Hello, my lovely readers! I am back again with the next chapter of this long-running fanfic. I hope you all are staying healthy and safe!
BoondockSaints01: Thank you! Awwwww! That makes my day! I mean, that was partly why I had to write this lol, not enough Slade. Now I hope I have given some outlet for Slade love lol. I know! I keep having to keep myself back from just writing those scenes right now. But all good things to those that wait.
Lian Yu 2008
The group of five all woke up early the next day and decided on their plan of attack. Victoria worked on a small breakfast for them while they all sat together around the fire and discussed their thoughts and ideas.
"We need to find Billy," Oliver exclaimed.
"We do. The trouble is figuring out whether he is in his cave or I fear, seeking Ivo out," Slade brought up.
"And if he goes to Ivo nothing is stopping Billy getting off this island and leaving us behind," Shado pointed out.
"I think we should break up in groups. Someone should stay behind at the camp to make sure Ivo doesn't make it back here."
"I'll do it," Sara spoke up. "That will leave you four to figure out who will go with who."
"Are you sure?" Oliver voiced.
Victoria chinged when she looked over and saw the upset expression on Shado's face.
"Don't worry, Ollie. I'll be fine. I'll stay and guard the camp."
Oliver nodded in understanding, "Then I think I'll pair up with Shado. That will leave you with Slade, Toria."
"Sounds like a plan," Victoria forced a happy tone. Hoping that the other couple could have a moment to clear up the tension between them.
"I agree. First, we will all get some food. Then we should start the search." Slade walked over to the sensor grid and whacked it against his palm. "I wish this damn thing worked. Then we would have a semblance of where Billy might be. Or at least Ivo's men."
"We are just going to have to make do. I think Oliver and I will head towards the cave. Look around in the general area."
"I didn't see him near the launcher but it might prove useful to check that area. He might have backtracked towards Fyers's old camp. He is more familiar with that area so maybe I overlooked something."
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You could have sliced the tension between Oliver and Shado as they started towards the cave. Oliver kept trying to make conversation but would decide instead to keep silent until he knew what to say. Shado continued forward not saying a thing to him.
Finally, not being able to handle the silence Oliver spoke his thoughts to her, "Shado, please say something to me. You've been cold for days."
"I haven't known what to say to you, Oliver," Shado confessed.
"But anything is better than silence."
Shado turned towards him, her eyes intense and focusing on his as she replied, "So you would rather I yelled or screamed? Or even told you I am not sure what we are anymore? Cause I don't. We have all been too caught up in what has been happening. But it doesn't change the fact that everything is upside down. And things are different between us."
"It doesn't have to be. I told you I wanted to give this a try. Don't you remember?"
Shado shook her head as a small smile tugged at her mouth, "it isn't that easy."
"Why can't it?"
"Maybe the fact that and correct me if I am wrong, your ex-girlfriend's sister, who you slept with, is now in our group."
"Nothing has happened between us!" Oliver protested.
Shado shot him a glare and looked at him in disbelief.
"Fine, alright, that was over a year ago though. I haven't kissed her or done anything couply with her since she has been back."
"I don't doubt that, Oliver. My question to you is," she placed a hand on his chest and looked up into his blue eyes. "Do you want to?"
Without giving him a chance to reply, she stepped forward with long enough strides that he had to increase his speed to keep up with her.
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"Billy!" Shado and Oliver shouted in unison.
They were only a few clicks away from the cave.
"Shado. Queen," Billy greeted.
Was he taller? Shado wondered silently.
"Billy, we need to make a deal with you!" Oliver exclaimed.
"It's about this isn't it?" Wintergreen lifted the crate. "I figured as much. Pretty powerful stuff."
"You didn't?" Oliver asked, his voice panicky.
"It is none of your business, Queen. I'll be talking to Shado otherwise I am going back in that cave and expecting our previous agreement to stand."
"Not a chance…"
Shado pulled Oliver away so Billy would be less likely to hear.
"You can't honestly be considering listening to him, alone?"
"Those were his conditions, Oliver. I hope I am wrong but I think he also has it in his system."
"I do too. Well, then he is more dangerous than he was before. I don't think it is a good idea for you to speak to him alone."
"We don't have a choice. He is the one with the drug. And we both know what will happen if he doesn't deal with us but goes to Ivo."
"Alright, but I won't be too far away. I don't trust him."
"I know, Oliver. I don't either. But we don't have another choice."
The oldest Queen hung his head.
"Hey," Shado lifted his chin. "I'll be alright. And I know you'll keep an eye on him."
With that, she walked over to Billy and left Oliver standing a distance away from them.
"You know why we are here. What are your conditions, Billy?"
The tall, blonde Australian chuckled, "Straight to business I see. It's nice to see you again, Shado. How have you been? Hope those idiots that you are with have been treating you well."
"We aren't discussing that. If you aren't going to start I suppose I have to. We want the crate. And I do not doubt that you want something in return for it."
"Fine, since you won't allow any pleasantries, I want in on your plan to get off this island. I know you guys are cooking up something. I'll give you this. But I get involved with any of your plans to get off this damned island, understood?"
"You'll let us have the crate if you join us?"
"Exactly, those are the only terms I'll agree to. Otherwise, I walk and seek some other help."
Shado's stomach churned at the thought. Billy wasn't someone they could trust. She left him in silence for a few stretched minutes. Finally, she replied, "You have a deal."
"Wonderful, so I'll be going back with you guys now. I have no doubt you are going to be planning the next steps."
The pair began walking towards Oliver, who had a tight-lipped expression and eying Billy suspiciously, "I assume you guys reached an agreement?"
"We did indeed, pretty boy. Looks like you all will be getting my help from here until we get off this island."
"What?!" Oliver looked over at Shado in alarm.
She leaned over and pulled Oliver slightly away, "That is the only thing I could get him to agree to let us have the drug. Otherwise, he was going to seek out Ivo."
"Prick. Now, what do we do? Slade isn't going to like it."
"He'd hate it even more if we were stuck here for longer. Best we just… I don't know. Try to grin and bear it?"
"That asshole tortured me, Shado."
"And he kept guard over me like a dog when Fyers was using my father. None of us are going to be happy about this agreement. But nothing is turning out how any of us would prefer right now. We have to simply shoulder it."
Silently Oliver made sure to step closer to Shado as the trio headed back towards the camp. He kept his eyes trained on Billy the entire time.
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Toria slowly walked closer to Slade. The pair had already looked all around Fyers's old camp and had found no fresh trace of Billy anywhere. Now they were heading back towards camp. Beasts and birds made soft rustled sounds in the foreground, each paid close attention and kept on guard.
"How is your shoulder fairing?"
"It has been feeling a lot better since Shado gave me some of the super medicine last night."
"I am glad. Toria, I am sorry you were ever put in danger. That I wasn't there to prevent it."
"Honestly, I had thought I had lost you. I am just happy to have you back."
"Even though I have been acting so recklessly?"
"Yes," she turned towards him and stopped. "Though you have been so reckless."
He towered over her even more than he used to. It appeared that the drug had increased his mast and height. What other effects did it have on him? The thought flickered through her mind. Slade leaned in closer to her, a smile tugging on his mouth as he slightly closed the gap between them. She was reaching up on her tiptoes, her mouth mere inches away from his.
"Geez are those two always like that? Can't even leave them alone it seems," a familiar voice exclaimed.
In a whirl of motion, Slade stepped in front of Toria and gently pulled her so that she was right behind him. His eyes fiery and fierce as he faced the tall blonde that stood a few feet in front of him, "What the hell is he doing here?"
"Nice to see you too, Slade. Was I interrupting something?" Billy's voice held a bite with sarcasm.
"Slade, may I speak with you a moment?"
Shado walked toward the couple and gestured for them to walk further away from Oliver and Billy. Giving them more of a chance not to be overheard.
"Shado, you better have a damn good reason why he is here?'
"It's because of the agreement I was able to come to with him. He would let us have the crate of Mirakuru if we let him escape with us."
"Why in hell would you agree to those terms? How on Earth are we going to be able to work alongside him in our attack against the freighter? None of us trust him."
"Come on, Slade. You couldn't have possibly been naive enough to think this wasn't a possibility?"
"I thought it was a strong possibility, but I wasn't comfortable at all with it," Toria spoke up.
"We aren't going to let him in on our plans, are we? I mean, can't we just leave him here? Or I have a few other ideas for him."
"That won't be as easy as you think it will be. I could be mistaken, but I think Billy took some of the Mirakuru."
"Son of a bitch," Toria cursed. "How can we take the freighter if we can't even trust everyone in our group?"
"None of us are going to trust him."
"I know that. But we don't have another choice. The Mirakuru is why Ivo is on this island if Billy just hands it to him and asks him to take him home… We don't have another choice."
"You're right, I just don't feel comfortable with it."
"We will all look out for each other. That's all we can do."
Slade strode over towards the tall blonde, his eyes measuring him up. Toria could tell by his body language and from his stance that he was looking for any weaknesses of the other Australian. He got right into his space and never broke eye contact, his voice lowered and it held a bite to it. After he had spoken he walked forward until he was walking beside her once more.
"What did you say to him?" she couldn't help but ask.
"I just let him know where we stand."
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The next day they were looking down at the freighter through binoculars.
"We're never going to make it. Ivo has eight guards on deck at all times, all armed. The second they see us we are dead," Sara informed them.
"Assuming we can deal with Ivo's defenses, how are we getting close enough to board the ship?" Slade put in.
"Damn, I wish we still had that lifeboat handy."
"Maybe build a raft?" Oliver suggested.
"It will take us weeks to find the timber. We don't have weeks," Sara explained/ complained.
"We've been here for years. All we have are weeks."
"Guys I think I hear something," Oliver spoke over them.
All of them paused and looked up into the air. A loud engine could be heard a distance above them. They all got up from their crouched position and began racing after the plane that flew above them. Shouting and waving their arms.
"Help! Down here!" Slade and Victoria shouted in unison.
"Down here! Hey! Hey!" Billy shouted, his voice straining at full volume.
Victoria stopped, her stomach sank as she watched the plane get fired upon twice by the freighter. Mindlessly following the group as they headed towards the fiery crash. Billy raced to the front. He rushed toward the downed plane and forced open the plot's door. Reaching for the radio, he pressed the button but didn't get anything. Pulling it out from the plane he threw it down in anger.
"Damn it!"
Shado came closer to the plot. The man jerked awake, gasping for breath. She noticed his strangely limp legs and the blood on his face, "He is barely alive. Oliver, Slade, and Billy go get the medical supplies we have back at camp. The three of us are going to be fine."
"Are you sure?" Oliver asked in concern.
"Go, we'll take care of each other, Ollie," Victoria reassured him.
Slade nodded and rushed after him. Billy lingered for a moment.
"You sure you can handle it, Shado?"
"Why are you still here? Victoria and I will be able to defend ourselves. Go, Billy, please don't make me ask again."
"Alright, just want to make sure you'll be okay," he muttered before following after the others.
"That seemed strangely out of character for Billy," Toria voiced, looking closely at Shado's face.
"I suppose he feels indebted to me for keeping him fed all these months."
"Sure… Sara, come here and help us. Shado you try working on a fire, Sara, and I will gently try to get him out of the plane."
The man winced and hissed as Victoria and Sara wrapped an arm around him and forced him out of his seat.
"I am so sorry. I know you are in a lot of pain, Sir. We are having some of our friends get you medicine and we will get it to you as soon as we can," Victoria explained to him.
He nodded in understanding as he bit back another cry of pain. She felt tears gathering in the corner of her eyes seeing how much pain the man seemed to be in. Would the other's be able to get here on time?
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"Shush, it is going to be alright," Shado told the injured man as she tightly wrapped a bandage around his leg to prevent more blood from flowing out of a large gash underneath it.
"My wallet," the man asked, his voice desperate.
Without hesitation, Sara went to the pocket and pulled out the man's wallet. Silently she gave it to him. He pulled out a picture, an adoring and yet hurt expression fixed on his face as he stared down at it.
"She's my daughter. She's 12. I need a doctor," he told them.
"The radio is broken," Sara replied.
"But we are getting help. It is coming as fast as it can," Victoria added, her voice hopeful though it slightly sobbed.
"Her mother died, just after she got out of diapers, cancer. And without me, she's not going to have anyone to look after her," tears slipped freely down his bloodied cheeks. "I know I don't know you, any of you. And I know you don't know me, but please make sure my daughter is okay? Please," he placed the picture into Sara's hand.
"I promise, I promise," Sara repeated.
Tears rolled down Victoria's cheeks as she watched the life leave the forty-year-old man. He'd never see his daughter again in this life. When had he seen her last? Had they been able to spend time with each other? Was it a happy memory or were they angry with one another? Maybe even indifferent? Some of the last memories with her father had ended with them shouting and being short with each other. How she wished she could go back and have them be different. But then again, she wouldn't have met Slade, never would have come to this island. And for all the pain it had caused her, too many life-changing things had happened to her here. Meeting Slade was never something she would want to take back.
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Sara looked over at the picture of the man's twelve-year-old daughter. Her hair was dark and in a bob. She had a bright smile and round, childish cheeks.
"We're back!" Slade declared.
"Too late. He's gone," Sara explained.
Slade sighed and slightly walked away. Toria could tell he was upset about losing someone else to this island.
"He has a twelve-year-old daughter," Toria mumbled.
"We're all going to die here. Just like him," Sara commented.
"Oliver?" Shado noticed him pulling something out of the plane.
"What do you have there, Queen?"
"I think I might have found somewhy for us onto the freighter," Oliver threw something to Slade.
Slade examined it with skillful eyes, it didn't seem damaged from the crash, "A parachute."
Please Follow, Favorite, and let me know what your thoughts of this chapter were in a review. I was very tempted to add more to this chapter but I thought I already filled it pretty well. I look forward to seeing you all again for the next chapter!