Final chapter for this story guys, but don't worry I have another story planned for after this one.

Warning: Character death will be in this chapter as well, again if you don't like don't read it.

Chapter 10: Loss

Barney's POV

I told the guys and Nicole what Lee and I had noticed at Melanie's house and that Lee would be back soon. Nicole sat on the couch looking at the floor, she was upset I knew; Melanie had been when she found out Nicole was missing.

Hale went over and sat beside her, rubbing her back. He really cared for her, we could all see that now and we all knew he'd do anything for her just like Lee would for Mel.

Lee came in, glanced around the room and came to sit with me at the table. "What happened?" I asked him.

"We won't have to worry about Hunter anymore or those two guys that hurt Mel and Nicole all those years ago." he replied his voice low.

I nodded, not long after my phone rang. The screen said unknown number, I picked up. "Hello." I said.

"Barney Ross, you're Melanie's boss aren't you?" a male voice said.

"I am, who are you?" I told him.

"Call me 'Crazy' if you want to find Melanie go to 3582 Carson Road." he told me and hung up.

"Guys let's move!" I called to them.

Nicole's POV

I jumped up from the couch and followed behind Hale, "What do you think you're doing?" Barney asked me making the guys stop and look at me.

"I'm going too, she's my cousin and she rescued me now I'm returning the favor." I replied.

Barney sighed, "Fine but you stay with Lee and be careful." he told me and we headed out. I rode with Lee and Hale.

Yang's POV

I searched the location Barney was given, "It's an old farm house, about 50km south of here." I told him.

He nodded turning onto highway 45, "You sure having her along is good idea?" I asked him.

"Pretty sure, she's had some training like Melanie and she is pissed off. It's better to bring her then leave her behind." he replied, I nodded it made sense.

Lee's POV

Hale drove as I explained how to use a gun to Nicole, she caught on very quickly. "Good, we'll be there soon." I told her after watching her reload the gun and prep it for fire.

She smiled a little, and then watched out the window for our target. "Just like Mel." I whispered to myself.

We parked behind the barn, Hale, Nicole, Toll and I took the left side and Barney, Yang and Gunnar took the right side of the barn making our way slowly to the front doors.

Barney nodded to Hale and Gunnar, they burst open the doors and we followed behind sweeping the barn with our flashlights and guns.

"All clear!" I called out,

"Yeah, this place is empty." Hale added.

"We move to the house." Barney ordered and we hurried across the yard to the house.

Melanie's POV

My eyes fluttered open only to see more darkness, I felt disoriented not being able to see even though I was awake. My head hurt of course damn guy used something hard to hit me with but what bugged me the most was that I just froze and let them take me. But then again when you think you see someone who's a ghost you would freeze too.

I felt around with my hands, all I found was the wooden floor no furniture or anything. Why I wasn't tied up? I didn't have a clue, I started crawling around the room to see if it was truly empty or not.

I found the room was small with no window and a deadbolt door; I was trapped in here until they came for me.

I heard voices outside too far away to make out anything though and then a gun shot. 'The guys found me!' I thought excitedly and started pounding on the door.

Nicole's POV

I followed behind Lee as we went around entering from the back of the house, Hale was behind me and Toll followed him.

Hale burst through the door and I heard shots almost immediately;Lee went inside and then I did gripping my gun tightly I saw two men dead on the living room floor.

I swallowed and moved with Hale to search the basement hurrying down the stairs we stopped at the doorway Hale on the left and me on the right.

Hale stuck out a mirror to see if there was anyone waiting for us, after a minute he put it away and nodded. I held my gun up and went into the room my eyes sweeping over the room searching for signs of anyone.

Thump, thump, thump! We came to a halt halfway across the room, someone was pounding on a door. "Mel!" I whispered unable to help myself. Hale pointed to the two doors on the other side of the room, he motioned to me to take the left one.

I moved up beside the door, taking a breath I stood in front of the door and brought my leg up with a snap kicking in the room was empty except for another door in the corner, I went over and wrenched it open; nothing it was empty.

"Nicole!" Hale called from the next room, I ran out of the room I was in and into his.

"It was a joke." he said irritated holding up a dummy and showed me the device that made the knocking sound.

Hale radioed to Barney what we found and he said, "Come on up here, Lee found something."

"On our way." Hale told him, 'This guy is going to pay.' I thought as I trailed behind Hale up the stairs, but I did hope that what Lee found would help us locate Mel and end this game.

Melanie's POV

Moments later the door opened to reveal a big guy with a buzz cut haircut, camouflage pants, and a green shirt, army green it was.

His blue eyes were blazing at me, "Be quiet!" he barked at me and shoved me backwards, hard.

I hit the floor on my back knocking the wind out of me, I looked up towards him expecting a smirk or a grin but he had the same serious expression.

He just shook his head and left making sure to lock the door securely, 'Mr. Be Quiet needs an attitude adjustment.' I thought to myself and chuckled to myself.

Lee's POV

I had gone upstairs with Barney and Toll to check the bedrooms while Yin and Gunnar stood guard downstairs.

I had taken the last bedroom on the right, when I opened the door I found a short letter on the bed and beside it was Melanie's bracelet.

I recognized it from her bedroom it always hung on the corner of her mirror above the dresser, I didn't know the story behind it but I knew it was special to her.

I'd seen her get up one night after tossing and turning a while and just hold it in her hands silently crying for a few moments then she would put it back, rub her eyes and come to bed. I think she thought I was sleeping then but I had seen her.

I put the bracelet in my pocket, grabbed the letter and showed Barney what I found. We were grouped in the kitchen now everyone looking to me, I read the letter;

Dear Expendables Team,

Did you really think it would be that easy? I know I didn't plan it to be so there for here is your next location.

The Docks;

Warehouse 427

At 4pm tomorrow

P.S: How is Mel with heights? Ha ha ha.

Crazy

My hands shook slightly at the last part; Mel didn't like heights at all and he was going to drop her off the roof. His name served him right.

"He's playing with us again." Hale spoke up.

I looked to him sharply, "What choice do we have?" I asked.

He nodded, "Come on lets go home and get some rest." Barney commanded, we left the farm house and headed for home. 'I will get you back Mel, I promise.' I thought to myself determined to beat this guy.

Melanie's POV

I curled up in the corner farthest away from the door, I needed to stay awake in case they came for me thinking I would be asleep.

What sucked was I had no way of keeping time, after a long time of sitting there fighting to stay awake I just gave in to sleep leaning my head back on the wall.

I opened my eyes when the door opened and light flooded the room, I squinted to try and see who it was but the light was too bright. One grabbed my arm and pulled me up, I saw one of them was Crazy aka Tony 'Crazy' Cortex.

He took my chin in his hand a smile on his lips, "It's time for you to pay for what you did." he told me letting go of my chin and nodded to the guy holding me.

I looked to him and noticed it was Mr. Be Quiet again before he lugged me over his shoulder like a bag of dog food. I didn't say anything I just looked around trying to get a fix on where I was but it didn't matter because he took me outside where a guy waited by a car.

I was set down next to him, he showed me some rope that he had been holding behind his back before he started tying my hands and then my feet. I didn't fight simply because I couldn't take the both of them; when he finished I was picked up again and thrown into the trunk of the car, the lid slammed down and doors opened and closed before I felt the car move, 'Hopefully we're going to meet the guys.' I prayed silently.

Barney's POV

My order had been to sleep but I barely got any at all and when the team showed up at three in the afternoon as planned they looked the same as I did especially Lee.

"You guys ready?" I asked them, I got nods and grunts in response plus a firm yes from Nicole. I nodded and we went to the cars heading for the address we were given.

"The letter mentioned heights meaning the roof but I want to check over the warehouse just in case." I told Lee, he nodded.

"Sounds good." Nicole piped up from the back, apparently she got some sleep last night.

"Perky back there?" Lee asked her, you could hear it in his voice he was tired and probably running on mostly adrenaline.

"Sorry, I wanted to be alert for today so I took a couple of sleeping pills." she replied.

Lee turned around to face her, "Don't worry about it, that was smart." he said and chuckled, "Sleeping pills." he muttered quietly when he turned back around but I caught it and smiled.

We arrived right at four and we moved swiftly into the warehouse checking it over quickly before we went to the roof; it was empty.

The team and I stood in a circle on alert and checked the roof tops nearby searching for any signs of trouble; I could feel it close by.

Melanie's POV

I kneeled on the rooftop a few feet away from Tony, one of his men holding me down. I didn't even have the strength to get up; Tony had enjoyed torturing me for hours.

He wanted me to admit to what I had done years ago but I had no idea what he meant and suffered some brutal torture.

A telescope was put in front of me and the guy behind me forced my head forward to look through it. I could see the team and Nicole was with them; they were searching the rooftops for something.

I heard the gunshot loud from beside me before I saw Nicole drop to the ground. "No!" I screamed out with all the strength I had left in me.

I wanted to pull away but I was forced to watch as Hale dropped down beside her cradling her head is his lap tears sliding down his face.

One by one the others joined Hale, but Lee didn't he headed for the door to the stairs he looked back and I could see the guilt in his face briefly before he disappeared.

I was pulled to my feet and half stumbled/half dragged to the stairs numbly aware of what was happening all I could think was; Nicole is dead and it's entirely my fault.

Barney's POV

"She was an amazing woman, we all loved her; she was one of us." I said aloud as tears left my eyes. Hale picked her up and we left the warehouse heading to a field Nicole had liked by the farm house we had been to yesterday to give her a proper funeral.

"Nicole was a great woman; strong, smart and funny. Just like Melanie, and now she can be with her family again. We will see you again Nicole but until then stay sharp." I said in departing words.

I looked to the team, this was a hard blow for us to take but I saw the fight in their eyes just waiting to get out. We would get Melanie back and this guy and all his men were going to hell.

There you are guys, please review and the next story will come soon.