The Price We've Paid

All of Us

As you stepped out of the van, you looked at your house in ruins. The door had been busted open, all the cameras had been smashed, and when you made it inside, everything was torn apart.

"No stone left unturned, huh?" Andy quipped as she kicked some of the broken glass out of the way.

You shook your head, defeated. "All the tech's offline. We're completely blind here. We need to set up a perimeter."

Andy turned back toward the others. "Copley, Joe, Nile...spread out around the house. Make sure we don't have any surprises waiting." The three of them nodded, moving back toward the yard, spreading out to form a perimeter.

You continued through the trashed safe house toward the lab. The door had been blown open with an ungodly amount of C4. Inside, all of your lab equipment was gone; including your computers. Your safe and the armory had both been blown into as well; and everything had been cleaned out; though you still had most of the important stuff on you, given that you'd outfitted your entire team with weapons before leaving.

Tyler nearly went white when he entered the lab. All the hard work you two had done was completely destroyed.

"What's missing?" Andy asked, as she and Hunter joined the two of you.

"All of it," Tyler said frantically. "It's all...gone." It sort of sounded like he might cry. Hunter moved to comfort him, rubbing his shoulder as he surveyed the room.

You ran your fingers through your hair as Andy came to stand next to you. "We have to figure out where they took the serum," you said aloud into the air.

Andy nodded. "Okay...how do we do that?"

You turned to Tyler. "Can you, um, go grab the laptop and everything from the van?" You asked, slightly scatterbrained. He nodded and quickly strode out of the lab, Hunter following close behind.

At the same time, Nicky, who had been searching the rest of the house with Quynh and Booker, came strolling into the room. "The house is empty. Destroyed...but empty." He said. Quynh and Booker followed him in, looking around at the lab.

"I have to admit Zo," Booker started. "Even though it's destroyed, this house is pretty impressive."

Quynh nodded in agreement. "I had no idea you were so...rich."

You glared at her. "I made my money doing what we do best; taking down bad people...corrupt people. Not betraying my family for personal gain."

Her face scrunched up as she felt the guilt crawl up her neck.

"Okay enough," Booker interrupted, trying to defend Quynh. "We did as you asked. There's no need for snide comments."

Andy stepped forward, beating you to a retort. "Can you blame her Book? You've set us up twice now."

He huffed, ready to stand his ground and argue, but as Tyler re-entered the room, he stopped himself.

"Here Zo," Tyler said as he moved to set the laptop, tablet, and portable wifi down on the counter.

You shuffled toward the counter to grab the tablet. "Tyler, do me a favor and see if the vials are still online. That tech's so small I doubt they'll detect it." He nodded and vigorously began typing away on the laptop while you shuffled to stand in front of Booker and Quynh, holding up the tablet. "Stand still," you directed as you scanned each of them.

"What are you doing?" Andy asked, as she leaned in next to you to see what app you were using.

"I'm scanning them for any other devices that could be hidden on their person." You answered as you finished scanning Booker. "They're clear...I'm gonna go through the rest of the house. I'll be back."