Soldiers. A whole squadron of them rushed down the alley from every direction, shouting demands, as if they thought that Luke might just throw his hands up and surrender.
Idiots.
Elizabeth and Jakob rushed inside with Luke was hot on their heels. He shut the heavy steel access door behind him and secured it with a chain and padlock which hung from the inner door handle. Luke caught up with Jakob just as Elizabeth cleared the adjoining corridor and gestured for them to follow.
Her head was on a swivel, eyes searching for trouble, mind focused. The enemy was behind them and likely ahead of them too, but she couldn't do anything about that. Evading them was the only thing that mattered right now. Getting the job done, getting back to the plane, and keeping them both alive.
They couldn't exactly rescue Sam if Luke was dead or locked up, could they?
She paused at the base of a flight of stairs that went up to the lobby. There was no sound, no indication of people, but the shadows weren't right. The dim lights shouldn't have been casting shadows like that. At least that's what her gut said.
People? Luggage? Both? There was an elevator for the porters so they had no use for stairwells, but the assholes now hunting them sure did.
Luke! Elizabeth waved at him, catching his attention, then gestured at the stairs. People?
If he said anything, she didn't hear it. Her heart was pounding in her ears, adrenaline pumping through her veins and pupils dilating as Elizabeth braced herself. She reached for the Glock on her thigh only for Luke's hand to close around hers, stopping her. He shook his head, signaled they were switching positions, and sent her to the rear.
Hobbs walked slowly into the stairwell, keeping his footsteps light. Despite his size, he had a knack for stealth—and surprises. Taking the steps two at a time, Luke kept his body low until he'd ascended the first flight of stairs and was almost about to turn onto the second.
Elizabeth strained her neck to see what was going on, but she couldn't see a damn thing past Jakob. He was too tall, too broad, too everything. What was the good-looking side of things where Jakob was concerned was quickly becoming the frustrating side.
"...Clear." Hobbs came back a minute after. "Let's go."
There was no time to change. No room for error. Either they got out of this hotel alive and free or they'd be crossing their fingers that the Agency was feeling merciful. Odds are, after what they'd done, merciful would be the total opposite of what they felt. Elizabeth lagged behind, taking the steps one at a time as she struggled to keep up. Running stairs wouldn't have been an issue a month ago, but with two cracked ribs, it was a little harder than usual.
Nothing she couldn't handle, though.
"Wait." She stopped at the top of the first set of stairs and found herself face to face with a map detailing the hotel's fire escape plan. "Hey! We need to—"
"Move your ass, princess!" Jakob said. "We don't have time for this."
They could make it. Elizabeth studied the map, looking at the first two floors in detail. If they went to the second instead of the first floor lobby, they could cross half the floor, get to the elevators, and have an almost clear shot to the front entrance. It wouldn't be easy, but that was the quickest route, no doubt about it.
"Beth!"
Elizabeth gave the escape plan one last glance before she started taking the stairs again, going as quickly as she could without feeling as if she were about to break something. She winced as she caught up to Jakob and Luke, then kept on going. If they wanted an explanation, it could wait until they were safely away from Nobody's men. Until there wasn't a proverbial gun to her head.
It took a few seconds but soon enough their footsteps were following hers, and then they were ahead of her. "Second floor," she said, putting her hand to her ribs. "Go left. Get to the elevators."
"Hey, you good?" Jakob looked down at her, frowning as Elizabeth stopped again. She winced visibly but didn't say anything, grabbing the handrail instead and leaning against it. "Elle?"
"I'm fine. Don't wait up. The elevators sit near the front door. You can get out that way."
"What the hell is taking so long?" Hobbs snapped. "Get your ass up, Shaw, and let's go. We don't have time to—"
Another breath and Elizabeth was taking the steps one at a time, forcing herself forward. Jakob could see the pain in her eyes, the determination; no matter what happened today, she wouldn't back down even if it killed her. Going off the way she was touching her side, that very might well be what happened.
Because Cipher didn't need him to kill Elizabeth, did she? Point Shaw in a certain direction, unleash her, and she would practically do the job herself.
"Let's get this over with, shall we?" Elizabeth said, walking up past Luke. "Elevators are this way..."
She looked up at the door to the second floor, not too far away now, and frowned at a flash of blonde hair going past. From the back, she might have said it was Hattie, but that was insane, right? Her sister was somewhere in the UK, not here, even if Elizabeth had called her several times now in the hopes that Hattie might be able to help their brothers find Sam.
"You saw it too," Luke said, catching up to her, "didn't you?"
"I don't know what the hell I just saw."
"Yeah, you do." What were the odds of it being a coincidence? Surely Elizabeth didn't think some random blonde would be walking around while half a damn army was downstairs. "She's here."
It could've been anyone. No matter what Luke insisted, she'd be sceptical up until the moment there was irrefutable proof in front of her.
Proof that would come all too soon. Luke hustled them to the second floor then all three pulled their helmets on, hiding their faces before they stepped through the doorway. Elizabeth took point once more, leading the way to the elevators.
They were almost there, almost in the clear, when Luke heard it.
Elizabeth did too if the way she hesitated was any indication. She turned, looking behind her for a brief second, then jabbed the elevator button. Every second they stood there, Luke's heart skipped a beat. How long had it been since he and Hattie were in the same room? Since she made that promise and sealed it?
There was no mistaking her voice or the lilt of Hattie's London accent. Neither could he forget the sound of her laugh or the look of her smile. Luke certainly couldn't forget their first fight when she nearly choked him out with her leg.
Glancing back, Luke smiled under his helmet just before she turned around to look at him. In that instant, the elevator doors opened and Luke found himself pulled inside.
"...Hobbs!"
Hattie's shout faded into nothing as their descent toward the first floor began. The uneasy seconds ticked by until the elevator doors slid open, revealing the lobby, just as the adjacent stairwell door was thrown open and Hattie rushed out to intercept him.
To intercept...them.
Jakob exited the elevator first, making a beeline for the hotel's front door before anyone could react. Luke wasn't quite so fast, and neither was the woman beside him. For reasons unknown, they'd opted to abandon their helmets in the elevator, leaving their faces exposed.
"...Beth?"
Something inside Elizabeth died in an instant. She didn't know what, but the why—the disappointment in her sister's eyes—was clear. She glanced up at Luke, who couldn't stop staring at Hattie, and frowned. No matter what she said, no one would likely ever believe anything but the worst case scenario, so why fight it?
"Hobbs." Elizabeth steeled her voice and walked out of the elevator, making for the door. "Let's go, or will your daughter be losing more than a finger today?"
"You touch Sam and I'll break your fucking neck."
Hattie had never heard anger like that come from Hobbs before, but it solidified what Deckard said. Luke really was being blackmailed, and they really did have Sam. She caught his gaze, frowning as he stepped out of the elevator. He was tense from head to toe, hand gripping his gun tight. If he'd pulled out his sidearm and shot Beth just then, Hattie wouldn't have blamed him.
Sam was his world, his heart, and she was being held God knew where, all so Cipher could use Hobbs like a puppet.
"Screw this up, I'll break hers."
Luke lunged, catching the back of her sister's gear and pushing Elizabeth spine first into the nearest wall. He drew his gun, pressing it up against her jaw with his finger teasing the trigger guard. One slip of his finger, one intentional press, and her sister would be dead. Oddly enough, Hattie felt no sorrow at that concept.
"Give me one reason I shouldn't kill you right now."
"Your daughter's a nice kid. If you ever want to see her alive, be a good boy and walk out that door."
"Hobbs." Hattie's gaze darted between them. "It's true, isn't it? Cipher took..."
"Yes," Luke said. He lowered his sidearm, holstering it after a moment, and walked away like the devil was on his tail. Elizabeth was, two seconds later, when she pushed off the wall and followed him out. "I'm sorry. I don't have a choice."
"I'll find Sam. Dom, the team, and I, we'll find her. We'll get her back! I promise."
If only he could believe that. Luke looked over his shoulder at Hattie one more time before he exited the hotel, following Jakob and Elizabeth. His mind reeled at Elizabeth's words, but he understood why. It sold a story, and it would get the team onboard completely. There'd be no questions about his loyalty, whether he'd turned against them, like there probably had been these past few days.
Elizabeth had given them not one but two enemies, and a purpose: save his daughter.
"Hey," Luke said once they were in the clear, "you good?"
Instead of responding, she picked up the pace a little, jogging to catch up with Jakob, then slowed. Shaw threw her arm around his waist, hugging herself to him as they walked. Despite the distance, Luke could just make out what they were saying as Jakob put his arm around her shoulders.
"Why does it feel like I just signed my own death warrant?"
"Because you did," Jakob said, leading them toward their real target. "They'll turn against you now. Every single one of them."
"Well, they'd never believe I'm on his side anyway."
"You are a selfish, fickle bitch."
Elizabeth looked up and smiled. "I know."
"Hobbs," Jakob suddenly called over his shoulder and gestured at the building up ahead, "we're here. You ready?"
"Yeah." Luke caught up with them, taking up position on the other side of Shaw. He wanted to ask just what she'd meant by 'they'd never believe her', aside from the obvious, but that was a conversation for later. One which could wait until they were back in the cargo hold with a beer or two and hopefully a little less sober than they were now. "So how are we..."
Walking in through the front door, Shaw waved at the security guard. Luke couldn't tell what she was saying, but she walked straight up to a machine and pressed her face to it. A gate that divided the lobby and elevators opened a moment later and allowed Beth to continue walking.
"Let me guess," Luke said, "Cipher hacked the security system."
"You figure that out all by yourself, big boy?"
"Asshole."
"Noticed that too, huh?"
Jesus. If they weren't on opposite sides of the law, there was every possibility Luke might have found himself enjoying their little back and forth. It wasn't quite the same as it was with Deckard, but Jakob could hold his own nonetheless. They walked toward the building, going inside and passing through security. The bank of elevators was down a central corridor and off to the right, tucked out of sight.
"You two are slower than a couple of grandmothers at the farmers market." Up ahead, Shaw stood against the far wall, her arms crossed over her chest, tapping her boot against the floor. "Can we get this done already?"
"Jakob, you go ahead," Luke said. "We'll catch up in a minute."
Elizabeth looked at him warily, tensing as Luke approached. Jakob made a beeline for the elevator and called it, disappearing inside the moment the doors opened. Once the two of them were alone, Luke stepped close and angled his body toward her.
"Hey, I'm sorry about before."
"What?"
"The gun. Putting you against—"
She frowned at him like Luke had gone and put his foot in it. "Did Jakob say something to you?"
"No."
"Then why are you apologizing?"
"Elizabeth."
"That back there? That's your job. Your one job right now is to save your fucking daughter so don't stand there and apologize for doing it. Ever."
Clearly he'd hit a nerve.
Or several.
Elizabeth sidestepped him, ducking around him and jabbing the call button like she was ready to punch a hole through it. Everything about her was tense and ready as if Elizabeth were a bear anticipating a fight. If he poked her a couple times, would she bite his head off yet again or rip him in half this time?
"Beth."
Saved by the bell, the doors opened and the two of them stepped inside. Luke pushed the button for the third floor, taking up position against the elevator's side. Elizabeth copied him, attention focused on their sole entrypoint as if she didn't want to miss a single thing. He unclipped the strap on his holster, readying his sidearm to be drawn, bracing for the inevitable shitstorm.
For once, Luke was surprised to find he was correct. He fished out a set of molded earplugs from his breast pocket and slipped them in over his radio's earpieces, enabling Elizabeth to copy him two seconds later. The elevator doors opened onto the third floor balcony, revealing the open plan office below and Jakob crouched behind a desk.
"On me!" Luke drew his sidearm and rushed for the stairs, keeping his head down. Elizabeth tailed him, slower than he'd like, with her gun still holstered. She stayed low, hustling toward Jakob, head down and eyes focused on the floor. "You got a plan, asshole?"
"Don't die."
Great plan. What was next? Breathe? Luke glanced up just as a door on the east wall, far to his right, flung open and Nobody's men filed in like they were police in a goddamn Gilbert and Sullivan opera. He aimed just past their shoulders and fired, sending them scattering for cover, while Jakob got to his feet and started moving across the center of the floor.
"Beth, get your gun out."
Elizabeth pressed her back to the desk, fumbling with the strap on her holster. Her hands were shaking already, heart pounding in her chest; every bullet fired made her heartrate spike higher and sent adrenaline pumping through her veins despite the earplugs she wore to dull the sound. She swallowed, pupils dilated and eyes wide as she watched for anyone approaching.
"Hey!" Luke reached out and touched her cheek to draw her attention. "This isn't practice anymore. You can't freeze up. Draw your gun and stay low. Be ready to give Jakob cover."
He said it like it was so simple. As if she could just snap her fingers and get the flood of fear that was overwhelming her under control. She couldn't. Still, Elizabeth forced the holster open and wrapped her hand around the Glock, drawing it while Jakob dashed toward the far side of the room. She grit her teeth, resting the gun's barrel on the edge of the desk to stabilise it.
"Good. Keep your eyes on them, not him. I'll cover left, you cover right. You got that?"
No response.
"Beth, you copy me?"
She swallowed, trying to make her throat work before giving a single nod. "Copy," Elizabeth said in a voice so weak and fragile she could hardly believe it came from herself. "Copy th—"
Right. There was someone on her side, moving toward Jakob. Fuck. She couldn't do it. She couldn't squeeze the trigger, but what other choice did she have? Be ready to give Jakob cover. That was what he'd said, not shoot anyone who moves. Elizabeth lifted her arms and aimed at a light fixture that hung from the ceiling, gritting her teeth as her finger brushed against the trigger. She could do this. She could...
The sound of Luke's suppressed pistol firing next to her almost made her jump. The man on her side ducked for cover, allowing Jakob to reach his destination. He punched an access code into a panel, unlocked a door and ducked into the room.
I can't do this.
As much as she needed to, Elizabeth couldn't. She couldn't make her fingers work fast enough or keep her head clear and her mind focused for long enough. God, she just couldn't...
"Tasya!" Her head jerked up, attention suddenly drawn to the man beside her. Elizabeth stared at Luke, his face barely two inches from hers. "Look at me. Stay focused. You want to beat yourself up? Do it later. We need to keep Jakob alive and get out of here first."
"I can't...I'm sorry..."
Maybe it was time for a taste of her own medicine. Elizabeth could bite his head off later if she wanted so long as right in this moment, she was focused on the here and now. "Woman, what the fuck are you apologizing for? You have one job today: keep that asshole alive, and that's exactly what you're going to do. You hear me? Keep that ungrateful, two-faced sumbitch alive until we're back on the plane, then you can beat his ass to a pulp for all I care."
"Beat his arse to a..." Apparently the threat of violence worked. Elizabeth's eyes wrinkled at the corners and she pressed her lips together, curving up in the smallest smile he'd ever seen as she began to chuckle. "I don't think you've seen me in a proper fight before."
"I'm seeing you in a fight now. You ain't that bad."
"I can hardly throw a punch."
"Huh. Seems like you sure got plenty of time to learn to if you don't mind riding my dick for a while longer."
"Jesus Christ. You two know I can hear you."
"Assholes should be seen and not heard. Shut your mouth, boy."
She hadn't run, hadn't cowered; Elizabeth was struggling, but to her credit she wasn't backing down.
If she could keep this up until they got back to the plane, Elizabeth would be one step closer to where she needed to be. Luke squeezed off a shot, covering both right and left. It was clear now she wouldn't be pulling the trigger any time soon, but at least she'd tried. He would give her that—Elizabeth had held that gun, aimed, and tried.
The rest didn't matter as long as she kept struggling, kept fighting, until the moment he had Sam in his arms. If Shaw managed that, Luke just might find that shred of respect inside him turning into something a whole lot closer to admiration.
"I'm coming out. Get ready." The door popped open, but instead of coming forward to meet them, Jakob ran towards the west wall where a lone door sat undisturbed. "Hobbs, I'll cover you. Get your asses over here. We're done."
"You go first," Luke said, grabbing Elizabeth by the vest and pulling her up with him. He laid down cover fire simultaneously with Jakob, driving Nobody's men to duck and dive. "Move!"
The quicker they got out, the quicker they—
"Shit!" Pain seared hot through his left arm as a lucky bullet struck him, sending blood oozing down his bicep. "Son of a...You got any patches on you?"
Jakob pulled out a packet of quikclot and tore it open once they reached him, handing the gauze to Hobbs who promptly sealed his wound with it. It was only a graze, but the bullet had taken a large enough chunk of flesh with it that Hobbs would definitely be feeling the injury for a while.
"Exit's this way," Jakob said. "Let's go!"
This time, Elizabeth moved on her own, rushing for the door and getting through first while Jakob and Hobbs covered her. There was nothing in her head now. No thoughts, no fear, only a desperate need to survive and get back onboard Cipher's plane.
Jakob passed her moments later, rushing into the small corridor and going straight for a flight of stairs at the end of it. Hobbs was on his ass, holstering his gun and taking the steps three at a time. Elizabeth kept to her own pace, going slower than she'd like. It wasn't long until the two were well ahead of her and completely out of sight, forcing her to continue despite the feeling in her gut that said they were being herded toward something.
Toward...freedom?
Elizabeth pushed the door at the base of the stairs open, finding herself face to face with a car. Jakob sat in the driver's seat while the rear passenger door sat open, waiting for her.
Standing on the SUV's foot rail, Hobbs held his free hand out to her. She took it, pulling herself up and into the car. He slid in after her, slamming the door shut and clipping in just before Jakob floored it.
"This isn't over yet," Jakob said, checking his rearview. "Keep your eyes open. If your sister's here, the others are..."
"Don't react."
Elizabeth stilled, glancing at Luke as the world fell away and became a single voice in her ear.
"I've isolated their frequencies from yours. Cipher can't hear me either. Scratch your left cheek if you understand."
She did.
"Good. If you're wondering how I can see you, the vehicle's bugged. There's a camera built into the rearview. Another in the overhead light."
Oh. Was that all?
"I want his daughter's location now. Take that phone from your pocket and type the address out. You have one minute."
She should have known something like this would happen. Hattie always had some ace up her sleeve. A backup plan for her backup plan or some means of changing the status quo and wrestling back control. Today, that wouldn't work for once. Least of all due to the fact Hattie was so far from being in the loop she couldn't see it.
"Thirty seconds, Elizabeth. Stop messing around. Give me Sam's location or the only thing you'll be seeing for the rest of your miserable life is steel bars and concrete walls."
"That's cute, Hatts. Say goodbye to your boyfriend while you can," Elizabeth murmured, leaning her head against the window. "After I'm done with him, you'll hardly recognize the man."
She switched off her radio and pulled her earwig out, disconnecting the setup from her belt, and tossed it all on the floor. Luke glanced at her before reaching down and doing the same to his own radio, though he left it attached to his belt. Apparently he'd heard her, or maybe Hattie had been in his ear too. Whatever the reason, the movement made Jakob notice what Hobbs was doing and disconnect his own comms.
"Hattie in your ear too?" Luke said, feigning a yawn. He sat back, keeping his attention on the cars outside their own. Jakob was working his way through the city, switching lanes when necessary and getting them the hell out of Dodge before anything else could go wrong. "What'd she say?"
"Wanted Sam's location."
"She took the bait," said Luke.
"Uh-huh."
At least now they had more than a fighting chance. They had the team on their side whether Dom and the others knew it or not, and the more people searching for Sam, the better. As long as they believed he was on their side, as long as the team was willing to help instead of turning their backs on him, that was all that mattered.
He glanced at her, frowning as if she'd said something cruel. "You think she's still watching?"
"Yes."
That should've been the obvious answer. Of course she was. This was Hattie they were talking about. As long as there was a threat, she would do her best to neutralize it. Sitting around and waiting wasn't exactly her style, even if the threat in question was her own sister. "Alright. Unclip and move closer. Put your arm around me."
"What?"
"Your sister's a pretty good shot, but now she won't be able to hit you without hitting me."
Elizabeth unclipped herself, sliding across the seat toward him, and quickly strapped back in. She laced her right arm around his shoulders, leaning up toward his left ear, and said, "You'd better be right about this."
"I am." Luke turned to face her, staring at Elizabeth like she'd just pissed in his cornflakes. If worse came to worst and someone tried to intercept them, crashing the car in the process, he could grab her now too. Stop her from cracking any more ribs. He owed her that at least. "Now put your knife to my throat. Keep talking."
"What is this, Hobbs?"
"You want to sell being the enemy? Get your knife out."
She did as instructed, angling it up and pressing it flat against his throat. Elizabeth threw in a glare for good measure—all that hatred she kept under wraps coming to the surface—before asking, "What now?"
"Dealer's choice."
Dropping her right arm, Shaw dug her thumb into his bullet wound. Luke didn't have to feign his injury or pretend how much pain was flaring through his arm right then. "Just so we're clear, there'll be no picking up where we left off this morning. You want a shag? Save your kid, find my sister, and enjoy your lives together."
"Great idea," Luke said, gritting his teeth as Elizabeth dug in even deeper. "There's just one problem: I don't want your sister."
* * *
A/N: So there is a lowkey theme song for this fanfic, and it's one you might expect but not in the way you'd expect it...