Part 8

I heard a thud and then galloping horses. I opened my eyes and saw that an arrow was imbedded in the mechanism that connected the lever to the hatches we were standing on.

"Let them go", a voice said sharply and I looked up and saw a guy with brown hair, green eyes and a furious look on his face. "On order from the King of Thieves!"

"Sebastian", I heard Thad say and the people started to move, they ran to the side as 20 horses suddenly broke through them. Thad smirked and rammed his elbow into the guard that was holding him. Thad jumped up, got the line of his noose around the guy's throat and pressed him down, squeezing.

"Hey!" another guard shouted and ran at Thad. I jumped and grabbed hold of the rope to my noose and swung forward, hooking my leg around said guards neck and broke it. The audience from the windows cheered for me and Thad. Thad grinned at me as the riders split up, some of them were coming our way while the others headed for the New Directions. I smirked and climbed onto the top of the gallows and just sat there.

"Thad", I called and he looked up, the soldier he strangled now lying limp at his feet. "A knife!"

Thad got the knife the guard had in his belt and threw it to me. I first freed myself and then Thad, before jumping to the opposite side of the gallows to free Schue and Joe.

"Are you a squirrel or something", someone yelled and I smirked and dropped down onto this someone, a guard. He must've broken both his legs, but I didn't care.

"No just a fighter", I said and smirked before jumping off of him.

"Mike", I heard a familiar voice call my name and turned around and grinned like an idiot. Chris was on Calliston, stabbing soldiers that tried to get to him and Emma was with him. I ran to the edge and jumped onto a horseback and then to another, onto carts and other stuff until I reached them. Emma had all my equipment tied to her and I got my bow out and started firing arrows. I saw the guy, Sebastian, head to Thad and help him onto the horse. I looked around in the madness and saw that Thad's friends were getting the New Directions onto horses, Joe and Schue too. The soldiers kept coming and archers started firing arrows at us.

"Pull back", a voice boomed over the chaos and we all started to leave. We rode our horses down the streets, to cheers from the people. I just followed Chris as he rode on. I was smiling like an idiot as we did. Suddenly the lead split up into five groups.

"Follow someone", Thad yelled to me and Chris as he and Sebastian took off to the right. I followed Chris' lead, having no idea of where we were going, but really didn't care about that. As long as we got away from the soldiers I was happy.


We didn't stop riding for quite some time and when we stopped we were in a big glade with tents and shelters all around. There were men and women all around too, doing various stuff. I realized that the man that had shouted 'pull back' really wasn't a man, he was a big woman. She jumped off of her horse and I did the same… only to get jumped onto by Chris. He'd thrown his arms around my neck and had buried his face in my shoulder. He was crying, I could feel it since his body shook with each sob. I held him tight and felt my own tears spill. I was so sure that I had lost my little brother and now, here he was.

"I thought you were dead", Chris sobbed into my shoulder. "They said you were dead."

"I was told the same", I told him and let my tears roll down my cheeks as I hugged him. "Schue told me you got hit in the head pretty hard and then dragged away from them towards a pit with dead bodies…"

"It was the Warblers, they saved me. Mike the King of Thieves was in the city." He looked at me eagerly. "He was looking for you and me! He wants us to join him. They need guys like us. They've been watching us since Goldhaven."

"I know", I told him and held him tight. "Thad told me."

"The short brunette?"

"Yeah."

"So this is your brother then", a voice asked and I turned and saw two young men come towards us with big grins on their faces. Chris grinned back at them.

"Yeah", he said. "Mike this is some of my new friendish people."

"Hopefully friends soon", the dark-skinned boy said.

"That's Luke and the other one is John. They are Warblers, working for the King of Thieves."

"Is that really his name or does he have another one", I asked and looked at the Warblers.

"He has a real name of course", John said happily. "We just don't know it." We heard more horses come and soon we were surrounded by people we knew and didn't. I saw the New Directions hug Joe and their leader and each other. Brittany was there too and I stalked towards them.

"Mike", Chris called after me. The New Directions looked at me and smiled.

"Hi dude", Puck said.

"What the fuck is she doing here", I yelled and pointed at Brittany.

"She wanted to come", Artie told me.

"Her sister nearly got us all killed! She betrayed us and left Joe and I for dead on the street! She wanted us all dead!"

"Quinn did", Brittany mumbled. "I didn't."

"You're her sister! Where one goes the other usually follow."

"Mike stop", Chris said grabbing my arm. "They're not worth it."

"Chris they're the reason we nearly got executed!"

"Yes but they're not worth your anger", he told me. "It would mean you care about what they do or think and I know we don't. Because otherwise we wouldn't have killed those soldiers that tried to kill us."

I just glared at the New Directions and then growled before letting Chris pull me away from them and back over to Luke and John, who'd been joined by a brunette with green eyes and a kind face. He smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Hi", he said and held his hand out. "I'm Trent."

"Mike", I said and shook his hand.

"Your little brother missed you a lot", Trent said and I pulled Chris close to my side again.

"I know", I said. "I missed him too."

"You know I thought you were dead", Chris told me and I nodded.

"I thought the same about you", I said and then we heard a horse coming towards us and I looked up and once again saw that beggar that had helped me with the barrel. But now… on top of that horse and dressed in light leather armor, with the army jacket over it, sword at his side, bow on his back, knife-belt across his chest and iron trimmed gloves he looked a warrior.

His eyes were like two pieces of coal, but that kept a fire hidden that could blaze like a thousand fires. His long hair and beard still made him look haggard but there was something majestic over him… and something familiar. He looked at me and Chris and then at all his men that were looking at him. He pulled his sword and pointed at me with it.

"This is the two", he called as he let his horse trot around us almost lazily. He was a beauty. A black stallion with long black wavy main and tail, his hooves also had long hair covering them. "We've been keeping our eyes on them since Goldhaven where they saved the lives of the lot over there… and defeated them." He pointed at the New Directions with his sword. "They also, single handedly rescued a doomed and injured man and brought him to Westerville by using their wits, cunning and courage. They have street smarts, they know how to survive on what nature gives, they know to fight for what's right and are willing to kill if it means to save innocent lives, even thieve to survive."

"Just like us!" A man roared.

"Just like us", the King of Thieves echoed. "We are the Warblers. We are the resistance. We are the candle. We are the ones that will stop Sue Sylvester's reign of terror. And now I have one question…" He stopped his horse in front of me and Chris.

"Will you two join us and become Warblers and warriors for the King of Thieves?" he asked. I didn't really know what to say. I was a bit overwhelmed.

"I will", Chris spoke up from beside me and I looked at him. "The King of Thieves can make a change and I believe a change must be made… I'll join."

"As will I", I said and Chris beamed at me. "I want to fight to stop Sue. I want to fight for my brothers. Sue took ours from us and we want to find him. He went missing in Westerville and we intend to find him, come hell or high water."

"He might be dead", a man said.

"Then I want to know if he is because I don't know", I spat. "I want to see his grave or his corpse because I can still feel him."

The King of Thieves laughed.

"Bonds of brothers are extremely strong", he said. "Come, dine with me this evening. New Directions, join us."


We ate underneath the setting sun and it was just simple bread and soup but it felt as a real feast because I had not eaten anything since Chris, Artie and I got to Westerville. I sat to the left of the King of Thieves and Schue sat to his right. Chris was in deep discussion with John and Luke. I chuckled as the three kept telling each other wild stories of their childhoods. They hit it off right away and I was glad, Chris had no friends in our village, I barley had either. So to see him actually make friends made me so happy I could cry.

Schue was trying to debate with the King of Thieves about the killing. The man just laughed at him and I had to chuckle as well. Schue really was what we called Capital-Cuckoo. He really thought he could talk people out of fighting and win this war by just protesting against the queen. He thought he could rally enough members that were willing to not kill and then stop Sue that way. The King of Thieves just laughed at him and I felt something pull at my heart because I recognized the laughter, but it felt far off as if it was just a dream.

"Dude", Puck suddenly said and my new leader looked at him.

"What", he asked.

"How old are you?" Puck asked. "You look a grown man but you sound like a young one."

Everyone around us laughed and I felt confused. What was so funny.

"The King of Thieves have many a face", Thad said happily from where Sebastian was keeping him perched on his lap. "Sometimes he's old, sometimes he's young, sometimes he's a woman, sometimes he's a son, sometimes he's a cripple or a warrior with grace one never knows because he does not have one face."

"Okay mister poet that will be quite enough of that", a happy voice said as a short young man with hazel eyes and curly hair joined us.

"You're just jealous Blaine Anderson", Thad said happily.

"Shut up Clearwater…" Blaine grumbled and Thad stuck his tongue out at him.

"Blaine", the King of Thieves greeted. "I see you've returned. Did the raid go well?"

"Perfect your Highness", Blaine said happily. "No trouble at all! Now who are all these people?"

My leader started to introduce people and he gestured for the New Directions I saw something. On the left sleeve of his soldier jacket was almost invisible stitching. You wouldn't see it if you didn't look really close and my heart froze.

"Where did you get that jacket", I asked him. He looked at me.

"The one asking odd questions is Mike", he just said to Blaine and then smirked at me. "I took it from a dead soldier. Nicked it as he lay bleeding to death. A shame really, he had such a pretty face. I came upon him and noticed this very fine leather jacket and well… he would never need it so why shouldn't I, a cold and lonely person in desperate need of some warmth take it? He was dying anyway so I slit his throat and took it. He won't miss it."

Every Warbler roared with laughter. But I felt rage build up in me and I narrowed my eyes at him. Why you ask? Because I knew that jacket and more… I knew who owned it. That secret stitching was of an eagle, a dragon and a horse.

"So I will always know that it is mine", Wes had told me when I asked why he made that stitching. It was against the rules to change the uniform but Wes didn't care. It was his jacket and he wanted to be able to tell it apart from other soldier's. I remembered the day he left, the jacket had been the last thing he put on and ruffled my hair fondly. I'd watched that left sleeve and had asked about the stitching again. And he had told me:

"That you will always know it's me you're talking to when you meet some stray, grey soldier Mikey."

"So you just slit his throat", I heard someone ask the man beside me.

"Yeah", the King of Thieves said smugly. "Didn't even fight me the little shit."

I snapped at that, rage built up in me and with a furious roar I flew at him and tackled him to the ground.

"Bastard!" I yelled as I started to punch him and everyone around us came afoot at once. I got hoisted off of the man and he got up gracefully.

"Mike", Chris asked in shock and horror somewhere behind me. "What are you doing?!"

"Out of my way!" I yelled at the Warblers around me. "Get out of my way I'm gonna kill him!"

"Mike no!" Chris said. "You can't!"

"Let go!"

"Mike!"

"Enough", the King of Thieves barked. "Fred, Rock bring Mike to my tent, John, Luke… bring Chris as well."

"Let go of me you jerks", I yelled as I was pushed and dragged through the camp. Chris did as well. Everywhere people watched us in confusion or shock. No one that hadn't been around that fire knew why all of a sudden Chris and I were being dragged and handled like crooks or traitors.


We were lead to a small tent and the King of Thieves walked inside and we were pushed in with him.

"Leave us", he barked and the Warblers stared at him.

"Your Highness are you sure", the one I guessed was Rock asked.

"Yes, I want some time alone with these two."

Reluctantly the four left me and Chris alone with their leader and the only thing from stopping me attacking the man again was Chris standing between us.

"Now why did you attack me", the man asked me.

"Because", I growled. "That jacket."

"What about it?"

"It belongs to my brother!"

He cocked an eyebrow at me.

"And you know this how", he asked.

"On your left sleeve", I told him. "There are stitches there you can barely see unless you look closely. It is of an eagle, a dragon and a horse."

The man looked at the sleeve.

"My brother added those stitches so that he would always know that jacket was his", I spat. "Only he has them and you killed him!"

Chris stared from me to the man and then back again.

"I didn't", the King of Thieves said.

"You did!" I yelled. "You told me so yourself! You slit his throat and took the jacket!"

"The guy stole it from me first."

"He did not!" I yelled angrily. "It was my brother's jacket!"

"Mike I am your brother."

At those words I froze.

"What?" I asked and felt Chris grab my hand. The King of Thieves reached up to his face and tore off his beard, hair, eyebrows… and nose. It was just a mask. He threw it aside and underneath the haggard face I saw a soft, familiar, a tad older though, face… Wes' face. I felt my knees go weak and I felt Chris hang onto me in pure shock. I could not believe my eyes… for so long… for so long he had been gone, for so long I had been looking, for so long I had been missing him and now… there he was. Standing right in front of me. I let my gaze travel over his face and his body. I recognized his face and then I saw it… the third medallion. Guarda's medallion. It hung around his neck. He looked at me and smiled.

"Hi", was all he could say and my feet moved before my brain registered it. Chris moved with me and suddenly we were there… in his arms. He was hugging us tightly and I let the tears flow, I didn't even try to fight them and I felt his tears as well. He moved a hand to my hair and tangled it there while he gripped Chris' tunic tightly, desperate to get him closer to himself. Chris and I did the same to him. I had finally found him… I had finally found my brother again.


TBC