"Missed me?"
My eyes snap open.
"If it makes you feel better then sure."
I hear Mick growl back to Snart.
I strain to sit up in my bunk but I can't.
I don't have the strength.
"S-s-sn-" I whisper. My voice is weak and barely audible.
"S-Snart."
"Raymond and Jones in there too?"
"Rookie is here but the girl is down the hall. Now get us out," Mick grunts back.
Metal scraping on metal echoes down the hall.
"What happened to you?" Snart asks hurriedly, "And why isn't Jones with you?"
"Slow down," Mick grumbles back as he steps out of his cell, "You coming Rookie?"
"I'm not staying here!" Ray says adamantly.
"Hurry up," Snart says impatiently.
"I'm coming," Ray replies.
Footsteps plod through the hall; drawing closer with every thud.
I groan in pain trying to sit up.
My muscles strain but nothing moves.
Ray's voice comes from outside my cell.
"She's in here. Kari you alright?"
I let out a small groan and twist my head to look at them.
Ray is pushed backwards as Snart clears his way to the bars raising his gun to blast the lock.
"Snart wait."
Snart turns to Mick; an ugly glare on his face.
"Mick we don't have much time before our cover is gone so whatever you're going to say, say it fast," he snarls at his partner.
Mick glances shiftily at Ray then back at Snart.
"Don't you think," he leans in lowering his voice, "Don't you think we should leave her behind?"
My stomach drops.
No. Not again. He wouldn't. Not after last time.
Ray hears this and stiffens. Instantly he turns around glaring daggers at Mick.
"WE'RE NOT LEAVING HER HERE!" He shouts in Mick's face.
Snart's eyes narrow and he pulls Mick slowly away from Ray.
"Mick; We're a team, right?" He asks putting an arm around his partner's shoulder.
Mick nods; his beady eyes still fastened on Ray.
"And as a team who usually makes the right call?" Snart continues.
Mick's face darkens.
"You," he grunts back.
Snart nods and turns back around to my cell door.
"Exactly, so if I say we're taking Jones so we are. Okay?"
Mick nods stiffly and stands back.
Snart smirks at Ray, who is still glaring at Mick, and pulls out his cold gun.
"Get up princess," he calls as his gun makes quick work of the rusty door.
Black forms are swimming in my vision and I can't focus.
"Princess get off your arse," Snart calls over the screeching door.
I blink trying to clear my vision but the blackness still remains.
"Snart, she's hurt," Ray interjects.
A freezing hand picks up my wrist; accidentally brushing my side.
A small gasp of pain slips out and Snart lets go of my wrist instantly.
"You look like you've been through helheim, princess," he observes, "Can you get up?"
"I-i-i'm fine," I mumble back trying to ignore the fiery pain in my side.
I look up at Snart who is watching me doubtfully through his vibrant blue eyes.
Mick grabs his arm pulling him towards the door of my cell.
"She's too injured, Snart," Mick mutters, "We already look suspicious and if we're seen with her limping around it will make it worse. Snart, look at her, she can't even get up."
Well it seems me and Mick's agreement to be allies has worn off.
Ray stands up ready to fight Mick but Snart shakes his head.
"Mick, you're right," he says slowly.
"I am?"
"He is?"
He's leaving me behind again.
Mentally I sigh heavily.
Why did I expect anymore of him?
"You're right. She can't walk," Snart continues.
Oh no.
"So someone will have to carry her heavy arse out here."
"N-no you don't," I snarl forcing myself to sit up."
Immediately my ribs sting sharply and the air is sucked from my lungs.
Snart's body jerks forward as if to race to my side but Ray beats him to it.
"Kari!" Ray says; instantly leaping towards me. He slides his arm behind my back supporting me as I sway in my bunk.
"I-I'm-"
"You're not fine, Jones," Snart interrupts a twinge of irritation in his voice, "Say it again and I will leave you here."
I glare at him and the ghost of a smirk appears on his face as he turns to Ray.
"You carrying her out?"
Ray shrugs and smiles at me.
"Least I can do right? You did save me back there when we were getting beat up."
"Mm," I reply before falling sideways onto him unable to sit up any longer.
"Kari-"
"I've got her," Ray says cutting of Snart.
I blink blearily up at Snart whose jaw clenches as he stares at Ray.
Finally he shakes his head and wrenches open the door.
"Don't fall behind," he mutters over his shoulder to Ray.
Ray tenses slightly then slips his hands under my legs gently lifting me up in his arms.
I groan as his arm touches my bruises.
"Sorry," he mutters in my ear as we walk into the hallway.
"I'm fine," I murmur quietly closing my eyes.
"Do me a favor and try to stay awake. Okay, Kari?" Ray says tightening his grip on me.
"Mm hmm."
"Kari," he says worriedly.
"I'm awake," I mutter forcing my heavy eyelids open.
"Good," he replies as he runs down another hallway following Snart and Mick.
"Can I shoot them?"
"Not yet."
"How bout now?"
"Mick hang on," Snart mutters, "Wait till we get closer."
"Like now?"
"FINE!" Snart snaps at his partner.
"Vot do you think voo are doing-?"
The lead guard begins to ask but Mick interrupts.
"HELLO BOYS!" Mick yells lifting his heat gun up and aiming it at the men.
Shouts of surprise echo off the walls as enemy guards learn first hand how well ice and fire go together.
The sounds of Mick and Snart's guns are welcome to my ears.
Ray crouches down shielding me from the Russian guard's return fire.
Bullets ping against the walls ricocheting left and right.
Finally silence falls and Snart calls for us to hurry up.
"Coming!" Ray calls back, "Oh, when are we getting Stein?"
A shadow passes over Snart's face as he leads us towards the exit.
"Sara said she'd take care of it."
That sounds promising.
I wonder why I have a creeping sense of dread crawling up my spine?
"She will?" Ray pants as he ducks into a doorway.
More guards spill into our hallway and yell angrily at us but Snart yells over them.
"YES THE FORMER MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE OF ASSASSINS WILL TAKE CARE OF IT!" He roars back.
Ah that's why I have such a bad feeling about this.
Ray unconsciously tightens his grip and I wince.
"Sorry," he says after noticing my grimace.
I nod slightly and mentally moan as he races towards the stairs.
"Sorry," he repeats.
Each thud shakes my body in his arms; jarring my bruises and beaten body.
Small whimpers of pain slip out of my mouth mixed with curses.
After a short lurch up two stairs and we are on the top landing.
His fingers accidentally jab into my abdomen making me writhe in pain.
"Sor-"
"Shut...up," I snarl back closing my eyes.
"Okay," he mutters apologetically.
We remain in silence for a while before there is a crashing noise and a gust of frigid air.
"Just so you know, we're going outside," Ray explains, "It's going to get chilly."
"No crap, Sherlock. In case you didn't notice we're in Russia."
The corners of his lips twitch upwards as we race into the cold.
The freezing air is nearly unbearable and I twist in Ray's arms trying to preserve as much body heat as possible.
Snart and Mick race out from the stairwell behind us; panting heavily. I really don't like the murderous glint in Mick's eyes. Snart sends me a fleeting glance before tightening his grip on his cold gun and looking up ahead.
"The car should be on the-" Snart begins.
"Hey look there's Stein!" Ray interrupts happily.
I glance up and see the professor standing stiffly not to far away from us.
Unprotected by guards.
Something's not right...
"Stein!" Ray smiles, "Stein it's-"
I force my hand over his mouth and he glares down at me shaking his head to remove my hand.
"Kari-"
"It-it's wrong," I croak.
Ray rolls his eyes.
"Kari, why do you always expect the worst possible sc-" he stops his eyes widening.
A gust of sudden heat rushes over us and my eyes snap shut.
Squinting back at Stein, I feel my jaw drop.
"Oh dear," Ray says quietly.
Stein is gone. Instead Vostok stands where he was. She's on fire. Golden flames surround her glowing form...just like Firestorm.
Odin's eye, tell me he wasn't stupid enough to explain to them how to create Firestorm.
She reaches out, touches Stein's arm and the pair combines into firestorm.
Well crap.
He did.
AN-
YAAAAAY!!! AN UPDATE!!!I really struggled to write this chapter...Snart is being very difficult with me and not being nice...the little turd...keep commenting! They make me smile!
Live long and prosper!
-LM
Random Question: If Karoline didn't end up with Snart who would you ship her with?