"Lisa, you with us?" Thorn asked from beside her. He watched as she blinked rapidly. Blood had dried down the side of her face.

"I'm here," she said slowly.

"We're fucked," Smilee noted. Lisa pressed her lips together in a tight line.

"Yep," she ground out. Thorn felt panic rising.

He was a hacker. He wreaked havoc from his computer. He piloted drones. He didn't wade in through the blood and guts. He, Alexander Montgomery, was terrified.

"Barney's going to come for us," he said shakily. Luna scoffed from the other side of Lisa.

"I hate to break this to you, Thorn, but Barney Ross doesn't give a shit about us," Mars remarked.

"Shut up, Mars," Lisa said breathlessly, "We ain't his team. We're just a couple of dumb ass kids he roped into a suicide mission."

But I'm not going to die. Not like this.

"Molly, this is a bad idea. You promised Billy!" Tool didn't like it, not one bit. Gabriel whined in the back of his throat. The red head said nothing as she smoothed her son's hair back. "You have a concussion, your leg has been getting worse," Tool wheedled, trying to think of any and every reason she shouldn't go.

"I can handle it. And I'm not going alone," she said curtly, tucking extra magazines into her pockets.

"Wha—"

"You ready, Little Wolf?" Trench stepped into the bar, his pants bloused and a cigar pressed firmly between his lips.

"Trench?" Tool spluttered. The Austrian man jerked his head once in acknowledgment of his former teammate.

"Tool, please, look out for Gabriel. I'll be back," Molly dropped a kiss on her son's head. Forgive me, Gabriel.

The old man just looked down at her, unhappiness clear on his usually jovial face.

"I'll keep him safe," Tool promised.

Molly nodded once. That was all she could ask. She was leaving her precious son with the only person she could trust now.

"Let's go, Trench," Molly left the bar before she could look back and realize what a horrible idea this was.

Barney was mildly surprised to see Billy instead of Molly with the guys. Probably for the best. She's a mother, her leg has been getting worse.

Christmas threw himself into the co pilot's seat.

"Booker decide to sit this one out?" Barney rumbled, trying to ignore the awkward feeling in his gut. He had ended the team. He had chosen to drag some kids into his mess instead of letting his best friends help.

Christmas's eyes slid over him briefly.

"She got a concussion. Some prick at the bar. Billy made her stay home," the Brit said plainly. Barney's lips twitched.

"I'm sure she took that well," he remarked. Christmas paused.

"Better than I thought she would…"

The two men sat in the heavy silence, unable to hear Galgo's rambling over the loud drone of the engines.

"When did suicide become your hobby?" Christmas finally turned to look at him.

"I got a will," Barney said gruffly, not wanting to argue again.

"I'm probably the only friend you've got," Christmas said bluntly.

"I've got lots of friends," Barney griped.

"You walk into a room and people jump under tables," Christmas pointed out sarcastically.

"It was one time…" Barney grumbled. Christmas finally grinned. Barney grinned back at his best friend.

"I missed you, Christmas," Barney said quietly. He didn't usually get touchy feely, but Christmas was right; this was a suicide mission.

"I missed you, too, you demented bastard," the Brit shot back. Barney laughed.

"It's a kind of solid structure that is taking us from one place to another at unbelievable speeds…"

Billy glanced at Gunnar out of the corner of his eye. The giant exhaled slowly, his eyes drooping with boredom.

Gunnar Jensen had learned a long time ago how to tune people out.

"Damn, fellas, it's gonna be a long ass flight," Toll said softly, looking down at his watch.

"It's going to be!" Galgo agreed. Billy's lips twitched as the Spaniard carried on. Molly had said the man wasn't the typical merc.

Molly. Your wife. The one you forced to stay home. Damn it, Billy. She had truly seemed alright with it, though. Her dark eyes had met his as she cradled their son close. Gabriel was getting so big, sitting up and vocalizing, trying to speak. Molly swore he would start to walk any day now. And what if you're not there to see it? A snide voice commented. You finally get what's coming to you, and Molly's left to take care of Gabriel all by herself.

Billy's thoughts continued to venture into dark places. Molly had always been up front about her lack of mothering skills. He wondered if he were to die, would Molly distance herself from Gabriel?

Part of him wanted to believe that she would do as she had always done, carry on with a stiff upper lip. He couldn't kid himself, though. She would spiral out of control.

Good incentive not to die, then.

Molly tossed her bag in the back of the small plane as a black car eased forward. Her dark eyes glanced over Trench. He stood at ease.

Major Max Drummer got out of the car dressed in an olive green flight suit. He strode up to them. His dark aviator sunglasses prevented Molly from reading his expression.

"This is it? This is your evac team?" Drummer demanded gruffly. Molly cocked a brow at him. He's got a point, Moll. You're half crippled and Yang doesn't look like much.

"Short notice," Trench said around his cigar.

"Yeah, very short," Drummer said dryly to Yang.

"Where's your team, Major Drummer?" Trench intervened before Yang could react.

"No team. This one's off the books," Drummer tore off his name patch, "I'm not even here."

Molly scoffed and shook her pounding head as Drummer climbed into the plane.

"I thought Church was asshole," Yang said to her. Molly smirked. Truthfully, she preferred Drummer to Church. Drummer didn't try to sugar coat anything.

Lisa flexed her fingers, trying to regain feeling in them. The side of her face itched where the blood had dried on it.

"Well, kiddoes, I've got good news!" Stonebanks declared, striding into the room, his entourage following. "Your fearless leader, Barney Ross is coming to save you!"

Lisa swallowed hard. She hadn't counted on that. Barney was supposed to do the smart thing and cut his losses.

"Unfortunately, that means our time is going to be cut short. Don't worry, though, Lisa. You'll still get to see them die."

She looked away from him. Stonebanks didn't like being ignored. He strode up to her and grabbed her jaw roughly.

"You sure you don't want to tell me how you survived?"

Lisa smiled mirthlessly at him. It was the one thing she had over him.

"Sorry, sir, that'll go with me to my grave."

A/N: Sorry for the wait, fellas. Midterms are kicking my butt. I have two more next week, THEN SPRING BREAK! I will try to get this story wrapped up then. Thanks for all the reviews and follows :)