiny safe room, the more Kanden suspected Zephyr wanted the impossible.

Before he could examine the nagging thoughts too closely, Kanden set the book aside for a moment and asked, "Do you need anything first? Help to the washroom or food?"

Groaning an affirmative, Kanden assisted Zephyr across the room and reheated a broth from dried vegetables he'd made earlier. Once they finished and were settled on the bed again, Kanden read out loud, bringing fantasies of sea monsters and sailors to life from the worn pages. He'd barely made it to the third chapter by the time Zephyr sank into his pillows and rested on his stomach, releasing a soft exhale through his nose.

Careful not to disturb the new dressing over Zephyr's wound, Kanden placed a thin blanket over his friend's bare torso. He then continued to read in silence, losing himself in the vivid descriptions of the underwater treasures and wonders. Zephyr uttered the occasional groan any time he shifted, but remained asleep.

Kanden closed the book and pursed his lips, weighed by the guilt of Zephyr's injury and his looming journey to recovery. Zephyr still couldn't walk, and his pain levels remained the same whenever Kanden inquired after his health. Marina hadn't returned with the promised painkillers, and Zephyr couldn't exert too much energy without falling victim to fatigue or a strangled whimper.

This is my fault. Zeph wouldn't be in this state if he hadn't come back for me.

Much as Kanden wanted to give into his pity-party, he had no tears left to shed. Grief wouldn't bring Mother back, nor would moping fix Zephyr's injury. Crying wouldn't stop the riots or subvert the Council's corruption. The only way out of his nightmare was to move forward and place one foot ahead of the other. Once things calmed down and Kanden recovered from his injuries, he could plan on getting everyone to the surface. He needed to focus on a common goal to unite the people.

No longer in the mood to read, Kanden crossed the room to clean the small dining area. The work was tedious, but it kept his thoughts occupied until there was nothing left but a silent room reminding him he was trapped; not just underground, but within a hidden vault almost no one knew about.

Don't think about the negatives, he commanded himself. Concentrate on the positives. You're alive. You've potentially discovered humanity's salvation. Zephyr is alive. Father is... Well, he was alive when Kanden last saw him. The man was more than capable of surviving, but what concerned Kanden was his emotional state. Father had said "I love you." He'd almost sounded affectionate through the mournful tone. Why hadn't he said something before? Why act so tough and jab at him with cruel barbs when he could have been honest? All this time, he'd squandered any opportunity to connect, and now that they faced losing each other, Kanden's chest coiled tight around his heart until he couldn't breathe.

Get yourself together. You'll be out of here soon enough.

When positive thinking failed, Kanden returned to the binder at the table, but didn't see the words he skimmed. He'd gone through it in its entirety the day before and retained most of the contents, including an outline for the Undergrounders' governing principles until going topside. He didn't recognize any of the current laws, all having been twisted to suit the elites while oppressing everyone else into submission.

He soon grew tired of the binder and paced the room, making two full turns before admitting defeat and crawling into his own bed. Drawing one knee into his chest, he stared at the bunk above, counting the infinite seconds stretching in the silence.

Having lost track sometime after two thousand, Kanden snapped to attention when the steel door creaked and Marina entered the room. Her braids had come undone, and her hair now hung in a tangled mess around her shoulders. Fresh bruises covered her cheek, and a cut split her top lip. She swayed before catching herself on the wall, barely holding herself up as a small satchel slipped from her shoulder and fell to the floor.

Kanden scrambled from his bed and made his way to her, sliding an arm around her waist. "What happened?"

"I'm fine," she said in a dismissive tone, betraying herself with a hiss when she stumbled after their second step into the room.

Kanden huffed as he led her to the kitchen table. "I really hate when people lie to me," he grumbled. After ensuring Marina was seated, he sat across from her and folded his arms. "What really happened? Who did this?"

"I'm fine," she reiterated, tucking her dark hair behind her ear. "Which is more than I can say for several others."

Left with no choice but to take her word for it, Kanden sighed. There was so much he wanted to tell her, but he needed news first. The schematics could wait. "Fine. Tell me later. What about the fighting? What's happening out there?"

A troubled frown tugged at her swollen lips while she furrowed her eyebrows. Up close, the harsh injuries contracted against the overhead lights, marring her beautiful complexion. Instead of the tan beauty he'd known his entire life, the woman before him appeared half broken — a result of clashing with someone's fist.

Anger boiled in his gut. What reason would anyone have to hurt someone so good? A woman who'd done nothing but try to help as everyone fell ill or stayed behind to tend the wounded. "Marina?"

Marina ran a hand through her hair and averted her gaze to the floor. "Dozens are dead, including seven children. The people are calm for now."

Dread slithered through Kanden's stomach and ice crawled through his veins. The children hadn't done anything wrong. But the last two words caught his attention, carrying a threat more ominous than poison, riots, or anything else he'd faced until this point. "Why do I feel like there's more?"

A humorous laugh burst from Marina's throat as she shook her head. "Because there always is something else. Bastion gathered the enforcers and managed to wrest control from the rioters, but instead of executing the protestors and causing more chaos, he's agreed to stand trial among the people in exchange for your protection and amnesty for all the enforcers."

Bile gathered in Kanden's throat. Father must have been desperate to resort to such a measure. Given the simmering anger that had been brewing for the last two centuries, no amount of reason would guarantee a Founding descendant a fair trial. Especially not to the man who'd executed every criminal for the last twenty years.

The horrific realization struck him with the force of the mountain. "They're going to kill him aren't they?"

Marina swallowed and nodded once. "Most likely," she whispered. "He didn't even fight when they beat him in the square."

Fire blazed behind Kanden's eyes. This was not how humanity obtained peace. And regardless of Father's poor parenting and social skills, he didn't deserve this.

Kanden needed to act before someone else died. Before he lost the last remaining family he had. "I'm not letting him die at the hands of a bunch of criminals," he snarled, scooping the schematics from the table. He had one trump card to use as leverage, and he wasn't afraid to stoop to the Council's level to play it.

Pushing himself back to his feet, he handed Marina the papers, prompting her to stare between the sheaf and him with a bemused stare. "These are schematics of the entire cavern," he explained, searching for his boots. "I can get us out, but I'll destroy them if these people kill anyone else. If we allow ourselves to become monsters like the Council, then we deserve to die down here."

Marina's lips parted as she watched him with a strange expression. Shock, confusion, hope, and fear all battled for dominance in her eyes, as if she couldn't quite believe what Kanden said while seeing him for the very first time behind a different lens.

"Well?" he prompted when she didn't respond. "I'm serious, Marina. I've had the worst week of my life, and I'm done trying to help people who don't want or appreciate it." His heart demanded justice for the innocent, from his mother to anyone slain at the hands of the mob.  "I can understand the call for change, but they crossed a line the moment they murdered children. I'm going to give them one chance to make the right decision, so I suggest we stop wasting time."

"Wuz' happening?" Zephyr mumbled from the bed.

No time for answers. Talking would take away each moment Kanden needed to reach Father. He couldn't lose him now that Father had finally opened up. They were all each other had left.

Ignoring Zephyr, he laced his boots while stuffing the strings down the tongue. Then he forced himself to bite a scream as he tried to pull on the heavy door. When it opened wide enough to allow Kanden through, he slipped outside before Marina could react. Whether reckless or fueled with adrenaline, Kanden didn't think about anything except his destination at the square.