The Price We've Paid

São Paulo '34

"You selfish piece of shit!" Joe yelled at Booker from across the room. For once, Booker was thankful they were all strapped to the tables.

"Joe, leave it. Please!" Nicky said, trying to calm him down. It wouldn't do any good for them to start arguing now.

"What would you know of the weight of all these years alone?" Booker huffed from the other side of Andy. "You and Nicky always had each other, right? Andy..." He looked over to her stoic expression. "Andy had Zo but she left..now all we have is our grief."

Andy's mouth tasted bitter. She was doing everything in her power not to completely break down. She didn't do that. Not in front of her team. And she definitely wasn't going to start now.

"Well, now you have even more," Joe bit back.

Silence filled the air. All that could be heard was the beeping of the monitors that were hooked up to each of them. Andy let out a soft sigh, her head falling to the side. She allowed herself one quick glance at Booker. His head was lowered and his eyes were closed. His chest was rising and falling in a way that made Andy believe he at least felt a little guilty.

"We've got her, north exit! Take her out!" Came a muffled scream from outside the lab.

The sound of bullets raining down echoed throughout the halls. Andy lifted her head, curious as to what was causing the commotion.

It wasn't long before the answer came limping into the lab.

"Nile." Booker said, as the team all stared at her. "Behind you!"

She turned and shot the armed guard who had hit her in the shoulder moments before. She slammed the door to the lab closed and as she did, Dr. Kozak ran to grab a syringe.

"Nile!" Nicky yelled in warning. She flipped around just in time to stop the doctor's arm from plunging the syringe into her neck. She then punched her hard in the face, knocking her out as she fell to the ground.

Nile limped to Andy's bed.

"There's four shooters at the door and more coming."

She quickly began untying Andy's restraints, before pulling a gun from her belt and holding it out for her.

Andy didn't want to take it. A part of her was tired of fighting. She was mortal now anyway...what was the point?

"Andy," Nile said in a slightly worried tone. Eventually she grew tired of Andy's self pity and forced the gun into her hand. "Immortal or not, you made a promise...whatever it takes." She pulled another gun from the small of her back. "I've seen it, Andy...I know all the good you've done."

At that moment, four men burst through the laboratory door, but they barely made it two steps before Andy and Nile had each fired two shots. Afterwards, Nile got Andy's legs unlocked and moved on to help Booker while Andy unlocked Nicky and Joe.

"No, just leave me here." Booker said, drowning in the guilt of what he'd done.

"No man left behind," Nile demanded, as she continued to unbuckle him.

"Well there's always a first time," Joe yelled from across the room. "He's nothing but a traitor. That's-"

"Stop!" Andy demanded, as she laid a hand on Joe's arm. "This is not the time for it." She pulled off the last of his restraints as she continued. "We don't get a say in when it ends. We never have. But we can control how we live."

She tucked the gun Nile had given her in the small of her back as she walked back towards the door. "And to be honest, Book...you and I...we've been doing a shit job of it. Now get up...let's go."