A/N: Late again, sorry about that. This chapter was giving me some trouble. It's slightly shorter than usual but I'm still planning to update again on Monday. I'll try to go back to my regular schedule after that. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 13: Successful Escape

Murasakibara was not slow. He was lazy, and loved food perhaps a bit too much, but not one could ever accuse the tall, purple-haired man of being stupid. Listening to Kuroko's broken pleas for them to leave, Murasakibara could only hear fear. Fear that her bond-mates had braved the heart of the Council's territory to come after her, fear of what would happen if they should be aught, and fear that she would never be good enough for them.

"Kise-chin, pass Kuro-chin the earpiece."

There was a brief moment of quiet as the request was heard and carried out, then Kuroko's voice came over the line.

"Murasakibara-kun?"

"Kuro-chin," he paused a few moments, searching for the words to make her understand. "Kuro-chin, we don't care about your past, everyone has one and everyone has things they wish they'd done differently. We love Kuro-chin because you're Kuro-chin, flaws and regrets and all.

There was a muffled sob on the end of the line. "Thank you, Murasakibara-kun," Kuroko's voice was choked with tears but she pressed on, "I'll come home with you."

Several heartfelt sighs of relief were heard from everyone and Murasakibara replied, "I'll make all of Kuro-chin's favourites."

"Thank you, Murasakibara-kun."

There was quiet for a moment while Kuroko handed the earpiece back to Kise.

"Thank you, Atsushi," Akashi said quietly, an almost unnoticeable tinge of relief and gratitude in his voice.

"You're welcome, Aka-chin. Come home soon, okay?"

"As soon as possible Atsushi. Now, we will need quiet to concentrate on getting out, so no talking or we'll have to disconnect our earpieces."

There was an immediate affirmative. None of them wanted to go through the worry of having to wait and hope Akashi and Kise would be all right.

Kuroko was trying very hard to hold back tears. Escaping one of the most heavily guarded and fortified buildings in the country was neither the time, nor place. Wiping her eyes, she looked up at the two men who had risked so much to come and save her, despite knowing she probably would not appreciate it.

"This way," she said, leading them back out of the window the two had come in by.

"Where are we going, Kurokocchi?" Kise asked, not recognising the path they were going down as the one they'd arrived by.

Kuroko shot him a secretive smile. "I'm the Shadow, Kise-kun. It is my job to know the best way in and out of any building," smile falling, she continued. "I probably know this building better than all the people who work here, but they could still be guarded, lots of people know some of the hidden passages and short-cuts, I just know them all."

Thirty minutes later Kuroko withheld a sigh of relief, they were almost out even with the pauses and detours to avoid being seen. Unfortunately, their luck seemed to have almost run out.

They had to cross an open stretch of hallway that was covered with cameras. Additionally, something was being unloaded and brought into the building so there were people milling about to deal with it.

Kuroko scanned the stretch and the people in the hallway, considering her options before turning to her two companions who were looking at her expectantly.

"Okay," Kuroko took a deep breath. "We're going to walk out across the hall and through that door," she indicated the dark brown reinforced door that was propped open.

"But Kurokocchi," Kise protested, trying to keep his voice down and only just succeeding. "We'll be seen!"

"Indeed, Tetsuya," Akashi said. "We will be caught on camera and our faces recorded."

Kuroko shook her head. "We're running out of time to get away before my absence is discovered and the building placed on lockdown. This is the safest route to exit by; unfamiliar people constantly use it to deliver supplies. What you're wearing is generic enough to blend in."

"What about you, Tetsuya?" Akashi asked, eying the prison garb Kuroko was dressed in.

"My presence is weak. Most of the workers are not familiar enough with me to be able to work around it. It would take one of the Senior Councilmen looking at the footage to notice my presence. Even then, with all the people in the hall, the chances of them missing me is high."

"What about us?" Kise asked.

"You have likely already been spotted on a camera, however careful you've tried to be," Kuroko paused, thinking. "There are some places in here where it is impossible to avoid being caught. It will be fine. So long as you act as though you have every right to be there no one should give you a second glance."

Not pausing to allow either Kise or Akashi to question her further, Kuroko stepped out into the hall and traversed through the people and out of the open door. Kise and Akashi watched, marvelling at how no one seemed to even notice she was there at all. They quickly followed so as not to be left behind. Once well away from anywhere they could be spotted, Kise rounded on the girl.

"Kurokocchi, how could you leave us there?" he wailed, flailing dramatically and trying to cling to the small girl. Kuroko side-stepped the attempt, face blank.

"It makes it harder for anyone to identify or connect us should you be recognised or I be noticed," she replied in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. "Had we all made it together your identities would be known as soon as I were discovered."

"Enough," Akashi cut in, halting Kise's argument. "It is done." He directed his next words through his earpiece. "Shintarou, begin dismantling. Atsushi, Daiki, return. Mission is over, everyone is to return home."

Riko was sat at her desk, powering through a huge stack of papers with Hyuuga and Teppei having appropriated smaller desks to go through their own work when Kagami entered the office.

"Well?" she demanded, not looking up from the file in her hands.

"They're gone," Kagami replied, smirk lighting up his features.

"Good," Riko replied, matching smirk spreading across her face. Suddenly serious she stood, drawing the attention of the rooms occupants.

"Teppei, make sure there is no record of the GOM's presence anywhere in this building. Junpei, round up everyone we have collected unsatisfied with how the Council runs things."

There was the sound of marching feet as the woman's orders were carried out.

"What about me?" Kagami asked once they were gone.

"Rest while you can. As soon as directions come in you're going to be our point of contact.

"It's time to shake things up around here."