Thank you again, quicksilver123 :) I was originally going to write the rest of this story as a sequel, but I decided to just keep this story going as one. Happy reading.


Kate felt horrible about the state of her relationship with Emma from the moment she left her parents' place. She wanted to leave immediately and go back to New Orleans, which Lee was okay with. He knew he could have time off from work there too. They flew out on a red eye flight, and Kate agonized over Emma the whole flight home. Lee had done his best to make her feel better, but nothing seemed to help. He eventually fell asleep on the plane, and Kate stared out the window. By the time they landed and got back to her apartment, she was exhausted but still thinking about Emma.

"Just knock me out," she complained to Lee when they were on the couch. "Karate chop me in the neck or something. I can't think about this anymore."

"I can think of something a little more enjoyable than that which will distract you," Lee commented. Kate didn't even wait for him to make the move before climbing into his lap and kissing him. Lee had been craving the intimacy ever since their first time together, but he hadn't wanted to bring it up while she was going through this. Kate lost herself in him. It definitely was distracting her from her thoughts.

Loud banging on her door startled them both.

"I don't think we're home," Kate said, smirking. Lee grinned back before pulling her back down on top of him again to resume making out. The banging was persistent, though, making it hard to concentrate.

"Oh for Pete's sake, fine," Kate growled, getting up. Who the hell was visiting at this time of night anyway? Lee sat up, watching. Kate opened the door only to have a hand shoved over her mouth, pushing her back with another hand holding a gun in her face. The door was kicked shut, and Lee was already on his feet. He had Kate's knife in his hand as it had been on the coffee table in front of him.

"Don't scream," Alejandro warned her. He looked at Lee. "Put that down."

"Like hell," Lee said angrily. Kate removed the hand on her face and stepped back.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?!" she demanded.

"You're being watched," Alejandro said. "Your friend, Mark, has ordered a hit out on you both."

"How do you know this?" Kate asked.

"Mark has his fingers in with the cartel," he answered. When he had heard through his connections, he had to make sure she was safe. He didn't know why this was so important to him, but it was. Maybe it was payback for using her and putting her in danger in the first place.

"Where are they?" Lee asked.

"Outside. You've got ten minutes."

They heard crashing of a door being kicked in.

"Make that less than two minutes," Alejandro corrected.

"Shit!" Kate swore, running to grab her gun and tossing Lee the extra one she had.

"They'll just keep coming," Alejandro advised. "We gotta leave."

"Come on," Lee said, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the bathroom. It wouldn't be the first time she escaped that way. Lee went out first to clear the area before helping Kate down. Alejandro came last. They could hear shouting inside now.

"My car," he instructed, leading the way. Lee and Kate scanned the street but didn't see anyone. They got inside Alejandro's SUV and shut the doors, panting.

"Where are we going?" Kate asked when Alejandro started the engine.

"Safe house," he answered. He had pulled strings with Graver to get one.

"I don't hide from a fight," Lee told him.

"Call it collecting our thoughts before we fight back," Alejandro suggested.

"I'm calling Barney," Lee said.

"Your phones are tagged. I wouldn't do that. In fact, toss them," Alejandro gestured. Kate obliged. Lee hesitated before following suit. He didn't exactly trust this guy, but he did just save them from hitmen.

"Use this burner," Alejandro said, handing it to Lee. "Once we get to the safe house, then you can call your friend."

Lee took it without responding. He looked at Kate, who was looking afraid.

"We'll end this soon," he promised. She didn't make a sound. Alejandro met her eyes in the rear view mirror, but he didn't say anything. She wondered why he had bothered to do this. What was his motive? She turned to look behind them, feeling reassured for a moment when she didn't see anyone chasing after them. Lee squeezed her hand, and she felt her heartbeat slow a little. As long as she was with Lee, they would be fine.

...

Alejandro ushered them inside the safe house and closed the door behind them. Kate stood beside Lee, waiting for what was to come next.

"Hi, Kate," Graver's voice said. Kate spun, seeing the other person she had never wanted to see again standing there in his stupid shorts and his stupid crocs with his arms crossed, looking at them all while chewing his stupid gum.

"What the hell is this?" she asked Alejandro furiously.

"This is me saving your ass," Graver answered for him. "You're welcome."

"I didn't thank you."

"Sassy as always," Graver chuckled.

"How about one of you answers the question as to why we are here?" Lee commanded.

"Who's this guy?" Graver asked Alejandro.

"They work together," he replied. He knew it was more than that, but that didn't need to be disclosed.

"And what do you do?" Graver questioned Lee.

"None of your business," Lee answered.

"All right," Graver said, sighing and adjusting his position. "Look, cartel are after you both now thanks to some guy named Mark. Word has it you took something from him?"

"That's correct," Lee nodded.

"Well, he wants it back."

"He can't have it back. It's gone," Lee explained. He turned to Alejandro. "I need to call Barney now."

"Barney?" Graver asked, looking between them all.

"My boss," Lee shared, moving away to make the call. Graver made an "ah" face before looking back to Kate.

"You've been keeping well?" he asked her.

"Shut up," Kate snarled.

"They're all yours," Graver said to Alejandro before going to sit down in the corner. Kate rounded on Alejandro seconds later.

"Why is he here?" she hissed. "It's bad enough I trusted you to bring us here, but I don't trust him."

"Mark is one of the big boys that we're also trying to take down. He wouldn't sit it out."

"I'm not helping him," Kate insisted.

"I know."

"Okay," Lee said, coming back. "Barney's gonna help us out."

"How?" Graver asked from his corner. "He has no idea what's going on."

"All he needs to know is that Mark is trying to kill us," Lee said firmly.

"Oh, so a band of superheroes is coming to save you, right? That's nice," Graver smirked. Lee clenched his fists. He badly wanted to punch this irritating man in the face, but he held off for now.

"What is the plan?" Kate asked, ignoring the tension in the room. Graver and Alejandro shared a look with one another.

"Well, we want Mark, and Mark wants you, so...do the math," Graver answered.

"You want me to be bait again," Kate said, incredulous.

"That about sums it up," Graver nodded.

"No," Lee shook his head. "She's not doing it. Mark wants me just as much too. I'm doing it."

Graver went to respond when something on his laptop on the table went off. Frowning, he went to look at it, putting his headphones in. After a moment, his face changed, and he looked up at Kate.

"What?" she asked. Graver cleared his throat.

"You have a sister?" he questioned. Kate's blood ran cold. She rushed around to the other side of the laptop. There was a video on pause, and Mark's face was leering up at them.

"Why do you ask?" she responded. "Tell me!"

Lee and Alejandro both had a bad feeling about what was going to come next. Graver rewound the video and pressed play, raising the volume.

"I know you're with Graver, who's been an incredible pain in my ass, so I'm sending this to him to show you. I'm impressed that you two survived," Mark's voice said. "I shouldn't be so surprised, but that's old news. Today, I'm annoyed to see that you escaped again before I could get the information I want from you. The thing is, everyone has something or someone that makes them vulnerable, as you might remember from our last meeting. I was hoping I wouldn't have to play this card, but you're leaving me with no choice."

Kate shrieked when Mark pulled the hood off of the person tied to the chair in front of the camera.

"Emma here says hello," Mark went on, tapping Emma's head. "If you don't bring me what I want in 12 hours, she dies. I know you know where it is, and I know you know how to get it, so no games." He moved into the full view of the camera at this point. "I will make you hurt more than you've ever thought you could hurt. Don't test me. 12 hours." The video stopped here, and Kate was shaking violently.

"So, you don't have to be bait after all, which is too bad cos you're really good at it," Graver noted. Kate didn't even hesitate before swinging her fist into his face, making him stumble.

"Hey, whoa!" Alejandro said, stepping between them and putting his arms out to keep them apart. "Easy."

Kate began to hyperventilate then, realizing that her sister was probably going to die because no one was going to willingly give them bombs to make such a trade, even if they found a way to fake it. Graver recovered from the hit. It wasn't the first time she'd punched him, but he had forgotten just how forceful it was.

"Kate," Lee said, grabbing her shoulders and making her face him. "We'll figure it out. We'll get her back. I promise."

"You can't promise that," she gasped, shaking her head.

"Too late," Lee said. He gripped her face with both of his hands then. "I will save your sister, Kate. I will."

"How sweet," Graver commented. "Can we get to work now, please?"

Lee unleashed then. He'd had enough of this guy's swagger and cockiness. He had Graver up and thrown onto the table in seconds, giving him a swift punch to the face and throat before Alejandro jumped in to intervene, and Lee took him on as well. Alejandro was a little taken aback by Lee's speed and agility. He hadn't counted on that. Graver swore, getting to his feet and spitting out blood.

"Lee!" Kate shouted. Lee had Alejandro in a headlock by this point. He looked at her. "Stop."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because," she said. "Even though they hurt me, we need them."

"Better listen to her, Lee," Graver said, his gun now pointed at Lee. "I'd hate to have to kill you."

Alejandro was hitting Lee's arms and attempting to jab him in the stomach, trying to loosen the headlock. He wasn't used to being overtaken, and he certainly didn't like it. He had to admit, though, that he was a little impressed at how tightly Lee had a hold of him.

"It's okay," Kate told him. "Let him go."

Lee didn't move for about ten seconds before he decided he should listen to her because she was right. Even though these men were irritating and unethical, they knew enough about Mark to help them. Also, the jabs to his stomach were hurting his ribs. He released Alejandro, who sucked in air greedily and moved to stand beside Graver, who lowered his gun.

"Now that we're all acquainted," Graver said. "Let's get to work."

...

Kate was exhausted. After four hours, they were no closer to figuring out a plan. She feared for Emma's life. Lee went to answer the door when someone pounded on it. Graver and Alejandro had their guns aimed just in case, but Barney came through the door followed by Toll, Doc, Gunner, and Caesar.

"What the hell have you gotten into?" Barney asked once they were inside.

"You remember Mark," Lee told him.

"From the mountains?"

"Yea."

"Damn. He sure holds a grudge," Barney noted.

"He's got Kate's sister," Lee explained. "He wants his bombs back."

Barney sucked on his teeth, thinking.

"Let me call Drummer," he said. "See if we can figure this out."

"Who is Drummer?" Graver asked.

"Also CIA," Barney answered, barely giving Graver a glance.

"Really," Graver said. "I've never heard of him."

"That's because he doesn't play dirty," Barney shot at him.

"You bend the rules a few times and suddenly you're dirty," Graver scoffed.

"No comment," Barney muttered, pulling out his phone.

"Hi, guys," Kate said to the others, who were standing off to the side. Alejandro was eyeing up Gunner, who stood three feet taller than him and looked solid like a tree.

"How are you holding up?" Caesar asked her, patting her shoulder.

"I just want this to be over," she answered.

"We'll get her back," Toll promised. Barney had filled them all in before they got there. Kate nodded, but her mind was stuck on the video of her sister. Something about it was trapped in her mind.

"All right," Barney said, returning. "Drummer thinks he might be able to help us."

"Might? We need more than a 'might,'" Graver snorted.

"I don't need a comment on everything I say," Barney retorted. Graver made a face and chewed on his gum, crossing his legs. Alejandro didn't move or make any facial expressions.

"What did he say?" Lee asked.

"He's gonna help us out."

"Hold on," Lee said, holding up his hand. "Drummer isn't letting us have a bomb, is he?"

"We'll get to that," Barney answered. "We need to figure out where Kate's sister is first."

"The tunnels," Kate said suddenly. Everyone looked at her, and she hurried over to the laptop. "I knew I recognized it."

"Tunnels?" Caesar asked.

"Cartel use tunnels to move stuff around out of sight," Graver explained.

"See?" Kate said, pausing the video. Behind Emma and Mark showed evidence of a structure that is built in tunnels. It was also dark with lights hanging, showing dirt.

"So which tunnel is she in?" Barney asked.

"My guess would be the one from the States to Mexico," Graver answered. Kate vividly remembered the tunnel raid they had done where Alejandro had shot her to stop her from going after him, where Graver explained to her just who they were dealing with.

"You know that for sure?" Kate asked him.

"You wanna waste time hunting around for a different one?" he countered. "If we're wrong, we will locate another one."

"All right," Barney said. "We have a where and a how. Let's move."

He walked out with the others following him. Lee gave Alejandro and Graver a dark look before leaving after them.

"What does your boyfriend do exactly?" Graver asked. He wasn't an idiot. He figured it out.

"He's a mercenary," she answered. "And now, so am I." She gave them a glare before going after her team. She was going to save her sister.

...

"We're gonna have to cover both ends of that tunnel," Barney was saying. Kate was listening, but she felt her mind drifting away. Was Emma okay? She'd be so scared. Kate wished this hadn't happened to her.

"So what's the plan?" Lee asked.

"Toll and I will take a chopper down there and do surveillance to make sure they don't run out the other end. You, Kate, Doc, Caesar, and Gunner will go in the tunnel from the American side. You will extract Emma and get out of there.

"Mark?" Lee questioned. "DOA?"

"What?" Kate asked.

"Dead or Alive," Toll explained. He still felt a little awkward around her and Lee now that they were together, but he knew it would pass.

"Oh. Right." She knew that. Her anxiety was messing with her mind, and that worried her. She shook her head hard to clear it.

"Drummer says alive," Barney sighed. "But I say whatever happens, happens."

"Got it," Lee nodded.

"What about the other two knuckleheads?" Toll asked, gesturing to where Graver and Alejandro were standing and conversing.

"They're going to go with us to the Mexico side," Barney answered. At this point, Graver sauntered over to them.

"Mind if I bust into your little ninja turtle huddle?" he asked.

"What?" Barney asked, annoyed.

"Mark isn't going to come out easily. You're gonna have to flush him out. Once he's out, Alejandro will take care of him," Graver said.

"Drummer wants him alive," Barney commented.

"Drummer can have wishes, but not everyone's wishes come true," Graver snorted. "Mark is a very dangerous man. In my opinion, leaving him breathing is the biggest mistake you'll ever make."

The two men were squared off, staring at each other.

"I'll make it happen," Lee said, making them both turn to look at him.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Barney asked.

"I hate to admit it, but I'm with meat head about this one," Lee said, tilting his head towards Graver. "Mark's gotta go."

"Okay well, we will 'try' to do our best for Drummer," Barney said, using air quotes.

"Just don't screw it up," Graver commented before turning to go back and join Alejandro.

"Gear up," Barney said, glaring at Graver's back as he walked away. The less time around that idiot the better.

...

Lee took a moment alone with Kate while everyone else was getting ready. She was running her hands through her hair and pacing, and he could tell she wanted a cigarette, but she was really doing her best to quit. He knew that.

"Hey," he said, reaching for her shoulder and grabbing it. "It'll be okay."

"She will never forgive me," Kate said. "She won't. This will be my fault for the end of time. If she dies, then it's another sibling whose death I am accountable for..."

"Stop," Lee ordered, putting his other hand on her other shoulder and holding her firmly. "This will end fine. I promise."

"You can't promise that," she whispered. He cupped her face with one hand then, running a thumb over her cheek gently.

"I just did," he replied.

Kate had nothing else to say, so he just pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I think you should go with Alejandro," he said. She pulled back instantly, staring at him in shock.

"What?!"

"It's gonna be dangerous in those tunnels..."

"And I've already been in them," she argued. "I know what to expect."

"I just think it's a better idea that you don't see your sister down there," Lee said. Kate stared at him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I am not going with him, and that's that," she said firmly. Knowing he wasn't going to change her mind, Lee had to give up.

"Let's go!" Barney called.

"Stay behind me then," Lee told her.

"I'll be fine, Lee," Kate said, feeling a little bit hurt that he didn't think she could handle herself.

"It's not that I don't think you can handle yourself," he said, reading her mind. "I just want you to be safe."

"Let's go," she said, moving towards the chopper. They were going to get dropped off first before Barney then flew over the border.

"She doesn't like being protected," Toll commented as he walked beside Lee after Kate. He had caught the tail end of their conversation. "Trust me."

Lee just gritted his teeth and didn't say anything. If Kate died over all this, he would never forgive himself for allowing her to even be on this team.