As they waited for Brennan, Emma and Jesse to return, Shalimar made plans for a mission of her own. She wanted to go after the tape Tony had ditched the night before.
"It's not wise to go back there in broad daylight." Adam warned.
Ally agreed. "What if those creeps from last night are there? You'd be in trouble for sure."
"The longer we leave that tape there, the greater the chance someone else will find it." Shalimar argued. "I have to risk it."
"Risk what?" Tony asked as he reappeared.
Ally thought he looked refreshed. He'd changed into the clothes Ally'd left him.
She smiled at him in greeting. "How are you feeling?"
"A helluva lot better, thanks." He replied and Ally was sure there was a hidden meaning in his gratitude.
Tony looked at Shalimar and grinned artfully. "Where're you off to in such a hurry?"
"Back to the rig." She replied tiredly. "To get your tape."
"And you're going with her." Adam said to Tony suddenly.
In unison, Shalimar and Tony blurted, "What?", though Shalimar sounded more appalled than surprised.
"Think you're strong enough now to cope with it?" Adam asked, unaffected by Shalimar's tone.
"Yeah of course." Tony said, realizing Adam was serious.
"Adam, what the hell are you thinking? He can't come with me!" Shalimar growled.
"Why not?" Adam asked, amused. "He knows where the tape is and you're both powerful ferals. Between the two of you, this mission shouldn't be difficult at all."
"You'd certainly make us feel better if there was someone there watching your back." Ally surmised. "What's the matter Shal? You're not being territorial, are you?"
Shalimar scowled at the firebug. "This has nothing to do with territory and you know it!"
"Good." Adam cut in. "Now that's settled, you can take the Helix."
Shalimar turned on her heel, fuming, with Tony following pleasantly behind.
# # # # #
The ride in the Double Helix had become uncomfortably silent.
Tony couldn't stand it any longer. "You know, I never properly thanked you for saving my life."
Shalimar rolled her eyes. "I didn't save your life. It was just a coincidence that Ally and I were there."
Tony's gaze narrowed. "Oh? Is that all?"
"Yes!" Shalimar hissed, turning to glare at him.
"Whoa, easy there pussy cat! Why are you being so hostile?"
Fed up, Shalimar educated him. "Look, I don't appreciate the way you act towards me, all right? I'm not interested."
"Not interested." Tony echoed. "Well, I'm glad to hear it."
Shalimar blinked. "What?"
"Listen, Shalimar..." Tony began. "I like you, but obviously you've confused my flirting for something else."
"Are you trying to tell me you weren't hitting on me?" She asked, stupefied.
Tony looked apologetic. "I'm sorry if I offended you, but that's all it was. I assumed you were just playing along with my flirting. It's...what I do. I'd have been flirting with Ally too, if it wasn't so obvious that she and Brennan were serious."
Shalimar was immobilized by his audacity. "Unbelievable."
"Shalimar---"
"Don't!" She stammered. "Just...don't talk to me."
The remainder of the journey reverted to the uncomfortable silence.
Once they reached the rig and landed, Shalimar lead the way back to the spot where she and Ally had encountered the five goons.
"So think back," Shalimar spoke in a clipped tone. "Where were you before you spotted us?"
"If I embarrassed you---"
"Can we just get the tape please?" Shalimar snapped. "Or don't you want to nail the guys who poisoned you?"
Aware that he wasn't going to get through to Shalimar anytime soon, Tony looked around, getting his barrings.
"It's different in the light but...I think I came out from over there." He pointed.
From there they retraced his steps and eventually the trail ended by the rig's drill.
Scaling the mass of metal a few feet, Tony jumped back down with camera in hand.
"Well, well..." Came a grizzly voice behind the ferals. "Look who's come for a rematch."
Shalimar and Tony turned around and found Ox and Scarface standing there.
"We were hoping we'd run into you freaks again." Ox went on.
"Where's your little red-headed friend?" Scarface sneered.
"She sends her regards." Tony bit-off.
Scar face shook his head. "Too bad. Guess we'll have to hang on to the two of you until she shows."
"I don't think so." Shalimar growled.
Both sets of feral eyes glowed yellow and in sync they leapt forward, as Ox and Scarface tried to draw guns on them.
Shalimar slapped Ox's away while Tony kicked Scarface's gun out of his grasp. The gun went off but hit nothing.
Ox swung at Shalimar with his other fist. Shalimar ducked and swept her leg around to trip him but Ox was expecting it and leapt over it, kicking out and catching her under the chin.
Tony and Scarface were battling it out with fists, but it was quickly obvious that Tony was the better boxer. Scarface's eyes started darting around in search of his gun.
Flipping back to her feet, Shalimar was getting angry and the claws were out. She started swinging at him with her open hands, forcing him to back off unless he wanted to be sliced and diced.
Spotting his gun, Scarface dove for it, but Tony realized and kicked the gun out of his reach, slamming one foot down on Scarface's reaching hand and kicking him the side of the head with the other.
Feigning like she was going to shift right, Shalimar instead flipped right over Ox's head and upon gaining back her footing, snapped her leg back, striking Ox in the small of his back, sending him stumbling.
All of a sudden there was shouting and Shalimar knew Blue, Porky, Tiny and a few new friends had come to investigate the disturbance.
"Time to go!" Tony called; double checking to be sure the camera was still on his person.
He and Shalimar bolted, running for the maze of crates and barrels they'd landed the cloaked Helix in.
The mob took pursuit and the ferals' headstart was only long enough for Tony to do one thing: hide them both.
As they turned a sharp corner, Tony propelled Shalimar against a wall of barrels and hugged up against her.
"Wh---"
"Shh!" Tony hushed.
For a moment, Shalimar thought the barrels were swallowing her up. But momentarily she could once again see Tony and peer over his shoulder.
'He must be using his camouflage.' She realized.
The men ran right by them without a second glance.
"We'll never get to the Helix through that mob." Shalimar whispered.
"Here, take the camera." Tony shoved it into her hands. "I'll lead them all away from you, just be waiting for me back at shore." He relaxed out of camouflage and started to leave.
"Tony what are you---?"
"Just be there!" Tony continued. "I'll come to you!" He took off running and a moment later, Shalimar could hear that the mob had spotted him. She risked a look and saw Tony leading them all away, leaving a clear path to the stealth jet. Shalimar took off in a sprint.
As she reached the opening hatch she heard gunshots and froze dead in her tracks. Seconds later she heard a single, heavy splash of ocean water...then silence.
"It's not wise to go back there in broad daylight." Adam warned.
Ally agreed. "What if those creeps from last night are there? You'd be in trouble for sure."
"The longer we leave that tape there, the greater the chance someone else will find it." Shalimar argued. "I have to risk it."
"Risk what?" Tony asked as he reappeared.
Ally thought he looked refreshed. He'd changed into the clothes Ally'd left him.
She smiled at him in greeting. "How are you feeling?"
"A helluva lot better, thanks." He replied and Ally was sure there was a hidden meaning in his gratitude.
Tony looked at Shalimar and grinned artfully. "Where're you off to in such a hurry?"
"Back to the rig." She replied tiredly. "To get your tape."
"And you're going with her." Adam said to Tony suddenly.
In unison, Shalimar and Tony blurted, "What?", though Shalimar sounded more appalled than surprised.
"Think you're strong enough now to cope with it?" Adam asked, unaffected by Shalimar's tone.
"Yeah of course." Tony said, realizing Adam was serious.
"Adam, what the hell are you thinking? He can't come with me!" Shalimar growled.
"Why not?" Adam asked, amused. "He knows where the tape is and you're both powerful ferals. Between the two of you, this mission shouldn't be difficult at all."
"You'd certainly make us feel better if there was someone there watching your back." Ally surmised. "What's the matter Shal? You're not being territorial, are you?"
Shalimar scowled at the firebug. "This has nothing to do with territory and you know it!"
"Good." Adam cut in. "Now that's settled, you can take the Helix."
Shalimar turned on her heel, fuming, with Tony following pleasantly behind.
# # # # #
The ride in the Double Helix had become uncomfortably silent.
Tony couldn't stand it any longer. "You know, I never properly thanked you for saving my life."
Shalimar rolled her eyes. "I didn't save your life. It was just a coincidence that Ally and I were there."
Tony's gaze narrowed. "Oh? Is that all?"
"Yes!" Shalimar hissed, turning to glare at him.
"Whoa, easy there pussy cat! Why are you being so hostile?"
Fed up, Shalimar educated him. "Look, I don't appreciate the way you act towards me, all right? I'm not interested."
"Not interested." Tony echoed. "Well, I'm glad to hear it."
Shalimar blinked. "What?"
"Listen, Shalimar..." Tony began. "I like you, but obviously you've confused my flirting for something else."
"Are you trying to tell me you weren't hitting on me?" She asked, stupefied.
Tony looked apologetic. "I'm sorry if I offended you, but that's all it was. I assumed you were just playing along with my flirting. It's...what I do. I'd have been flirting with Ally too, if it wasn't so obvious that she and Brennan were serious."
Shalimar was immobilized by his audacity. "Unbelievable."
"Shalimar---"
"Don't!" She stammered. "Just...don't talk to me."
The remainder of the journey reverted to the uncomfortable silence.
Once they reached the rig and landed, Shalimar lead the way back to the spot where she and Ally had encountered the five goons.
"So think back," Shalimar spoke in a clipped tone. "Where were you before you spotted us?"
"If I embarrassed you---"
"Can we just get the tape please?" Shalimar snapped. "Or don't you want to nail the guys who poisoned you?"
Aware that he wasn't going to get through to Shalimar anytime soon, Tony looked around, getting his barrings.
"It's different in the light but...I think I came out from over there." He pointed.
From there they retraced his steps and eventually the trail ended by the rig's drill.
Scaling the mass of metal a few feet, Tony jumped back down with camera in hand.
"Well, well..." Came a grizzly voice behind the ferals. "Look who's come for a rematch."
Shalimar and Tony turned around and found Ox and Scarface standing there.
"We were hoping we'd run into you freaks again." Ox went on.
"Where's your little red-headed friend?" Scarface sneered.
"She sends her regards." Tony bit-off.
Scar face shook his head. "Too bad. Guess we'll have to hang on to the two of you until she shows."
"I don't think so." Shalimar growled.
Both sets of feral eyes glowed yellow and in sync they leapt forward, as Ox and Scarface tried to draw guns on them.
Shalimar slapped Ox's away while Tony kicked Scarface's gun out of his grasp. The gun went off but hit nothing.
Ox swung at Shalimar with his other fist. Shalimar ducked and swept her leg around to trip him but Ox was expecting it and leapt over it, kicking out and catching her under the chin.
Tony and Scarface were battling it out with fists, but it was quickly obvious that Tony was the better boxer. Scarface's eyes started darting around in search of his gun.
Flipping back to her feet, Shalimar was getting angry and the claws were out. She started swinging at him with her open hands, forcing him to back off unless he wanted to be sliced and diced.
Spotting his gun, Scarface dove for it, but Tony realized and kicked the gun out of his reach, slamming one foot down on Scarface's reaching hand and kicking him the side of the head with the other.
Feigning like she was going to shift right, Shalimar instead flipped right over Ox's head and upon gaining back her footing, snapped her leg back, striking Ox in the small of his back, sending him stumbling.
All of a sudden there was shouting and Shalimar knew Blue, Porky, Tiny and a few new friends had come to investigate the disturbance.
"Time to go!" Tony called; double checking to be sure the camera was still on his person.
He and Shalimar bolted, running for the maze of crates and barrels they'd landed the cloaked Helix in.
The mob took pursuit and the ferals' headstart was only long enough for Tony to do one thing: hide them both.
As they turned a sharp corner, Tony propelled Shalimar against a wall of barrels and hugged up against her.
"Wh---"
"Shh!" Tony hushed.
For a moment, Shalimar thought the barrels were swallowing her up. But momentarily she could once again see Tony and peer over his shoulder.
'He must be using his camouflage.' She realized.
The men ran right by them without a second glance.
"We'll never get to the Helix through that mob." Shalimar whispered.
"Here, take the camera." Tony shoved it into her hands. "I'll lead them all away from you, just be waiting for me back at shore." He relaxed out of camouflage and started to leave.
"Tony what are you---?"
"Just be there!" Tony continued. "I'll come to you!" He took off running and a moment later, Shalimar could hear that the mob had spotted him. She risked a look and saw Tony leading them all away, leaving a clear path to the stealth jet. Shalimar took off in a sprint.
As she reached the opening hatch she heard gunshots and froze dead in her tracks. Seconds later she heard a single, heavy splash of ocean water...then silence.