Blaine woke up to his alarm clock like he did every morning. He blinked open his eyes and got up out of bed and immediately started to make it, like he did every morning. He continued with his Routine like normal, but it didn't feel normal. He didn't feel normal. In fact he thought he might be getting sick. Maybe he should go see a medic? But who had time for that. He had to keep to the Routine , nothing is as important as the Routine. 

He took a shower and then brushed his teeth, he paused to look at his reflection in the mirror. There were bruises all over his chest. They were there yesterday too, but he chose to ignore them in favor of sticking to the Routine. He lifted up his arms and examined them. Bruises around his wrist. He looked down to his leg. Bruises around his ankles. He swallowed down his worry and tried to calm the nerves fluttering in his stomach.

Something was wrong. He knew that yesterday when he woke up, but today he felt a little more clear headed. Not only did he realize something was wrong, but it worried him. What had happened to him?

He pulled on his clothes and then glanced at the clock. He was already a few minutes behind and willed himself to stomp down the panic it caused. He wouldn't get behind; he was a model citizen.

He walked down to the stop and waited for his shuttle. After sharing his regular morning greeting with Trent, Blaine took a moment and looked up at the sky. It was blue. Blaine closed his eyes for as a vision assaulted his mind. Blue eyes, blinking and their owner laid on a pillow near him, smiling. Blaine opened his eyes again to see his shuttle was there. 

“Are you coming?” Trent asked from the steps of the shuttle. Blaine just nodded his head and climbed on board. 

The thought of those blue eyes wouldn't fade, were those blue eyes a vision…a memory? Blaine ignored it and continued with his Routine. Nothing was as important as the Routine. This was the day before Founder's Day, tomorrow the leaders would be here and- 

Blaine mind went blank for a moment, again some kind of vision flashed across his mind, it seemed like a memory, but it couldn't be. He was in a room with someone and one of the Leaders was there... no, it wasn't a Leader because Blaine could put his hand right through her. A hologram of a Leader? But why would there be a hologram of a leader?

Blaine stumbled out of the shuttle when it arrived at WG headquarters. He counted his steps to make sure they were in rhythm with what was going on around him. He discovered years ago when he first started his job in Principal City that counting helped him stay in the Routine, it was his cadence, his way to keep time, but he hadn't needed it for a long time—not until yesterday. 

Trent looked at him funny... was that worry on his face as they parted ways to their own desks? Blaine was relieved to finally be at his workspace. Work was easy; work was repetitive. Work kept him on Routine and helped him not think of beautiful blue eyed men, or strange holograms of Leaders. Work was good, work was Routine. 

The rest of the morning went well for Blaine. He was able to fully merge himself in his tasks and not worry about anything, or pay much attention the ache in his body. This lasted until lunch at least. It lasted until he was in line and he looked up and saw him. 

The man from yesterday. The one who came to his desk and then somehow forgot why he was there. He was tall and lean and had the most lovely blue eyes. Blaine snapped out of his trance watching the man get his food and sit alone at a table, by the person behind him. 

“Excuse me.” They said. “It is your turn.” 

Blaine looked to see it was his turn to get lunch. He hadn't even noticed the line move. He got his food and then went to sit by Trent like normal when something stopped him, instead he turned and walked towards the man with the blue eyes. He was just going to talk to him for a minute, maybe see if he could make him smile, find out if the smile matched the one from his vision earlier that day. No, that was stupid, he would just talk to him. 

Blaine found himself standing in front of the man's table, saying nothing. The man... what did he say his name was yesterday? Kurt? Looked up from his meal to see Blaine standing there mute. His eyes grew round and his mouth feel open a little before he smiled. And oh... it fit Blaine’s vision like a puzzle piece, except it was much better in real life.

“Blaine?” The man said his voice a little breathless. “Do you... do you...” The man cleared his throat and seemed to be at a loss for words. “Hello.” He said after a moment. 

“Hello.” Blaine echoed back. 

“Do you know me?” He asked. 

“You're name is Kurt.” Blaine answered trying to remember something else that seemed just out of his mind's reach. 

“Yes!” Kurt said excitedly. 

“We met yesterday.” Blaine said and immediately felt bad because Kurt's face fell at the words. 

“Sure.” Kurt said and then took a deep breath. “Would you like to sit and have lunch with me?”

Blaine glanced at the empty table and for a moment he very much wanted to sit down, but then he looked back at his normal table and the familiarity of it seemed safe. “No. Thank you, though.” Blaine said and smiled a little. 

Kurt smiled too, though it seemed a little sad. “Maybe some other time.” Kurt said. 

“Maybe.” Blaine replied and then turned and walked away, sitting with his usual co-workers and eating his lunch a little faster than normal to get back on Routine . 

He didn't look back during lunch, but he knew Kurt was watching him. It wasn't until he got back to his desk that he realized Kurt hadn't introduced himself yesterday, but somehow Blaine had still known his name.

Kurt kept an eye on Blaine all day, making excuses to run errands just so he could slip past the area Blaine worked at to check up on him. Blaine seemed okay. He also seemed like a robot, doing his tasks and staying on routine frighteningly well, every movement precise and measured. He even caught Blaine counting under his breath to keep in time.

It made Kurt feel ill, Blaine wasn't just keeping the routine, he seemed truly terrified to get off of it. And then Blaine approached him at lunch and for a moment Kurt thought he remembered, but still appeared distant and lost. Yet, something made him come talk to Kurt, if only briefly, and he had been polite and smiled a little. That had to have meant something, right?

The day seemed so long for Kurt. He wanted it to be over, so that he could get on with the plan for Founder's Day and start working on a way to get Blaine back. 

That evening Tina, Puck and Sam were coming over to finalize plans for tomorrow, Kurt hated the idea of them all sneaking through town, but it made more sense than taking Sam to the Rebels' hideout. Adam still didn't know about his involvement.

Just a little while after dark there was a knock on Kurt's door, he opened it only to find Sam standing there, a smile on his face. 

“Did you have any trouble getting here?” Kurt asked. “I know there's extra security with Founder's Day coming-”

“Kurt,” Sam interrupted. “I've been doing this a long time.”

They talked a little while about the volunteers Sam had gotten to help out the next day. “Everyone understands that they are there to try and keep people calm and give direction. We are all ready to see the WG fall, it's just...”

“What?” Kurt asked seeing the worry on Sam's face. 

“What we don't understand, what I don't understand, is how? How are you so sure that whatever you are doing is going to dismantle the World Government?”

“Well, I mean, it won't all happen at once.” Kurt said. “But The Leaders won’t be in charge anymore and people will know...” Kurt was trying to think of how to tell him when there was another knock on the door. Kurt got up and let Tina and Puck in. 

Kurt introduced them and they all sat down with a big map of Principal City Square, where The Leaders' speech would take place, and charted out who should be where. 

“The Authorities could be a problem.” Puck said. “Adam has a lot of us Rebels ready to stop them from trying to “bring order” to the crowd. A.k.a we are going to make sure their weapons don't work. We just need to make sure no one besides the Rebels are doing this. No one should get hurt, not even The Authorities.”

“Agreed.” Tina said.

Sam was silent, his face set in stone. 

“Do you agree?” Kurt asked nervously. 

“We want to protect them even though they've hurt others?”

“Sam.”

“They hurt Blaine. They took Mercedes.” 

Kurt heart thudded in his chest. He understood where Sam was coming from, but that didn't mean he wanted to get even with them. He just want things to be better. “I know.” Kurt said with a sigh. “But if tomorrow becomes about vengeance instead of freedom, we've already lost.” 

“You are only saying that because you still have hope. You could still get Blaine back.”

Kurt closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he spoke. He wanted to deny what Sam was saying, but would that be true? What if they had taken Blaine? What if he had disappeared? What if they killed him? The thought made Kurt shiver. Wouldn't Kurt want vengeance then? Yes... probably... maybe... 

But he still wouldn't deviate from the plan, not when innocent people would be at risk if he did. 

“Sam...” Kurt said choosing his words carefully. “First of all, we don't know that you've lost Mercedes for good... and, as far as tomorrow goes... I don't expect you to stick with the plan for the good of the Authorities, but to do it for the safety of everyone else. An actual fight against them would only mean violence, for everyone there. We can't do that to the people.”

Sam was quiet and still for a tense moment before he let out a long breath. “Right. I know. You're right. You don't have to worry about me. I'm not looking for vengeance... Mercedes wouldn't like it anyway. She would never hurt anyone.”

“Thank you,” Kurt said earnestly. 

“And we still want to help find her,” Tina spoke up. “When this is over.”

“Absolutely man!” Puck added. “I know a guy who escaped a WG holding facility and he has spent a lot of time since then scouting their locations and helping others to get out. And that should be even easier after tomorrow. We're going to help you, just please say we can count on you.”

Sam nodded seriously. “You can count on me.”

Kurt smiled. “Good. Then let's finish up here so everyone can get back safely.”

After a while Tina and Sam where busy mapping out a strategy for the next day so Puck ended up in Kurt's kitchen raiding his refrigerator. Kurt followed him in. 

“I saw Blaine today,” Kurt said. 

“Yeah?” Puck said stuffing a bite of sandwich in his mouth. “How' 'e 'eem?” He said while chewing. 

“Weird. Not like himself. Scared... He... he smiled at me.”

“Oh god,” Puck said rolling his eyes. “You've got it bad.”

“I'm worried about him!” 

“I know! I know,” Puck said and took another bite. They stood in silence for a little while before Puck spoke again. “Artie is worried about Adam.”

“Why? Is he okay?”

“Yeah, fine. But there is some other program, other than the one you and Artie wrote, running underneath all of the other programming. Artie can't figure out what it is, though he thinks if he could get the motherboard from the WG side he could figure it out. Anyway, he finally told Adam about it.”

“And?”

“And Adam told Artie it was none of his concern. The biggest day in Resistance's history is tomorrow. We have all been working years for this. People have died to get the information we have and to help get that program working. And Adam tells our chief programmer, the smartest guy I know, that it was 'none of his concern.” Puck licked his fingers as he finished his sandwich. “Which of course concerns me... greatly.”

“Yeah...” Kurt said worry settling in his gut. “That seems... off.”

“I have a few guys assigned to kept their eyes on Adam tomorrow. I just wanted to give you the heads up because if something happens and...” He shrugged, “And we can't trust Adam, we'll be looking to you.”

“What?” Kurt said his voice high and squeaky. “I'm not second in command! Azimio is.”

“Yeah, technically, but everyone looks to you Kurt. You have to know that. We trust you. Why do you think Azimio doesn't like you? He knows it too. If something happens the rebels are going to look to you for answers.”

“I... no... I can't...” Kurt paused. “Nothing is going to happen, okay? We can't afford for anything to happen.” 

“Right. Gotcha... I'm just saying...” Puck said and stood up from the counter he'd been leaning on. “Just keep it in mind.” 

When Tina, Puck and Sam left for the evening Kurt tried to get to sleep, but he was just a bundle of nerves. Even if Puck hadn't mentioned Adam and people looking at Kurt to lead, he would have still been nervous about tomorrow, but now Kurt knew sleep wasn't going to com

Blaine tossed and turned in bed, not able to get comfortable or go to sleep. He thought at first that it was out of excitement for Founder's Day tomorrow, but then realized he didn't feel excited about it at all. In fact, he didn't feel much of anything. His only concern was keeping on Routine. Except that afternoon when he'd been talking to Kurt... he might have felt something then. 

Blaine shook that thought from his mind. Fixating on some guy he barely knew would only get him off track. After a long time of counting to a hundred and then counting it down backwards Blaine finally feel asleep.

 Blaine frantically looked around the room and then down at the table he was belted down on. He was in a Re-acclamation Center but he didn't remember getting here. Something was strapped around his head and buzzing. It occasionally sent zaps of some kind of electric currents through his body that made him jerk and his toes curl. 

It hurt. 

There were also things strapped to his chest so that when the electricity shocked him he couldn’t buck up too high; they were digging in and leaving bruises. 

Blaine was trapped, he was in pain, but mostly he was scared... and angry. He tried to calm the mad beating of his heart as he started counting, up to one hundred and then back down again. After a while he was calmer, still tied down with electricity flowing through him, but calmer. That's when he realized there were voices talking nearby. 

His eyes were closed and his heart rate was somewhat steady again. They must have thought he was asleep, or passed out. 

“I still don't think he knows,” An unfamiliar voice said. 

“His JCN was used to open the door to where the main computers are kept. He was in there when it was tampered with. He has to know. I'm telling you Blaine Anderson is a spy.”

“I just don't see it. He has lived in Principle City his whole life. I think he just got bored and overly curious. If he knew about 'Comminisco' do you really think he wouldn't have said something? We just need to continue with his re-acclamation process. Nothing more severe is needed.”

“Alright, for now, we do it your way.” 

At that moment another higher-voltage shock tore through him making him scream and his limbs clench tight and his heart to beat out of rhythm.

“Oh I think that is enough of that for now.” One of the voices said. 

Blaine woke up screaming and in a cold sweat, his covers wrapped around him and making him immobile, which only made him panic more. He threw off his sheets and scrambled off the bed and on to shaky legs. It had been a dream, just a dream. It wasn't real... except, it felt real. It felt like a memory.

Blaine rushed to the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face then he stripped off his shirt and looked at the long dark bruises across his chest. He leaned in closer to the mirror and moved the hair on his scalp around until he found small round marks spaced out evenly on the skin there... bruises maybe... or burns?

It was real. It may have just been a dream right now. But it had happened to him. But why? Blaine was a model citizen, why would he be sent to a Re-acclamation Center? Blaine griped the sides of the sink to support his trembling body. 

Because he'd found out something he shouldn't have... or at least The Authorities had thought he did. He should just leave it, it didn't matter. Whatever it was he'd forgotten it now anyway, and he was back on Routine. 

It was fine. Though... it really didn't feel fine. 

He wondered if Mercedes would be mad if he woke her up in the middle of the night to talk to her about-

Blaine's heart thudded painfully against his chest. 

Mercedes. 

Mercedes was gone. 

Not only had they taken her they'd made him forget her!

Blaine looked up at his reflection in the mirror and saw a set of hard cold eyes looking back at him. a jaw clenched and lips pursed in anger. They couldn't get away with this. They had taken Mercedes and they had messed with Blaine's brain and they... they took something else, something important, something Blaine couldn't remember. 

Maybe he had known something before this, maybe he hadn't, but whatever it was The Authorities were trying to erase from him, he was going to find out. 

Blaine quickly got dressed and headed outside. No shuttles were running this late, but Blaine knew the way. He rode a shuttle the same route for the past 8 years. He knew how to get to WG Headquarters. When he got there only the security detail was there. But he was ready for them. They were low-ranking Authorities with only minimal power. 

Blaine just walked up to the doors and knocked on the glass. One of the security team came to the door looking surprised and more than a little worried. 

“Citizen!” He said as he unlocked and opened the door. “You can't be out past curfew! I'll have to call The Authorities.”

“Oh please don't!” Blaine said wringing his hands together. “Please, you don't understand! My name is Blaine, Blaine Anderson. I work here, I have for 8 years. I have class B clearances. And a 120 on my citizenship score. A model citizen you could say. Look me up if you want!” Blaine said and held up his wrist. 

“Then why are you here?” The man asked. 

“It's just... tomorrow's Founder's Day, and I am so excited. Are you?”

“Yes...” The man said slowly, “But I don't see what that has to do with-”

“I left some very important files behind today after work. Things that are needed for Founder's Day tomorrow, because I was so excited. Now normally I would just wait, get them later, but I won't be here tomorrow and I have to have them with me. I mean we all want tomorrow to run without a hitch. If I could just go right up to my office and get them?” Blaine stopped and gauged the man's reaction. Luckily he seemed sympathetic. 

“I'm excited too,” The man said. “But I really shouldn't... but if it's for Founder's Day.”

“It is!” Blaine said. 

“Okay. Fine. Be quick.”

Blaine smiled and thanked the man, rushing upstairs before he had a chance to change his mind. He walked straight past his desk and went to the high security area. He lifted his wrist and entered the computer room. He knew there was no way he was going to get away with this in the long run, but he had to know. 

Suddenly Blaine was hit by the memory of someone sliding a panel out and working on something with it. Blaine thought hard about which panel it was before he pulled it out and stood and stared at it. Blaine was good with computers, he had to be for his job, but still it took him a while to get to where he wanted. Images and words flying across the glass screen in front of him. Finally he thought he was getting somewhere. He walked up to the screen and pressed in the word “Comminisco”. 

The screen went suddenly blank and Blaine was afraid he broken something when, just as suddenly, pictures and words and videos flashed up in the screen. It took Blaine a moment to realize what he was looking at. He took another moment to take it all in as information scrolled across the screen. 

“Oh my god,” Blaine breathed, his body feeling cold and weighed down. “Oh my god!” 

Then as quickly as everything came on the screen it went blank again. Blaine stood there, stunned  breathing irregular, when something in the bottom left hand corner caught his eye. 

A strange little symbol almost unnoticeable. Blaine lifted his hand and pressed a finger over the symbol. Again information popped up on screen scrolling by so fast Blaine could hardly keep up with it until it ended with the picture of a man. A very familiar looking man. Light hair and eyes, and an easy smile. The name came to Blaine a second before he found the it on the screen. 

“Adam Crawford”

“Oh, fuck no,” Blaine said and quickly switched the screen off. Pushing the panel back in place and rushing from the room. 

He passed the security guard on his way out. 

“Did you get your files!” The man asked as Blaine ran pass him. 

“Yeah!” Blaine shouted over his shoulder as he ran out into the street. 

He had to tell someone he had to tell... Kurt... He had to tell Kurt! Why Kurt? Damn it! Blaine still couldn't remember what Kurt had to do with any of this. And he didn't know where to find him even if he did. But he knew instinctively that he could trust him.

“I'll have to find him tomorrow at the square’” Blaine said to himself. And hope it won’t be too late. His mind added.