The War was over or had been for a long time. Soldiers from all around settled down back into modern day life. Some thought it would be easy, others not so much especially those who were on the go constantly. Some brothers fought while others went home, if that's what it could be called these days. Many of the brothers of the army got it easy, others not so much. Although many had died over the countless many years they had been at war, they were most certainly not forgotten. Every month a group of brothers would get together and invite their families to a huge barbecue which would last a weekend as they honour those they lost. A brother, a sister, a friend or just anybody, in the end none of them cared about what they did as long as they remembered them for who they were. Many of the older brothers stayed together to make sure they could stay as close to one another when possible. Although many of them had losses, there was one lucky group that never suffered a loss during their time serving in the war and they were Clone Force 99.
An incredible set of non-related brothers who held records of their own through their missions. They didn’t care for what they had done as long as they got the job done. If it meant a safer haven for families or more importantly children they took it. One of the members of Clone Force 99 was responsible for ending the war, not that they would ever admit it, but that member was one of the most wanted soldiers in the whole universe. So when word got out that the war was over and a member of theirs had made the worst list, they fled never to be seen or heard from again. Clone Force 99 were known as ‘the ghost batch’. Over the years, some thought they were a made up story while others thought they didn’t exist. However those who knew who ‘Clone Force 99’ were knew exactly where they could find them if needs be and that’s how a long term friend of Clone Force 99 found himself on their doorstep in a disclosed place which was a house in the countryside not too far from a school and town where friends of Clone Force 99 lived as ‘back-up’ in a sense.
“Aaha Rex! What can we do for you today?” Rex smirked coming face-to-face with Echo who held a smile like no other, the man had too much energy in the morning but it was one of the things Rex admired about him.
“I wish this was a normal call but I need to speak to Hunter and Omega. If you don’t mind?” Rex explained, Echo smiled moving aside to let his old-friend in having a known feeling of what this was about. Before Echo shut the door another friendly face appeared, “Hey don’t shut me out!” Echo opened the door to his twin, Fives. A smirk fell on both of their faces, “You look a little lost there” Fives said with a smirk before crushing his twin a hug, Echo shutting the door behind him as he was devoured in a hug by his uniformed twin.
After the war, many of the soldiers tried to settle into normal life but soon found they couldn’t so some of them took up other services. For Example, Rex and Fives now work for the police force around their area, so they can keep it safe and just have something to do. Echo himself was part of the force until he had leg cramps that led to Sepsis, he now had prosthetics but that didn’t stop him. So, instead of being out on the field he was a call operator when he went into work. He worked 3 days a week which gave him time to help around the house he shared with his non-related brothers and husband.
“Hey Earth to Echo?” Echo jumped seeing Five's hand waving in front of his face, “Hey! You alright?” Fives asked looking at his twin in concern, Echo nodded, “I’m fine, just lost in thought. Rex is in the living room, I’m going to go wake Tech” Echo explained pushing his twin in the direction of Rex. The officer nodded heading into the living room of Clone Force 99’s house.
Echo shook his head making his way over to Tech’s workshop knowing the engineer was either working on something or on the phone to his brother. It turned out that two of Clone Force 99 were related or more in fact, they were twins which made literally no sense at times while others it did. “Hey love, how are you doing?” Echo asked while wrapping his arms around his husband's back. The engineer looked up with love as he pulled Echo into a hug, “I’m good” Tech’s reply was blunt but short. If Echo hadn’t known him for all this time, he would have had to look twice but he was so used to it, he didn’t even bother asking these days. Instead he just pulled Tech in closer.
“What’s wrong?” Echo asked, looking at the engineer whose eyes were brimming with tears. “Its Cross” Tech’s emotional reply made Echo turn to face Tech fully and kneel in front of him. “What’s he done now?” Echo asked, he in all honesty loved Tech but if he needed him to bail his brother out of jail one more time, he was going to kill Crosshair himself. The ex-sniper had taken dangerous jobs which a few times had landed him in a jail cell overnight and it has taken Echo, Rex and Fives to help him with his innocence. Crosshair was a lucky one but the sniper needed to be more careful or just get another job which they were all trying to convince him to do.
“I don’t know, something is off with him but he just won’t respond to me. Have I done something wrong?” Tech explained to Echo who nodded along. The two were unaware of another set of ears listening from behind the wall. “I just…Cross is difficult sometimes, we had an argument. I wanted to know what happened to the spare first-aid kit and he got very defensive. I dread to know what is going through his head but if he relapses again. I don’t know what I can do, he…I don’t want to lose him” Tech admitted allowing a few tears to slip down his face, Echo rubbed his back while shaking his head. It was decided Echo would have a word with Cross and get to the bottom of it, he was sick of the arguments and Tech coming back to bed stressed as hell about his brother. It didn’t help that Crosshair was Tech’s younger twin and the ex-marksman was so quiet these days it worried them all greatly including Crosshair’s husband who turned out to be the leader of Clone Force 99 also known as the bad batch, Hunter their Sargeant who was currently having daughter troubles couldn’t afford anymore stress so it was up to Echo to work this out.
Footsteps behind the two had Tech clearing his throat and wiping his face as quick as one could say ‘hello’, Tech swivelled around only to see an eager Wrecker heading towards them. The giant had just got off his shift, he worked at a garden shop with Hunter but in his spare time he was a Lumberjack with Hunter, the two built the house they currently lived in from scratch and their work was recognised by many talented people who asked for their work which brought more money into their home. It made sure they could all afford what they wanted and be comfortable with back-up money in case anything went wrong.
“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you, well not literally. Anyway! Hunter wants us all in the living room now!” Wrecker shouted just for fun. Echo nodded, grabbing Tech’s hand once the engineer dropped his gloves and put his jacket on. Soon enough the three walked into the living room which occupied Hunter, Omega, Rex and Fives.
“What’s going on?” Echo asked to take a seat beside his twin and Tech who remained quiet, he looked around frowning when he noticed his twin's absence, a hand on his knee squeezed to comfort him. Wrecker ignored the two and slumped into the spare seat beside Hunter, the oldest raising an eyebrow at him which the giant just smirked at. Hunter, the eldest of the bad batch turned to the two police officers and nodded.
“I don’t want to alarm you all but something has happened to one of our…”
“God! What’s he done now!” Tech suddenly exclaimed thinking it was his twin perusal. The engineer, sick of the news about Crosshair affecting his daily life. He couldn't even drop Omega off at school without hearing about something to do with him. People had to understand he only loved his twin so much.
Rex frowned looking at Fives who gestured for him to go on, “Tech this isn’t about Crosshair” “It’s not?” Tech asked with a raised eyebrow. Hunter cleared his throat to signal for Tech to shut up, the engineer nodded allowing Rex to continue, the ex-captain did just that. “I’m sorry to say but Tech, your father…” “No!” Tech cried out, he had a feeling what was about to be said, “99 has passed away” Rex finished, he had to remain strong so he kept his own emotions in check as he watched Echo and Wrecker comfort Tech. “When did it happen?” Hunter asked as he pulled an upset Omega against his side, “Last night, we got a call. From a bank robbery. 99…he was there with Crosshair…99 jumped in the way…saving Cross but…his injuries were too severe…your brother tried everything even with…his medical degree in being a paramedic…Cross just couldn’t….we didn’t get there on time” Rex admitted putting his head down and tightening his fists at his sides. The ex-captain’s body language showed defeat.
Silence filled the room as the only thing that could be heard was the sniffling and sobs coming from the individuals in the room. Fives and Rex stayed for an hour after they told them the news, Rex had paperwork for Tech but Hunter took it and mentioned now wasn’t the time. The ex-captain couldn’t agree more, so the two left.
“Wait!” Rex turned around from where he was about to get into his car to see Omega sprinting in his direction. “Where’s Crosshair?” Omega asked, wondering where her other parent was, the ex-marksman was known for disappearing with the wind even in times of need. “I…I haven’t seen him but I will…” “Uncle Rex, you're lying to me” Omega cried out jabbing his chest, Rex frowned. The ex-captain knew exactly where Crosshair was but he promised the marksman he wouldn’t tell his family where he was.
“Omega! Let Rex and Fives get back to work” Hunter shouted from the doorway, the young girl had run from the room without warning scaring him and he had worked out exactly where she had gone. The ex-sergeant was deadly worried about his husband who had not returned since the early hours of the morning when he had an argument with Tech. The ex-marksman hadn’t even responded to Hunter’s question, of where he was going?. Rex nodded in thanks to Hunter as he got in the passenger side of the car, once the door was shut and the vehicle was moving. Rex finally let his wall down. “Wanna talk about it?” Fives asked from where he was driving, for once there was no cheekiness in his speech. Rex shook his head, “To Wolffes?” Rex nodded giving Fives his destination.
“Hey, everything will be okay,” Fives reassured reaching for his boyfriend's hand. “Fives?” “Yeah” “I love you”. Silence filled the car before it was broken by “I Love you too Rexy”.
Fives smiled, reaching over to hold Rex’s hand tightly in his own as he drove to their destination which was only a couple of minutes away since Fives turned the sirens on, not that he cared. Rex shook his head knowing there would be paperwork later on for Five's joyride, he was not looking forward to it.
Here we go first try at a modern AU - Don't know if this will be any good!
This is something I have been working on as a side project to my other book. This isn't connected to it but feel free to check 'A Sacrafice of the Heart' if you haven't already!
Let me know what you think in the comments below!