Open Case File [COMPLETED]

The Mission

Vincent paused and lowered his hand.

"Ready to talk?"

Donovan gave a weak nod of his head.

"Who do you work for?"

Donovan mouthed words. Vincent took a step closer, leaning in to hear.

"Who?" he asked, moving in.

"No one as stupid you," Donovan said.

Shock and anger registered on Vincent's face right as Donovan reached out, grabbed his head and snapped his neck. The man crumpled to the ground, his body a dot of color on the gray floor. Donovan shook his head in an attempt to get rid of some of his fogginess.

As his mind cleared, he extracted two thin metal picks from his mouth. Bracing himself for what was to come next, he curled his body, so he could get to his ankles. By the time he had worked the picks into the lock, his muscles were shaking with the effort of keeping him upright.

The handle on the door twisted and adrenaline shot through Donovan as he maneuvered picks. When the door swung open, the lock clicked. Flipping backward, Donovan dropped to the ground, his body humming with energy and prepared to fight.

"Funny how you said you would be the one to break me out," Carter said, leaning on the wall of his cell.

Relief that she was unharmed crashed over Donovan. Carter smiled, sensing his emotions.

"Did he-"

Donovan couldn't ask the question, afraid of the answer. Though there were no obvious signs of Cabello's abuse, he still needed to know.

"No," Carter said. "He made the mistake of getting too close right away."

Donovan let out a breath and closed the distance between them.

"Whose terrible idea was it to let ourselves be captured to get into this compound?" Donovan asked.

Carter smirked and cupped his cheek.

"I believe that was yours," she said.

"Next time, talk me out of it."

"I will. Until then, let's get this job done."

Donovan nodded. They crossed the cell, stopping underneath a ventilation shaft. Lacing his fingers together, Donovan held them out to Carter. She stepped into them and he hoisted her. She made quick work of the screws, the metal plinking on the concrete floor as they dropped. The grate clattered down last and Carter gripped on edge of the vent. Before she could haul herself inside, Donovan spoke.

"The basement in twenty," he said. "Stay safe."

Carter kissed him like it was with her last breath.

"Don't die," she said. "Or I'll have to find you and kill you myself."

Donovan grinned despite the pain radiating from his body and the niggling worry that sat at the base of his stomach. With one last look, Carter lifted herself into the vent. The space was tight and it seemed to press in on her from every side. She swallowed the wave of claustrophobia and crept forward. Behind her, she heard Donovan retreating from the room. Her heart went with him, though she forced her mind to focus on the task at hand.

Tunnel after metal tunnel swallowed her up until it felt like there was nothing but this labyrinth. Pieces of the compound's inner works floated up to her through grates. The walls vibrated as footsteps pounded beneath her, most likely trying to find the escaped prisoners. When it felt like her muscles weren't going to be able to move another inch, she found herself at a grate overlooking a security center.