Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The bullet had hit Amelia, Sara's mother. The red blood on her shirt seemed to spread as she stared at us. She collapsed as Sara rushed to her mother's side.

I stepped toward my father.

"Father, why? Please stop this," I pleaded with him hoping he would listen.

He continued to stare at me indifferently. Cold and uncaring as usual.

"I heard everything you said to them Alistair. About who you are. Your mother was right. She knew you were lying that day," He said.

I felt my heart seize in my chest.

I'm such a fool.

I looked at the camera and saw the red light was still beeping which meant this was still being shown to every home in Karanda.

Everyone was watching.

Watching this.

Watching me.

I looked back at Drew. His gaze was directed to the floor and his cheeks were red. He most likely felt ashamed and guilty for not telling the truth.

I felt unsure. What was I supposed to do? Alex was kneeling next to Sara as she cradled her mother's head in her arms begging her to hold on. Lara was looking at Catherine with what I assumed was regret for not listening.

Somehow, the male with the otherworldly presence was standing next to my father. He mouthed one word to me.

Fight.

Fight? I'd never been much of a fighter. I was the type of person who stood on the sidelines, but I had to admit myself that I didn't regret joining. For once I didn't have to put a mask on. I could be myself. I had friends.

He mouthed the word again to me.

Fight.

If I didn't stand up now, there was a chance I would lose everything. I would lose everyone.

Fight? I would fight.

"Father, no."

He raised a brow at me and tilted his head to the side. "No?"

"Father, we're people too. You can't keep persecuting us simply because what we do doesn't fall in line with what seems natural. Things change, father. The world changes. People change. You can't keep controlling us forever. You can't keep controlling things forever."

I stared at him dead in the eye. I felt bold and stronger than I'd ever been.

"Father, I want all this to change. I don't want the hierarchy to exist."

My father narrowed his eyes at me. "You wouldn't be as respected as you are now. You wouldn't hold as much power."

I nodded. "I know. I want everyone to have a chance to rise from their station. Regardless of their wing color, who they love, or who they want to be, I want everyone to have a chance to be more than what people around them say."

My father stared at me for a time before letting out a sigh and put a hand up signaling those behind him to stand down.

"Alistair, do you understand what you're saying right now?"

I wasn't going down to back now. I wasn't going to stay in the shadows.

"Yes."

"Everything you've said is treason. Are you sure you mean any of this?"

I searched his face for any emotion that he truly cared about me, but as usual, found none.

"Yes."

The odd man standing next to my father gave me a small smile before disappearing once again.

"Escort them out of here," My father said, which surprised me.

"Father? What are you going to do?"

He didn't answer me and continued giving out orders.

Fear bloomed in my chest as I felt my lungs stopping.

No.

We'd gotten this far. I didn't want everything to suddenly crumble. We had to keep going, keep fighting.

"Lara." I looked at the solemn leader of the rebellion. She looked at me. "Fight," I told her.

I wasn't sure whether she was smiling underneath her mask but she gave Catherine a nod.

"Charlotte, get everyone out of here, now."

Lara and Catherine got out their knives. The camera fell as the red light came to a stop. I could only hope that our message got across to others.

Amelia was unconscious so Charlotte had to carry her.

"Don't let them get away," My father ordered.

Guards surrounded us from every side closing us in.

Noah flapped his wings in what I assumed was nervousness, but the expression on his face told a different story. His fists were clenched and he seemed determined.

Mark's face was blank.

Lila was pale.

Alex's gaze was directed to the floor.

Sara still had tears rolling down her face.

And I...I felt helpless.

"Tase them."

"Father, no!" I shouted at him, but my plea fell on deaf ears.

A crackle of electricity sounded in the entire room as everything went dark.

The only thought passing through my mind at the time was, Were we heard?

I woke up in a dark cell.

"You're finally awake."

I recognized the voice. It belonged to my father. I crawled toward the bars and gripped them, staring up at him.

I only had one question. "Why?"

"It's disappointing that I have to explain this to you Alistair. I thought I had raised you better. You committed treason against the government. You said you wanted the hierarchy to end. You wanted those such as you and your multi-colored friend there to be treated as people."

"What's wrong with that?" I snapped, glancing back at Drew who was starting to wake.

He didn't answer me and simply left.

Drew sat up and pulled his knees to his chest. "I'm sorry. I lied to you and didn't tell you that I was a spy."

I sat next to him and didn't immediately reply.

"I know you hate me, and I know that nothing I say will be worthy of your forgiveness, but please listen to me."

I gazed at him and nodded.

"When your father caught me that night, I was thrown in here. I was part of the unlucky group that hadn't been found or saved by the rebels. The way I saw you staring at me with that indifference, that blankness, angered me. I won't lie. I hated you."

He choked back a sob.

Drew...

He continued on. "You just stared at me. You didn't even bother to help. When they hired me to become a spy, I took the chance. It meant that I had a chance at living. At escaping. But, when I actually joined the rebels, what they were fighting for made sense. What they were fighting for was right. When I realized that you were just as human as me, that you had just as much as pain as I did, I knew I was wrong to judge you. What I didn't know was the fact that they had anticipated that I'd join and were using you."

Tears were rolling down his face.

"Drew, I don't hate you. You're an amazing person. What you went through was terrible, and I'm the one who needs to apologize for simply watching. I shouldn't have done that. I didn't know that they were watching me. I don't blame you for what happened. I wish you had told us from the beginning, but I understand." 

I put an arm around his shoulders as he leaned his head on my shoulder, crying.

A new feeling spread in my chest. I didn't know what it was, but I knew I wanted to stand at Drew's side and seeing him like this hurt me.

Everything had to change and it would.

'Author's Note'

 Who would've guessed that Drew of all people was a spy? Fortunately, he never actually acted like one. 

Have you all guessed which part of Drew's advice that he himself didn't follow? 

Answer: It was the part about guilt drowning Alistair. 

Does Alistair's father seem indifferent to you all, or is he showing what seems to be a sliver of love toward his son?

I love you all, I want you to be loved, and I hope you are loved! 💕

-DiTrix