It was later that same night when the team snuck off to the airport. Molly's friend Nin had arranged a private jet for them to take them wherever they needed to go. It wasn't easy having to sneak by all who were searching for them, but they made it. Once aboard, Molly told the pilot to take them to the desert just right outside Death Valley. The five friends sat together in the center of the plane as Molly explained her plan of attack.

"Everybody got it? Sound good?" Molly asked, receiving "yeps" after each question. "Alright, get all the sleep you can, you'll need it. And Wade, just a moment, please?" she nudged her head to the side to where they could speak in private.

Wade nodded and stood so he could speak with Molly. The boys were left to try and get some sleep, if that was even possible. Wade and Molly stepped into the small hallway between the cockpit and the passenger's lounge area. It was a bit cramped and they were almost touching, but it was necessary for their talk.

"What's up?" Wade asked.

"Are you sure about your part? Cos yours is riskier than the others" she checked with concern.

Wade sighed through the nose with eyes averted before answering.

"I know, but I'm sure. This'll give me a good chance at finding my staff. Besides, I need to face him. I need to know... just.. everything"

Molly took his words in for a moment, understanding his point on this. She was still concerned for him though. It was impossible not to be.

"But listen, uh... forgive me if I'm being too sentimental" Wade noted and Molly wondered where he was going with this. "But no matter how this ends, I'm actually glad this happened. Cos, I mean, if it didn't, then... I wouldn't have met them... or you in fact"

Molly couldn't stop the shy smile from slowly forming as her heart kicked up a few notches. Then suddenly, the already small space between the two seemed to be getting even smaller. Then before either of them knew it, Wade started leaning down, Molly started leaning up, and the two met in the middle for a sweet kiss. They did not move a muscle from that position for an entire minute. It was like a perfect photograph. It was slightly ruined when they could hear the boys "wooing" from beside. But they didn't break apart, Wade just flipped them off instead. A second later and the two did need to break for some air. They stared at each other for a moment before both sweetly smiled at each other, proving they were both happy about what just happened. They each secretly hoped they would get this chance again.

"I'll be ok tomorrow" Wade promised.

"I know, I trust you" Molly smiled.

She then turned her attention back to the others, who retreated back into their restless worries.

"Not sure if they're ok right now" she noted.

Wade followed her gaze to the others. Gar was leaning back with his hands behind his neck, but his eyes were wide open. JP sat across from him, not even able to try and sleep. He just stared down at his intertwined hands while fidgeting with his thumbs. Patrick sat next to him, trying to calm him down, but looked no better than he did frankly. It was time for Wade to be a leader, to step in and start building his team up. He needed to, or none of them would make it tomorrow. It was time to show them what a group of heroes they are and bring it out.

Wade gave one last glance at Molly before walking over and sitting with his young group.

"Hey guys, listen" he captured everyone's attention. "I know you're all scared about tomorrow, I am too. And I don't know if this'll help or not, I've never had to do these... pre-battle speeches before" he earned brief giggles from that.

"The guy who... taught me everything I know. He once said to me that when you combine love and rage, you get the greatest power ever and nothing can stop you. Now, I know you guys have a lot of rage for these guys, but you're also scared for a number of reasons. Don't let that be the only thing that drives you. If you do, then... it may not even matter what happens tomorrow. But tomorrow, if you take that rage and combine it with everything else you have, the love for your families and friends and each other, all your will to survive and to do good; then believe me when I say you will be unstoppable tomorrow" he gave it a minute to let all of that sink in, seeing the changed expressions on all three of the boys. They were already believing it.

"Tomorrow, just think about all the people you're fighting for, all the people these guys have hurt, and all the people we could save. Let that drive you, let that make your power. Take everything you have within you... and just let it out. Push yourselves beyond what you think you are capable of. If you guys do that, then no matter what happens tomorrow, you three will be the best damn heroes... I've ever had the honor of standing with. And tomorrow, we... will not lose"

His words could not have cut deeper, nor could it have been more obvious on the faces of his friends. There was no longer any ounce of fear or doubt visible in the expressions of his new brothers-in-arms. There was only confidence and determination. Tomorrow was going to be all theirs. They could do this. They could save all those people and stop these guys, and they knew it too. Wade placed his fist forward, and one by one the others joined and placed theirs.

"Boom" they said simultaneously upon bumping fist, Molly proudly watching on.

X

"Sir?!" Lieutenant Benson rushed in the General's office.

"Where's the fire son?" he furrowed his eyebrows.

"He's here"

That both confused, and surprised the General.

"What?"

"The target sir, he's here" he clarified. "He walked right up to the front gate and surrendered"

"Wha-why?"

"We don't know, sir. He says he wants to speak with you"

"Where is he now?"

"Interrogation Room Seven"

Chambers took a minute to process all of this. He figured there was a chance he would come here, but didn't bet on him being this stupid. Not to mention, there was also the question of why. Why did he come here and give himself up? What was this guy up to?

"Ok, but don't tell Blades yet. I don't want him barging in there and killing our chance at getting some information"

"Roger that, but what information sir?" Benson asked.

"I wanna know what this guy is up to, and see if we can find any of his friends. But keep our security tight. You never know what these freaks are gonna pull next"

"Yes sir, anything else?"

"Do we have his profile yet?"

"I'll get right on it sir"

X

An hour later, General Chambers got what he needed and headed to interrogation room seven. He entered the room as two guards stood outside. But once he entered, it was just him and the man of the hour. Wade sat at the table in the center of the room with his hands cuffed and his mask pulled back. The cuffs were the same kind as the ones used before. Their eyes met as soon as he walked in. It was just them, the table, and whoever was behind the two-way mirror in the side of the room.

"General Chambers" Wade greeted.

"Wade Barnes" he greeted back, unphased by the fact Wade knew him. He even expected it. "Sorry for such a long wait, but I had some homework to do" he showed Wade the file he was carrying as he walked to the table. He then started reading off all the information he attained on Wade; his full name, birth, etc.

"And, up until a year ago, you were working at a gas station in your home town of Cincinnati. But everything after that, is a mystery" he set the file down on the table and took his seat across from Wade. "So, that raises the question: where did you go?"

"Just did some traveling" he casually shrugged. "I wanted to explore the wonders of the world, check out some new scenery, clear my head up, the usual stuff"

"I'm sure, but you have an amazing skill set that allowed you to fight through, or slip away from, most of my sources. So, where did you go?" Wade briefly chuckled from that.

"You honestly expect me to tell you that? No offense General, but you're not that bright"

"But I'm sure of the real reason you left for so long. It's because you wanted to be like your pals Mark and Jack, isn't it?"

Wade shot up his eyebrows in surprise.

"Damn, you have done your homework. I'm impressed"

"I just so happen to remember the people who screwed up my operation in L.A., which you provided some assistance to. I found it quite fascinating, but not so surprising, when I saw that it was you that had been causing me problems yet again"

Wade hummed a laugh with a smirk.

"Yea, I was there in L.A.... and I still remember all of your epic clusterfucks" he dropped the smirk, looking much more serious than he had been during this interrogation. "Which actually brings me to something I wanted to ask you; how could you do that? How could you help out a deranged maniac like Warfstache, let him get away with murder, help him kidnap two close buddies of mine, then turning them into mindless killing machines before turning them loose out on the public? How could you do that, General?"

Chambers seemed taken aback from Wade calling him out and turning the tables on him. He was silent for a moment before responding.

"I'm not the one who's being questioned here"

"Oh yes you are, as much as I am. You know why? Cos you've done some bad things General. You're supposed to be the guy that defends this country. But instead, you stabbed it in the back, and I want you to look at me and-"

"Wrong!" he cut off. "Everything I do is for this country, for the world at that matter. It's my duty as a patriot and a soldier"

Wade slightly turned his head with narrowed eyes, not believing he just said that. He then leaned closer so Chambers could see how serious he was before continuing.

"You make deals with the people who tear your country apart with drugs and guns; you take psychotic mongrels like Blades, turn them into weapons and let em off their leashes; which by the way, those were your countrymen that he slaughtered in that hotel; and you kidnap and imprison people, whose only crime was being at the wrong place at the wrong time, without trial or anything. Not to mention, all the collateral damage you cause with each of those acts. You have no fuckin right to call yourself a patriot or a soldier"

"And you think you have the right to question what I do just because you put on a ridiculous suit and go around punching bad guys?" he countered. "Yes, I've done some bad things, and I'm not proud of those things. But there is a growing threat within our country, and the world"

"You mean people like me?" Wade asked.

"Exactly" Chambers nodded. "How long before they all start rising up and overthrowing us? What could we do to defend ourselves? Someone has to make the hard choices, someone has to take control and keep these people in check"

"Right, cos it's all about controlling things that shouldn't be controlled with you guys, isn't it?"

"It's about doing whatever it takes to keep this world safe. You don't have to like my methods, but they are necessary"

"Necessary? Is that what you tell yourself when you think about Jessica and Lucy?" Chambers seemed like Wade just punched him in the gut and tore out his intestines. "Yea, I've done my homework too General. How are they by the way?" Now he looked ready to tear Wade's head off. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm being rude. You wouldn't know how they're doing because they stopped talking to you years ago. They stopped talking to you because growing up, you treated them only as just two other soldiers, rather than your own daughters. You couldn't even spare your own family from your tyrannical bullshit"

There was silence in the room as tension filled the air. Wade's words were like a thousand knives stabbing at Chambers all at once. He was about ready to flip the table and start pounding away at his prisoner, but had to keep his cool no matter what. He couldn't let Wade get to him, even though he may already have.

"I also know that when your wife finally had enough of it, she wanted to leave. She was going to take the kids with her until you threatened her and her father, who was on life support. So, since she couldn't leave that way, it forced her to leave... another way"

Chambers took in a breath through the nose, trying to stay calm before unleashing hell.

"Afterwards, Lucy started having some problems with uh... substance abuse. I mean, she was just a troubled kid who probably needed her dad, but you were too proud to have an addict for a daughter. I mean, seriously? You sit there and talk to me about your duty as a soldier; but when it comes to your duty as a family man, you put your pride first? That is just fucking pathetic. And the worst part, Jessica had to step in and do your job when she was only fifteen. But, she did it. Lucy got clean, has been ever since. But her biggest mistake came when she thought coming to work for you was a good idea. Once she found out otherwise, she left; and you thought that was a mistake and that she would come running back to you once she realized that. But it wasn't, and she never did. In fact, she's had a successful career for almost ten years, a loving husband for six, and she's given you two beautiful grandkids. Neither of which, you've ever met of course. She doesn't want you screwing up their lives like you almost did with hers. And as for Jessica, don't even get me started on the hell you caused her. But, she managed to pull through as well, and she's just as happy now as her sister is. And as far as either of them are concerned, you don't even exist. So tell me, does all that, with everything you do here, really make you sound like the good guy?"

General Chambers was left speechless by the stabbing monologues Wade just presented, nothing but a furious expression displayed. He had no more words, no more ways of justifying his actions. He was completely cornered.

"Sorry General, but face the facts. You're not the good guy here. You're not a soldier or a patriot, you're just another self-righteous jackass that got driven mad by his own power. And who's so stupid, he doesn't even realize he's turned into everything he feared 'people like me' to be"

If looks could kill, Wade would've burned to ashes by now. In a way, Chambers seemed mostly calm and collective, but his eyes told the true story. Wade had just laid out all the facts for him and Chambers didn't seem like he was coming to terms with it. Not that it surprised Wade. People like Chambers could never face what they've become, or everything they've caused. It took him a minute before he could lean forward and show off his defiance.

"People like you... could never understand what I do here"

"Yea, of course not" Wade scoffed. "But General, it's not too late to make a change. I mean, you can't change what you've done, but who are and what you do now" Chambers gave him a questioning look. "Just let these people go and stop all of this, before it really is too late. You can still be a good man, a good soldier, and make amends with your daughters. Please don't throw this chance away, it's the last one you'll ever get"

General Chambers smirked with a brief chuckle before responding.

"You are in no position to think you can start throwing those around. This is my base that you're sitting in with handcuffs, surrounded by thousands of my men with the best of weaponry and technology ever known. What makes you think you can out-match all of that? What could you possibly have that we don't?"

Right after he said that, the building's alarm set off. A large blaring noise echoed with red flashing lights, earning worry from the General, and a smirk from Wade.

"I've got my friends"

"Guards!" Chambers shouted as he stood.

Wade stole his attention back when he broke free from his restraints. He then kicked the table up with his knee before sending it flying away with straight double punches. The table smacked into Chambers and forced him all the way straight out the door. As for the two guards that came rushing through it, they got caught between the wall and the table as it came smashing into them. Then, there was also the door behind Wade that also had two guards rushing in. Wade kicked his chair and sent it sliding towards the door, smacking into the first guard's hips and stopping the second guard behind him. Wade then pulled his mask back on before running into a jumping kick, knocking out the first guard. He then blocked off the second guard's gun before punching him in the face, smashing his head into the top of the chair, and finishing him with a forearm shot. Wade then tossed the chair away before making his quick exit from the room.

Meanwhile, Dr. Blue and his colleagues came rushing out of the room behind the two-way mirror to check on General Chambers.

"General, sir! Are you ok?!" the scientist knelt down to his aid, receiving a grunt in return.

"Lock this place down! We're under attack!"