* * *

Pegasus expected there to be no end to the yelling.

As soon as he brought Sarah back to compound, before they’d even made it back to her room, they’d been ambushed by Scorpion. Her face looked as red then as it did now.

Sarah was quickly escorted back to her room, but he hadn’t been as lucky. A limping Scorpion led him back to Command, voice echoing along the hallways and scaring some of the support staff.

Especially in the elevator, her voice resounded particularly well. Knowing he was in the wrong this time, Pegasus resisted the urge to cover his ears.

When they stepped onto the main area, she paused long enough to locate Cypher. As if sensing the ominous energy, Cypher looked up from his screen as soon as they saw him.

Pegasus waved at him and Cypher started rolling his chair away as if he could hide behind November.

Scorpion hobbled over. “Get over here.”

Pegasus fell into an empty chair nearby. The outing had taken more out of him than he’d like to admit.

Cypher rolled his chair to Pegasus’ side, looking very much the part of a co-conspirator in some childish prank.

“I have stuff to do,” Cypher protested. His eyes flitted away from his desk though, suggesting whatever it was wasn’t actually that urgent.

Scorpion inhaled deeply, eyeing both of them as if storm clouds would manifest above her head any moment.

Pegasus coughed into his hand to hide a smirk.

Scorpion flipped her hair back and set her glare on Pegasus first. “Never mind that you shouldn’t be going anywhere until the doctor clears you, what the hell were you thinking taking her along?”

He leaned back in his seat, letting his body relax. “Well, I was thinking she’s been locked in a cage for a while now and maybe it would do her some good to remember what sunlight looks like. We keep saying we’re sending her back when everything is settled, but when is that? ‘Cause I’m not seeing it on any timetable.”

“Robyn hasn’t complained,” Scorpion said.

“Of course not. The minute she okays it, she’s likely never going to see her sister again. Are you telling me you would’ve already signed the papers? I don’t think I would. Sarah’s basically our prisoner, and since no one seems to be even listening to her, I figured I might as well. It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do.”

“You put her in danger by taking her outside, you know that, don’t you? You of all people should have thought of that. Haven’t we put her life at risk enough already?”

“Like when we almost got her killed?” Pegasus asked.

“None of that would’ve happened if they’d let me take the tranq guns like I wanted to. But no, they said. Unnecessary, they said.”

Cypher raised a hand. “Can I get back to my station now, because, you know, I really don’t think this is my fault.”

Scorpion turned to Cypher. “Did you authorize his leave of absence from the compound? Did you authorize the use of a car? Did you authorize him the use of whatever weapons he took? Did you okay the codes for him and his escapade companion?”

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Cypher shrunk in his seat. “I see where you’re going with that…”

“Oh, grow a spine.” She pressed her fingers to her temple. “Why would you even call Pegasus in the first place? He’s supposed to be grounded because he almost died!”

Cypher averted his gaze.

“Might’ve been your comment on the tranq guns,” Pegasus said, unable to stop from smiling.

She looked about to throttle one of them, but some of her anger seemed to have dissipated.

Pegasus laughed. “Belle…”

Her gaze became cold, but before either could say anything else, Zeus’ presence diffused the situation.

Zeus scrutinized each of them, then fixed his gaze on Scorpion. “Griffon’s team is coming back with cargo. Could you go get everything ready?”

She nodded and disappeared with a glance towards Pegasus.

“Cypher, get back to your station.”

“Yes, sir.” And he too was gone.

Zeus turned to Pegasus at last. A long sigh came. “You’re grounded.”

Pegasus gave him a humorless smile. “I thought I already was.”

“If we didn’t need you so badly, I’d keep you grounded until the end of time. Cypher is always complaining he needs an extra pair of hands, so I could gift you to him permanently.”

Pegasus watched him without a word. There was no way he would set aside a field agent when they were shorthanded as it was.

“You’ll be grounded and working with Cypher until the doctors discharge you or until we need you again, whichever comes first. Dismissed.”

Pegasus frowned. He was expecting at least as long a lecture as he’d gotten from Scorpion. “That’s it?”

Zeus smiled. “I’ll let Dragon take care of the rest when she gets back. You have about an hour of peace left. I suggest you enjoy it.”

“Yes, sir.”

There was exactly forty-five minutes.

Pegasus was lying on his couch, exhausted, an arm draped over his eyes.

He’d been considering trying to crawl into bed when the door opened without warning.

“What the hell?” Robyn shouted at him as a greeting. “Did those toxic chemicals scramble your brain even more?”

“Scorpion already yelled at me,” he replied calmly.

“What were you thinking?”

Pegasus shrugged. “We can’t keep her locked up forever.”

“It’s not gonna be forever.”

He cocked an eyebrow, but otherwise let it go. Robyn could have some more time to deal with her decision.

“Did you get anything useful today?” he asked.

“Two dead bodies and a live one. They’re all locals.”

“You sure?”

“Cypher’s sending law enforcement over to check their addresses, but that what it looks like. There wasn’t much where they were that might be clues, and they burned the computer when we were coming in, so I doubt Cypher’s gonna get anything. That leaves us the live one.”

“Is he talking?”

“Not yet, he’s unconscious. Doc Green is still looking him over. I figure I’ve got some time before Griffon and Scorpion have everything ready for the interrogation.”

“And you came to yell at me?” He held her gaze. “Go talk to your sister, Dragon.”

“And fix whatever it was you screwed up?”

He breathed out slowly. “She’s not alright. Maybe you should get her to talk to Athena. She should be back from Center by now.”

“Given what’s going on, she seems well enough.”

“Robyn, she almost hurt herself last night. She woke up from a nightmare, I guess, and freaked out.”

“Okay. Don’t worry, I’ll talk to her.” She hesitated, staring at her feet like she did when she wanted something. “But could you talk to Athena about Sarah for me? I don’t wanna get roped into anything. You’re supposed to go down there anyway, right?”

He groaned. “Yeah, to discuss my problem with sticking to plans.” He might as well use his session time for something productive. “I can ask her.”

The com sounded.

“Pegasus?” It was Griffon’s voice.

Pegasus got up to answer it. “I’m here. What do you need?”

“If Dragon hasn’t permanently maimed you or otherwise incapacitated you, are you free to join us in interrogation room three?”

“Now?”

“No, he’s still out. We’re also following up on what we found at the scene. Uniforms haven’t given us a confirmation on his ID, yet. I think it’ll be an hour or so. Is Dragon still there?”

“She’s here,” Pegasus said.

“Alright. I’ll let you both know when we have him conscious and ready.”

“Okay. She’ll be heading over to talk to her sister.”

Robyn’s eyes widened at him in silence as Griffon signed off.

“Robyn, stop stalling.” He walked her out the door, pointed her towards Sarah’s room, and made sure she had at least taken five steps in that direction before he went back to get some rest. It was the best he could do.

Hopefully, Robyn wouldn’t have any regrets when it came time to say goodbye.