5. Decisions and Rhode Island

The Falcon flew through the sky, heading back to The Mother of Invention, in the back CT and Arizona were taking care of South's legs with the ship's first-aid kit.

"This is 343 reporting in, we need a medical team to meet us immediately in the hanger, agent South has serious burns on her legs."

"Copy that, they'll be waiting for your arrival."

CT and Arizona finished treating the legs the best they could, both wiping sweat from their foreheads.

"That should help reduce some of the pain and keep it from getting infected," CT told her.

"Well it still hurts like a bitch," South panted, pain etched on her face.

"Just hold on, we've almost back and you'll get the medical attention you need," Carolina reassured her. South smiled a bit at her statement but she was still uncomfortable.

The Mother of Invention started to come into view with one of the hanger doors starting to open. 343 flew towards it, entering it as the doors fully opened and he landed the Falcon. Immediately a medical team and stretcher came up to the Falcon along with North and the Counselor. They loaded South onto the stretcher and started to wheel her off, North by her side trying to comfort her. The other three were about to follow when the Counselor stopped them.

"The Director would like a word with you three in regards to your mission."

CT and Carolina were about to protest but they looked at Arizona and just simply nodded in understanding.

They followed him into one of the briefing rooms, the Director standing behind the table in there, the Board up behind. The Counselor stood by his side while the agents stood across the table from them.

"Well done in acquiring the key agents, but the Insurrectionists found out you were there," the Director said in a disappointed tone.

"If I can interject sir, one of them just happened to have stationed herself and more guards in the room, believing we'd show up," Carolina told him.

"Regardless, the second key and our target will now be harder to acquire," the Director stated, turning towards the board. "However, you all completed the mission successfully, update the board Counselor." The Counselor tapped on his pad and the board updated, putting Arizona in the second spot and CT in the sixth spot.

The board read as followed:

Carolina

Arizona

York

North

South

Connecticut

Maine

Wyoming

Washington

Florida

"You're dismissed." The three agents started to leave the room. "Agent Arizona, may we have a word." CT and Carolina looked at her worriedly at this. "Go on, we'll meet up in the infirmary," she told them. They nodded and left the room, the door closing behind them.

"I take it you found the spy in the project?" the Director asked her.

"Yes sir."

"Now, who is it?"

CT and Carolina walked down the halls, heading to the infirmary in silence, CT looking really worried. 'I know why he asked her to stay, is she really going to give him the file?' she thought.

"Don't worry about what happens in there, I'll be behind you and I'm sure South and Arizona will be too," Carolina reassured her. CT only nodded as they rounded the corner, coming up to the infirmary.

They walked in to find South in the far back of the room with North beside her bed; her legs bandaged up and suspended from the ceiling. She only wore a loose white shirt and really short black shorts, which caused CT to blush a little bit.

"Hey," CT said.

"Hey," South replied, noticing the blush on CT face and smirked a bit.

"How're feeling?" Carolina asked her.

"Well they don't feel like hell anymore, but they could be better," she told them, waving it off.

"She had third degree burns from her feet to her mid-lower leg and second degree burns to her knee. Doctor says the damage could have been worse if you hadn't treated them on the Falcon, but she's not to go on any missions for at least two weeks," North told them. A faint 'Oh for Fuck Sakes,' could be heard coming from across the ship. (Guess who that was)

"Ugh," South groaned out loud. "Don't worry, we'll get you back to our room as soon as they allow it so you can relax there," CT reassured her.

At that moment Arizona came up to the infirmary's door. When she touched the door panel, a dark red bolt left her hand and traveled into the system. As she walked in and over to the others the dark red bolt continued through the room, causing small cameras and mics hidden around to be shut off.

"Seems you're doing better," Arizona told her, cracking a small smile for the three to see.

'Wow, she has a cute smile. Damn it, don't think like that, but it's no wonder Connie's into her," Carolina thought.

"North," South started to say.

"Oh, I'll just be going now, tell the others you're alright," he said to her as he got up from his chair and walked out of the room.

"We need to talk," Arizona started right as he left the room.

"Are you sure it's safe to talk in here, the Director has the whole ship bugged with cameras and mics," Carolina told her.

"Don't worry about those, I got those taken care of," she replied, making a small smirk.

CT sat down next to South while Carolina stood on the other side.

"So, did you give him the file?" CT asked her.

"I did," she stated.

CT and South's eyes widened while Carolina's became sharp with anger.

"So he knows about me," CT said looking away.

"No."

That caused the three to look back at her. "I changed it, saying one of the ship's marines was the spy," she told them with a smirk. "It's only a small lie; he has been putting weapons and tech onto the black market."

The three let out a sigh of relief. "But won't they find out once they interrogate him?" South asked.

"Knowing how the Director acts about stuff like this, he's not going to give the marine a chance to give any more info out. He's going to be killed without a second thought," Carolina stated.

The four stayed in place for a minute in silence, not looking anyone in the eye.

"So," South started.

"So," CT said.

"We need to talk," Carolina stated.

"About what?" Arizona asked.

"Connie knows, and I think South does too," Carolina answered, knowing they can't avoid this any longer.

"It's, about the feelings we have for each other," CT stated, blushing as she twiddled her fingers in her lap.

This caused Arizona to raise her eyebrow.

"Well, I'll be the first to admit, I've had a crush on Connie for a while now. You're a nice girl and come on; those thighs just knock me out. But I saw Arizona's work back at the base, and hearing a bit about your past, makes me really want to know more about you. God I really don't understand what's going on with me," South said aloud, leaning back into the bed.

"I've also had a crush on Connie, mine actually starting back when the Director was scouting recruits. I wanted to try and explain these feelings for her for a long time. When I found out about her being a spy, I was shocked but knew not to act differently around her while I did some more digging and found out why. You're loyal to your family and strong willed, and I know I won't easily find someone else like you," Carolina said, holding her hands together in front of her.

"Okay, I guess I was always into South and Carolina since joining the project. South is caring behind her rude exterior; it's not hard to see. Carolina, I knew you tried to hide your emotions for the most part but you'd always show some when you're around me and won't let us down. I never told either of you because I didn't understand my feelings or how to tell you, along with my mission for the Insurrection. And Arizona, when you came in, you happened to take my breath away, you may have scars but they help define you. I can tell you just want someone to trust you and love you. And that's how I feel," CT explained, a blush spreading across her face.

They turned to look at Arizona. Her face held shock, surprise, and slight joy. A very faint pink came on her cheeks, only Carolina noticed.

"I, haven't really felt like this in a while. And it's only been a day. But I'll admit, after our mission together, I trust you three, and willing to see what may happen," she finally says.

This made CT and South smile and Carolina to nod in approval.

"So, what now?" CT asked. "Who's going to be with who?"

"It's seems a bit weird with us all being into each other," Carolina pointed out.

"I'd be willing to share if you ask me, no clue about the rest of you," South said with a shrug.

Arizona looked at the three. "I think we could do that. We at least like one other person here and we'll just have to see what feelings we form for the others," she explained to them.

The other Freelancers looked at each other and smiled.

"Sure."

"Why not."

"Hell yeah."

The four smiled at each other and sat around South to continue talking.

A week later

Mother of Invention

Arizona was in the ship's firing range shooting at holographic soldiers, which were either Insurrectionists or, for some reason, orange armored guys, with a sniper rifle. She had her helmet off and a faint dark green light could be seen on the scope, if someone looked hard enough they could see. After she took out the last hologram she lowered her sniper, the light leaving the scope and becoming a small ball before heading to her palm and disappearing, and walked away, dropping off the rifle and picking her helmet up.

She headed down the hall in silence, not really paying attention to where she was heading, something obviously on her mind.

'I know what I said to them, but do I really believe that? Can I really trust others again? I should try, but still,' she thought to herself. "Arizona." Said agent was pulled from her thoughts by someone calling her name. She turned around to see South coming down the hall in a wheel chair, wearing the same clothes she had in the infirmary.

"What are you doing out already? At the very least you should be in your room," Arizona told her, letting her catch up to her.

"Like that was ever going to happen, I'd be bored out of my skull if I stayed there all day till I get out of these fucking casts," South replied with a smirk as she came up next to her.

"Would-All-Agents-Please-Report-To-Hanger-3-A-Amedietaly," F.I.L.I.S.S. announced over the intercom.

The two started to head to the hanger. Once they got there the other agents were already gathered around the Director and Counselor. South wheeled over to CT and Carolina and Arizona stayed to the side.

"Agents, in two days' time, we'll be heading off to collect a very important object using the information we've acquired the last few weeks," the Director first stated. "However, with agent South out of commission, we need someone to replace her on this mission."

At that moment a Pelican flew into the hanger and landed behind the two. The back opened and five armored figures walked out, three males and two females. They all wore ODST armor, one male in green and grey, the next was straight grey, and the last male had grey and yellow armor, one of the ladies had red and grey armor and the last one was in a light blue and white armor Sharpshooter BDU variant and binocular's on her helmet (like Romeo in ODST), she was also a bit shorter then the others.

"So I've brought in these five for the mission," the Director told them, as the five walked up beside him, the lady in the light blue armor steeping forward.

"These are the members of Scutum Team; Rome, Scar, Set, Hunter, and their leader agent Rhode Island." (Note: the names are in order of them being described)

The team looked over the agents. Rhode Island stopped and stared when her eyes came upon Arizona, which she noticed easily with a slight brow raise.

"We were able to find the other key with the data you collected, and I was able to hack their systems; they're going to be transferring it, somewhere easier to acquire," Rhode Island explained to them, only moving her head slightly to the side so she can still keep a eye on Arizona.

"Now then, continue on and be ready for the mission in two days," the Director told them as he walked off with the Counselor, leaving the agents alone with the new troops. Texas also walked off, not caring about the new comers.

"So, you're a hacker," York said to Rhode Island, starting up a conversation.

"Yes, that would be correct agent York," she stated; only slightly turning her head towards him.

"What have you been doing for the Director?" Carolina asked her.

"We've been doing some small missions for Project Freelancer for about five months now agent Carolina."

"How do you know who we are?" CT asked her, getting a bit curious.

"I know who all of you are through researching about everyone, of course only the facts each of you gave the project, agent Connecticut," Rhode Island explained. She then started to walk up to Arizona

"However, I happen to know more about your past, agent Arizona."

"Is that so?" Arizona asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Yes, we both knew each other very well agent Arizona," Rhode Island said. She started to take her helmet off. Her face had a few scars covering it and a hazel brown right eye, while, to everyone's surprise, her left eye was completely cybernetic, the eye itself a glowing orange, along with other robotic parts and implants along the left side of her head. But what really grabbed everyone's attention, especially Arizona's, was the short, blue hair that fell out of the helmet.

"Or should I say, Lucy."

And here she is. Yeah wasn't really big this chapter like you might have thought but you know now who it is. Also I'm sorry about the romance thing, it might suck. I'm not good with romance.

So it's going to be Lucy(Arizona)x CT x Carolina x South

Also, have any of you noticed the lights around her, besides Loke, there's the pink light in chapter 2, the two blue ones in Chapter 4, and the Red and the Green in this chapter. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out.