A mini-chapter to set up the end.

Chapter 19

For the moment Kowalski's betrayal was forgotten as they rushed over to Rico. Hans was the closest next to Private and immediately went into medic mode. He found a pulse and allowed himself a moment to feel relief that while fast, it was there and seemed to be going steady. It also seemed that Rico was coming around abet slowly.

"Skipper, I don't think it would be wise for Rico to continue," Private voiced his concern before anyone else could.

A sigh escaped the older man and he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He was still trying to process everything that had just unfolded in the last few minutes. Skipper glanced over at Kowalski and watched the agony flicker across his face as he watched Rico who at least seemed to be coming around. Clearly, his lieutenant was torn and fighting his instinct to take Han's spot next to Rico because Kowalski was always the first one to Rico's side if something happened. And vice versa given how the two were always in each other's orbit. Despite what he had seen his gut told him that Kowalski had merely played into Doris's carefully constructed trap.

"Hans, get Rico out of here and contact Alice, " Skipper finally came to a decision, "come clean about everything."

"Are you sure?" Hans looked up surprised at the order. Surely Skipper knew what he was asking for and he couldn't help but wonder what Skipper's plan was. "You know this could be a one-way ticket to Hoboken."

"This mission was that from the start, but we're going to see it through," Skipper answered and did his best to ignore the surprise on Kowalski's face. "I'll be damned if I'm going to lose two of my men."

Hans shook his head in disbelief. "Uour sentimental heart isn't going to get you out of trouble."

"No, but you will." Skipper offered and watched Hans carefully constructed mask slide into place letting him know that his words did have an effect on him afterall.

"Very well, I'll give Alice a full report including where to find your bodies," Hand replied and turned his attention to Private. "Let's get him out of here."

Kowalski watched Hans and Private guide Rico out of the facility from afar leaving him alone with Skipper who had yet to say anything further to him. He didn't feel worthy of being called a penguin. Skipper had been right to say that he hadn't trusted the team. He hadn't. He'd been so fixated on Doris, so fixated on not wanting to be wrong on having to fix the mess he made before Skipper could say I told you so.

"Skipper, I'm–" Kowalski started to say but was quickly cut off by his commanding officer.

"Don't say it. I don't want to hear some half-assed apology. When Private gets back you're going to make the call so we can see this mission through. Then when everything is said and done you will explain what the fuck you were thinking trying to take on Doris on your own."

After a moment, Kowalski answered with a soft, "yes sir."

A silence settled over them but it only lasted a moment before Skipper turned sharply on his lieutenant, "what the fuck were you thinking? Offering yourself up on a silver platter to a deranged psychopath?"

"I –"

Skipper only continued to rant, drawing closer to the other man. "I've known you since you were 18, Rico's known you just as long, and Privates been with us for over a decade now. Did it ever occur to you that you might mean something to us?"

Kowalski flushed in embarrassment because he had considered his team, had considered a Rico, but, "This was my responsibility clean up I'm the reason Rico was put in the situation."

"Rico's in the situation because," Skipper hesitated, then decided it wasn't his place to say why Rico had been the target beyond the obvious, "because he killed her brother."

"I couldn't Doris for what she was." Kowalski argued weakly just sensing that Skipper would have some response to that as well. "'m a liability to the team–"

"We all are!" Skipper shouted and his voice echoed. He was far done with Kowalski's excuses to try to justify his suicide mission. "Every one of us is a liability. We have all been liabilities. What makes you special?"

This time Kowalski didn't have anything to say. Every argument that had been on his tongue died at that question.

"Hans said he'd keep us updated as long as it was possible for him to do so. I also grabbed some of our gear, although I'm not sure what good it will do us." Private's voice brought both men's attention back to the present problem.

"Good thinking Private," Skipper took a bag from the youngest man and began to rifle through it before pulling out his personal cell. "I need to make a call and then Kowalski will make his."

Private frowned and approached Kowalski who seemed to still be lost in his own thoughts. It reminded him of how he was when everything was first unfolding as they had waited to see Rico. While he was hurt by Kowalski's actions he was certain that the other man was anguishing over it.

Finally, he spoke up, "he doesn't hate you. Even with everything that has happened. He doesn't hate you."

Kowalski huffed in disbelief, "Skipper or Rico?"

"Both."

"Alright, men," Skipper's voice practically deafened them as he reentered the room. "It's now or never."

"Then I guess I should make that phone call." Kowalski felt numb as he pulled his phone from his pocket. Yet no sooner did he press send there was a loud clang as a metal door slid down sealing their only exit.

"Goddamit," Skipper shouted. "Quick! Start looking for another way out."

A low hiss sounded above them and Kowalski looked up in horror to see smoke rolling out of the ventilation system. "I believe we have bigger issues than being locked in."

The smoke seemed to be pouring in faster and it became hard to see and even harder to breathe. Kowalski heard Skipper cursing once more before consciousness less him.