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âIf this is a joke, McCulloch, you're going first,â Jensen snarled angrily toward Ross.
âFuck you. Itâs notââ For the first time, probably ever, Ross shut up when Riley pushed past him and Jensen.
Frankie was barely through the doors when she felt a force like a train collide with her and envelope her. She blinked her eyes as if in a daze while her mind caught up. Then it clicked. The brunette hair and familiar arms. She let out a ragged gasp as her arms wrapped around Riley, bringing him even closer if it were possible. âHow... we thought you... you're safe.â Frankie had hardly realized she was crying until he pulled away from her to hold her at an armâs length. âFrankie, oh god, you're back.â She gave her bravest smile, but it lacked and barely passed for more than a frown. âYou can - you can tell us what happened later. We gotta get you to the infirmary first. Is everyone back?â
The blondeâs gaze fell slightly as she shook her head. âMost⌠Not all.â She didnât argue or turn down Rileyâs help as he guided her inside. Frankie smiled somberly as she took in everyonesâ faces. Most of them looked worse for the ware as well. How many of them had to spend their night in the infirmary under medical attention. No doubt Ross. His face was black and blue, but the Scot still managed to smile and hug her once she was inside.
Wren glanced up briefly when she saw feet move around her. She caught a brief glimpse of Ulrich as he seemed to eye his jacket she still wore while also tiptoeing around her like she was a lion waiting to pounce. She sighed out of annoyance, sniffling back her tears as she yanked the jacket from her arms and threw it at his feet. Wren didnât say anything, honestly she could go a decade without seeing Ulrich again and itâd be too much.
Tobias watched Petra quickly make her way outside. He didnât know what she was doing, but similarly the tender reunions were lost on him. Not one of them was on more than a first name basis with him. Instead his brows furrowed as his gaze focused on the truck. It seemed easy⌠too easy. Something in his gut twisted telling him that he needed to search the vehicle, if anything, for his own piece of mind.
He didnât mean to break up the reunions, but this was more important, there would be more time to catch up. Tobias rolled his wheel chair forward, lightly placing his hand on Rossâ shoulder to get his attention. âApologies, but I need your help.â He nodded his head towards the Scotâs bag as a silent signal that he should bring it along.
âAlright,â Ross replied, giving Frankie a final pat on the shoulder. He then moved behind Tobiasâ wheelchair and began pushing it. He knew the man didnât need help in that way. After all, his abilities let him move it without risk of popping a stitch. But regardless, he moved the chair forward mumbling a quiet âexcuse usâ whenever they moved past someone.
Tobias waved his index and middle finger at the doors, opening them for Ross as he wheeled him outside. He held up his hand to stop Ross when he noticed the unfamiliar faces, but the chair was already slowing at that point, coming to a rest beside Petra.
âYou'll forgive me for being suspicious, I hope. Who are you, and can anyone vouch for you?â
Ross and Tobias stood there silently, looking between Petra and the new comers. It was a good question, especially with the uneasy feeling Tobias had rising in his gut.
âI can,â Ulrich said as he stepped forward. âThey had these beaten and bruised faces before we got to them, and they helped us escape hydra.â
âWe were kidnapped by whoever those people were and experimented on, even tortured.â The new arrival stepped forward, speaking for himself. He seemed unhinged, for good reason. Anyone who had gone through torture and imprisonment would be less than stable. âNow I have powers that melt people! I'm a nurse! Not some freak that melts people's faces off!â
âItâs alright, mate,â Ross said, exchanging sideways glances with Petra. He then gave the stranger a pat on the shoulder and nodded his head toward the doors. âIf he wasnât ok, I doubt they would have kept him alive for the ride.â
Wrenâs face was buried in her hands as she tried to calm herself, to breathe. Her body still hurt, healing slower and more painfully than she had ever experienced. It almost felt like it was ripping itself back open before it fused together. She only looked up when a figured knelt down beside her.
Jensenâs head dipped down to look at Wren from beneath the veil of crimson hair that blocked her face. âDidn't bring me a bouquet of Hydra heads?â Wrenâs jaw dropped slightly as her brows furrowed. A weak, annoyed laugh escaped her lips. âHow're you doing, baby?â
âHow the fuck do you think Iâm doing?â Wren practically growled. âI was shish kabob-ed by a harpoon, my neck broken, beaten, shot⌠tortured,â her voice cracked on the last word. She pushes off the ground and weakly moved to her feet. Wren wobbled as she pushed her way past everyone to get into the tower. For a moment, she froze like a deer in headlights at the sight of everyone in the lobby. They all hugged each other in reunions, but no one came to hug her. No one cared that she looked like death twice over. Wren wiped away a tear then continued to push past the others, making her way toward the elevator.
Tobias motioned toward Ross toward the side of the large truck. âIâm assuming you have a mirror on you?â
Ross scoffed as he pulled his pack from his back and unzipped it. After a moment he pulled out a compact mirror and held it out to Tobias. âI couldâve told ya that ya look like shite. Didnât need a mirror for dat.â
âLast I checked, you look worse than me,â Tobias jested. He then levitated the mirror from his hand, slowly guiding it underneath the truck. He moved it slowly making sure the reflective surface was angled partly toward him. For awhile the search showed no results⌠Until he caught a glimpse of a flashing red light in the undercarriage. Tobias quickly brought back the mirror and shoved it into Rossâ hand, before he pushed off the armrests of the wheelchair and began to stand.
âWoah woah tiger, da hell do ya think youâre doinâ?â Ross said as he moved before Tobias holding out his hands to stop him.
âThereâs something under there⌠I need to look.â
âIâll look.â Ross pushed the mirror against Tobiasâ chest until he took it in his hand and sat back down. âWhat am I looking for?â
âA red light.â
âLike a bomb?â
âCould you say that any louder?! Just look⌠If it is, Iâll take care of it.â
âFackinâ hell,â Ross grumbled under his breath as he lowered himself until he was sitting on the ground. He took a deep breath then carefully scooted underneath on his back. It took him a moment before he found the light. âFound it! Thereâs no timer⌠Just numbers⌠Looks like coordinates.â
âJ.A.R.V.I.S. can you scan those coordinates?â
âOf course, Mr. Lehnsherr⌠The coordinates are for our current location. It looks as though the truck has a tracking device.â
âGod dammit,â Tobias groaned under his breath as he threw the mirror at the side of the truck, the small fragile compact shattering on impact.
âAye, mate! That was a good mirror!â
âJ.A.R.V.I.S. can you jam the signal and scatter it so that it shows different locations around the globe every few seconds?â
âIt is done.ââ¨â¨
âDonât lift it until I return,â Tobias ordered the computer as he stood up from his wheelchair unsteadily. He slipped his arm from Rossâ grasp when the Scot tried to stop him and continued back into the tower. He was careful not to move his right arm too much and pop a stitch, using his left arm to wedge space between the others and make his way to the elevator. He came to a stop beside Wren who looked desperate to get away from the crowd and the lift was crawling its way down the tower to the lobby. Impatient Tobias raised his hand and willed the elevator down to their floor, bypassing any other stops.