Big Belly Burger

"My God," Jake moaned out, savoring the last bite of his triple cheese burger. He wiped at the mayonnaise from the corner of his mouth with a napkin before crumpling it up with the burger wrapper, "I haven't had a burger like that in awhile."

From across the table, Thea took a sip of her strawberry milkshake before sending Jake a teasing smile, "Yeah, there really is no other place like Triple B."

Jake shook his head with a grin at the old nickname he would use when referring to Big Belly Burger.

A bout of silence filled the air, giving Thea time to take in Jake's presence.

She couldn't stop staring quizzically at the man facing her. She had observed his behavior during the last few hours of them exploring the city, reminiscing in old spots and checking out new ones. Watching as he would shove his hands into his pockets as they walked and bite his upper lip if he was confused or plagued by his thoughts. She was testing him, and so far, he seemed to be passing with flying colors. He showed signs of being the Jake she remembered with that goofy, childlike grin of his. A grin that had always managed to reach his eyes, no matter the circumstance. But in a way that somewhat confused her, he still felt like a stranger.

"Where were you the last few years?" The emerald eyed brunette asked, biting her lower lip.

Jake gulped down a small breath in response, turning towards the window on his left. He watched the cars blur by in mild interest as he gave his thoughts his undivided attention. Moments later, he faced Thea again with his mind made up on what to say.

"I've practically been all over the eastern parts of South America, but I spent more time in Brazil," he paused, leaning forward onto the table with crossed arms. His deep blue eyes lock onto Thea, who watched him attentively.

"It was fun being in the big city. Parties, the culture, it was definitely one of my top pics for an escape. I made a few friends along the way," A smile found its way along the lines of his lips as he recalled the good moments of his experience in Brazil.

Thea leaned back into their shared booth with crossed arms. She recognized that signature smirk-like smile of his, "Who was she?"

A soft chuckle escaped Jakes lips as he shook his head, "That obvious, huh?"

He exhaled through his nose before continuing.

"Her name was Maia. Brunette, blue eyes. She was one hell of a spitfire. Basically me, but female and triple the attitude if you got on her bad side."

"Yeah, like we need another you." Thea retorted sarcastically with a small smirk before dodging away from the french fry that was chucked at her face.

"Hey. I'm just saying," she raised her hands up in a placating manner, another smirk gracing her lips, "It's good to see your taste in women hasn't changed."

Jake scoffed in return, sending the youngest Queen a playful glare.

"Last I checked, my taste in women was way better than your taste in men. Unlike you, I wasn't into rich and pretty faces."

Before Thea could retort back, her cellphone chimed in her purse, interrupting their banter. She quickly apologized before reaching in to grab it. As she answered the call, Jake took the time to check his own cellphone.

Once she ends the call, Thea stuffed her phone back into her purse before offering Jake an apologetic smile, "Sorry about that. It was just Ollie reminding me to meet him later. I'm helping him with his mayoral campaign."

Jake nearly choked on the last sip of his cherry Mountain Dew in surprise. Swallowing the red colored soft drink, he slid the paper cup away before turning to Thea with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms.

"Oliver's running for mayor?" He questioned in disbelief.

"Yeah, I still can't believe it. I honestly thought he was joking this morning when he told me," Thea shook her head, her lips curling up in amusement.

"It'd be interesting to see how he does. I never really pegged him as a political figure," Jake paused briefly, narrowing his eyes as he tried to find the right words.

"Oliver seems more responsible than I remember. Being stranded on an island, miles away from home... I can tell it changed him. Maybe for the better, y'know, since he wants to run this city. Make things better."

Thea nodded her head slowly, looking away from Jake momentarily as her thoughts drifted over to her beloved brother.

Oliver had suffered through so much during his stay in Purgatory, some of which he had yet to reveal to her. She understood why, but a part of her wished that he would share his pain with her. She loved him, and as his sister, she wanted to help him.

His role as the famed Green Arrow had seemed to help him cope with what happened to him. However, he couldn't possibly wear the emerald hood forever. Maybe that's why he proposed the idea of running for mayor this morning.

"It's too bad I'm not into politics. He would've had my vote," Jake continued, giving Thea a goofy smile in an attempt to lighten the semi battered mood. He frowned with a silent sigh, realizing that it didn't work. She still had that somber, yet thoughtful look on her face.

He understood her sadness and grief, but he hated seeing her look so empty, even if it was only for a few seconds. Fortunately, his desire to make her smile had still existed. He was too stubborn and determined to allow even a fraction of a frown to grace her lips.

His deep blue eyes lit up suddenly as an idea crossed his mind.

"Y'know, I never really watched T.V. in Brazil. When I did, they always had on the football tournaments. So, I never got to watch any of the new Harry Potter movies. What do you say we pull an all-nighter so that I can catch up? I can pick them up on the way. Hell, I'll even bring my Gryffindor hoodie. It wouldn't be the same without it, am I right?"

The youngest Queen giggled softly, shaking her head as she looked up to face Jake with a small smile. Her smile had quickly widened at the sight of his familiar boyish grin, an expression he had only ever seemed to use on her. Seeing it again made her heart melt like snow on a hot day.

She reached over to grab his outstretched hand over the decorated table, her smile replaced with a knowing smirk, "In that case, I'll be wearing my Slytherin pajamas."

Jake chuckled, flashing her another grin, "Awesome."

With a deep exhale, Jake roughly lowered a bag down onto his bed. He was currently packing an overnight bag, which wasn't that hard considering the fact that he never really unpacked most of the things he brought home. All he did was take a set of clothes, including his worn out Gryffindor hoodie, from the duffel bag that currently secured the daily essentials he used while on his way back to Star City. Besides packing and unpacking, he was also preparing himself for his meeting with Nigel, his former acquaintance... and friend. Unfortunately that conversation wasn't the only one he needed preparation for.

Since he had been back, Jake never really took the time to notice anything new around the apartment he grew up in. He didn't pay attention to the pantry that was stocked with more alcohol than he remembered. He never noticed that the small recliner over by the T.V in the living room was filled with blankets and a pillow, as if someone had been sleeping there for awhile. He never realized that most of his father's belongings were now stuffed in a closet down the small hallway near his bedroom. Most importantly, he never noticed the eviction letters that were sloppily covered on the kitchen island.

His parents always had issues with money, that's one of the main reasons why they worked as hard as they did. Extra shifts at Starling General, longer hours at the police station. Hell, even Jake pitched in at the nearby boxing gym with his uncle before he left for the military. That hard work had seemed to pay off after awhile, at least until Benji disappeared. Everything went to shit afterwards, especially following the death of Jake's father.

Now that Jake noticed all of these little changes, it made him realize that his mother sold his fathers blue truck. He didn't see it in the parking lot when he returned last Wednesday. She had done the same thing with Benji's Mustang after he went A.W.O.L, but that was after they assumed he died. Jake figured she did the same with the old truck he had always borrowed. But now, he believed that she sold it for extra cash.

These sudden realizations had only made him feel worse about leaving his home, his mother. She was the only biological family that he had left behind when he left. And despite the resentment he felt towards her for not being there for nearly half his childhood, and after his father's death, he never stopped caring. He could never hate her no matter how hard he tried at times. She was his mom after all, the only person besides his father who loved him unconditionally.

With his calloused hands, Jake rummaged frustratingly through the black duffel bag on the floor. He practically clawed his way through a few flannel shirts before stopping suddenly. His hands were frozen in mid-air along with his gaze, which was set on a journal-like book. Not long after, he snatches it from its place at the bottom of the bag in pure shock. His fingers gripped onto the leather bounded covering tightly as his thoughts drift off to the contents of the book.

Almost every page in the journal documented his time in Brazil. Dated entries were filled with his daily thoughts. Numbered pages were filled with tales of important events, events that ultimately shaped him into the man he was today. Some of them were filled up with lighthearted moments and fun adventures.

Jake stood up slowly, his gaze was still glued to the now opened journal in his grasp. While using his right hand to turn the pages, he skimmed over a few pages before stopping on a particular one. He smiled faintly, remembering the day perfectly.

2012

Ilha Grande Forest, Brazil

"So, how does it feel to be old enough to drink?" Jake questioned with crossed arms as he stood near the side of a small clearing. The grass and leaves rustled around him with the warm, refreshing breeze as he watched the figure ahead of him practice her archery.

Maia took a deep breath, drawing back the string of her longbow. The question that was directed to her was momentarily ignored as she focused on the target in front her with narrowed eyes. Less than a second later, she released her grip, allowing the arrow to pierce the red center of the wooden round.

She then exhaled, lowering the bow in her right hand to her side before turning to Jake with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Honestly? I don't feel any different than when I turned eighteen. I used to think it was strange that I didn't feel older before," She paused, glancing down to her bare feet.

"Now, I think I never felt older on my birthday because... I already felt that way. Every year, I feel less and less like a kid and more like an adult. Its been that way ever since I can remember, or at least until my grandfather got sick," Maia admitted with a frown and doleful eyes. She quickly averted her gaze away from the American young man, turning back to the target with a focused glare.

While she prepared to fire another arrow, Jake watched her quietly with furrowed eyebrows as his thoughts drifted over to the events of this past week. Like Maia, he had been pretty stressed the past few days, which was understandable considering the current situation. During the last few weeks of every month or so, members of the Santa Muerte would work to expand their brand in other parts of South America. Like cities in Columbia or Peru for example. And since Jake was now a rookie hitman thanks to Phillippe, the pressure to succeed had pinned him against a corner. The tense transition he had suffered through when he first came to Brazil had seemed to be a cakewalk compared now, especially with Paolo practically breathing down his neck.

The only thing that made Jake comfortable with his new life was spending time or sneaking away with Maia. With her help, he had a fairly smooth time working for a drug dealer. In fact, with her by his side the last four months, he thrived in the gang. After his initiation, he spent the first two months as a supplier. Then, he was promoted to a "Falcon", supervising and reporting the activities of the police and the military. Once he was promoted to a hitman in the beginning of July, he was allowed to have more long term privileges.

He was able to earn his living, prove his worth, and gain most of the Brazilian drug lords trust. As a result of his trials, Jake now had more freedom to explore and enjoy everything Brazil had to offer. When he wasn't working, of course. Instead of sleeping on the cold floor of Phillippe's warehouses, for example, Jake had attained his own place. A fairly large space was reserved for him in the upper floor of a bar that his Brazilian boss had owned. Before it was transformed into a bedroom with a mini fridge, the area had been a mix between a storage room and a lounge.

His relationship with Maia had also progressed significantly since their night during Carnival. The casual flirting between them had intensified, and special moments had occurred the longer they had spent time together. Like whenever they'd spar for a few hours of the day, and she would tackle Jake to the ground and pin him to the floor. A nervous smile would find its way along the lines of his lips, and his heart would feel like it was pounding out of his chest. Then, a vicious smirk would grace Maia's lips in amusement as she would occasionally feel his erection press up against her. During a moment like this, Jake had always felt the urge to kiss her. Unfortunately, he never got that far with her. He wanted to, his desire and interest was never the issue. It was the little doubts and questions in the back of his head regarding her past with the Garmudela brothers.

Jake still didn't completely trust her. Which was somewhat strange considering he felt comfortable enough to spend the majority of the last few months with her. At first, he figured he couldn't fully trust her because she never really spoke of her family. That thought was dissolved once she brought her up her grandfather during a conversation, which was about a month after she met him. He had only gotten more confused once Maia began to open up more on her personal life. And now, the tangled mess of his thoughts of her had only worsened.

Maybe it wasn't about Maia at all, or anything that involved her. Maybe his mixed feelings towards her had been misdirected in some way, and Philippe was the true culprit of his incomplete trust. The Brazilian drug lord was responsible for the death of his father after all. That fact was enough reason alone.

Maia walked over to the target that stood in front of a large tree, its green canopy momentarily offered her shade from the blistering sunlight as she retrieved her arrows. With them secured in the leather quiver strapped over her left shoulder, the female archer strides over to Jake. He had now stood beside another tree off to the side, his bare arms were still crossed firmly against his chest. During her stride, she caught a pair of eyes on her. Deep blue eyes that had seemed to be focused on her for quite sometime now.

Amused, she smirked, "See something you like?"

"Yeah. I do actually," Jake paused and uncrossed his arms, gesturing to the green all around him.

"Pretty peaceful spot to think, I see why you come out here. You could just sit right there, and stare up at the sky," he pointed to the open space of grassland in the center of the clearing in emphasis and glanced up towards the clear skies above.

Despite the truth in his words, Jake wasn't all that focused on his surroundings in that moment. How could he when the exotically beautiful girl that he had been watching since they had left Salvador this morning, had now stood merely three feet away from him?

"It's a nice spot to relax, when I'm not training," Maia replied in a matter of fact manner, squatting down to the ground.

She reached into the leather book bag that stood against the trunk of the tree, pulling out a canteen filled with fresh water. Once its opened, she took a few gulps of the cold beverage while standing up. Afterwards, she wiped at the wetness in the corner of her mouth before glancing down to her watch.

"Looks like we still have some time before we head up to my grandfathers cabin," she paused, turning to Jake with a small grin, "And I know a perfect way to kill time. We could play one of those social games you Americans like to play."

Jake let out an amused snort before nodding in approval, "Okay birthday girl. Your day, your rules. But "Truth or Dare" is out of the question since we don't have any alcohol."

"Of course, wouldn't be the same without it," Maia replied, her grin shifting into a teasing smile before taking a seat besides the large tree that hovered over them. She gently leaned into the rough bark with her upper back as Jake plopped down beside her. His arm gently brushed up against her right shoulder as he slid down to the terrain beneath them.

"I was thinking we could just ask each other questions. Don't take this the wrong way, but as much as I like hanging around you, I still don't really know you."

A small laugh escaped Jake's lips before he turned to face the girl next to him, "I get it. And in that case, you can start us off. Ask away, birthday girl."

Maia turned to Jake, her pale blue eyes were narrowed slightly as she eyed him carefully. It's silent for a few moments as she looked him over a few times, her gaze darting back in forth between the torn black t-shirt clinging to his upper body and his patient gaze. Finally, her gaze settled back onto his freckled face.

"What's it like having a mom?"

Taken aback by her serious question, it was Jake's turn to stay silent as he averted his gaze from her. With his eyes focused on the sky above, watching as a pair of stratocumulus clouds disguise the sun, his thoughts drifted over to his strained relationship his mother.

For as long as he's lived, Jake had known his mother to be extremely hardworking. Whether it involved a hobby, her passion in medicine, or even in her marriage, she never strayed away from her goals. That admirable trait had still remained strong once she had brought her son into the world. Unfortunately, her goal to ensure the best possible life for her boy had soon overpowered her desire to spend time with him.

Tearing his gaze away from the sky, Jake finally turned to Maia, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Honestly? Its not something you can describe in words. I'm not really good with words anyway," he paused, glancing up towards the sky.

"But, I can tell you that I miss her. Among other things, I've thought about her every day since I left. And despite all the times she's chosen work over spending time with me, I'd never trade her. Not for anything," Jake admitted with a faint smile on his lips.

Maia nodded her head in understanding before looking down to her lap.

"I never knew my mother, she left when I was barely a year old. My grandfather never told me much about her until my 18th birthday," she paused, letting out a dry laugh.

"Get this. Apparently, when she was around my age, maybe like at 19, she met a man who changed her life. A tall, blue eyed American with a million dollar smile. He swept her off her feet literally the day he met her!"

A genuine laugh escaped her this time, and Jake can't help the amused snort that escaped him.

"Out of all the things I inherited from her, taste in guys just had to be one," Maia continued, another bout of laughter spewing from her before stopping abruptly.

The realization in what she had just said doesn't hit her until too late. Less than a minute later, she quickly turned away from the American, blue eyed young man with wide eyes.

Jake stared at her for a moment in shock at her unexpected revelation, the 'O' shape that his mouth had formed into was quickly replaced with a smug smirk.

"It all makes perfect sense now..." he began.

Maia gave him a heated glare, challenging him to continue as a small blush crept up on her cheeks.

Since he was never known to back down from a challenge, Jake opted to continue with his merciless taunts.

"The "casual" flirting almost everyday, those moments when we'd spar and you'd get a little too close to-"

"Shut up," she growled out, cutting him off. She cursed inwardly as the redness in her cheeks continued to spread.

"What? You didn't think I noticed those looks you'd give me when I'd take my shirt off on a blistering hot day?" Jake motioned toward his firm abdomen in emphasis.

Make softened her glare, rolling her eyes.

"You should ease up on the ego, it's not a good look on you. And honestly..." she trailed off, giving the young man beside her a quick inspection with her eyes.

"You're not all that. I've seen better looking guys."

"Doesn't change the fact that you like me," Jake retorted with a snort, unfazed by her weightless insult.

Maia was quiet as she stared at Jake with a blank expression on her face. Moments later, she flashed him a suspicious smile.

Suddenly, without warning, she leaned into him. Her lips connected to his within the span of seconds.

It doesn't take long for Jake to get over his initial shock as he passionately reciprocated the fervent movements of her soft lips against his. Letting out a brief moan, he lifted a hand up to caress the beige skin of Maia's cheek as he pulled her closer with his free arm. Soon, she's hoisted onto his lap, and her fingers thread through his messy curls as they indulged in each other's heated embrace.

After what seemed like an eternity of eagerly exploring her mouth, Jake pulled away. He gasped slightly, a wide smirk spreading across his face, "I knew it."

Once Maia breathed in some air for herself, she rolled her eyes and scoffed at his smugness.

"The way I see it," she paused to spare a glance to her watch. "We could spend these last few minutes wisely and have some fun..." She trailed off, biting her bottom lip seductively before leaning in to press a firm kiss to Jake's lips. Then, she ran a hand down his stomach, beginning with the center of his strong chest.

"Or, you could waste the time we have left. And you can continue to turn me off with your ego," she finished with narrowed eyes, trying desperately to disguise the amused smirk that had begun to spread on her lips.

A hearty chuckle spilled from Jake.

"You love my ego."

PRESENT DAY

Jakes gaze settled on the opened journal in his grasp for a moment longer before a heavy sigh escaped his lips, and the leatherback book closed with a soft clap as the pages come together once again.

"Where are you, M? Something's up...I know it. I know you," he muttered quietly, a small frown forming on his lips. The fingers from his right hand found its way to the Damascus steel pendant hanging from the black cord around his neck. They gently trace over the flame like symbol that was carved on the back.

Arrowcave

"Hello? Anyone home...?" Laurel called out as she entered the seemingly vacant cave. The steel elevator doors closed behind her, and the elevator itself began its ascent towards the upper floors.

She let out a low sigh as she realized she's alone and stepped further into the cave.

Out of all the frustrating and mentally exhausting days she's had this past year, today had mercilessly taken the cake. Getting the news that Jake, someone she considered a little brother, was a possible murderer had blindsided her. But it wasn't enough to challenge her sanity. Witnessing her beloved father draw a gun on her recently resurrected little sister, however, had just about pushed her over the edge. Especially after Sara had broken out of her confinements and attacked two women with green eyes and short, dark hair.

A part of Laurel couldn't help but find their similar interest in trouble amusing. In her eyes, Jake and Sara were poster children for trouble and rebellion. They were drawn to it like a moth was drawn to a flame. Especially Jake, who had proven to be more of a challenge than the youngest Lance.

Looking back on her memories with Jake, Laurel recalled seeing her little sister in the rebellious boy she had grown to consider family. His antics resembled hers at first: sneaking off to parties at night, skipping school, fighting. As he grew into a young man, and he had just began to grasp the concept of loss once Sara and Benji disappeared, the charm in his antics had began to fade. The loss of that playful charm in his behavior had only quickened once his father died 6 years later.

When Jake had suggested his departure after months of things getting progressively worse, Laurel was against the idea as she pleaded with him to stay. She was still convinced that she could help him, just as she did when they had first met. And after what happened with Sara, she wasn't ready to lose him yet. She couldn't bear to lose another sibling. But after Jake had told her that she could never lose him, and that leaving for awhile was the best thing for him at the time, she realized that she had to let him go. He needed to be free, to heal and grow on his own accord, away from everyone else.

Back then, that truth was a hard pill for the blonde to swallow. Now, a much harder truth had revealed itself to her. Jake, the young man she had considered family and had tried so hard to teach and protect, was now a suspect in an unsolved murder. A murder that involved six members of the Santa Muerte, men who worked for the man who murdered his father. This truth had been one that she tried to ignore at first. But as the day went on, and she had inadvertently processed the news during her daily activities, the logical side of her had began to consider the idea. Much to her emotional sides dismay.

As soon Laurel considered all the information she currently knew, she realized that the only way to help Jake now was to prove his innocence, and defend him in court if it came to it. But first, she needed to release the pent up tension that had grown since her discovery. So, with the duffel bag filled with gym clothes on her left shoulder, she treks over to her area stationed to the far right corner of the cave. However, as she takes a shortcut through the center of the cave, her movements are suddenly reduced to a halt as she nearly passed Felicity's large array of computers. Her shocked gaze was now focused on a specific piece of paper that stuck out from underneath a stack of papers.

A photograph of Jake's face.

She leaned into the desk and snatched the paper from its trapped position underneath the stack. Her shock quickly faded, disappearing into disbelief as she skimmed over the words on the paper. Once she's finished reading the supposed information on Jake, her grip tightened, creating wrinkles in the paper. She scowled, anger finally filling her core. Laurel couldn't believe this.

After chewing her out for bringing Sara back without his knowledge, Oliver had the audacity to keep something like this from her. How dare he criticize her for involving Thea, for endangering his sister, when he was doing the same to Jake without her knowledge. The nerve of that bastard.

The elevator doors open suddenly, which prompts Laurel to turn around as Oliver enters the cave.

Speak of the devil.

Oliver glanced up to to Laurel as he walked in, his phone in his grasp, "There was another attack in the city. We need to find Sara before she-" he paused, meeting the blonde vigilantes heated gaze.

He cleared his throat, glancing over to the paper that was scrunched up in her grasp. It didn't take him long to find the source of Laurel's anger. He turned to her with a straight face and steely blue eyes moments after, masking his current emotions.

From his crouched position on the rooftop, a hooded Jake surveyed the building from across the abandoned street with narrowed eyes. Before, he was just about to head out to Laurel's apartment for his movie night with Thea when he had gotten a distressed call from Nigel. The amateur drug dealer had sounded high out of his mind as he slurred out his words to him, telling him to hurry over. Apparently, a trio of armed soldiers had stormed into his hideout, and the Brazilian junkie was adamantly convinced that they've been searching for him for quite some time.

For the past 2 years, Nigel had been hiding out in an abandoned, three story apartment building in the Glades. It stood in a ghost town of an area that had previously housed the "Top Dogs" of the drug trade in Starling City, until the Undertaking devastated the neighborhood. This particular area was also a familiar spot for Jake. Whenever he needed a solo escape, he'd sneak over to the littered streets of "Paraíso das Morte". That was where he met Nigel, a pot smoking drug dealer in training that could never keep his mouth shut. Despite his endless chatter, Jake had always valued his company and his friendship. Unfortunately, that all changed after he had found out that the Brazilian chatterbox had been a spy for Phillippe, feeding the Brazilian drug lord information on him. Specifically his background as a trained mixed martial artist.

Fortunately for Nigel, Jake needed him alive, at least for the time being. Since the pot-smoking chatterbox had previously worked for the younger Garmudela brother closely, he was the only living member of the Santa Muerte who had knowledge of actual evidence that suggested the involvement of Malcom Merlyn in his father's murder. This was why he had contacted him as soon as he left Brazil, why this meeting was so important. He needed this, and he didn't care if he had to slaughter a bunch of soldiers to get it.

His gaze was settled across the street, and he watched as one soldier continued to stand beside the back of a large armored Hummer that was parked in front of the building. Once he got a good look of the area in front of him, he inched along to the edge of the roof in search of the ladder he had used to get up. He found it quickly, sliding down to the ground before he quietly made his way across the street. He was like a shadow as he moved along the left side, sticking to the darkness and avoiding the street lights as he slipped over to the side of the armored four wheeler.

Suddenly, a gunshot was heard from the third floor of the apartment building, followed by a loud bang.

"The hell?" The soldier uttered quietly through his thin, gray face mask as he stepped away from the Hummer. Before he could make another move or produce a thought, he was suddenly pulled backwards by a gloved hand that placed itself against his mouth.

With the guard subdued in his grip, Jake drew the Kukri machete from his lower back and stabbed the soldier in his left armpit, piercing through his heart. Dark blood spewed out from the entry wound as the Damascus Steel blade was roughly removed, and the soldiers still body slipped to the ground with a thud.

Jake stared at the shoulder of the bloodied body for a moment, his blue eyes scan over the word "H.I.V.E" that was stitched into the camouflage fabric. As he thought about the familiar name, he stepped away from the body and darted to the door of the apartment building.

Inside

"I should put a bullet in your skull. Lucky for you, my boss needs you alive," The bearded soldier grunted out as he pulled the last shard of metal from his outer thigh, his assault rifle trained on the crafty man in front of him. A small scoff escaped him as he looked around the disheveled bedroom. His gaze passing the small lamp that was situated on a bedside table, which was currently the only source of light nearby. Nails and shards of metal scattered the carpeted floors, some of which had impaled the plaster walls during the blast.

His eyes then settle back on the Brazilian junkie that was seated on the foot of an unmade bed. He watched as the junkie clutched his wounded shoulder. Moments later, the bearded guard trudged over to grab his target. However, his movements are halted as a string of gunshots ring out in the hallway, followed by a bloodcurdling scream.

A sudden chuckle from behind him startled the guard out of his tension.

"I already told you, Cabrão. Death is a dear friend of mine."

The bearded soldier growled, pointing his assault rifle towards the opened bedroom door.

Seconds later, a hooded Jake rushed in through the darkness and charged at the soldier. He's the first to attack, swinging his machete as the soldier jumped back. He swung his blade again at the soldiers head, who ducked in response, evading Jake's attack before tackling him into the desk by the window. Jake let out a small grunt of pain as his lower back collides with the sharp corner of the desk. His grip on his bladed weapon slackened in the process as it clattered to the floor.

Both men struggled for a moment as they grappled for control, until Jake was able to free one of his arms. He pushed the man off of him and threw a puncha that was parried by the soldier, who in turn spun around and swung a punch towards Jake's abdomen. But he dodged away from the strike and kicked the soldier in his shin, causing him to stumble into a kneel. Taking advantage of the upper hand he now had, Jake delivered a right hook to the soldiers jaw.

Jake hammered his fists into the man's face with a few more heavy handed strikes before he stepped back to retrieve his bladed weapon. He turned back to the soldier with a huff and prepared to strike.

"We found the girl... Maia..."

Jake froze, "... How do you know that name?"

An amused chuckle escaped the bloodied soldier, which prompted Jake to practically rip him from his spot on the floor, his grip tightening around the fabric of his armored vest.

"How. Do. You. Know. That. Name?" Jake reiterated through gritted teeth as he rested the sharp point of his bloodied machete against the soldiers jugular.

He snarled as the man in his grasp sported a wide smirk, which could be seen clearly in the dimly lit room.

"Its too late, my boss already knows her location. And soon, he'll finally get what was wrongfully taken from him."

Jake growled in frustration, his grip on both the soldier and his blade was still firm as he considered his options. He wanted him dead. Hell, at this point, he wanted every soldier from H.I.V.E dead just because they pissed him off. But his instincts, his gut, prevented him from acting on his heated emotions.

These soldiers were the same men who had attacked Maia. They were hunting her, and Jake needed to know why and get to her before they attacked again. He needed to approach this situation with a rational mindset, no matter how much he wanted to kill the man in his grasp.

So, with his mind made up, Jake singlehandedly pivoted the weapon in his hand before slamming the wooden pommel of it into the soldiers exposed head. He then turned away from the now unconscious man to face Nigel, who eyed him with wide eyes.

"You shoulda killed him man, he works for the Devil. They're hunting us like cattle."

"The hell are you talking about?" Jake questioned with an annoyed glare.

"They're DEMONS J! I'm telling you," the Brazilian junkie pointed to the unconscious H.I.V.E soldier.

"They hunt for anyone with OUR brandmark. And after they're finished, they'll bring Hell to this god forsaken city. I swear man, it's like the Undertaking all over again. We gotta- shit man- we-"

The Brazilians manic rambling is interrupted by an aggravated Jake, who backhanded him in the mouth.

"Ow, Jake, what the fuck man!?"

"That's for being high at a time like this," Jake began with a pointed look before proceeding to punch Nigel in the arm.

"That's for interrupting my plans for the night. And this," He paused, pulling Nigel close by the back of his wounded shoulder as he shot him a deadly, bone shaking glare, "Is for stabbing me in the back with Phillippe."

Nigel hissed as the pressure on his right shoulder increased. The pain was unbearable, but the Brazilian junkie ignored the searing burn as he mustered up the strength to speak.

"Look J, I fucked up. Okay? But listen, I worked closely with him, and I think he might've left some stuff behind. Stuff that has info on who hired him. I got access to the-" he yelped, closing his eyes as the grip on his wounded shoulder tightened up some, before it slackened all together.

Jake stepped away from the frazzled Brazilian, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at Nigel's frightened state.

"I'm not gonna kill you."

Nigel cracked one eye open and gave Jake an incredulous look, "... Really?"

Jake nodded his head in confirmation, stepping further away from the Brazilian and towards the opened door of the bedroom.

"Of course. You have information I want to hear. But not tonight. I've got somewhere I need to be, and you need to get that shoulder patched up before you drop dead from blood loss."

Nigel let a relieved breath and turned towards the ceiling above him. His eyes close for a brief moment as he silently thanked God for sparing his life once again.

Before his exit, Jake turned back around, sparing a glance towards the unconscious soldier on the floor.

"Tie him up and sedate him for now. I need him alive," he instructed with finality in his tone before vanishing into the dark abyss of the hallway.

Later that night...

"Sorry I'm late, traffic kicked my ass on the way here," Jake chuckled, stepping into the familiar space that was Laurel's apartment.

He smiled as bubbly laughter filled the air behind him, followed by the sound of the front door closing.

"No, worries. You gave me enough time to get creative with desert," Thea returned Jake's smile, brushing past his tall form clad in her Slytherin pajamas. She passed him in a flash of green as she trudged towards the living room.

Jake chuckled again before he followed the youngest Queen as she led him further into the small living space, passing the dining room. Familiar objects catch his eye during the short trek, such as photographs that covered the walls and a clay bowl that he had made Laurel.

"Damn, Queen. You really went all out, huh?" Jake teased with an amused smirk when they arrive in the living room, side by side. His deep blue eyes darted over to the wooden table top that was nearly covered with a bucket of caramel corn, chocolate, and an assortment of sour candy. A fancy bottle of red wine stood off to the side, paired with two crystal glasses.

A sheepish smile graced Thea's lips as she smoothed a lock of her short, dark hair behind her ear, "Yeah. I kinda got a little carried away. I knew you liked sour candy, and I couldn't find the warheads, so I just got a bunch of the Airhead X-tremes and Sour Patch Kids."

Jake smiled once again, glancing over to the candy filled table before he turned to the brunette beside him. His expression turned into an amused grin, watching as her cheeks flush a deep red under his amused gaze.

"Candy and wine... sounds like a perfect combo to me. This way, we won't have trouble staying awake during the-" he paused, sparing a glance to the set of Harry Potter movies in the crook of his armpit.

"Nineteen hours and thirty-eight minutes. Looks like we're set for an all nighter."

Thea snorted out a laugh before offering Jake another smile.

"You left some things behind in the spare bedroom. I put them in a box when I moved in," She reached to take the set of movies from Jake, who in turn gave her a suspicious look.

He didn't remember leaving anything behind.

"Really?" he asked incredulously.

Thea nodded, her smile widening.

Jake stared her down with narrowed eyes for a few moments. Afterwards, he scoffed and shook his head, turning to the direction of the spare bedroom that was to the left of the dining room, "Fine, I'll play. This better not be a prank, Queen."

"Only one way to find out, " Thea retorted, nudging Jakes shoulder with her own before she made her way over toward the T.V.

As she began to operate the DVD player, Jake left the living room and strolled over to the spare bedroom.

When he was in front of the room, he nudged the cracked door open with his shoulder since his hands were shoved into the pockets of his black joggers. A few moments pass as he stood in the doorway, his deep blue eyes wandered over the small space he considered a safe haven before he finally stepped in. He walked over to the left corner of the room as he immediately found the opened cardboard box with his name secured at the bottom row of a book shelf. Lowering himself down to the floor in a crouch, he pulled the box out slightly from its spot, and the contents of it are exposed to his curious gaze.

A faint smile found its way along the lines of his lips as he reached inside the box. His fingers graze over the black fabric of his numbered baseball jersey, and he was immediately hit with memories of his days as a third baseman in high school. The old, blue Polaroid camera that peeked out from underneath the jersey reminded him of his photography phase in sophomore year.

A few minutes pass as he continued to search through his pile of belongings before he stopped suddenly. At the bottom of the box, underneath all of his personal items, were two letters. One was sealed and addressed to himself, and the other had been opened and was addressed to Thea. Jake had recognized the last enveloped message, the handwriting on the front had been his after all.

Clearing his throat, Jake grabbed the letter that was addressed to him. He silently read his name on the front, familiarizing himself with the youngest Queen's handwriting.

Suddenly, a loud crash is heard from outside the room, and Jake immediately turned to the opened bedroom door. The note that was addressed to him was soon forgotten as he stood up quickly. His heart hammered rapidly in his chest as one word, one name had consumed his thoughts: Thea.

"Thea?!" He exclaimed, charging out of the room. The dining room blurred past him as he sprinted towards the living room.

The area was disheveled when he got there. The couch was upside down, broken glass had scattered the floors, and the front door was wide open, as if someone had broken in. The living rooms condition was ignored, however, as Jake pulled out his butterfly knife with a glare. He clenched his teeth at the sight before him.

A frazzled Thea was pinned to the floor by a robed figure with wild blonde hair, who held her tightly by her throat.

"Look, I don't know who the fuck you are. But I'm going give you five seconds to get off of her," Jakes grip tightened around the Damascus Steel butterfly knife in his hand as he approached the robed figure from behind.

"Jake... don't.." Thea choked out with wide eyes, glancing over to the glass shard that was merely inches away from her left side.

The robed figure let out a primal growl before she turned around, uttering something in Arabic.

Jake's movements were reduced to halt as he faced the robed figure with shocked eyes. He recognized those wild electric blue eyes, even with the milky filter that now covered them.

"Sara...?"

The blonde figure in question tilted her head to the side in response, her grip on Thea's throat slackening just a bit as she continued muttering words in Arabic.

"Yeah, it's me. Jake..." He trailed off, watching as the blonde figure continued to stare at him.

Jake takes a second to recollect himself before he speaks, ignoring his confusion and shock at the situation.

"I don't know what happened, Sara. But I know you, okay. And this," he turned to Thea, eyeing her with a knowing look as she quietly reached for the glass shard.

"Isn't you. No matter what happened," he finished, his voice softening with each word.

With the shard finally in her grasp, Thea took the opportunity to strike. She hit Sara in the side of her face with the shard, the point cutting into her right cheek as she was shoved off to the side. With a groan, the youngest Queen quickly stood up from the ground. She limped slightly towards Jake, who gently rushed her out of the apartment and down the flight of stairs nearby.

The pair's steps are hurried as they descended down the stairwell, and their pace quickened once they heard thundering footsteps above them. As soon as they reach the last flight, Thea stumbled on the last step and bumped up against the door on the left side, which opened slightly as her elbow pressed into the horizontal crash bar in the center. She repressed the urge to groan in pain as Jake quietly pulled her away from the door, leading her over to the space underneath the steps as a feral Sara charged down the last flight.

From her position behind Jake, who shielded her with his large form, Thea watched with baited breath as Sara stood at the bottom of the stairs for a moment, before charging through the exit door with a huff.

Once the coast was clear, Thea sighed in relief before turning to Jake, who stared at her with his piercing gaze. It felt as though time slowed down around them as they shared each other's gaze. After a few moments, puzzlement filled the youngest Queen as she glanced to her hands, which had somehow found their way pressed against Jake's firm chest. She met his intense gaze once again as the question of how they got there wandered over to the back of her mind.

Jake was silent as he looked Thea over, studying the bruises that decorated her neck and left eye. His deep blue eyes flash in anger and confusion before finally fizzling down to worry.

"Jake. Hey, I'm okay," she attempted to reassure him, her hand moving to cup the back of his neck.

He only blinked, lifting a hand to cup the side of her face. He swallowed thickly as his rough fingers moved up to the area around her left eye, gently tracing over the purple skin there.

A/N: As always, feel free to let me know what you think. Since I think I suck at writing action scenes, you guys are free to criticize them. Please do, it only helps me in the long run. Also, I've been thinking about ship names for this story. What do you guys think of Queenthorne (Jake/Thea) Cruthorne/Crawthorne (Jake/Maia)?

Shoutout to my buddies Bl4ckHunter, Dark Suspense, and TimeFury1347. They've been a huge help!