Issy hands them over and Harrison reads through the reports. He frowns before placing them both of the desk and compares them, his head turning from one to the next. He's still frowning when he looks up to Issy. "Are you sure?"

She nods. "We've thought long and hard about it. Normally you'd spent about six weeks picking teams but now you don't have to, you just have to put them under an officer to train." Issy shrugs. "It means you don't have to take time out to train them and you get more time in here, sorting this out."

Harrison smiles at her. "Thank you."

"No problem."

The next day, Issy meets Soren and Elliot alone in Harrison's office. The lads sit in front of Harrison's desk, looking between the Leader and Issy several times. Issy doesn't know what they're waiting for until the door opens and Kim strides in.

Harrison sighs. "Kim, I asked you to be here for eleven, not nearly twelve."

"I'm sorry, but just like you I have shit to do." Kim sneers lightly. The female Leader chooses to ignore Issy and looks to Issy's trainees instead. "So this is them?" Both Soren and Elliot turn to look at Issy in confusion, making Kim look towards her too. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Issy grimaces. She didn't know Kim would be here too, if Issy had, she would have left the explanation to the Leaders instead. "They're my trainees and it was my suggestion."

Kim's mouth shifts into a sneer, but her voice is sickly sweet. "We just can't seem to get rid of you, can we?"

Issy's eyes narrow, shifting into gold.

"Stop it!" Harrison cuts across whatever Issy was about to say. "I don't want you fighting in my office. Take it to the rings if you need to hash it out." Kim scoffs and moves to the other side of Harrison's office, away from Issy and directly under the lights. Issy's eyes her slightly and her lips twitch up into a small smirk. Kim has fading bruises sitting just above her collarbones… Looks like she's already been in a fight. "Okay? Thank you." Harrison looks to the lads in front of him. "You're both here because you didn't make it into squadron 226 –"

"Lani got in?" Elliot asked with bright eyes, grinning at Issy. "That's great for her, she definitely deserves it." He glances to Harrison. "Sorry sir, please go on."

Issy snorts quietly as Harrison continues. "Beta has filled in placement reports for the both of you and since both of you work so well as a team, she has suggested that you both get placed in the armoury in the garage. While the garage is my department and the overlook of weapons in Kim's, one of you will be a part of my depo and the other in Kim's, but you will both work together."

Soren turns to Elliot and slaps him on the shoulder. "Ayyy! We're gonna be working together!" When Harrison shoots Soren a look to shut up, he deflates a little bit. "Carry on sir." Harrison turns the look to Issy and raises his eyebrows.

"Anyway, the armoury is split into sections that teams of two check over for efficiency and to double check the stock reports are correct. Normally, you'd spend six weeks training with others to find the best pairings as you'll be spending a lot of time together. Since you both already work so well with each other, it saves us six weeks of unnecessary training. If you both accept the placement, you'll report tomorrow morning at ten a.m. to get a tour and start working."

Soren and Elliot take a glance at Issy before turning to each other. "We'll take it!" They both shout simultaneously, and Harrison laughs at their enthusiasm.

"Alright then!" Harrison sets two sheets down in front of them, both already have Issy's signature for the transfer. "Beta, here's the key cards and cord for your new member." Issy takes the envelope Harrison holds towards her. "That will be all."

"Thank you, Beta!" Soren calls as Issy starts to leave the office.

"We'll miss you Beta!" Elliot adds.

Issy laughs, opening the door. "We're all going to the Pit later to celebrate, you joining us?"

Soren and Elliot grin. "Hell yeah!"

xXx

Not long after, all of 226 sit in the common room with Lani sitting in front of them. Lani shifts in her seat with an unsure look and Issy smiles.

"So, Lani," Issy starts with a grin. "How does it feel to be a part of the squadron?"

"Well, it –" Lani's eyes widen, the words registering. "Wait, what? I made it?" She looks around at each of them and the squaddies laugh at her reaction.

"Kiddo," BD starts, hands raised to stop her ramblings. "You deserve it. You've improved the most, take all our moods into your stride. Soren and Elliot wanted to work together but not both of them could join the squad."

"I made the cut?"

"Hell yeah ya did girlie!" Rainbow shouts. "These guys are great n' all but guys."

Issy puts the envelope she got from Harrison on the table and shoves it towards Lani. "Inside the envelope are three key cards you've seen us use. Blue to get into the garage, yellow to get inside here and red for the SWALT room, where the lockers are stuff are. There's a bungee cord too that the cards should always be attached to. Attach your alarm on that too. You've been inside the SWALT room so there's no need to take the tour. Inside your locker will be a rifle, a rucksack, your squadron jacket with my patch on and equipment to clean your rifle." Issy looks to the others. "Am I missing anything?"

"Our real names?" Billy asks with a raised eyebrow.

Lani grimaces. "No offense, I really don't want to know… I'm never gonna use them…" Both Issy and Hector snort, having felt the same way.

BD winks to Lani. "Her nickname?"

"Eh, we'll figure that out as we go."

"The rota?" Red says and Issy wags her finger at him.

"Yes, but I want to talk about something first." She sighs and some of the older members in her squad look confused. "Everyone here should be aware of the lack of squadrons up on the front lines?"

"My brother told me that they're doing ridiculous shifts, something like sixteen hours on, eight hours off, and then sixteen hours back on again…" Lani frowns. "From their general location, it takes about an hour to get to and from the compound so that leaves them with like six hours rest… That it isn't healthy for them to be pulling such long shifts."

Billy rakes a hand through his hair. "The squadrons that would cover the front lines are still posted out to the other factions, protecting the children and the school. We don't have enough man power for both."

"Well," Hec starts hesitantly. "It's just an idea, but we could do something about it…"

"How so lad?"

"We could volunteer to transfer over to the front lines?" Red and BD temporarily freeze, and Hector backtracks. "I mean, it's just an idea."

Red and BD look towards each other for a long time before Red shrugs. "We've been as bad situations since then. When capt – Clark – got targeted, coming back from Amity…" Red shrugged. "I mean apart from Beta, Cutie Pie and Lani, we all have training for it."

Bulldozer shakes his head. Everybody watches him rub his jaw before he stares at Issy. "I don't want to lose anyone on this squadron, not again."

"I know."

"You're also aware that we might not be transferred back?"

"I know." Issy repeats.

Bulldozer sighs deeply, before he stands up and shoves his chair under the table. For a moment Issy thought he was going to walk out. "Well, come then. Let's go put in our request before I change my mind."

The whole squadron, now with Lani added to their ranks, got up and walked out of the garage and to the Leadership offices. The receptionist next to the lifts told Issy that Harrison was in a meeting, but they could leave a note with her and she'll pass it onto Harrison.

Issy looks to each of her squaddies in turn, pausing finally on BD, who motions her forward. "Squadron 226 would like to submit a request to transfer over to the frontlines."

The receptionist quickly writes it down before smiling up at them. "Okay, I'll get that passed on as soon as Harrison is free."