In the tower, Ryder and Barnes are disgruntled at the sight of the destroyed Zeus Cannon.
Ryder: What a waste....
Barnes: Kowalski...we need immediate extraction....
Kowalski: Yes, sir. En-route to your position.
Ryder: If we're leaving, I need to collect some things.
Barnes: Hurry, Jason. We need to get you out of here.
Ryder rushes to his office to grab a hard drive, before the sound of rifles cocking alerts him. Behind Ryder are Kyle and Shawn aiming assault rifles at his back.
Ryder: Kyle. Shawn.
Shawn: Don't you fucking move.
Ryder turns around.
Ryder: You know I was just about to ask the same thing of you.
Barnes suddenly appears and punches Kyle in the back, before elbowing Shawn. Barnes disarms both men, before throwing Shawn into the wall and pressing onto Kyle's neck.
Ryder: You rely too much on guns.
Kyle: and you don't? It's over, Ryder. Your tower's crumbling along with your army. You've lost.
Ryder: You think this is it for me? What I've started here will not end with me....this is bigger than me. Bigger than the wasteland. Bigger than you!
Ryder grabs Barnes' sidearm from his holster.
Ryder: You think I'm a madman? That's because you don't have the stomach to do what's necessary for this world.
Shawn: "Necessary"? Destroying Union City? Having my father executed, killing thousands of innocent people! Shooting Catherine? You call that fucking necessary?!
Ryder: Catherine and your father were bodies of what came with this world. I'm saving this world from its worst enemy; itself! When this world has no more enemies to challenge Kronos, there will finally be peace and we can start again. There had to be sacrifices along the way....your father was weak....like Burke....like Wilkes.....like you...
Kyle: Yeah, sick twisted fucks like you before the world ended have used the same theory over and over again.....you won't make it to that ship. My friends will shoot it down. You won't make it.
Barnes: Shut up!
Barnes presses his neck into Kyle's throat as Ryder aims his pistol at Kyle.
Ryder: I should've just put a bullet in your head. I could kill you both right now....but I won't...because I'm not a madman.
Ryder kneels to Kyle.
Ryder: You'll see...in time, you'll see...
Ryder stands up, before he nods to Barnes and leaves.
Barnes: Shame....all this and you still managed to fail...
Shawn: We destroyed your weapon, didn't we?
Kyle: Hey, Barnes...I forget how to mention how your brother went down like a pussy?
Barnes steps onto Kyle's chest.
Barnes: You better watch it, son.
Kyle: You gotta relax, man. That temper of yours is getting to you....same as Ricks'....that's what killed him...his temper....because he was weak..
Barnes: I'm warning you, kid...you better shut up while you can.
Kyle signals Shawn to attack Barnes by tapping his finger on Barnes' boot.
Kyle: What? All I said was that Barnes died crying and begging for his life like a little bitch and if you can't deal with that-
Barnes: Shut the fuck up!
Barnes attempts to curb stomp Kyle, who punches Barnes in the groin, before Shawn grapples onto Barnes arm and punches him in the face, before kicking him back. Barnes attempts to attack, but Shawn maneuvers and restrains Barnes.
Shawn: Go! Kyle! I got this!
Kyle: Shawn...
Shawn: Go, man! If Ryder gets away, he'll start it all over again! This'll be for nothing. Go! Now!
After some hesitation, Kyle runs after Ryder, before Shawn throws himself and Barnes out the window and into the medical building. Ryder is making his way to the roof, before Kyle is heard yelling his name.
Kyle: RYDER!
Kyle catches up to Ryder, who looks back.
Kyle: We're not done yet.
Ryder runs as Kyle pursues him. Barnes stands up as Shawn punches him, before Barnes blocks an attack and throws Shawn into the wall. Shawn attacks, but Barnes blocks the attacks, before punching Shawn in the stomach and the face. Shawn blocks an attack and elbows Barnes, before kicking him back. Shawn attempts to tackle Barnes, who knees Shawn in the stomach, before elbowing his back. Kyle continues chasing Ryder, who talks into his earpiece.
Ryder: Cerberus 1, I have a bogey chasing me on the eight floor of the south wing!
Taylor: Copy that! Coming in for assistance!
The Cerberus Warship flies up to the eight floor to notice Kyle chasing Ryder, before opening fire on Kyle, who narrowly dodges the gunfire. Suddenly, small arm fire hits the side of the Cerberus as in the courtyard, James, Sarah, Walter, Billy, Ashley, Cassandra, Mitchell and a hesitant Nathan open fire onto the Cerberus, distracting the warship. The Cerberus flies down and opens fire into the courtyard, causing James, Sarah, Walter, Billy, Ashley, Cassandra, Mitchell and Nathan to take cover. Shawn and Barnes continue their fist fight with Barnes dodging and gaining the upper hand. Ryder makes it to the rooftop, before attempting to contact the Cerberus Warship just as Kyle enters the rooftop, prompting Ryder to pull out his gun and shoot at Kyle, who takes cover.
Ryder: Why are you fighting the inevitable, Kyle? Think; twenty-one years living like this. You were born before the world ended...you could live a world where the grass is green again...or the soft windy breeze on your face.....or listen to the trees whisper or the people walking in the street.....cars passing by.....live a normal life.....Kronos can give that to you..... we can rebuild the world ten times larger...I've been like a father to you....I took you and Shawn in.....made you two brothers on the field....gave you a family....I can build something together for you and your friends....years from today; you can start your own family....surrender and you and I can live like kings...like gods....so can your friends....they'll live peacefully...it will be like before the world ended; what do you say? Be a son to me again.
Kyle: I say I think you're fucking insane.... that I'm fine with being wasteland trash, cause it's better than being a bitch who does what he's told...and I was never your son....you're just a man who saw opportunity.
Ryder shoots at Kyle, who sneaks around.
Ryder: You're are a stubborn boy, Kyle....it's going to hurt me to kill you.
The Cerberus Warship opens fire onto the survivors in the courtyard, hitting Mitchell in the upper shoulder.
James: Mitchell!
James rushes to Mitchell's aid and drags him to cover, before attempting to treat his wound. Barnes grabs Shawn by the throat and throws him to the ground, before attempting to stomp him, but Shawn dodges and backhands Barnes. Kyle continues sneaking up on Ryder, just as Kyle jumps onto a radiator and knocks into Ryder, who attempts to swing, but Kyle blocks and head butts Ryder, before grabbing the pistol and smacking Ryder with it. Kyle attempts to swing, but Ryder dodges and trips Kyle, before Ryder stomps onto Kyle's ribs twice. Kyle dodges the third stomp and elbows Ryder in the groin. Kyle then backhands Ryder, before standing up and punching Ryder in the face twice. Ryder punches Kyle and attempts to slash at him. Kyle blocks the attack and elbows Ryder, before Kyle tackles Ryder to the ground and repeatedly beating him. In the medical room, Shawn grabs Barnes from around the neck and after a brief struggle, Barnes head butts Shawn, before Barnes grabs Shawn by the throat and pins him down on a laser machine, beginning to choke out Shawn.
Barnes: You know, Shawn; this is a cycle. A Barnes killing a Burton. My brother kills your dad. Now, I'm going to kill you.....You know what they say; like father like son. Give your father my regards.
Suddenly, Shawn notices the operational laser button, before Shawn punches Barnes in the face and hits the button, starting up a laser. After flipping over the table, Shawn grapples onto Barnes' right arm as the laser moves up, severing Barnes' arm and causing Barnes to scream in pain. Shawn approaches the critically wounded Barnes.
Barnes: Go ahead....finish it.
Shawn suddenly grabs a pipe and knocks Barnes out with a blow to the head.
Shawn: Asshole.
The survivors are knocked away by a missile explosion from the Cerberus Warship, before it flies back up to the roof. Meanwhile, Kyle and Ryder continue their fight with Ryder pulling out a knife.
Ryder: Going to make sure you bleed out this time.
Ryder slashes at Kyle, cutting his shoulder, but after a few dodges, Kyle manages to disarm Ryder of the knife, before stabbing Ryder in the lower abdomen.
Kyle: Payback's a bitch, ain't it?
Kyle stabs Ryder again in the abdomen.
Kyle: That one's for Catherine.
With Ryder wounded, Kyle takes the knife to Ryders' neck.
Ryder: Go ahead then.....do it.....be a wolf, Kyle.....
Ryder laughs.
Ryder: Be a man.
After some tension, Kyle instead stabs the wall behind Ryders' head, before tossing away the knife.
Kyle: not a man like you!
The Cerberus Warship flies up and prepares to open fire on Kyle. However, Walter arms himself with a missile launcher and shoots at the Cerberus Warship, destroying one of the engines, causing the Cerberus to crash into the building. Kyle stands up and sprints to the edge of the roof to look down at the destroyed Cerberus Warship. Ryder stands up and knocks Kyle off, leading Kyle to hang onto the edge.
Ryder: You think you are the future of the wasteland, son! You're wrong! Don't you understand? This is for the good of what remains....and so will your death! I'll have you know; between you and me; out of you and Shawn, I loved you the most.....time to die, son.
Ryder prepares to kick Kyle off with Sarah watching from below.
Sarah: No!
Shawn suddenly appears and punches Ryder, knocking him away.
Ryder: Shawn? What are you doing, son?
Shawn: This is something I should've seen. A long time ago! (kneels down to help Kyle) you killed my father...who was your friend. This...this right here for the good of what remains....
Shawn helps up Kyle, before Ryder gives an angered look.
Ryder: You're a weak useless piece of shit like your father! I am what remains!
Ryder stands up and runs at Shawn, but Kyle pushes him out of the way, leading to Kyle and Ryder to fall off the rooftop. Kyle luckily grabs onto a wire from a downed Sphinx gunship, but is swung into the wall, hitting his temple and landing in the aquarium placed in the main hall while Ryder is fatally impaled through the lower torso by the Kronos Logo. Ryder coughs up blood and grabs the sharpened bloodied pole, before finally dying.
Sarah: Kyle!
Sarah sprints over to the aquarium presentation and attempts to break the glass.
James: Sarah! Get out of the way!
James and Walter arrive and shoot the windows of the aquarium, allowing the water, the fish and Kyle to flow out safely.
Sarah: Oh, no.
Sarah kneels to Kyle, who is seemingly dead and attempts to revive him while James, Walter, Billy, Ashley, Cassandra, Mitchell and Olivia arrive and are seemingly shocked.
Sarah: C'mon, Kyle...C'mon....open your eyes...C'mon! Kyle! Goddamn it! Wake the fuck up!
Olivia takes out a defibrillator and monitor device and injects two needles into Kyle's chest.
Olivia: I don't have a heartbeat and I can't find a pulse...charging at 200!
The defibrillator charges as Olivia attempts to shock Kyle awake.
Olivia: Clear!
Olivia shocks Kyle just as Shawn arrives and is shocked, before kneeling at the apparent loss of his closest ally.
Olivia: Nothing! Nothing!
Sarah: Try it again!
Ashley: Billy....is he-
Billy: I-I don't know.
Olivia: Charging! Clear!
Olivia shocks Kyle again, but fails to revive him as Ashley begins to shed tears as Billy comforts her while Billy and Walter exchange saddened looks. The other Blood Hogs and survivors arrive before Sarah begins to grieve for Kyle as Olivia attempts to revive Kyle have failed.
Olivia: I'm sorry.
Sarah cries.
Sarah: No...no....
Sarah puts her head onto Kyle's chest.
Sarah: Kyle....please.....c'mon....c'mon.....please...don't do this...you're stronger than this....please...don't leave me....I-I love you...
The moment seems bleak as Cassandra weeps before James comforts her.
Shawn: Goddamn it....he-he saved my life...
James walks over and puts his hand on Shawn's shoulder. Olivia prepares to take the needles out of Kyle's chest, before suddenly there is a beep coming from the heart monitor. Kyle's heart rate goes from flat lined to increasing as she smiles.
Olivia: Sarah! Sarah! I'm getting a heartbeat!
Sarah gasp.
Sarah then tends to Kyle, who suddenly awakens, coughing.
Sarah: Kyle! You're alive!
James, Shawn, Cassandra, Billy, Walter, Ashley and Mitchell give looks of relief and joy while Nathan nods his head in relief.
Sarah: Oh, my god. I thought I lost you.
Kyle: (weakly) Ow....I hit my head...I thought I was heading into darkness, but then I heard a voice.....I heard your voice, Sarah....you were the voice in the darkness....telling me....that you love me...
Sarah: I probably should've said that a while a ago...
Sarah laughs.
Sarah: sorry for the late notice.
Sarah and Kyle share a kiss, before Nathan looks down in anger, but seemingly understanding. Sarah then helps Kyle up, before he looks at Shawn and then hugs him.
Kyle: Thank you.
Kyle and Shawn then notice the impaled corpse of Ryder.
Kyle: Jesus.
Shawn: It was only going to end one way for the bastard.
Kyle: Yeah, you're right.....there's something else we have to do.
In the broadcast room, Kyle stands in front of the camera as James operates, before making Kyle's broadcast live across the wasteland as hundreds of survivors watch the broadcast.
Kyle: To what remains of our damaged world, my name is Kyle Desipich.....I'm a Zeus Corps Soldier...or at least, I was...today, me and a few brave others lead a group of survivors to take down our one enemy Kronos...who has destroyed so many lives...destroyed our world....a world...we will never know...a world we will never rebuild... a world we'll never get back...but now...with Kronos finally defeated after twenty one years....we have a choice....we have a chance to rebuild a world....a world where we can start living...start fighting for our families and loved ones...show the world we can live without Kronos...we can survive without Kronos....we can be free....without them...and now, we are free.....good luck to you all.
The live broadcast shuts down, before Kyle steps out of the broadcast room as Rocket begins to shout; "Desipich!" prompting the other survivors to shout out Kyle's name in victory.
Shawn: Looks like you're going down in history, Kyle Desipich.