LEO
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02/06/2002 - 6:30am
La Castellana Safe House
Colombia
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Despite the fact I've spent my night sitting upright against a bed pole, sleep did manage to consume me for a little while.

My eyes scan the room, everyone else is still deep in their slumber; only visible by the small cracks of dawn seeping through the window boards. One particular ray of sunshine settles itself on Nova's face.

I can't help but stare for a few seconds. Of course not in an admirable way, but rather how peaceful she looks when she's not being a stubborn and annoying.

Her usual, harshly engrained lines of intensity have softened around her features. If I didn't know her, I'd think she was just an innocent young woman; the type you'd see in an advertisement or down at your local bar.

Looks can be deceiving though, since I know very well that she has a heart of steel.

Well I think so, anyway.

As much as I hate to think about it, the idea of her past intrigues me. She's holding her cards right against her chest.

She said it herself, that I'm quite literally 'the last person' she'd speak to about her past.

Still, just by looking at her, she is the last person you'd expect to be working as a special-op. Why the fuck is she in this field? Surely her past can't have been so fucked up that she went this off of the rails.

Then again, who am I to judge?

—

Everyone is awake by now, the cracks of dawn seeping fully through the wood panels boarding up the windows, flowing throughout the room. Rosa is next to Nova, unravelling the bandage around her thigh to change it.

I sit and organise my guns, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"You're lucky it didn't nick your artery. There was enough blood as it was." Rosa mumbles, unwrapping the last of the bandage. I glimpse over at Nova who looks completely unimpressed with the whole situation.

"Any idea how long it will take to heal?" She questions, looking at the stitched-up gash with a grimace.

"The surface wound will heal in about a week since we've stitched it. It was pretty lodged in there, however. There'll probably be discomfort for a little while. Just try and avoid putting too much pressure on it." Rosa replies softly, taking some antiseptic and wiping it across the stitches.

Nova nods slowly, raising her leg slightly so Rosa can wrap a new bandage flush around her thigh. Mulvey heads over to talk to her. Lowe, Banksy and Devlin are being checked over by Elijah, getting their bullet-grazes cleaned.

The telephone we've got connected in the room starts to ring, turning everyone's heads in unison.

I stand quickly and pick up, North's voice cackles through the other end of the line.

"Successful or not?" He demands.

"Successful. The warehouse has been destroyed and Ramirez has been handed over to the Colombian officials." I reply in a blunt tone of voice.

"Ah, Hendrix. Any fatalities?"

"None in our group, Sir. A few injuries, nobody's dead though."

"Good, good. When will you all be ready for transportation out of the country?"

"I'd say in about a few hours. Maybe about 11:30am latest. Marcus has already left to prepare the Hercules."

"I take it you somehow managed to cooperate with Nova?"

I hesitate for a second. I suppose that despite everything, we actually didn't work awfully together this time. So, I decide to put his mind at ease.

"Somewhat, yeah. I did. Still a pain in the ass, though." I mutter down the line, earning a chuckle from North before he just abruptly ends the call. I'm left with the static noise on the end of the line, putting down the telephone.

Thinking for a few seconds, I turn around to face everyone.

"We need to leave here in an hour, ideally." I urge. Everyone nods, apart from Nova, who doesn't seem to be listening at all.

Everybody works on getting prepared to leave. I lean down to collect my guns, making sure I won't be leaving any behind. I stand up, rifle in hand and accidentally whack Nova across the face with the barrel as I turn around.

She stumbles back slightly. "The fuck? I offered you a bed to stay in and this is how you repay me?" She hisses, discreetly readjusting her stance so she's not on her bad leg.

"My bad. You got in the way." I mumble, hiding a grin because of her unimpressed gaze.

"Maybe you should just be a little more aware of your surroundings before swinging that around." She quips, folding her arms. I just ignore her for a minute before gesturing to her leg.

"How is it?"

She gives me a confused expression. "Look at you, acting like you give a shit." She speaks with a small grin tugging at the corners of her lips.

"I just want to have an estimate as to how long you're going to be fucking useless for." I grimace at her, yet she still has an amused expression on her face.

"Thanks for that sympathetic statement. Although, I don't plan on being useless at all." She speaks with sarcasm laced in her voice, making my eyebrows furrow irritably.

"What are you talking about? Of course you're going to be useless with that type of injury. Honestly? Good riddance." I shake my head at her.

"I've survived two shots to the leg and walked normally within a week, this will literally be a walk in the park." She says confidently, folding her arms. I have a feeling she's lying.

"Oh well, aren't you just so resilient." I quip, rolling my eyes.

"You aren't getting rid of me that easily, Hendrix." She jabs, turning to organise some of her own guns.

"Maybe I should have just left you to chargrill in that explosion, at least I wouldn't have to listen to your annoying fucking voice for another second." I groan under my breath, earning a scoff from her.

"And maybe I should've just let that guy with the Ka-Bar stab you. Works both ways, Leo." She mumbles, staying silent for a second before turning back to me and talking again. "What happened back there, anyway? You just sort of blanked out for a second. As though you completely lost focus."

I know she's talking about the moment where I got stuck in my little flashback. Do I want to explain this to her of all people? Not particularly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I grumble. She narrows her eyes in response.

"Don't play stupid. You know exactly what I'm talking about, Leo." She speaks in a serious tone. "I need to know if you're just going to blank out on future missions."

I let out a huge huff and look down at her. "Will you shut that goddamn motormouth for one second? You're injured, act like it and get off my case."

"So you do know what I'm talking about, otherwise you wouldn't be so defensive." She raises her eyebrows. I can't even stop my mouth from running what I say next.

"Well, you got all defensive when I asked about your Mommy issues. You still haven't told me, did your Mom ditch yo-"

I don't even finish my sentence as I feel a powerful slap right across my face. She's glaring up at me; flames scorching down the forests of her green eyes.

Raising my hand up against my cheek, I clench my jaw. It didn't hurt, but what an audacious little bitch. This is the first time in my life that I've been provoked to hit a woman, yet, I still don't.

"You crossed a line, you prick." She hisses at me. Jed quickly moves between us, intercepting our bicker.

"I don't know where the line is since you won't fucking tell me anything." I growl in response.

She just turns her back to me at this remark as Mulvey comes over and helps to lead her away, Jed paces me off to the side. It's definitely unprofessional that the two captains have to be separated by their own group.

"Just leave it, it's not worth it. Not after we've just had a success." Jed mumbles to me. He's completely right, but I'm still pissed off. I shoot an angry glare at the back of Nova's head before grunting irritatedly and walking away.