Outside Work We... •[TNN One-shots]•

Trouble •|| EVERYONE ||• [Intrusion Pt. 6]

Prompt: Reece and Shibhon picks up Tris and is met with a bit of a problem.

The tension in the car was palpable as Reece gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. Shibhon sat in the passenger seat, calmly pulling out weapons from a duffle bag she’d brought. The dim interior light of the car illuminated her face as she checked the pistols for ammunition and set them down in an orderly row on her lap.

“You know,” Reece said, trying to lighten the mood, “you scare the hell out of me when you’re this calm.”

Shibhon didn’t look up. “Good. Means I’m doing my job.” She clicked a magazine into place, the sound echoing in the otherwise silent vehicle.

“Remind me never to piss you off,” Reece quipped, glancing over at her. “Again.”

“You’ve got jokes now? Real brave of you,” she replied dryly, though a small smirk tugged at her lips.

As they neared Tris’s neighborhood, Shibhon’s demeanor shifted. Her shoulders tensed, and her eyes scanned the dark streets with the precision of someone who had done this far too many times.

“Pull over here,” she said suddenly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Reece frowned. “We’re still a few blocks away.”

“Exactly,” she said, already unbuckling her seatbelt. “If anyone’s watching the house, we don’t want to tip them off. We walk from here.”

Reece sighed but complied, pulling the car into the shadow of a tall oak tree. They exited quietly, Shibhon motioning for Reece to stay low as they moved through the darkened neighborhood.

“So,” Reece whispered as they crept along a hedge line, “what do you think Marjorie and Viv are doing right now?”

Shibhon shot him a sidelong glance. “Viv’s probably pacing a hole in the floor, cursing your name for dragging me into this.”

Reece smirked. “And Marjorie?”

“Drinking,” Shibhon deadpanned. “Heavily.”

They both chuckled softly, the moment of levity short-lived as Shibhon suddenly stopped, grabbing Reece by the arm and yanking him behind a dense bush.

“Shhh,” she hissed, pointing toward the front of Tris’s house. A shadowy figure loomed near the front door, scanning the street like a hawk.

“Shit,” Reece muttered under his breath.

Shibhon leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper. “We’re going around back. Stay quiet.”

They moved carefully, weaving through backyards and scaling a low fence until they reached the rear of Tris’s property. Through the dim light spilling from a window, they saw Tris inside, frantically stuffing items into bags. A baby was perched on his hip, wide-eyed but silent.

Shibhon tapped lightly on the window to get his attention. Tris’s head snapped around, and his eyes widened in relief when he saw them. Shibhon motioned for him to open the back door. He nodded, adjusting the baby on his hip as he moved.

When he opened the door, Shibhon immediately took the bags from him and handed them to Reece. “You two, get to the car,” she ordered in a whisper.

Reece hesitated. “What about—”

“Go,” she cut him off, her tone leaving no room for debate.

They had just stepped into the backyard when a shout rang out. One of the men near the front door had spotted them. “Hey! Over here!”

“Goddammit,” Shibhon growled under her breath. She shoved Reece forward. “Run. Don’t stop.”

Reece hesitated again, glancing back at her. “Shi—”

“Go!” she barked, pulling out both pistols and spinning to face the commotion. As Reece and Tris bolted through the yard, she whispered to herself, “I love you, Viv,” before taking aim.

The first shot rang out, silencing one of the men mid-yell. The others started firing, but Shibhon was already moving, her footsteps light and precise as she weaved through the chaos. Her hands were steady, each shot hitting its mark. One by one, the men fell, her precision honed by years of training she wished she could forget.

When the last body hit the ground, she paused, her chest heaving as she scanned the area for any remaining threats. The silence was deafening.

Satisfied that the immediate danger was gone, she holstered her pistols and jogged back to the car. Reece was pacing near the driver’s side, his eyes widening when he saw her approach.

“Jesus Christ, Shibs,” he muttered, relief flooding his voice. “You okay?”

“Fine,” she said shortly, climbing into the passenger seat. She glanced back at Tris, who was holding his baby tightly, his face pale but grateful.

“Thank you,” Tris whispered, his voice trembling.

Shibhon gave him a curt nod. “Let’s get out of here.”

As Reece started the car, Shibhon leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes for a moment. She knew this was just the beginning.