''So?'' Roman and Dean were outside the tent.
''Positive; no infection'' Seth replied but he knew they didn't care about his wound; they wanted information about Elena.
''She resent you, doesn't she?'' Dean grinned and Roman let a sigh escape between his lips.
''So what was it? Engaged? Married?'' Roman said and Seth stared at them for a while. They had never showed any interest in his personal life before and all of a sudden; that's all they care about?
''Close enough; dead boyfriend'' he said shortly.
''We can work with that'' Dean said.
''Who?'' Roman had decided to try a new tactic; ignoring Dean.
''Guerrero, I can't compete with that'' Seth said and saw how a grin snuggled up Roman's face.
''What?''
''So you do like her, maybe there's still hope for you'' Roman mocked.
''Bye'' Seth turned and walked away.
''Oh, come on, I'm joking!'' Roman said and Seth could hear how he and Dean chuckled behind him. Assholes.
x x x
Patrolling duties were hated by everyone, especially Dean. The sun is hot, the supplies are heavy and never had he ever come across anything important. Before, he had been able to get on Seth's or Roman's nerves; sometimes even both when he felt for it. But this time he's not in the same unite as them, which sucked.
''Okay, pause'' Dean said and the men watched as he sat on a rock.
''Ambrose, Hunter will skin us alive'' Wade said.
''Do you see our beloved commander nearby? Exactly'' Dean unties his shoes to let his feet get some air. By this point, Roman and Seth would have beaten the life out of him, but he knew these men wouldn't.
''Let's go back'' Dolph said after a while and the rest agreed, except Dean.
''Dude if we go back, Hunter will make us do something else''
''Then stay'' Bryan said a little annoyed and started to head back. The others seemed to agree with him because now Dean was left alone.
''May I change unite? No? Ok.'' Dean said as he mumbled his way after the men.
A cracking noise appeared and the soldiers turned.
''Ambrose is that you?'' Bryan said.
''Yeah I'm here assholes, chill'' Dean appeared from the opposite direction.
''Thanks for waiting and…''
''Schh'' Wade said and Dean noticed how alert they were.
''One for all'' Batista said.
''And all for one'' their eyes widened; wrong code.
x x x
''I think Dean is back'' Roman said and Seth peeked up from where he was washing his face.
''How do you know?'' Seth asked just as someone banged him on the back, making him drop the water in his cupped hands.
''Wild guess'' Roman sighed and Seth mumbled a curse underneath his breath.
''Have you gain weight?'' Dean grinned and tipped his head to the side as he looked at Roman. Roman and Seth exchanged gazes.
''Anyway; listen…'' Dean continued smiling.
''Dude, instead of giving us death wishes; maybe you want to work on your… issues'' Roman interrupted and Dean's smile faded.
''I don't have any issues'' he replied coldly.
''Dean'' Seth said.
''Don't Dean me, I don't want to talk to her'' he said irritated.
''At least…'' Roman tried but Dean was done listening.
''We caught a guy'' he said.
''What?'' Roman and Seth said in tone.
''NXT soldier, that was what I was trying to say earlier'' he continued and nodded against his unite that was standing by the fireplace. They could see how soldiers were surrounding them and the prisoner was probably in the center of everything.
''So if you're done…'' Dean mumbled and walked towards the pack. Seth and Roman exchanged gazes and with a sigh, they followed him.
''Now that's enough, my turn'' Hunter said and the soldiers stopped kicking the man. He was lying on the ground with his arms over his head, bleeding badly.
''Who sent you?!'' Hunter yelled but he didn't answer. Hunter nodded against Randy and Miz and they stepped forward to grab the soldier's arms, making him kneel in front of their commander.
''Let's try the fun way'' Hunter said as he placed a punch against the soldier's head.
''Who sent you?!'' he repeated. No reply and his fist struck again.
''Who. Sent. You!'' he prepared a third fist but was stopped by a scream.
''No!'' a girl stumbled between Hunter and the soldier. It was Elena.
''What is she doing?!'' Roman said.
''Has she lost it?!'' Dean added. Seth just stared.
''How dare you!'' Hunter tossed her to the side and she hit the ground. There was nothing Seth could do, that's his commander.
Hunter pulled his gun out and pointed it against the soldier.
''No!'' Elena appeared again and placed her body in front of the man.
''Don't test me, I'll do it, SO MOVE!'' Hunter roared.
''He won't hurt anyone! He's just scared'' she said and indeed the soldier was, he shivered like a Chihuahua.
''I said move!'' Hunter lost his temper and was about to pull the trigger when Stephanie stumbled between.
''Hunter!'' she screamed and her husband darted his eyes on her.
''How dare you, lower you gun!'' she roared. He didn't.
''Out of the way'' he tossed his wife to the side and were now looking down at Elena.
''You can't question a dead man'' she said and he glared at her for a while.
''She has a point'' Shawn dared his steps up to them but Hunter didn't let his gaze drop from the girl.
''Come on'' Shawn slowly took a grip around the gun and Hunter let it drop into his custody. Elena exhaled and let her body relax against the soldier's.
''Lock him up'' Hunter said.
''For the matter of fact, lock them both up!'' he yelled. His men hesitated but obeyed. Miz, Randy, Wade and Shamus took the soldier while Elena followed John willingly.
''Stupid girl, you should have stayed where you were'' Dean and Roman turned to see Seth's gaze follow Elena.
''I'm sorry'' John said as he locked the bars.
''It's fine, you're obeying orders'' Elena said softly and he sighed.
They left and Elena slid her body along the wall until she hit the ground.
''Why did you do that?'' a voice broke and she turned to face the soldier.
''You don't deserve to die like that, none of you does'' she said.
''But I'm the enemy'' she shook her head.
''You're not; you're just like everyone else here. Stuck and used'' she said.
''I don't even care which side that wins; I just want to go home'' he said and she chuckled.
''In war, there's no winning side darling'' he looked at her and it went quiet for a while.
''What's your name'' she asked.
''Austin, Austin Aries'' he said.
''Elena'' she said softly.
''I'm sorry Elena'' he made a sad face expression and the room went quiet again. There was nothing to say.
''Let. Her. Go!'' Stephanie pushed her husband and he looked at her hurt face, he didn't mean to toss her that hard.
''She must pay for her betrayal'' he said.
''What betrayal?! She's a kid and what right do you even have to take that poor man's life?!'' he didn't answer. With frustration, she stepped out of the tent and was meet by her nurses.
''I'll fix this, don't worry'' she said but saw the concern in their eyes.
''Hunter are you sure?!'' she turned to see a panicking Shawn run after her husband. He had a gun in his hand.
''Oh, no, no, no, no, no'' she stormed between her girls and ran towards them.
''What's happening?'' Dean said and the boys, who were sitting around the fireplace, turned to see Stephanie running against the prison.
A woman's scream was heard, and then two gunshots. Stephanie froze and her eyes widened.
''Return his body to the border, that should teach them a lesson'' Hunter came out and stopped by the view of his wife. She shut her eyes.
''Say you didn't'' her voice was shaky. He just passed her.
''Shawn?!'' she opened her eyes and screamed his name. No answer from the inside. She couldn't move and by sobs, she turned to watch her ladies stand in a heap.
Roman couldn't take this, he rose and walked up to the doorway where he stopped to peek inside. Miz and Randy passed him with the dead soldier's body and he made way for them. Left in the room was Shawn on the ground, patting a crying Elena against his chest. Roman shut his eyes and let a big exhale escape between his lips. He turned to the outside world and gave Stephanie a nod.
''She's alive'' he said and the woman broke down in tears. Not far after that, she stormed in to join Shawn on the floor. Roman made a sad face expression before he turned to walk back to his friends.
''Probably should write my letter'' Kevin broke the silence that laid in the air. They all turned to watch as he shot the last of his drink before he dug out a piece of paper and a pen form his pocket.
And indeed he was right. Matter of fact they all should prepare their letters; the trigger was pulled.