So I apologize that this has not been uploaded as consistently as I would like. As I mentioned in a previous comment, I had papers and projects to finish, which my semester ended on Tuesday (yay!). So, now that it's over, I can dedicate more time to writing.

As of now, do not expect further updates for a couple of weeks. I need time to sort things out with this story and with GRNT.

I know it pains some of you, as does me, but this is mostly because I have real-life stuff to deal with.

Enjoy this chapter and Happy Thanksgiving for anyone in the States!

...

The next day Eliza had a very smug smile on her face, humming a tune that only she knew. Ezra vaguely remembered that she used to sing it to him. "So, what did you say to my squadmates?" She was making a pot of coffee for everyone, and she put in a shot of cream and a sugar cube before putting it on the counter behind her.

Eliza replied without missing a beat, "The ramifications of their actions."

Ezra eyed his sister skeptically, "You didn't threaten them with contingency 35, did you?" If she did, then there would be problems, not just personal ones but Syndicate level ones.

"Try contingency 27, baby brother," Eliza said, waiting for his reaction.

A moment… then two… "Oh for fuck's sake you did not threaten them with that? Are you out of your fucking mind?" he hissed venomously towards his sister.

"Make a move, otherwise they will," she replied, finally turning around to see Ezra without a mask, but it hung over his neck. Her eyes traced the scars that littered his face. Her hand tightened on her mug before something burned on her hand.

"If this is how you react to them, then how the fuck am I supposed to tell them, hm?" Ezra asked as he got up, and grabbed a cloth to wipe up the spilled coffee. "How's your hand?"

"You and I both know that I've dealt with worse," Eliza rinsed her hand under cool water and dried it off.

The best part of this conversation was that no one else was up; the Games were in four hours. Eliza hasn't slept well, and Ezra still has a sixth sibling sense when she's close by, so naturally, he was up. Right now, he was far more worried about how Eliza was feeling about her late wife. While she seemed to have accepted it, there was something else going down inside his sister's mind. Ezra hated being left out, but a certain part of him says he deserves it for leaving the way he did.

"How are you coping?" he asked while not looking at her. He could feel her eyes on him, narrowed and lip curled back, retort at the ready. "I am not asking because I want to be a dick-"

"You can be at times."

"-but because I want to know how my elder sister has been dealing with life. Outside the family business, outside of everyone else's bullshit. Tell me how you are. I will also understand if you do not want to tell me since I basically ran out on you without a word, even if it was on 'good terms', Eliz."

Ezra let the words fill the air as he went to start preparing breakfast for everyone. He even grabbed a camera just to sate the doubters who think he poisons the food. Seriously, he would have done it already, he's had multiple opportunities. As he got the pots and pans, Eliza finally answered. "I am losing it, Ezra. My life literally got uprooted in a matter of minutes and now I lost the person closest to me. I warned her of the dangers she could be in and she still stayed with me." Ezra nodded his head, knowing there was more, "Damn it, I loved her. The stubborn bi-"

"Talk about my sister-in-law like that, and I will belt you," Ezra interrupted. "Do not speak of her like that. She knew the risks when she married you. Anyone in the Core knew what the name Steele was. She took you for you, and as soon as you get that through your head, then mount up and shut up." After that rebuttal, Eliza stared at Ezra aghast. When she didn't respond, he continued, "Am I wrong?"

Eliza grit her teeth, "No."

Ezra rounded the counter and hugged her, "Take the day for yourself, head back to my room and relax. I will see you after the game."

Eliza mumbled her agreement into his chest before the Legends crowded the kitchen area. Today was game day.


The dropship looked the same, and Ezra sat in silence. Weird for multiple reasons. One, no one tried to talk to him. Two, Renee and Natalie were buzzing with far more excitement than normal. Three, everyone seemed to be in on something that Ezra was not.

This had Eliza written all over it.

"So, what's the game today? I've gotten murmurs and vague words that this game is called 'Sanctuary' and Ajay, you had a hand in this," Ezra raised his voice over the excited chatter of the Legends.

"Yah, I did, the rules will be explained, ya hear meh?" the medic sassed before talking with Gibraltar once more.

Natalie was fidgeting in her seat, excited, not nervous, but that still triggered a nerve in Ezra. He waltzed his way over to the blonde and sat next to her, "You feeling alright?"

Natalie snapped out of her intense stare at nothing in particular, "Oui, just excited for the game!"

"Well, with that attitude, we're sure to win," Ezra commented with a smile under his mask. His eyes crinkled, and to Natalie, she wanted to know what his smile looked like. It probably made him look even more handsome under the mask. Renee noticed this from across the room and it made their plan go that much smoother. They were going to ask him out for a date. The only thing that would make it worse would be if he said no and then their dynamic became awkward.

However, Ezra had his answer ready, but he wasn't going to be the one to ask. He's still sticking to his guns about not interrupting a perfectly healthy relationship. "So, do you know where we are dropping?"

Ezra shrugged, "No idea, I'm not the jumpmaster this time, Renee is." He flicked his head over to the aforementioned Voidwalker for emphasis.

"What if I passed it to you?" Renee chose that moment to walk over and lean against the wall of the ship. She was listening because Natalie had given her an earpiece, only for each other. The only purpose was to allow each other to hear each other when Ezra was near one of them. The earpiece literally had no other purpose and did not violate the rules of the Games.

"So where are the zones, and what's changed from the previous games?" Ezra asked, knowing he was out of his element.

"I can explain, mon ami. So, there are no healing items, like our syringes and shield cells. The only way we can be healed is by being in one of the Sanctuary station's range. However, if we get injured or shot, we must wait five seconds before the effect kicks in again, d'accord?" Natalie explained, turning to Ezra to see him staring at her with what she interpreted as a fond expression, even if it was only with his eyes.

Ezra heard her words, but Natalie looked too cute, so he paid little to no attention, but he nodded anyway. He would figure it out on the fly. "Yeah, I got it."

"No you don't," Renee quipped with a knowing smirk. Thankfully, the mask covered the blush that Ezra had. If only Eliza could see him right now. He started to notice more of the little things about the two of them, their shared glances, and the way the two of them can cuddle up with ease when they are not in the Games further proves his point.

Still, there was a part of Ezra that was yearning for that kind of contact, but after his previous relationship… safe to say that he did the right thing and did not throw himself into one-night stands. However, he needed reassurance and he never got it, so while it was all he knew, he was still hesitant to even accept a compliment.

So for him to even consider entering the dating scene again, was a huge step towards his recovery. However, that was not his present concern, even after getting caught unashamedly staring at Natalie. His present concern was preparing for the game, which was about to start in mere minutes.

Ezra then checked over his adrenaline syringes, looked to the both of them, and before he could ask the question they answered, "Yes, we still have it."

Nodding, he took one of his out and injected half of it to get himself going. The remaining half would be if he was wounded and needed to focus on something other than blood loss. "So, where are we dropping?"

"The zones are spread out between most of the major locations across World's Edge like Epicenter, Fragment, Train Yard, and even going as far as Lava City. However, the rules of 'Always Be Closing' are in effect, so the ring that is showcased will be the final ring. It ends in Dome this time, so we have a final destination," Renee explained.

"So, where are you feeling for a dropzone? Fragment for the chaos, or Sorting Factory for some pandemonium, maybe Lava City to work on our tans?" Ezra snarked in good humor.

Nat let out a little giggle at his snarkiness, Renee scoffed, "Chaos sounds really good right about now, we all need a little bit of it in our lives." Fragment it is.


The drop was easier this time around, Leadflare only stumbled once this time. One of the main buildings was already swarmed, so he went to one of the outer buildings in East Fragment, close to the train station, while the girls went to the main middle buildings, where they already took out a squad that wanted revenge. One even tried to tangle with Leadflare. The person who attempted to ambush him quickly learned not to mess with him. The level two body shield they had was dispatched in mere moments and then all they saw was black. Having fought years before and then Wraith winning their spar told him he needed to hone his skills.

So, when this game was over, he would ask Eliza to help him with that. "How are you holding up?"

Wraith's voice was calm, yet icy, as it came through their shared communication channel, "I'm just peachy, what about you two?"

"We're just fine-" a gunshot rang out over the channel with a muffled grunt, "don't worry about us."

"And be a poor squadmate? Fat fucking chance, Wraith," LF said, scooping up the last of his loot, gaining two P2020s as a result with an abundance of Light ammo. Gun Runner active, he set out to find them in what has been dubbed 'Building Alpha' where everyone and their mother drops, even when it is not the hot zone.

He entered the Sanctuary zone's area and he felt the immediate relief of the healing effects. Even though he was not injured, the feeling was euphoric in its own right. If this is the feeling now, would he become addicted to it? Merely a passing thought, but nonetheless an ever-present one.

The resounding bark of gunshots flooded Leadflare's ears as he heard shouting, grunts, and various other noises as he started scaling the building with his jumpkit for assisted leverage. After reaching the third floor, he crept silently over the middle, where two squads were fighting, his and another. On the bright side, he was behind the opposing squad before he brandished his pistols. Send a coded message through his earpiece, he waited for the signal.

With a wave of a hand behind a pillar, Leadflare leaped into action, right on top of an unsuspecting Legend. After tackling them to the ground, both P2020s recoiled as fast as LF pulled the triggers. Even without Hammerpoints, they still hurt at close range, absolutely shredding a purple body shield, and then downing the person. At that moment, LF took the blunt end of a shotgun shell, shattering his shields and burning his skin. The smell of burnt flesh stung Leadflare's nostrils.

The force of the impact rolled him off his target and into the open. Wattson and Wraith took that opportunity to rush the remaining two members and unload their weapons on them, spraying them down. Both of them were knocked down in a flash, but one still struggled. Wraith shrugged off her wounds, if she had any before looking to Wattson, "You want the honor?"

Wattson looked on in glee as she nodded before sparks started to emulate from the pylon on her back to her fingertips. The person in question started floating, most likely from electromagnetic fields being manipulated and then Wattson walked up to them in mock surprise before tapping them on the nose and a flood of electricity entered their central nervous system. In short, Wattson electrocuted them to death.

They dropped like a sack of potatoes and the healing factor consumed all of them once more, easing the pain on all of them. "Well, that was certainly shocking, get it?" Natalie had a megawatt smile on her face that Leadflare shook his head at. She was definitely someone he needed in his life. Only she could find joy in literally electric chairing someone to death.

Maybe that should be a red flag, but in the Outlands, anything is possible. Wraith extended a hand to LF, who accepted it. "So, how was that?"

"Style points for the takedown, but did you have to unload fifteen or so bullets into that pour soul's head?" Wraith asked, mask in place.

"Well, they were attacking you, so I had to show them not to mess with my squad," Ezra replied easily. However, he realized how much of a flirt that sounded like but did not do anything to correct himself. Instead, he reloaded his pistols and then looted the fresh death box in front of him, gaining that level three body shield and more ammo, and then a second weapon which just so happened to be a RE-45. Much to his amusement, he found a second one in the death box of Wattson's kill.

Ezra chose not to comment on the blushes that adorned the ladies' faces, as he realized what a dangerous game he was playing. The problem was…

He liked it, and some part of him craved the thrill of the chase.


The Game proceeded as normal, the ring slowly nipping at the squad's heels. Wattson calculated how fast it was actually moving, and even found that it was moving at a slower velocity on the northern side than the eastern side. Due to the sheer size of the ring, and the fact the ring ends at Dome, well, it didn't take a scientist to figure it out. Yet, Leadflare listened anyway, one eye watching the surrounding area. Passing through Reactor, they encountered multiple death boxes and even more squads fighting.

Leadflare shifted his sunglasses on his face, looking to Wraith, "You have an idea in mind?"

"We either fight them and hope we come out unscathed or we sneak around and hope that no other squad attempts the same thing," the Skirmisher said.

The defender piped in with her idea, "What about taking the jump tower, chérie? We can use it to get some distance from them. It will not matter as the ring will make that decision for us. According to my calculations, the ring will be right on top of us in one minute and we still have a few hundred meters to go before we reach the Dome."

Both of the remaining squad members realized they didn't think of that, as a jump tower was in the area and can be used to connect to three other towers. "That could work. Wraith?"

The Skirmisher took a moment to process, turning around to see the ring closing in, "Yeah, we gotta go now, but that's a good plan."

Leadflare leaped down first, checking the area before he hooked himself on the tower's zipline, and started his ascension. Wraith followed and Wattson followed her. The lift was going easy until a shout was heard and a muffled grunt was heard. Wraith and Leadflare turned to see Wattson falling, clutching her side and shoulder. "Shit," Leadflare cursed.

"We have to go!" Wraith said, shocking LF. "Chances are they will use her as bait for us."

"You can't be serious!" Leadflare was debating jumping down to save her.

"If you go, you die!" Wraith warned.

Leadflare looked down, seeing Wattson's flight trail, "I'm going." He detached from the rope, zooming straight down, injecting himself with adrenaline and prepped his ultimate. Pulling out the P2020s, he flipped in the air, activating the jets of his kit, and landed on the ground. He looked up to see Wraith flying away, good. He turned to see bullets flying at him, and to counter them, he activated his ultimate.

Targeting circled appeared in his lenses and with ease, he opened fire on the closest ones. His literal aim assist made quick work of the first person, dropping them instantly. At this moment, the ring swallowed the area whole and it felt like pins and needles were stinging every exposed inch of skin.

The second member was a little smarter than the rest, taking slower paced shots but from the angle, they were still outside the ring as well. One of them impacted his chest and took off half of his shields. Grimacing, he looked for Wattson, seeing where her trail ended. The orange hue of his vision made it a little more difficult to see, but he noticed the blonde defender squirming in the dirt.

He quickly holstered his weapons and made a mad dash over to her, rolling her over. "Wattson, look at me!"

The baby blue irises were hazy, half-focused, and she was going to bleed out soon. Something in his chest made this much too real. His composure was slipping, and there was no safety net. "L-Leadflare? Qu'est-ce que tu fais?"

Leadflare didn't answer, as he took a few clips from his outfit and attached them to hers. Then, he lifted her up and started carrying her, pylon and all. The jump tower was closer than he thought and attached themselves to it and their jump kits boosted them along. Checking the map, he found where Wraith was, and from her commlink, she wasn't getting shot at. So it should be relatively safe.

The second member, who was still shooting, missed a few dozen more crucial bullets and then Leadflare heard the kill sound off in his ears. Meaning, they stayed outside for too long.

His consciousness was fading in and out, spots appearing at the edges of his vision. "Wattson, stay with me." The feeling in his chest tightened, something wasn't registering in his brain.

He didn't hear her reply as they reached the top, flying through the air, chasing the ring as it continued to close. His eyes only stayed open long enough to look at the map and angle themselves in Wraith's general direction. Hopefully, the fail-safes in the jumpkits activate in time, otherwise, this was going to be a very gruesome wake-up call.