"Alright fellas, we're in a hurry, so out the window." Said the leader of the little raid, pulling a coil of rope from his belt. I watched him take a Magnum from his hip, and press it into the wall underneath the windowpane. He fired a single round into the plaster, and it went all the way through, creating a little hole through which he slotted the rope and fastened it tightly.
"Jesus Kyle," said a squad member who I now saw was, in fact, Kevin. "As if killing the CPs weren't enough, now you go firin' revolvers through the bloody walls?" He had pulled a vest over his dirty clothes and apparently recovered a submachine gun from somewhere. It occurred to me that Kevin had probably called the Resistance squad to come and help us out. I smiled my gratitude.
"Like it makes a difference, we'll be out of here in a minute. Grab John and see if you can wake him up. Kelly, I need you calm, controlled and down this rope, you hear me? We'll have your husband fine again, but only if we do this right." Kyle gestured to the two other unnamed Resistance soldiers to go down the rope first, then helped Kelly out the window. Kevin slapped John two times across the face, which awoke him.
"What the f..." John began, then gasped as he took in the situation. "Kevin? Kevin the widower? You're in the Resistance?"
"Overwatch butchered my wife before my friggin' eyes, John. Of course I'm in the goddamn Resistance. Now get your arse down this rope before I send you down express-style. Unless you'd rather explain these lovely Metrocorpses to the reinforcements..." Kevin spoke darkly, with a menace I hadn't expected. I stood open-mouthed.
"Stephen!" said Kyle, indicating the rope, "you with us?"
"Y-yeah... I think so," I replied weakly, sticking the newly-acquired pistol into my pocket and clambering over the windowsill. This was hardly what I'd expected on day one in City 17, but a damnsight better than I'd thought.
We abseiled down the wall of the building and snuck our way down a nearby manhole, pulling the metal disc over our heads with a clang just in time as an Overwatch APC pulled up and the heavy footfalls of armed soldiers thudded against the pavement. I gulped.
This was my life now. My choice had been made for me by a shard of glass and an instinct. It was that instinct that would keep me alive.