Deadshot crouched behind an overturned desk and fired at the enemy. He fired into two different creatures, then watched, grinning, as the EAs blew apart into thick chunks.

Diablo stood a few yards away, and stared at him, doing nothing else.

"Hey, matchstick," Lawton shouted over the carnage. "We could use your help."

Diablo shook his head. "This is not my fight. I'm not your saviour." Then he frowned. "And I told you never to talk to me."

Angry as a bull, Deadshot dove over to Diablo and stabbed a finger in the man's chest. "Okay, Mr Walk-The-Earth-In-Peace, do whatever the hell you want to me, but man, you are the worst. I thought I no longer had much to love for, but dammit, you're just straight gave up."

Diablo wasn't fazed. "I did not ask to be here. I warned everyone before this began. I do not engage in violence. Not anymore. If you want to live, it's all on you. Leave me out of it."

"Yeah, hell no. You're not turning into a loser on my watch." Deadshot stared at him then turned to Flag. "Hey, Yo! Use your remote thingie. Blow this cat's head off. Do him the favour, huh?"

"I'm kinda busy here, Lawton, in case you can't tell." Flag was firing at the creatures closest to him. It look at least two mags to bring them down to their knees, and a stab in the head to put them out of their misery.

Deadshot tuned to Diablo. "You're a punk," he shouted. "You know what? We're all getting smoked and you wanna go out like a bitch?"

Diablo tried to ignore him, but his face went flushed. He mumbled something, but Deadshot kept yelling at him. Kept hitting him.

I saw Diablo's hands redden and I knew he was finally getting to him. He had to be careful now. Very careful.

Deadshot slammed his fist into Diablos face. "C'mon, baby. Do somethin'." He shouted.

The big man's skin turned a deep red, and began steaming.

"You can do it, little girl. You can fight back. Be a man. Do something," he screamed. "Do something!"

Perry crouched nearby, firing at a creature that calmly made its way toward him. The EA aimed his rifle and fired. Perry stared plaintively at Diablo, and died.

"What are you waiting for, baby?" Deadshot kept hitting Diablo, trying to get him to react. Trying to wake him from his stupor and help save them, because no one else could.

I looked over at Diablo, furious. "You know if you helped, these soldiers wouldn't have to die. Why won't help them? Why won't you do something? Anything?"

Diablo looked at the dead Seal, then at the EA, then back at Perry. He screamed with rage and frustration.

Deadshot started to say something but Diablo shoved him aside. He raised his hands and flames appeared. He screamed again, and launched a column of fire at the creature. It burst into flame and writhed in pain as I melted.

"Hey, c'mon man," Deadshot said, and there was panic in his voice. "Be cool. You don't wanna roast me. I was just trying to get you there. We need you, man- to save the whole planet, and look. You showed them you're a hero. You know what that means. You're the big time, man. The Fire Man. Hero of the people, and all you gotta do is focus."

Diablo peered venomously at Deadshot. He reached out to grab him, and his hands were still on fire, hungry to burn.

Harley pushed past Deadshot and gazed intensely at Diablo. "It's true, you know," she shouted. "What he said. You were wonderful, D. You saved us, and even better, my big, fiery hero, you saved me. "She was standing on her toes, and she gave him a kiss on the check. "Oooh, D, you make me so hot 'n' bothered, touching you is like canoodling a furnace. Maybe a little hotter, but I think I like it."

He stared at her and lowered his internal heat, and he returned to normal. "I am sorry if I frightened you, Harley." He said. "I would never have hurt you."

"Hey, D, I know that." She responded. "I mean, you and me. Would make a hot couple, or what?"

"Good job, Diablo." Flag said. "Thanks for finally joining the rest of us."

Deadshot leaned in. "Ignore him, you did good. Real good."

I looked at Diablo in disbelief. So he did actually have a meta-human quality to him, after all. "You throw fire?… okay." I strode past to catch up with the Colonel.

Flag rested against the balcony wall. The squad was coming together, but still they were just a handful of nut jobs and psychopaths, acting like heroes. They were about to go into battle against a pair of big bads who would create as many deadly creatures as they needed.

We were overwhelmed and underprepared. Despite this small victory, it wouldn't be long before we fell before the greater power.

I joined Flag and stared out across the balcony. A few EAs appeared here and there, but GQ and his team dealt with them as quickly as they could. They watched another Seal die, but not before taking down five bad guys. We didn't need to calculate the numbers to know that we would run out of fighters long before the spuds did.

"You know in the beginning, it was near impossible to stop them," I commented. "Less impossible now. Maybe they're cranking out these things too fast. Not giving their babies a chance to grow up."

Flag thought about it. "Could be," he replied. "Doesn't matter though. Easy or hard, they still gotta die, and we gotta be the ones to make sure they do."

We made our way to the top floor, then stopped in front of the huge steel vault door marked Emergency Operations. It blocked us from continuing.

"So, Flag," I said, "why are they after you like that? I mean, it's obvious you are the man they're after, and since it sure ain't your cologne, what's your secret?"

"I have no idea." Flag croaked. "You're in charge. I need to hang back."

A ping of concern came over me. "What's wrong?"

"Just a little sore and tired right now. I just need a respite. Target is the train station. I will collect the HVT, and you lead the rest."

"Rick, You want me to lead this mission? Are you crazy? I'm trying to understand here, and I'm coming up blank."

"That sounds quite bizarre to you, doesn't it? In some ways, you are much more capable. But in other ways . . . there are many things you've probably never thought about seriously. I am putting you in charge of phase four."

Flag's expression was serious and reassuring at the same time. It was impossible to doubt him.

GQ came jogging in. "Sir, we need to get moving. We need more men. There's only nine of us left."

I looked around at them all, waiting on their next order.

Taylor, Hayes, Spenser, GQ, Gomez, Taylor, Dalton, Flag and I were the only Marines left.

My eyes darted to Flag, who rolled his eyes at GQ and looked away.

"Major Chapman is taking over."

GQ frowned. What? He mouthed.

"Trig's been promoted, in order to lead us to the target."

There was a tense silence between the three of us. Flag crossed to the steel door.

I turned to GQ. "Secure the roof. Sweep for shooters so we can bring our aviation assets."

"Next time, come up with something that's a challenge," GQ said, saluting.

I laughed. "I'll try better. Be careful. Alpha, on GQ. I'll meet you up there."

"Came all this way and now we can't get inside," Croc growled. "Flag, is this your idea of a joke?"

"Want me to blow up that baby?" Boomer said, holding a boomerang embedded with C-4. "I got just the right thing.'

"Don't be an idiot," I retorted. "This entire floor is mined. One wrong move and that's all she wrote."

"So what do we do?" Croc asked. "Get on our knees and pray someone gives us the right combination?"

I grimaced at Flag. The criminals had no idea.

Flag grinned back. "I've got this covered." He punched in a code into the keypad. He turned to Croc. "No need for someone else to give us the combination when I already have it."

Croc nodded. "Definitely makes it easier. For once, I approve." Then he added, "Why didn't you say something before?"

I sniggered, watching Flag fight back a smile.

"I like hearing you complain about nothing. The revelations keep you humble."

"That's never gonna happen," Deadshot said. "We're supposed to be in this together. Next time just give us the friggin' intel."

Ignoring him, Flag entered the last number then stepped back.

We heard the rollers retract as the vault door eased open. Flag stepped through, then turned back to the others. "I'm going in. You stay here. Don't wanna give the VIP a heart attack."

Harley grinned. "Aww, so sweet. He's embarrassed of us. Such a cutie."

Deadshot glared at the Colonel. "This whole mission just sucks. I'd be better off back in Belle Reve, serving twenty. Least they'd tell me what I was supposed to do."

"That can be arranged," I replied. "And by the way, who says we'd let you go back? Detonator, remember?"

"Bite me," Deadshot said. "This guy had better cure cancer after all this."

Flag gave him a twisted smile then headed through the vault door.

Minutes went by in silence, as I just stood there, watching the convicts every move.

Croc and Boomerang sat down, and Harley stood in the middle of the room, swinging her bat around her shoulders playfully.

Diablo leaned on a pile of tactical boxes.

"So, what's up with you and the Colonel, lady? What do we call ya, anyways?" Harley looked at me, wide eyed.

"None of your business." I snapped.

"Hey, yeah, c'mon, you might as well tell us a story, since we're waiting around with you pointing a gun in our faces." Boomerang sniffed.

I lowered my rifle a little and relaxed, not saying anything.

"Aww, you're in love?" Harley swooned. "So sweet."

Deadshot rolled his eyes. "Why? Dude is an asshole."

"Has to be, if he put me in charge." I mumbled.

"Yeah, see, I don't understand why he did that. Is he afraid of something?"

I shrugged. "Maybe he's sick of you being on his back all the time. He' just doing his job, okay? Nothing personal." That was wrong. It was personal. Flag hated these cons just as much as I did, if not more. Bad guys pretending to be heroes. As if that made up for anything?

"Yeah, well, he doesn't need to be so cranky." Harley replied.

Deadshot sighed. "What's taking so long in there? I'm going to find out, if you aren't."

I let Deadshot enter the room, but kept close watch on the others. "I wouldn't, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Another few minutes ticked by, and no one said anything.

Boomer was sharpening his boomerangs, and Croc was picking something out of his teeth.

"So why do you even like him? He's so intimidating." Harley ebbed as I stared at her. "He's not very nice."

My comms hashed. "Area is clear, boss."

"Good copy Bravo One, stand by." I replied.

Harley rolled her eyes. "C'mon, tell us. What's the big attraction? Or is it supposed to be a secret? Do you sleep with him to get ahead? 'Cause I totally respect that game."

I frowned. "It's none of your business."

"Must be a soldier thing." She said to Diablo, who looked back at her, confused.

"You talking to me?" He said.

She nodded. "I'm looking at you, aren't I? Just trying to figure them out."

"There's nothing to figure out, Harley. We're soldiers. Everything is black and white."

"So? How did you get together then?" Harley gave me a big smile.

She wasn't waning.

I sighed. "We have the same kind of life. We both lost a lot of friends, a lot of men. We kill for a living, and I guess it's hard to find someone who understands that's what we do, and the crap that goes with it. And, he saved my life."

Harley rested her chin on her hands like a little girl listening to a bedtime story. "And?"

I blushed.

"Oooh," Harkness whispered, looking at us from over his shoulder. He was listening, too.

"He put my life back together after I lost my best friend."

Diablo nodded with a smile and looked at the floor. "That's nice. So he is human, after all."

I flashed Diablo and surprised gaze. That was how I felt when I first got wind of Flag's real personality.

"That's lovely." Boomerang said. "But he's still a jerk."

I laughed. "We have to be to get the job done."

"Well, I tell ya, it's easier to boss around a buncha misfits when you're nicer to them. I got your back, lady."

"Trig."

"Huh?" Harley replied.

I sighed. "My name is Trig."

Croc smiled.

We saw Deadshot heading back toward us. Flag followed. Then Amanda Waller appeared behind them.

"No. Way." Harley said, and she stared.

"What the hell is going on, Flag?" Boomerang asked.

Flag pushed in until they were nose to nose. "Need to know, Harkness," he growled, and he didn't look happy. "Count your blessings rescuing her was this simple."

"Travel should be waiting for us on the roof. Follow me." I said, leading up the stairway.

"Getting here was simple?" Boomer echoes. "What parallel universe spawned you, Flag?"

They headed for the stairs to the roof behind me.

Harley shook her head back and forth, refusing to believe this.

"We're done." Flag bellowed. "Everyone shut up and let's go home."

"Yeah, right," Boomer said. "Mission accomplished. What could go wrong now?" He turned to Harley-she was walking beside him. "There's gonna be a nine-point-seven any minute now," he whispered.

Harley agreed. "I bet you walk under ladders and chase black cats, too." She said, giggling.

He grinned back at her. "I make my own luck, darlin'." he said. "I say we kill both of 'em right now before they kill us."

She was about to respond when Katana, silent as always, came up behind them.

"Later," Harley whispered. "We're gonna need a bigger boat." She looked at Croc Boomer.

Katana moved in closer to Waller, but the woman held up her detonator. She didn't need protecting. "Y'all made it this far," she said grim as ever. "Don't get high spirited on me and ruin a good thing."

Croc watched as she pushed open the door and walked up past me, to the roof. "I like her."

Boomer shook his head. "Whatta bunch of wankers. You guys got no self-respect."

I laughed. "A village in Australia is missing its idiot. You should call home."

"That I will, sweet thing," he said. "And tell 'em exactly where they can find you."

The Seals were waiting on the roof. They watched the Chinook as it circled over them, then arced down to come in for a landing.

"Ride's here," I called.

Moving to the edge, the Squad stared down from the roof at the remains of what had been a thriving city. So many buildings were lying in rubble now. Other burned out of control. Every where they looked they saw terrible devastation. They doubted there had been time to save anything. Good for looting, but given a choice, all of us knew we would rather get the hell out of there.

I saw Flag staring over at me. I knew we were both thinking the same thing. He nodded, and looked up at the Chinook hover just above us. Something was wrong, but I was unable to put my finger on it.

We stared at the Chinook hovering directly above the Federal Building, but not descending to its landing dock. Why wasn't it landing? Something was wrong.

GQ shouted into his comm. "Saviour One Zero. Why are you holding? Saviour One Zero, respond."

There was no answer. GQ traded looks with Flag. "They're not talking to me." He said to me finally.

I turned to the Squad. These were exactly the kind of scum who would throw a curveball like this. I turned back to GQ. "Our bird's been jacked." I said with certainty. "Light it up!" I thought it would be interesting to see how my killers would react.

GQ and the Seals opened fire on the Chinook. It suddenly slipped sideways, circling to reveal the tail ramp. I could see a big man inside it, spinning a six-barrelled chain gun. It pumped lead like water in a fire hose.

Flag shouted. "Get down, now!"

Everyone scattered in different directions.

One of the Bravo Seals let out a gasp then fell to the ground.

A bullet tunnelled through his forehead and exploded out the back. The other Seals hit the deck, taking cover behind the roof's parapet.

Harley hunkered down just a few yards from Deadshot. She saw him staring weirdly at her neck. "What? I got a hickey or something?"

He looked at the indicator light just under her skin. It was blinking green.

She looked at the screen of her phone. She'd gotten a text.

Finally, I saw the Joker step out onto the Chinook's tail ramp. He had a huge assault rifle, pointing it and shooting frantically with his trademark devilish laugh.

Frost hosed down the roof with his chain gun, scattering Seals and the Squad team. Next to him, the Joker tossed out a rope. It unrolled down to the roof, then dragged towards the edge.

"Harley, it's up to you now," he said over the sound of the rotors.

Without hesitation, she ran for the edge of the roof and leaped to catch the rope. As she held on, the chopper nosed down and veered away.

"Kill her!" Waller shouted.

Flag was pressing the button on his tablet, but it didn't work. "Her nanite's disarmed!"

Frost kept firing at keep us pinned down. He only stopped after they cleared the immediate area.

I stared at Harley climbing the rope to the copter.

"Mr Lawton," Waller said. "You kill that woman right now."

Deadshot glared at her. "She ain't done shit to me."

"You're a hitman right? I got a contract. Kill Harley Quinn. For your freedom and your kid."

Deadshot nodded. He lifted his carbine and aimed it at Harley, her copter rapidly receding into the distance. "This won't be easy, lady. They're already so damned far. And I don't have time to calibrate wind velocity. Good as I am, I make no promises."

"I'll hold you to that anyway. Kill her."

Was he growing a conscience? After all this time? I was pretty sure that was a no. That would be the death of Deadshot.

He tightened his finger on the trigger.

"Now Lawton."

He squeezed it.

"I missed."

"Yeah, like hell."

"No, it was the wind. There was no way to compensate for it. Not without my equipment, and certainly not while the target was moving in an unsteady chopper. Trust me. I've got no love for that nutjob, but you were asking for the impossible. Despite everything, I came damn close."

Waller walked off, angry as hell. Deadshot stood, watching as Boomer gave him a reassuring nod. "Good one, mate."

I looked up and saw Harley pull herself into the Chinook. Its tail-gate closed behind her.

Deadshot was surrounded by the squad- they were cheering for his accidental miss.

Waller was livid, but Flag looked at Lawton and smiled.

The head of A.R.G.U.S reached for her phone and punched in a pre-set. "Saviour One Zero's been hijacked." She shouted. "Shoot it down." She was determined to get her kill, I knew. "Thank you, now get me off this roof."

"Well, this has become a brown-eyed mullet," boomer complained. "We started with six. Now we're four."

"Not sure we needed Quinn." Lawton said. "Maybe if she was taking her meds, but she's a loose cannon. And we certainly didn't need what's his name?'

Boomer laughed. "Slipshod. Sliprope. Slip something. Who cares? But the real stinker here is we're bein' run by a knocker who's shoot us all herself, if we gave her half a reason."

"We're better off alone," Deadshot agreed. "Just the four of us."

The helicopter was clipped by a missile, then it flipped over hard and slammed into the alley nose first and tilted on its left side. It was engulfed by flames as it exploded and the rotors were severed, digging themselves into the pavement below.

I fought the urge to watch as the chopper fell.

But I had seen it, the chopper spinning, falling, one of Joker's boys hanging on with one hand, both feet in the air, riding it down.