Hello. I haven't updated this story in a bit, but since i did two chapters this week on another project i decided to give this a go. I really love the expendable movies so i'm going to try my best to make a good story. Thanks for the reviews so far, and to those who fav'd and followed. It's much appreciated. I own nothing but my OC's.
Christmas stared at Barney who seemed to be in complete shock. He heard what the target had said to him, she called him by his name. Before he could say anything the guards came in to escort them back to the room. Barney pulled his arm away from them, causing the guards to become anxious but Christmas quickly asked them for just a few more moments. It took some convincing and several big bills out of his wallet but they turned their backs and walked to the far corner of the room allowing Barney some private time with the woman. Christmas kept his distance, but not so much that he couldn't hear what was being said.
"Ally." Barney whispered her name as if it were a prayer.
Christmas noticed the change in her posture as soon as the word left Barney's lips. "That's not my name anymore." She told him, her tone was somewhat icy Christmas noticed. He's not sure what they were to each other before but he was betting that she wasn't a big fan of Barney's now.
"What happened? How did you…" Barney seemed at a loss for words, stumbling from one question to the next. His face betraying all of his emotions in a way Christmas had rarely seen. "You're alive." He finally managed to sigh.
"No thanks to you."
Barney flinched slightly at her response before moving towards the glass. The guards began to move forward "Time's up you two." They started ushering Christmas out while calling to Barney to follow suit.
"I'll get you out of here I swear." Barney whispered to her before the guard approached him to lead him out. The only reply he received was the sound of her laughter as he was led out of the room.
"Barney." Christmas called out to his friend who seemed to be in a trance. He glanced around the room, no one seemed to notice their strange behavior since they were all busy chattering amongst themselves about the 'prize'. "Barney." He said a little more forcefully this time elbowing his friend in the ribs to catch his attention.
"Change of plans." Barney simply replied. "I need to get her out of this as soon as possible."
"Whoa slow down." Christmas didn't like where this was going. They'd had their plan and contingency plan all worked out already. He didn't understand the need to alter anything just to get their target out a little earlier. "Did you see the security here? We're not getting anyone anywhere in this place." He said pointing out the numerous guards around them armed with automatic guns.
"Then I'll pay for her." Barney said calmly.
"Are you listening to yourself?" Christmas felt like smacking him in the head but kept himself in check. "They're going to be auctioning her to a room filled with people worth millions, last time I checked we don't have that kind of income."
"I've got a few stashed away, I can borrow the rest but I need to get her out before anyone can get their hands on her." Barney replied.
Christmas put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. "Barney you need to calm down. Talk to me, what the hell is happening? Who is she?" Why in the bloody hell are you acting so fucking stupid? He wants to add but the sound of the gavel hitting the marble table silences the entire room.
"The bidding will now start." DeToro called out with a grin. "I say 1 million sounds like a fair start."
Immediately the silence gives way to a cacophony of shouts, everyone trying to outdo each other. Within seconds the amount had reached 10 million dollars and Christmas found himself staring at Barney. "Still think you want to try and outbid them?" He asked leaning closer to Barney so he could hear him over the shouts.
It goes on for a few more moments before reaching 20 million and a fight breaks out among 2 men. One is shot and dies instantly, the guards step in to remove his body and escort the murderer out of the auction.
"Ladies and gentlemen, some civility please." DeToro said politely before continuing. Eventually they reached 30 million before everything seemed to slow down. The bidders were at each other's throats but the guards stood close by to keep order. Christmas watched everyone closely, particularly Barney, worried that his friend would try something stupid.
"Going once," DeToro called out, "going twice," he lifted the gavel into the air, before the sound of glass breaking filled the room. The gavel dropped out of DeToro's hand and to the floor just as a red stain began to blossom on his left shoulder. The slowly dropped to his knees, a surprised look on his face before the room erupted in a frenzy. The guards moved to cover DeToro, trying their best to protect their employer and get him to safety while trying to figure out where the shot came from.
The guests immediately began searching for their weapons which were locked away at the entrance when they'd arrived. Christmas and Barney ducked behind a large column as a few more shots wrung out through the large room shattering a few vases and sculptures and impacting in a few of the guests.
Before Christmas could react he watched Barney run across the floor towards the room where the woman was kept, taking out a guard along the way and acquiring his gun. "Son of a bitch." Christmas grumbled. He stood up and ran to the next column, taking cover from more shots as the windows shattered all around them. He looked up to see several men dressed in full tactical gear and face masks coming through broken windows and shooting everything in sight.
Just as he was getting ready to move he saw movement from the corner of his eye and narrowly dodged a punch towards his face. One of the masked intruders came at him in a flurry of punches and kicks, all of which he expertly dodged while delivering a few of his own. Whoever he was fighting was well trained, not to mention well armed as he brandished a large bowie knife taking aim at his midsection. He grabbed the man's wrist, twisting it and delivering a kick to the side of his head. He managed to loosen his grip on the knife and take it for his own, quickly shoving it through the man's throat. He pulled it out quickly and grabbed the man's weapon before dashing across the room after Barney.
Barney walked carefully into the room, gun out in front of him ready to kill whoever got in his way. He was two guards lying on the floor in a pool of blood, and three guests in the same condition. The glass container was shattered, bits of the material were all over the ground, crunching under his feet as he moved carefully around looking for any signs of her. Did someone get to her first? He wondered with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"Aww how sweet, you came back for me." He heard her say before he felt the impact of a bullet in his side. He dropped to his knee as he felt all the air rush out of his lungs, practically feeling the ribs crack under the pressure of the shot. The pain burst through is abdomen and his vision clouded for a moment before he looked around and saw one of the masked intruders, gun drawn and aimed directly at him with smoke still swirling from the barrel.
"Did I say shoot him?" he heard her ask the man, who simply shook his head in reply. Another shot rang out, this time from her pistol and he watched as the intruder dropped to the floor, a pool of blood quickly spreading out beneath him. "It's so hard to find good help these days." She said quietly as she walked towards Barney. She kicked his gun away from him, staying just out of arms reach while she studied him closely.
"I guess you're wearing a vest." She said as she noticed there was no blood stemming from the hole in his shirt. "That's good, I'd hate for you to die like that." She said shaking her head, "It wouldn't do for a man like you to die at the hands of a nameless cohort."
"Ally." He gasped her name as he fought to get the air back in his lungs. The last thing he saw was the anger that flashed across her features before she delivered a swift kick to the side of his head knocking him into unconsciousness.
"I said not to call me that." She said quietly before the static of the radio on the dead soldier caught her attention. She walked over to the body and grabbed the com.
"Allecto do you copy?"
"I copy Tisiphone." She replied, smiling at the sound of her friend's voice.
"Well move your ass woman, I've been waiting outside for five minutes. Let's get this show on the road."
"I'm on my way, have the men finished cleaning up yet?" She asked.
"We're finishing up now, my men are rounding up the last few stragglers as we speak." A tall man replied as he walked into the room behind her.
"Ares," She greeted him warmly. "always happy to see you."
"The pleasure is all mine Allecto, always happy to help you." He said walking up to her. He stopped at Barney's body, pulling out his gun and aiming it at his head.
"Stop." She said just as Christmas' voice echoed her own. She looked up to see the Brit with his weapon aimed at directly at her.
"Lower your weapon or I shoot her." He had no idea what she was to Barney and he didn't care but he'd have no problem putting two in her to keep Barney alive. He's surprised to see that she doesn't flinch or show any sign of worry, instead flashing him a grin.
"Relax gentlemen." She said to both him and Ares who immediately had the Brit in his sights, finger on the trigger and ready to take him out on her say so.
"Step away from him." Christmas said in a serious tone.
"Ares." She said, waving the man over towards her. "It's okay," she looked over at him for a moment, "Christmas right?" She thought she'd heard Barney say his name. "That's an odd name." She said quietly before smiling again. "Anyway," she said shrugging her shoulders, "go ahead and grab him while you can. My men won't stop you. Ares give the order."
Christmas watched as the dark haired man with eyes like coal glanced quickly over at her, no doubt shocked at her show of mercy. When she nods her head he gives the order over his com, "There are two men in the prize room, they're allowed to leave alive."
She smiled at Christmas, "See? Just take him and go."
He's unsure of how to respond, he moves slowly keeping her in his sights and his back to the wall to avoid any possible surprises. He kneels by Barney, hand reaching out to feel for a pulse. He's thankful to find one and he shakes his shoulder to try and wake him.
"I'd move quickly if I were you, because I ordered my men to stand down but I can't order the fire to do the same." She said with one last grin before walking away from him with the large man following close behind, his gun still trained on him the entire time until she's safely out of the room.
Christmas can see the dark smoke flow through the doorways towards the ceiling. It starts to fill the room quickly and he grabs Barney, hoisting him over his shoulders as he makes his way through the room and back to the foyer. The smoke blocks out most of the light, only the glow of the rising flames lighting his way as he stumbles across the bodies littered across the ground. His feet slip out from under him a few times as he slides across some blood. He could feel Barney stir slightly and stopped to lean him against the wall.
"What the fuck happened?" Barney asked as he held a hand to his head.
"We need to get out of here." Christmas said as he handed him a gun. Barney came out of his stupor quickly and followed Christmas out of the room and up the stairway to the large doors. The flames seemed to lick their way up the walls, covering the doors. It takes both of them to ram them open and the sudden rush of oxygen to the flames causes a small explosion, propelling them down the stairs and onto the lawn. "Fuck." Christmas groaned out as he picked himself up slowly.
They paused a moment, watching as the large manor goes up in a blaze. The glass shattered and the sound of several explosions going off as the flames kicked into high gear. The night sky clouded from the smoke, their eyes and lungs burned from it. "There." Barney called out, pointing to a white Jaguar parked off to the side. They run to it and Christmas jumps in the driver's side, turning the key in the ignition he sighed in relief as the engine roared to life. They tore down the driveway, driving as fast as possible away from the inferno and towards the haven of their makeshift base.
Barney looked back at the scene of destruction when he heard the sound of a chopper, it's hard to make out through all the smoke but he could see the faint outline. "Ally." He could feel the pain in his side flare up, and he wasn't sure if it was the gunshot or something else entirely. He glanced over at Christmas glad to see he was relatively unscathed though his face was smudged with soot from the fire. "You okay?" He asked to be sure.
Christmas took his eyes off the road for a moment to glare at Barney. "I think we need to talk."
The rhythmic whirring of the chopper's blades soothed her as she watched the scenery pass by in the darkness of the night. Once they'd flown through the smoke the scenery was quite lovely, the moon was full and stars shining brightly over the rolling hills. "ETA?" She called out over the com to Tisiphone who sat at the controls.
"30 minutes at most." She replied glancing back at her with a smile. "Glad to see you're okay Allecto."
Allecto nodded back with a smile before looking back out the window. She could feel Ares' eyes on her so she turned to face him, looking him straight in his eyes. He quickly averted his gaze, "Sorry, just not used to seeing you dressed like that." He mumbled quietly. He watched her closely for a moment before continuing, "Who were those men that you let go?" He can see the look of irritation flash across her features for a brief second before she turned to face him.
"No one of any consequence." She said calmly and quietly, her eyes meeting his for a moment in a look he knew all too well. He wouldn't ask any other questions tonight, instead choosing to leave her be deciding it'd be better for his own safety and health if he didn't keep bothering her though his curiosity was slowly eating away at him.
In all the years he's known her, he'd rarely seen her merciful side. She was after all a Fury, embodying everything that her name stood for, unceasing anger and vengeance. So why spare two men when her original plan had been to lure as many enemies to one location as possible and kill everyone that showed up?
"Sir." He could hear his sergeant call him over the com.
"Chiron? What's the report?" He asked, watching as Allecto turned to face him.
"We've swept the grounds for any possible survivors, only the two you ordered managed to escape. Everyone else was accounted for before we set the place ablaze." The man informed him.
"Very well." Ares saw Allecto smile briefly, nodding her head at their job well done. "And our casualties?"
"Five men from our reserve squadron."
Ares bowed his head in a moment of silence for those lost, he hadn't known them all that well but they were part of his team, even if for only a short while. "And our elites?"
"All present and uninjured sir."
"Wonderful. Tell the men they have a two week leave before reporting back for training."
"Yes sir."
"That was excellent work Ares, you got yourself a great group of soldiers." Alecto congratulated him.
"That's quite a compliment coming from you."
"When we land I'll give you your payment for you and your men, a little extra on top to cover your losses."
"That's much appreciated Allecto, but not necessary." He replied.
"Consider it a future down payment, because judging by tonight's events your services will no doubt be needed again."
Ares nodded his head in understanding, "Always a pleasure to work with you Allecto."
Hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are always welcome and appreciated, thank you for reading.