Clay stormed out after that declaration, with Aisha in tow. She muttered something about setting up a new transport back home before she left, cocking an eyebrow at him in surprise. Deep down, Jensen felt like she understood where he was coming from with his decision. Aisha knew what it was like to put personal feelings aside and work with someone you wanted to kill. None of them were going to have sex with Roque though, so that's where they differed.
"I hope you know what you're doing man," Pooch sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"I rarely do," Jensen shrugged, hissing as the movement pulled on his various injuries. What he wouldn't give to be knocked out with painkillers in the comfort of his own bed. Of course he couldn't, since he had to play mediator.
"I'm gonna go make sure the plane we're taking will get us back in one piece," Pooch said, glancing over at Roque before standing up. "You gonna be okay here?"
"I'm fine," Jensen assured him, shooing him away. "Try to get something with first class this time. I could use some hot towel service."
"Don't count on it," Pooch snorted, gliding out of the room. Jensen wondered what kind of hospital this was, since he hadn't seen any staff since he'd woken up. The man strapped down in a chair in the corner was probably a strong enough incentive to keep them away.
"Hey Cougs, I think you can put the gun away. We're all on the same team again, right?" Jensen said, trying to sound casual. Cougar wasn't budging though. "With my luck, you'll shoot him, the bullet will go through his eye, bounce off the back of his skull, then ricochet back at me. We don't want that to happen, do we?" Cougar cut his eyes over at him, not finding any humor in his statement. The sniper was very protective over him, so joking about stuff like that while he looked like shit was probably a bad idea.
Jensen sighed, looking down at his body. The last time he tried moving had hurt like hell, but he was gonna have to do it eventually. Might as well get used to the pain before he was subjected to whatever shit plane the rest of the team could come up with. He hissed as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, taking a second to collect himself in this position. Cougar was eyeing him like he was tempted to put a new hole in him, just to keep him from getting up.
"Why do I hurt more now than I did out in the desert?" Jensen huffed, flicking at the bandage that wound around his skull. "I could use a bit of adrenaline and shock right now. Cougar muttered some very angry Spanish under his breath, begrudgingly helping Jensen to his feet.
"Idiota," Cougar grumbled, smoothing out any kinks in Jensen's IVs. Cougar was a killing machine, but he was also very gentle when he wanted to be. Especially when it came to him.
"But I'm your favorite idiota," Jensen grinned, moaning a little when he finally put weight on his injured leg. Jensen could safely say that he wouldn't have made it across the desert in his condition. So no matter how this played out from here, he'd made the decisions he needed to to survive. "I'm good, really. Can you please give us a minute?" Cougar growled, sending a scathing look in Roque's direction.
"I'm right outside," Cougar muttered, forcing his gun into Jensen's hand. Probably overkill, but Jensen wasn't going to argue. If him being armed made Cougar more comfortable, he'd go with it. Cougar sent one more warning glare to Roque before leaving the room, most likely waiting right on the other side of the door.
"I'm glad the hospital didn't stick me in one of those gowns," Jensen chuckled as he hobbled over to where Roque was sitting. And if he was leaning heavily on his IV pole, that was his business. "I would not want to be doing all of this with my ass out." He sighed in relief when he got to Roque, leaning against the wall to take some of the strain off his leg. Jensen grabbed the corner of the tape covering Roque's mouth, pulling it off in one swift motion.
"Bet you enjoyed that," Roque scoffed, flexing his jaw now that he was able to.
"It wasn't the worst part of my day," Jensen chuckled, tipping his head back to rest against the wall. "How's your bullet wound?"
"They got a nurse to check it out while the doctors were dealing with you. She was a little spooked by the restraints, but I think Aisha slipped her a couple bills," Roque snorted.
"Aw see, she does care," Jensen smirked.
"You wouldn't happen to have a key for these handcuffs, would you?" Roque asked. Jensen groaned, completely forgetting about that little issue.
"I can either pull one of my IVs out and try to use the needle as a pick or I can shoot you free. Dealer's choice."
"I think I'll just sit here until it's time to roll out."
"Good plan," Jensen agreed. The whole trek to the corner of the room seemed pointless now, but he wasn't eager to go back. Maybe when the room stopped spinning.
"So, what happened to backing the team's decision when it came to me?" Roque asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"I can still change my mind if you prefer," Jensen shot back.
"I'm just saying you didn't have to, but I appreciate it. I know I don't deserve the chance."
"Yeah well, I didn't do it just for you. I still have a conscience," Jensen sighed. "Clay's probably never going to look at me the same way."
"Well, I might have something that could help you out with that," Roque said, smirking a little.
"Like what?" Jensen asked in suspicion.
"I might have some intel that could lead us to Max." Jensen stared at him dumbly for a few seconds until his brain could catch up to what he just heard.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jensen spat, keeping his voice low so Cougar didn't rush back in, guns blazing. "Why didn't you say anything before?"
"Well, I did have tape over my mouth."
"They were about to kill you, you idiot! You could've used that to bargain for your life."
"And it would've sounded like bullshit I was making up to save my skin."
"So you just left me to go against my team like some Roque loyalist. Spectacular. You are such a dick!" Jensen hissed.
"Nothing I said would've changed anything. It was always going to be about the team trusting your judgment. And they did."
"Well harmony and hugs all around. Next week we'll do trust falls," Jensen hissed, grinding his teeth. "You fucking knob."
"There was no other way to do it," Roque shrugged, and Jensen was loath to admit that he was probably right. The others obviously weren't willing to give him a chance, evidenced by the immediate taping of his mouth. But Jensen still hated that he was put in that position.
"I'm gonna say this once and I want you to really pay attention. This is not goofy Jensen, the jokester, or the computer nerd little brother. This is the highly trained spec ops soldier."
"I'm listening."
"If I get even the slightest inkling that you are playing us, I will kill you. If you harm a hair on the head of any of my team, I will end you," Jensen said seriously, all of his pain forgotten in this moment as he stared Roque straight in the eye. "And if I ever get the idea that you are thinking of hurting one of our families, I will rip you apart with my bare hands. No trusting that you've burned to death in a fire. I will make sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that you are dead. Like mail your body parts to all ends of the earth dead. Am I making myself clear?"
"Crystal."
They kept staring at each other for a few more seconds, really making sure they knew where they stood with each other. Jensen wanted to believe that this would all work out, but only time would tell.
"Did you like that part about mailing pieces of your body?" Jensen smirked. "I always wish people would do that in the movies, when they are fighting off one of those bitches who never die."
"Right," Roque scoffed.
"Seriously though. The limbs would go in the mail, but I wouldn't stop there. The head, minus the brain, would get put in cement. The torso, minus the heart, in the deepest part of the ocean," Jensen explained, grinning evilly. "Then I'd take the heart and brain, blend them into liquid mush, and burn it."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Ugh, stop talking about stuff like that," Jensen groaned, rubbing his stomach. He flinched when he accidentally made contact with his wound.
"You were the one who was talking," Roque pointed out.
"Oh yeah."
"Jensen, are you gonna barf again?"
"Maybe."
"Do you think you should go back to your hospital bed?"
"Probably."
"Can you make it on your own?"
"I don't know," Jensen admitted. That little burst of evil took a lot out of him it seemed. The bed felt miles away instead of feet.
"I got you," Roque sighed, slipping his hands out of the cuffs like they hadn't been on at all.
"What the fuck?" Jensen mumbled, staring at Roque in surprise as he shoved his shoulder under his armpit. "You could've gotten away the whole time?"
"But I didn't, so that counts for something," Roque pointed out.
"You sneaky bitch," Jensen huffed, wincing as they hobbled over to the bed. "Don't forget I have a gun."
"Which I could've taken, but I didn't."
"Don't bet on it," Jensen grunted, watching in suspicion as Roque helped settle him back on the bed. "And don't think this changes anything. I still don't trust you."
"You wouldn't be the person I know if you did."
"You better sit back down before Cougar comes in and sees you hovering over me. If I get your brain matter on me, I'll definitely puke."
"I appreciate your concern," Roque snorted, taking Pooch's old seat, probably just to be a dick.
"Oh man, this is not how I saw this day ending," Jensen muttered, leaning his head back to rest against his pillow. If someone had told him that a mission with AIsha would end with him hanging out with Roque, Jensen would've figured he'd died and gone to hell. But maybe this is exactly what they needed. The final key to finding Max and ending this once and for all. What they'd been doing hadn't worked, so why not go for the hail mary? Either way, things were about to get interesting. Jensen just hoped they'd all survive to see it through.
Author's Note: That's it for this one, but I will be continuing this with a sequel eventually. Thanks to everyone who read my story!
