[!]_The Price of Suppression_[!]

[!]_The Final Chapter_[!]

They walked into the room.

Mary immediately dove into action, taking out the two guards at the door. Sinox grabbed the keycard and slid it into place, unlocking the door as Kai and Asher ran in with guns. Gunshots were heard, and Kai motioned for the rest to follow. Audrey ran in and took out the cameras.

"Well, that happened real fast, didn't it?"

Kai shrugged. "I mean, we are pretty good at this. I think we deserve recognition for our efforts."

"Keep dreaming, darlin'." Mary scoffed.

Asher sighed as Audrey and Mary started arguing. "Please, act like respectable teenage outlaws."

"You ain't my dad." Mary said. Audrey smacked her in the back of the head.

"Shut it."

"Hey!"

Kai groaned in annoyance. "Both of you, shut it."

A knife flew at him, landing right above his head. Sinox yelped.

A man grabbed her and shoved her into a nearby suspension tube, flipping the switch and sending her off before anyone had time to react. That split second that Kai saw Sinox, there was genuine fear in her sky-blue eyes.

The destination said "Laminax Laboratories."

"MY GODDAMN GIRLFRIEND!" Kai yelled in anger.

A man in a mask walked towards them, and Mary punched him in rage.

The man in the mask flew backwards, hitting the wall behind him. His mask fell to the ground.

Mary took a step back and muttered, "That's... that's Kai's father..."

The man stood up. "Remember me, everyone? It's Hendrey. Not 'Kai's Father', I gave up on him a long time ago."

Kai looked shocked. His face melded into a mix of anger, shock, fear, and despair.

"Father... where were you? Where were you?! Where were you when we were being kidnapped and corrupted and almost killed by your troops?! I'M YOUR KID! ALL I WANTED WAS TO BE TREATED LIKE MY FATHER'S BUDDY!"

Kai started shaking. "I didn't cry when you left at first. I thought you were coming back. I didn't think that my own father would bring this country to the brink of rebellion."

Hendrey stared at him. He then said, "I'm calling for a fight to the death to ensure the safe passage of your friends. One of us dies, and your friends pass safely."

Kai took a step back. His eyes were dead and mechanical as he said in a cold voice, "Don't hurt them. I'll fight you."

Hendrey suddenly ran at Kai, brandishing a knife. He swung at him and barely missed his throat. Kai yelped and stumbled backwards. He grabbed a switchblade and ran at his father, a look of pure anger on his face.

He swung and swiped at Hendrey's face. Hendrey shrieked and fell backwards, clutching his eye.

Mary and Asher stepped backwards, a look of shock on their faces.

"Kai, watch out!" Audrey screamed in fear.

Kai dove at Hendrey, slashing at him. Hendrey rolled out from under him and shouted, "You are no son of mine!"

Kai threw his switchblade into Hendrey's collarbone and shouted with the same amount of anger, "I never was!"

They tumbled around on the ground, punching and stabbing each other in rage.

Kai stabbed Hendrey in the stomach and panted angrily.

He suddenly stopped moving.

He stumbled backwards, clutching his chest. He fell and removed his hands, looking shocked. A knife was sticking out of his chest, and blood was pouring down his shirt.

Audrey's eyes widened and Asher stared at the hole in Kai's chest. Mary stepped backwards, a look of pure fear on her face.

"Kai!" Asher screamed, running up to him. Mary and Audrey followed suit. Audrey kneeled down next to him, looking around frantically.

Mary bent down and started to apply pressure to the wound, tears filling her eyes.

"Kai! Kai, stay with us! Kai, please!" Audrey yelped, wiping blood off of his face.

Kai smiled softly and said in a hoarse tone, "This is how a family should act... Don't worry about a funeral, okay?..."

Mary said in a shaky and stern tone, "Yeah, we won't, because you aren't gonna die. You... you can't die."

Kai said in a whispery tone, "Face it, Mary. I'm not immortal."

Audrey whimpered, "D-Don't talk, save your energy. If we can ge-get you out of here quick enough-"

"Audrey. Let me die, okay? My death guarantees a safe passage for all of you. Stay alive for me."

Kai winced as he talked, blood continuing to pour out of his stab wound.

He looked at all of them with a bright smile. "It's all over. We won. Tell everyone, okay? Tell everyone we won. Tell them-"

Kai gasped, turning white. He struggled to continue.

"T-Tell them... Tell them t-they're all f-free again..."

He took one last look at all of them.

"I love you all..."

He smiled his last smile and closed his eyes. He sighed and seemed to deflate.

He died. Right there, he died.

Asher's eyes widened and he started shaking. Mary whimpered and clung onto Asher, burying her face in his chest. Audrey clutched Kai and held him, sobbing.

"Wake up, for the love of Sarata, Kai, wake up!" They frantically screamed. Audrey shook him and yelled, "I said wake up!"

Mary placed a hand on their shoulder and said, "Audrey. He's gone. He ain't coming back."

Audrey yelled, "Asher did!"

Asher muttered, "I don't think he wants to come back. His father ruined that for him."

Audrey looked at them both, a look of pure hopelessness on their face. They sighed.

"You're right. I guess... I guess he's gone now. Forever."

Asher helped them up. "Come on. We gotta go."

They nodded, wiping tears off their face.

Asher picked up Kai's body and bridal carried him out of the room. Mary and Audrey followed suit.

-Years later-

Audrey sat at a coffee shop, the same one they visited with Kai all those years ago. A barista handed them their coffee.

"Hm? Oh, thanks." They took a sip and looked at their watch.

"Asher and Mary should be here soon..." Audrey muttered, looking around.

A small kid, looking to be about three, walked up to them.

"Hi, Auntie Audrey!" The kid yelled, hugging their leg.

Mary ran over, panting. "Sorry, Audrey..."

Asher walked over as well, smiling. "It's nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you too." Audrey smiled and picked up the kid.

"Are we ready to go to the cemetery?" Audrey asked.

Asher nodded. "C'mon, I'll drive."

-one boring ass drive later-

Asher stopped the car, and stepped out. He grabbed a bunch of flowers and Mary's hand as he walked over to a grave.

The kid and Audrey walked up to the grave as well, sitting down on the grass.

The gravestone was slightly dirty and the nameplate was rusted around the corners, but the person's name was fresh in their minds.

"Hello, Kai."