With the realization that Owen's role on that mission was to simply kill Ari, Nikita pounded on the back of the truck to make him stop. She doubted that he had his com on. If he had heard her conversation with Ops, he would've said something or made some sort of excuse. His silence meant that Nikita had to yell at him in person for agreeing with Ryan's plan to use a killchip. Good. She honestly preferred that. She wanted him to see the fury and disappointment in her gaze. Then maybe he'd rethink his choice about detonating the killchip.
Hearing Nikita's banging, Owen stopped the truck and ran towards the back in concern. He believed something was wrong or that someone was hurt- why else would Nikita or Sean interrupt their journey to rescue Alex. However, as Owen moved to open the back, one of the doors harshly swung out and slammed into his face. He stumbled back in his pain and worriedly checked if his stinging nose was bleeding- it wasn't. Nikita didn't wait for him to recover before she hopped out of the truck and screamed, "What the fuck, Owen! You're actually going to activate a killchip in Ari's head?"
"Why not? This is what he deserves. Why should we let this bastard live? Have you forgotten how many times he's tried to kill us?" Still holding his sore nose, Owen rationalized. When Ryan had presented the idea to detonate a killchip in Ari Tasarov's head after the switch for Alex, Owen had needed little convincing. Of course he'd go along with the plan. Not only did it make sense, but the former Cleaner was always open to ideas that involved ridding the world of Ari Tasarov. The former head of Gogol was an evil bastard who should violently pay for all the pain, death, and destruction he had caused. It was what was Owed him- what he deserved.
"No, I haven't. And he'll pay for his crimes, but not like this. It's not your call; there's another way," Nikita could never forget the hell Ari had put her team through. He had poisoned her; he had thrown Owen into prison; he had almost killed Alex; and he had been a part of the plot that had led to her brother's recruitment. Ari was an absolute bastard who should pay for what he had done. But death wasn't the only option, especially at the hands of a killchip. No one deserved that fate. To just die at the press of a button was too barbaric- too evil. No one should have that much control over another person's life, no matter what they had done.
While Nikita chewed Owen out, Sean moved to scout the area ahead of them- he might as well do something to completely rationalize stopping. There continued to be no immediate threat as they traveled through South Ossetia. Amanda hadn't placed assailants in their path to stop them- she was true to her word as far as it came to the exchange for Alex. However, as Sean walked further down the road, he noticed a truck speeding towards them. It didn't look like a civilian truck. Squinting, Sean tried to get a better gauge as to what it might be. Whatever it was, he didn't have a good feeling about it, "Uh. Guys. Not to interrupt. But are you seeing this?"
Both Nikita and Owen ignored Sean. They were too engrossed in their argument to notice the encroaching threat. Considering where they were and what they were supposed to have been doing, that was not good. They should've saved that conversation for later- preferably while they were traveling. But Nikita refused to back down. She needed Owen to rethink his decision before they made the switch for Alex. Unfortunately, Owen was just as stubborn as she was. It didn't matter if it was a killchip or a bullet, he'd still want to kill Ari, "He stabbed me, he lied to me, and then he laughed about it. I should push the trigger right now. We don't need another way."
"Give me the trigger, Owen. Now," Crossing menacingly towards Owen, Nikita leveled him with her best glare. He took an automatic step back, having been trained to fear that look. There was a chance he would've caved to her glare given enough time. But the threat Sean had tried to warn the two about soon intervened. Ossetian soldiers had arrived to inspect the agents' vehicle before they could be allowed to move along. With their surprise, their weapons, and their captive who was a very wanted man in apparently every country he landed in, the agents did not pass the inspection. And as punishment, they were to be shot.
Since Ari Tasarov was the man the Ossetians really wanted, he was left alone with a guard while the others were attacked. Sean, Owen, and Nikita did all they could. But being outgunned and completely taken by surprise left them at a severe disadvantage. Until Ari stepped up. He freed himself from his guard, then took out the other soldiers in the ensuing chaos. The agents were saved. And utterly baffled. Ari could've easily let them die. After they had argued about killing him, who could blame him. Yet he risked his life for theirs. No one could make sense of that. Even Nikita was left stammering, "Ari… You… Why? Why'd you save us?"
"I saved myself. It was the only way I could see not ending up facedown in a ditch," Ari admitted with a shrug. He knew there was no way he could truly save himself. Even if Nikita could convince Division to not trigger his killchip, he was still a dead man walking. Saving the agents from the Ossetians only pushed back his execution. However, if he were to choose who his executioner was, he'd rather it be Division. They were likely to let him die with his honor and dignity still intact. There also might be some gentleness in their actions. And the best anyone could hope for was a gentle death.
"You're our hero," Despite Ari's actions, Owen couldn't help but be sarcastic. The former head of Gogol was selfish and self-serving until the very end. He couldn't simply save the agents; he had to do it in a way that saved himself too. Owen really wanted to trigger Ari's killchip right then and there. If it wasn't for Alex and needing to trade Ari for her, he would've. Or, at least he thought he would've. Glancing at Nikita stopped those thoughts all together. She didn't roll her eyes at his comment as he had suspected. She kept looking at Ari as though she was seeing him in a new light. Owen was struck by that.
"Yes, Mr. Elliot. I am. Because the way I see it, my options are rather limited. If I had let you die, the Ossetians would have hung me in the nearest town square or have handed me over to Amanda. Either way, you are still my best hope for coming out of this alive. Besides, if you die, Amanda wins. And to quote your eloquence, Nikita, 'Fuck Amanda'," Although Ari referred to Owen formally, he still managed to say his name in a taunting way as he explained himself. He just had to make another dig, especially after the sarcastic comment. After all, there was nothing for him to lose. He was still dead. He just hoped that Amanda would die too.
"Fuck Amanda," Sean echoed, glancing at his sister with a slight smirk. Of course she had managed to sway Ari Tasarov to her side. As a kid, she had often gotten her siblings and her friends to side with her as she raised hell; and as a rogue, she had managed to grow an impressive team to battle Division with. She could form allies with anybody- and that included former enemies. Her cause, her righteousness, her heroics, it drew countless people towards her. They had to follow her lead and her heart. Despite their contentious history, Ari Tasarov was no exception. It helped that they had a common enemy they wanted to screw over.
Whereas Sean and Ari moved back to the truck, Owen held Nikita back. They shouldn't have stood around any longer. More soldiers could've been on their way, and the agents needed to continue their trek to Alex. However, Owen needed a brief moment to think. He hadn't changed his mind about killing Ari- that bastard still deserved to die. But he did rethink the killchip. Maybe that was too harsh of a punishment for the former head of Gogol. He wasn't all bad. He could at least be granted decency before he died. Owen could stomach giving him that. So, tentatively, he gave Nikita the trigger, "I still don't like the guy."
After Amanda had way too excitedly told Alex what she hoped would become of the team, she moved to another room to check on something. Alex assumed she was busy concocting another scheme that'd bring the team of former rogues to their knees. She wasn't given a lot of time to think too much about it, however. Larissa quickly stole her attention again. She continued to struggle to breathe, and she continued to bleed way too much. Alex attempted to reach towards her again, yet it was pointless. She was dying, and there was nothing she could do. Besides maybe run, "You… you should have escaped when you had the chance."
"No. I couldn't do that. I was told you never leave a friend behind. I'm not gonna leave you behind," Alex instantly argued with Larissa. She could've never left her friend to die alone in that God awful place. She had to break her out and save her. That was the only option left for her. Alex didn't even care about her own freedom. All she wanted was to save Larissa and bring her out of hell. If she kept fighting, then Alex could bring her home. She could redirect her rescue team once they arrived to rescue her, "Listen to me. You hold on, okay? Hold on. I'm gonna come back for you."
"You saw… you saw how many soldiers there are. It is suicide," Larissa weakly shook her head. Since the abandoned hospital they were holed up in stored some of the Ossetians' weapons, the place was crawling with soldiers. No one could break out of the place, which meant no one could break in. Fortunately, Alex knew that Nikita and Sean were coming for her. With the Pierce siblings by her side, she could quickly mow past the soldiers and rescue Larissa. None of them were going to die. Alex's best friend and boyfriend would save her, and she'd save her friend. It was that simple. Everyone was going to be saved.
"I have friends coming back for me, and I'm gonna return with all of them. Those soldiers won't stand a chance against us," Alex voiced her thoughts with fierce determination. Hopefully, her strength and resolve would spread to Larissa. She just had to hold on long enough for Alex to return to her. Once then, the team could give her a proper field dressing and move her to a real hospital. She could survive her gunshot wound. She was going to lose a lot of blood, yet she could still survive. All Larissa had to do was keep fighting until the team could get her out. It wasn't anything she couldn't handle. The widowed medic could be that strong.
"If you cannot return… do not feel bad. Sometimes… no matter how much you want to help… you cannot stop someone from dying," Larissa's eyes slipped closed as she quietly attempted to absolve Alex of a future failure. However, the young woman refused to accept the absolution. She wasn't going to need it. She was going to stop Larissa from dying. She had promised to help her escape the soldiers, and she never broke a promise. No amount of obstacles could block Alex from her goal. She was far too determined to save another girl to be slowed down by soldiers. She was also far too stubborn.
"No, don't do that. Don't give up. Don't you want to see your daughter again?" Unable to shake Larissa awake, Alex hoped her loud, urgent voice would do the trick. If Larissa couldn't find the strength to fight for herself, then she could at least fight for her daughter. Anya needed her mother. She might've been safe and happy with her grandparents, yet she still needed her mother. Larissa needed to fight for her. She had to survive so she could return home and hold her daughter. She wasn't all alone; she had a family. And families had to be whole. No child should lose both their parents. Although Anya couldn't have her father, she could still have her mother.
A soft smile pulled at Larissa's lips. The thought of her daughter helped her relax. She stopped breathing so harshly, and her soft whimpers of pain quieted. Alex wanted to believe that was a good sign. Larissa shouldn't struggle to survive. Struggling could exasperate her injury and make things worse. But calmly holding on could see her through. The medic could stay alive until the team of former rogues pulled her out of the abandoned hospital and brought her to a new one. She could stay alive through her surgery and recovery. And she could stay alive for her daughter. It was possible. She had the soft resolve to do it, "I will… I will see her."
"That's right. You gotta hold on so you can see her again. Where is she? Where did you say her grandparents live?" Alex hoped that talking about Anya would keep Larissa conscious. She could hold to the happy memories of her daughter and use that to find the strength to survive the pain. Alex knew that the thought of her friends and family had helped her push past the pain of her gunshot wound. She had survived the blood loss by holding onto the idea that she could live happily with all of them. Larissa could do the same. She needed to do the same. Her daughter and her happy life were waiting for her.
"I did not say… They are with my husband also… So is Anya… but she would be so happy… so happy to know that I was friends with Alexandra Udinov," Larissa barely breathed as she confessed. Alex fell silent at the words. She had nothing left to say, nothing left to argue. She couldn't make Larissa want to keep fighting if all she had left in her life was gone. It'd be easier to join them than to hold on. At least with them, she could find peace. She'd be happy with her family, and Alex would be happy with hers, "I will see you on the other side."
"I am not leaving here without you. I'm gonna save you. I can save you," Alex continued to shout at Larissa. Even as Amanda and soldiers returned to her to sedate her and move her- possibly because the team was finally there to rescue her- she kept shouting. Larissa couldn't fade away while she was gone. She couldn't give up the second Alex left the room. Although she wanted to, she wasn't going to return to her family that day. It wasn't her time. Larissa was going to keep living for her loved ones, and she was going to have the happy life they would've wanted for her. Alex was going to make sure of it. She was going to save another girl.
