The Deployment Notice

12.

He was in a wheelchair. That was the first thing Buck really noticed about Marco after his mind had stopped stumbling through the mantra of its really him! He's alive! The fact that he was in a wheelchair. However both his legs still seemed to be attached to his body.

Marco noticed him noticing and tapped out drugged on Buck's wrist, which wasn't enough information to stop Buck's confusion. Marco noticed that too though and added 'frequent shots' which still wasn't making any sense to Buck, and Marco continued, 'paralytic agent.'

Now he got it. The wheel chair made more sense now, as did the fact that Marco hadn't escaped. Buck would've normally expected better from him, only one guard, no bindings, and surrounded by supplies that he had easy access to? The man should've been out of here ages ago, but with the added explanation of a paralytic drug, it suddenly made a lot more sense that he was still here.

'Is this an op?' Marco tapped out on his wrist, other hand probing around Buck's head to maintain the image of the infirmary doctor.

Buck didn't respond, he couldn't, it wasn't allowed for him to tell anyone outside the mission about the mission. Even if you wanted to or think that you should trust someone. Marco knew that, so at Buck's lack of a response he just sighed and nodded.

'What do I need to know?' Buck tapped to him. Reminding himself that there'd be time for hugs and catching up later, right now he needed to survive this and get Marco out alive too.

I can't find him again just to lose him! His mind screamed.

'Fights every night. five cell blocks. Rotate one each night for fights. Usually one mole per cell block at all times.' Marco informed him as his hands felt along Buck's rib cage for any damage.

'Who?' Buck asked quickly.

'Idk' Marco responded, 'I don't trust Mellow in C'

Which was something, Buck supposed. It was probably wishful thinking that Marco would definitively know anyways. It's never that easy, Buck chided himself.

There was another question he needed to ask, even if this one was a bit more selfish than mission oriented.

'Did anyone else survive?' Buck tapped out carefully, holding his breath and praying desperately.

Marco closed his eyes for a second and shook his head slightly, letting out a deep sigh, one that Buck understood far too well. He held back the tears, it was stupid, he'd known going into this that the chances were zero, he didn't have time to be upset about it. He swallowed and pressed on.

'Look out for Needle.' He told Marco as the man straightened up from checking out Buck and nodded towards the guard.

"He's good to go." Marco told the guard cooly, "his wounds are superficial, he will be fine with a nights rest."

Before Buck was rolled away by the guard though, Marco grabbed his wrist and drew a quick 'X' on it with his finger. Buck twisted his hand and did the same to Marco's wrist in turn.

The 'X' had already been a thing the team had done before he'd joined and he wasn't really sure of the origins of it. He was pretty sure that none of the rest of them were either, to be honest. It was just something they did sometimes when words weren't an option. There wasn't really a specific meaning to it either, just a quite 'hey I'm here, you're here, I'm alive, you're alive, we're together.'

He continued to ponder the 'X's' as he was shoved back inside his cell. He hadn't been looking forward to sleeping on the cold dirt floor, but was pleasantly surprised to find a blanket and a pillow sitting in the corner. He supposed this must be what the guards had meant when they'd said that they'd be rewarded for a good performance in the ring.