Kuzey - TRNC

Stelios - Cyprus

Hestia - Nyo Greece

Alin - Romania

Tsvetan - Bulgaria

Yeah I got that few-chapters-in sluggishness. You'd think a story I don't have to write from scratch would be easier to get chapters done for, but I do have other things I want to write, and I draw sometimes I guess. Also 2013 me couldn't fucking write so editing this shite is hard.

Some GiriPan and past TurGre in this chapter.

He had half an hour before the next patrol.

Heracles kept a calm, steady gaze on the Eastern Market Square at the end of the alley, hidden in the shadows of a doorway in a CCTV blindspot he'd found earlier. The city wall loomed over him, over the slums where the residents crowded into one-room huts, trying to give off no signs of life. Anyone caught outside in the lowest level, the Disgraced, was shot on sight. It was where scum too low-level to execute were evicted, and the people here were considered disposable. Heracles tried to avoid the place, if he could. This was the one time he'd never needed to come here, and the day of scouting had been one of the most tense in his life.

He was waiting for someone he hadn't seen for ten years.

All he had to go on was a note left on his counter that morning. Anonymous, but in a familiar hand, and telling him to wait here at 10pm, have whatever was left of the rebels ready, and it was probably a trap. But Heracles had dedicated his life to the pursuit of knowledge, and he just couldn't walk away from a mystery. He always needed to know more. Kiku said it was a bad idea, though. Heracles was known to the police. He'd been low down in the rebel ranks, not important enough to punish, just keep an eye on.

Not like his siblings.

Had this been to test if he'd cause trouble, if given the opportunity? Because he would. Though he'd probably just get tortured to death and dumped who knows where before he could get far.

At least Kiku was safe.

He couldn't be throwing his life away, though. It'd hurt Kiku, in more ways than one. He was being selfish. "What am I doing here?" he asked himself, scratching the back of his head.

"Waiting for me, I presume," came a voice from the end of the alley.

Heracles jumped, just suppressing a shout. He turned towards the voice with raised fists, then immediately lowered them.

"Sadik Adnan, you bastard," he murmured, "you're really back."

"The one and only," Sadik winked at him. He was grinning widely, leaning against the wall. Heracles noted a distinct lack of his own siblings. He'd been the only one in the family to escape exile, but his twin sister and younger brother? He'd not seen them in 10 years. One of his closest friends, Muhammad Hassan, had been exiled with them, but only Sadik was left to stand before him. Sadik's smile fell. "Hey, I know you got a bunch of questions and all, but we need to find cover. And I need to get this little man to sleep." He gestured at his chest, where a small boy nestled in his coat, arms around Sadik's neck, Sadik cradled him tenderly. The boy wore one of Sadik's old shirts as a tunic and was wrapped in a frayed blanket.

Heracles' nephew, he assumed. So, there was at least some family returned to him.

"Hestia had the baby, then?"

Sadik nodded. "Just lost sight of the city when she went into labour. This is Kuzey."

"And where is she? And Stelios? And Hassan?" Sadik shook his head. "I see." A heavy silence fell between them.

Sadik cleared his throat. "Still, I'm here for a reason.

Heracles sighed and got walking. It was a route he'd planned carefully. Less chance of being seen. "We're going to try again?"

"Yes, and-"

"No. I don't want to be part of this."

Kuzey stirred in Sadik's arms, and a pair of large eyes peeked out from under the blanket.

"Dad?" he mumbled.

"We're here, little one," he muttered, stroking his hair, "we're in the city. Think you could walk now?" Kuzey nodded, and he set the boy down. He wrapped his blanket around him like a shawl, and took Sadik's hand. "We should get inside before we're seen," he insisted, and Heracles rolled his eyes. He lead them down another alley. Sadik kept a firm grip on Kuzey's hand, and Kuzey huddled against his trousers.

"Back to the old place?" asked Sadik.

"Where else?"

Sadik gave a firm nod. "So, did you find many people?"

"You gave me one day."

"So… no?"

"You'll see when you get there."

Sadik groaned, and Heracles shushed him.

One more corner, and he was home. The bike shed outside the cafe was empty, as was the surrounding square. The ground fell away at one side, into the river, with a short fence stopping people from falling in. Mostly. The building itself was falling apart, forgotten except for the regulars. Even the police didn't pay much attention, now that the rebels were all but destroyed.

"It's good to be home," Sadik sighed.

"It's my home," said Heracles, dragging him inside.

The cafe had been scrubbed clean for the next day. The wooden floors beneath their feet were worn and faded, like the panelling on the walls. At the end of the room was a counter, and an empty display shelf for sandwiches and cakes. Behind the counter was the back room, and below the back room was a cellar, where supplies were stored, kept cool by the freezing rock. There was a box in the storage room that hadn't been moved in ten years, covering a stone slab. That stone slab was the doorway to another world.

"After everything that happened, it feels like home to me," he smiled, "it's where my family was."

"I'm flattered you consider me family, but-"

"I was talking about your sister."

Heracles flicked his nose. Kuzey kicked him in the shin. "Don't be mean!" he squeaked. Heracles cursed and bit back the urge to boot the little bastard across the room. It was cruel and besides, Kuzey was all he had left of Hestia.

"Kuzey, don't kick. We're in civilisation, now." Sadik sat on one of the tables. "Where is everyone? Downstairs?"

"Yes, but before we go, please understand, you can use the base, but I don't want to be running around getting myself killed. I have a life now. Kiku and I got married."

"Congratulations," Sadik gave a nod, "you were allowed?"

"The Emperors go back and forth on the subject. Current one, for all his faults, lets us marry regardless of gender. Guess that means the city was overpopulated."

"He's still a tyrant."

"I know. I've known for the past ten years. I've known at every rally and execution. Roderich is as set in his ways as his father, but that Empress of his, she has new ideas. New cruelties."

"They need to go. I don't care if we exile them, or have to kill the whole lot, but they can't be left to rule like this. If all the citizens banded together-"

"No. There's no way you'll get the whole city on your side."

Sadik sighed. "I know things didn't go so well last time," he looked haunted. Heracles didn't blame him. "And I know you have every reason not to believe me-"

"I had to watch my mother die," he glared at him; "I've waited all this time for Hestia and Stelios to come back, and I long accepted they'd never… but- well, I'd had hoped... You can't ask me to do this again. So stop."

Sadik didn't stop. "But we'll recruit more, plan carefully. I've had so much time to come up with ideas out there. We will succeed this time!" He looked so hopeful; Heracles wanted to look away. "Please; I just want a better life for Kuzey. He's been through so much; I just want him to be safe for once."

Heracles glared at him.

"Things are going to be different, this time," Sadik promised.

"Shut up."

"Can you at least tell me if you were able to recruit people?"

"Find out for yourself." Heracles went out into the back, Sadik picking up a half-asleep Kuzey and following. Down in the cellar, Sadik strode over to the box he remembered, and the path in the dust where it had been recently moved. They'd need to sweep that up. He pushed the box aside to find a sliver of old rope. It didn't stand out in the darkness, but he knew what to look for.

Pulling on the rope opened up a trapdoor, revealing a ladder descending down into darkness.

Sadik cast his mind back to his younger days, following Hestia through the ladder to join their parents' meetings, learning and discussing tactics with the other rebels. Back then, things were exciting, the consequences for failing nonexistent in their minds. It wasn't a game, but he didn't take it as seriously as his father did. And he didn't think he'd ever see him executed.

But now this was all or nothing. He had to take his place, be strong, and save the city. And avenge everyone he had lost. It had been almost fun, stewing in the desert, planning and dreaming of the day when he finally saw that tyrant, and his entire court of rich jokers, executed. He was going to kill Roderich personally.

He climbed down the ladder. At the bottom, Heracles passed down a sleeping Kuzey before shutting the trapdoor and following.

The three of them - Kuzey in Sadik's arms - wandered down a dim corridor, deeper and deeper down into the earth, lit only by a series of tiny, tiny lights on the floor. The corridors were built to be winding, all looking the same and easy to get lost in. Even if someone discovered their base, it would be nearly impossible to navigate, unless they had a mole helping them. Plans and secrets would stay hidden, and any group of soldiers or guards would have to go two at a time, split up to cover all the branches of the base, and be easily picked off in the dark. Well, that was the theory anyway. One turn, and then another, and Sadik found himself outside the meeting room. It was a place he'd always felt safe in, as well as so electrically alive. They'd talked about murdering the emperor there. Planned a hundred ways for this omnipotent family to die.

"Everyone in there?" he asked. Heracles nodded.

"Great," Sadik's smile fell ever so slightly. "Is it okay if I put the little one to bed first?" It had been years since he was around people. What if he'd gone feral? What if he didn't know how to talk to that many other humans?

"Of course. You remember where the bunks are?"

Sadik nodded and made his way down the corridor. One turning, and he'd reached a section dedicated to spare rooms. Sometimes it was too dangerous to go home, whether it was curfews or storms or crackdowns by the Shadow Police, and he and Hestia would curl up in a bed, safe in their own little cocoon, with Heracles grumbling to himself in the bunk below.

The room was as he remembered it, besides the dust. There were several rows of bunks with a bookshelf in the corner, donated by Hestia's mother, Mrs Karpusi. Sadik had read every book, once Heracles had stopped hogging them all.

He couldn't wait to explore the old place, but there would be time for that later. He would have so, so much time. It wasn't like he or Kuzey could leave again. Sadik was a wanted man, even if the authorities were not yet aware of his return; he couldn't just apply for a flat for the two of them. But compared to how he'd lived in the desert, this place was practically a palace.

He placed Kuzey in the nearest bunk. The boy opened an eye, staring at him in confusion.

"Hey, Little Man," Sadik kissed his forehead, "get lots of rest; you've had a long journey."

Kuzey closed his eye and was asleep within minutes.

Sadik smiled at the child before leaving as quietly as he could. Making his way back to the meeting room, he stopped at the doors to compose himself. Could he speak to all these people? He hadn't spoken to another adult since Hestia died. They would probably think he was uncivilised. Stupid. They'd leave and give him up to the Shadow Police. Or forget this ever happened and he and Kuzey would be left down here to rot. But he could never convince them to risk their lives. He wasn't his father. He had the voice, but not the commanding presence.

He smoothed down his hair, puffed out his chest, and opened the door.

The meeting room was a large hall, with a stage at the far end. In the middle of the room, a bulky, steel table stood. Sadik didn't know whether to be disheartened or relieved that only five seats were occupied.

He silently walked across the room, studying the five with interest. He put on his best, most calculating face, squaring his jaw. There was Heracles, of course, and Sadik recognised two of the four new faces. Kiku sat next to Heracles and watched him with interest. Next to them was young Arthur Kirkland, the only person not to have been in conversation before he entered. A bowler hat sat on the table in front of him, and he awkwardly scratched his eyebrow. He and Sadik had known each other back in the old days, and he'd considered Arthur a friend.

The final two sat huddled together, one scruffy and rat-like with a tiny hat and long fingers tapping the table. The other was older and tired, possibly homeless, or from the Disgraced.

Sadik took his seat at the head of the table and cleared his throat.

"So, Heracles, want to explain to me how we're gonna overthrow the Emperor with just six people?"

Heracles met his glare. "I repeat, you gave me a day's notice."

"We can begin a recruitment campaign tomorrow," said Kiku, "I assure you, we'll find more people."

"So, you've really been outside the city?" asked the rat-looking guy.

"That's right."

The two strangers exchanged glances.

"What's it like?" asked the other one.

Rat Man's eyes shone. "What did you see? Are there other people? I heard there's animals out there. Are they big?"

"Who are these guys?" Sadik hissed at Heracles.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," Rat Man put a hand on his chest. "Call me Alin Radacanu. And this is my very good friend: Tsvetan Borisov. So, what's it like on the outside?"

Sadik sighed. "No good to live in, so we'd never be able to escape and survive out there, if that's what you mean. No good for sustaining a lot of people." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It's a dead, barren wasteland. Desert. There's no people, and I travelled to every corner. No resources, either, so it's not like there could be people. I barely scraped through, never settling, just moving from place to place to find something to eat. There are beasts, yes, but they're wild. Vicious. It's a life on the edge." He shook his head. "The city's the safest place for us. Or, it will be once he have some basic rights."

"So that's what we're fighting for then," asked Heracles, raising an eyebrow, "our rights?"

"Indeed we are!" Sadik stood up, walking over to the stage and scrambling up. He could make a big speech! His father used to do so many, all moving and resounding and able to make a person believe anything was possible. "Because every one of us deserves our freedom! The right to live as human beings, and be treated with dignity. To not be killed or imprisoned for no reason, to criticise the government and not have our families pay for it! Our mission is to restore democracy, true democracy, and protect it!"

"Demo-what?" asked Alin.

"Democracy! We will vote for our leaders, and they will maintain peace, and if we don't like what they stand for, we vote 'em out! No torture, no executions, no police abuse! And no fucking royal family!"

Arthur clapped, Kiku, Alin and Tsvetan soon joining in, but not entirely enthusiastic. Sadik took a dramatic bow and jumped off the stage. It was probably too short. Too concise and not enough solid plans.

"You have my loyalty," said Arthur.

"Thank you, friend," Sadik clapped his shoulder. "So, not convinced the rest of your family to come back, then? Where's your mother?"

Arthur looked down. "It's been too long since we last met. There were raids. Arrests. They went after my family. My siblings were more heavily involved and their executions were already arranged. Hector, well, you know what he was like, a fight broke out. He didn't want the police taking the others, and he wasn't coming quietly, but you can't win against guns." He ran a hand through his hair. "My youngest brother and I were the only survivors, because I hid us under the bed like a little bitch. I was tortured, Peter…"

"Children of those executed were rounded up and sent to the mines," Kiku filled in, "I doubt any lasted long."

Arthur was very quiet.

Sadik had liked Arthur's family. He'd been a close friend of his sister, Muirgheal. "I'm so, so sorry-"

"Save your pity. I'm here to fight. There is nothing left to take from me, so I have no reason to fear anyone."

"I will fight too," said Kiku, to Heracles' dismay, "you are a good friend, and will follow where you go."

"What about you, new guys?"

"For painful reasons Alin Radacanu and Tsvetan Borisov would like to withhold, we also want in," said Alin Radacanu.

Heracles sighed. "After some consideration, I think it would be hard to use this place as your base if I was not somewhat affiliated. I won't be storming the palace anytime soon, but I suppose I'm already in enough trouble that actually listening to you won't make it worse."

"Thank you," Sadik gave a smile that wasn't returned.

Alin coughed awkwardly. "I must ask, how did you do it? Sneak back into the city?"

"Well," said Sadik, "you know the plant that cleans the river water and filters out all the waste in the pipes?"

"Yes?"

"And you know how the waste is dumped outside the city via a massive pipe?"

"Yes?"

"Do you not see where this is going?"

Alin winced. "Oh. Nice."

"Yeah. Luckily, this place has spare clothing, if I remember right. Spare everything. It's too late to be trying to make your way home now, but there's beds here. Get plenty of rest; the real work begins tomorrow."

Hector is my Scotland oc, and Muirgheal is my Ireland oc. I wanted to sneak in a little reference to Turkey and Ireland being friends, since they're my BroTP. Also Turkey's father mentioned is probably Seljuk Empire, but I don't have a Seljuk OC so I can't say for certain.

Can't believe I killed off my own dam country to fuel fucking England's tragic backstory.