Ada I:

Ada walked the halls of the P.A.L base, each footstep carried her frustration. Between the recent attack, the reports from Mexico and the debacle with Jaene, her patience was thin.

The captain was insistent about letting her out. For reasons she didn’t quite understand. He felt indebted to the researcher, buying into the story with zero hesitation.

It seemed within the team, she was alone in her suspicions of the tale. John was unreadable on his stance. Emma claimed there was more “more to Jaene” that was yet to be seen. Ada suspected she was saying that because of her curiosity about the woman’s work. Ben hasn’t told her anything but if the woman did save his family as reported then he’d probably feel inclined to side with her.

Ada groaned in frustration. She was losing herself to this. She needed release. Her course turned, where she ended up at the shooting range.

She wasted no time, taking a handgun off the rack. Her sights completely set on the target twenty five meters out. One, two, three. Just as she practiced everyday for fourteen years.

Her mind drifted to the image of her family writhing on the ground, and that man standing over them before he turned to her. She hated him. More than the one who stood beside him and allowed it to happen. How could one watch a family be killed? How could one stand by while their family was stripped apart one by one.

What kind of brother would do such a thing?

She hadn’t realized the clip was empty. Her finger pulled the trigger regardless, his face being the only thing she saw when she eyed the target. Ada almost missed the sound of dozens of foot steps, as if a crowd formed. Peeking out of the shooting range room, she saw just that. She heard the screams and yells, then saw the large crowd of her fellow soldiers encircling something. A brawl most likely.

With an aphrenrsive sigh, she approached ready to diffuse it. It seemed the tensions were getting to people. When she pushed past the crowd, surprise etched her face when she saw the two responsible for this.

Ben was atop another soldier, his fist already raised. From the already forming bruises on the poor guys face, it seemed it wasn’t Ben’s first punch.

Ada rushed to Bens side, pulling him back. Not seeing her, Ben whirled around with a glare. Ada met his eyes, her head tilted to peer beyond this show of machoism.

Ben calmed, getting off the man below him. When she turned around, the crowd began dispersing. She looked further to see why. Chris, alongside the other captains approached quickly.

With a quick salute she greeted.

“Captains.”

Chris nodded to her.

“What happened?”

Ada shrugged her shoulders, she gave a quick glance to Ben hoping he’d explain himself.

“Looks like another brawl to me. People are tense.”

“That doesn’t give him the right to attack his fellow soldiers. If you must fight then go to the gym and spar, don’t start a..street fight!” Sofia exclaimed.

Ada resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Sofia was the same prude as always. The only interesting thing about the girl was her obvious crush on Chris. The urge to laugh added, making Ada clear her throat violently.

“She’s right. You gotta cool it old man, if you don’t then we can always go a few rounds.” Ada turned to Ben, meeting his gaze with a knowing look. She hated agreeing with Sofia, but it was the best way to diffuse the situation. If Chris wasn’t here she’d probably try to write the guy up.

Ben was silent, his eyes barely moved to show his recognition of her words.

“Yeah. Yeah alright.”

Chris watched the interaction , Ada could tell he was so close to reaching for that box of cigarettes.

“Sofia, take him to the med-bay. I’ll handle this.” Chris’s order was quick, he already moved. toward the two of them.

Sofia took the injured soldier away, her haste in following Chris’s order made Ada gag.

The walk to the gym was silent, only the sound of the two men’s footsteps sounded.

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‘Heavy bastards.’ Ada thought, grimacing when she caught a glimpse of Chris’s expression.

‘Definitely a lecture. How do I get out of this ?’

They reached the gym, Ada stepped behind a corner to strip herself free of the uniform. Lucky for her, she had gym clothes underneath. A simple dark shorts and tank top.

She tossed the lighter to Chris, who sat on the bench. His exhaustion was obvious, as was his stress. The best way to avoid an angry Chris lecture was to give him a cigarette or lighter.

Wordlessly he began his smoke break, she cheered internally at her victory.

Ada stepped onto the bench, she looked at Ben expectantly. Ben met her gaze incredulously.

“I wasn’t kidding. We’re gonna go a few rounds.”

Ben looked to Chris for help, only to be met with another expectant look. He clearly saw it as an appropriate punishment for the trouble he caused. Ben grumbled under his breath, stepping onto the mat.

“Not even gonna get into comfortable clothes?” Ada teased, eyeing the green and grey uniform.

Ben got into his stance. A cocky grin on his face. She hated that smirk.

“Don’t need it.”

Ada grinned back, slowly approaching him.

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Chris II:

As expected, Ben needed it. Three rounds in and he too was wearing gym appropriate clothing. It made the rounds longer, but his progress was slow regardless.

Before he changed, he was laid out in about ten seconds. After, he gave Ada a good fight. Chris suppressed a chuckle.

Ada was dancing around him, twisting through Ben’s jabs with ease. She rotated between entering his personal space to flip the older man onto his back, or stay out of his superior reach, using her flexibility to dodge.

Another round passed, Ben was on his back again.

Chris stopped watching for a moment nodding to John and Emma when the pair entered the gym.

‘Seems they heard about what happened.’ Chris took another puff from his guilty pleasure.

They caught sight of what was happening and took a seat beside Chris.

“So why’d you and that guy start fighting anyway?” Ada said, wiping her palms.

Ben groaned as he stood from the training mat.

“Bastard was mouthing off about shit he didn’t know anything about.”

He stood again, back into stance.

Ada sighed, she approached him again.

“What’d he say?” Ada dodged Ben’s attempt to grapple her. The man stumbled forward, his momentum moving him off the mat.

“Said that I was a disgrace for letting a terrorist be the one to save my family.“ Ben seethed even talking about it.

Chris’s jaw clenched hearing that.

‘Should’ve got his name.’ He berated himself for the oversight. That guy got off lucky. Chris wouldn’t have stopped in bens position.

“You mean Jaene right?” Ada asked, the question gave her pause. Ben took the opportunity to attack. Ada leaned backward, her flexibility on display, the blow was evaded. However the lieutenant didn’t stop there, she balanced on her hands, using her legs to wrap around bens arm and shoulder. She turned, grappling him to the floor mat. She had his arm in the grip of hands and legs now, forcing him into submission.

“Yeah! Yeah it was Jaene.” Ben tapped the mat rapidly, his face was red with a mix of his old anger and embarrassment.

Ada let him go, she stood letting out a sigh. She locked eyes with Chris.

“Punishment delivered captain.”

Chris allowed himself to smile at the sight. John laughed, while Emma cheered for Ada.

Chris walked over to Ben, his hand offered. Ben took it, his panting halted.

“Sorry captain. He just..pissed me off, won’t happen again.”

Chris waved it off.

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t blame you for hitting the guy.”

They all sat on the bench, Chris’s stress temporarily reduced from the fun little escapade.

“So..”

Ben started.

They group turned to him.

“Will Ms.Porter be set free anytime soon?”

Ada groaned, reaching for her own cigarette. John shrugged, while Emma seemed to be deep in thought. Eventually all looked to him for the answer.

“I don’t know.” A half truth.

“Do you want her free?” John asked.

“I don’t know.” A lie.

Ada hummed, she saw through him and was letting him know she did.

John seemed to as well, but he didn’t say anything.

“If we were to get her out. I don’t know if I want her involved with everything. She’d stay and help out wherever she could, but no missions. Which means no information about said missions.” Chris made sure to speak in hypotheticals, to appease his team regardless of their stance on the matter.

However his mind wandered off to what occurred earlier today. When Director, or Colonel Serge dropped off that note in his office. The man seemed to have his own plans, and they somewhat aligned with Chris’s.

She was getting out of that cell.