Trust
This is an alternative POV piece, taking placing mainly during "Smoking Out the Bee, Part III"...
J couldn’t take his eyes off her. He knew he had to; he knew that any moment now, the war could be over for him and J hated the very thought. But despite any of that, his eyes didn’t want to budge.
Finally, a distant part of his mind began to recognise the presence of the others. There was Hez, her glinting namebadge proclaiming her as, 'Supreme Den Mum of the Intel Minions'. To one side of Hez was Vala, a tricky customer and one of the leading lights of their organisation. And, off to the other side, looking misleadingly harmless, was the master tracker, Sanali Morwen - a walking legend, as feared as she was respected.
And then Nasnoona.
He was snapped from his reverie by CornedBee.
“Take this. Take it and go.”
J looked at his friend.
“What is it?”
“Emergency one-man portkey.”
J should have known. CornedBee always, always had a Plan B. Unfortunately, this Plan B involved Bee sacrificing himself.
“It’s yours. You should go.”
“You’re more valuable. They must not take you.”
They met each others eyes. J saw the man’s bravery, his commitment. Bee had chosen to be a part of this war, despite being prepared to give his own picture. He could have stayed at home, lazing in the sunshine, but he had chosen to stand by the Men of the SQ.
Bee was a hero.
J couldn’t leave him behind.
But then he saw the man’s stubborn resolve. Bee was willing to do this; he was willing to stay behind, face the unthinkable, all to stop J’s photo from falling into the wrong hands.
“OK. Good Luck.”
And then she spoke.
“Would you really leave me now, J?”
J turned, anger building in him. How could she ask this of him? How could she…?
He met her eyes and saw something there that he hadn’t expected. There was no plaintive desperation in them, no lovelorn simpering... there was fire.
J tried to speak, but found he couldn’t. He was oblivious to the gloating looks of the other women; he simply didn’t care, because he knew something that they didn’t. The girl that they had all taken for granted, the girl that had been a mere pawn to them, she was a fighter - and she hadn’t given up yet.
If she was asking him to stay, there was a reason. J just has to trust her.
Beside him, he distantly heard Bee saying something. J just wished that there was some way to explain, some way to tell him… but he couldn’t find the words. Because, at the end of the day, there was only one word.
“Nas.”
Her answer was short, and said it all.
“J.”
A moment later, the Bee disappeared. J wished him a safe journey. He had the feeling his own was just beginning.
Hez stepped before him; her eyes alight with grim satisfaction.
“Looks like your race is run, Old Friend.”
J grinned at her savagely.
“It certainly looks that way, doesn’t it?”
Behind her, and unseen by the others, Nasnoona smiled at him.
This fight wasn’t over yet.
J couldn’t take his eyes off her. He knew he had to; he knew that any moment now, the war could be over for him and J hated the very thought. But despite any of that, his eyes didn’t want to budge.
Finally, a distant part of his mind began to recognise the presence of the others. There was Hez, her glinting namebadge proclaiming her as, 'Supreme Den Mum of the Intel Minions'. To one side of Hez was Vala, a tricky customer and one of the leading lights of their organisation. And, off to the other side, looking misleadingly harmless, was the master tracker, Sanali Morwen - a walking legend, as feared as she was respected.
And then Nasnoona.
He was snapped from his reverie by CornedBee.
“Take this. Take it and go.”
J looked at his friend.
“What is it?”
“Emergency one-man portkey.”
J should have known. CornedBee always, always had a Plan B. Unfortunately, this Plan B involved Bee sacrificing himself.
“It’s yours. You should go.”
“You’re more valuable. They must not take you.”
They met each others eyes. J saw the man’s bravery, his commitment. Bee had chosen to be a part of this war, despite being prepared to give his own picture. He could have stayed at home, lazing in the sunshine, but he had chosen to stand by the Men of the SQ.
Bee was a hero.
J couldn’t leave him behind.
But then he saw the man’s stubborn resolve. Bee was willing to do this; he was willing to stay behind, face the unthinkable, all to stop J’s photo from falling into the wrong hands.
“OK. Good Luck.”
And then she spoke.
“Would you really leave me now, J?”
J turned, anger building in him. How could she ask this of him? How could she…?
He met her eyes and saw something there that he hadn’t expected. There was no plaintive desperation in them, no lovelorn simpering... there was fire.
J tried to speak, but found he couldn’t. He was oblivious to the gloating looks of the other women; he simply didn’t care, because he knew something that they didn’t. The girl that they had all taken for granted, the girl that had been a mere pawn to them, she was a fighter - and she hadn’t given up yet.
If she was asking him to stay, there was a reason. J just has to trust her.
Beside him, he distantly heard Bee saying something. J just wished that there was some way to explain, some way to tell him… but he couldn’t find the words. Because, at the end of the day, there was only one word.
“Nas.”
Her answer was short, and said it all.
“J.”
A moment later, the Bee disappeared. J wished him a safe journey. He had the feeling his own was just beginning.
Hez stepped before him; her eyes alight with grim satisfaction.
“Looks like your race is run, Old Friend.”
J grinned at her savagely.
“It certainly looks that way, doesn’t it?”
Behind her, and unseen by the others, Nasnoona smiled at him.
This fight wasn’t over yet.