To Be A Leader

Chapter 48: Rescue Me

"What I don't understand, right... right, is why we're not trying to help Runner Five right now?"

"We're goin' to help Runner Five," Jody answers, her voice edging on irritation over the fact that Sam's asked this so many times already. "We couldn't do much today anyway since Kytan's gone back to help some of the other Moonchild sufferers, but we've sent him a message. He should be back in a few days. We're all set up for some extreme anti-Moonchild therapy for Five soon."

Sam hums, taking that answer but not really sounding satisfied with it. "Yeah, but don't you think, right, that-I mean, I'm just saying... don't you think someone else could do this extraction?"

"Are you saying Five's not our best operative in the field?" Steve asks, and I slow my pace, my face twisting up in offense.

"Yeah, Sam, is that what you're saying?"

"No! No, no, that is not what I'm saying." He sounds so panicked, which almost gets a laugh from me. He's such an easy mark. "I would never say that. Stop trying to get me into trouble with my future wife."

"You're the one who's suggesting she's not good enough to go on this mission, love," He replies.

"I did not! And-and stop trying to bamboozle me with your charm and smile, Steven."

"And the way you can flex your pecs individually," I add.

"Yeah! That too!"

Steve chuckles. "Runners Five and Four, continue along the wooden path through the marsh area. You are not under surveillance. Repeat: You are not under surveillance. You don't need to be in the room for this, Sam, if anything is uh, distracting you."

"Nothing is distracting," He replies with a laugh. "It's-I'm just distracted, in the abstract sense."

"Look, after what we found out from those plans of Sigrid's, I don't understand how you're not all terrified. She's planning to destroy Abel! She really could."

"I am terrified!" Jody exclaims, green eyes wide. "Gettin' on with missions is my way of copin' with terror."

"Mine's hitting things and drinking," I murmur, and I hear a low grumble through my headset.

"Believe me, I know. And you told me you didn't like to drink because of the taste," Sam huffs, recalling what happened not too long ago. I got one hell of a hangover and what was worse was trying to convince Simon and Tom I was just rambling. I don't think they believed it.

"I don't. But want to know what else I don't like?"

"Yourself?" He deadpans, and I blink.

"Well, yes, but also the intrusive thoughts that come with the knowledge that Sigrid sees me as a vessel which she may use in helping kill everyone I love." I bite the inside of my cheek. "I've already tried to destroy Abel once. I don't like to think about the fact that I may be forced to do that again."

Jody places a hand on my shoulder. "We're not goin' to let that happen. I promise."

A small smile pulls at my lips. "Thanks, Four."

She nods. "This mission's really simple. Lovely Ellie Maxted, the head of the resistance group, the Laundry, is in trouble. Her broadcast on ancient Phoenician ceramics yesterday contained five of her 'get me out' code words."

"I was very impressed how she slipped 'rambunctious' in there," Steve hums.

"She's givin' a lecture today at the Learning Village," She explains, and I nod. I've only ever been once to exchange some meds and tech. It's a reconstructed medieval village in the center of this oddly historically accurate marsh.