Jon stood just outside Jennifer's quarters for a moment, watching her through the open door. She was working at her desk, her feet propped up on the wheels of the chair, unaware of anything but the project in front of her.
Part of him wanted to walk away, pretend that he hadn't gotten this far. She would never know he'd been there, never know the thoughts racing through his mind. They would remain the captain and corporal, working as part of a team to free the world from Dread's wrath.
As he continued to watch her, he realized that was the easier way to go. But he didn't want easier anymore. He wanted to stop hiding his feelings from her. They had been tiptoeing around it for months now, both starting to admit what they were feeling, then pulling back. The dance they'd shared in the control room had made him realize just how much he wanted to be with her and how foolish he was for not acting on those feelings.
He bit the bullet and walked into her quarters, speaking before he lost his nerve. "Busy?"
Jennifer turned, startled by his voice. With a quick shake of her head, she swiveled the chair. "No. I'm…just going over a few things." She sat for a moment, watching him, then got up and gestured to the table he was standing near, sounding a bit excited about what was on it. "Some souvenirs of our battles. There've been a lot of them, haven't there?"
Jon had seen the table when he'd been at the door and realized she'd redecorated her quarters very recently. Now that he thought about it, she had pulled the table from the storage room just the other day. This must have been what she was up to. Looking down at it now, Jon recognized a sign that had hung on the wall at Haven, before it had been blown to bits. He remembered seeing Tank haul it into the jumpship, but didn't realize he had gotten it for Jennifer, not himself.
At the front of the table was 'The Lord of the Rings'. The book had been given to her as a peace offering by a young man named Randall from a town named Oasis. Jennifer had sought medical assistance there following a crash, but instead found herself on trial for her part in the destruction of another community named Sandtown when she was in the Dread Youth. When Randall had finally realized the truth, that it was his own uncle that had given up the location of their home, his bloodlust had turned to disbelief, then to sorrow. By the time they'd left Oasis, both Jennifer and Randall knew they had things to be sorry for but were learning to find forgiveness. For themselves, as well as each other. The book had been well received by the entire team and there had been many mealtime discussions about the characters and their growth over the course of the story.
Next to the book was a circuit breaker still attached to the band. A 'Scout Special'. She had used it during her infiltration of Med Lab One, a mission that had nearly driven him crazy with worry. He'd seen in her eyes how uncomfortable she'd been wearing the Dread Youth uniform and he'd been so close to calling off the mission, not wanting to put her through the mental trauma. She'd gone above and beyond, though. Not only had she secured the much-needed medication, she'd made another Youth question everything she'd been taught. Jon knew how much Jennifer wanted Erin to make the bold move to leave Dread, but she also knew how terrifying that choice had been for herself.
Jennifer was right. There had already been so many battles, on so many fronts. "Long way to go too." He looked at her and drew in a deep breath. He didn't want his fatigue and fear of losing to spill out and wash over her. She didn't need that, so he quickly added, "But we're getting there." With a bit of hesitation, he reached out and pulled the Dread Youth hat from the table.
She looked up at him, not quite meeting his gaze, though a soft smile raised the corners of her mouth.
The hat was rough in Jon's hands and he looked at it intently. He hated seeing it, but it was the biggest battle that she had ever faced, and he couldn't have been prouder of her for it. And yet, despite how proud of her he was, he still felt the pain deep inside at everything she'd gone through. The war she fought internally was as difficult as the one they all faced fighting Dread. Events like Oasis drove home the fact that she might never be able to put it behind her, no matter how much they all wanted it for her. He shook his head slightly as the memories flooded back. "I remember when we found you. Got you away from the Dread Youth. You were so full of rage."
Jon was so focused on his own thoughts that he failed to see her shoulders slump. "We were worried whether you were going to make it or not." A moment later, their eyes met, but only for a second before she looked down. "I'm glad you did." He couldn't stop the small smile as he purposely chose to use 'I' instead of 'we'. She had so many people on her side, so many people that loved her dearly, and he wanted her to know he was in that group, even if he'd never said it out loud.
When she looked up at him, those blue eyes were sparkling.
"I'm glad you're here with us." With those words, he saw color rise in her cheeks and he pressed forward. "Sometimes, I think I don't tell you that enough. How much you're needed. How much you're appreciated." He felt a pang deep in his heart when her eyes turned down shyly. She had come from such a dark place, fought so hard to believe in herself as much as those around her did. She'd been beaten so many times, both physically and verbally, for whom she had once been, and still she responded with a desire to be better than she was the day before. When he looked at her, all he saw was hope.
"I couldn't have done it without you." A hint of a smile was working its way onto her face. "You and the rest. You're my family."
Jennifer Chase did not take the word 'family' lightly and to hear her say it out loud never failed to make a lump form in his throat. He looked down at the hat still in his hands and wanted to rip it to shreds. Dread had taken so much from her and yet here she stood, declaring him part of her family. What had he done to deserve someone like her in his life? How could he ever make her understand that she was so much more than just a member of his team? That even 'family' didn't cover what she meant to him?
"Jon?"
He looked up at the tone of her voice. Before he could respond, she spoke again, her eyes locking onto his.
"I've wanted to tell you something for such a long time."
A chirp interrupted her and though he hated doing it, Jon opened the channel. The move made her blow out a deep breath and clench her jaw, then close her eyes. It was as if the wind had been knocked out of her sails and he immediately regretted his decision.
Scout's voice broke through. "Captain? Scout here. You said I should remind you when it's time to head out. Well…it's time."
He raised his communicator and spoke quickly, wanting to get back to Jennifer before the moment was gone. "We're on our way." What he didn't add was that it would be a minute. Or ten. He would give her whatever time she needed.
"You were saying?" He didn't move, his eyes locking on hers, letting her know she still had his attention. That the mission could wait.
Instead, she shook her head and smiled softly. "Later. It can wait."
The look in her eyes told him a completely different story. This was something she'd finally worked up the courage to say and he would be damned if bad timing was going to push it away to a place she might never be able to come back to. "We have time now."
He reached out to touch her arm, but she was already moving past him and out of her quarters.
Realizing he wasn't following her, she turned and looked at him. "We'll talk later, Jon. I promise."
"I'm going to hold you to that promise." He desperately wanted to grab her hand, pull her back, and make her talk to him. Not later. Now.
With a nod, she was already down the corridor, heading to the hangar to prepare the jumpship for departure.
None of this had gone the way he'd wanted it to. He had no idea what she was going to tell him, but what he did know was that there was no point in trying to drag it out of her. They would talk when the mission was done. And she would know what she truly meant to him.
Power carefully picked his way through the debris-filled area, watching as the rest of his team came in from all directions, closing in a circle around Locke's signal.
The data springer had sent a message indicating he'd broken into Dread's intelliweb and retrieved data on troop strength and deployment. Data that they'd been waiting weeks for, with the potential for providing crucial information for upcoming missions.
A small orange glow came from ten meters ahead. Locke. Jon wondered how the springer managed to stay hidden, given his constant need for cigarettes. If the burning end didn't give him away, the smell certainly should have.
He saw Tank move into position behind him, his helmeted head now visible through a hole in the wall of the nearly broken-down building that had been chosen for the rendezvous. The springer looked nervous, glancing in all directions except the broken wall. When the lieutenant grabbed his shoulder and Locke jumped, Power felt a twinge in his gut. The springer was normally twitchy, but never like this.
Locke whirled on Tank and threw his head back in relief when he saw who it was. And Power was just within range to hear Locke whisper heatedly, "Geez, Man, don't DO that! How does a big guy like you move so quiet anyways?"
Tank responded very matter-of-factly, "Practice."
Power closed the distance, with Scout now coming up behind Locke. Hawk and Pilot filled in the space between them, effectively penning Locke in against the wall.
He turned to face the team, back to business mode as he acknowledged them with a nod.
"What do you have for us?" Jon asked tersely. The sooner they got out of there, the better. The cigarette smell was rank, and he didn't need it drawing any scavengers or marauders – or any other humans – to the area.
Locke reached inside his coat and pulled a disk from an inner pocket. "Troop movements, numbers, distribution of weapons, supply schedules, the works. The dbase for the entire Dread military. And something else you should know. Name 'Cypher' mean anything to you?"
He looked from face to face, searching them for something. What that something was, Jon couldn't put his finger on. Did he need something from Cypher? Jon looked at Hawk briefly; they'd have to acknowledge his existence if they wanted to know more. He'd give him just enough to satisfy him. "Head of Angel City resistance. Why?"
Locke looked at him, his curiosity piqued. "Dread's got him. They've taken him by convoy through sector nine, grid three."
The knot in Power's gut tightened a little more and he handed the disk to Scout. "When are they moving him?"
Locke twisted his fingers as he spoke. "Like, right NOW. He's got one hour before they get to the transfer point. After that? Even an army couldn't get him out."
Pilot motioned to the disk in Scout's hand. "Captain, if that information about troop strengths is correct, it could help us get Cypher out in one piece."
"You sure this stuff is solid?" Scout's voice carried the concern Power felt inside.
The words had no sooner left his mouth when a blaster shot connected with the wall just above Scout's head, sending sparks and shrapnel flying. They all ducked instinctively, looking for the direction it came from.
"Does THAT answer your question?!" Locke snapped.
"Come on!" Jon yanked on the springer's arm, dragging him with them as they bolted from the advancing squad of biomechs.
They readied themselves to counter the attack while they moved, then reacted with trained precision. Scout dropped in behind two of the mechs, dispatching one in the back before the second could even turn to take a shot. He quickly finished it off and pulled back to avoid the shower of sparks that came with its explosion.
Power continued working his way out of the area, his focus on getting Locke to safety. "Stay back!" His eyes were still on Scout as he shoved the springer back toward the relative safety of a more intact building, completely unaware of the mech hiding in a doorway until it had leaped on him.
With a surprised grunt, Jon landed hard on his stomach, his blaster dropping to the ground near him. As the mech rolled, he grabbed the gun and brought it up, sending the mech's head flying with a backhand strike.
Locke ducked, barely avoiding the head as Power went down to avoid another mech's shots. As he came up, he grabbed Locke and yanked hard on him, nearly throwing him to the side and relative safety.
"DOWN!"
Locke did as ordered and the mech was destroyed in an explosion of sparks and white light.
Pilot's voice buzzed through the comm in Power's helmet. "Tank! Time for some target practice!"
The big man responded immediately. "Just what I like to hear, Pilot!"
"What the hell are you two doing?!" Jon nearly shouted, seeing Chase run toward a dead-end with laser blasts colliding all around her.
She turned and held up her hands, seemingly cornered, with a rifle aimed at her midsection. "Guess you've got me, don't you?" Jon could hear the smirk in her voice.
Not a second later, Tank back fisted the mech's head and the body went down in a shower of sparks. "Get me two next time. They make good bookends," he teased her, lightly squeezing her armored shoulder.
Jon shook his head at the antics. He hated it when they got cocky like that, but understood where it was coming from, having pulled a stunt or four like that himself. But there was no point in tempting fate and he'd address it at their next team meeting. For now, though, they had to get Locke out of the area and figure out what to do about Cypher.
Once again yanking Locke with him as he moved, Jon fired at one last mech that had escaped and watched it go down, clearing the path for the rest of his team.
"Everybody all right?" he asked hurriedly, counting heads and assessing their physical well-being through the analyses being fed into his visor. Satisfied that their answers matched the suit assessments, he holstered his blaster. "Let's get back to the ship. We've only got an hour to get Cypher out. You'll be okay?" He directed his last question at the springer.
Locke looked anything but okay. Worried. Shaken. As if all of this was new to him. But his words were in direct opposition to his appearance. "No problem, Livewire." He looked around, as if identifying the region they were in and making his own escape plans. "I've got tracks out of here no one could read. Get going!"
Jon didn't need to be told twice. Time was not on their side. At his signal, his team bolted, but it didn't escape Jon's sensors that Locke barely moved. For a guy with tracks no one could read, he certainly wasn't putting any of them to good use.
Power tapped his sergeant's arm as they ran. "Deploy eye-in-the-sky. I want to know what Locke is up to."
"It wasn't just me that thought he was being weird? I mean, even weirder than usual?" Baker yanked the tennis ball-sized surveillance device out of his pack and hit the activation button. Several commands later, it launched upward, sending a feed directly to his helmet. "Receiving transmission. Standby while tracking target."
"Hawk, contact Angel City resistance. Verify Cypher's capture. I want to know when he was taken, where, and how. All of it." As he handed out the order, Power saw Pilot look at him. Even through her helmet, he knew her brow was furrowed.
"What about the disk, Captain?" She kept pace with him, despite her shorter strides.
He grimaced. Even though they only transmitted encoded data over secure frequencies, if something of this nature was intercepted, Dread would have the ability to set up an ambush. Taking it directly to the base seemed like the only reasonable way for them to ensure it wasn't hacked, so at the onset of the mission, they'd decided that Pilot would immediately take the disk back to the base and load all the stolen information into Mentor for analysis. But with the way the springer had been acting, Jon didn't want to risk anything right now – his team or the data. "Check it when we get to the jumpship. All safeguards in place. I want to believe we've finally gotten the break we need, but the way Locke was acting has me more than a little concerned."
To his right, Masterson nodded his agreement.
"Captain, we've got a huge amount of interference going on. Eye is having a difficult time tracking. Switching to thermal." Scout continued to make changes to the eye's programming as they moved through the debris.
Pilot nodded. "He said he had tracks no one could read. He could be jamming electronics in the area. Not strong enough to interfere with our suits or blasters, but enough to mess with certain frequencies."
"You do what you have to do to survive." Tank spoke softly, though his words came through clearly in their helmets.
He was speaking from experience. His fight with Kasko had proven he would do what he had to not only to survive, but to protect innocent lives. War brought out the worst in some people. And the best in others.
Jon wished he knew on which side of that fence the data springer fell.