Shady was dead on her ass. The worst part – it was her own damn fault. She'd been severely hung over this time 24 hours ago. She'd only picked at her food. She'd pushed herself to get back in less than the hour and a half she'd promised Galgo. She looked at her watch one more time. Thirty minutes and she could eat, shower and sleep. So, when a voice called out her name, Powell jumped. She wheeled around. "Briana," Boots reprimanded.
The scientist smiled, "I'm sorry. Did I startle you?"
Ignoring the question, Shady asked, "What are you doing out here?"
Fuller sighed, "Geez, Shady. The guys are nice enough but they're about to smother me. And, if I have to spend another minute in that room, I swear the walls are going to fold in on me."
Boots smiled, "Yeah. There seems to be an epidemic of the room thing."
Bri smiled back, "Besides, I might have overheard the guys mention that you were down here. Something about you being in the doghouse?" Shady snorted as the scientist continued, "What exactly did you do?"
"I went off the reservation. Pursued my own agenda without permission," the Expendable sighed.
"Well, you know, sometimes it is easier to seek forgiveness than get permission," Briana stated.
"Not with this group," Powell corrected immediately. "What I did was inexcusable; disrespectful to the boss." Shady's tone spoke volumes, "I was out of line."
"Well, well, you do know right from wrong," Lee's cultured tones chimed in.
It was Fuller's turn to be surprised; shocked that she had been found so quickly. Shady laughed at the look on her face, "I could have told you one of them was close by."
Lee chuckled, too. "Alright, Bri, you've been free long enough. Time to head back." The young woman smiled at Powell then nodded towards her bodyguard that she would follow. Christmas spoke softly to Shady, "Hang in there, darling."
Before Shady could thank him, shots rang out. Christmas grabbed Briana, pulling her behind one of the large columns. Powell aimed in the general direction but saw nothing else.
"Boots!" Lee called out.
"I'm good," she answered automatically. "You?"
"Yeah, same," he replied.
They both called out to Briana, "I'm fine. But where the hell are they?" Shady and Lee both glanced around to see Fuller, crouched, in a position not unlike their own, where she could have returned fire had she been armed.
Boots called back, "Not sure but I've got you covered. Go, Christmas."
The Brit grabbed Bri, shielding her with his body as they made their way out of the pool area. Suddenly, other of the Expendables appeared, coming on the run as they heard weapons fire. Gunnar quizzed, "You okay?"
"Yeah. Saw the muzzle flash but that was about it," Shady responded.
"Go report to Barney," Toll finished. The woman didn't think twice. She left on a run to bring their commanding officer up to speed.
"This is your fault," Ross accused after hearing Shady's accounting of the events.
"My fault," she countered.
"Yeah, your fault. You had to have been followed," Barney finished. He stomped around their dining area, getting madder with each step. Doc and Caesar had been eating breakfast when Powell rushed in. Toll and Gunnar were still working the perimeter, while Galgo monitored the lobby. Christmas had Bri barricaded in the hotel room. Ross tacked on, "All because you decided to go for your little late night run."
"Bull shit," she cursed.
Before Ross could lay into her again, the original Expendable stood up from the table, "No, Barney, she's right. This isn't on Powell."
Ross wheeled on Doc, "And you would know that how?"
"Because I backed her up that night," he answered simply. Shady was shocked. She'd had no idea the man was anywhere around. "She was perfect. And she would have been in and out with no one the wiser if I hadn't told Galgo to let you know."
Barney turned on him, "Then maybe you were followed."
Doc had the nerve to laugh, "No way in hell and you know it."
"It was bound to happen. You're a group of guys accompanied by women whom we've made no real effort to disguise," Shady defended herself.
"The desk clerk has been suspicious ever since we checked in," Hale reminded the group. "Maybe he got a little chatty."
Ross listened to the ideas being floated by his team. This is what he paid them for – their skills, their powers of observation, and their insights.
"Fine," he spat. "Caesar, you and Galgo visit our desk clerk. See if he cracks." Hale nodded and left. "Doc, go get Toll and Gunnar. Take one more walk around the perimeter then get ready to bug out." The large man nodded and left with a wink and a smile at Powell.
"Boots," Ross got her attention back on him, "I'm still not convinced this isn't your fault." Shady's head went up a notch higher. "When we're back stateside, I'll reevaluate your position with the team. In the meantime, go get Fuller ready to leave. I don't want to be able to tell the difference between the two of you unless I'm this close." He held his hands up, palms together.
"Yes, sir," was her only answer as she left to complete her orders.