A.N.: (my second time typing this AN because I refreshed before I saved the last time...) I kept on forgetting to answer questions on ANs, so while I still remember, I will answer the question I received from your amazing reviews~
From BlueCookies214: (Are you going to mention the problem of the missing year? It is wierd bcuz Alex nearly had a panic attack in Ch 13 but it isn't mentioned again..) Yes, I will mention the problem again near the end of the story. It doesn't play an extremely large role in the story, but it is still pretty important in understanding what exactly happened during the time Alex was living with the Pleasures. ^ ^
And of course, K-Unit is going to come in soon so don't fret~ They will play a pretty important role soon. ^ ^
Okay, enough spoilers, onwards!
P.S. I wrote disk in this chapter. By disk I mean the USB drive. It was after I wrote it that I realized that disk is like one of those round flat thing...
"Do you have any plan of getting out of here?" Alex spoke up.
The agent glanced at him then smiled slightly, "I couldn't do it by myself. I need your help as well."
Bear and the rest of J-Unit exchanged a glance, "What's the plan?"
Alex glanced at the agent. There were no doubts listening devices installed in this room. Edmonson and Agent Belworth, no, Pine, must be listening in right now, or at least, they would have recorded everything that was happening in this room. The agent met his gaze and nodded slightly, understanding what he was trying to convey. Do not speak the plan out loud.
"Any of you have any experience in acting?" The agent asked almost cheerfully after a moment.
"Acting?" Bear asked, hesitating slightly.
"Yes, acting."
As if automatically, all eyes turned to Alex, who inwardly groaned, "I do." Just because he could play the son of a rich man who excelled at poker did not mean that he could play any other character well.
"I don't have a plan," The agent said as he turned toward him, smiling slightly, "It would be up to you."
The agent met his eyes again as if telling him the plan silently. Alex mentally heaved a great sigh. He was no mind-reader, or eye-reader in this case. He would just give it his best shot on the agent's plan.
"Stop screwing around," Alex lunged forward, grabbing the agent by the front of his shirt, "You said you had a plan!"
"Coyote!" Bear exclaimed.
He met the agent's eyes and tried to apologize for his ruthless actions. It was necessary for the act after all.
"You and I are both half-dead," The agent played along, "There is no way that we would make it out alive."
"Then tell us the information," Alex said darkly, "At least they would let us go if you don't want to leave."
"Coyote!" Bear dragged him back by his collar but Alex did not let go of the agent's shirt "What are you talking about?"
Alex did not turn.
"Are you going to betray 6?" Clearly Bear had not caught on to the act.
"It is a life or death situation," Alex turned his head slightly to face Bear.
The agent reached out with his hand, trying to dismantle Alex's hands on his shirt. He felt something slipped into his palm and closed it tightly to avoid the object from falling out. It felt warm from the leftover body heat of the agent but the metal beneath it became cold nonetheless momentarily. The smooth metal of the disk laid inside his palm. Alex glanced at Agent Belworth. What was he playing at, giving him the disk?
Agent Belworth lashed out with his strength, kicking Alex unexpected on his stomach. The air flew out of him in a whoosh and Alex landed on his side, winded. Clasping his hand over the wound on his side, he coughed out the blood in his mouth onto the floor. Taking his chance, he slipped the disk into the pocket in his pants, unnoticed by anyone.
"Traitor," The agent spat out. Alex had to admire the man's skills in acting. Agent Belworth wasn't an agent for MI6 for nothing. Agent Belworth better apologizing for kicking him, a wounded person, afterward.
"Give us the location of the disk," Alex said as he shakily clambered to his feet.
"Over my dead body." The agent replied coolly, still sitting on the ground being unable to move because of his wound.
Bear, taking the chance, lunged toward Alex, grabbing him by his arms and twisting them behind his back, "Stop this, Coyote!"
Alex cried out in pain as Bear accidentally aggravated the injuries on the side. Bear faltered for a moment. That was enough for Alex. He lashed out, elbowing Bear on the side. Not too hard, or soft, just enough to make the man double over. He nearly collapsed through the haze of pain. He couldn't see anything clearly. Bear, recovering fast enough, grabbed him again. This time, Alex did not resist. He couldn't, even if he wanted to.
"It's an act, Bear." He hissed quietly into the man's year as Bear leaned down, securing Alex's arms behind his back.
"An act?" Bear replied quietly. Their faces were hidden from view and it would look to others as if Bear was trying to restrain Alex.
"Trust me," Alex said then nearly choked as he spat out blood from his mouth, "We don't have long." He insisted, "I don't have long."
Bear nodded slightly, apparently believing his words. He released the strain on his arms by a fraction and Alex took the chance and slipped out of his hold while bring up his legs around to lash out. Bear leapt back in time, narrowly avoiding it. Alex took one of the guns that Bear carried at his waist while the man was busy defending himself and grabbed the agent by his shoulder, dragging him upright.
Alex aimed the gun at the agent. Point blank, "Tell me. Where did you put the disk?"
"I am not going to tell you." The agent said, grinning slyly, "You can't kill me. I have the information that you need."
Alex shifted the gun slightly and fired. The bullet whizzed past, narrowly missing the man's hair by less than a centimeter, "I can't kill you, but I can make you wish that you are better off dead."
The agent paled visibly and Alex grimaced slightly.
"I know where you put the disk. It is on you," Alex continued slowly, "If I kill you, I can still take the disk and give it to them."
"How do you know that it is with me?" Agent Belworth asked.
"The man, Pine, said that you stored it in Edmonson's office," Alex began slowly, his gun never leaving his target, "which was clearly a trick to get us into the office to meet you. That means that they do not know where the disk is, and that also meant that you have already taken the information onto a disk."
"That proves nothing." Agent Belworth snorted slightly.
"They know your whereabouts at every second of the day. It wouldn't be hard for them to track down all the places you have been to and search through it. But they didn't find it anywhere and therefore, they 'invited' us to solve the case by asking you. Where could you have hidden it? Somewhere on this ship? Slipping it under a box while no one is looking? I've considered that. But they were risky methods. What if someone found it accidentally? What if Pine killed you before you have a chance to send it out? Clearly, neither of them know if you have sent the information or not, or how you are going to transmit the information. If you leave it far from you, it would be a little hard and troublesome to transmit the data. Presuming that you are not someone who likes to take risks on a mission, I believe that you have hidden it with you."
"Are you sure?" The agent sneered.
Alex lowered the gun and probed the man's chest pocket with the blunt end. He felt his gun hitting something metallic. The agent's face paled even further. Wait…the disk? Alex frowned slightly. Then what was the thing that the agent handed him earlier?
"I am sure." Alex leaned in as if threatening the agent and whispered hurriedly, "I am going to call Pine in. He is going to shoot. Get everyone down before he does."
Agent Belworth met his brown eyes with his blue ones and blinked in affirmation.
"Coyote, that's too far." Ferret intervened. Alex glanced back. The man had clearly been briefed on what was happening by Bear. Ferret nodded his head almost imperceptibly, "You're going to hurt yourself and the agent."
"I know where it is." Alex said out loud, knowing that Pine would be listening in, "I will tell you if you let us go."
As if on cue, the door swung open. The man walked in, a small delighted smile on his face, "My my, you have it?"
"I know where it is. Now let us go." Alex said, his tone suddenly dark. He had no real way to know if the man would really let them go or not, but in his years of unprofessional negotiations with the 'bad guys', whatever that is going to happen would definitely turn out bad.
"Tell me where it is, and I will let you go free."
"How do I know that you are going to keep your words?" Alex shot back.
"The same way I know that you are going to keep your words." Pine smiled as he pulled out a gun, locking it straight at Bear who took a step back automatically, "Now speak."
"You wouldn't dare."
The man fired.
The bullet grazed Bear's arms as Bear tried to sidestep away. Bear winced as he grabbed his arm.
"Great footwork and evading skills," Pine said, "Now speak before I shoot his arm off."
"It's in the agent's chest pocket," Alex said in a rush.
Bear turned to look at him in betrayal. They didn't know that the agent had slipped the disk to him, but that was fine. The fewer people who know about it, the better. But Alex still couldn't help flinching as he saw the look.
"You traitor!" Bear snarled.
"I've told you the whereabouts. Now let us go!" Alex shouted, a little desperate, as Ferret and Leopard restrained Bear from lunging at him.
Pine walked closer, his gun never leaving Bear, "Then take it out from him and show it to me."
Shit.
"Why are you not moving?" The man smiled, the gun clicking slightly in his hand as he played with the trigger with his finger. Alex flinched every time the trigger bounced back.
Stiffly, Alex kneeled down beside Agent Belworth. The agent met his gaze wearily before dropping his gaze and reached inside his chest pocket. His hand came out a moment later with a disk. Alex faltered. Consciously, he felt the lump that was the disk in his pocket using his elbow. It was still there. Then…what was this disk?
Agent Belworth's lips twitched upward in a slight smile at his question. Alex blinked. This one, the one that the agent had in his hand, was a fake. That was an MI6 agent for you, Agent Belworth's eyes seemed to be saying.
He grabbed the disk and turned around, "Here. Now let us go."
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Pine said as he walked closer, reaching out to pocket the disk, "Are you sure that this is the real one?"
"Yes." Alex met the man's beseeching gaze firmly, "Now let us go."
Pine held his gaze as if searching for the answer. Alex stared back. Don't blink, don't move, and don't fidget. Don't give out anything.
"I see that you are telling the truth." The man backed away as his hand slipped the disk into his pocket. Alex nearly breathed a sigh of relief. Pine turned and headed toward the door.
"Wait!" Alex's cry stopped the man in his track, "You said that you would let us go."
"I did?" The man tapped his chin as if thoughtfully, "But I didn't promise, or swear to god, did I?"
"You bastard!"
"Good night," Pine said coldly as he raised his gun.
Alex had been expecting that ever since the man had walked into the room. He launched himself at J-Unit while Agent Belworth pressed himself against the floor. They fell onto the floor just as the bullets ripped into the room. Alex felt a bullet grazed his arm and winced. Dust clouds flew up from where the bullets hit the stone wall. He coughed to get the dust out of his lung. Dropping onto the floor, he rolled over and climbed to his feet behind the desk. Bear, taking the chance, dropped to the agent's side. With the help from Ferret and Leopard, they pulled the agent out of sight as Pine momentarily faltered, a little surprised to have his movements predicted. Alex pulled out his gun and pointed at the man while hiding most of his body behind the table.
"Hands up, or I will shoot. Drop your gun." Alex ordered, hating himself for swaying slightly and appearing weakened.
"You look like you are going to topple over anytime soon." Pine chuckled as he turned around to face him, "You are no threat."
Alex fired. The bullet sank into the man's arm. Pine stifled a howl of pain as he dropped his gun, clasping his hand over the wound that had begun bleeding freely. The man staggered back a few steps. Alex froze. He had shot someone. He had shot someone. He fucking shot someone willingly.
Dimly, he saw Bear delivering a quick chop to the man's neck and he dropped onto the floor. Someone tugged the gun out of his hand and lowered his arms.
"It's alright, Coyote. He's not dead. You didn't kill him." Leopard was saying.
He shot someone.
"Let's go. Before guards came." Ferret said as he pulled Alex away from the desk and toward the door.
He shot someone. It wasn't the first time, he knew. But…he shot someone, willingly, by his own will.
Bear growled, a little irritated, "Next time you're acting, tell me beforehand. I nearly killed you. Now let's get out of here."
Alex snapped himself out of it. Escape, right. They had to escape.
"The window," Alex finally said as Leopard and Ferret supported the agent out the room. Pine remained unconscious on the floor, "The window near the stairs. We are on the first floor. We can leave. There are lifeboats stored beneath the ship in case of emergency. We can drop onto the boat over the railing."
"The impact might kill us. But that's the best idea right now." Agent Belworth nodded weakly, "By the way, your side. It's bleeding again."
Alex glanced down then looked up again. It was bleeding. They didn't have time to treat it, "Let's go. The fast we get out of here, the better."
Bear grunted. He pulled out his gun and smashed the window using the blunt end. It easily broke, raining broken glass shards down. Bear batted them away and cleared a large enough hole for them to climb through. The window was built large enough for a person to climb through. It was probably originally designed for sight-seeing, Alex thought as he glanced out the window at the night. Bear climbed out first. Alex supported the agent as Bear climbed out and the agent, with a little help from Bear, climbed out the window
"Go," Ferret jerked his head at Alex.
Alex climbed out, feeling a little nauseous at the bloodless. He wondered whose blood he was going to get once going into the hospital. A positive wasn't that rare of a blood type. As long as he did not get some sort of animal blood that would turn him into an animal, he was happy. What was he thinking? Alex inwardly sighed. Maybe all the bloodless was getting to his head. He was feeling so cold. They should build a heater somewhere. Bear caught him before he tripped over the window frame.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
Alex supported himself with the railing and nodded, "Yeah. Let's get out of here."
Bear spared him a glance before turning back toward the window, "Come on, Ferret, Leopard."
Then there were two shots.
Two staggered against the shot, their eyes widened slightly in shock.
Bear climbed out of the window, careful not to let any of the broken glass touch him. He leapt out easily onto the deck. The night wind was chilly and his suit wasn't the ideal clothing for the weather, but when was suit ever suitable for military works?
With the support from Coyote, they eased the agent out. Agent Belworth looked like he was on the verge of passing out. They had to get him to a hospital soon. The man smiled slightly as their gaze met. But Agent Belworth was tough, like a soldier. He wouldn't fall so easily.
Coyote looked like he was going to topple over by mere wind as he climbed out the window, narrowing avoiding the shards of the glass at his feet. His gaze looked a little far and Bear felt himself growing a little concerned. Coyote tripped over the outcrop of the frame as he went out. Bear caught him before he toppled over the frame. Coyote shivered slightly. His condition was probably worse than Agent Belworth's. He had lost too much blood from the side wound. He would be in surgery almost immediately when they got him to the hospital.
"Are you alright?" He asked as Coyote righted himself on the railing. He looked pale as he nodded, forcing a small smile on his face, "Yeah, let's get out of here."
Bear turned back toward Ferret and Leopard, "Come on, Ferret, Leopard."
They were the two most physically-abled person in the present. Coyote and Agent Belworth would be depending on them the most.
Suddenly, two shots rang out from inside the ship. Bear faltered. Leopard and Ferret staggered, clutching to the edge to support themselves.
"Ferret! Leopard!"
"You are not leaving!" Pine snared from inside the ship. Judging by the sound of his voice, he was getting closer. Shit. The man had woken. He should have jabbed the man harder.
"Come on," Bear yelled at the two, "Get out!"
Pine came into view. Ferret delivered a punch to the man's unprotected face. The man leapt back, aiming his gun at them, "Move aside!"
"Bear, protect the agent!" Ferret yelled.
"Ferret! Don't play the hero! Get out!"
Pine fired his gun. Leopard threw himself at the man.
"Leopard!" Ferret screamed.
The medic collapsed onto the floor, blood streaming out of the blossoming wound on his shoulder. He was shot. There was another wound on his stomach. Leopard tried to climb to his feet but failed, falling back onto the carpet. Ferret hurried and crouched down beside the medic. His gaze swung to Bear upon checking the pulse.
"Get out, Bear!" He yelled. Bear noticed the distinct patch of blood that was expanding outward on Ferret's jacket. Ferret and Leopard were both shot.
"No way!" He aimed his gun at Pine, gritting his teeth. He hated the man so much at that moment.
The man, as if sensing his movements, swung around and fired at him. Coyote pushed him out of the way and they both landed on the deck.
"Bear, let's go." Coyote said as he struggled to his feet, nearly falling face-first back onto the deck in the process, "Agent Belworth. There's a control panel on the side. Get the lifeboat out."
Agent Belworth nodded and tugged out the panel on the side. He heard the sound of a metal gate opening beneath them.
"What?" Bear couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Leaving? What do you mean? Ferret and Leopard are still inside."
"We can't save them." Coyote shook his head as he staggered into the railing.
A shot rang out.
Bear could only watch as Ferret fell to his knees beside Leopard. The shooter of the unit clasped a hand over his stomach and glanced desperately at Bear, "Bear, go!"
Pine advanced toward them, loading his gun. The shards crunched beneath his boots.
"Coyote, the lifeboat is directly beneath us over the railing." Agent Belworth said quietly.
Coyote nodded then turned toward Bear, "Bear, you heard Ferret. Let's go."
"Hand the agent over," Pine snarled, "Or I will shoot these two."
"Ferret! Leopard!" Bear yelled. Red surge of anger flooded his vision. He fired at the man. His hands were trembling and he wasn't aware that tears were clouding his vision. He was desperate. He was so fucking desperate.
Coyote pulled him back and Bear resisted, "Let go Coyote!"
"Agent Belworth, can you jump onto the boat?" Dimly, he heard Coyote asking. The agent nodded, "Go!"
The agent lifted himself over the short railing and flipped over. Coyote fired at Pine who dodged and fired toward them. Alex pulled both of them away from the window, "Bear, go!"
"I am not leaving them!" Bear fought back. He jerked his elbow back, knocking Coyote's chin back. The younger man jerked back in a choked pain but did not release his clutch on Bear's right arm.
"We have to go!" Coyote said, desperate, "Don't let their sacrifice go in vain."
Sacrifice…"They're not dead." Bear snapped angrily, "They're alive! I have to save them."
Bear turned his gaze back to the inside of the ship as something crashed. Ferret and Leopard had thrown themselves against the man who was about to shoot them. Pine staggered back and lashed out. Ferret and Leopard landed on the ground.
"Bugs," Pine muttered under his breath. It was soft and barely audible but it carried loud and clear to Bear. Bear froze, his frame shaking. Ferret…Leopard…How dare the man call them bugs? He couldn't move. He couldn't move. He couldn't fucking move. He couldn't fucking move as the man raised his gun and shot Ferret point-blank. Then Leopard. They dropped onto the ground. Motionless. Dead.
There was blood everywhere.
Over the carpet.
Staining the carpet.
Trickling out from the wounds.
In front of his eyes. Red. Everywhere. Bear trembled, "Ferret…Leopard…"
"Bear, let's go!" He heard Coyote's desperate cries but he didn't hear him. All he heard was the gunshot. It rang repeatedly through his ears. He saw Coyote, but he didn't see him. All he saw was Ferret and Leopard. Dead. Because of his inability. Death, more death, caused by him.
Ferret arguing with him. Running with him. Leopard treating his wound. Being with him. Tolerating him. Smiling. Angry. Frowning. Gone. Gone. Disappeared. He staggered back.
Bear felt Coyote dragging him over the railing and pulled back. "They're still in there. I have to save them!"
"They're dead, Bear!" Coyote cried out, "You can't save them anymore!"
Dead. Suddenly, Bear knew that it wasn't his fault. It wasn't his fault that Ferret and Leopard died. It was Coyote's. Coyote refused to save them. Coyote who decided to run. Coyote, the traitor. He curled his fist.
Pine walked closer.
Coyote pulled him over the railing. Then they were falling. Falling toward the lifeboat. Bear saw Pine aiming his gun at him. He closed his eyes. The pain never came. He felt the air escape him as they landed on the soft air-inflated part of the boat. It rocked violently at the impact. The agent righted the ship immediately before starting the engine. It hummed beneath him but Bear felt nothing. He felt numb. Ferret. Leopard. Gone. Red. The boat started moving slowly. The wind was chilling.
"Bear, are you alright?" Agent Belworth came into his vision.
He turned away. What was the wetness on his cheek? Water? It must be.
"Where's Ferret and Leopard?" Maybe it was just a nightmare. He would wake up anytime soon and it would all pass. He would wake up and dread the start of another day in Brecon Beacon. Ferret would start pissing off right after breakfast. Leopard would try to intervene. They would go on some sort of course. He would beat them, Ferret and Leopard would tie. Coyote would just be beside them watching silently like he always did. Then they would take their language course. Coyote would try to speak to him in broken Russian. Ferret and Leopard would laugh. Then they would communicate a little in French. Then they would continue their training. Then Ferret would start talking with Coyote, picking out his secrets and annoying him. Then-
"They're dead, Bear." Agent Belworth answered softly.
Gone? That couldn't be.
"I need you to check on Coyote."
Coyote. Coyote who refused to save them. It was all Coyote's fault. He sat up abruptly.
"Coyote didn't save them. He let them die." Bear spat out, burying his head in his hands. His shoulders shook. The boat rocked beneath them as if trying to smooth out their rough emotions.
"He couldn't have saved them." The agent said softly, "But he saved you."
"He saved himself, not us!" Bear snarled, turning to face the agent.
Then he faltered as he saw Coyote who was lying face up on the small deck of the boat, "What…?"
The agent returned to Coyote's side after a moment, "I…He is dying."
Wait. What? Coyote…dying?
"H-How?" Bear was confused. Should Coyote be alive? The traitor bastard saved himself instead of Ferret and Leopard. So why…was he dying?
"Pine tried to shoot you as Coyote dragged you over the railing," The agent explained as he applied pressure on Coyote's stomach. There was another wound that Bear hadn't notice. When did it appear? "Coyote took it for you. Adding onto his original wound…" He didn't need to finish.
Bear froze. He did not understand. Why was…Coyote dying? Coyote…took a bullet for him? He was missing something. Wasn't Coyote trying to save himself? He couldn't understand.
"He was trying to save you," Agent Belworth said as he sat back, completely drained of energy, "Because he knew that he couldn't save the other two in time."
Bear didn't pay attention to what the agent said. The moon that shone brightly above them illuminated the water around them, making Coyote's pale face even more prominent if possible. His chest raised then fell. Raised. Fell. Raised. Fell. Until it became so small that if Bear wasn't staring so intensively at Coyote, he would have missed it. Or maybe it was just his imagination at work that made him believe that Coyote's chest was still rising and falling like someone who was alive.
Suddenly, the sound of a loud engine made him look up. Their lifeboat rocked in the wave caused by the slightly larger boat. He saw Pine grinned. He saw Ferret and Leopard's lifeless bodies as the man toppled them over the boat. He saw the boat coming in closer. He felt their boat being turned over. He felt himself falling. Sinking into the ocean and toward the seafloor.
He felt a burning sensation in his lung.
Then nothing.
I am going to run before things get ugly (*The author has run*)