A/N: Look I didn't make you wait too long! And while this chapter might feel a bit rushed it's not too different from the show. It all goes wrong and you've got one minute to fix it XD.
"They shot the cameras!" Sly shouted as the screens to the main warehouse went black.
"Toby!" Happy screamed.
"A helicopter. About time Cooper! Get my team out of there!" Walter shouted into the phone. "Happy! What happened? Toby? Paige!"
There was no answer.
"That's not my helicopter Walter."
"It's mine." Another voice spoke into the comms, undoubtedly stolen from Paige, Happy, or Toby. "I've left you two of your team, a little bloody so you might want to hurry if you want them. If you want this one to stay alive none of the data you have collected should ever be released. Give it to the authorities, expose any contacts or information and she dies."
"Walter!" Paige cried into the comm.
"Mom!" Ralph cried.
"I'm going in. Screw waiting." Cabe said running out of the work van.
"My team is there in one minute and they have medics," Cooper added.
"Ralph, what satellite are you using can it keep eyes on that helicopter?" Walter asked as he watched Paige on the roof of the warehouse being forced inside.
"I've got the U.S. one but China's will be better to follow it," Ralph said.
"Cooper we need to hack China and get me something to trace that helicopter, we can't lose it!"
"I'll do what I can but if you get caught hacking a Chinese satellite…"
"Just be glad it's not Russia," Walter said solemnly. He turned to Elia.
"What car did you bring today?" Walter asked.
Elia looked sheepish. "The Bugatti."
Walter raised an eyebrow.
"I thought it might impress Simone."
"I need the keys," Walter said.
"Walter you're not cleared to drive," Sly said.
"I've got Toby and Happy. They're shot but they're breathing." Cabe said.
"This isn't so bad. I knew 197 was just being a big baby about getting shot." Toby said through moans. "Hap, how you doing?"
"Fine jerk, worry about yourself." Happy said cradling her arm to her chest as Simone applied pressure. Cabe was doing the same to the wound in Toby's side.
"Elia keys! I need to follow the helicopter and meet it where it lands. I've got to get to Paige." Walter shouted.
"And do what Walter?" Cabe shouted.
"Whatever I have to," Walter said. Elia saw the expression on Walter's face and looked at Ralph knowing they would both find a way to get the keys no matter what in order to save Paige.
"Walter, how do you plan on catching up to a helicopter in a car on city streets?" Sly said reasonably.
"He doesn't have to. The helicopter is going to pass the garage and head out of the city. " Ralph supplied.
"Kid you can barely walk and you're in no state of mind to drive," Cabe said.
"The helicopter can't fly fast or far with that many people in it. We can't lose it. We don't have the time for this. Give me the keys Richard, now."
Cabe shared a look with Simone. She was smiling and shaking her head, once again proud of Walter's determination while the rest of them just feared for him. His bullheadedness was going to get him killed. He gave a sigh of relief as the backup arrived and the medics rushed in to tend to Happy and Toby. Toby for his part was already mumbling that they were both going to be fine and Cabe trusted the Doc was right.
"This is all so touching and it gives me an idea for a little game. Since you seem to like tricking people. If you can catch my helicopter when it lands I'll let the woman go. You would be a far greater bargaining chip to appease my bosses. If you don't make it, I keep her and leave you a finger as a consolation prize."
It was a bit shocking how quickly they had all forgotten they were not alone. Walter went to the computer and switched the signal of all the coms except for the three that had been with Happy, Toby, and Paige. He took a second comm and put it to old signal in case he needed to talk to the bastard that had Paige.
Elia reached into his pocket and handed over the keys. "Please don't wreck this one and be careful."
"Ralph, I'm going to get your mom. She's going to be fine." Walter said and moved out the door as fast as his crutches allowed. He went to the Bugatti grateful that Elia had not only brought a fast car but one that didn't have a clutch pedal. He could drive it despite only having one functioning leg.
Sly waited in the work van with the two rescued hostages who seemed to be done hugging and were now chattering in rushed Japanese.
"I don't understand you," Sly said frustrated as they kept trying to get his attention.
"They are saying they know where he is going," Elia said over the comm. "I do a lot of work with Japanese clients. He's saying there's an airstrip in the desert that's how they got here."
"Check flight manifests they have to have registered the flight already," Simone said.
"Does he know where it is?" Walter said gasping as he weaved in and out of traffic.
He reached for his phone and dialed Cooper's number again. "I'm calling in a favor, Cooper. I'm going to need a free pass for my driving."
"I've told police to stand down and we are trying to clear traffic for you. Just don't hurt anyone or crash into anything."
"I'm controlling the traffic lights!" Ralph added in his ear.
Walter pressed harder on the gas. "I need your team to meet me there," Walter said.
"I've already got my team heading there. INTERPOL will not let that plane take off." Simone said sternly.
"We're on the way too kid," Cabe said as he and Simone made their way to an SUV with Sly. The girl and her father were safe with Homeland agents.
"What about Toby and Happy?" Walter asked.
"Angry but on their way to the hospital," Cabe answered.
"Walter you're gaining on the helicopter but at the current rate of speed they will land before you," Ralph said.
"You found the airstrip?" Walter asked, speeding up and swerving around cars as they honked. He was almost to the open road.
"I think so it's in the path of the helicopter and it has a small plane there. I can't make out the tail sign to know if it's the one on the flight manifests for today."
Walter finally got out of the main city roads and saw that it was a clear stretch of road. He knew the Bugatti's speed on a straight could outpace the helicopter but not for very long.
"I'll make it Ralph."
"My team is in sight of an airstrip," Simone said a few moments later. Her team had deployed from another location and was not slowed down by having to stop at the warehouse.
Walter was grateful for the straight road to maximize speed but he hated that there was no challenge, nothing to distract his mind from knowing Paige had been taken and Happy and Toby were hurt. It had all still gone horribly wrong even with him on the phone. He couldn't let his team put themselves at risk fi he couldn't be there with them. But he had a plan and he quickly relayed it over the comm to the rest of the team, who mostly agreed to go along with it.
Walter could see the helicopter up ahead. It was still going to beat him and it was turning before he saw the road to move toward the strip. He set his mouth and took the Bugatti into the dirt. Far from an off-roader, the Bugatti was hard to control and now Walter had to use all his concentration to keep the car going in the right direction. The helicopter was ahead but enough in his sights that he would be able to catch up when he landed.
In the distance, Walter saw the airstrip and the waiting plane. The helicopter was going to sit down right next to it.
"It's going to Bolivia and they aren't likely to cooperate with us if that plane gets there," Sly said on the computer in the back of the SUV to distract himself from Cabe's frantic driving.
Walter wanted to think about why Bolivia but his focus was on nothing but Paige, the helicopter, and maintaining control of the Bugatti.
"You sure you can do this kid?" Cabe said worriedly.
Walter would have responded but there was no point. They all knew why he was this and that there was no other option. As to if he could do it, it didn't matter, he had to. He was well aware that he was pushing well beyond his limit judging from the pain in his wounds, the sweat on his brow and the trembling in his arms. But he had to get to Paige. He couldn't lose her and he wouldn't be responsible for taking Ralph's mother from him.
The helicopter came lower for its landing and Walter pushed the car harder fighting the wheels as they slipped in the dirt. He spun out but came to a stop right where the helicopter was landing. He opened the door and was glad that he parked with the passenger side facing the helicopter so no one would see how he struggled to get out of the car.
He got to his feet with the crutches and walked around to face his adversary who held Paige roughly by the arm. Two men with guns aimed them at him, while two more aimed at Paige.
"Walter, don't do this." Paige pleaded.
"He's doing it. Now that he's here I'm not letting him go. He's gotten me into quite a bit of trouble with my employers. In fact…" The greasy-haired man walked up to Walter and punched him hard in the gut. Walter had been expecting it so had braced for it in order to at least keep standing. It was the second punch to the fact that caught him off-guard and knocked him to the ground.
"Walter!" Paige cried.
"You think you are so smart, Mr. O'Brien. After all the stories I was expecting something a bit more. But you're just a weak computer nerd who will always lose to men like me. Take them both."
Walter got to his feet, stumbling a bit as the man walked away from him. Once he was standing with his crutches he reached into his pocket and pulled out a controller…to the garage.
"Let her go or we all die," Walter said forcefully.
The man in the trying-too-hard suit turned around. "What now?"
"I've rigged the car with enough explosives to kill everyone." Walter held the small controller in his hand up for all of them to see.
"Why would you do that? You'd both die."
"Look at me. I've been captured and tortured before." Walter's voice lost its strength as unwelcome memories hit him. "I'd…I'd rather Paige dies than ever go through that."
The man nodded. "I was wondering about that," he said motioning to the red spot on Walter's chest where something was bleeding and the contraption on his leg. "Well guess my employers will have to see if they can break you when your previous torturers failed. But how do I know you're not bluffing."
Walter pushed the button once and a small explosion erupted near the back of the driver's side of the car. It was hidden so that no one could see what really happened but the fireball was real enough.
"My car! Walter!" Elia cried in his ear.
"I press the button again and the full explosive goes off," Walter said not even sure how he was still standing. His body was completely giving out, all of it felt numb.
"We don't have time for this and whatever other stupid games you have planned. Fine, leave the girl. We can send someone to kill her later. Handcuff her to the car."
"No! Walter! Walter, please! Don't do this." Paige screamed.
"Paige, it's okay. I promised remember?" Walter said with a small smile as two of the men roughly grabbed him.
"Paige struggled as she was cuffed to the car and wondered what promise he meant. The one to keep her safe or the one to think about saving himself as much as everyone else.
"You won't be needing any of this." The man on his right said grabbing out Walter's comm and the button he had used. "Explosive in the car right? So what if I press this button once we are in the air? Does that save me from having to come back to kill her?"
Walter struggled to get the button back but the man refused and Walter knew he didn't really have the strength to resist.
"Get him on the plane."
Walter looked at the plane and saw the entire group was moving toward it. With men at each of his arms, his crutches had been left behind, which was actually fine for him because being dragged took less energy than walking.
"Walter! Walter please!" Paige cried. How was this happening again? They had just gotten him back. Why was he leaving her again! She couldn't take it. She pulled again the handcuffs not caring as the metal cut into her skin. Where was the rest of the team? Were Toby and Happy okay? Someone had to stop this. They needed to get to Walter. She wasn't going to lose him again.
Walter heard Paige's cries and felt bad but knew it was necessary. The rest of the men from the helicopter and the armed guards were on the steps leading up to the plane. Walter was bringing up the rear.
"You look half dead already, I don't think it will take long to break you. But you do need to live because you're useless to my employer dead, and without you, I lose my leverage to get your team to keep what they know a secret." The man whispered in his ear.
"Quickly get this plane in the air before someone comes looking for him."
As they got onto the plane, Walter was relieved to see it was already occupied. Filled beyond capacity with INTERPOL agents. More approached the bottom of the plane steps.
"Get your hands up. You're under arrest!"
The men on either side of him groaned and raised their arms at the nod from their boss.
Without any strength left and no crutches, Walter crumpled to the floor.
"Get O'Brien out of here."
"Walter! Walter, I'm here!" After an agent had come up from behind the car to rescue her, she followed the rest of the strike team to the plane. She had needed to get to Walter and refused to let any of the agents stop her. She reached the bottom of the stairs as an agent emerged with his arm supporting Walter as they walked out of the plane.
Paige's cry was the last thing he heard before he succumbed to the fatigue and pain.