"Now follow me." Isy started up again. "This way is where the lounge is. You can relax and take some down time in this room. There's a TV and-" She paused, looking back at us to see we weren't following her. "Wait, why aren't you walking." Isy crossed her arms over her chest and stared at us.
"Well-" I looked up at Isy who was suddenly looking down at me from where she stood upon hearing my voice. "Get to it then. We're not following you anywhere else until you tell us what's going on. Like he said, we've been through enough already. We're not going to end up on our asses again. Personally, I don't have the time nor energy to be in constant danger anymore." I finished. "Tell us what's going on."
"Now." Em finished, placing both hands on her hips. Joe was backing us up, standing strong and tall we waited for Isy to say something.

Isy stared at us, shocked momentarily, only to let out a laugh.
Nina raised a confused eyebrow at me and I shrugged.
"You guys have no idea. You really don't." Isy started and rested a hand on her hip.
"Then tell us." Spencer said and I could hear the confidence in his voice.
"I would." She tilted her head at the youngest in our group. "But, unfortunately for you, I can't."
"What do you mea-"
"If you would just give me a moment," She cut Joe off with a glare. She was clearly getting tired of being questioned and interrupted, "I can at least tell you, that we are one hundred percent a Tilerian Base. Hard for you to believe, I get that. At least everyone in here has been in your shoes. Even me. So hop off your high horse and wait a second. You really think it's me who's got the authority to explain what we're doing to a bunch of kids like you? Follow me, shut up and I'll take you to them."
Isy turned away and marched off, her frustration was evident, something you could taste in the air. But so was ours, so without a second thought I strode after her, determined to get the truth.

"I don't think I like her very much." I mumbled as we all slowly began to follow Isy where she was going.
It was a long walk to wherever we were going. Not the usual two of five minutes it took to get from one place to the other. It was more of a ten minute walk that included lots of twist and turns to get to our destination. When we arrived, we were taken to a door painted gray. Isy opened the door and walked inside.
"Well, are you coming?" She asked, rolling her eyes. She was annoyed. We all looked at one another before following her inside.
The gray door lead to a soft blue room. There were computers, chairs, tables, maps. Anything you could think of. Ahead of us was a single wooden desk with a gold name tag on the desk that read 'General Thomas'.
"Oh, I see you finally made it." A strong female voice said to us. From the corner of the room, a tall, dark woman with a neat bun in her hair, came forward. "You must be our newest bunch. Welcome to the Grey Base." She said with a smile, walking down the line and shaking each of our hands.

"I'm General Thomas. I'm guessing you have assumed this already." She smiled kindly and gestured to a large circular stainless steel table in front of us. "Please, take a seat."
She stood waiting for us to react and slowly we each took a seat around the table. Em pushed Daisy's chair in beside the chair I'd just sat down in, then took a seat on her other side.
She turned to Isy who stood near the door with her arms folded. "Would you like to stay? Otherwise, Lieutenant Parsons said to be looking for you on Level 3."
"Sure thing. I'll drop by later, if that's okay." Isy smiled at General Thomas, ignored all of us, and left the room letting the door swing closed behind her.
"Well, I'm sure you have many questions." General Thomas joined her hands together as she began pacing around the table. "I hope you know, that you are genuinely safe here. Nothing is required from you if you wish to relax and recover from whatever you have been through. Though you should know that there are certainly things happening here."

"Thank... you?" I said, confused as to what was actually happening here. I was glad we were safe for the first time in what felt like centuries. It was so relieving that we could sit and recuperate for a bit.
"There's a level three?" Joe whispered and Spencer hit him in the arm. It was the first time I'd seen Spencer give his siblings a taste of their own medicine.
"Here at the Grey Base, we let soldiers recover from their injuries and traumas." General Thomas began again. "I suspect that sounds good to you." She smiled. "We run out classified missions that- I can't quite tell you about because well," She paused. "They're classified." She explained.
"What other things are happening here." Nina leaned in, narrowing her eyes at the General. She was listening as she spoke, but she wasn't quite sold yet. She was still skeptical of what the General was saying.

The General looked about the room at the numerous computers and digital materials that were organised in a manner only the people who worked there seemed to understand. "There are many things going on here. We are actually the only Til base left standing within fifty miles. It's astounding you six managed to stumble upon us." She turned to us and put her hands on the back of an empty chair. "Before we go much further with our discussions, I need to know all of you are comfortable with our no returns policy." She smiled. "Well, that's what I like to call it, but it's really much more serious."
"Serious how?" Em asked, looking at her siblings.
"It's more like once you know the details of what we are doing here you cannot leave so as not to jeopardize what many people have put so much into. You may decide not to partake, but you will have no choice but to wait at the Grey base until what we've aimed for is complete."
It made sense. I didn't like it, that's for sure, but I could understand why.
"What? You'll keep us here like prisoners if we don't go along with your plans?" Joe threw his hands in the air, frowning hard at the General.
"You need to understand. If you don't want to know what we're doing, then that's fine. Relax, recover, then be on your way. But if you want to find out before being sure you'll stay to help, you won't have a choice. We can't risk anyone getting captured by the enemy and having the information tortured out of them. It has indeed happened to us before and since then we've created this policy. You're either in it or not."

I looked around, examining everyone's faces. I wanted to try to get a glimpse as to what they were thinking. I looked for any sign of them considering they'd want to learn all of the Grey Bases secrets and stay. The fact that the Grey Base was the only base left standing for fifty miles was scary. It was intimidating in a way. I was shocked to know it was the last base standing and curious as to why they didn't help the other bases we were at when we were attacked. So many of us were captured, killed, or taken as prisoners. Then it was just Sam, The Siblings, and I. We'd managed to escape and make a run for it. It was a miracle that we'd made it out. It was difficult to hear that we were the only surviving Tilerian base for miles and miles. We were just in the midst of our enemies and we'd made it. It was more than a miracle. It was pure, dumb luck.
"I-" I started to try to voice what I was thinking. "I don't think I want to know what you're all doing here. It could be years before you accomplish whatever it is you're trying to do. I don't think I can stay underground here that long." I paused. "I'll get better, then I'll be on my way... Ma'am. General, Ma'am." I struggled getting the last part of what I had to say, but I made my point. "I don't know about my friends, but I'll pass on knowing what it is you're doing here. Thank you for letting us in and for patching me up. But I'll leave when I'm fully recovered."

We were all looking at Daisy. I didn't know what to think, or do, or say. What if what they were doing here ended up changing the course of the war? What if we could be a part of that? Save lives... our country...
"Well, I'm with Daisy." Joe chimed in after a moment and folded his arms across his chest. "I'm ready to get back home as soon as possible. I've given enough to this war. I'm tired and I'm opting out."
General Thomas looked between Daisy and Joe with a soft smile.
"Of course, understandable. We have all given so much to this war. Some have had much more taken from them than we could each imagine."
I sensed Nina shift beside me and turned to see her eyes narrowed in on Joe, looking livid.
"Nina?" I asked, almost afraid to find out why she looked that way.
"Joe. You are an absolute shithead. You have given nothing to this war. You've taken every loophole you could think of to get out of having to actually fight, or actually work hard to help the people around us. Your goal has been nothing but to get out of here. The only time you've actually done something useful was when we were suddenly escaping and making tracks towards what you wanted. Did you even think of what we've given to this fight?"
Joe was speechless. His sister was suddenly furious with him. I was just as shocked as he was. Nina's pent-up anger hadn't showed once since we'd met them.
"Spencer's fought and had way too many close calls. On missions you wriggled out of." Nina continued, jabbing an accusing finger at her brother. Spence looked uncomfortable as he shrank down into his chair. "Em lost Lou. Do you remember him? Nice guy, in love with our sister- died on the front just after we'd been drafted. And me? You know what I've lost, Joe. You know."
Em had a tear running down her cheek as she looked between her siblings. General Thomas stood before us all, silent as tension burnt through the air. She held herself well though, clearly she'd seen a lot of these types of arguments before.
"Look at Daisy, Joe. Look what she's given." Nina's voice was now trembling, her anger was alive but simmering as other emotions came forward. "She almost lost her life out there. And Sam, he's already saved our asses way too many times. He's risked his life for us. For people he doesn't even know. Look at what they've given."
"Nina-" Joe started but she scrapped her chair back as she stood abruptly.
"Just- don't, Joe." She turned away, marching to the door we'd just come through. With one quick movement she had pushed it open and disappeared, leaving us in a heavy silence.

I sat there shocked, my mouth half open as I watched Nina walk away. 'What in the world just happened?' I thought to myself. Nina's unexpected explosion surprised us all. There was a sense of awkwardness and tension that quickly began to fill the air. The fact that she thought just because I'd almost died meant I was doing something for this war was a compliment, but everything I'd done, I'd done because I had to. I couldn't weasel my way out of missions, or getting drafted, or fighting just to stay alive. I didn't want to do anything of the things I'd done, but I did.
"You could cut this tension with a knife." Spencer whispered as quietly as he could. But his comment didn't escape my listening ear.
"I think I should go see if my sister's okay. Please excuse me." Em was starring down at her feet trying to discreetly wipe away tears that strolled down her cheeks."
I looked up at Sam who seemed to be just as taken aback as the rest of us. I couldn't read what else he was thinking. I wondered if he'd choose to stay or leave like Joe and I.

I watched Em as she left the room through the grey door that Isy had led us through only minutes before. How the tables had turned since we'd walked into the room... I'd expected to be faced with a decision or two, but to have our right to leave potentially be taken from us for who knows how long was something I hadn't predicted. Or even thought about. I definitely needed time.
"I suggest we resume this conversation tomorrow morning." General Thomas started speaking slowly, breaking us out of our stunned states. "Take the time to think about what I've said. Daisy, Joe," She nodded to each of them, "If you stick with your decisions to carry on without knowing what we're doing here, there will be no need to come along with the others in the morning."
I hardly dared to look at Joe, but chancing a glance I saw him sitting there tight-lipped and frowning at the blank table before him.
"You may go, I'll see you here at nine o'clock sharp." General Thomas turned away and strode behind her desk, switching her focus so quickly to the next important matter she had to deal with that night- our groups sudden divided state was simply a blip in her universe.
"Thank you, ma'am." I said before I stood, eager to forget about the last few moments we'd just experienced.
Joe, in silence, was quick to move as he scrapped his own chair back and strode out with Spencer close behind.
As the door swung shut once again, I grabbed the back of Daisy's chair and begun pushing her from the room.

"That was insanely awkward." I looked up at Sam as he began pushing me out of the room. As we exited, I could see Spencer and Joe far ahead of us, whispering and talking closely by one another. General Thomas was kind to offer is what she did, but it was too much uncertainty in her offer for me. Having little to no information on such a big decision was too much for me. Or, well, not enough for me. There was too much and too little on the all at the same time. "What are you thinkin' about doin'?" I asked, curiously. "What if what they're doing here isn't really worth knowing?" I looked at the faces of those we walked by, all minding their own business. Their faces stuck in papers or conversation.
I also wondered where Em and Nina were. Nina had made such a big fuss about Joe, but didn't even vocally make a decision on what she was going to do. If she'd lost so much, why stay? I'd leave if I were her. I was leaving. Eventually.

"Wasn't it just." I agreed with Daisy as we followed Joe and Spencer. "I don't really know what I'm going to do... There's a lot of unknown. Is it worth it for me to stay here for who knows how much longer for a war that might not end despite the efforts these guys are doing? I mean, we've been through a lot, don't get me wrong, but I'm not really sure I've actually given anything to this fight. Nothing I've done has made a difference yet... I don't know, maybe that's just not how it works." I thought hard for a moment. "I guess it's never one persons effort that ends a war, it's the collaborative effort of a country. These guys are that image in front of us right now, they're working hard and giving so much so that everyone can go home and rest at the end of it- not just us."
We meandered along in silence for a bit as we twisted back through the hallways Isy had led us through so confidently before. I really didn't know where I was headed, all I could do was keep Joe and Spencer in sight and hope they were on the right track.
"I don't know, Daisy. I think I need to sleep on it. Do you still think you'll leave?"

"I mean--" I paused for a moment, nervously fiddling with my hands. "-I want to leave because the thought of being stuck underground without sunlight, or seeing the sky, or trees really bothers me. It could be years until we get to go back up. I don't even know if they send people on missions here. Are they allowed to go out? It's just a lot to think about." I sighed. "I'm not going home. I can't. I'll end up at another base, with another group of people, and another list of missions to go on. But at least I'll be out there above ground. Fighting."
Spencer and Joe stopped walking. Joe grabbed Spencer by the shoulders and started yelling at him. I didn't know what he was saying, but he was heated. Spencer pulled away from him, pulling his arm back and punching Joe in the cheek. Joe angrily grabbed Spencer by the collar of his shirt, but ultimately let him go. Whatever had just happened wasn't good.

Daisy wasn't wrong. Taking what she'd just said into consideration definitely added to my internal debate - of course these guys weren't the only people out here fighting for Til.
I was on the edge of replying to her when the scuffle broke out ahead of us. Letting go of Daisy's chair, I jogged ahead, only reaching the two brothers when Joe had shoved Spencer away.
"What is going on!?" I said, frowning at the two of them, ready to hold one of them back if things turned violent again.
Spencer was breathing heavily, leaning against the wall to my right. "Somebody can't handle when other people are right." He spat out as he adjusted his shirt from where Joe had roughly grabbed him.
Joe did a sort of low growl, his hand on his reddening cheek as if he was trying to hold it together. "Spencer doesn't know when to keep his stupid mouth shut. The youngest and the favourite, yes, but he'll always be the dimmest."
Spencer narrowed his eyes at his older and larger brother. "I had to say it, Joe- you know she's right." He paused as he composed himself. "We're all that Nina has now, you know that right? Mom and Dad won't even talk to her- they don't want to know how she is, if she's even alive... You're a real ass, and now Sam and Daisy can see that too."

I placed my hands on the side of the wheels of my chair, rolling myself down the hall towards Spencer and Joe. Sam looked like he was the only thing between them that kept the brothers from ripping each other to shreds. As I neared closer, I heard Spencer mention something about Nina and how their parents had basically disowned her. I couldn't imagine not hearing from my parents or having my sister say something like that to me. We always fought and bickered, but when it came down to it, we always had each others back.
"A-are you two okay?" I hesitated, looking between the two. Both boys were fuming. They practically had steam blowing from their ears.
"We're just peachy." Spencer spat, staring his big brother down. Joe bit his lip, holding himself back from jumping at Spencer again.
"May you two should just... take a breather." I said quietly. The few people scattered about the halls stared at us, all frozen with curiosity.

I nodded slowly, glancing between the two angry brothers.
"Look, Daisy and I, we don't know what you guys have gone through, what your sisters have gone through... and we don't have to know that. That's fine. But, we've both known each of you long enough to know that you guys are really good people. I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean it." I was just speaking, of course I meant it all, but I didn't even know what I was going to say until I said it.. diffusing tense situations was never my strongest trait. "Just, yeah, take a breather..."
Joe was the first to look at me, only for a short moment before he twisted away and stormed off down the hall. I didn't know what I'd just seen in his eyes, but I could sense that he was on the edge of a different kind of emotional over-spill.

I agreed with Sam, nodding with every word he's said. The brothers were eerily silent as they listened to him speak. When he was done, Joe gave Sam a look that shook me to my core. I didn't know what he was thinking but his emotions were building up.
"Are you okay, Spencer?" I looked up at him from where I sat in my chair. Spencer was leaning up against the wall, his arms dangling at his side. He looked sad, angry, and hurt all at once. A million thoughts were going through his head.
"I'll be alright." He said quietly, refusing to look Sam and I in our eyes. He stared at the floor, his eyes welling up with tears.

I watched Spencer for a moment, trying not to feel sorry for him. His family seemed to be falling apart at the seams, and I really didn't know what to say or do that might help.
"Maybe we should just head to bed. Everyone can cool down over night and you guys can have a proper talk in the morning and get past this." I said then hesitated for a second before stepping towards Spencer and placing my hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure you guys will be fine."
Spencer shook his head slowly before stepping away from me, causing my hand to fall. "I'll see you guys later." He said and turned away, rubbing his face as he disappeared down the hallway.
"What the heck is going on?" I asked as I turned to look at Daisy, the confusion was evident on my face as I ran a hand through my hair. "What a mess..."

I watched Spencer walk down the hall as he discreetly tried to wipe away his tears.
"I honestly have no idea. This is too much." I shook my head. "I can only imagine what's going through their heads right now." I frowned. "I don't know how this is going to end up for them. My sister and I never fought like this." I looked up at Sam, the same amount of confusion plaguing my face. "You think they'll be okay? I hope they will. I don't know what I'd do if I were in their shoes."

I sighed and shrugged my shoulders. "Who knows. I want them to be okay, but... I've never seen anything like this. Although, I haven't got any siblings so it's hard to know what's normal and what's not." I glanced around at the rest of the people in the hallway who had stopped to watch the drama play out. Majority of them had already turned back to what they were doing, but there were still a few who walked a little slower, their eyes on Daisy and I, clearly wondering if we'd be the next ones to burst into anger.
"Let's go. I don't even know where we're supposed to go to get back to our rooms." I moved behind Daisy's chair and took control of it once again, pushing her slowly down the hallway.