A/N: Well…sorry it took so long, I guess? I know, I know. Agent Reach is near as makes no difference seven years old now and it's only getting older by the day. And yes, I wish I could be a lot more consistent with my update schedule and this story was pretty close to falling out of the rotation completely until I finished something shorter that wouldn't eat up so much time.

*Chapter 69*

Reach shouldered his BR85 rifle, his mechanical fingers easing into the trigger guard. He didn't anticipate there to be a large defending force protecting the Director on the world below, but it never hurt to be prepared for the worst possible outcome. In his experience, going in underprepared usually led to disaster that he had survived out of sheer dumb luck. Sure, some could argue that his superior skill and training had a factor in his survival, but if he was honest with himself, a lot of it came down to pure luck. Right place at the right time.

He glanced over at the rest of the team waiting for him in one of the launch bays, standing around the Pelican dropship that would take them to the world of Valhalla. South and Carolina were making small talk while Maine ran a stone over his favored Brute Shot's blade, the brute of a man completely focused on his task. Wash was twirling a knife in his hands, catching it and spinning it effortlessly. His hand eye coordination had taken a bit of a dip thanks to his injury, but he was as close to being peak form as he could get.

If anything, seeing the team like this was a lot like how Noble Team prepped before a mission. Emile would be sharpening his kukri, Jorge and Jun having some sort of conversation about something irrelevant to their objective to get themselves into the calmer mindset, and Reach would sit with Kat and neither of them would say a word until Carter came in to debrief them. It was simple.

'This is how Carter must have felt having to deal with this kind of shit.' Reach approached his team and they all looked up save for Maine, but he knew the big man didn't need to look at him to listen. "Listen up, team. We're here for one reason and one reason only. The Director. Alpha, bring up the holo-projection."

The AI flickered and in front of them appeared a holographic display of the facility, pictures taken from several different angles so they could get a decent idea on how to handle it. "We know the Director is hiding inside one of Project Freelancer's off-site storage facilities, similar to ones we've come across before. Security and defenses are an unknown at the time, which is why I encourage you all to exercise caution. We don't need to let him know we're coming if we don't have to. The quieter we are, the easier this goes. Wash, I trust you've read your manual?"

"Sure did, boss." Washington grinned and sheathed his knife. "Any lock that son of a bitch put is going to be easy to get through."

"Glad to hear it." Reach nodded. "Maine, once we're in position to infiltrate, you and South secure the perimeter. If it looks hostile, take it down however you two see fit. Prefer quiet but if it looks like it'll be a pain, blow it to hell."

The bald Freelancer looked up, having finished sharpening his Brute Shot's blade, and let out a soft hiss. If there was security personnel waiting for them…he really hated to think what was going to happen to them if they crossed Maine. He didn't want to imagine it, but he would put money on it being very, very painful for them.

"Carolina, you're with me and Wash on the infiltration team. We go in, disable any security, find the Director, and eliminate him," Reach continued. "Wash is already on lock duty and those two holding the line should make sure we don't get nasty surprises. You all have your gear onboard?"

"Aye."

"Yep."

A low growl.

"Affirmative."

"Then it's settled," the Spartan decided. "Get your asses in gear and make your final preparations. We leave in ten." Truth be told, there was one reason why he didn't include Texas on the team and it wasn't because she was pregnant. No, it was because her confronting the Director would lead to her emotions boiling over. She had a personal vendetta against him due to being his 'prized' experiment and the shit he put her through constantly by implanting Omega into her head. Bringing her on the mission would make the atmosphere a lot more tense than it needed to be. Carolina was enough of a hothead to manage on this mission.

He trusted the redhead would remain calm, unlike his wife. He knew Allison too well to know that she wouldn't behave if she came face to face with the man who put her through so much torment. She was a lot more manageable ever since they got Omega out of her head, but there was still enough of that burning rage hidden underneath for him to make the judgment call. It was already going to be difficult for someone like Carolina to go against her father. She didn't need the stress of her mother beating the living piss out of the man. Not when she was going to have her father's blood on her hands by the end of the day.

He double checked his weapons, ejecting the magazines and slapping them back in seamlessly. His pistol and BR85 would be the only firearms he was bringing to the surface; if he needed more firepower then they were already screwed to begin with. He would have loved to have Tucker with them, if only to keep the mood from getting any heavier. The atmosphere of the launch bay was grim and they all knew why. One way or another, everything that they had gone through was about to finally end and they would confront the man responsible for putting them through it.

However, he couldn't afford to have the sword wielding simulation trooper with him. Doc had approached him while he was in the middle of his contest with Jun to report that Tucker had suffered a fractured jaw from the punch Maine gave him in the ring and would be out of commission for awhile. As much as Tucker's perverted sense of humor could be annoying to deal with, Reach found himself strangely missing that. 'I guess being around these rag tag idiots has rubbed off on me. Wash was right; they're not that bad once you get to know them and ignore the little shit.'

With his weapons all checked out he stepped into the pilot's seat, tapping on the console. "Give me a heading, Alpha."

"Facility 17-B marked on HUD. Estimated time of arrival, one hour from now." Alpha's hologram shimmered for a second and he grimaced. "Hey, you mind if I ask you a question, man?"

"You're going to ask it anyway. Go ahead, shoot." Reach shrugged, the rest of the team strapping in. The engines of the Pelican started up and he pulled on the thrusters to lift the ship into the air.

"What are you going to do if we don't find any kind of resistance?" Alpha asked. "The photos may be old, but I double checked all of Project Freelancer's databanks regarding the outpost. There's no indication of any defenses being added on. It's almost like…the Director is waiting for us. As if he wants us to put him out of his misery."

"You think he wants us to kill him?" Reach's eyebrow rose under his helmet. "The hell gave you that idea?"

"This." Alpha vanished and in his place was a holographic projection of Allison Church's file. "I've managed to sneak in through a backdoor in the system. This is the only file that's been activated in the past three months alone. Three months, man. As the one who is the closest to the Director, I can tell you something's not right. I would have grabbed more if I could, but F.I.L.S.S. was aware of my presence after awhile. I had to bug out."

"Either the Director is going through old memories to find out what went wrong, or he's trying to find a way to bring her back right." Reach's eyes narrowed and he pushed with a little more aggressiveness than normal. One hour till they reached the surface his ass. "Either way, I don't like it."

"Dude, admit it. You know I can detect when people are bullshitting me."

"That's enough, Alpha." Reach's tone dropped to icy in a heartbeat, knowing exactly where the AI was going with that train of thought. "I know what I'm doing and what needs to be done. Tin pot dictators who pulled this same shit got executed for it. I know that better than anyone, seeing as I was ONI's personal Grim Reaper."

"Yeah, but…you can understand his motives, can't you?" Alpha tried. "What would you do if someone took Tex away from you? Wouldn't you try anything to bring them back, even if it painted you as a terrorist or traitor?"

He didn't like to admit it, but Alpha was right. Tex was his wife and he would rip anyone to shreds if they harmed her. 'Does that make me no better than him?'

"No, it doesn't," Eta whispered. "It makes you something much more. You're better than the Director, because you wouldn't let it consume you. You know Allison would want you to carry out your duty."

Reach let out a frustrated sigh and forced his muscles to ease up. 'Fuck. I hate it when he's right.' He unbuckled himself from the chair and looked behind him. "Carolina, mind if you take the reins for a bit? I have a phone call to make."

Tucker groaned in pain, gingerly touching his face. He was dimly awake when he had heard Doc diagnose him with a broken jaw and he couldn't help but feel frustrated that he wasn't picked to go beat the Director's ass. Sure his jaw hurt like a bitch but that's what a helmet was for, right? He could take a knock or two.

"God fucking dammit." Tucker punched the wall of his room in annoyance, frustration getting the better of him. "Why the fuck didn't he take me with them!?"

"You want the long version or the short version?"

Tucker jolted and began to panic when he saw Texas idly leaning against the doorframe with a cup of what appeared to be cocoa in her hand. "The fuck are you doing here?"

"I heard you punch the fucking wall, dumbass," Tex deadpanned. "Wanted to see what the hell it was and here I am, watching you pout like a kid who didn't make the basketball team."

Tucker winced. That one hit a little close. "Geez, you don't gotta ruin my career already. It barely got off the ground. But what do you mean by long version? We have time to kill."

"The same reason he didn't bring me along." The blonde took a sip from her cup. "Someone who doesn't know him would say he didn't bring me because I'm pregnant. It might be a factor, but not the whole decision. I know why he didn't and I can respect it because he's not wrong."

"Meaning?" Tucker rolled his eyes. Jesus Christ, did every Freelancer speak in such cryptic fucking messages? It was like trying to decipher Morse Code for fuck's sake.

"Use your fucking head for something besides keeping a helmet on." Tex rolled her eyes. "The Director literally created me for his own purposes, to use me. what would you do if you came face to face with someone who put you through years of mental torment for their own gain?"

"…I'd beat the living piss out of them until they were a bloody pulp," Tucker answered slowly. Like that, it clicked in his brain. "That's why he didn't bring you. The mission is already going to be rough on their minds due to Carolina being that dickhead's fucking daughter."

"Exactly." Tex nodded. "I am the first to admit it; Omega's presence in my head for that long has definitely made me aggressive and prone to fits of fury. If I saw the Director's face, there's no telling what I'd do to the son of a bitch. As to why Reach didn't bring you, it's because he knew if he did that the team's cohesion would be broken. They'd be more aware of your injury and make moves to shield your ass from getting even more banged up. Also, trust me on this, but a broken jaw sucks to fight with. It's like your mouth is made of glass."

Tucker opened his mouth and grabbed the side of his face with a groan of pain. "Fuck…"

"That said, I seriously doubt Reach is willing to put up with you being injured for more than a few weeks. Lucky for you, I happen to know something that'll speed it up." Tucker did not like Tex's smirk one bit and sweatdropped.

"W-what?" he rasped.

Tex pulled out a bottle of a disgusting colored liquid and gave it a shake. "I believe the Blue Team is familiar with this particular brew?"

Oh fuck. He knew what that was. It was the same shit Maine had to force feed South when she took a few nasty hits. "No. Absolutely not. Fuck no. NOPE!"

Tex let out a dramatic sigh and rubbed her temples. "Dammit Alpha. I told you he'd take it well. Oh well. Activate armor lockdown."

"No you fuck—"

Tucker was immobilized with his mouth hanging open like a dumbass and Tex unscrewed the cap of the bottle, grimacing at the smell. "Trust me, I don't like the taste of this either. But nothing can beat it when it comes to repairing broken bones. You'll be fine in a week or so."

A week? Well…it was a hell of a lot better than sitting on the sidelines for months. Still, as the revolting liquid poured down his throat, he wished it didn't have to taste like goblin piss. Not that he had much experience with that. How the fuck would that taste? More importantly how would he know?

He just worked here.

Know what? That sounded like a good excuse to get out of doing anything the other morons asked of him. Fuck it, he was using it as his go-to excuse.

It sure beat getting his ass kicked like he was a punching bag. God that shit sucked. He spent more time on his ass than anyone. At least he was progressing. He could stand up to Maine, the biggest motherfucker known to man, for a good couple of minutes before being KO'd and ragdolled like one of those ancient video games Tex often played. He never wanted to go against Tex in a round of Dead or Alive ever again, not after he watched her utterly mop the floor with both South and Maine.

He didn't find it surprising that she was godly at a game involving scantily clad women beating the shit out of each other.

Once Tex was finished pouring the horrible medicine down his throat she snapped her fingers. "Alright Alpha, let him out."

Once the armor lockdown deactivated, Tucker wished he could tear his tongue out if only to never taste that rancid shit ever again. He fell on all fours and retched, wiping the corners of his mouth with a shaking hand. "UGH! Why the fuck does that taste so bad!?"

"The hell did you expect, for it to be rum flavored?" The blonde rolled her eyes. "Quit bitching you big blue baby. You'll live. For now."

"Gee, thanks Doc," Tucker shot back snidely. "What's up with you and Reach having this amazing ability to make me want to kill myself with two words? Seriously, it's like a talent."

"We just work well together." Tex smirked. "There is a reason why we're married and it's because we both get it. Though walking him through sex was entertaining. Might as well use my other self's memories for something."

"Oh God, you can remember everything from your past life? That shit has to suck." Tucker grimaced. His jaw was starting to numb a little. "Fuck…I can't feel the side of my face…is that normal?"

"…let's go with 'yes' and leave it at that," Tex suggested. Only she could manage to make that sound more like a threat rather than an actual suggestion. Fucking hell she was terrifying even though her stomach was slowly starting to bulge a bit. "I may have mixed a little anesthetic into it to make the process as painless as possible."

Oh. That made sense.

"How long does it last?" Tucker asked cautiously.

"The pain or the anesthetic? Be more specific."

"…yes."

"The pain will last about two weeks and you'll hate everything and everyone. The anesthetic can shorten that maybe for a day or two. Sorry, but you're in a shitty spot." Tex offered a weak smile in apology. "On the bright side, you'll be back in action before you know it and can go back to getting tossed around the boxing ring by Maine. He likes you, you know."

"Yeah I'm not exactly in the market for a boyfriend." Tucker rubbed his slowly numbing jaw. Took away the pain his ass. It still fucking hurt, though it was a lot more bearable than it was before. Counted for something, he guessed.

"Really? I can set you up with a counselor if you're unsure about coming out of the closet," Tex offered helpfully. "Hey, you'll get no judgment from me. Especially since I can remember a certain incident way back when during the war."

"Yeah no. Not happening." Tucker sighed. Why the hell was he having this conversation with the one woman who scared him more than even Maine?

Oh right, because they had nothing else better to fucking do. Fuck, they really did just sit around and talk shit all day. "You know, I'm going to look forward to when my face isn't glass."

"Why?" Tex looked at him curiously.

"Because it means I get to strangled by Carolina's legs." He took the thump on the head willingly. "Worth it."

"That's my daughter you jackass." She scowled. "Maybe if you got rid of that stupid haircut, you'd get a fucking date. Or maybe Sister will sleep with you more if she ever stops trying to peek on me and Adam."

…

"What!?" he exclaimed. No way. This had to be some sort of joke. Yeah he knew Sister wasn't exactly faithful; hell, it was why he didn't want anything serious to begin with. But hearing it from the third person's mouth this week?

"Did you seriously think Reach was kidding when he said Sister has been spying on me in the shower?" Tex deadpanned.

"To be fair, he is the king of bullshit," Tucker pointed out.

"Not wrong." The blonde chuckled. "But yeah. Keep your fucking girlfriend away from our door. It's seriously starting to make us feel weird in our own bedroom."

"She's not my girlfriend. We just…"

"Have mindless and pointless sex that makes you feel emptier than those liquor bottles in the kitchen?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Tucker shrugged. When did his love life get this depressing?

"Good God we need to get you a date." Tex sighed. "We have our work cut out for us. I'll let Adam handle being your wingman."

"Why?"

"Because I sure as fuck don't want that stress in my life. I have enough on my plate already."

"Yeah you do. Saw you getting a second plate of that oil drizzled fish the other day," the aqua soldier said with a grin.

"I have a kid growing inside me and been through the most bullshit out of everyone save for maybe Adam. I think I've earned this break." She rolled her eyes and left him. "Give me or Doc a call if you start feeling even worse. Nasty stuff has some pretty ugly side effects. Might end up with an inverted dick or bleeding eyes, I don't know."

"WHAT!?" Tucker was pretty sure his voice got a little too high for his liking.

"I'm fucking with you. The most you'll get is a couple headaches and some nausea. If you do throw up make sure to do it in a toilet. Jun's in no mood to get out the mop. Oh, speaking of Adam, here he is on the phone. Enjoy the sleep." Tex laughed on her way out and Tucker fell on his back with a groan.

"Fuck my life."

Still. Could be worse.

A/N: Ugh. I hate that this took so fucking long, I really do. I'm sorry guys. Wanted to do more, but work has a way of catching up. That said, some good news. I have my own discord server where you can all talk, vibe, and just shitpost to your heart's content. If you wanna join up, the link is below.

/dRFzMg5EAz

-Classiest#8332