The team was more focused on the field than on planning. They had a great scheme to execute; they should get to it immediately. Besides, the sooner they dismantled Percy's nuclear plans, the better. The rogues didn't have time to waste. Fortunately, it was still light out by the time they intercepted one of the Division farmers. Sean caught him outside of the feed store. His element of surprise didn't work too well in his favor, however. Division agents could recover fast. Alex had to leap out from around the corner to help the Seal, "You owe me for that."
Flashing her a grateful smile, Sean knew he would do just that. For the moment, though, he had to snap his attention back to the mission. Michael hid himself and the Division agent's body in the bed of the truck, while the Seal dressed as the farmer as best he could. Nikita and Alex hid in the truck as well, and off they went to the farm. The team couldn't be too anxious as they began their operation. It wasn't as though much could go wrong while they traveled and set everything up. The other Division farmer was a bit of a problem as Sean pulled up in the truck. But again, Alex stepped in and took care of it, "Looks like I owe you twice."
As the young woman smiled and rolled her eyes, Nikita and Michael hopped out of the truck. The two grabbed the others' attention, containing their own eye rolls. They dragged the Division agents into the barn and tied them up with the rope they found. Nikita kept some of the rope for herself, just in case anything happened at the silo. The rest of the items in the barn were moved out of the Division agents' path so they couldn't potentially grab a weapon once they woke. Sean even hefted up and tossed a hay bale, ensuring there was no chance of danger. When he showed his excessiveness, though, his sister laughed, "Look at you. You're finally a cowboy."
"All part of my duty, ma'am," Sean tipped the brim of his cap, and attempted a southern accent. It didn't work in his favor. Alex choked back laughter, Nikita smirked tauntingly at her brother, and Michael glanced over in concern. Sean fought the rush of embarrassment that washed over him and forced himself to continue with his work. Although the others struggled to contain giggles, they followed his example. They didn't need any trouble from the fake farmers as they slipped in and out of Division. That should be the easiest part of their operation.
If the barn was secure and the sentries were taken care of, then Michael and Nikita would have no problem accessing the silo. It was the rest of their plan that was terrifying and dangerous. So much could go wrong, even if setting a charge in the server room was a simple action. The team just had to control as much as they could before descending into hell. Eventually, the barn was completely secure and it was time to finally split up. It never sat right with them whenever they had to separate. It didn't matter how important it was for the mission. They couldn't let each other go easily. Alex didn't let Nikita run right off, "Hey. Be careful."
"As long as you are too," Nikita returned the embrace Alex suddenly wrapped her in, squeezing her best friend tightly. The women held to one another for a long moment, before finally letting go. It wasn't goodbye; they had to constantly reassure themselves of that. In no longer than an hour, they would see one another again. Cross Bow would soon be destroyed, Percy would be defeated, and the rogues could breathe and relax as they celebrated. They had to believe everything would work out alright. The world wasn't always against them.
"Don't die," Though, as Sean reminded them, the team did have a terrible string of awful luck. Everytime they thought a plan would go their way, or they could sprint towards the end of their war, something came along and smacked them off course. Victories were hardly pure victories. And their enemies always had something up their sleeve to escape their loss. No matter how many times they tried to convince themselves something was simple, that would never be the case. The rogues weren't afforded the luxury of easy.
"I'm not going anywhere this time," Despite her rising anxieties about returning to the nightmarish Division, Nikita made a promise she was bound and determined to keep. Sean was serious with his command, regardless of the flippant phrasing. He couldn't lose his sister again. Once had been more than enough. She absolutely refused to make him go through that pain and heartache again. Division was done pulling apart their family and making them suffer. It had to be done with destroying families in general. The black ops group was going down that day.
Fueled by that righteous fury, Nikita marched right into the vast expanse of farmland. Michael quickly hurried after her, grabbing a shovel before he left. It didn't take him long to catch up to her. The further she walked across the field, the less powerful her strides. She couldn't quite run away from her thoughts. Her parting words with her brother had caught up to her. Some of Birkhoff's words of warning also rang in her ears. Division was a place of death; she could so easily fade away in those halls. At least she hadn't cursed Sean out before she disappeared into the hellhole that time, "Those are better last words than I first left him with."
"You're not leaving him," Michael replied instantly. No one was going to lose anyone on that mission; they weren't going to lose each other on any mission. Not only was the team of assassins, spies, soldiers, and hackers too stubborn to allow that to happen, they were also beyond capable and strong. They'd come out on top. Nikita had expressed that before. However, currently, she wouldn't listen to the bright side. Her anxieties had drowned her. Michael had to make her stop and see the light, "Hey. We're gonna get you home."
"We just have to get everyone else home first," Trudging forward, Nikita muttered. Although all she wanted to do was melt into the bright hope of returning home and giving her friends and family a happy and peaceful future, she had to keep her attention on the present. Those were the things she could control. And those were the things that would determine how bright of a future the rogues might have. She had survived Division before, and with less help. She had so much more worth fighting and living for then. Her fear was simply lying to her.
Alex's fear was eating away at her as well. She paced the barn, trying in vain to silence her racing thoughts. She abhorred the fact that there wasn't anything she could do while Michael and Nikita risked their lives. Yes, she was watching the perimeter for them and was running interference. But a lot of that required too much waiting. The waiting was what made tense missions all the more stressful. She felt like she was going to snap at any moment. The way Sean kept stealing glances her way didn't help, "Can you be helped?"
"Uh. Yeah," After needing a moment to shake his thoughts clear, Sean tossed Alex a scanner. He was checking the barn for any listening devices or cameras. The farmer agents had trackers, after all. It would make sense for the barn that led to Division to be bugged as well. However, that wasn't all the Seal was thinking about. He kept glancing at Alex, wondering if she was alright and when was the best time to ask her out. Then wasn't the time or place to be considering a date. Yet he couldn't help it. How else was he to stay calm.
"Did you really want to be a cowboy as a kid?" Unable to take the silence they had awkwardly fallen into, Alex wondered. A lot of Sean's and Nikita's taunts were based on things that had occurred when they were younger. There were times when the siblings still had to take a moment to register that they had grown and matured into different people during their decade apart. The young woman completely understood that. She had her own moments like that whenever she talked to her mother. It was difficult to wrap their heads around the fact that people could change so drastically without them near. It was like talking to a new person at times.
"More Lone Ranger than an actual farmhand," Sean shrugged. He never wanted to work on a farm, or drive cattle, or whatever else real cowboys did. He had always been caught up in the fantasy of a rugged hero saving the day. His imaginations as a kid were just another thing that lent to him becoming a Seal. His whole life had accumulated to that moment. Nothing could surprise him anymore; though, who could be surprised again after discovering your mother was involved in a conspiracy to fake your sister's death as part of a secret unit of the government.
"Like any of us are actual Lone Rangers," One thing that could still surprise Sean, however, was Alex. As she replied to his confession, she scoffed and rolled her eyes. Her viewpoint had certainly changed since they had first met. She had wanted to do everything on her own. Yet, at that moment, she knew to rely on her team. The rogues liked to pretend they were lone wolves, but they needed their team frequently. They survived by leaning on one another. They were bolstered by each other's strength.
Borrowed strength carried Michael and Nikita through searching the field for the silo entrance. They moved in silence, unsure of what else to say. Once they found the welded grate, though, renewed energy and a bolt of encouragement coursed through them. That was it. Everything could be over soon. Unfortunately, their pattern of losing just as they had gained struck again. The cover was blown off easily, yet there wasn't a ladder awaiting them. It was just an empty hole. Michael cursed, "Of course it's not going to plan."
"You're just going to have to lower me down," Deciding without any further thought, Nikita unfurled the rope she had had enough foresight to bring. Thinking too much about their next actions would only allow the fear to grip her again. She knew better than to let that happen again. The two just had to keep moving, and do the best that they could. They had always been excellent at improvising out in the field. Since they already had all the information they would need about the place they were infiltrating, that improv should come easily.
"No. I'll go," Michael nodded as though that were final. He had spent more time in Division. Sure, Nikita knew how to sneak around better, having used the vents to escape the harshness of hell. But he had become far too acquainted with the black ops group's layout and protocols. Things couldn't have changed too much while he was gone. He would know who was patrolling the server room and when. It was an advantage that could serve them well.
"Okay, but which one of us can actually lift the other? Not that I'm dissing your girlish figure," The smirk came easier than the suggestion to split up. Nikita hated the idea as much as Michael did. She could just rationalize it easier. She was faster, she was lighter, and she was smaller. She was the better person to slip in and out unseen. Besides, it wasn't as though she was completely alone. He and the rest of the team would be on coms. They'd still be connected.
"I'm not sending you down there alone," Michael sternly stopped Nikita from tying the rope around her waist. What happened to never being separated again. She had said she was afraid of dying in that hellhole without him. Of course that statement was true for him as well. He was absolutely terrified of losing her to a place he could've protected her from. He wasn't going to let her go without a fight.
"It'll be ten, twenty minutes tops. I can handle two techs and setting a charge. I'll be fine," Nikita pushed aside her own worry to focus on Michael. He was the one who had said it would all be okay earlier. He couldn't back out on his word just because she was sacrificing her life and he wasn't; though, she did understand his concern. If one of them died, so did the other. So how could they willingly send the person they loved most into the deepest pit of hell.
It was their only option, unfortunately, and just something they had to do to be the goddamn heroes they were. The team always had to risk their lives, souls, and hearts at the slim chance of saving innocents. They needed to protect the world. Michael helped Nikita secure the rope around her tightly. He tested the strength, ensuring it would hold, then pulled her in close to him. His gaze was intense and his voice was gravely serious as he expressed, "You scare the absolute hell out of me. But I love you anyway."
"I love you anyway too," Kissing him soundly, Nikita breathed. Desperation and luck poured through the couple's kiss. They wouldn't let each other go just yet. When they had to, however- when the world came crashing back towards them- their eyes never separated from one another. Michael lowered her gently down the silo shaft, staring at her until the darkness swallowed her whole.
Nikita could still be heard on the coms, at least. Not only did that help calm Michael's nerves, but also Alex's and Sean's. The two had wanted to rush out of the barn to help, but they were rooted by their duty. Letting highly capable Division agents out of their sight would only cause more trouble. Taking their eyes off of them for just a second already did. The farmers had gained consciousness, and were forming a way to escape and kill the rogues, "You really think you can infiltrate Division. They'll kill you in an instant."
"We got this far," Turning back to the fake farmers, Sean shrugged. Although he only stated a fact, he did so snidely. The team had gotten really far on their crusade for such a motley crew of agents. The universe even acted against them at times. Yet, there they were, making their final push. Division and Percy could do whatever they wanted to the team. They would persevere like always. They were far stronger.
"We're just trying to stop Percy and save lives. Don't you want that chance of freedom? Actually live the life you've been pretending. All this time together had to have meant something. It could be more without Division," Alex was gentler in her approach to appease the agents. She knew what it was like to be trapped inside those monstrous walls. She also knew deep connections and feelings could arise despite the pain. The farmers had to have experienced the same. The two couldn't be completely heartless.
Maybe that was the case with other Division agents. But the sentries were too well controlled by the hellish manipulation. The two glanced at one another and nodded. One of them tipped their chair while the other used their unbound legs to snap their neck. Sean and Alex could only stare in horrified shock. The remaining agent seethed, "All of this is because of Division."