NOVA
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04/05/2003
Alto, New Mexico
Silverwing Base
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In about four hours time, Nicholas will hopefully be dead.

The trauma that has been suffocating me will finally allow new, clean air into my lungs. The restraints of the past will finally break away from around my wrists.

I'll be able to carry on with my life knowing he's not right around the corner.

I'll be able to live in peace, eventually die with the knowledge that I got my revenge.

If all goes to plan.

"Today's the day," Leo grumbles, leaning across the bed and whacking my alarm off with a significant amount of aggression.

I hum in response, feeling the vibration ricocheting around my nerves. I glance to my hands, noticing how they're rapidly quivering.

Nervous isn't the right word. Nervous-anticipation is more apt.

My eyes find the time; 5:55am. Vincent wants us ready and at the chopper by 6:30am. Luckily, I got pretty damn organised yesterday; saves the stress of this morning.

"Have you got your gear ready?" I manage to croak out, clearing my dry throat.

"Yeah, it's all in your washroom. Come here, Nov," He says, wrapping his arms around my back and pulling me into his chest, smoothing his hand down my hair.

"Whatever happens, I'm so fucking proud of you. The fact that you're even coming today is something else entirely," he muffles against my ear.

"Thank you," I whisper, "for supporting me."

"Always," his lips press against my forehead.

"You're my favourite person," I say quietly, tilting my gaze so I can see his face.

"Well, you're mine second to Banksy," he chuckles. I know he's trying to make everything more lighthearted, he does that.

I give him the usual gentle slap against his back. I didn't think I'd smile at all today before Nicholas is in the grave, but Leo has proved me wrong.

"Of course you're mine, Nov," I feel him grin against me.

I just need him.

"You mean the world to me," I whisper, running my thumb across his cheekbone.

"Just the world? I'd prefer the universe," He grins, moving his hand to my own and guiding my lips towards his; trapping them in a kiss.

What if this is our last kiss?

"Leo," I mumble as he pulls away, he hums in response.

"If anything happens to me today, please just get yourself out of there-"

"-stop it Nova," he interrupts.

"But-"

"No buts. Stop. It. You know there's not a chance that I'd leave you. Would you leave me behind?" He raises his eyebrows.

"No-" I start.

"-exactly." He gives a short nod.

He's got a point, a strong point. There's not a chance in hell I'd leave him behind. At least I've spoken to Vincent, asked him to prioritise Leo over myself if something where to happen to us.

I glance at the time with a sigh, "we should probably get up."

He nods slowly, pulling me in for a final kiss before sliding out of bed.

We move automatically, like robots. We've been in this scenario God knows how many times before; preparing for a mission, only this time it's different.

You can feel the tension, anticipation lingering like thick fog around us. Leo keeps giving me small gestures of reassurance, squeezing my arm and pressing his lips to my forehead.

Even in a situation like this, he has the ability to make me grin.

I stare at us both in the mirror, brushing our teeth; more so I stare at him.

I love him.

He picks up his vest, pulling it over his head. I help in securing it around the back, fastening it tightly as he pulls on his cargos; knee guards, elbow pads.

Helmet's are always the last thing.

He does the same for me. He smooths his comforting hands up the sides of my body, peppering kisses across my neck as he pulls my vest tight.

Knives. Smith and Wesson. Comms.

We edge towards the ominous door of my cabin. The second we leave, the operation begins; stepping across the starting line, only we're unsure of the end.

He tilts his gaze down at my own, cupping my face and leaning to crash his lips to mine one more time.

I instantly return it, running my hands along his stubbly jawline and rubbing his cheeks with my thumbs.

Unfortunately, we have to pull away from each other.

"I love you," he whispers, breaking the silence of the past twenty minutes.

"I love you too, Leo," I murmur, pressing my head into his vest before leaning back and picking up my helmet.

My hand finds the door handle as I push it open, checking nobody is around as we walk outside. The sun is just beginning to rise, the sky a pink haze as it fights it's way through the clouds of dawn.

We stride towards where everybody is gathering near the chopper, Marcus warming it up and going through a final check of the controls.

Tara and Banksy turn around at our entrance, heading in our direction. Tara instantly wraps her arms around my vest, pulling me into a hug.

"Are you alright?" She whispers.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Are you?"

She hums, pulling away from the hug. I catch a glance of the long, heavy sniper rifle swung over her back.

"Got the Smith and Wesson?" She chuckles, I tap my thigh.

"Of course," I grin, "Vincent has the rest of the artillery,"

"Speaking of, we should probably go and get it off of him," Leo says, pointing over his shoulder in Vincent's direction.

I nod, following him towards where Vincent is stood. He's studying the floor plan for a final time, chewing on his lip in thought.

"Morning, Sir," I force a smile, kneeling down to look at the array of artillery.

"Shields, Hendrix. You both feeling prepared for this?"

"Yeah, I just can't fucking wait for it to be over," I sigh, picking up an AK-47 and swinging it across my back.

"You look like you did when you first came into North's office that day. AK-47 on your back," Leo chuckles as I stand up, handing one to him.

"The good old days, when you were the bane of my existence," my lips curve up.

"You both may as well sit in the chopper if you're prepared. I'm just herding everybody up like damn cattle," Vincent grins. We hum in response, climbing into the seats and setting the headsets around our necks.

My helmet rests on my knees. I stare at my silhouette through the glossy black coating. Leo's hand finds mine, running his thumb across it.

Yamato climbs into the chopper, slumping in one of the seats with a groan.

"I don't know what's worse. Going on this mission or having to wake up this fucking early," he complains, earning a laugh from Leo and I.

This is why I love our group. The situations can be God awful, but everybody makes the effort to lighten the mood.

"I think getting up this early is the worst part, or listening to Leo snore all night," I grin, Leo shoots me an amused glare as I crack open some water.

"So, what is it between you two? Fuck buddies?" Yamato deadpans, making me choke on the water in my throat.

"A little more personal than that, Yama," Leo chuckles.

Yamato has a good question. I don't even know what it is between us. We've been told that relationships are pretty damn much off limits.

"We'll decide what's going on after today's over," I shrug.

Tara and Banksy file in a few minutes later. The sounds of clanking artillery echo around the small interior. Tara immediately starts polishing her scope.

"Everybody checked their comms? Got the right frequency?" Leo asks, earning a hum from all of us.

I glance at Leo's watch. He must have changed it to a digital one, which hopefully means it's got the right damn time.

6:50

Dylan, Martin and Yazmina are next on board. Dylan is attempting to flirt with Yazmina, despite the fact she's about ten fucking years older than him; also married by the looks of the ring tied around her neck.

"Really? Flirting at a time like this, Dyl?" Yamato shakes his head in disapproval.

"I'm married, you fucking idiot," Yazmina scoffs.

"C'mon. Nothing wrong with some fun," Dylan grins.

I guess to everyone who doesn't know about my relationship with Nicholas, this is just a normal operation. Explains the casualness.

"Dyl, do you know who her husband is?" Marcus calls back from the cockpit, "he's Rob Tamlin. You must remember him since he was also in the Eagles."

I've know of Rob Tamlin. Before Marcus, he was probably the best pilot Fleetwood ever had. Apparently also one of those people you do not want to get on the wrong side of.

Dylan must know this, since it immediately shuts him up.

But, Yazmina married someone within her group?

"How did that work, Yaz? I thought everybody was really strict about relationships within units," I lean forward as Pete Wexler and Jim Rogan step inside, ramming us right against the exterior.

They're two ops I've never really spoken to, despite them being in my group. They keep to themselves, do as their told without a word.

"It didn't. I joined when Rob was a few years older. We got together in secret, eventually decided after a few years of secrecy to come clean about our relationship. It was denied. Since Rob was nearing the end of his pilot service, he took an early retirement so our relationship would work. We got married on my year out," she explains with a smile, playing with the ring tied around her neck by a cord.

Oh.

"Ah, that's great," I force a smile.

Vincent steps onto the ledge, coughing and doing a check of everyone here.

"Just waiting on Rosa, Elijah and Terrance; our other driver,"

"If anymore people get on this damn chop', I'm 'gonna get suffocated before we're in Albuquerque," Dylan remarks, only to be completely ignored by all of us.

The remaining three appear behind Vincent as soon as he acknowledges their absence. I notice Tara and Rosa lock tense eyes for a second as they climb on.

"Right. Artillery. Comms. Perfect knowledge of the plan. Everybody on board?" Vincent asks, earning nods from around the chopper.

"Good."

He finally gets on board, hauling the door shut behind him and securing it. We all slide our headsets up from our necks.

My legs have a mind of their own. They're jittering in anticipation. Leo wedges his arm between the seat and my back, giving it a gentle rub.

The familiar vibration of the choppers blades shakes the aircraft as it lifts off of the ground.

Deep breaths.

The fact I'll be seeing him again in about one hour is surreal to me. It still hasn't completely sunken in, that the mission is to kill my fucking brother.

More so, that I want to be the one killing him.

His lingering presence has tortured me for long enough. I need revenge.

I need to avenge my Mother. Everyone who died in the Philippines. My Father, who forever blamed himself as to why Nicholas left.

I need to avenge myself.

—

"Go, go!"

Vincent orders as we touch down in the Westlands. The arranged SUV's are in sight. As soon as everyone has left, Marcus lifts off once again.

Leo is hot on my trail as we run towards them. I yank open one of the doors, quickly filing in with five of the others.

Yazmina hops into the drivers seat, immediately setting up the location of the water tower before accelerating.

I glance at Tara, who is talking to me as she pulls on her helmet.

"We've got this," she keeps repeating, leaning across and taking my hands in hers.

"Yeah, we have," I nod, squeezing her hands with a small smile.

"You definitely on the right frequency, Mulvey?" Yamato asks her, she hums in response after triple checking her comms.

"3.528," she confirms, Yamato nods.

I turn to gaze through the back windshield, the other SUV following directly behind us.

I didn't realise how close we actually touched down to the area of the hotel. The water tower is in sight, risen like a beacon through the desert landscape.

Tara flicks like a light switch from her usual, joyful mode into seriousness. I watch as her lips flatten into a straight line, checking her ammo and the visibility of her scope.

The van halts at the base. Everyone says their good lucks to her.

"Tara. Be careful, okay?" I whisper. She nods and pulls me in for a final hug, her helmet briefly clashing with mine.

"Make him pay, Novie." She urges before stepping out of the van and heading straight for the bottom of the ladder.

This is it.

There's no other 'stops' now. We're on the one way road to Hotel Isabel. Once a resort for holidaymakers, now the grounds of gunfire.

Leo grabs my gloved hand. I don't think anybody is even paying attention to us, everyone is too busy going through their rounds.

"I'm so proud of you," he says softly, adjusting the straps of his helmet with his free fingers.

"It'll be alright," I speak quietly. I don't know who I'm actually trying to reassure here; Leo or myself.

"I love you, Shields. Even though in the past you've driven me insane," he chuckles futilely.

"And I love you too Hendrix, even if in the past I've called you an arrogant, obnoxious prick." I force a grin.

"Me? Arrogant and obnoxious? Never," he places a sarcastic hand over his heart.

I pull my own helmet on, securing the straps. I hear Yazmina giving the conformation that we're almost at the location, telling Marcus to touch down.

This is it.

"Everyone get ready," Yamato grumbles, already unbuckling his seatbelt.

My teeth are chattering. My stomach is churning.

I've come this fucking far, and I will not let myself down again.

We turn the corner, and the hotel comes into my line of vision. It looks exactly like it did on the news article we saw, only aged. The beige exterior has chipped away, some windows smashed.

I can see the perron swirling up the East side of the structure.

The chopper slowly lowers itself down to the ground, disappearing behind the back half of the hotel.

"Mulvey, are you in position? Over," my voice quivers into the comms.

"Yes, I've got a good sight. Over,"

Her reply settles my nerves a little, knowing in some way she's watching us from afar.

And I will always have faith in Tara and her sniper skills.

The van halts.

Go.

"Everyone out and head to your positions!" Yamato orders, the occupants of the other van simultaneously filing out.

I'm first out of the door, immediately sprinting straight for the perron. Leo and Yamato are hot on my heels.

Our boots clank against the rusty metal of the steps as we swirl our way up. Dylan, Martin and Jim are slightly lower down, making their dash for the third story entrance.

I can feel my pulse, thudding around the inside of my helmet. My blood is slowly mixing with the adrenaline pouring into my system from my senses.

This is exactly what I need, adrenaline.

Our comms crackle, Vincent's voice filtering through the static.

"We've gained entry on the lower floor. So far, nobody in sight. Push into your respective floors, over,"

We halt as the 6th story door stands ominously right in front of us. Leo takes his shoulder to it, bashing it down with ease as the hinges crack.

The sunlight filters through the gap we created as we all push into the building.

Guns are immediately drawn at the ready as we stay flush against the walls.

"Remember. Shields, you check down the West end of the corridor. Hendrix, you check this side and I'll take the other." Yamato whispers, gesturing like a conductor.

I immediately head towards the West end, keeping a vigilant eye as I approach the first room.

The sole of my boot meets the door, splintering it's rustic frame as it swings open.

It's like a damn time capsule. The bed is still in position, mattress discoloured. I get onto a knee, edging my way forward as I peer under the bed.

Nothing.

The washroom door is already open. I dash towards it, aiming my gun inside.

Nothing.

The next room.

Nothing.

The room after that.

Nothing.

The next three.

Nothing.

I raise up my comms, "has anybody seen-"

A gunshot cuts my sentence short. It didn't sound too far away, maybe a floor or two down.

"Gunshot? Anyone copy? Over." I hear Leo's voice.

"Adversary's gun. We've neutralised him and taken the weapon. First one we've seen. Over." Rogan's voice crackles in response.

I speak into my own, pushing the door of my seventh room as I attempt to ask my question again, "any sign as of-"

I'm cut off as something whacks across the front of my helmet, knocking me backwards into the wall, but not with enough force to disorientate me.

The bastard makes another lunge for me with their weapon. I twist just in time, a crowbar lodging deep into the plaster.

I tackle myself into him, forcing him to stop his futile attempts to free the metal as I pin him with my knee; smashing my elbow across into face.

It's not Nicholas.

He grunts, blood beginning to flood from his nostrils. I yank the S&W from my thigh, bashing the butt across the side of his head as his hands stop their struggle.

"Nova? Nova?!" I can already hear the thud of Leo's footsteps as he pummels towards the room.

"I'm okay! Was just some prick, not Nicholas," I huff, feeling the man's unconscious form for any hidden weapons.

There's none, must have just been the crowbar. Leo steps into the room, hauling the metal from the wall with minimal effort and into his possession. He paces towards the window, smashing it open and launching the crowbar out.

"Jesus Christ, I was terrified when you got cut off," he catches his nervous breath, striding back towards me.

"Any sign of Nicholas is what I was trying to say, before I was rudely interrupted by this son of a bitch," I gesture to the man.

"Not so far," he shakes his head, walking over to check my helmet with a grimace. "It's got a big fucking crack down the front, Nov. That isn't safe."

"Maybe not, but they don't seem very skilled. He couldn't even yank that bar out of the damn wall," I shrug, checking the washroom before exiting the room.

"How many rooms is that for you?" He asks.

"Seven, that was the last one on this side,"

"Then we must have covered this floor. There was twenty-four rooms in total, including staff quarters,"

I forgot he studied the floor plan so intensely that he knows it like the back of his hand. I've analysed it plenty of times, but nowhere near as much as Leo.

It's as though we've swapped roles.

"So, move down a floor?" I ask, he hums as Yamato appears in the corridor.

"Yeah, we need to trap him in. There's a staircase just over here," he gestures with his head, already moving away.

We jog after Yamato, guns constantly drawn as we reach the said stairwell.

"What floor is everybody on? Over," I speak into my radio as we dash down the steps.

"About to push up t' the forth, over." Dylan's voice.

"Almost cleared second, will head to forth after that to regroup. Over." Vincent's raspy voice.

He's not on the third floor, that's been covered. Not on the first or most likely second. Not on the sixth.

He's got to be on the fourth or fifth.

We slam through the doors.

A scent overflows my senses, immediately stinging my eyes and causing us all to take a step of retreat back into the stairwell.

"Smoke," Yamato grumbles.

"Don't come to the forth floor, anyone on the upper floors clear and retreat to the ground! Some bastard has started a damn fire." Martin's voice.

Right on schedule.

Whoever started it was smart, maybe I've underestimated them. The building is old, flames will feast on the walls. It's a good way to draw us out.

Unless they're not trying to draw us out, more so burn any evidence that they were here.

But, we haven't found Nicholas.

"We have to check this floor, regardless," I urge. They whip their heads and glare at me as though I'm ridden with insanity. They're probably right to look at me this way.

"No, Shields!" Yamato barks.

"A brief check, before the fire eventually fucking reaches this floor," I hiss.

I can't just leave this. He has to die today.

He will die today, I refuse any other outcome. The bastard will not wriggle himself from our grasp again.

"Nova, stop it. We aren't checking-" Leo starts, planting a firm hand on my shoulder.

"-You know I have to, and I'll do it alone if necessary. I'm sorry," I seethe, kicking the doors open again and sprinting down the corridor. I'm being reckless, I'm well-a-fucking-ware; I just can't let this go.

I can hear them running behind me. There's smoke, but it isn't entirely suffocating. It most likely will be in about five minutes time.

I barge through the rooms like my life depends on it. In a way, I suppose it does; along with my sanity.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

Fucking nothing.

Fuck.

"Is that all of the rooms?" I cough into the comms, swiftly making my way back to the stairwell.

"That's all of them," Leo's voice crackles through, stopping as he reaches my side.

"Come on, we've got to get out of here. I'm sorry, Shields." Yamato sighs, running towards the East side to reach the perron door.

My fire of determination just got water poured overtop, diminishing it back to the coals. I feel so fucking deflated.

I want to just lie down and let this building swallow me up in it's growing blaze. Once again, he has defeated me. I haven't got any fucking vengeance.

I trudge along to where Yamato is holding open the door, Leo beside me.

Until my comms cackles.

"Anyone? Anyone fucking copy?! Over!" Tara's urgent voice fights the static.

"Yes, yes Tara we copy. What's going on?" I lean forwards in anticipation, taking a step down onto the rusty staircase.

"He's on the roof! He's on the fucking roof!"

The roof.

The one, single fucking place we didn't check. The one goddamn area I didn't even know was fucking accessible.

"Tara, just take the shot!" I bark, palms growing clammy around the radio.

"I can't! He's gotten flat to the floor behind the curb, somebody else is with him!"

I look at Leo. He looks at Yamato. Yamato looks at me.

There's no question about it.

I've got to do this. Alone or not.

"I'm going with you," Leo speaks quietly, and before I've even said a word. Read my decision like an open book.

"Me too," Yamato nods, "then we have to get off of this damn building as soon as possible."

"Was there some sort of accessibility point on the floor plan?" I glance between them both, they shake their heads in unison.

There's only one other way, he must have gotten up from the outside.

I look up from the Perron. There's steps continuously swirling until they stop. At the top and to the side, there's a rustic ladder that looks as though it's about to swing off of its hinges; filling the gap between the end of the staircase and the roof.

"There," I point, already making my way up. Yamatos jaw clenches, Leo has no reaction as he follows in my tracks.

"Retreat! The building isn't stable. Over," Vincent's voice.

I ignore it. I have to ignore it.

"Any movement on Nicholas? Over." Yamato asks.

"None yet, over." Tara.

"We're going after him," I inform through my own radio, pretending I didn't hear the blatant damn orders to retreat.

My feet reach the end of the staircase as I swing my rifle back over my shoulder, climbing up to the edge of the railing.

"I'll go first," Leo urges, attempting to nudge me aside.

"No you won't," I hiss, shoving him aside and grating the metal with my nails as I haul myself to the top.

There's not a chance I'm risking his death over hunting my brother. If anyone is going to die by falling from this ladder, it's me.

Although, one wrong move and I plummet six stories to inevitable death.

Leo can't object anymore, since my life is literally hanging in the balance.

I reach my arm across, attempting to grab for one of the ladders steps. After a stretch, my hand wraps around the rust. I use my strength in that arm to pull myself up and across until I'm secured on the ladder.

I am, in no circumstance, going to look down.

"Be careful," Leo whispers from behind as I start to slowly shimmy up.

In a few more steps, my devilish brother will be in my line of vision.

I reach one arm up, wrapping around the curb of the roof and digging my nails into the ledge. My other arm meets the first as I start to pull myself over.

I can see him.

And he's laying flat on the ground, looking right at me.

I duck, seeing it coming. A bullet whizzes right over my head, just scratching the top of my helmet. I let go with one of my arms, pulling the pistol from my thigh and aiming it over the ledge.

I'm in a very vulnerable position. Too vulnerable.

"Fucking get down, now!" Leo roars.

There's something not right. He could've shot my hand and let me fall, but he hasn't. He could be reloading.

I keep the pistol in my grip this time, manoeuvring my arm back over the curb. I've got a helmet on. The chances of him getting a shot clean enough to bury right though it are slim, especially if I'm swift with my movements.

Speed has always been a strength of mine. I may not be as muscled up as Leo and Yamato, but I know for a fact I'm faster.

I just need to go for it.

The adrenaline pumping through my veins, with one strong haul I'm over the ledge unharmed.

Because he's not shooting at me.

"Well I'll be damned, look at who survived," he grins, now standing with his back shielded against a power box.

He hasn't just got one person with him, but three.

I can hear the scuffle as Leo and Yamato climb up behind me.

There's no movement. I don't say a word, I don't have to when my expression demonstrates exactly what's going through my mind.

A bloodthirsty need for vengeance.

I can tell he's got a vest on even from here. The thick, black exterior.

He raises his own gun. "Drop it, Nova." He demands.

The pistol only tightens in my grasp as I take a long, deep breath. "I'm not a dog, you fucking cunt." I say.

All hell breaks loose in an instant.

One of the adversaries sprints towards Yamato, two of them towards Leo, and Nicholas right at me before there's a chance to react.

I fire off a bullet that buries in his vest. I let him tackle me to the ground, wrapping my legs around his waist so I can spin him over. I pin him with my thighs, gun fighting it's way towards his head.

He battles it away, a deathly grip on my wrist as his fingernails pierce into my skin. I can hear gunshots going off from behind me.

I want to turn around; but if I do, I'm dead.

Nicholas shuffles his finger over mine on the trigger, attempting to turn the gun fire a round off at my chin.

It misses, darting up into the blue sky above.

I use my free hand to hook him across the nose, it cracks. He bucks his hips up and to the side, causing me to sprawl off of him as he rolls on top of me.

He grasps the strap of my rifle, pulling it around my neck in attempt to choke me out. I swipe my arm around, feeling for the pistol.

My hand brushes the body. I haul it into my possession and press it against his waist, firing the trigger.

The vest diminishes it's full force, but the bullet penetrates somewhat since he grunts and releases his grasp. I pull it around to aim at his head, once again he battles it away.

He uses his full weight to smash my hand into the ground, wrestling the pistol from my grasp. I hit my helmet up, cracking into his nose and rolling him off of me.

He fires a few badly aimed shots at me. I skid to the side, finding my own footing and launching myself at him again like a goddamn rabid animal.

He pulls on the strap of my rifle, ripping it away from over my head and throwing it off of the edge of the building. He's trying to disarm me completely, I guess blades are more of his thing.

I kick him against the power box, driving my knee into the rough exterior of body armour against his stomach. He grunts, pistol falling from his hand.

I can't bend down to get it, can't turn my back. That would give him an advantage.

Our skills are matched, it's an equal dual between us. What he lacks, he makes up for in his height and strength.

The eerie knowledge that a fire is burning beneath us hasn't left my mind.

I throw my head forward, bashing and once again cracking the helmet into his nose. Blood begins to pour more intensely.

He shoves forwards, hauling himself on top of me and ripping off my helmet. He pins his forearm against my neck, pressing down.

"You really thought you had an advantage," he snickers, placing my helmet onto his own head.

I pretend to struggle with my breaths, but my hand is feeling for a knife.

My fingers wrap around the cold handle, I yank it out and drive it into the back of his leg, the best angle I could get. I twist it, a little return for the way he did to me in the Philippines, before dragging it out and earning a pained gasp from him.

"I do have an advantage,"

I haul him off of me, using his recovery time to glance around. Yamato is out cold, but the adversary next to him is dead; blood gushing from the back of his head.

Leo has killed one of his competition, still battling the other.

I hear Nicholas scuffling back to his feet, with great effort. I dash forward, swiping up the pistol and firing at his neck.

Nothing happens.

A hysteric, psychotic laugh erupts from his mouth.

"I wasn't trying to shoot you before. I was emptying the barrel, you stupid bitch." He grins, pulling his own knife from a pocket in his vest.

"I'll just slit your throat instead," I hiss.

We charge at each other, when bullet suddenly lodges into the back of his shoulder. He groans, moment of weakness giving me the upper hand as I tackle him into the curb of the roof.

That bullet definitely didn't come from Leo, nor Yamato since he's unconscious.

My comms crackles.

"I've got your back. Kill him, Nova."

Tara.

He hooks a hand under my vest, slamming me around and into his position as he pushes against my throat with his blade. He keeps low, his head guarded by the helmet he stole from me.

I can hear Leo desperately yelling out my name, probably trying to get to me whilst simultaneously fighting his own opponent.

I drive my knife urgently, praying it will sink in somewhere before he throws me over the ledge like a discarded doll.

It does.

It buries into his hip, the area unguarded as it's where the ties of the vest meet.

"Fuck!" He seethes, desperately fighting to keep me pinned.

He does have the strength advantage, but I'm faster than him, I've got my brains.

He raises his elbow, slamming it into my face as the back of my head whacks the stone curb. It would probably daze me in a normal circumstance, but the adrenaline is on my side.

I need to think.

Dad.

'If 'ya strugglin' with someone, look behind 'em. It throws 'em off guard if they feel somebody behind their back.'

I do just that, my old man's psychological lesson.

With a small effort that could cost me my life, I divert my gaze and stare over Nicholas' shoulder; raising my eyebrows as though I'm attempting to communicate.

And the stupid son of a bitch falls for it.

He turns slightly, and I kick him right where it hurts. He staggers into the corner of the roof, barely keeping his balance. Blood is gushing down his leg, from his shoulder, from his face.

He's unarmed, at a disadvantage. My attention swings back towards Leo and Yamato.

Leo and the adversary are still going. Yamato has remained out cold.

Bastard recovers faster than I anticipated.

His deadly pair of arms wrap around the back of my neck, choking me and instantly cutting off my air supply as I'm dragged backwards. I keep my grip tight on the knife, I will not let it fall under any circumstance.

And I will not let my reckless idea fail.

"I'm going to teach you exactly why I'm above you. All those times we raped you as a kid. I nearly killed you last time, and I won't fail again. I'll kill you just how I had your cunt of a mother killed-"

He's continuing to stagger me towards the edge. He's trying to throw me off kilter, hauling heaps of trauma through my ears to spin my focus.

I'm playing a dangerous game, I need to time this perfectly.

"-mutilated with a blade. Thrown into the water. Only, I'll throw you down to the ground when I'm done-"

I wait until we're near the edge before raising the knife, slitting the edge clean across his arms. He yells out, releasing his bloodied grip as I cough for air.

I spin on my heels, kicking him backwards towards the ledge and pressing my body weight against him.

He struggles, but despite his height and build, I'm stronger than him at the moment.
And he knows it.

I witness the genuine panic forming in his diverting gaze. He hasn't got a damn leg to stand on.

"Look at me, you fucking coward." I growl.

There's nothing in my demand but ice. Coldness. Calmness.

His sinister green eyes finally pull to mine. "Do you really want to do this, Novella? Kill your brother? I didn't think that's how Frank wanted things to end." He says, voice quivering as he struggles to keep his gaze trained on me.

He's trying to battle out of my grasp, but he can't.

I'm too powerful against him.

"You were never a fucking brother to me. You are getting exactly what you deserve, Nicholas," I bite out. "And Dad, Dad would be so fucking proud of me."

I point the tip of my knife, driving it hilt deep just under his collarbone, unguarded by the vest. "This is for what you did to my Mom, you savage, sick son of a bitch."

I use my knee to keep him pinned in position as he tries to avoid crying out. I rip out the knife, slitting the blade across his right eye. "This is for what you put Dad through."

I grab his hair, yanking it backwards to give me a view of the length of his throat.

"And this," I whisper with a faint smile, a crazed feeling of satisfaction taking over. "This is for everything you did to me."

He opens his bloody mouth.

There isn't a moments hesitation. I silence him as I bury my blade hilt-deep under his chin.

I watch the crimson immediately leaks from his mouth, down my forearm as he gurgles on his pathetic last words.

I marvel in glory as the life drains from his eyes.

I yank the blade out, a spray of his tainted blood splattering across my face.

I take one last look at him before grabbing under his legs, hauling him over the ledge.

I watch him fall. Six stories. Landing on the ground with a sickening, satisfying thud that I can hear from up here.

It's over, there isn't a chance in hell he survived.

I stare down at his form. Even from this distance I can see that it's mangled in some inhumane, paranormal way.

Everything stops for a few moments, time slows down. Silence.

A pair of arms wrap around my waist, pulling me backwards and saying something into a comms. I can't hear anything, just ringing.

I can see the chopper rising up from the ground, the rest of our group on board and calling to us.

Something finally snaps me out of my haze, somewhat hauling me back towards reality.

"-Nov? Nov! I need you to listen to me, okay?" Leo cups my face, rotating it left and right frantically.

"Are you injured?" I ask quietly, he shakes his head.

"No, no I'm not. We really need to get off of this roof, okay?" He leads us out of the way as the chopper hovers just above the roof.

"But, Yamato-"

"-is fine,"

Yamato finishes my sentence as he appears next to Leo with a dazed expression, resting a hand on my shoulder and gesturing to the aircraft.

"Hurry up!" Vincent urges, waving his hands at us after sliding open the metal door.

Surreality continues to consume me as we sprint towards the aircraft. Leo scoops me up, giving me the height I need to haul myself onboard as they follow behind me.

The door slides shut.

Nobody says anything.

I watch out of the window as the Hotel Isabel is devoured by flames.

"We're getting Tara, then back to Alto." Marcus announces from the cockpit, calm and collected.

Leo keeps saying my name, eventually I turn to look at him.

He raises his hand, attempting to wipe the string of Nicholas' blood from my cheek.

"You did it, Nov. I'm so, so fucking proud of you," he whispers, taking off his helmet and pressing his forehead to mine.

I nod against his skin, slowly coming around into reality.

"He's definitely dead?" I say quietly, even though it's a stupid fucking question. Of course he is.

"Dead is an understatement. He'll never be in your life again. You got your vengeance, Nov. You got it," he pulls away slightly, smiling and running his thumb across my face.

"Yeah, yeah. I got it," I confirm. I fucking got it.

A small grin begins to tug against my lips as the reality sinks in, a tear slipping down my cheek and rolling over Leo's thumb.

Not a tear of sadness, a tear of relief. That tear is the weight of Nicholas finally being lifted from my shoulders.

I killed him.

I lean my hand back and over my head, letting my fingertips brush against the tattoo of Orion.

I got vengeance for you, Mom.

The chopper lowers itself next to the base of the water tower, where Tara is waiting to join us and almost getting blown away.

She hurtles herself towards me the second she steps onboard, checking I'm not badly injured before wrapping her arms around my neck.

"You're amazing. I watched you get him, Novie," she nuzzles into my hair before sitting back on a seat.

"And you had my back. If you hadn't hit his shoulder, he would've had more strength. Thanks, Tara," I grin.

"Always. You're my sister," she beams.

Those who don't know of my relationship to Nicholas are staring at me with puzzled expressions, probably wondering why it's such a 'big deal'.

I guess now that he's dead, it's the right time to come clean about everything.

"Nicholas was my half-brother," I abruptly announce. Their faces drop, but they don't say a word.

Dylan's mouth opens, I wait for some half-assed attempt at a joke, but it snaps shut as he feels the death glare from Leo.

Vincent leans across and pats my shoulder, "you did great today, kid. You didn't back down, even after I ordered you to. Normally, I'd be fucking pissed; in this circumstance? I'm very proud of you," he grins.

"Thank you, Sir," I say as I slump back into my seat. Leo laces his fingers with mine as we all fall into an exhausted silence.

The chopper leads us away from the horrors, from the remains of the man who held my trauma in the palm of his hand.

For once, everything went to plan. No bad injuries, everybody is in one piece.

Finally.

Finally.

I can somewhat live in peace.