Noise's POV
When we burst through the doors, I expected a lot of things. Mad scientists, threatening looking technology, heavily armed guards, maybe some exam tables. Of course, all that was still there; it was just that the reality was much worse than what I thought up. Beside me, I felt the others freeze as they looked around the room. I couldn't blame them.
Cages and dog crates lined the walls filled with people. Some were whimpering, shaking, looking at us with frightful eyes. The blood froze in my veins as my eyes fell on the ones completely silent. They were just lying there with blank looks on their faces, eyes dull and skin bloated and bruised. Bitter bile built in my throat as I stared into the lifeless gray eyes of a girl that couldn't have been older than eight. Bloody fingers were twisted between the cage bars and her limp hand looked like she was trying to reach out. Shakily, I reach out to grab her wrist.
Her skin was cold. There was no pulse.
I'm distracted from the awful bile in my throat by a hand on my elbow. Looking down, I saw Jess looking up at me carefully. Realizing that he was saying something, I shook my head to try to clear it. "Sorry, what was that?"
"Swan wants us to get into the computers to see if there's more rooms like this and where they are."
Right. This was a mission. There was no time for feelings right now. Nodding my head, I dropped the girl's wrist and turned back to the rest of the lab.
As Jessie led me to the computers lined on the back wall, I take this chance to observe the room closer. All the guards and scientist laid lifelessly on the floor, probably thanks to Alex. The demon was standing completely still, hands clenched and black eyes burning as he stared down at the bodies. Raven was already doing their best to soothe him, petting his shoulders and arms and murmuring in his ear. He seems to snap out of whatever funk he was in and stiffly moved to help Swan to get the cages open.
Getting into the computers was fairly easy and it was child's play to get into the actual information. There were a couple secure files though - triple encrypted and all that extra jazz - that I got Jess started on before relating the needed information to Swan.
"Jester, Diablo, and Raven you stay here. Noise, You're with me," the assassin orders. "Alpha and Zhayedan will be here soon to help. Jester, Glitch will be able to help you with those files. I want you guys to get that whole hard drive. Everyone stay safe and get as many people out as possible."
Raven followed us to the door to act as a look out. I give their elbow a light squeeze as I passed them before falling behind Black Swan. There were three other rooms that looked like they had the same purpose as the lab we found Alex in. I started to give directions to the closest one.
Along the way, we swiftly took care of any guards that we encountered and tied up many of the fleeing scientists. We weren't able to nab all of them and when I went to pursue those that escaped, Swan gripped my arm and shook her head. Pushing down my anger, I continued to dish out directions.
The second lab looked exactly the same as the first, minus the unconscious guards and scientists. Without hesitating, we started opening cages, checking on the people inside them for injuries while both of us kept an eye on the door in case a stray staff member decided to come back.
I had just reached into a crate to help a young brunet down when the comms cracked to life.
"Both mine and Longshot's teams are here. Where do you want us?"
Swan looked over at me and I give her a nod before continuing. She finished the lock she was on before taking a few steps back and giving some information to Des and Cole.
I'm startled out of my task when a hand lands on my arm. Swan stared down at me, hood blocking her eyes. "Come on, we have to go."
Nodding my head, I replied, "Okay just help me get her on my board."
She turned her critical gaze to the young woman I was holding. There were some gruesome bruises along her face and neck and she was struggling to breathe. I could tell that Swan didn't think she would make it. Feeling my anger rising, I snapped at her, "She still has a pulse. Help me get her on the board."
Her shoulders stiffen at my tone but she still leaned down next to me. Letting out a breath, I reached behind my back to unhook my hoverboard. I ran my hands over it, switching it on, before letting it hover a couple inches above the ground next to the woman.
"On the count of three… one, two, three!"
Once we have her settled, Swan walked to the door way, giving orders to the former prisoners. Tuning her out, I fiddled with the board until it was high enough that I could comfortably grab the edge to guide it. I gave Swan a thumbs-up when she looked back at me and bent down to swoop up a young kid whose leg was clearly broken. He let out a small whimper from the movement but soon wrapped his arms tight around me and buried his head into my neck.
Swan led the group out into the hallway, double-checking to make sure the coast was clear before leading them in the direction of the entrance. I hung back to make sure there weren't any we had left behind.
We made a bunch of noise shuffling down the halls, but it seems like most of the security has been taken out, either by us or by members of the other two teams as they went to check the rest of the building. When we get to the stairways on the second floor, we met with the other group running from the first lab. As we started to merge, I spotted Swan making her way to the back.
I paused for a second as we got to the same step. She scanned the girl on the board and the kid I was holding before tilting her head to me.
"Longshot found Icicle Junior. Beast is leading the group and Luck and Banshee are outside too. Make sure to get these people in eyesight of the cops or the paramedics before bailing, got it?"
"Got it," I gritted out. Swan laid a hand on my shoulder for a second then charged back down the stairs. My eyes strayed after her for a second before I repositioned the kid in my arms and continued up.
Black Swan had a way of always getting on my nerves with her nose-in-the-air attitude to her 'You're going to ditch us the second you have a chance' remarks. I'll be the first to admit, I don't always have the same loyalties as the others, but I wish I could just get it through her head that I'm not just going to abandon a mission because it got tough or that I'm going to rat someone out. I get it isn't to the same extent as most of the others, but the Outcasts were still the closest thing I had to family.
When I finally got back fresh air, a warm figure immediately appeared next to me to take the kid out of my arms. I gave a thankful smile to Raven before guiding my board over to the side of the building. I lowered the board before gently taking the kid and setting him up against the wall. Giving him a small pat on the head, I turned back to Raven.
The witch started babbling as soon as they realized they got my attention. "The police are starting to arrive and we want to start sending the ones that can walk around to them but that'll mean someone is going to come back here and that'll b-."
"It'll be bad because you guys are still avoiding making contact with the police and if they send someone to investigate or get the rest, they're going to see at least one of you guys," I finished up their thought. Raven shot me small look but nodded her head nonetheless. Thinking, I asked, "Did Glitch and Jess finish up downloading the hard drive?"
"I think so. Why?"
"Tell Diablo and Whiplash to get ready to flash everybody out." Raven gave me an adorable head tilt but took a step away to get the message through the comms. When they stepped back, they helped me move the woman onto the ground. I unfasten my belts and took off my helmet and handed them to the brunet with my board.
"What are you planning?" They questioned as they reluctantly accepted my crap.
A grin stretched across my face and I gave them a wink. "I'm going to play victim for a little bit." I reached up to mess up my hair and clothes a little bit. Turning so I could also see Luck and Banshee, I raised my voice so they could hear me too. "You guys might want to shoo along. It's gonna get real busy around here soon."
The three of them exchanged glances but still moved away to the nearest back alley. I watched them as they slipped away into the darkness. Raven stopped and looked back before they follow them, and I waved at them before they disappeared. My grin slipped off my face as they left and my hand went limp to hang by my side. Closing my eyes, I gave myself a second before I launched into my performance.
"Help! Someone help! Please!"
Eighty-four minutes after someone finally answers my hysterical screaming, I'm able to slip out of the back of police car and away unnoticed. I let out a relieved sigh as I slipped into an alley and the noise started to fade into the background. God, that was so annoying. I travelled through a couple more alleys and back streets before deciding I had put enough distance between me and the crime scene. After finding a busy enough street, I hailed a taxi so I could head home. When I stumbled through the front door, I seriously considered just collapsing then and there just to avoid climbing the stairs. Before I could decide however, something tackled me to the ground.
A heavy weight settled on my chest and a long tongue started slobbering over my face. Letting out a laugh, I scratched the wolf's neck. Red yipped happily before continuing his attack. He was nice and warm and I just wanted to curl up and fall asleep right there. But if Red was here that meant his owner was here as well so, with great effort, I pushed him off me and made my way through the café to the stairs with him happily trotting behind me.
Unsurprisingly, I found the door to my actual apartment opened ajar. Red slid past me and I followed him into the comfy, familiar place. I shuffled to the couch and collapsed on it, scaring the sleeping black cat already on it back into consciousness. Letting out a yowl, he raced off. There's a big clatter before I heard the shower shutting off. Laughing, I settled myself down to wait.
I didn't have to wait long though as only a few minutes had past before I heard the bathroom door as it creaked open followed by light footsteps heading to the living room. Soon, a long, warm weight draped itself over me. Letting out a content hum, I allowed myself to sink deeper into the cushions.
"You know Alex doesn't like it when you pretend he's not there and just sit on him."
Snorting, I respond, "Well, that's what he gets for being an asshole and finding new ways to call me short."
I can feel Raven's laugh move through their body and I smiled at the feeling. We laid there in a comfortable silence for a few more seconds before Raven broke it again. This time their voice was softer. "Are you okay?"
Everything went still. A wave of images of the girl whose wrist I held flashed behind my eyelids. My breath gets caught in my chest and I snapped my eyes open, banishing the images yet failing to stop them from drowning me. I felt sadness because she had deserved better. Anger at the ones that killed her. Grief because she deserved more days. Guilt, frustration, fear, disgust, shame. The list went on and on. It was just too much and it wouldn't stop.
Suddenly very aware of the fingers running through my hair, I jerk away from the feeling, making forest green eyes filled with concern replace the piece of ceiling I was staring at. Raven's lips were moving but I failed to focus enough to make out what they were saying. My hands flailed before hitting something solid and grasping onto it. The feeling grounded me enough for me to start to understand what was being said to me.
"Breathe, Noise. Deep breaths. In two three, out two three. In two three, out two three."
Their voice calmed me and I forced myself to follow their instructions. After a minute, they gently pried their wrists out of my grasp before sitting up, pulling me up with them, and shifting us around so I was basically straddling them. As soon as we settled down, I wrapped my arms around Raven and buried my face into their shoulder. In return, arms wrapped around my waist and they started to rub my back with one hand.
"You know nothing that happened in that lab was your fault, right?" Alex drawled, appearing suddenly in his usual human form by the foot of the couch. I turned my face enough to glare at him.
Raven releases a heavy sigh, her hand dragging down. "What he meant to say is that you did a good job tonight."
"I doubt that's what he was trying to say," I snorted. Alex made a small sound of confirmation as he settled himself next to us. Red whined pitifully and nudged our sides with his nose. Unwrapping one arm, I used it to rub his head. Looking into his brown eyes to avoid green and black ones, I askec, "If I did a good job, why do I feel like this?"
"You put too much on responsibility on yourself, leading yourself to falsely blame yourself for events completely out of your control."
"Alex, shut up," Raven snapped at him, words cold and sharp. Their hold on me tightened before completely disappearing. Even as they pulled back, I kept my eyes on Red. They released another sigh and gently grasped my chin to look up at them as they continued. "You feel like crap because you're a decent human being. You care about others and you don't want innocent people to get hurt. I'm also guessing it has something to do about your dad's business?"
I diverted my eyes.
"I feel like this goes back to my point," Alex piped up.
This time, Raven smacked him lightly upside the head. "What did I say?"
Despite the turmoil going on inside my head, I couldn't help but crack a smile at the small act of violence. When they turned back to me, Raven cleared their throat. "Even though Alex isn't exactly wrong, he could have said that in a better fashion. Your dad is a grown ass man who just also happens to be a giant twat. He knows exactly what he's doing providing money and weapons to the people he does. His actions have nothing to do with you."
Shame ran through my veins. "You know that's not true. I had the chance to stop him and I didn't take it."
Raven paused, looking blankly at some point over my head. Their response was slow and careful, "You had a hard choice to make. It's not a bad thing that self-preservation won out at the end."
I didn't believe their words. They knew I didn't believe it. But we've been around this rodeo enough times to know that we weren't going to agree, at least not any time soon, so we don't continue the subject.
Resting my head back on their shoulder, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Even though Raven just took a shower, they still smelt like crushed leaves and earth. Soon, their arms rewind around me and the back rubbing continued. We fall backwards until Raven's head was resting in Alex's lap. He let out a small grunt but still relaxed under us and rested a hand next to one of Raven's on my back. Surrounded by their combined warmth, I soon slipped into sleep.
When I went back to the labs early the next day, it was still surrounded by the police. I parked the bike down the street to observe. I couldn't see Baldy or any of his business partners but I would bet that he would give a public statement soon. As I continue to scan the crowd, my eyes landed on a black clad figure.
My breath caught in my throat as the Bat's head turned towards me. Forcing myself to remain calm, I flipped my visor down on my helmet before starting the bike again. Turning the bike out of the spot, I drove away from the scene. But even as I turned the corner, I could still feel his eyes on me.
Hello again beasties! Thank you again for reading! I hope you are having semi-pleasant time while you read this fic. Please write me a review or a PM about what you like, what you didn't like, ideas you may have, whose your favorite character, whose your most hated character, literally anything. I live off your guys' feedback and I will most likely respond withing a couple days. Anyway back on track, this work is now being beta-read by the lovely gregorybryce9 so please give them some applause. (also if you leave a comment thanking them, they'll probably appreciate it ;). And with that, we conclude this author's note. Hope you all have a wonderful day (or night)! Auf Wiedersehen!