"Ride's over, we gotta lose this car," Deck said, swatting Mirena on the ass as she exited the vehicle with a huff.
"Thank Christ." She groaned, stretching out a bit and catching Hattie's wide eyes.
"What?"
"Don't you what me, you know exactly what. What the hell is going on here?" She asked, gesturing between Mirena and Deck.
"I really don't think now is time to divulge into that mess." Mirena turned towards Deck with her hands on her hips and tongue in cheek.
"Mess...huh?" She said with a frown and Deckard rubbed his face frustratedly.
"Want me to shoot him? I'll do it, Rena."
"No, Luke. That's quite alright. Thanks for the offer." Mirena smiled, thinking about taking Deckard out herself.
"Look I think that-" Hattie's words were cut off as the large London Breaking News screen lit up across the street with Luke's face, Deckard's face, and Mirena's face.
"Shit just got real." Luke sighed.
"Who the hell are these guys?" Hattie asked, not believing the scene before her eyes.
"Eteon." Deckard answered and Mirena looked at him, stunned.
"What? I know things. They're a secret tech cult with a mercenary army and plenty of dark money. With delusions of saving the world by augmenting the human race."
"And by the looks of it, they control the media as well. We're trending on Twitter...and not the fun kind." Mirena sighed, tossing her phone on the ground and digging her heel into it.
"I've only heard rumors about these people. Everybody thinks they're a myth." Luke said and Rena rolled her eyes.
"This isn't just some Illuminati shit, Luke. I've seen first hand how real they can get." She muttered, glancing at Deckard whose face had become hardened once more. The more she tried to chip away at the macho facade, the more shit that went down around them to build it back up.
"You don't fit into their agenda, you've dug your own grave." Luke visibly turned to his government official mode right before everyone's eyes as he began stalking back to the car.
"Alright, let's get back to the nearest lockdown facility."
"Are you on drugs? Are you fucking on drugs? You don't get it, do you?" Mirena chuckled out ironically.
"Brixton is a tier-one assassin, best I've ever seen. I know him. He ain't ever gonna stop until he gets that virus. And besides, that's my sister! Family business-" Mirena looked to Hattie who was fed up with the battle of brawn before her.
"Oh Deckard for the love of-"
"Is your name Shaw? No. Then she isn't going anywhere with you."
"When it comes to the fate of the world, it becomes my business! I don't care that she's your sister, That woman ain't going anywhere" Luke yelled back as Mirena and Hattie had already taken steps away from the two muscle-headed men.
"Oi, where are you going?" Deckard called and the women who were hooked together turned back.
"I don't have time for you two to do this alpha-male shit right now, alright? I can get more work done without you two than with you so if you don't mind, your sister and I are going to figure out how to get this out of her, if you don't mind." Rena said promptly before continuing her trek with Hattie.
"You might have an issue there, ladies." Rena huffed and shared an annoyed glance with Hattie before turning on her heel to face the man who held his phone out.
"I was tracking this man before the attack. He's hard to find but I got a hell of a lead." Rena snatched the phone from his hand and peered over the picture, scoffing as she tossed it back in his direction.
"You call a Russian newspaper a lead? You going soft on me, Hobbs?" Mirena teased, making Deckard roll his eyes.
"It's not just any newspaper. There's only one stand in London that sells that paper." He said, stalking away from the group, prompting the others to follow.
Mirena couldn't help but smile down at the scene before her. She had never taken Deckard as the sensitive type but here he was, talking away to their baby that was growing inside of her. She was barely showing but that never stopped Deck from cradling her every once in a while on the couch or laying down so his ear was pressed against her stomach.
"What's with the eyeball?" He asked, suspicious of her gaze.
"Just...interesting to see you out of your element."
"I'm always in my element." Rena scoffed and flicked the back of his ear.
"Wanker." She teased using his own vernacular.
"Mum called again today." He said, making his wife groan.
"I am not naming our child Magdalene. I'd sooner name them Deckard, Owen, or Hattie." Deckard lifted his head up from her stomach and his palm that rested under her shirt twitched.
"That's not a bad ide-"
"Oh shut it." She chuckled, making him smile for a moment before resting his head back down.
"We'll have to come up with something to call him sooner or later." Deckard said as Mirena began slowly rubbing the back of his neck.
"You don't know if it's a he." She said, matter-of-fact.
"Just a feeling, love."
"Alright," She said, sitting up and pressing her back into the arm of the couch to get a better look at her husband. "What are your genuine options, no bullshit, tell me your top for names." Deck sat up and she pulled her knees up, cradling them as she looked at him intently.
"Well," Deckard breathed out, resting his large palm on one of her knees.
"Oliver for a boy...after my dad." Mirena smiled sadly and rubbed his arm with her hand. His father had been gone for years now but he was Deckard's hero. It only made sense he would want his son to have the same name.
"And a girl?"
"Haven't thought about it to be honest since he's a boy." He said with a smirk, making Mirena lightly punch his arm.
"Wanker." She said with a roll of her eyes. "What about Emilia?"
"Any particular reason why?" He inquired and she shrugged, averting her eyes from his to her feet.
"No reason. I've just always liked the name is all." She smiled, making Deck smile briefly.
"Whatever you want, love." He said, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
"Alright, now what- Christ, Rena." Deckard said annoyed as he and Hattie entered the lab where they had left Luke and Mirena to babysit.
"What? Hobbs went to take a piss and I'm a small woman." She reasoned, putting the safety on the pistol she had pointed at the scientist and placing it back in her waistband.
"You're fucking ridiculous."
"God, I missed you." The Shaw siblings said at the same time. Mirena smiled at Hattie and hopped up on the table that sat across from the man who Deckard had thrown into a chair only moments ago.
"Tell us everything you know about this." Deck said, snagging Hattie's wrist to show the injection marks just as Luke emerged from the side door.
"My God...When were you exposed?" Andrieko asked and Hattie scrunched her nose.
"Hmm...bout..what? Thirst hours ago?" She said, not really sure of the time stamp.
"Then the capsules containing the virus are still intact..."
"Perfect!" Rena exclaimed, lightly hitting Hattie on the arm in excitement.
"So we neutralize it." Luke said, crossing his arms over his chest as the professor babbled on.
"No, I- It's not that easy. It isn't programmed to any DNA sequence. It's fatal to anyone-"
"And thus, everyone.." Mirena added as Luke leaned up against the table next to her.
"Precisely...In 42 hours the capsules will be dissolved and she will be infected." Mirena glanced from the professor to Deckard and the two of them shared an almost terrified glance.
"Then the virus will go airborne," Luke said matter-of-fact
"We're talking about global contamination within a week." Andrieko confirmed and Luke's demeanor physically hardened with the news.
"Why the hell would you even create something like that." Deckard barked and Rena's hand instinctively went to his back, lightly running it up to calm him.
"They told me they wanted to save the world through science. I believed their cause..I developed the Snowflake to be a carrier for vaccines! A panacea for the entire world...but...but they redeveloped it into a reprogrammable apocalypse," He rambled on.
"They're attacking the weakest of us..those that don't fit the Eteon vision of the world..." He blubbered, almost on the verge of tears.
"You know, for a scientist, you seem incredibly stupid." Deck said and Mirena stifled a chuckle, throwing her fist into his arm, chastising him.
"Wait, you said that the virus is reprogrammable..." Hattie said, the wheels in her head turning.
"So reprogram it." Luke finished for her.
"I can't reprogram it when it's in a host."
"Alright, everyone stop," Mirena said, halting everyone with her hand, "Let's just focus on getting it out of her, huh?"
"Oh! Well there are two options and the first? Easy Peasy." the professor said and a wave of relief washed over everyone.
"Go"
"Finally."
"Yes, easy."
"Perfect."
The group said in unison, ready for a solution.
"You kill her." Mirena felt Deckard tense next to her and she quickly whipped her pistol back out from her waistband.
"Excuse me?" Deckard asked, irate.
"And burn the body of course." He continued and Rena pointed the gun at Andrieko.
"Alright, that's it." She said only to have Deckard lower her arm and step in front of her to put himself in the way of the firearm.
"Let's assume that isn't an option, shall we? Genius?" Deckard said, glancing back at his wife with a frown.
"Option two, start talking." Hattie said, crossing her arms over her chest and coming to stand next to her brother.
"There is a machine that can preserve her life and extract the virus." Mirena holstered her weapon again and huffed.
"And that wasn't option one because..?"
"Because it's impossible to get to!" Andrieko exclaimed.
"Let us decide what's impossible, hm?" Deckard said, gesturing between himself and Mirena. "Where is it?" Rena finished, crossing her arms.
"It's in the Eteon laboratory where the snowflake was developed. Secret dark-tech complex fortified by an army in the most God-forsaken part of the planet."
"What? Detroit?" Rena asked, earning a chuckle from Luke.
"Very funny. If you go there, all four of you will die." Andrieko said, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"So...what you're saying is she dies no matter what." Luke said and Mirena watched as Deckard's face fell momentarily and Hattie looked to be weighing her options.
"Well...Who needs a drink?" She asked and Rena playfully smacked Hattie's upper arm and pointed at her with raised eyebrows.
"Not a bad idea, Decks?"
"I know just the place."
Mirena pushed the door to the garage under The Carpenters Arms that was so lovingly connected to their home a few buildings away, leading the way as Deckard hit the lights, illuminating the row of cars the couple had stored underneath the local pub.
"Wow look at all these," Luke said, admiring the line of McLarens with Mini Cooper and Range Rover posted near the end. "Somebody's overcompensating."
Mirena stifled a laugh and lightly squeezed Deckard's side as they strolled. He snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her close.
"If anything I'm under compensating." Rena scoffed and struck his chest with the back of her hand.
"And a teeny tiny one, just your size," Luke said, taking note of the Mini Cooper.
"That was for a job in Italy," Rena said mainly to Hattie, releasing her husband to pull her sister-in-law towards the bar cart.
"Yeah...it's too bad we didn't have any need for a weightlifting bus driver. Would have given you a call." Deckard barked back at Luke, quick as a whip.
"Are they always like this?" Hattie mumbled with wide eyes to Rena who rolled her eyes and sighed.
"You have no idea." She drew out, making Hattie laugh.
"Drink?" She asked, glancing up at Luke."
"Yeah...I'll take a small one." Mirena chuckled as Hattie began a heavy pour for the oversized man and headed over to Deckard with a glass of scotch in her hand for him. He took it thankfully and sipped the amber liquid before placing a kiss to the side of her head in thanks.
"Hold on a second." Luke interrupted, leaning up against the wall and gesturing between the small woman and her counterpart.
"What...?" Rena asked, looking to Deck and then back at Luke confused.
"Don't you 'what?' me, woman. What the fucks going on here?" Hattie leaned up and sipped her own drink with a nod.
"My thoughts exactly." She muttered in agreeance.
"I don't really think that's anyone's business but my own." Deckard cleared his throat as he continued tapping away on his computer and Rena rolled her eyes once more.
"Our own. Happy?" She grumbled, peering over to see what Deckard was looking up.
"No, I really think you two shoul-"
"Anyway! If you all are done...I'll write to someone in Moscow. An old friend." Deckard interrupted Luke and Mirena's eyes widened at the screen and her throat swelled at the picture that came across the screen. Hattie knew exactly who was on the screen from the murderous look in Mirena's eyes.
"What the fuck. No. You are not calling her." Rena interrupted.
"Rena.." Deckard warned and she shook her head.
"No! Fuck you. You aren't calling her." She demanded once more and Luke looked to Hattie for some sort of clarification.
"Long history...She's the reason these two, ya know." Hattie muttered, gesturing between Mirena and Deckard with her finger as they continued to argue with one another.
"She and her crew are paying a visit to some locals. Particular Russian criminal element. They have things that we're gonna need, Rena. I don't like it any more than you do."
"I highly fucking doubt it." She grumbled, shoving past him toward Hattie who had a sympathetic look on her face.
"Considering your history with friends, how many bullets did you put in this one's head?" Luke asked and Rena had to hold back the rabid dog that she so badly wanted to unleash from inside her.
"They can set us up with gear and I'm not hearing any other ideas." Deck said aggressively, feeling frustrated from the amount of flack he was getting and stressed from the idea of digging himself out of the hole he was digging himself into with Mirena.
"There are other Russian options..." Rena trailed off, pulling out her phone.
"Rena, no way." Deck warned but he was too late, she was already on her way toward the end of the garage to make the call.
"Where are you going!?" Deck yelled after her as she stalked towards the steps to have some privacy. Her only response was her middle finger as she stalked away, slamming the door to the garage behind her.
"Not that I'm not happy to see your number but I told you never to call me on this number, kotyonok." She rolled her eyes at the aggression and the old pet name.
"Duncan I need your help...I'm cashing in that favor from that job in Cairo."
"I suppose I was due for a call sooner or later. I'm at your disposal, kotyonok."
"Perfect." She smiled devilishly, knowing the coordinates where Duncan was located would show up on her phone any minute. She felt powerful now that Duncan Vizla was on her team. Deckard could go ahead and call that dirty Russian whore, she didn't care. She had one of the most dangerous men in the world in her corner now.
"About time, princess, come on, we're on your time," Luke called as she clicked her way across the stone flooring to where the group stood, trying to come up with a plan to get out of the country.
"We have every major intelligence agency hunting us down," Luke said as Mirena came to stand next to him.
"And there's that bit you disgraced MI6 when you betrayed your team," Hattie said and Mirena saw Deckard tense. She didn't feel bad that Hattie still didn't know the truth about Deckard and his MI6 days.
"Don't believe everything they tell you." He grumbled, avoiding eye contact with Mirena as he took pictures of the group.
"We're going to have to do our best to blend in."
"At Least until we get to Russia," Mirena added, winking at Luke as if to say 'watch this.'
"From there, Duncan should be able to help." Deckard's hands stopped flying across the keyboard and Mirena smirked at Luke who looked amused.
"You did not-"
"Oh I abso-fucking-lutely did, love." Hattie shook her head and held her hand up,
"You called Duncan Vizla, The Black Kaiser, to help?" She asked, not believing her ears. Mirena smiled, happy with her work.
"Your Russian contact is the Black fucking Kaiser?" Luke asked, shocked the small woman had one of the most if not the most dangerous assassin on speed dial.
"He owes me a favor." She shrugged and Deckard continued his typing.
"I bet he does...We fly commercial."
"Commercial? We'll get spotted too easy-"
"Don't you worry that pea-sized brain of yours. I handled it. Cloned our cell phone signals across the world. It'll give us 48 hours. We'll pick up new gear when we get to Moscow." Deckard interrupted Luke, commanding the room. Usually, Rena would be excited by the sound of his voice, the way he sounded when he was determined to get something done, but after seeing that picture of that bitch on his screen, she didn't much care for him in that moment.
"Here," He said, tossing batches of their 'Go' bags to Hattie, herself, and Luke. "This might be the only one that'll fit. It's one of my old ones, sorry if it's a little loose around the balls."
"Yeah," Rena added, patting Luke on his back. "It's from before I put them in my purse for safekeeping."
"Alright...what's this going to help?" Hattie asked, pulling out some pants from the bag.
"I've created new identities and altered your biometric profiles so the airport doesn't recognize your faces or your fingerprints. Hattie, you're Sarah
Adkins, you work in insurance." Hattie frowned, pulling at the wig that was also in her bag.
"Rena, you're Sasha Biel, Polish social media personality." Rena pulled out the blonde wig and sighed.
"I missed being blonde." She smiled, making Hattie chuckle.
"I'm Franz Gruber, a freelance architect, avid mountain climber, and a part-time ski instructor." Rena groaned, rolling her eyes.
"Moving on!" She said, making Deckard get the show on the road.
"You're Michael Oxmaul. Art distributor." He said, shoving the papers at Luke. Rena pushed herself off of the wall and headed for the restroom to change into her new persona and cool down so she would have a level head when she got to Russia.