From outside the Prison Wren never would have guessed at the chaos within. Petra stood waiting for them but Cayde checked Wren's helmet before he was ready to meet up with her.

"Not every day we get this kind of excitement," he smiled, and Wren shook her head. "Well, not every day for me. But I don't go around killin' gods," he winked.

"This doesn't make you uncomfortable? Me being here?"

"Not a chance. First off, it's just a little ol' riot. Second, I told ya I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

The pair of them met with Petra along the walkway, their ships departing to a secure area.

"Petra Venj," Cayde smiled. "Thanks for the invite."

"I figured since you put so many of them away you'd want in on getting this under control," she replied. "And who is this? Wren? It's been a long time."

"You have to get to the City more," Wren replied. Petra chuckled.

"I just hope we get this outta the way real fast. We were on a date when the call came in," Cayde said, shooting Petra an annoyed look despite Wren knowing he was excited about the riot.

"Oh? We'll have to do our best to get you home then."

"Whatcha packing for this party anyway?" Cayde asked.

Petra pulled a dagger from her belt. "Meh. The usual."

"Ooh! Do the thing!" Cayde exclaimed, taking Wren off guard at his excitement.

"The thing?" she asked, but Cayde didn't hear her, only insisted she watch as Petra's blade hovered above her hand in midair, spinning slightly before Petra reached up and snatched it out of the air.

Cayde shuddered "That'll never not freak me out. Do it again!"

"Later. Maybe. Right now, gen-pop is running wild. Fortunately, the main arena and lower levels remain on lockdown. But if the core security systems fail..." she glanced over her shoulder at the gate. "Containment is going to be... a problem."

"Just another day at the office," Cayde shrugged.

Petra raised a brow at him. "Don't you usually hang around getting paper cuts these days?"

"You wound me," he clutched his chest.

"Let's get moving, she said, turning on her heel to run toward the gate but Cayde didn't stay with her.

He pulled the Ace from its holster, the one Wren had bought him so long ago, and loaded the weapon.

"Alright kid, you're gonna get to see your handsome Vanguard in action," he said, nearing her to touch his forehead to her helmet. "Try not to get all flustered."

"Yeah right, you show off," Wren laughed, pushing her helmet into his head playfully.

"Show off? Pft, never. I'm skilled is all," he said, backing up in a confident stride to the edge of the platform that dropped into general population below. "Watch me for the changes, and, uh, try to keep up." He said, squatting down in a silly pose with his arms over his head before jumping backward off the catwalk. "Now let's go to prison!"

Wren gasped and jumped toward him but the joyous yells from below told her he was more than okay. She smiled and shook her head before pulling the Better Devils and jumping down to follow him. Not knowing which way to go, she'd have to pick one and there was no way she'd willingly separate from him.

From down below she could hear Cayde having the time of his life, the distinct sound of the Ace of Spades echoing up between happy exclamations every time he fired.

"WOOOOOHOOOOOOO! Got you! Got you! Got you!"

"What a showoff," Wren said as she landed with a huff. The drop was farther than she expected.

They ran across the catwalk, headed toward an internal area of the prison. Other walkways extended like spokes on a wheel and she could see guards fighting back and defending gates leading toward the interior but Petra was nowhere to be seen.

"Oho, these guys REALLY wanna dance," Cayde's said, from farther ahead than she'd like.

"This riot HAS to end here. If these killers get out, the Reef will be overrun," Petra replied, her voice crackling slightly over comms. Wren looked around as she walked but she was more hesitant than Cayde and Petra was nowhere to be found. Then again, these two weren't exactly used to running as a team like Wren was.

"So we split up for a minute and take 'em out. At least in the next cell block so the guards can get control of the perimeter." Cayde said.

"You're alright with your lady going on her own?" Petra teased and Wren wondered if she knew about the issues with Cayde or if this was some longstanding problem she'd always been aware of.

"She's capable," Cayde replied, and Wren felt proud of him. "Besides, this gate is jammed. Stay here Sugarbird, I'm gonna get up there and see if I can't get this open for ya."

He leapt up out of sight and disappeared into a vent.

"Thanks," she said as the door slid open and she was immediately thrown back by an explosion from within. Fire erupted from inside and thick smoke billowed out, lit by a shower of sparks.

"What the hell was that?" Cayde yelled, his tone on edge.

"The gate opened but I think it added air to a fire. It exploded but I'm alright," Wren winced, rolling to her belly to stand up. Her ears rang and the smell of burning plastic filled her nose.

"Dammit kid, be careful."

"Don't snap at me, it's not my fault. I got this."

Wren sprinted through the smoke and embers into a room she thought must be some sort of general holding area. It was vast, with floors upon floors of cells extending up almost as far as Wren could see. Several fires raged in the area as a group of Cabal were fighting with Fallen. One thing stood out to her, however, and stopped her in her tracks.

"Uh, Cayde? There's a group of Cabal and Fallen going head-to-head in here and I don't know much about prison but I'm pretty sure they're not supposed to have weapons."

"I'm also encountering armed forces," Petra added.

"How did these guys even get guns?" Cayde said.

Something about this felt oddly organized to Wren but she kept her mouth shut. Who knows, maybe this was something they just hadn't accounted for in prison security? Though she couldn't help but wonder herself how this could have happened.

She dropped to a prone position while the enemy was still too busy to notice and used her scout rifle to pick off wounded enemies. The Cabal were making short work of the Fallen but a few extra bullets here and there could help level the playing field enough that they would deal significant damage to each other's forces before she actually had to get involved.

The only enemy that concerned her was a large Centurion standing on a pile of rubble, commanding the Cabal around him. The Fallen had their chaos against them in this instance and the well-organized forces of their enemy were quickly eliminating them. Wren took several shots at the Centurion, trying to keep herself calm enough to take time for headshots. A few Vandals on higher levels were thinking the same thing and focused fire on the Centurion. The soft, fleshy, unarmored face of the Centurion couldn't take much before he made a strange gurgling noise and he keeled toward and hit the floor.

"Deck 45's clear! How's everybody doing? Having fun? Anybody need to pee?" Cayde asked.

"You are so embarrassing when you're excited," Petra sighed. "Wren, please be aware of his behavior before you commit yourself to this man."

Wren's cheeks flushed but she didn't respond to it, instead asking where Cayde had gotten off to.

"I'm one floor above," he said. "Had to come out somewhere. I'll meet you in the main hallway."

Killing the few remaining enemies was easy enough, especially when another massive explosion from within a cell block cleared the rest of the Cabal and collapsing the walkway above. The Vandal who had been perched there fell into the smoke and flame and Wren didn't see him come back out again.

"Woah! Who's blowing stuff up without me?" Cayde asked.

"I'm gonna get eyes on that explosion," Petra said.

"Was there more than one?" Wren asked. "I just had a hole blown out in here."

"I'm not sure. You two join me when you can!"

"On the way," Cayde said, the Ace echoing from somewhere close, though Wren couldn't see him.

"The faster the better. That blast knocked a few more cellblocks open."

"I think this area is secured. For now anyway," Wren said.

"I'll let the guards know they can enter after you and ensure the cells are alright," Petra replied.

Wren headed through the new hole in the wall, trying to see if it would connect to anything and to her surprise, there was a tunnel of sorts. Overhead a kind of train system zoomed by and the walkway she stood on was a mess. Sections had fallen away, destroyed by explosions. The wires that held up the remaining sections seemed to be holding up alright, but Wren didn't want to chance it any more than she had to. Falling into the depths below would put her Traveler knows where and even farther from Cayde.

"Where are you Cayde? I don't see you."

"Don't worry 'bout me Sugarbird, I got eyes on ya. Meet up with me at Petra."

"What happened to meeting you in the hall?"

"Uh… well, I wasn't expecting the walkways to be… ya know… gone. I'll get there soon as I can."

The next door opened for her and within the room was Petra, ripping her blade from the head of a Fallen. Several littered the floor.

"I love fieldwork!" she said. "That explosion took out security on the lower decks. I'll check the high-value prisoners down there."

Wren considered bringing up her idea of this being planned, but with as excited as Petra and Cayde were, she thought she was overreacting. They obviously didn't seem too concerned with their current situation, so she continued to follow.

Petra jogged past a door and turned to stop Wren.

"This will take me to the lower levels. You and Cayde head to the security hub. Get security back online."

The door slid closed and Wren could hear the pod dropping like an oversized elevator.

"Sure," she muttered, feeling less sure of herself. "Cayde? Where are you?"

"Uh let's see… I'm one floor above you. Listen Sugarbird, this crowd isn't gonna just let us stroll into the security hub. I'll go high, you go low."

"But—"

"It's alright. I can see everything below me. I'll be watching over you. Now show me those Hunter skills. I don't usually get to see you in action. Just as a heads up though, it's crazy out here so uh… be careful."

He wasn't kidding. The door slid open and outside was absolute chaos. Cabal crowded the hallway, fighting among themselves and with any Fallen they happened across. Gunfire, explosions, and the roar of flames bombarded her senses. She looked to the upper levels, but didn't see Cayde at all even though she could hear the Ace. It brought her a little comfort but she wasn't sure how she was supposed to clear all these enemies out and keep up with him. Wherever he was.

She took a deep breath and the Arc staff appeared in her hands. In a flurry of sparks she sprinted into the fight, the staff making short work of enemies. Her movements weren't very smooth but at least she wasn't tapping herself with it ever two seconds.

"Hey, look at you!" Cayde praised. "You're doin' a lot better with that thing."

Wren felt a surge of energy at his words and raced forward, her ferocity increased in the hope of gaining more praise from him.

"Slow down, there, Sugarbird," he laughed. "I gotta keep up with ya. Damn, if I would have known I'd get that kinda reaction I'd give you a 'good girl" every now and again."

"Cayde!" Wren's face flushed. If Petra heard she didn't reply.

Ahead she caught sight of him on a bridge between two sides of the upper floor, shooting the Golden Gun and disintegrating a Cabal.

"Can I just say, I'm having the time of my life right now," he said, tossing a grenade down to the enemies below to clear them out for Wren.

"Wh— you're ahead of me?" she said. "I thought you said you needed to keep up?"

He laughed. "C'mon Sugarbird. You gonna let an old Exo beat you to the punch?"

"Since when is this a race?"

Cayde turned his back and ran ahead while Wren continued to the bridge where he'd been standing. Some Cabal were engaged in battle with Hive, their formations easily taking down the Hive which charged with no thought on personal loss. They slammed against the Phalanx shields, giving Wren time to toss her own grenades while the Cabal were distracted.

The Phalanxes dropped but the Hive hit her full force. They came in droves and she couldn't keep up but she also couldn't call for help. She ground her teeth hard as she backpedaled, trying to put space between herself and the Hive while reloading her weapon.

Cayde saw. Headshots on the Hive around her exploded, burning those around it to ash. He dropped them faster than she could with the Ace but when the last one fell and she looked toward where she'd heard the gunfire, she could see him being chased by a couple of Gladiators, their cleaver-like blades glistening with blood.

"Not the face not the face not the face!"

Wren opened fire on the Gladiators from behind, taking out a chunk of calf from the one closest to the edge and it toppled over in a roar of pain. She rushed it, hurling a throwing knife at its head but all it did was knock the helmet off. A couple shots with the Better Devils to the head and it lay still. She retrieved her blade and continued in a sprint through swarms of Hive.

"I'm at... 16... 17... 18..." he said.

"37… 38…39…" Wren counted as she caught up to him.

"I think the fuck not," Cayde laughed. "You're as bad as I am."

"Wren, head into that hole," Kiran instructed.

"Cayde, Kiran says we need to go through that hole in the way."

"Lead the way," Cayde said.

On the other side there were no enemies, only fires in old prison transports and tons of internal machines she had no clue what they were.

She ran across a tangle of thick ducts and cables lashed together, Cayde's footsteps close behind.

"We're approaching the security hub now," Kiran said.

"Copy that. Everything's gone dark down here, so I'm stuck taking the long way," Petra replied.

Wren shook her head. This was getting worse. This was much bigger than she was comfortable with and for some reason neither of them seemed to notice. What the hell was wrong with them?

"Cayde, something feels weird about all of this."

"Like what?" Cayde asked but before Wren could reply the door slid open to a half-destroyed walkway. Part of the metal flooring curled away where something big had crashed into it. On the far end was a single Cabal Legionary that was yet to notice them.

"Dibs!" Cayde yelled and sprinted toward the Legionary's back. He boosted high over the Cabal's head and dropped onto its shoulders. He planted his dagger into the Legionary's head as he laughed at his success but the Legionary began to keel backward, over the edge of the platform.

"Woah, woah, woah, woah, this was not part of the plan!" he called as the Legionary tipped backward off the platform.

"Cayde!" Wren ran forward, heart in her throat.

A second later he rose again, holding into the bottom of a Shank which quickly flew over her.

"Scratch that. It's definitely the plan. Meet ya at the security hub!" he said.

"I don't like this!" she called after him but he was too busy trying to force the Shank to fly where he wanted in a flurry of curses and demands.

Wren bristled. So much for staying with her! She was left with no other choice than to move around to the right through a narrow hallway full of Thrall. Her anger was getting the better of her and she rushed through them with relative ease. Toward the end of the hall she could see the bright purple beam of an Ogre's beam.

"This is the security hub. Better clear the area before going in," Kiran said.

"Hey Kiran, does this feel weird to you?"

"Hmm… yeah. A bit too large scale. It's like this is a set up. But for what?"

"I have no idea. Set someone loose? Petra said she was checking on high value prisoners."

"Maybe, but who could be worth all this risk and effort?"

"No clue."

"Let's get these Hive cleared first."

Wren peered out around the edge of the ruined wall and focused the Ogre with her scout rifle, wishing she had one with a little more impact, even if it was a fast shooter.

"You doin' okay out there Sugarbird?"

"I have some Hive. Mostly an Ogre that needs to be taken care of."

"Shit… I'll try to get this door open. You need warden-level clearance, but I think I can handle that."

She continued to pummel the Ogre with round after round until the door opened for her but Cayde didn't come out to help.

"Uh, Cayde?"

"So, Sugarbird, see, I have a wee problem. I meant to come help ya but somehow getting you better security clearance manage to uh… well take mine away?"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"I'm workin' on it."

The Ogre's eye blast hit the platform below her, knocking her back into the hallway. She winced and sat up, waiting for the Ogre's attack to stop. It sputtered out and when she peered over the edge to see it was struggling to stand. Not long and it would be dead. She'd help it along.

When it was finally gone Wren laid on her stomach on the platform for some time, catching her breath. Once she did force herself to her feet and make her way into the security hub, she stopped and laughed at Cayde who was trapped in a small observation room, one wall covered in switches. He paused and slowly looked over his shoulder at her.

"See, Sugarbird, what had happened was—"

"This is fantastic. It's no wonder Zavala won't let you out."

"Aww, c'mon," he said, shoulders dropping. "I'm not that bad."

Wren crossed her arms and jutted out one hip.

Cayde looked around, then back at her. "What'll it take for you to keep this between us?"

"I'm sure I can think of something," Wren laughed. "How do we get you out of here?"

"Did you see me out there?"

"Are you asking if I saw you fall off that ledge?"

"All part of my plan!"

"That's not what you said when you went over…"

"Shhh. All that's left is the coop-de-gracie," he said, pulling a massive lever only for it to immediately switch back and all of the green lights on the wall turned to red. An alarm sounded and the screams of Hive could be heard outside, sending a chill down Wren's spine.

"What was that?" Wren asked as sections of the floor began to rise.

"Uh, what's happening to the floor?" Cayde asked.

"You mean you don't know? What the hell was the switch for?"

"Hive first! They're gunking up the works! Get 'em out of here, will you?"

Wren shot at the Hive, irritation rising in her chest. She walked around, killing Hive and using bullets to break apart the strange hard substance that had kept the parts from moving properly. One by one they were cleared and lowered into the floor.

"You're so pretty when you have a gun in your hands," Cayde said dreamily.

"Please focus."

"Alright, alright. Hive gunk scrubbed! NOW it should turn on."

"Remember to purge the buffers," Kiran said.

"Sure. Got it. One question: how do I do that?" Cayde asked.

"Press the red button."

Cayde turned to the wall, covered in red buttons. "You're kidding right? They're all red!"

"Then press all of them!" Kiran snapped.

Before Wren could speak Cayde was swiping his hands over the buttons as fast as possible. She sighed and smacked her palm to her helmet. The buttons all turned green and Cayde laughed as he backed away, hands on his hips.

"I can't believe that worked! I am amazing at this," he said, going back to pull the switch. Again it flipped back and every light went red. The floor panels began to rise, more of them getting stuck and Hive screams prompted Wren to reload and put her back to the glass of the room Cayde was stuck in.

"Scratch that. It did NOT work."

"This isn't funny anymore!" Wren yelled as Cursed Thrall neared her, arms tight around themselves. She shot at them as fast as she could but the explosions in the small space caused shockwaves to burn through her. The joints in her armor where it was weaker felt like knives were being jammed between them.

"Dammit!" Cayde yelled, shooting at the glass between them but it was no use. Even the Ace wasn't strong enough to shatter the glass. The best he could do was create a thin spiderweb of cracks across the surface.

Wren ran, throwing a grenade behind her in the hopes that it would kill some of the Thrall chasing her, close enough in some cases that their claws caught in her cloak.

One last dagger thrown and the final Cursed Thrall exploded, killing the remaining Thrall and throwing Wren into the glass. She dropped to the floor and Cayde knelt on the other side, palm to the glass.

"Sugarbird? Are you okay?"

Wren sat up, shaking. Her joints ached and her heart pounded in her chest. "Something is going on here," she blurted out. "This is more than just a riot."

"What?"

"It's too much."

"Shh, it's okay. We're gonna be fine and we'll be back to our date in no time, okay?"

She peered over her shoulder at him. His optics searched her face and he tried to smile but she could tell it was more like pity than anything. He was having fun but after this he'd know she wasn't enjoying herself. She took a deep breath and stood, leaning on the glass for support.

"When we get home I'll give ya a nice back rub okay?" he said. "That'a girl. Get the rest of the Hive gunk taken care of and I'm gonna get outta here ASAP."

Wren walked around shooting the stuff until the machines were clear once more but she had no joy left in her to laugh at Cayde's antics and he seemed to realize this because he set to his job with much less silliness. When the switch again refused to stay down, he drew the Ace and shot the terminal which somehow managed to work. All of the lights turned green and the switch stayed in its proper position despite the massive hole which sparked profusely.

"Feel better?" Wren asked flatly.

He shrugged. "Tech support with extreme prejudice? Hang tight." He went to a terminal. "Well, everything's where it's supposed to be, but now it's asking me for some kind of secondary activation? Should be a terminal you can use out on the catwalks."

"What about getting you out of there?"

"I uh, haven't exactly figured that part out and we don't have a lot of time. But this says there is manual control of turrets from here so I'll be there with you. Sort of… you know, we make a great team."

"Don't try to butter me up. I still don't like this and I still think it feels like one big setup somehow."

He stared at her, unblinking. "Be careful, yeah? This is a lot of fun for me cuz you know… I never get out. I get why it seems like a lot in here, but if I thought things were really goin' south I'd get you out first thing. Even at the risk of the Reef."

Wren got another chill but this time because of his words. The way he was dead serious when he looked her in the eye and said that. He'd really put the whole Reef in danger just to get her out?

"Cayde don't—"

"Let me get that door for you," he said, forcing a smile. "I got your back."

She offered a curt nod but they'd have to talk about that later. The door opened and she ran out where Cayde was already using the manual turrets to take down Hive. Getting through the enemies was easier with Cayde on the turrets. He was able to clear a path for her but she wasn't the only one that needed it.

"You still with us, Petra?" he asked. "We're gonna clear you a path to supermax real soon."

"Copy that," she replied.

"I think I found the terminal," Wren said, nearing one in a small room with a half-jammed door. Kiran floated over the screen and Wren was on her toes. She could still hear Cayde killing enemies outside and them being so close made her skin crawl.

"Bringing the security system online," Kiran said and Wren breathed a sigh of relief when he disappeared.

"That's my girl. You in the green now, P.V.?" Cayde asked.

"Yes! Accessing the lower levels now. Just gotta check on a couple things, and then we can call it a day."

"Good, I have big plans."

"Call it a day?" Wren asked, looking through the jammed door. "Is it okay to do that? It looks horrible in here."

"It'll be fine," Cayde said. Wren could see lights flickering on floor by floor, extending into the darkness of the deeper levels of the jail. "Looks like we're all done and dusted here."

"Looking pretty good down here. Just gotta check one last thing..." Petra said.

The line went quiet for some time and Wren's stomach twisted. The nagging feeling that something was off came back full force. She waited as patiently as she could manage, but the suspense was killing her.

"No... no... no... no..." Petra said, her tone growing more strained. "Cayde - he's gone. This isn't a prison riot. It's a prison break!"

"Who's gone?" Wren asked.

"Your old buddy Uldren," Cayde said.

"I told you this felt too organized!" Wren said, taking several steps back from the door.

Uldren wasn't someone Wren knew too intimately, but the times they'd run into each other had been anything but pleasant. Still why would he be in prison? She felt there was a lot she was missing information wise. Made her irritated. Damn Vanguard was always holding something back from her. Always giving her just enough to go on and hiding the rest.

"The airlock on Deck Zero! It's the only way out this far down. They're going to escape!" Petra said.

"Not if I get there first," Cayde replied and Wren knew he was up to something.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"Just a little express route Sugarbird. Listen kid, you don't wanna know what's down there. Stay up here, keep the area clear, and if things get hairy, you run."

The sound of the Ace sent Wren running back the way she came, in time to see the Security Hub free falling into the pit, Cayde on top like he was riding a bull. She nearly threw herself over the railing.

"Cayde!"

Far below the explosion rocked the prison and the blast was so bright Wren had to shield her eyes. Her heart hammered in her chest and tension clenched between her shoulders. What the hell was he thinking?

"Cayde? Cayde answer me!"

The shockwave from the blast hit her like a ton of bricks and the next thing she knew, the floor under her feet gave way. There was no time to process what was happening. One minute she was dropping and the next everything was dark.

Below, Sundance hovered over a pile of rubble and in a flash of Light a piece of a wall began to move. Cayde emerged from underneath with a groan. He checked himself over as Sun circled him.

"Never felt better... ahhh..." he winced at touching his own horn. That hurt more than he'd like to admit.

He looked up where pieces of the upper levels continued to fall. That didn't go as planned… but at least there was distance between Wren and the big baddies that has staged this little outing.

"Petra? Sugarbird? Do you read me?" he slowly stood, dusting off the Ace of Spades which had fallen a few feet away. At least he didn't lose it in the drop. When there was no reply he grumbled, "Must've knocked out the comm relays with that spectacular landing."

Great. Now he had no way of checking on Wren.

"Why do I get myself into these boneheaded—"

A shifting in the darkness just inside his peripheral made him stop. Another. Then another. Shadows on the walkways above him of forms he knew all too well. They stepped into the light, hoisting weapons.

"And... cue the ominous music. OK, everybody... back in your cages," he said, knowing damn well they wouldn't go without a fight.

Flames greeted Wren when Kiran revived her, starting as a faint warmth and low rumble and growing into unbearable heat and a steady roar. Her ears rung but she quickly came to her senses.

"Cayde?" she muttered, forcing herself to stand. "Cayde!? Where is he?"

"I don't know," Kiran replied. "Sundance? Cayde? Petra? What's happening down there? Come in, Sundance, can you hear me?"

"What happened?"

"We fell at least 20 stories down, and I can't reach anyone. Sun hasn't replied since Cayde pulled that stupid stunt!"

Wren staggered to the rails and looked over. "I have to jump."

"Are you crazy? The fall will kill you again and who knows what you'd be falling into."

"I have to get to him."

"Then start running! Don't even bother killing things, just get through!"

Wren hesitated, hands clenching the rail for everything she was worth. If she hurled herself over the edge and got killed, Cayde would be worried sick. She relented and began to run, fast as she could through halls and rooms with opened Cryo pods. A weird glowing smoke hovered over the floor, a little like Ether.

"Ether trails," Kiran said. "Look out for escaped Fallen. But... this Ether is... wrong, somehow."

She couldn't care less about some damn Ether but when she sprinted through the next room, the creatures that pursues were unlike anything she'd seen before. They wore metal helmets and their skin was milky white. They chased her but she was too fast, closing a door moments before they slammed into the other side. A couple dead creatures almost tripped her but she couldn't let them slow her down.

"These... things... they used to be Fallen. The Fallen didn't just become this. Someone DID this to them."

"Kiran, I love you and I promise I'm not trying to be a bitch but I don't care." She ran through corridors, her lungs on fire and her legs burning but she couldn't stop. Adrenaline coursed through her and her mouth went dry. She dodged enemies, closing them off or escaping through areas too small for them to get through.

"I knew this was bad," she huffed. "I fucking knew it!"

"Keep moving! Detecting activity below us, but I still can't get anyone on comms. Sundance! Come in Sundance!" his anxiety levels were rising.

Wren came upon a section of the tunnel where whole floors had been destroyed and catwalks hung precariously in a line but at least they became gradually lower, getting her closer to Cayde. Without hesitation she threw herself down to the first one and continued across them all full speed, down and down she went as the platforms creaked and groaned.

"The lower we go, the more corrupted Ether we see," Kiran said. "The place is overrun with them. Traveler I hope Sun is okay."

Why did Cayde have to pull this crap! Wren raced through corridors, taking direction from Kiran. She was past the point of her legs shaking and her joints ached with every step but she had to keep moving. Faster!

At the end of a hall lined with Cryo pods she saw a door and expecting it to open for her, only slowed a little. But the door didn't budge. She slammed into it so hard it knocked the wind out of her and a stabbing pain in her lungs had her wheezing. Each breath shot pain through her back.

"Dammit!" Kiran yelled. "It's fused shut. We need another way!"

Skittering of Fallen all around Cayde caught his attention and he readied the Ace, this time demanding more forcefully to the gallery of enemies that were now circling him. "I said... back in your cages!"

With that, they rushed him from all sides.

The battle raged like it was in slow motion and yet moving too fast all at once. His movements were impressive; second nature. Hours in the Crucible against Guardians had kept him in fighting form and his motions were fluid. Not a step wasted. He calculated every shot. Every dodge. Every throwing knife and not a single bullet was unaccounted for.

Reloading was just as smooth, the Ace acting as an extension of self. He was confident. At least against these little guys. A thought in the back of his head said that if the others were smart, they'd use this as an opportunity to escape. Let the troops handle it so they could retreat.

Thing was, these Fallen didn't look too much like Fallen. What the hell was he looking at anyway?

He leapt up backward, away from a group of them that pursued him without weapons, intent on ripping him limb from limb with their bare hands. He planted a tripwire grenade and vacated the area just before the blast sent pieces of the strange Fallen raining down onto the debris scattered floor.

Cayde fell back into the waiting arms of one of the creatures who wasted no time tossing him aside like a rag doll. He slammed into a sheet of metal, his head bouncing off the wall.

"Yeah. That hurt," he grumbled, grabbing his head. Good thing he wasn't organic or that would have done him in.

He got to his feet but the weird Fallen was ready, using a large shard of debris to hit Cayde like a bat and knock him onto a slab of catwalk that was half collapsed. One of the daggers firmly planted in the metal brought him to a halt over a swarm of the smaller creatures and he shot the remaining connecting cables and jumped out of the way as it crashed to the floor, crushing the Fallen.

"Sorry. Not sorry," he shrugged when looking back at their corpses.

Cayde continued to fight, running, dodging, sliding. He flipped and rolled, using all his best moves and the cocky part of him wished Wren was here to see him now. She'd be all over him!

But something else stirred instead.

Fear.

This was going sideways. Fast. There were so many of them. Too many.

He sprinted up a small ramp, his body rushing with Solar energy. The Golden Gun began to flare and he spun mid leap, reading to take out whole lines of the swarm with a single shot but suddenly something slammed into him. It was like being hit by a truck and it sent him rolling away, the Solar energy receding.

One of the Fallen approached and Cayde swung the Ace up before he could even get off his knees but the Fallen slammed a mace into the gun and sent it flying away. All of the parts in his body were on edge in that moment and before he could react he was picked up and slung around from one Fallen to the next.

They caught him by his cloak, threw him against walls. Pain shot through him as his plating was damaged. He could feel his face crush and mangle. Suddenly he was on his back and they were all around, kicking him. He shielded his face with his arms but anger and fear grew in his chest. This couldn't be it. It couldn't be.

Not when she was still out there.

He had to make it. He just had to.

As fear gripped him so did desperation. He had to make it out alive! Solar energy rose to the surface but different than it had before. There was no well formed gun in his hand. No weapon that he could control in a solid state, but instead he launched up from the floor, a fan of flaming blades erupting in all directions to strike down those that circled him.

He stumbled to his feet, one hand on the pocket that held the letter. The first steps to their future. His gaze drew upward. No chance was he going to let them steal this from him.

"That's it! Now I'm pissed," he said, taking up the Ace just before one of the Fallen tackled him from the side, forcing him to his back against a wall.

Up close he knew this wasn't Fallen. This thing was… different. It clutched his wrist so hard he thought he might drop the Ace and it snapped long needle like teeth in his face. He reared back and snapped his head forward, driving his horn through the thing's helmet and into its skull.

He pushed its body away and struggled to right himself but realized quickly that the others had not taken the chance to escape. Shit. This was personal.

"Sundance," he said, his mind racing with everything he'd never said. To her. To Zavala. Ikora. Wren… but all that came out were the whispered words, "I'm sorry."

"I can't let it end here," Sundance said, her voice unwavering. Determined.

Before he could think she appeared before him and his heart dropped.

"Sun!"

Right in front of him her shell shattered into pieces, a shockwave of pure Light erupting from her, knocking him to his knees. No. No! This was it. This was really it.

Why did he do this? Why did he get himself into these stupid fucking situations! They could have taken them together. As a team! Hell, even letting these shit heads escape and have to hunt them down later would have been better but what? He had to show off with the fucking heroics? And now he'd suffer for it?

The strange Fallen circled him, drawing ever closer.

"I'm not goin' out that easy," he swore, pulling his hood over his head and aiming right between the eyes of one of the fucking brutes that approached him but before he can pull the trigger a flame censer blindsided him and knocked him through a wall, the Ace clattering to the floor.

Wren opened fire on a vent beside the jammed door and holstered her Better Devils as she practically dove in. She scrambled through the access tunnels on hands and feet, skin crawling when she saw a bright flash of blue in the shadows ahead and heard claws on bare metal floors.

She wasn't alone and Traveler only knew what was in the tunnels with her.

When she dropped through the floor into a utility room, more of the glowing blue creatures swarmed her. She ran, urged on by fear and explosions from behind that sent searing blue chunks along her back.

It was no good. She needed to be faster!

A door was blown open and Wren jumped through it, then dropped into a massive fan housing when a shockwave of something rushed over her. Immediately she knew something horrible had happened.

"Sundance…. No! She… she's dead. Without her—"

"Cayde," his name came in a choked gasp. "Cayde hold on!"

He had to get up. It couldn't end like this. The thought kept replaying in his head, but it was slowly losing meaning. He tried to roll to his stomach. Tried to get to his feet, but the pain was overwhelming. He couldn't remember ever feeling this heavy and his throat tightened with tears he'd never shed.

His right leg refused to move as he coughed and struggled to pull himself away from the shadow of a man that approached, Ace in hand. At first he didn't know who the man was. His pace was slow. Deliberate. Like an animal carefully considering prey. Golden eyes glowed from under his cloak.

Uldren.

"You uh… you have a gun I could borrow?" Cayde asked, eying the Ace in Uldren's hand.

"No," Uldren said coolly. "But I do have a bullet… with your name on it. Since you wasted the last one." He held out his hand and dropped little pieces of Sundance to the floor.

"Any second," Cayde sputtered. "My partner is gonna bust in here and kill every last one of you."

Uldren neared, his head tilting ever so slightly. "Oh? Which one? The tiny Hunter?" he scoffed. "I would have killed her ages ago. Had my knife to her throat, if memory serves…"

Cayde didn't care for Uldren's easy tone and frankly, he hoped what he said was a lie just as much as Uldren thought it was. Traveler please don't let her come through that door. Please. I ain't asked for much but I'm beggin' this one. One last favor…

"Uldren you piece of—"

"It's actually lucky for her that you showed up," Uldren mused, drawing his fingertips across the barrel of the Ace. "You look confused," he smirked. "Do you honestly think that last bullet was for your Ghost?"

That was for Kiran? They planned on killing Wren? What? Why? His gaze drew up to the light above, filtering to the lower levels through dust and smoke.

Uldren tilted his head. "I bet you think this is a stroke of luck. You laying here instead of her. Well, it's only a matter of time."

"Don't you lay a hand on her you son of a bitch," Cayde coughed, trying to sit up.

"Shh, sh, sh… This is going to hurt. A lot. Any last words?" Uldren asked and Cayde was staring down the barrel of his own gun.

He thought about a quip. Something sharp to wound Uldren in his dying breath but… the words he really wanted to say weren't meant for Uldren.

"Nothin' I wanna say to you," he coughed, hand falling to his pocket. He wished he'd done things different. All of it. He glanced down to the now tattered red cloth around his left bicep. If this was it, he'd make sure she was his last thought. He closed his eyes and waited for the shot.

A single shot from the Ace just beyond the next door brought Wren's hopes up only for them to be shattered the moment she ran in. Cayde was on the floor. Motionless. Past him in a gateway was a shadow of a man with the Ace of Spades and a whole crew of large figures behind him. He turned to face her and in the light she recognized his face.

"He didn't feel a thing," Uldren said, waving the Ace at her like a taunt.

Wren drew her Better Devils and unloaded on the closing gate, unsure if it did any good.

"You son of a bitch! You fucking coward!" Tears stung her eyes but a faint cough from Cayde brought her to him.

Wren hit her knees beside Cayde, his face damaged to the point of being almost unrecognizable. He made some dumb joke about his hair but the words passed through her like a ghost, there but not registered. She was too late.

"No," she whispered, unable to accept that thought. She ripped off her gloves and threw them aside, her mind working to fix it. To repair it. The gaping hole in his chest twisted with shards of metal and within were sparks of electricity. What could she do? There was no blood to stop, to wound to cover.

"Kiran?" she pleaded as he lowered to Cayde's side, glancing over to a shard of Sundance that remained, a flicker of gold and red in the rubble.

"There's… there's nothing I can do," he choked, gently settling beside what remained of Sundance, his light fading as he came to rest on the floor. "I'm sorry."

Her lip quivered and she shook her head. "No." She forced her voice to steady. "No, it can't end like this. If we… if we can get you up and get you back to the Tower they'll fix you and you'll be fine."

"Sugarbird," he coughed.

Wren straddled him, feet planted on either side of his hips and she wrapped her arms around his torso and tried to lift him off the floor, but he was too heavy. Her boots slid in the fluids that pooled below him. He raised a few inches but it was too much and he began to sink again. Harsh edges of his body ripped into her armor, parts piercing through and cutting her. Blood trickled from them and she knew the cuts were deep but the pain didn't register beyond the tightening in her chest.

"Please, we have to get out of here," she begged and he sputtered and inhaled sharply.

"Stop," he whispered but she kept trying, straining to lift him. "Stop."

"I can't."

"Wren, stop," he said, his voice crackling but firm.

"Don't call me that," she cried as he sank back to the floor, pinning her arm under him.

"I picked a good name," he chuckled, his voice cut short by a groan.

Wren pressed her face into his neck, shards of metal cutting her cheek. "If you just get up you'll be okay," she pleaded. "Please, I just wanna go home."

His arm wrapped around her, resting heavy on her back to pull her in. "Shh. You are home."

"I should have been here sooner. I should… I should have jumped. I should have-"

"Hey, don't do that. This ain't on you. Don't you dare keep this on you, got it? I love you more than anything and I don't want you to suffer for this. Swear to me," he struggled for breath. "Swear to me you won't do like you did after Beorn."

Wren shook her head, unable to stop her sobbing. "Don't talk like that. You're going home with me. We're… Banshee can… someone, anyone—" If she just clung to him tight enough, he'd stay. If she just held on tight enough, he couldn't… he couldn't…

"I'm sorry I broke my promise," he whispered. "I'm damn proud of you. Best Hunter I've seen," he smiled.

"I don't care about that! Just stay with me."

"Wish I could… you tell Ikora and Zavala, the Vanguard was the best bet I ever lost. And… I love you, Sugarbird." His arm slid off her and hit the floor with a dull thump.

"Wait… wait! I love you. You can't… you just… you can't."

Footsteps approached but she didn't care. She hoped it was some other escaped inmate hoping to get a Guardian death under their belt. Let them come for her. Rip her to shreds if they wanted. She was done.

"No…" Petra. She stopped short of the doorway, her shadow stretching long over Wren where she laid over Cayde, twisted metal of his body carving between the soft places in her armor, cutting into flesh but she didn't feel it. The crushing pressure in her chest stopped time and this was it.

The end of it all.

Wren lost the ability to process the passing of time. She lay on Cayde until the tears dried on her cheeks and a numbness blanketed her. Petra had sat beside them, drawing her thumb absently over Cayde's hand, which she'd pulled into her lap.

The prison break had been a success. No doubt Uldren and the others had escaped and were wreaking havoc in the Reef but Wren couldn't make herself care.

"We have to go," Petra said, though her voice fell flat. Neither of them moved.

"I won't leave him."

"No. We'll take him home."

"Home…" tears welled up in Wren's eyes again and she sat up. "I couldn't save him. I couldn't… if only I was stronger. Faster."

"You can't think like that," Kiran said, resting in Wren's lap. She scooped him up and held him close to her cheek. "If you two can get him to his ship, I can transmat him in I think."

Wren tried again to lift his body but he was heavier than before and she could barely make him sit up without great effort. Petra helped her and together they carried him away from where he made his last stand.