"How're we doing, Benji?" Ethan asked from the drivers seat next to me.

"If there's a way to defuse this bombs I can't find it." I sighed looking out at the beautiful landscape that looked almost exactly like my dream from before this mission even started. I shivered.

"You'll figure it out. I know you will." Ethan told Benji giving him the confidence he needed.

"Damn! Ethan, we've lost the signal. Lane must have found our transmitter." Luther told us a little flustered.

"What's his last position?" I asked him getting back into conversation.

"About 30 miles north-east." Luther said.

"Then that's where he wants us to go." Ethan told him.

"What's there?" Ilsa asked from behind me.

"The Nubra river valley. There's only a medical camp there. Humanitarian Aid Overseas." Luther replied to her zooming out on his iPad.

"Why would Lane target a medical camp?" She asked us, I shrugged.

"Smallpox." Ethan spoke. I shivered, knowing it was something deeper than that I just had a feeling that something else was there, Lane was deliberate in everything he had targeted thus far, why not now?

"Her blood will be on your hands..." The words moved through my mind like rolling captions on a movie screen. They shook me to the core, something about the way he had said it but looked to me like a starving wolf stalking it's prey.

"What?" Ilsa asked again. Shaking me out of my mind.

"Smallpox. The Apostles triggered smallpox outbreak in Kashmir." I told her not letting them in on my feeling. It was just a feeling afterall.

"Lane must've wanted that camp there for a reason but what?" Luther asked again as Ilsa thought.

"Oh my God!" She exclaimed.

"What is it?" Ethan asked.

"Well, the Nubra river is at the base of Siachen glacier. So a nuclear blast there would irradiate the largest natural irrigation system in the world. Fresh water from the border of China to India and Pakistan. They're gonna starve one third of the worlds population!" She filled us in on her discovery.

"The greater the suffering..." I started.

"The greater the peace." Ethan finished, glancing at me I knew he felt the same feeling as I did, the worry in his eyes confirmed it as he grabbed my hand.

"I still don't understand why Lane wants a medical camp there." She said pushing the issue.

"It doesn't matter. All that matters now is that we find a way to defuse those bombs." Ethan said to her making her get off the subject.

"I think I've found it. Maybe. But there appears to a flaw in bombs operating system. The remote detonator requires that firing key. If you remove that key then it should short-out the fail-safe and allow us to cut both fuses." Benji pipped up from the back.

"So one of us needs to get the detonator and remove that key." Ethan said.

"Yeah, while..." Benji started.

"While the rest of us cut the fuses on both bombs." Luther cut him off.

"Luther. Let him finish for once, let him have his thunder." I smirked in the rearview mirror at both of them. Benji smiling as I took his side for once.

"Simple." Luther said.

"Yeah, but..." Benji started.

"But what?" Ethan asked him.

"Well in order to make this work we can't remove the key or cut the fuses until after the countdown starts." Benji told us all taking his thunder back.

"Wait, wait! Just so I got this clear. Our only chance to safely defuse both bombs is to let the countdown start?" Ilsa asked us.

"And then remove that key." Benji tried to aid Ilsa's concern. There was silence throughout the van at that moment.

"OK." Ilsa said taking a sigh, I looked to Ethan giving a small smile hoping that he would be able to do this. We continued our drive arriving at the medical camp. We drove in and got out of the car.

"I'm getting signals all over the place." Benji said as he looked at the phone in his hand.

"It's a medical camp. X-ray machines, CAT-scanners, radiological signatures everywhere." Luther informed us.

"Looks like a needle in a haystack." Ilsa said.

"That's probably the point. Stay on comms." I told her.

"Process of elimination. One at a time. Let's split up." Ethan told us all as I made my way into a tent Ethan behind me.

"I thought you said to split up?" I asked Ethan feeling his presence close behind me the warmth radiating off his body, a small smile creeped it's way onto my face.

"I did." He leaned his face down to my neck as he gave it a slight kiss.

"Ethan, now is not the time." I smirked stopping him elbowing him a little in the spleen.

"Ethan?" I heard behind me and spun around bumping into Ethans chest as I did. He turned around taking a step behind me only to take it right back as he stepped towards Julia.

"Julia?" He asked. Immediately perplexed. I knew exactly why this was where Lane targeted at this moment. They stared at each other for a second. I glanced at the team behind us further away and saw them all turn towards us. Ethan grabbed my hand pulling me with him as we walked closer to the beautiful ex wife.

"Julia!" I heard from my right, a man walking towards us. Ethan immediately put his arm around my waist.

"Does he know?" He asked her lowly. She didn't have time to answer as a man walked up to us.

"Hey." The stranger said.

"This is my husband, Eric. This is..." She started.

"Rob, Rob Thorn. Dr. Rob Thorn and this…" Ethan looked at me before moving his arm to shake Eric's hand.

"I'm Josephine." I started.

"My wife." Ethan pipped up as he looked at me. I rose an eyebrow and smiled at him looking back to Eric.

"We worked with Julia at..." I said starting the conversation hoping she would fill it in for me.

"Mass General, before New York." She said.

"Oh, you're kidding? What a coincidence?" Eric said laughing, I took a look at him. He looked like a good guy, I was hoping so for Ethan's sake. She wouldn't have chosen him for no reason.

"I know. I..." Ethan started to lie his way through the conversation. But was caught off by him talking again.

"What brings you all this way?" Eric asked him.

"I was in Turtuk, not far from here. And heard help was needed." Ethan immediately covered.

"Oh, well... Actually we're just about finished here. The whole village is inoculated but... What were you doing out in Turtuk?" Eric asked yet again. This man, so many questions. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"The Thorns are on vacation." Julia stepped in again.

"No... No, we're working." I told her making sure I gave her a look with my eyes to inform her it was not safe here, I could see Ethan doing the same out of the corner of my eye.

"You're a long way from home." Ethan told them a small smirk on his face, sizing the guy up as he pulled me closer into his side.

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks to our guardian angel." Eric told us. I smiled as Ethan put his arm around my shoulder.

"Guardian?" Ethan asked quickly acknowledging the word choice.

"Well, yeah. We were running a field hospital outside of Darfur when an outbreak happened here. Here comes this phone call from an anonymous donor. Out of the blue. And he says he's ready to underwrite the entire operation. One condition..." Eric continued

"We run the whole thing." Julia said shocked as the information hit her, she looked back towards our team standing there looking at us.

"Can you believe that?" Eric said the smile never leaving his face. He was way too happy for someone who might get blown up any second.

"I certainly can." Ethan said the words leaving in his breath.

"Out of the blue." Eric said thinking he was the luckiest man on earth.

"Out of the blue." Julia repeated.

"It's quite a full life." Ethan said keeping the conversation going.

"Yeah, you know before Julia I never traveled. I never even left New York. Never left the hospital. 7 days a week, overtime, no vacations." Eric was saying.

"Kens, I think I found something." I heard Luther in my ear I looked towards them and smiled at Eric telling his story.

"I was just patient checking. You keep the circuit at 50. Heart attack at 55. And she convinced me to let it all go. Help where it's needed most. So we've been on the go ever since. I've never been more fulfilled." Eric said to us, I smiled.

"Excuse me, it was lovely meeting you two." I told both of them, kissing Ethan quickly and getting out of his grasp before walking off to get to Luther.

"I'm happy for you." Ethan told them.

"Well, we should get going. We have a lot of packing to do." Julia said to Ethan hoping to get out of the conversation and get them the hell out of there.

"What do you have Luther?" I asked him. As I walked up to the team taking down what looked like a radio tower. I looked at it more closely realizing what was attached to it. I sighed as I went to inspect it more.

"Oh, no. I'll handle that. You two should catch up." Eric said being a lovely husband.

"Oh no, I should get out of your hair." Ethan tried to leave the conversation as well.

"Are you kidding? You should stick around. I'm just sorry you came all this way for nothing. I'll tell you what. We'll pack and why don't we give you a ride back to Turtuk. You two can catch up in the car. Yeah?" Eric kept going on in my ear. Just like Hunley I grimaced.

"You're very kind." Ethan spoke.

"Settled." He told him.

"I'm so sorry, Julia. I'm so sorry." I heard his last words to her as the team and I got the bomb off the tower.

"Careful, careful, careful." I said as we got it off the pole.

"It's armed but the countdown hasn't started yet." Luther told me.

"The network signal's strong which means the other device is close by. And the detonator. By half a km in that direction." He told us pointing south as Ethan ran up next to us.

"They're still here. Luther, you keep working on it. You three, come with me!" Ethan started giving us orders I followed him closely.

"Oh, sure. I've got this. Don't worry about old Luther." Luther spoke into my ear. We ran to an overlook, seeing two helicopters on the ground in front of us.

"Walker." Ethan breathed out.

"Damn! Ethan, the countdown has started! We have 15 minutes!" Luther spoke to all of us.

"Ethan we need a decision we have to move now or…" I started to talk to him.

"Walker has the detonator! Come on!" Ethan started running again this time towards the car.

"We have to evacuate these people!" Benji told us as Ethan backed up the car and started driving towards the helicopters.

"There's no time!" Ilsa said to him.

"This whole valley is gonna be incinerated in 15 minutes!" Ethan spoke to us.

"We need to move and quickly!" I told them.

"It's too late!" Ilsa said as the helicopter took off in the direction of freedom.

"No. I'm gonna get the detonator!" Ethan said determined as he pulled the car next to the helicopter.

"What? How?!" Ilsa asked.

"I'll figure it out!" Ethan yelled at us as he opened the car door I opened mine to ready to run with Ilsa and Benji.

"You find Lane and find the other bomb!

"What the hell is he doing?!" Ilsa asked baffled at what Ethan was doing before our eyes. He ran full speed towards the helicopter and grabbed a rope to try to get on.

"I find it's best not to look." Benji told her as I continued us running forwards. I ran back towards the tents phone pulled out. Ready to start looking for the thing that could potentially kill me.

"How're we doing, Luther?" Benji asked him.

"Tripwires everywhere. I don't have enough hands." He said to us.

"Just make it out!" Benji replied as I started walking us forwards into the tent. The workers staring at the three of us as we were out of place.

"Where's Ethan?" He asked us.

"He's gone after the detonator." I told Luther.

"Wait! Where's the detonator?" Luther asked again.

"Luther." I heard through my earpiece.

"Julia. You shouldn't be here." I heard.

"Motherfucker!" I exclaimed as I heard the words of my teammates in my ear as well.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Ilsa said looking to me for help.

"I'll go." I told them and took off running back towards Luther and now Julia.

"Is that what I think it is?" She asked him.

"Luther, get her out of there!" Benji said.

"Where's she gonna go?" He sounded defeated. She knew what this was she knew the deal when she married Ethan.

"I'll be there in a minute." I told Luther through my breaths as I was running.

"All right. What can I do?" She asked.

"In the kit. The pliers with the red grip." Luther told her. I ran up to them.

"Julia, you shouldn't be here." I told her as I was out of breath I collapsed down beside them feeling the pain in my arm and ribs.

"Are you insane?!" I heard Benji exclaim.

"Mind your business, Benji!" Luther said as he looked at me and Julia.

"This is my business!" He all but lost his temper. Good for him, finally sticking up for himself in these situations.

"Benji, do you copy?" I heard the voice in my ear.

"Ethan?" I breathed out as I looked Luther in the eye.

"Ethan, where are you?" Benji asked him.

"I'm in a helicopter going after Walker." He told us.

"Oh my god." I breathed out.

"What's happening?" Julia asked me.

"Ethan's in a helicopter." I told her.

"Hold on! How did you get in the helicopter?" Benji asked.

"What? You can fly a helicopter?!" Ilsa asked us. I rolled my eyes.

"Did you say helicopter? What the hell are you doing in a helicopter?" Luther asked.

"Did you...? Hey, did you find the other bomb?" Ethan stopped our wondering and got us back on track.

"Well, we're still looking but finding the bomb isn't gonna matter unless we have the detonator." Benji said to him making the point inescapably clear.

"I know, I know. I'll get it. I'll get it!" Ethan yelled over the prop.

"If he's in another helicopter... How're you gonna get it?" I asked him my voice unsure and threatening to break.

"I'll figure it out. You find the bomb. I'll get the detonator. I won't let you down… I won't let you down." I heard his voice get smaller as his unsure attitude was getting in the way.

"Okay." I said to him.

"Be ready." He said to us.

"Look, Ethan. Ethan! Ethan, come in!" Benji started.

"He's gone, out of signal probably too far out." I said as I heard silence on the other end.

"Wire stripper." Luther asked us. I looked at him asking if he needed me. He nodded so I stayed in my place. I looked into the kit and found the wire stripper handing it to him.

"I'm a doctor, not an electrician." Julia spoke to him.

"Sorry." Luther apologized.

"Got it." I looked to both of them.

"The wire in my left hand." He instructed.

"The black one?" Julia asked.

"My left hand." He repeated.

"That's your left hand." Julia said to him again.

"Sorry, the other wire!" I rolled my eyes now was not the time.

"The red one?" She asked him again.

"Yes, the red one in my right hand." I smiled handing her the clippers. She was doing just fine under pressure.

"Just checking." Julia looked at me and smiled back.

"I like her." Ilsa said into my ear.

"I like her too." I said back to her. Julia glanced at me a slight smile on her face.

"I cannot find anything. I think we're looking in the wrong place." Ilsa said to us again after a couple minutes.

"Signature's everywhere. This is the perfect place to hide it." Benji argued.

"That's the point. I know Lane. If we're looking here... It's because he wants us to." Ilsa said reading my thoughts exactly.

"Lovely people, I hate to be a burden but we're running out of time if you want to look elsewhere we need to do it now." I told them.

"I'm heading to village." Ilsa said.

"Just wait for me. Alright? Ilsa, I think I found something." I heard Benji say.

"Cut this wire, right here. Turn that screw counterclockwise very slowly." Luther told Julia letting her take over so I could take a breather if I was needed elsewhere and had to run I would.

"So... How is he?" She looked at both Luther and I.

"Well, you know. Same old Ethan." Luther replied.

"He's got a soft spot for Kensi here." He started. I blushed pushing the hair out of my face as I got up onto my knees to view what they were doing more closely.

"He's difficult as ever." I said to her. She laughed.

"Sounds like Ethan." She smiled at me.

"Benji, I see Lane now." Ilsa said into my ear. I looked up immediately. Seeing a house in my view a bit aways from where I was currently. I looked to Luther asking if he needed me.

"What?! Where?" Benji asked her.

"He's in a house at the entrance to the village." Ilsa said which confirmed my suspicions.

"Alright. Just wait for me. OK?" Benji asked her. Benji was closer to me so I could take over for him if needed then run back to Luther.

"I'll be back." Luther nodded as I took off towards where Benji was again.

"Ilsa, wait for me!" He yelled.

"Benji, I'm heading to you now." I told him. I ran towards him and into the tent he was in.

"No!" He stopped trying to pick the lock on what he was doing. He got his gun out I stepped in front of him out of breath.

"Benji it's a nuclear bomb, maybe." I told him as I looked towards the tanks of oxygen and gave him another idea. He quickly took a tank and started to beat the lock off it I threw the lid open to see an x ray machine.

"Dammit!" He exclaimed. We did it again with the other metal boxes.

"Benji, I found the other bomb." Ilsa said to him.

"GO!" I exclaimed to him and he took off running towards her as I took off running back towards Luther.

"Ilsa, where are you?!" I heard him say as he dropped the tank and took off running.

"I'm in a house..." She started then was cut off.

"She's in a house at the entrance to the village." I said to him as I made my way back to Luther and Julia.

"Benji, come in. We're almost at the fuse. We need to find that other bomb, now!" Luther told him.

"Patience is a virtue." I said out of breath as I neared them.

"Did you say other bomb?" Julia asked.

"Yes he did there's two here." I told her as I came up behind her breathing hard and clutching my ribs as I sat down next to the pair.

"Benji, do you read me?" Luther asked.

"I'm working on it! Ilsa, where are you?!" he yelled through our comms. I heard more yelling into my comms. I looked at Luther yet again asking if I should leave he shook his head.

"Let them figure it out, it's too far by the time you get there we'll all be toast." He said to me. I nodded knowing he was right. I hated not being able to help everyone. I twisted my hands in my lap looking to both Julia and Luther.

"I hope this isn't our last mission guys, I love you all if it is." I said to them sincerely.

"Tie him up." I heard through the comms. Thank you lord. Whatever was going on was over.

"There's nothing else you can do." I said to Julia.

"Go be with your husband." Luther told Julia.

"Luther..." She breathed out touching his cheek lovingly I took the wire cutters from her and moved into her place.

"Go. I've got Kensi here. Everything will be fine." He said to her as she started to back away.

"Benji, where are you?" Luther asked him eyes focused on the bomb. I smiled 4 minutes we had 4 minutes, I hope Ethan had the detonator by now.

"OK, Luther, we're inside. Tell us what to do." Benji told us.

"You should keep the red wire attached to the motherboard." Luther said to him knowing this could be our last moments speaking together as a team.

"Yeah." He breathed out.

"You need to cut that and the green wire next to it simultaneously." Luther told us I placed the cutters into position.

"OK. Ready? Set?" Benji asked Ilsa.

"Cut." She said and I waited.

"Benji, listen. Turn the screw counterclockwise." Luther read again.

"Yup." I heard him acknowledge us.

"Remove that panel and you'll see the power and ground wires for the fuse." Luther said.

"Got it."

"When the time comes cut the green wire. Do not cut it yet!" Luther told them making sure they understood the severity of the situation.

"OK, we copy." I heard through the comms.

"Ethan, if you can hear me, we're ready to make the cut." I told him hoping he could hear me.

"Ethan, come in!" Luther all but yelled.

"Benji, how do we know if he's got the key?" Ilsa asked us all.

"He'll get it." I yelled to them hoping this wasn't my last day on Earth.

"Yeah, but how do we know?" Benji asked us.

"He'll get it done!" I yelled again. Tears threatening to fog up my vision.

"We're out of time! We just have to hope he has it!" Luther said to us as he looked straight at me.

"OK. We're ready." Benji said.

"Two seconds we cut!" Luther dictated.

"Wait, wait! Why two? Why not one?" Benji asked.

"You want to cut it that close?" I asked him annoyed.

"Well, it's the second we'll never get back!" Benji rapidly spit at us.

"Wait! Can we make a decision on this?!" Ilsa spoke quickly scared.

"Alright! We'll do it on one!" I told them.

"Cutting on one?" Ilsa asked.

"YES, FINE, ONE!" Luther said.

"Yes, one! Alright, stand by." I counted the seconds in my head as the rest of the team did it out loud.

"3, 2, 1, now!" Luther told me as I made the cut and my stomach sank. The bomb opened up and the plutonium core came out of it.

"OK." I heard Ilsa breath out.

"My man." Luther said as he picked up the core. The fuckers had us running across the world for we finally had it in our hands. I laughed out loud happily.

"Kens…" I heard through the comms. I wiped my eyes and cleared my throat.

"Yeah?" I asked Benji as he had spoken my name.

"Get up here, there's something you need to see." Benji said to me his voice grave and sad. I took off running immediately knowing the information I was about to receive could change my life forever. I ran through the lush grass at the base of the mountains through the tents pushing doctors and technicians out of my way as I went I felt my heart in my chest as my lungs started to burn from all the running I had been doing. I pushed through the pain as I got to the threshold of the house I sucked in air, Ilsa and Benji met me there. Just as I had sucked in the breath I had taken I lost it immediately as I saw who was being supported on two of their arms.