The Price We've Paid

The Armory

"Holy shit," Nile said, as she looked around at the collection of weapons that were strategically placed around the room.

"Holy shit is right," Joe said, as he followed her in.

The team glanced around the room in shock, thoroughly impressed with your collection. You had a plethora of weapons placed around the room: guns of every shape and size with corresponding bullets, swords and axes hanging by pegs in the wall, drawers full of throwing knives, armor, and smaller gadgets...it was like a vigilante heaven.

"I was wondering where you were hiding this," Andy hummed, as she wrapped her arm around your waist.

You beamed at her with pride. "You know I love my toys."

Nicky and Joe each let out a soft snort.

You rolled your eyes. "Seriously? How old are you?" You shook your head as Andy chuckled.

"All of this will certainly come in handy if we need to take down Khryste," Nile said, as she ran her hand across a pair of katana blades.

You nodded. "That was the goal. Well...not necessarily for Khryste specifically, but in general. I've always had a nice collection of weapons; but after what happened to you all last year with Merrick, I made it a point to up my game."

You turned toward a panel on the wall and clicked a button. "That included making some fun little gadgets for all of you."

Suddenly, a hydraulic spring pushed open a drawer over by where Nicky was standing. It opened to reveal several earpieces with matching watches, that were all made of a very lightweight but durable titanium alloy.

"There's enough for each of you," you explained as Nicky and Joe each picked up a set. "The earpieces are synchronized; allowing us to stay in constant communication. They also act as a remote detonator for the watches that come with them. The watches track each of our locations, but can also act as a bomb if needed, and are engrained with just enough serum to make the wearer immortal again; should they find themselves mortal during battle."

Nicky whistled. "Damn, you thought of everything Zo."

"Yeah, I feel like 007," Joe added as he looked at the watch on his wrist.

You chuckled. "What's the point of knowing how to make cool tech if you don't use it, huh?"

Andy smiled, nodding in agreement.

"Oh..." you said, turning toward your wife. "I uh, have something else I'd like to show you," you muttered nervously, as you backed out of the armory, leaving the others to continue to explore the variety of weapons.

Andy tilted her head curiously before following you across the lab to your safe.

"This was too special for me not to keep it under the highest level of security," you explained as you typed in the code after scanning your eye.

As the safe opened, Andy's eyes widened. Before her was something she never thought she'd see again in her life.

"Is that-"

"Yep," you answered as you carefully pulled the necklace from the safe.

"I thought you lost that in Siberia." She muttered as you passed her the necklace.

"I did," you replied as you watched her gently run her hands over the pendant. The necklace was a pressed metal charm strung by a simple leather cord; similar to the ones she and Quynh both wore. It had been something the three of you had made together, from coins you'd earned off the coast of Yemen, to symbolize your importance in one another's lives.