Blaine doesn't know where he is, everything is stark and white and bright lights are shining in his eyes. His head is pounding and a deep voice nearby won't stop talking. Blaine feels nauseous and heavy, like he is weighed down. He turns his head to the side and thinks that he might be laid out on a table or something. The bright lights, and the headache, and the voice are too much for him to take, he can feel himself slipping back into unconsciousness.

He wakes again to light and a buzzing noise as he tries to remember where he is, and then for a moment he panics because he can't even remember who he is, but the buzzing intensifies and there is pain, white hot and electric all over his body. He clenches his teeth as all other thoughts are driven from his mind, everything but the pain. Blaine's eyes slip closed as it takes over; he tries to focus on a vision of blue eyes and a sweet smile. He doesn't know who it is, but he knows he is important. Then, the pain spikes and Blaine can't remember anything at all.

This time when Blaine wakes his body is shaking, convulsing really. His mind is blank of any thought or emotion besides fear and he quickly passes out, darkness overtaking him.

Blaine blinks his eyes open and tenses, waiting for the light and the pain and the fear to return, but it doesn't. He turns over, surprised that he is able to move, and finds himself in his bed at home. His alarm is going off. For a moment Blaine thinks something is wrong, but then thoughts of the routine push everything else out of his mind. 

His alarm is still beeping: 6:00 am. 

Blaine gets out of best swiftly and stops the alarm, and then he immediately turns around and makes his bed.) Next, he walks to the bathroom: Use the toilet. Brush teeth. Take a shower. Comb product through hair. Add more products, because this just isn't good enough. Get dressed in pale tan button up shirt. Button all the way up even if it's close to cutting circulation. Put on darker tan slacks, socks, belt and shoes.

Eat breakfast; Oatmeal: it tastes like dust.

Leave for work.

Blaine pauses in the hallway and for a split second he stares expectantly at the closed door across the hallway, nothing happens. He continues downstairs.

Wait at the shuttle stop. Trent is there, he seems off; his eyes grow huge when he sees Blaine. 

“Good morning Trent,” Blaine says without emotion.

Trent looks Blaine up and down, his face turning a little pale. Blaine wonders if he is having trouble with his routine again. If he is, then Blaine should probably avoid him. Blaine can't get behind, the routine is too important.

As the Green Shuttle pulls up, Trent finally speaks, “Blaine... How... how are you today?”

“I am doing well, and yourself?” Blaine answers robotically. 

“I'm... doing well.”

The Green Shuttle comes and goes. The Blue Shuttle—Blaine and Trent's Shuttle—takes them straight to the doors of World Government Central, where they work, downtown, in Principle City.

Kurt was lying on the floor of his living room; he hadn't slept at all last night and now his alarm clock was going off, reminding him he had to get up and go through a day in Principle City without Blaine. He blinked his eyes a few times determined to hold back his tears before he pulled himself up on stiff legs, walked to his bedroom, shutting off the alarm with one slam of his hand.)

He didn't know if he could do this. Yes, he wanted to see his mission through and show the world the truth about the World Government Leaders, but he also just wanted to curl up in a ball on his bed and dream of Blaine's laugh and voice and... That wasn't helping. 

Kurt got ready for the day; he needed to check on the new codes he'd hacked into the WG system and make sure they were running smoothly. He also needed to update a few things. He needed to do his job and not think about Blaine; about Blaine's love for music in a music-less world; about Blaine's excitement for learning new things; about Blaine's bravery when he learned about the Resistance and his willingness to help. 

Kurt had to stop thinking about Blaine and about how he'd put him in danger...

Kurt shook his head and cleared his negative thougts —Finish the mission— He wouldn't let Blaine's efforts be wasted.

Kurt was set for work, rode his shuttle to WG Central where he walked in time with everyone else and got to his desk quickly. He sat down and tried to concentrate on his job. About mid-morning Kurt was finally focusing on his task when he happened to glance up, hearing a familiar voice. 

Trent was nearby talking to a co-worker. Kurt pushed aside the animosity that grew in his belly at the sight of Trent, because what happened to Blaine was Kurt’s fault more than anyone else. He was surprised when Trent made his way to his desk.

“Good Morning Kurt,” Trent said, looking around nervously.

“Good morning Trent.”

“I think... you should come with me.”

Kurt's eyes narrowed and he bit his tongue, not wanting to make a scene. “And why should I do that? Are you going to turn me in for something?” Kurt regretted the words as soon as they left his lips. Trent looked pale and his watery eyes were downcast. 

“No.” He answered. “I... it's about Blaine. Please, just come?”

Kurt's heart leaped at the mention of Blaine’s name and he stood wordlessly from his desk. He followed Trent out of the room, a short way down the hall, before they entered Trent’s work area.

“I'm so sorry.” Trent said and for a moment Kurt's heart clenched and he thought that Trent had betrayed him after all, but then Trent nodded to a nearby desk and Kurt felt like all the air in his lungs was punched out.

Blaine.

Blaine was sitting at his desk, a serious look on his face as he worked on his computer. Kurt moved forward to rush to him when he felt Trent's hand on his arm. “Don't bring attention to yourself or him, please.”

“Of course. Of course.” Kurt said calming himself and acting normal.

“And...” Trent glanced at Blaine and bit his lip. “I'm so sorry.” He let go of Kurt's arm and walked back over to his work area. 

Kurt tried to swallow down the fear Trent's expression and words had caused, and calmly walked to Blaine's desk, as if he had business to discuss. 

“Blaine,” Kurt said as he reached the desk, unable to keep a smile off of his face out of pure relief that Blaine was here; he was here and didn't look hurt. Kurt wanted to cry, but knew he couldn't do that now, so he clenched his hands tight to distract himself and smiled at Blaine.

Blaine glanced up at Kurt, a cold look on his face and Kurt immediately knew something was wrong. Blaine looked... different. The top button of his shirt was buttoned tight at his neck and Kurt had never seen him do that. His hair, which always had product in it, was now slicked down so much that it looked more like a helmet then hair. And his eyes... they were, empty... no life or light in them at all. Blaine stared up at him blankly.

“Good Morning citizen” Blaine said in a dull, even voice and Kurt's heart shattered. This wasn't just Blaine putting on an act because they were in public; he wasn't faking this, he had changed.

“Good morning,” Kurt said softly his throat growing tight at the thought of the last time they'd exchanged 'good mornings', when they laid tangled up in each other on Blaine's bed.

“How are you today?”

“I'm doing well,” Kurt forced out. “And yourself?”

“I am doing well. Is there something you need from me?” Blaine asked, his voice a flat monotone and not at all friendly.

“Don't you...” Kurt began. “Do you know how I am?”

“No,” Blaine said simply, as if that one word wasn't carving a hole in Kurt's heart. “Is this about work?” Blaine asked coldly. “Because I haven't scheduled this conversation.”

“I... No, no. Sorry,” Kurt said, his clenched hands starting to shake, Blaine had never been cold. “I was... never mind. Wrong... desk.”

Blaine nodded curtly. “I need to get back to my routine.”

“Of course,” Kurt's voice was barely a whisper, his lungs feeling empty. 

He turned on his heel and marched out of the room, ignoring Trent's pitiful glance. He sat down at his desk and tried to calm and control his breathing. Blaine was here, he was... alive and he didn't seem hurt but... but that wasn't really Blaine. Even the very first time Kurt had met him he had life in his eyes and a smile on his lips. That robotic version of Blaine, it wasn't him.

Kurt breathed in through his nose, and out through his lips, until his heart stopped jack-hammering against his ribs. Blaine was gone—Kurt closed his eyes—but it didn't mean he couldn't be brought back, right? 

Kurt opened his eyes and looked around the office, everyone sitting perfectly straight moving and working in unison like a well-oiled machine. 

Well fine, because machines could be broken. 

They could be torn apart. 

Kurt was going to rip this machine from its hinges; he was going to strip it piece by piece. He would expose The Leaders and topple the World Government. He wasn't going to show any mercy to the system that had turned his sweet, loving, warm Blaine into a cold, mindless drone. 

He had never believed in his mission more. 

Kurt got home and slammed the door behind him. It was almost Founder's Day, but it couldn't get here soon enough. He began to stomp through his apartment before he froze. He wasn't alone. Adam and Puck were sitting in his living room watching him.

“Are you kidding me!” Kurt exclaimed. Adam looked at him seriously but Puck had a smirk on his face. 

“What's gotten you all hot and bothered?” Puck asked. 

Kurt bit back the swear word he wanted to fling at Puck. “What do you think?” he answered instead. 

Adam cleared his throat. “We heard Anderson was back at work today.”

Kurt tightened his jaw. “He was there, but he isn't back.”

“What does that mean?”

Kurt strode towards Adam a fierce look on his face. “It wasn't him... he... he doesn't know me and what's worse is he isn't even himself, he was... it's like he...”

“Like he's been brainwashed?”

Kurt balled his fist at his sides. “We have to do something. We have to extract him.”

Adam raised his eyebrows, “What good would that do?”

“We could help him remember!”

“What? Your little boy-toy remembering you is more important than the mission? Listen to me.” Adam said rising, his eyes cold. “There is nothing we can do.”

Kurt didn't even think. He just swung; one moment he was standing face to face, toe to toe with Adam and the next Adam was on his ass lying on the floor and Kurt's fist stung.

“Whoa, whoa!” Puck said jumping up from his chair, holding Kurt back as he made to launch at Adam again.

Adam sat on the ground and rubbed his chin before he stood up and looked Kurt evenly in the eyes. “Don't think just because of your dad's reputation, or because you are good at your job, or because of our... past.” Adam spit out the word, “That you can just do whatever the hell you want Hummel!”

“You sacrificed Blaine like he wasn't even important!” Kurt yelled, Puck still holding him back. 

“So did you,” Adam said cooly and walked pass him and out the door. 

All the energy and anger drained from Kurt's body and Puck lead him to a chair. 

They were both silent for a long time before Puck spoke. “He's wrong you know.” 

“No he's not. I put Blaine in danger.”

“No. Blaine's a grown man who was presented with a chance to change the world and he took it. You did the same and so did I. We all knew the dangers.”

“But if it weren't for me...”

“Yeah, yeah," Puck said rolling his eyes. "And if it weren't for your dad you wouldn't have gotten involved. And if it weren't for a saucy blonde who would dump me later, I wouldn't have gotten involved. But if something happened to me, would I blame her? Would you blame your dad? No, because in the end we make our own choices. That's what this is all about: freedom.”

Kurt looked up from where he'd been staring at his lap. “When did you get smart?” Kurt asked 

“I always have been. I just don't like to let on.”

“None of that will get Blaine back.”

“No. It doesn't. After Founder's Day though, you'll be free to try to... I don't know, un-brainwash him, or make him fall in love with you again.”

“What if I can't? What if he's permanently damaged?”

Puck shrugged. “Then you decided if you love him anyway.”

“I will always love him.”

“Good.”

They were silent again before Kurt let out a long sigh. “Why were you two even here?”

“Adam wanted to come and see for himself that you weren't going to do something stupid to hurt the mission.”

“I believe in the mission.” Kurt said seriously facing Puck. “Why did he bring you?”

“I volunteered. I needed to talk to you.”

“Okay...”

“Not about Blaine though, sorry. About Adam... you don't have any leftover feelings for him do you?”

Kurt rolled his eyes, “Oh god, Adam and I were never together. It was just some flirting; Adam was more into me than I was ever into him. Plus that was all a long time ago anyway.”

“Okay, then if I tell you that I think something fishy is going on with him, you won't be mad?”

“I did just punch him.” Kurt said dryly. “And what do you mean fishy?”

Puck shrugged again and leaned back on the couch like what he was about to say wasn't a big deal. “Someone's been tampering with some of the codes in the motherboard, from our end.”

“What?”

“Nothing big, Artie can't even figure out what the purpose is.”

“And you suspect Adam?”

“Not many people have access and I don't suspect Artie because he is the one that brought it to my attention.” 

“Okay... He probably just has some side project going, something top-secret.”

“Yeah, yeah. I'm sure you're right.” Puck said and sat up with a smile. “You trust him then?”

“Of course.”

“You just punched him.”

Kurt let out a long breath, “I don't like him all the time, but I trust him.”

“Okay.” Puck said from where he stood. “Let's go then.”

“Go? Go where?”

“One” Puck said holding up a finger. “I don't think you should be left alone right now. Two.” He held up a second finger. “Tina, Mike and I think we are going to need more support on Founder's Day. We have sent messages to the Resistance in all major WG cities. It's time to recruit.

“Recruit who? And does Adam know about this?”

“If Adam can have his side projects, then so can we.” Puck said with a devilish smile. “And I have no idea who to recruit in this city. I was hoping you would.”

Kurt thought for a moment before he remembered what Blaine had said about Sam. “Yeah, I have an idea, and it should work in the other WG cities as well, we'll need to let them know.”

“Awesome. So what's the idea?” 

Kurt felt himself smile even though he still ached deep down. “Ready to go to the circus?"