The Future is Bright
Summary: A short story set in a world with Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics. Takes place after the events of the movie. See author's note for details.
Joe and Nicky are trying for a baby, but a sinister enemy reappears to throw a spanner in the works. Will the team be able to find their missing family member in time?
Author's Note: This is the first story I've been able to write in years and it feels good to be able to put it out there. The reason I haven't posted it before now was because I started writing a bit of a backstory which turned into a story on its own. That story I will hopefully publish by the end of they year.
In the meantime, please enjoy this short story.
Tags/Warnings: ABO dynamics, mpreg, brief description of birth/labour, brief mention of rape that doesn't happen but the threat is there, violence, a bit of bad language, character death, Booker didn't betray anyone, Lykon lives, Quynh didn't spend time in the ocean,
Characters: Nicky, Joe, Booker, Andy, Nile, Quynh, Lykon, Copley, Kozak, Original Male Character
Relationships: Joe/Nicky, Andy/Quynh/Lykon, pre-Nile/Booker,
There was nothing special about the mission. Nothing out of the ordinary or suspect. It was simply taking out a compound of bad guys and freeing their hostages. Nile had heard stories from the others about how they had done this same thing many, many times before over the years. She herself had done this when she served in the military. Had that really been only a few years ago?
It was meant to be a quick in and out kind of mission. Nicky and Quynh would be their snipers, watching the situation from on high while the rest of the team went in and wiped out all the bad guys standing between them and the hostages. Nile was paired with Booker while Andy, Lykon and Joe moved in from the other entrance. It should have left the hostiles with no means of escape and surrender or death their only options.
They really should have known better.
Nile followed Booker as they cleared another room. The compound was like a maze, an honestly weird setup that had them moving through a dozen different rooms with oddly placed doors.
"We must be getting close," Booker muttered as he peered around a corner, "There can't be many left."
Nile did a quick sweep of the room out of habit before following Booker when something caught her eye. One of the dead guys they'd just taken out had something sticking out of his shirt. It didn't look like anything more than paper but something about it had the hairs on Nile's neck standing up.
She crouched down and fished the paper out of the dead man's pocket and unfolded it. It wasn't paper, but a photo. Her eyes went wide as she saw what it contained, "Booker!"
The urgency in her voice must have alerted him more than her quiet tone because he was at her side in an instant. His gaze dropped to what she held in her hand and his breath hitched. He swore in French with what sounded like some other language thrown in, his face flushing with temper.
"What is this?" she asked, though she had a sinking feeling she knew. The photo was self-explanatory.
Booker tapped the comm in his ear, "Nicky, what is your location?"
Silence.
"Nicky, where are you? Quynh, do you have eyes on Nicky?"
More silence. The hairs on Nile's neck were now cold with sweat.
"What's going on?" Joe's voice.
"Andy, Joe, Lykon, we're leaving. Get to Nicky and Quynh now."
"What about the hostages?" Lykon.
"There are no hostages. This was a trap. They're after Nicky."
Nile and Booker started running back the way they had come, moving through rooms with dead bodies that Nile suddenly realised didn't fit the narrative they had been told. The outfits were mismatched, the weapons varied, even the enemy were varied in appearance and origin. Some were male, others female. It was like a company of mercenaries had been holed up in this labyrinth. And the rooms and doors, she realised, had been constructed with the sole purpose of slowing them down.
Then Joe's voice came over the comms speaking in that unique blend of Italian and Arabic that Nile had come to know as his and Nicky's secret language. Not even Andy knew how to speak that specific dialect. She waited to hear Nicky respond, hoping that he would, but when he didn't, she felt her stomach twist.
"He's not answering. Neither is Quynh." Andy ground out over the comms.
Nile felt her heart race as her feet carried her from the compound towards the place where Nicky should have been positioned. She heard the others try to raise Nicky and Quynh on the comms and got nothing back.
The sound of a sniper rifle firing suddenly split the air and Nile's body dropped out of habit. Booker landed beside her. Another shot fired and Nile thought it came from the ridge where Quynh was positioned. It didn't seem to be firing in their direction, however.
"Let's go," Booker murmured, "We need to get to Nicky."
Nile hauled herself up.
Booker was first to reach the spot and Nile heard him curse in French as she topped the ridge. She looked around at the carnage where Nicky's sniper nest had been and felt her stomach flip.
There were six dead assailants, dressed in full combat gear with night vision and assault rifles. Not the sloppy, half-assed outfits on the men in the compound. There was no point outfitting the bait in full fear, but the extraction team tasked with bringing in a lethal target needed to be properly equipped.
Nile flipped one of the dead bodies over and found another photo in his pocket. The same photo found on the man in the compound. More proof. It was a trap. For a moment she had entertained the possibility that it had been a false alarm. Then she'd crested the ridge…
"They were waiting for him." Quynh's voice sounded from the darkness a moment before she stumbled into sight. Her bloody clothes and ragged appearance indicating she'd been in the fight as well, "I saw them coming and tried to warn Nicky, but it was too late. They took him."
Joe, Andy and Lykon appeared in their circle as night began to fall.
Joe's eyes were wide as he examined the carnage around him. Nicky hadn't gone down without a fight. He picked up the broadsword Nicky cherished and held it to his chest like he wished it was Nicky. Quynh and Lykon each picked up more of Nicky's weapons that had been discarded in the fight. They followed the trail of destruction to where a van must have been waiting. Another dead body with a knife through their skull indicated Nicky hadn't been restrained properly. They found his comm in the dirt which Andy picked up, a stony look on her face.
"What happened?" Andy asked Booker.
Booker held up the photo Nile had found, showing it to the others. It was a photo of Nicky, expression bland and not looking directly at the camera. Nile knew the exact moment they all recognised where the photo was from.
"Merrick." Joe's voice sounded strangled, and he tore his eyes from the photo to look around again as if hoping to see something that could help bring his beloved back to them.
"This is from the security feed in the labs," Booker agreed.
"That doctor. Meta Kozak. I had hoped we'd seen the last of her," Andy all but growled the name, her Alpha pheromones clotting the air in aggression. Nile resisted the urge to back away. None of the others did and she had been assured she would one day be capable of completely resisting the biological urges to avoid an aggressive Alpha.
"Why would she want Nicky?" Lykon asked, his deep Omega voice not having its usual calming effect.
"One way to find out." Andy stormed from the scene heading to their vehicles further down the hill. Nile took one last look at the destruction around her and hoped Nicky would be home soon.
***The Future is Bright***
Copley was surprised to see them. "Done already? I didn't hear anything–"
Andy had him by the throat before he could blink, and Nile bit her lip to stop the protest from leaving her mouth. She didn't believe that Copley had betrayed them, but the others seemed to. Maybe it was something she'd learn as she passed through the centuries as well. Hoe to determine a person's true intentions.
"Did you betray us?" Andy snarled as she pressed against Copley's throat. The former CIA agent didn't fight but his complexion was paler than usual. Joe was being restrained by Quynh's hand on his arm but that didn't stop a low, steady growl from rumbling through his chest as he glared at Copley.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Copley rasped.
"Kozak."
Copley's face hardened, "I've been trying to find her for years but no luck. She must have powerful friends to be able to escape detection."
"She grabbed Nicky tonight. The whole thing was a trap," Joe snarled, looking about three seconds away from launching himself at Copley. He was still clutching Nicky's broadsword like a lifeline.
Copley pursed his lips and something like remorse flashed across his face, "I'm sorry. I was so sure it was legitimate. I had no reason not to believe the intel."
"They likely set it up some time ago to make it look real," Quynh stated in her cool tone, prowling around the room like a feral cat waiting for an exit. Lykon moved with her, his comforting Omega pheromones doing their best to soothe his agitated Alpha. "I am remembering another time when you went us into a trap. The similarities between then and now do not paint you in a positive light."
Copley swore softly then met Andy's eyes without flinching, "I had nothing to do with Nicky being taken. Let me help you find him."
"You haven't found Kozak so far what makes you think you'll find her now?" Booker drawled.
"If there's one thing that all smart people possess it's an ego," Copley returned in the same bland tone, "She wants to be famous. She'll start making mistakes now that she has a focus for her goal."
"What does she want with Nicky?" Joe demanded, "Why Nicky specifically?"
"I don't know." Copley admitted, "But I'm going to find out."
***The Future is Bright***
Nicky woke with the taste of anaesthetic on his tongue and straps around his limbs. He looked around and found himself in a room that was terrifyingly familiar. A lab. He was strapped down, but this time Joe was not at his side. He swallowed the nervous whine that wanted to clamber out of his mouth at the pang of longing for his mate.
He didn't have to wait alone long. The door pushed open and another terrifyingly familiar sight appeared when Dr Meta Kozak walked through the door. She still possessed that same superior smirk she wore as she cut pieces out of him last time.
"Mr Smith, lovely to see you again," Kozak declared, as she pushed a machined up to the side of Nicky's bed, "Can I call you Nicky?"
"No."
Kozak shrugged, "Very well, Mr Smith."
She rolled a stool closer to Nicky's bed and sat upon it as she started fiddling with the machine that she had brought with her. Nicky tried to figure out what it was, but he was mostly disturbed by how close this odious woman was to him. He tried to loosen his restraints but just like last time they were done up very well.
The Beta woman grabbed some sort of gel and squirted it on Nicky's belly, causing him to shiver. He suddenly had a sickening idea about what the machine was, and his suspicions were proved correct when Kozak produced a device and pressed it to his lower abdomen. An ultrasound probe.
Kozak pressed into Nicky's abdomen without care for his comfort, her eyes glued to the monitor with a deranged little smile on her face. Nicky swallowed the saliva pooling in his mouth as he realised Kozak was looking into his womb. There was only one reason for that.
They were going to breed him. The thought made him want to hurl. Over the centuries Omegas had been revered, disdained, treated like delicate treasure and treated like commodity. They were currently in a time where Omegas had equal rights as the other sub genders, and it was perfectly normal for Omegas to walk around without an Alpha or Beta to protect them because they could defend themselves.
But there was always the possibility of that changing. Nicky had seen it, seen the horrors inflicted on his sub gender in the name of science or ownership. Those time periods never lasted long but there was always a hint of it in the background. It would happen again because people liked to be in control over others.
Kozak was likely in the employ of someone who wanted him for his womb and believed Omegas didn't have a choice.
Despite his best efforts, tears filled Nicky's eyes as he wondered if his first pregnancy would be brought about by an unknown sire in a lab. Or, worse, if an Alpha or Beta would be forced on him.
What made it worse was that Nicky and Joe had been talking about trying for a family. They only knew it was possible because Lykon had told them about his own pregnancy long ago. It had ended in tragedy when he had been nearly gutted on the battlefield. The unborn baby hadn't survived and he, Andy and Quynh hadn't tried again, to his knowledge.
Nicky's last heat had been unencumbered by birth control, but it was unlikely it had taken since Nicky had shown no sign of pregnancy. His next heat wouldn't be for years, so they had plenty of time to explore options and get settled into the idea. Or they should have had time.
Kozak's sudden hiss had Nicky's attention swivelling to focus on the doctor who no longer looked so smug. She shot him an infuriated look before roughly replacing the probe and storming out.
Nicky's eyes fell to the monitor and his breath caught at the image frozen on the screen.
His womb was not empty, it was occupied with a little fluttering blip caught midmotion.
A sob broke free as Nicky stared at his baby on the screen. Apparently, that last heat four months ago had been a success after all. He spent long moments marvelling at his baby and wondering what it would look like. Would it have his eyes or hair? Joe's curls? Those warm brown eyes?
It hit him when he heard yelling coming from outside the lab that Kozak didn't look happy to find his womb already occupied. If they were planning on breeding him then it stood to reason, they probably had a sire lined up. They wouldn't want the product of Nicky and Joe.
Nicky's lips peeled back in a snarl. He would fight for his baby, no matter how impossible it would seem. He would fight to keep his baby.
***The Future is Bright***
Meta Kozak's plans were unravelling.
She had hoped the subject's womb would be ready for implantation within the first few hours of arriving at the facilities. But the womb was already occupied, and it threw her plans into disarray.
"Why can you not simply abort the brat and continue with the procedure?" her boss asked with his odd mix of cultured language and Southern drawl. She had no idea where he was from and didn't care. He paid for her research and that was all that mattered. Honestly, she couldn't stand him and his inferior mind.
Kozak sighed and tried to think about how to explain to this idiot the intricacies of Omega biology. She simply said, "We cannot risk his body aborting our future attempts by sabotaging his current pregnancy. It would be quicker to let him birth this one before continuing with our plans."
The boss looked unconvinced so Kozak continued, "Then we will have two subjects of immortal DNA that we can test."
He looked interested at that. "The brat will be immortal too?"
She had no idea. "Yes."
Looking satisfied, the boss nodded, "Put a hold on all tests until he's delivered the brat then you can continue with the procedure."
Kozak's face fell, "All of the tests?" she'd had such plans for the subject and now she was going to have to wait?
"Yes. If he loses the kid because of your tests, it'll be your neck on the line." After that threat, he dismissed her with a wave of his hand and went back to whatever idiots did in their free time.
Kozak snarled at his back but didn't dare do it in front of his security personnel. She'd learnt early on that these men were nothing like Merrick's. They'd not only kill her if she presented herself as a threat to thir boss, but they'd make it hurt.
Struggling to calm herself, Kozak headed back to her office to prepare for the next five months. The baby would be born at the nine-month mark whether it was ready or not. Then she could really begin with her quest to gain that Nobel Prize.
***The Future is Bright***
It took longer than it should have to find a trail to Kozak. She was good at hiding, or whoever employed her was good at it.
Joe was losing his mind. Everyone could see it. They alternated between giving him a wide berth and sticking close for comfort. Nile stayed to the edges, more aware than ever that this group had been a pack for hundreds of years. They seemed to know when Joe needed to let off some steam to spar with Andy or Quynh, or when he needed help to sleep by curling up with Booker and Lykon in a nest of blankets. Nile tried to help by cooking foods she knew he liked and introducing new things to him when he claimed he wasn't hungry. It was sometimes dicey because she would come across something that reminded him of Nicky, and he would spiral.
She would learn.
Copley's triumphant call from the office alerted them all and they took off running, letting Joe get there first. They had all moved into Copley's London home while he and Booker worked through contacts and chased down leads, but they were ready to go at a moment's notice.
"I found the man employing Kozak," Copley declared with a tired grin as he started presenting his evidence, "Ryan Murphy. More money than sense and he's an old-fashioned fanatic who believes Omegas should be kept as pets."
Nile wasn't the only one to growl at that statement.
"He's known to believe in immortality, life after death, all of that, and for years he's funded research into such endeavours," Copley hit a few keys on his laptop and an image appeared of a blonde woman talking to an older man in a suit.
Kozak.
"He's now employing Dr Meta Kozak though that information was buried deep," Copley explained.
"So where is he?" Joe asked, low and angry.
"He's largely off the radar except when he wants to be seen, but he has several bases of operations over the world," Copley sighed, "He moves between them at irregular intervals, so his exact location is unknown. He is also constantly guarded by similar minded fanatics he employs. Not that I think they will be a problem for you."
"Where do we begin?" Andy asked, stone cold and ready for action.
"Do we know why he might want Nicky specifically?" Booker asked.
Copley made a face and nodded, looking reluctant, "In recent years, Murphy has been interested in…genetic immortality. Not only perfecting his own ability to live forever but that of his legacy. His future children."
Horror lanced up Nile's spine, "You mean he chose Nicky to…breed him?"
"That is the current assumption, yes," Copley agreed. "Nicky is the only one of your pack that Kozak knows for sure is an Omega."
Joe made a wounded noise of horror and disgust. Both Andy and Quynh edged closer to Lykon, while Booker shuffled closer to Nile who accepted the warmth of the Alpha at her back.
"Where do we start?" Andy repeated, somehow fiercer than before.
"I don't know exactly where he is, but I know where he will be," Copley declared, "However, I have some more information that might be relevant to Nicky."
Joe's head jerked up and all eyes were zeroed in on Copley, waiting. Copley shot them a forced smile before he pulled up another document on his laptop.
"This document refers to a test subject, simply called Subject A," Copley began, "It's dated a few days after Nicky was taken and details an initial examination of Subject A. I found something interesting that might be important."
Copley pointed to something on the document, "His hormone levels are out of balance in a way that indicate pregnancy."
Nile tensed and shot Joe a look. Joe looked pale and devastated. She felt Booker press in closer behind her and she pressed back, seeking comfort. She resisted the urge to cover her belly, her own womb.
"However, the level of the hormones indicate that the pregnancy is much further along than mere days," Copley was looking at Joe, "Is it possible he was already pregnant when he was taken?"
Joe made another wounded noise and Andy moved to him, pressing into his side to offer comfort. He nodded, tears marking his cheeks as he looked up at Copley. "His last heat was five months ago now."
Copley nodded, looking remorseful again, "I'm sorry. I can't find anything further at this time. Either the documents were hidden better or there was none made on this particular topic."
"You think she aborted the baby to make room for another one?" Quynh asked in her usual blunt fashion. Joe took in a deep shuddering breath and looked out the window, his entire posture screamed his heartbreak.
"She wouldn't," Nile blurted before Copley could respond. All eyes turned to her, and she gulped, suddenly feeling like how prey surrounded by predators would feel.
"Why not?" Booker asked.
"She's smart, much as I hate to admit it," Nile explained, "Which means she did research on Omegas and Omega pregnancies before she got Nicky. So, she knows about the Caroline Silver Theory."
Copley nodded in understanding, but the others looked confused, so Nile continued, "Dr Caroline Silver conducted a study over fifteen years around Omegas who lose their babies after the twelve-week mark. She studied the impact on Omegas who terminated, miscarried or birthed stillborn babies. She found that though the physical impacts of the loss could heal, the psychological ones went much deeper."
Nile took a deep breath before continuing. She remembered this from health class and it had stuck with her, scared her, ever since. "Silver theorised that no matter how far we've evolved, Omegas still possess the hindbrain instinct to carry and raise children. When that instinct is shattered by the loss of an unborn baby, the body and mind extract a toll. Silver found that Omegas, particularly those who terminated, were unable to reproduce for up to five years. They still underwent heats, but the eggs produced were infertile, no matter what kind of additional fertility treatment they undertook. Silver theorised it was a subconscious punishment for losing a baby."
Copley nodded, "I've heard of that study, it's basically gospel at this point with many others proving the study's validity. If Kozak is smart, she'll realise that it's far more logical in terms of time to allow Nicky to continue the pregnancy before moving forward with her plans."
Joe looked shellshocked and Nile's heart went out to him. He'd just learnt that his imprisoned mate was pregnant and said mate would be forcefully bred when the pregnancy was complete. There was no amount of sparring or soothing that would help him now.
Copley handed Andy a document folder, "This is where Murphy will be and the schematics of his house. You'll need him to tell you where Nicky is."
"He'll tell us," Andy's voice was quiet and eerily confident. There was no 'maybe' about the statement. It would be so. They would make it so.
***The Future is Bright***
Nicky's belly was heavy and his back ached. He had no idea how long he had been here, but he guessed it was close to five months. He was certain his baby couldn't grow any bigger or he would burst.
He sighed as he adjusted again. Discomfort from pregnancy was apparently not something his healing could truly help him with. Or maybe it was the lack of any real comforts that kept him in a constant state of agitation. He had no blankets or clothing that smelt like his Alpha for a nest. He had not been able to indulge in his food cravings as his pregnancy progressed. He hadn't been able to assimilate the scent of his pack into his home. All the things an expectant Omega should be able to achieve was denied him.
He hated it.
His breath hitched as another wave of pain rolled over his abdomen. He kept it to himself, aware of the cameras in the room. His pathetic nest consisted of a hospital bed with standard sheets and a chair and table that were nailed to the floor. He'd been allowed some reading material and been allowed to watch some television, but he'd been largely bored for months.
They'd left him alone after discovering his little blip. Kozak was annoyed about having to wait and so only saw him for a weekly check-up. The guards didn't talk to him except to tell him when his food had arrived.
He stifled another sigh as more pain struck him. This was another reason he was hoping he had been here for five months. That would mean he was at full term, right? He prayed that this was so because he was pretty sure he was in labour.
He moved to the bathroom, trying to appear his normal level of uncomfortable. The bathroom had no cameras. He could give birth there.
But no sooner had he reached the bathroom than the bedroom door swung open revealing Kozak. Her smug grin was present again, her eyes alight with wicked glee.
God, he hated her.
"Looks like we're having a baby today," she declared brightly. Two guards entered and ushered Nicky to the bed, securing his arms as Kozak donned gloves. They never tied them tight anymore, just basic restraints. They'd gotten lax with their security, and it would cost them one day.
Nicky knew better than to fight but when she reached to touch him there, he had to fight not to kick her in the face and break that smug smirk.
She examined him then sighed, sounding disappointed. "It'll be a while. I'll be back later."
She and the guards wandered back out, leaving Nicky tied to the bed.
As if to spite her, the pain came quicker after Kozak left. It was pain like Nicky had never felt before and he had to bite his lip to keep on crying out, wailing for his Alpha who should be there. it stretched on and on, making him pant and writhe in an effort to relieve it.
Suddenly there was the urge to push and strain. He finally yowled in pain as he reached what he hoped was the peak of the pain.
It was not.
He screamed again, thrashing, trying to reach down. Something popped in his arm but the pain barely registered, all he knew was he was able to move his arm, reach down between his legs…and guide his baby out into the world.
He carefully cradled her close, pulling her onto his chest, smeared them both in birthing fluids. He cleared her face, wiped her off with his blanket. She screwed up her face and bawled, protesting the light or the scratchy blanket or just life in general.
Nicky grinned at her. She had Joe's hair no doubt, already dark and he could tell it would curl. Her skin was darker than his but lighter than Joe's, a mixture of them both.
Nicky held her close as he wriggled his other arm, popping it free. He felt his body healing even as his milk came in for his baby girl. She nursed quietly, after a few disgruntled noises. She opened bleary eyes and looked up at him. Nicky smiled down at her; his heart so full he felt like he would burst.
He slowly became aware of other noises. The sound of running feet. Some sort of alarm. Some people were yelling.
Gunfire.
A thrill went through him despite how tired he was.
"I think your sire is here," Nicky murmured to his daughter. She continued to nurse, uncaring about the world around her so long as she was fed and content.
Nicky grimaced as he bundled the placenta and other fluids away in the scratchy blanket. He would need to get changed, maybe find some shoes. Something for his daughter to wear as well.
For the first time in months, Nicky felt energetic and ready to move. He had been afraid to rock the boat in case Kozak decided to abort his baby anyway. But now his little one was here and Kozak couldn't hurt them.
It was time to go.
No sooner had he thought this than the door burst open, Kozak and some guards rushed in. Kozak looked furious rather than smug and Nicky barely held the grin back at her ruffled façade.
"Good, the baby's here," she grunted, "Time to get rid of it then we can go. We're moving locations."
She hadn't noticed he was unrestrained. She was too focused on staring at the open door where the sounds of an invading force were getting louder.
Nicky took out the guards first, one by snapping his neck as he leaned over to grab the baby and the other with the first guard's gun.
Then he shot Kozak in the shoulder to stop the monster from leaving.
He placed his daughter on the bed, she was wailing from the loud noise. He approached Kozak as the whimpering woman tried to crawl away.
For all the pain she'd inflicted on him, his daughter, his family. She would pay. Rage unlike anything he'd felt before rose up in him as his Omega instincts identified a threat to his child.
No one was taking his baby away.
***The Future is Bright***
Nile ended up with Booker again as they stormed the facility.
They'd left Murphy's place in ruins, leaving nothing of theirs behind. He was the kind of paranoid bastard that didn't leave things to chance so when it came to protecting his assets, he was thankfully a one and done kind of man. Meaning he'd only had original files, no copies of the work Kozak had been doing.
There was no trace of the research left in the rubble of Murphy's building. Or the ones they'd torn apart after that on their way to find Nicky.
Finally, they'd found the last location. It was eerily like Merrick's, though not as tall. Just glass walls and white floors. A real lab style building with lab techs and armed guards.
They hit hard and fast, going floor to floor eliminating everyone they came across and setting charges that would blow this whole horror show to pieces.
They just had to get Nicky out first.
And possibly the baby.
Nicky would be either at full term now or he would have already given birth. A fact which made Joe the most dangerous being in the building for his sheer determination to get to his pregnant or nesting mate.
While Booker planted more C4 and set the detonator, Nile explored the remaining rooms down the corridor.
The scent hit her first.
The rest of the building smelt like chemicals, but this area was ripe with Omega distress pheromones. No wonder it was so out of the way. No one wanted to scent an unhappy Omega day in and day out.
"Guys, I think I found where Nicky was being held," Nile announced as she readied her firearm and moved forward.
"Where are you?" Joe demanded.
"Floor 9, east wing." Nile replied, as she came across the first dead body, "He's definitely been here."
"How can you tell?" Andy asked. Nile could hear her moving as she spoke, no doubt they were all on their way now.
"Because none of us killed this guy," Nile responded, "Or this one."
She edged into an open room and flinched back at the sight on the floor, "Found Kozak. Or rather, what's left of her."
Nile edged around the mutilated remains as she heard Booker come up behind her. She recognised the signs of an Omega's fury in the broken remnants of the corpse on the floor. An Omega had felt a threat to their child and had ensured that the threat was not only eliminated, but that it presented a warning for others to stay far away.
A threatening growl made her freeze. She slowly turned her head to the side and found Nicky standing in the doorway to what could be a bathroom. He was wearing clean scrubs, but his feet were covered in blood. He held a handgun at his side as he watched her, ready to defend himself and his baby.
"I found Nicky," Nile murmured to the others, she held her arms out to her side, allowing Nicky to see her as unthreatening.
Nicky eyed her then his eyes flicked behind to Booker and his lip curled, but he didn't growl. He was operating on his instincts which said this place was not safe for him or his baby, but it was a defensible position.
"We're not here to hurt you, Nicky," Nile said. She heard Booker murmuring to the others. "Do you remember us?"
Nicky sniffed in her direction then gave a slow blink. His posture relaxed slightly. He glanced behind himself. And Nile wondered where the baby was. In the tub?
"Nile," Booker's voice made Nicky tense again, "Joe will be here in a second, best get out of the way."
Nile didn't need to be told twice. She gave Nicky a small genuine smile then edged around the mangled corpse on the floor just in time to dodge Joe as the Alpha barrelled into the room and straight for Nicky. She stood outside the room with Booker as the others arrived.
Andy gave a small smirk, "Give them a few minutes."
"Not too long," Quynh grumbled, "They're not allowed to nest here when it's ready to blow."
Nile checked her watch.
***The Future is Bright***
Nicky sensed the others coming to the room and readied himself. He'd secured his baby in the tub on some towels and bedding. She wore a diaper and was wrapped in another towel. He hated it. But it was the best he could do.
A woman entered, not one of the guards of techs. She squinted at the dead doctor before realising he was there. She spoke soft and gentle, relieved. He scented her. She was pack. An Alpha appeared behind her, and his instincts said this was a threat. The reason he was here was to breed with an Alpha. What if this was the Alpha?
The pair spoke then retreated in time for another Alpha to rush into the room. An Alpha he recognised.
Mate.
Nicky whined and reached for his mate as Joe reached for him. They enveloped each other in their shared scent, pulling deep breaths of them.
"Nicolo."
"Yusef."
They rarely called each other by the names they were born with. These desperate times though…
A small wail caught their attention and Nicky hurried to his baby in the tub, picking her up as she squinted at him. Content when he held her, she stopped crying and instead stared back.
"Nicolo?"
Nicky turned and presented their daughter to his mate. Joe's eyes were locked onto the baby as he approached. He inhaled a shaky breath. The baby's eyes found him for a moment to stare at Joe before going back to sleep.
"She's ours," Nicky stated. Joe would know why he was here, what would have happened to him. He needed to be sure Joe knew this was their baby.
"A girl," Joe murmured, softly touching her head. He kissed her forehead, then Nicky's lips. Nicky melted into the kiss, but he couldn't relax yet. They had to leave.
Joe seemed to have the same thought as he looked Nicky up and down, "Are you ready?"
Nicky nodded, determined and lighter than he had felt in months.
"Let's go home."
***The Future is Bright***
Home was any number of places around the globe but after the threat of having their lives ruined again, Nicky and Joe settled on Malta. The others joined them for a time before going their own way. This would be the way of things for a while.
Andy, Quynh and Lykon were nomads, unable to settle. Though Nicky thought that might change soon with the way Lykon had been eyeing Nicky's daughter, Caterina. It was the look of someone who wanted a child of their own.
Nile and Booker were honeymooning, or something, in France. It was hard to tell with those too with Booker being so jaded and Nile being so young. But they seemed drawn to each other.
Nicky was happy, he could readily admit as he watched Joe walk outside in their garden, showing their daughter the flowers blooming. It had been a difficult time in the past year. Sometimes Nicky still woke up gasping and shaking, other times it was Joe. The trauma would not leave them, but it lingered further from their minds as days passed.
When Caterina bumped her head on the kitchen table whilst learning how to crawl, Nicky's first thought was to comfort his daughter. He'd scooped her up only because he'd gotten there before Joe, then inspected the developing bump as Caterina screamed in his ear. She was learning about pain, about her limits.
Then she healed quicker than any baby should and suddenly there was a lot more future in front of them. Centuries rather than decades. Caterina seemed to have inherited her parents' ability to heal, their immortality. It was a relief to know she would not fade from existence while they marched onward.
Watching Joe introduce their daughter to the flowers and the buzzing insects on the spring morning, Nicky found himself believing that everything they had been through had been just for this. And it was worth it.