December 26th, 2011

Stamford, Connecticut

WWE Headquarters

Seth and Tyson Kidd sit on a couch inside of the lounge area, discussing counter tactics in hand to hand combat. Its been a slow week for Seth. The solo missions were barely coming in. Cody and his squad took the good team missions. Only thing on the table were escorts and security work, which Seth felt was beneath him. So Seth spent his nights with new recruits, which includes his own personal fanboy in Tyson. Paige scurries in from behind and taps Seth on the shoulder.

"What's up?" He asks looking bored.

"Guess what? Dean just got back. He's been in Hunter's office for the past fifteen minutes."

"Really? Couldn't even come say hello first?"

"Apparently Hunter was waiting on him when he arrived. Heard it might be a promotion for catching that hitman."

"Glad he's okay. Good for him." Said Seth as he turned back around.

Paige opens her mouth, but decides to leave. She could sense Seth still had a bit of hostility towards Dean. A few floors up in Hunter's office, Dean is spinning around in an office chair. Still a little sore from a couple of days ago. Hunter walks back in with a few items and grabs Dean's chair.

"Don't do that." Saying sternly before sitting at his desk.

Hunter places a new badge, a key and a check on the desk.

"Sorry I took so long. How you feeling Ambrose?"

"I'm feeling fine."

"You sure? Few people would be crazy to do what you did. You're lucky to be alive."

Dean sat in silence, with only a bug eyed look as he stared at his boss. Tapping his finger on the arm of the chair.

"I'm fine. I've been through worse."

"I'll have to take your word for it. Well Ambrose, you've earned this. I'm glad you decided to take the promotion. With this you can get more prominent missions, a bigger paycheck and access to more of the exclusive weapons and vehicles. Hence the key. I'm sure you'll make a great Lieutenant."

Dean grabbed the check first. His eyes growing extra wide after seeing the number. Not often he gets passed $30K. He smiled at first, but that smile quickly faded.

"Problem Ambrose?"

"No its just...I don't need this money."

"What do you mean?" Hunter asks raising an eyebrow.

"Do me a favor. Donate this money to the victims of that shooting. Make sure they get nice burials."

"You sure? We both know how you're living."

"Yeah. I'm sure." Dean replied tossing the check back on the desk.

Someone knocks on the door and Hunters calls them in. Paige slides in, closing the door behind her.

"What do you want Bevas?"

"I know what she wants." Said Dean standing up.

Dean walks over with his arms out, signaling for a hug. Paige walks over and starts slapping Dean on the chest.

"Hey, damn it, what did I do?" He asks while trying to grab her hands.

Paige backs off and adjust her glasses. Breathing heavily to the point she was almost snorting.

"You almost got killed you moron! What if something happened to you out there? I know its your job but you scared the crap out of me! Out of all of us!" She shouted in anger.

Dean moves closer to her, but she folds her arms and turns away.

"No, I'm still mad at you."

"You are such a fucking child!" Dean shouted back.

Paige and Dean turn to look at Hunter, who's sitting with his hands folded. Staring a hole though his employees. A stare that even scared Dean a little. The rooms falls silent as Seth bursts in through the door.

"What the hell is your problem?" Hunter angrily remarks.

"Sorry boss. I just got a call from Roman, his wife was shot."

Paige looks horrified as Seth makes direct eye contact with Dean.

"Look, I know we got our own problems, but that's kiddie shit compared to what's going on. Right now our boy needs us. You in or out?"

Dean rubs his hand across his face as he thinks for a second. Dean nods his head to confirm. Seth looks at his boss for approval. Hunter only shrugs his shoulders, giving the notion he didn't care.

"Thank you sir. You ready man?"

"I want to come too." Said Paige.

All eyes once again turn back to Hunter as he's scribbling something on paper.

"Eh, take her with you. Also, go see Alicia before you go. Ask her for the Alpha case."

December 27th, 2011

Tampa Bay, Florida

Brookside Hospital

Roman sits inside a hospital room with Amelia asleep in his arms. Tasha asleep in the bed, with bandages on her left thigh and hip. She was an hour removed from surgery and knocked out from the morphine. Roman hasn't slept since last night. The morning sun rising as his eyes strain to stay open. A nurse comes in, seeing he's still awake.

"Mr. Reigns, I know you're concerned, but you should go home to rest."

"No, I need to be here."

"Tasha is fine. Her surgery was a success and she'll make a full recovery. Sitting here won't make that go any faster."

Roman took a deep breath. As worried as he is, he was tired and didn't want to keep Amelia here either.

"Sure. Maybe I should go. Thank you and give the surgeon my regards."

He puts Amelia on his shoulder and walks over to his wife. Gently placing his hand on hers. Holding back an intense amount of anger that he wasn't going to unleash in the public eye.

"I'm gonna get all of them. I promise." He whispered before leaving the room.

Roman drove home with vengeance on his mind. Clenching the steering wheel, but keeping his cool. The only saving grace being that his former partners come to his aid. He parks in front of his house and pulls the still sleeping Amelia out the car. Making his way into the home, taking Amelia to bed. After covering her up, he saunters downstairs and lays on the couch. Falling back onto a pillow to finally close his eyes.

The cries of that little girl once again haunts Roman's dreams. He lays completely still, trying to cope with it instead of blocking it off. Focusing all thoughts. Every good and bad deed he's ever committed, going through them one by one. Roman was never going to forgive himself for leaving the girl there, but like a few people told him, someone else could of killed that kid.

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*

Roman's phone alarm goes off, waking him up. It was his 2 PM work alarm. Good thing he already texted his manager about what happened. No way he was going to work in his current state. He sees a text from Seth over an hour ago, saying they're on the way. Roman gets up and walks to the door to look outside. His friends are already there, chatting in a pickup truck. They notice Roman and hop out the car to greet him. Paige shoves Dean out the way and mauls Roman.

"THANK GOD YOU'RE OKAY! WE'VE BEEN SO WORRIED! ARE YOU ALIGHT? NEED ANYTHING?"

"Geez, I'm fine. As fine as I could be right now. It's good to see you too." Roman replied smiling.

Seth peels Paige away as Dean approaches Roman. Neither of them had talked since Roman's departure, although both had attempted to make contact. Roman extends his hand and Dean accepts without hesitation. Roman brings him in for a hug as Dean apologizes.

"I'm sorry man. I left you hanging when you needed me. As you know I've been through a lot and I got some issues, but I'm working through it."

"All love over here man. That's what brothers do right? They fight." Said Roman playfully punching Dean in the chest.

Everyone heads inside to get settled in and hear the whole story. They all take seats at the kitchen table as Roman puts glasses and juice on the table. Roman sat down and looked between his three friends. Happy to have the band back together.

"Late last night around 9 PM, after Tasha got off of work, she was heading to pick up Amelia from a small party with her friends from school. Tasha stopped at the ATM to get some money. From what I was told, some small group of punks were waiting to jump whoever showed up next. Unfortunately she was the one to be there. No one knows what happened after that. A witness showed up at the ATM shortly after and found her laying there bleeding out. Her purse was dumped all over the ground. Cash was gone but the credit cards were left."

"Oh my god." Paige whispered under her breath.

"The cameras didn't pick anything up?" Asked Dean.

"I don't know anything. The police either don't know or don't care. Honestly couldn't tell you. That's why I called on you guys."

"What can we do if we don't have anything to go on?" Said Seth.

"Don't worry, I'm already on it." Paige said, scrolling through her new tablet.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup. I can get those police reports in a flash and run some background checks on everyone who lives around Tampa Bay. I'll have Christian hack into the local security and traffic cameras around the area and trace all activity from the night before. With that, we might be able to find out who did this."

"You can do that?" Asked Roman.

"Of course, its easy." She replied with a "duh" look on her face.

All three guys sat there stunned by this side of Paige. Usually seeing a goofy and whiny girl, instead of this woman who just took the charge in finding Tasha Reigns' shooter. Often forgetting she was the pupil of the smartest man in the WWE, William Regal.

"Dad?"

All eyes turn as Amelia walks into the kitchen rubbing her eyes.

"Dad is mom coming home?"

"Come here baby."

Amelia walks over to her father. He picks her up and she curls in his lap.

"She'll be home soon. She's just at the hospital getting better."

Amelia knew where her mom was, just not the reason. Roman didn't want to lie, but was unsure how she could take that news.

"She...is so...ADORABLE! How old are you?" Paige squealed.

"Seven." Amelia sleepily answered.

"I can't wait to have kids of my own." Said Paige.

"God help any children under your watch." Dean joked.

"Hey, I remember you." Amelia said pointing Seth.

"What's up little one." Greeted Seth.

Dean starts slurping his juice, much to annoyance of everyone.

"You look weird." Said Amelia to Dean.

"Oh yeah, you need a hot comb." Dean replied.

Paige smacks Dean upside the head.

"She started it!"

A small ding goes off, notifying Paige of a message in her tablet. Upon reading, she does a small fist pump.

"What you got?" Roman asked full of hope.

"Christian said he's on it and we should have a location by tonight."

Roman sat back in the chair, letting out a huge sigh of relief. Seth patted him on the shoulder to reassure his brother that everything was going to be okay.

"Well, you boys should get ready." Paige told them.

Seth and Dean get up and head outside while Roman sits in confusion. They return each holding one side of a large metal trunk. Paige pulls out a key and unlocks the trunk, flipping it open to show brand new gear. Roman raises an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Riot gear?"

"Tactical gear is sooo 2008. Hunter had this made last month as a Christmas gift to his three prodigies. Here we have all black riot gear, custom made for a tight fit but also free movement. Tightly woven and stitched with micro fiber to absorb 80% of blunt damage to the covered area. The vest can take up to a maximum of 10 bullets. Hardened elbow pads for resistance and some extra force. Non slip boots and high frequencey ear pieces to complete the set." Explained Paige.

"I don't know what any of that means but it sounds badass." Said Dean, rubbing his hands.

Roman picks up a vest and stares at it. Sliding his fingers across it. Getting that feeling he had on that first day he met Seth and Dean. A desire to get back out there and do what he enjoyed. Seth leaned over towards Roman and smiled.

"What do you say man, one last ride?"

Roman with a face saying all business, nods his head.

"One last ride."