Brad stepped into the Fluegel Team hangar, glanced up at Leon's Blade Liger, and clicked his tongue once. Ambient appeared in a blaze of red, but stumbled and recoiled with disgust at the proximity of the Blade Liger.

~Theh' fuck is this doin' here.~

"Leon." Brad stated, bundling it all of the detail necessary to head Ambient's complaints off.

~Well.~ The Organoid snorted, and shook off. ~Really ought bring yeh'r mate's Zoid back here. Stormin' quite a bit up in the mountains. Lass is cold.~

"Later." Brad pictured the Blitz base in-mind. "You can get in and out of here, yeah?"

~Of coo'urse. We gettin' up to somethin'?~

Brad shared the mental gist of his discussion with Leon. "We have to do something."

Ambient reflected steep hesitation: it distinctly remembered One and Vega had been at the Blitz base and had no desire to encounter either again. But Brad instantly replied, "No, no, no. That's the thing. Vega's not there."

~Which means th'One isnae either. Do we know where they went?~

Brad shook his head. "No idea. But I think we can solve a lot of problems. All at once."

~Define 'solve', love.~

"Remove. From the base. Not... eat."

~Good, ah'm not quite done with the last lad.~ Ambient worked its jaw, peering into the further details of Brad's thinking. ~Ahh - as a stopgap, I see. Not keen on crossin' the One again, though. Even indirectly. You should'nae be either.~

"Neither am I, but I don't think we have a choice. You think Vega's actually going to leave us alone? In the long run?"

Ambient considered, then sighed. ~Nae.~ It glanced sidelong. ~What of Zero?~

"We can talk to Bit. I'm sure he'll agree with us."

Ambient made a guttural sound. ~Hmh. Yeh'd best be the one doin' that. I've not much desire to speak with him, Zero, oo'r th'damn-~

Ambient paused, but Brad had already snagged the edge of its mental imagery. It very clearly conflated the Liger Zero with a Blade Liger. The man squinted.

"It's not a Blade Liger."

~It... was. A long time ago.~

Brad just stared. Ambient would've found the man's incredulity funny, were it not personally tangled in the growing confusion.

~Fuck's sake. I forget yeh'r all idiots.~ The Organoid turned to face Brad. ~Zoids evolve. That's a thing. And I'm sure yeh've never heard a lick of it. Donnae worry about it or bother askin' anyone. They'll just think yeh'r nuts.~

Ambient's attempt at simultaneously sharing a glut of imagery didn't help. Brad just kept staring, then blinked up at Leon's Blade Liger. "...what?"

~Long story, love. Frankly boring.~ Ambient yanked Brad's first experiences with the Liger to mind. ~This is all yeh need t'know, all right?~

Brad grimaced: he didn't need to be reminded. "No. Not all right. But you can explain it to me later. C'mon."

Bit lay in the numb haze between wakefulness and sleep, his mind adrift.

Something was profoundly changing. He felt it in every fiber of his being.

But he wasn't worried. Zero lay comfortably alongside him. Bit became aware that his own pulse had slowed, and Zero's had sped up, so the two matched. This seemed odd, but not amiss.

Awareness piqued.

Zero's senses flared, and it stood - just in time for a red flash to materialize in the hall outside the open door. Ambient and Brad appeared.

The white Organoid rose from the floor with a snarl and furious blaze of its optics. Ambient begrudgingly dipped the front of its body, obvious submission.

~Calm yeh'r fuckin' tits. Ainnae here to quarrel.~

~You are not welcome.~

"Am I, then?" Brad asked, glaring up at Zero.

Zero studied Brad, then looked at Bit, who sat up.

The two had never been great friends, and likely wouldn't ever be. But they were friends, and the interlocking teeth of shared experience kept them close whether they liked it or not. Bit had no intention of dismissing the man.

"Hi, Brad." He said tiredly, though his eyes settled on Ambient. "You still hanging out with that guy?"

"Yes." Brad's tone invited no disagreement. "If that's a problem, I won't bother you. But I heard there's a lot of trouble here."

Bit glanced. The alien intensity in Brad's eyes was excruciatingly similar to what Bit could see in Vega's. He looked off to the side, wondering if something similar was that obvious in him as well. He didn't see anything, but...

"Trouble's an understatement."

A silent rise of tension between Ambient and Zero began to make conversation difficult. Bit shut his eyes and motioned sharply; Zero vanished. Brad likewise gestured, and Ambient disappeared.

It became easier to think. Bit pressed both hands to his temples.

"You doin' okay?" Brad asked. "Leon told me you were hurt."

"One went nuts, dude. Not fun." Bit pulled back the collar of his shirt to share the obvious bruising on his neck and collarbone. "What about you?"

"Can't complain." Brad said, but clearly wasn't interested in casual conversation. "Do you know where Vega and One went?"

"No clue. Zero said they did something weird. Made them hard to find." Bit's uneasy expression and set jaw silently amended that that was a good thing.

Brad didn't particularly like that answer, but left it. "Well... problem for another day then. What's up with this shit about Backdraft making themselves at home?"

"Eh." Bit hesitated. "Not too sure about the Backdraft part. Stoller's here... he left Backdraft."

"Elephander guy, I remember. But do you know that for sure?"

Bit considered, then slowly shook his head. "I'm not sure of anything anymore."

They reappeared, lower than expected.

One flared its wings and came to an abrupt halt, its talons dragging furrows in jet-black sand. The Organoid glanced skyward, regarded the star-filled sky, then dipped its snout and scented the air.

The ocean. They stood on a beach. A cold, intense wind whipped from the direction of the water, hauling with it an overwhelming number of smells - and ripping them away just as quickly. One grunted, displeased. This detail left it unable to detect any trace of the Organoids it'd been after.

Feeling Vega's desire to move, One carefully split its undersides to set him on the ground.

Vega shivered with cold and excitable nerves, wide-eyed as he stood and looked around. The dark sands and sharp rock of the beach glimmered in the cloud-mottled moonlight. A faint blue-green glow roiled in the waves as they broke onshore.

Vega'd never seen, read, or heard of anything like this. "Where are we?"

~Very far from where we were.~ Was One's way of saying 'it didn't know', and Vega accepted the non-answer with a loose nod. He could tell One was confused… but its feelings outside of rage or hunger always came across muddy. Like it wasn't sure what to do with them.

And such a place is where a bondmate naturally came in, instinctively shoring up their partner. Vega leaned on and gently petted One's flank. "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure we'll-"

The flash of tiny, blue insect caught the bright moonlight. It landed nearby in the sand and drew both's attention.

~Child.~ Vega heard a terse, private voice in his mind, and recognized it as the blue Organoid's layered tone. ~You shouldn't be here.~

"Well… I am. So come out!"

~No. The One is too dangerous. Leave or you will be forced to.~

One's crushing bond with Vega didn't permit true privacy of the mind. It arched a brow and sneered through him. ~You will not command Vega or I to do anything. You will only take our commands. And as I find your existence tiresome, you will submit to being consumed.~

The notion of a small, impolite smile. ~No thank you. Do know my warning is a courtesy and will not come again.~

Vega snorted. "Get real, One was kicking ass and you didn't play fair."

~Survival isn't a game.~

Ambient materialized in Brad's old quarters, looking around the disused space. It'd been the easiest nearby location to pick out of the man's mind. The red Organoid started to lie down, but a blaze of white added Zero to the room.

The much-larger Organoid towered over Ambient, having to duck the ceiling.

Ambient blinked dully upwards.

~Theh're's a whole fuckin' base for you to go sit yeh'r fat ass in.~

~And there's a whole planet for you to sit your ass on, yet you are here.~ Zero glared. ~The Liger remembers you. Why?~

~Hell if I know, laddie.~ Ambient ducked to one side and tried to weasel around Zero, but Zero flared a wing and stopped it.

~You also remember the Liger.~

~Do I? Did I? Afraid I donnae recall sayin' anythin' about that, my memory's shite-~

Ambient grabbed for coordinates elsewhere, but Zero seized upon them and threw them out, its manner bordering on petty. Ambient responded with a show of teeth.

~Get oot of my way.~

Please. Zero growled. ~I possess precious little memory of how I came to be with the Liger, and he possesses little memory of much before our time together. But he does remember you.~ A pause. ~And not fondly.~

Green optics flicked in irritable study.

~Congrats! That's th'long and short of it. We weren't friends, and if you weren't in th'picture I'd gladly make him int'a confetti.~ It lifted a foreclaw and made a sprinkling gesture for emphasis. ~But I donnae get what I want, and t'be frank it doesn't matter anymore. Hardly anything does. Leave it be.~

Brad was quick to relay what he and Leon had discussed.

Bit admittedly found it appealing: the thought of making Sara go away and relieving some stress of the ZBC-shaped unknown.

But Bit also knew the depth of Vega's upset for the loss of his home and belonging. Casually tossing the boy's mother to the authorities wouldn't help matters. As much as it didn't seem so to the casual observer, Bit knew through Zero just how strongly attached Vega and Sara were.

Not to mention, angering Vega - and by extension One - was a concern.

A near-physical twinge of fearful empathy collided with nauseating upset. Nothing about Vega or One would change what Sara had done.

Bit found it difficult to think of the woman now as anything but a monster. She'd tried to kill them all. Not even intentionally: simply as worthless collateral. None of them mattered. Until they did.

Zero's feelings on the subject were the same as his: that was not acceptable.

But Zero's feelings were also more intense than anything Bit had ever experienced, and he had to steel against them every time.

"Have you talked to Doc?" Bit asked as he drew a knee to his chest. "He's... there's a lot going on here."

"Leon told me about that too. I'll talk to Steve, but I want to know your thoughts."

"I don't know dude. I want this to all go away. I want things to be normal. But..." Bit looked wistfully at the ceiling, eyes welling with grief at even the passing thought of Zero's absence. "I don't want things to change. They can't. Not now."

Brad understood. "Hey, man. I get it. I think we can figure this out."

Zero did not leave it be.

Instead it shoved forth mentally, an impolite and powerful intrusion into the front of Ambient's thoughts.

~Och. Rude piece'a shit.~ Ambient rebuffed the attempt with surprising force. ~This isnae my first rodeo with those who've no manners.~

~Says an uncouth beast who barges unto an unwilling Zoid?~

~Dinnae know you weh're in there, dumbass. Besides, I just wanted a wee bite. It's virile. Wouldn'ta missed it.~

~You will show him and I respect.

Ambient finally lost what few scraps of patience it had. It shook its head and reared to full height with a growl. ~Yeh know what? No. I won't. Yeh don't want respect. Yeh want worship, like the'h bastard. I ainna'e worshippin' any of you, least of all that fuckin' Liger.~

Zero studied Ambient, arching a brow.

~It ainna'e even your Zoid, idiot. What the hell'd you do with Zeke? Are you like theh' One too, just gawpin' around, shovin' in whatever fits into yehr mouth?~

~Who is Zeke?~

The genuine confusion in Zero's voice caught Ambient off guard. It was clear that the white Organoid had no knowledge - or at least functioning knowledge - of Zeke.

Ambient abruptly recalculated a number of long-held assumptions. It would've gladly listened to tales of Zeke being gobbled up by whatever supposed deity found it delicious... but at some point, the gray Organoid had obviously abandoned the Blade Liger.

Which wasn't like said gray Organoid - or any Organoid - to do. At all.

It wasn't far.

Brad chose to walk through the base's dark, cold corridors. Teleporting into places felt weird, stripping the sequential reality of moving, of time, and of context. It made being again in his home of many years feel surreal - more like a memory than the present.

Brad had spent many a sleepless night in these halls, thoughtful and silent as he'd slipped through the base. With thoughts of what he'd just discussed with Bit on his mind, tonight wasn't much different.

He paused as he passed an intersecting hall that'd been destroyed. The frigid night's air filtered in around the edges of thin sheeting that'd been taped in place.

No. Tonight was a little different.

Brad quietly made his way towards the base's main command center, a console-filled room that Steve often inhabited at late hours when troubled. He made an educated guess that he'd find the older man there... and he was correct.

He had no intention of startling Steve. Brad gently rapped on the doorframe with a knuckle, making himself known. "Doc. Hey."

Steve's eyes shot to Brad. For similar sets of convoluted reasons, the two men hadn't really spoken since the Fury.

Though raw alarm quickly left Steve's face, it took him a moment to speak. "What are you doing here?"

"Wanted to catch up. Apologize." Brad faintly shrugged. "Make sure you're doing all right."

It was clear in the older man's eyes and posture, he wasn't doing all right. Nor was he comfortable with Brad's presence.

"I don't really have much to say to you."

For all of its simplicity, the statement hurt much more than Brad expected. He looked off to the side for several seconds, then cleared his throat.

"...all right. Then, I just have a question." Brad glanced back, holding eye contact. "You hooking up with Vega's mother?"

Steve's expression darkened. "Leon put you up to this?"

"No. I mean, he told me. But I wasn't sure I believed him. Came to ask you."

Steve frowned. "What other people get up to is none of your business."

Brad's expression shed much of its friendliness. "It is, though, when some of those people put folks I care about in danger. And I care about you, man."

The older man half-lidded his eyes. "Both you and Leon know I'd never do anything that'd hurt anyone on this Team."

Brad's eye contact had yet to budge. "I'm not on the Team anymore, Doc."

"You know what I mean."

"Don't know if I do." Brad drew his revolver from its holster at the small of his back, setting the gun on the table with a clunk. "I need you to understand, Steve: Backdraft's whole game is fucking with people. And you're definitely being fucked with. It's gotta stop."

Steve's eyes drifted to the gun, and back. The gesture's significance didn't go unheeded: it was a past source of drama and long-accepted fact that Brad usually kept a gun on him. Its clear removal was as close to prostrate and deferential that the man was going to get.

"Sara isn't with them anymore." Steve said.

"Even if that's true, and I don't think it is... she tried to kill all of us."

"Remind me again who was piloting the Berserk Fury?"

Something about the intensity of the blue Organoid's statement rose Vega's hackles. It echoed with the personal gravity of his situation with the Berserk Fury - and he found himself abruptly shoved into the memory of scrambling to save Sara.

The Fury's indiscriminate rage cared nothing for her. Or him. Or anyone. Vega ached as he was forced to recall the cacophony and bloodlust of One out of control, tangled with sheer, mindless terror.

And it wasn't his terror. It was One's. Terrified of the notion it couldn't stop itself from destroying the only friend it'd ever had.

The pressure on Vega's mind ceased and his focus returned to the present. One still stood beside him, but its mind felt distant.

Something wasn't right. Uncertain, Vega watched the beast's foreclaws tic and twitch, then looked around again.

Fast-moving clouds briefly cleared, revealing moonlight. Vega noticed the beach was no longer just glimmering - it was moving. Thousands upon thousands of the tiny blue insects, their carapaces and mandibles catching light as they - all - moved.

Vega recoiled, his back flattening against One. "What are those!?"

~Child.~ The blue Organoid's stern voice repeated, now angrier. ~Leave! And take the One with you!~

But fear had no chance to take hold. Vega's face twitched then twisted with an inhuman sneer, eyes dark and chin curling with One's upset.

"No. Die."

Brad went silent.

Both were silent.

Brad didn't seem able to speak.

"I do understand that it wasn't your fault." Steve said softly, working to keep his voice level. "And I'm trying not to hold it against you. But please, please give other people the same courtesy."

Every muscle in Brad's arms corded with restraint. "I was forced, Steve. She chose to do what she did."

"Did she? Were you? What do I have to go on? I trust that you wouldn't have done what you did, because you're part of this damn family. Just like I trust what Sara told me, about all what's led to what happened. Do you know her side of things?"

Brad didn't, and his expression made that clear - but a scowl quickly replaced it. "Come on. You've known me for years! You've known her for what, five minutes? Is she that good of a lay?"

The older man took a deep, impatient breath. He didn't say anything.

"You have to turn her over to the ZBGF." Brad said, bluntly. "Nobody wants to see this Team go down in flames because you're thinking with your dick."

"Advice from the master?" Steve muttered, then shook his head. "I'm not turning her or anyone else in. You're always welcome here, but I w-"

"I'm not asking, Steve. I'll take care of things if you won't."

"Is that a threat?"

"To you? No. To her? Absolutely."

Ambient found it more jarring than expected to realize Zeke was gone.

It'd long entertained finding the idiot just to have someone to safely abuse. But Ambient had no real plans beyond that, and realized with some chagrin it probably would've been more glad than anything to see another Organoid.

Another real Organoid.

Not the two freaks of nature.

...the other two freaks of nature.

~Who is Zeke?~ Zero repeated, more firmly.

Ambient didn't feel like answering, and instead brought its tail-blades to bear. ~Look, feh'r once I didn't wake up and choose violence, and yeh'r just fuckin' that all up. Get oot'a my fuckin' face.~

Zero brought its much-longer, much thicker tail to bear, the blade on the end splitting and locking into a formidable weapon. It began stalking towards the red Organoid. ~You are in my domain and you will answer my questions.~

Ambient backed up. The room wasn't large; there wasn't much space to back up into, and the red Organoid began to uncomfortably hunch against the wall. ~Yeh know, s'a bloody shame the One didn't fry yehr stupid ass along with the other half'a this stupid Republican base!~

~Do not try me.~ Zero growled and whipped its tail, which Ambient hastily parried with its own tail-blades.

~Sucks t'be on the shit end of a particle weapon, eh? Try standin' right in front'a it next time, heard it helps!~

~And what would you know of such things?~

~More than you, yeh piss-poor excuse feh'r an Organoid!~

Steve scowled. "I won't let you."

"You don't have a choice in this, man." Brad said. "Sorry."

"Good thing you're not the one making decisions here, then." Came Polta's voice.

Illusion broke with a Zoid's shriek of rage. The carpet of insects took flight, rising in a dense, humming cloud of chaotic metal.

One jerked from its stillness, threw its head back, and replied with a challenging roar. Its massive wings splayed as it seized Vega, safely ensconcing him before also taking to the air. Metal pings and clacks sounded as its beating wings struck countless insects.

The insect mass abruptly vanished, revealing the moonlit outline of a massive saurian Zoid.

Even in the dark, the Zoid's deep red color was obvious. Its optics blazed equally red, and overtop the beast hovered the other black Organoid - the one One had been trying to eat earlier. The ripped synthflesh of its throat dangled grotesquely. Certainly an injury, but not an incapacitating one.

~GET OUT.~ It demanded.

~I think not.~ One banked to face both Zoid and Organoid. ~I will consume you first, then your Zoid.~

~I will feed your human to the fish and savor every last bite of you!~

Despite its size, the Geno Breaker was quick. In a smooth movement it hefted itself into a hover and pivoted, a massive pincer gnashing forward at One.

But One teleported a few feet to the side, flashing its fangs. While Vega gaped at the Geno Breaker - experiencing a paralyzing mix of disbelief, awe, and slight fear - One just didn't care.

"That's a Geno Breaker!" Vega said through his teeth.

~Mm.~

The opposite pincer snapped forward to similar effect, One dipping just out of the way, jolting past the Breaker, only to have it reorient and face them again.

One shrieked and dove straight for the Zoid, dissolving into a black gouge that targeted the beast's Core chamber.

But It wasn't expecting denial.

Focus fractured, the intensity of redirected energy hissed, and a wildly-flapping One reformed several yards back. It recovered swiftly, optics blazing bright red as it glared at the Zoid.

~I do not believe you understand how this works. I ask. Then I receive.~

~So it is true. You are not a god.~ Shadow growled. ~You are just as I. Bound by the same laws. She is mine, and always has been.~

The blaze in One's optics faded as it looked back at Shadow, its void stare hanging on the other for several seconds.

~Says he whose partner is dead?~

Brad glanced, only to see Polta standing a few paces away in the shadows pointing a pistol at him.

Steve speared Polta with a glare. "Don't."

"Listen to him," Brad warned, "or you're really gonna be wishing you had."

"No." Polta snapped. "You, listen to me. Take-"

With a shriek of red Ambient appeared, oriented towards Polta with jaws agape.

The wiry man lost all trace of composure and screamed; Steve screamed also, then Zero appeared.

The massive white Organoid landed in a hard crouch atop the circle of monitors at the table. Displays split and failed beneath its weight as Zero belted a roar, which silenced the room.

After several seconds the only sound that dared resume was Polta's muffled whimpering and sobs. Ambient had the man's head and shoulders stuffed into its mouth.

The red Organoid twitched an optic towards Zero. ~Fuckin' hell, ah told yeh that-~

~PUT HIM DOWN.~

Ambient glanced at Brad, who was staring up at Zero... who snapped its massive head to look at Stoller arriving at a run. Stoller staggered to a halt, throwing out an arm to gate Sara, who'd been on his heels.

Steve wasn't stupid and quickly put two and two together. "Brad!?"

"Yes?!"

"For fuck's sake! Make it drop him!"

"Motherfucker was going to shoot me!?"

Ambient's agitation quickly bled over to Brad, a violent and convincing warmth. It was just as the Organoid had promised: like One, but more. Brad wasn't expecting it, and his body responded with outright lust before he realized what was happening.

He didn't get much time to process that, as he found himself broadsided by Zero's tail and slammed into the floor. Ambient responded by disgorging Polta and leaping onto the table, snapping at and narrowly missing at Zero's flank... which earned another swift tail-slap from Zero. The two beasts twisted defensively, brandishing tailblades as they reared and hissed at each other.

Stoller grabbed Polta as soon as he was freed, shoving the gibbering man into the hall with Sara. Brad quickly pushed up from the floor and braced on the table's edge, reclaiming his revolver just in time to have Stoller point a gun at him instead.

They exchanged stares.

"Don't even think about it." Stoller said quietly.

"Oh, I'm thinkin' about it." Brad ducked out of Stoller's line of sight, quickly ending up near a mortified Steve.

"Having fun yet, Doc?" Brad quipped, motioning for Steve to get down.

The older man quickly did, but his face was furious. "That thing's yours?!"

"Not really. Is Zero Bit's?"

Steve's eyes flicked to Zero, his drop in expression betraying his ever-growing concern with the beast. Well... beasts, the Organoids in general were turning out to be far more terrifying than advertised.

Steve looked back. "Point taken, but they're Zoids, right? Back the red one off! Zoids are territorial!"

Brad grunted and stabbed an incredulous point in the direction of Stoller and Co.

There wasn't a chance for Steve to respond. Zero dipped its snout and scruffed Brad by his jacket, hauling the man upwards then throwing him at Ambient. This knocked the smaller Organoid back the few inches needed to lose its footing, and the two collapsed into a pile on the floor.

Again, silence fell.

Zero glared down at Ambient, then looked at the opposing corridor as Bit arrived.

Steve and Sara exchanged concerned glances just before their line of sight was interrupted by Zero descending from the table. Stoller had yet to drop his aim, but his eyes were on the white Organoid.

Bit's expression could only be described as intense disappointment. But he didn't look around, or at anyone but Zero.

"Stoller. Put that away."

"They're dangerous," Stoller growled.

"Lady behind you's more dangerous." Bit said. "Wouldn't be in this mess to begin with if it wasn't for her."

Sara's lips thinned. "You know what happened, dear."

"Not an excuse." Bit turned her way and pointed hard. "Whatever happens to Vega is on your head."

Sara immediately dropped her gaze. Bit felt the intensity of her very real regret through Zero, but angrily ignored it.

"We all make mistakes," Steve said firmly, but glared at Stoller. "Put it away."

Stoller glanced from Steve to Brad, then back. "Not happening."

"You wanna rot in jail along with her?" Brad growled as he extricated himself from Ambient and the floor. "It can be arranged."

"You'll be joining us, then?" Sara said around Stoller with obvious disdain. "I'm sure the ZBC would love to know how you slaughtered a bunch of their men."

Brad brandished his revolver and spoke through his teeth. "Go ahead. Keep talking."

"Hunter," Stoller began in warning, but didn't get anything else out. Ambient teleported a deft few feet closer and slapped the man hard with its tail, simultaneously disarming and throwing him into a wall.

"Stop it! Back off! Put the damn guns away!" Bit shrieked, facing Brad with another stab of his finger. "You too!"

Brad found it difficult to break eye contact with Sara, only managing to do so after Stoller's predicament drew her attention. He twitched a glance at Bit, catching the fiery edge of Zero's disapproval.

Brad begrudgingly shoved his gun back in its holster, throwing a look over his shoulder at Steve - who was staring at Bit.

Bit shook his head. "Doc. I know you wanna help Sara. But we can't be doing this. We can't let-"

"Bit Cloud," Steve said with forced calm. "I will not be told who is and isn't welcome in my-"

Zero reared and belted a roar in tandem with Bit throwing his arm. "DON'T INTERRUPT ME!"

Everyone paused to regard Bit with some level of shock.

Sara used the opportunity to slip to Stoller. Polta - though clearly still shaken and shaking - managed to plant himself between her and the rest of the room.

"What happens if the ZBC or ZBGF show up again?" Bit said, now-quietly.

But Steve didn't relent. "The base has an unregistered shelter. We'll be fine."

Brad's brows rose, as did Bit's. The two men exchanged a glance, then looked back.

Bit began, "Since whe-"

"It doesn't matter. I don't need anyone's permission or approval to run my base as I see fit." Steve pointed in the direction of the hangar. "However, the Liger is yours. If you disagree with how I'm running things, leave."

Bit blinked, taken aback. A year's worth of struggle tore across his face in seconds. "What? I'm not going to leave."

Steve nodded, then glanced at Brad. "Same goes for you. Except you've already left. The Blitz Team is no longer your concern. Go."

An unflinching, silent glare was Brad's reply.

"And tell Leon that he's just as welcome to leave."

Brad's stomach dropped. He knew Steve and Leon were currently at odds. But Brad had spent far too many late nights listening to the old man drunkenly laud his son, hanging all hopes for the future on the man. Steve hadn't wanted Leon to leave the Team in the first place. And when he'd come back...

"No. You can tell him. I'm not letting you do this. To the Team, or yourself."

Ambient had moved. By the time it was noticed, it was too late. The red Organoid lunged, grabbed Sara, teleported the short distance to Brad, then disappeared with both in a blaze of red.