The emergency lights had sputtered out, but still being able to see was amazing. Deckard picked off mercenaries like flies before they saw him or Kate and Mason. He wasn't really sure where they were going just that they had to get some cover. Kate led them to the armory, bless her. He could reload.

"Derrick and Trent?" Mason asked, and Deckard remembered the plan they were supposed to carry out. He had a bad feeling about it.

"I don't know, mate," he said. "We were pretty occupied...didn't hear anything."

"Shit," Mason muttered. He went to get his own night vision now, the light from his phone making a small glow in front of him. Deckard looked away to avoid burning his eyes from the light.

"Lola!" Kate gasped, and Deckard turned to see her bend down to a figure on the ground. Lola gave a moan and coughed.

"That bitch s-shot me," Lola said thickly.

"Hang on," Kate said, and Deckard watched her pull out a first aid kit from the corner and set to work quickly. He and Mason guarded the door. Footsteps could be heard coming, and Deckard hoped this was the last wave hitting them.

"I wanna go h-home," Lola said now, sounding like she was about to cry.

"We'll get you there," Kate soothed. "Just hang on."

"I can't believe Greta betrayed us," Mason said under his breath.

"Hard to know who to trust these days," Deckard replied.

"Here they come," Mason said next.

"I see 'em."

He aimed and fired, as did Mason. There were only four this time, so it was over quickly. This entire thing was almost worse than one of his missions in the war or during his time on Task Force Black with MI6. He could only imagine how Kate would cope with this afterwards. He recalled lots of nightmares and buried anger from his past experiences with something like this, which still affected him today actually.

"We can't stay here," Mason warned.

"Come on, Lola. Up we get," Kate said behind them. Deckard moved to help her, lifting Lola up and resting her over his shoulder since she barely weighed much. He handed Kate his machine gun, and she nodded. Then she surprised him by grabbing a shotgun. It made him attracted to her all over again as she held it aimed to the floor as she walked. She and Mason led the way to the tunnel, taking out mercenaries as they went. Deckard had to admit that he was very impressed with the manpower that Eteon had. Where did all these mercenaries come from?

"Here we go," Kate said, opening the hatch for the tunnel.

"You go first," Deckard stated. "Mason, bring up the rear."

"Aye, aye," Mason confirmed.

"I have no idea what we're going to find at...at the end of it," Kate confessed.

"Just don't think about that right now. We're just simply getting out of here," Deckard said.

"Okay."

She climbed down, and Deckard carefully climbed down after her with Lola over his shoulder. Mason came last, shutting the hatch and locking it from the inside before coming down after them. Deckard could feel and hear Lola struggling to breathe, and he knew she needed medical attention. Now.

Kate walked fast, and he kept up with her. When they reached the end of the tunnel, she put her hand on the door, pausing.

"Kate," he said, making her look at him. "Whatever is out there, I've got your back."

"Thank you."

"Go," he urged. She pushed the door open, and all of them stepped out. Deckard braced himself for an ambush, but nothing came.

Then:

"Get away from me, murderers!" a voice shouted, and Kate cried out as someone clubbed her with a stick across the chest. She went down hard, and Deckard almost dropped Lola to assist when Mason stepped forward.

"Henrietta," he soothed. "It's us. You're okay."

"Oh my God," Henrietta gasped, dropping her weapon. "You're okay! Wait, who did I just whack?"

"Me," Kate croaked from the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, darlin'," Henrietta said, dropping to help her up.

"It's okay," Kate said hoarsely. Deckard knew she'd feel that one for a while on top of everything else she'd experienced because Henrietta had clubbed her close to her already bruised ribs. He'd be surprised if Kate didn't have some cracked ribs now.

"Where's Derrick and Trent?" Mason asked.

"They ran off to do something stupid," Henrietta answered. "I haven't seen them come back."

"Damn it. Okay," Mason said. "Let's get you out of here, shall we?"

"Hang on." Kate stopped them. "Where's Royce?"

"Hiding like a little bitch," Henrietta answered.

"Hey! I'm being smart!" Royce replied, standing up from his hiding spot now.

"You let Henrietta save your ass?" Mason asked him, snorting. "You really are something special."

"She insisted on fighting," Royce argued. "I told her to stay hidden."

"Come on," Kate said grouchily. "Move out."

"What about Trent and Derrick?" Royce asked.

"We can look for them," Kate answered. "Mason, get them out of here. Lola needs a hospital."

"Lola!" Henrietta gasped, finally noticing her on Deckard's shoulder. "Oh, no!"

Deckard handed her off to Mason and took his machine gun back from Kate.

"I'll call for help once we get signal back," Mason promised. Kate looked at her phone.

"It's almost ten. I imagine Reggie will have figured out something's wrong by now."

"Oh yea. I forgot you two are attached at the hip," Mason replied.

"It's a safety thing," Kate retorted. "And aren't you glad?"

"Could have used it hours ago."

"Bite me, Mason," Kate shot back at him. He chuckled.

"I'm ready to get the hell out of here," he said, shifting Lola in his arms for a better grip. "See you soon."

Deckard saluted, and then he and Kate were left alone.

"Okay," she said, breathing out a sigh. "Almost home free."

"Then I'm getting the biggest steak I can find," Deckard said as they started walking. They'd both removed their night vision since the moon was up and bright.

"Oh yea?"

"Yea. I'm bloody famished."

"Make it two," she advised.

"I said famished not a glutton."

"One's for me, doofus." She nudged him, and he nudged her back, smiling.

"I know."

He wondered if she knew that he couldn't hang around after this, that he had to disappear as soon as it was clear. He wondered if she was going along with his fantasy of having dinner with her because it was better than talking about never seeing each other again.

They carefully picked their way towards the field office. Deckard didn't see anyone moving, so he had a feeling they had actually taken out all of the mercenaries finally. He wondered how long that would last for.

A twig snapping made him spin and Kate inhale sharply.

"Geez, Trent," she said, lowering her gun. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry," Trent replied, coming into full view now.

"Where's Derrick?"

"He didn't make it."

Kate groaned and swore, and Deckard felt bad again. He really hadn't meant to get so many agents killed today with this plan. He'd envisioned something very different when he was brought into here all those hours ago.

"Where are the others?" Trent asked.

"They've left. Lola was hurt pretty bad."

"Greta?"

Deckard felt his skin prickle slightly. Why was Trent asking specifically about Greta? He suddenly felt like something was not right here.

"She didn't make it either."

"Huh," Trent said, weighing his rifle in his hands. Deckard aimed his gun at him the same time Trent aimed his at Deckard.

"Whoa! What are you doing?!" Kate yelled. She aimed her shotgun at him next.

"Finishing the job," Trent answered logically. He fired, and Deckard ran out of range. He got separated from Kate, which made him panic slightly. He knew Trent wouldn't leave her alive because she'd be able to identify him as the second mole. This kind of pissed Deckard off, if he was honest. He'd only known of one. How had he missed the second one?

The gunfire stopped, and he heard Kate's scream a moment later. He could hear the rage in it. He didn't blame her. You were supposed to be able to trust your colleagues, especially in this line of work.

He ran back towards the sound while staying out of sight, finding Kate and Trent engaged in a very intense fist fight. He aimed his gun, waiting for an opening to take the shot...not to kill, just wound. He still needed information from that little bastard.

...

Kate really did underestimate Trent's strength and agility. To be fair, she'd never seen him fight before, but he always looked like his muscles were for show and acted like a damn wimp so much that she mistook him for one.

She cried out when he struck her across the face with his pistol in his hand. She briefly saw some stars, and she gasped in air. Her face smarted, and her nose throbbed harder than it had been from the impact. Her chest was killing her. She was ready to quit...barely any energy left in her. She felt her eyes water, and she straightened up to fight back when he grabbed her hair tightly and shoved his pistol under her chin. It brought up the memory of Alejandro instantly, much to her dismay. Was that just going to haunt her forever?

"Come on out, Shaw!" Trent called, holding her firm as she struggled despite the screaming pain all over her body now. "Come watch her die! That's on you, just so you know!"

"Don't!" Kate shouted, hoping he wouldn't. She knew Trent was just head gaming him. Trent smashed his gun into her chest, and she coughed, choking. He pressed the muzzle right into her chest over her heart tightly. Her ribs were really screaming at her in pain now.

"I didn't take you for a coward!" Trent called now. Kate reached to squeeze his pressure point on his arm hard, and he yelped before growling and punching her face again. He shoved her to the ground and kicked her stomach a few times too. Kate felt a crack inside, and from the pain she felt right after, she was pretty sure he'd either cracked or broken a rib that was already battered from earlier. She still wanted to fight because she wasn't a weakling and because she was incredibly pissed off. She landed some kicks at his legs, tripping him and making him fall. She fought with him on the ground, trying to knock him out with her elbow wrapped around his neck when she finally got behind him. She felt something bump into her head, and she realized it was his gun.

And it went off a second later.

...

Deckard had remained in hiding, watching the fight. If Kate couldn't handle it, he would finish it. He'd almost pulled the trigger when Trent had stood there aiming his gun at her heart, but he knew Kate would probably be annoyed if he saved her ass, so he'd given her a moment to hold her own, which she had. He really did admire her strength and fighting skills, especially since she was hurt. He watched as she managed to get Trent in a chokehold, and then he grew scared when Trent aimed his gun at her head. His reflex was to yell at her, but the gun went off before he could.

His entire body tensed, and he bit down his scream as Kate fell to the ground. Breathing hard and feeling rage and vengeance coursing through his veins, he left his cover and started walking towards Trent.

"You see that?!" Trent called, getting to his feet, his back to Deckard. "I got her! I got your girl! And it's all your fault! You might as well face your fate, Shaw!"

Deckard slung his machine gun around to his back as he came out of the darkness and launched himself onto Trent right as he turned to see him. The man let out a startled yell, and then they were both fighting for their lives. Deckard knocked the pistol out of Trent's hand, sending it flying. He landed blow after blow, blocking most of Trent's in return.

"I pissed you off," Trent mocked. "You're fighting mad."

Deckard moved to bring his machine gun around and hit Trent with it like a baseball bat in the shoulder and neck area. Trent crumpled to the ground while Deckard threw that gun away too, bending down to pick Trent back up and beat on him some more.

"Where is Eteon?" he asked during a pause.

"Everywhere," Trent answered with a cackle, blood all over his face now. Deckard busted out a few of his teeth and threw him down again. He went to stand over him.

"Where are they?" he asked again.

"Right in front of you."

Deckard stomped him, making him cry out and whimper, but he started to laugh a moment later.

"You think you can do worse to me than they can? Please," Trent scoffed. "I'd rather die here than die later after disappointing them."

Deckard kneeled down and put a hand around his throat, holding him still and choking him a bit.

"You shouldn't have killed her," he advised, his voice low and threatening.

"She...had it...coming," Trent said around his choking. Deckard slammed his head into the ground hard, and Trent kept laughing, which really pissed Deckard off to no end.

"You know what? I'm going to let the feds handle you," he said, letting him go suddenly and getting up. "You're not worth the bullet."

"I will never tell anyone anything about Eteon," Trent said between laughs. "You are wasting your time letting the feds lock me up."

"We'll see. Maybe I just want you to suffer in a hole for the rest of your life." Deckard gave a scoff and went to pick up his machine gun when a shotgun blast went off, and he whirled to see Trent lying still on the ground, a pistol resting near his fingers. Confused as to who shot him, he turned to see Kate sitting up, silhouetted in the dark by the moon, and aiming her shotgun in Trent's direction.

"Kate," he said, relief flooding his voice. He went over to her quickly.

"He was always so, so annoying," Kate muttered, dropping the gun and groaning as she rested down onto her back again. He landed on his knees next to her, reaching to take her one hand in his. She held his tightly, conveying the pain she was in.

"Are you hurt?" he asked.

"Just my ego," she replied, wincing. He saw her holding her side, so he figured one or a couple of her ribs had gotten a beating again. She had blood on her face again from the pistol whip.

"I underestimated him," Deckard said. "Again."

"He was definitely a slippery bitch," she agreed. "But I was better."

"You played dead," he said, getting it.

"Of course. I moved my head in the nick of time. He was stupid enough to fall for it." She stifled a loud groan. "Is it over now?"

"I think so unless someone else on your team pops up as another bad guy."

"I think you're good," she said, trying to sit up. He helped her, and she let out some growls and groans as she finally made it. She looked at him in the semi-darkness, and he felt his feelings for her press against his chest and throat. It really hurt to leave her.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I should have just come to you and asked for help."

"I probably wouldn't have believed you and capped your ass," she retorted, making him laugh.

"Good to know."

"What a mess," she moaned, pressing a hand to her face lightly. "And our boss is dead, among others. I already hate this week. I don't do well at funerals."

"I'm sorry," he said again.

Her phone pinged, and she pulled it out to look at it.

"Huh," she said as it pinged over and over again. "Royce must have fixed the block when he got back into cell range."

"Someone really wants you," Deckard pointed out.

"It's Reggie. I didn't text him after work like usual, so he's freaked out. He's on his way here as of 20 minutes ago."

"Good friend."

"He is." She started to laugh.

"What?"

"He asked her out," she said.

"Who?"

"The girl. The one he's been chicken shit about for weeks now." She tilted her head back and laughed again. "Oh, thank God. I was worried he'd never do it and I'd have to console him forever once she started to date someone else."

"Good for him."

"Mason said they got Lola to the hospital," she added next as she looked at her phone again. "She's in surgery, but they think she'll be alright."

"Good." Deckard helped her to her feet, and she gripped his hand tight as she wobbled slightly for a moment.

"You probably have a slight concussion from that hit," he pointed out.

"Broken nose, broken ribs, broken face," she rhymed off. "Bullet wound in the arm, concussion...I'm just falling apart, man."

"And I only got minor bruises and a mild stab wound to the leg," he teased, rubbing it in.

"Shut up."

He chuckled and put an arm around her to pull her into him as they walked slowly to the front of the building. He could tell her adrenaline was wearing off the way she was limping and moving carefully.

"I guess I'm alive, so I should stop complaining," she added. They reached the parking lot, and Deckard did a quick scan before clearing it. He turned to look at her, feeling sadness inside as he knew they were about to say goodbye.

"You didn't get your answers," she said, realizing.

"They weren't going to give them to me," he replied. "I'm going to have to find them on my own."

"If you need help, I'm here."

"I appreciate that."

He smiled, and she smiled a little back. He could tell she was trying not to be upset either.

...

Kate felt emotional as she looked at Deckard and knew she was probably never going to see him again. He held her gaze as they stood there squared off, sirens sounding in the distance and slowly getting closer. Reggie was bringing the cavalry apparently, unless someone on her team had called it in first, which was possible.

"Thank you for helping us," she finally said.

"I'm sorry I brought trouble to you in the first place," he replied. She wiped at her face, which was still sticky from blood. Her whole body hurt like hell. She wanted to curl up on her bed and not leave it for a week...maybe a month.

"Well, you definitely made my weekend less boring," she tried, but then she felt sick. They'd lost a lot of their team in the last few hours. She'd give anything for a boring weekend if it meant getting them back. Well, maybe not all of them.

"It'll be alright," he promised. "One day."

"I hope so," she whispered. He reached to take her hand, and she let him. Then she let him pull her into him, and he hugged her tightly against him, mindful of her ribs. She clung to him hard, feeling a couple of tears slip out. Everything was just getting to her all at once, which was aggravating. She hated crying in front of people.

"In another life, I definitely would stay and love you forever," he said, his hand holding the back of her head now. "You're my kind of girl, Kate."

"I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me," she choked out, trying to smile even though he couldn't see her face. He kissed the side of her head that wasn't bloody, then her forehead, then her cheek close to her nose, then her lips. She gripped his head with her hands, kissing him back hard. She could feel his feelings in that kiss, and she wished that things were different. How could she find someone that seemed like a good match for her only to lose him? After a moment, they had to stop, and she swallowed down her fresh tears.

"You're sure you can't stay?" she asked.

"I am. I have to finish this or else I'll always be looking over my shoulder. You don't deserve that."

"I appreciate that, I guess." She wondered if Eteon would come after her anyway, or maybe they'd just view her as a nobody and leave her alone. "Maybe one day, huh?"

"I'd like that," he replied, resting a hand on her cheek and smoothing his thumb across it gently. She couldn't help herself and kissed him again, her fingers curling around his and holding his hand against her chest. It was hard to let him go, but it helped that it appeared to be hard for him too. He kissed her back slow and sensual, and she wanted it to last forever, but it couldn't. He pulled back slowly, catching his breath and resting his forehead against hers.

"I will never forget you," Deckard vowed. "You are fierce, brave, and kind...don't ever change." He smiled at her. "Take care, Kate Macer."

"You too, Deckard Shaw," she replied, her voice a bit ragged sounding. He squeezed her hand hard, pressing his lips together tightly and pulling his head back. Then he let go of her hand and started to walk away.

"Where in Rio?!" she called after him when he was a few feet away. He turned.

"What?"

"Where is the best place to stay? In Rio?" she asked. She saw his face register what she was talking about, and he smiled.

"Sheraton Grand," he answered.

"I'll check it out. One day," she added.

"Do that," he advised. She smiled back at him, hugging herself with one arm and pressing her fingers of her other hand against her cheek. She wondered if he got her meaning, that she'd meet him there one day. It was hard to read his face, but she felt like he understood. He gave a small salute before turning away again, jogging out of sight just as the police cars and ambulances came into view.

"KATE!"

She turned as Reggie almost plowed her over and flattened her. He was hugging her desperately a second later. Lights were suddenly exploding from everywhere, blinding her.

"Whoa, Reg," she said, blinding pain hitting her again. "Ow, ow, OW! Let go!" He obeyed instantly, and she tried to catch her breath.

"Kate, oh my God!" he exclaimed, examining her all over. "What the hell happened here?!"

"Well, Reg," she said with a heavy sigh, watching where Deckard disappeared. She missed him already, but it was the way it had to be. Maybe she'd see him again. Maybe not. "That's a really long story."

She started walking/limping towards the medics with Reggie at her side, lights flashing all around them and up into the sky.

The End

Thank you to those who favorited, followed, and reviewed! I just ask that you don't reveal Trent's name when referring to that twist in your feedback so as to save it as a surprise for new readers. Thank you!

FYI, I'm shaking up my newer stories a bit because I feel like I'm getting too predictable. Just so you know :) Cheers!