Catch Me Now

Elimination

:) Check out the photo with this chapter. Yeah - just saying. 

-------------------

“Winnie, how’s that evac coming? I still see people in here,” Greg murmured to her as he leaned over her counter, exhaling softly, “Not even essential staff. We need everyone out, until it’s just Spike and myself. Alright? That means you.”

“Alright, Boss… But what about Team Three? You re-upped them, remember?” she questioned softly, adjusting her headset. He nodded slowly and offered a reassuring smile.

“When they get here, tell their Team Leader to get everything they need from the gun cage and then head out to the lot. If they get any calls, they can go out from there.”

“Got it, Boss,” a familiar voice spoke from behind Greg. Turning, he was relieved to see Team Three’s TL, Sam Braddock – the only previous member of Team One that hadn’t yet arrived. “This is insane, Serg, how the hell did this happen?” Sam gestured to the crime scene investigators behind him, picking up evidence as the coroners wheeled Faber’s body out of the building. Greg looked down and took in a deep breath.

“It’s a mess, Sam. Spike’s in there right now; he needs a buddy, he’s got a girl in there that he’s known since he was a kid – and she’s strapped to one of Faber’s devices.” This information hadn’t yet reached Team Three, and Sam’s face dropped.

“What’s her name, boss?” Sam whispered, starting to move toward the briefing room.

“Raella Amaro,” Greg replied. Sam stopped in his tracks and turned to the boss, his brows raised in surprise.

“Raella? As in, the girl that announced her move to New York the same night that Spike was finally going to ask her out?” Greg stared at him, slowly shaking his head.

“When’d he tell you about this? I’ve never heard of her before…” Sam was about to reply when they heard a call from the briefing room.

“Boss!” Spike called nervously, staring at the umpteen wires in front of him as the Serg entered the room. “The timer just sped up. It just fucking sped up.”

Greg’s eyes widened at his teammate, stepping up behind him. “How long, Spike?” Sam’s voice rasped. He kneeled down beside him.

“All of you guys need to get out of here. One man down range,” Spike demanded, his hands unsteady as they moved through the wires, counting them all again. How long did this guy spend learning to build a bomb unlike anything else he’d ever made?

A gentle hand rested on top of Spike’s, her soft skin and cool touch stopping his shaking as her eyes found his. “Mike… It’s gonna be alright,” she whispered, begging her voice not to betray her with the fear and sadness she was really feeling. “Just answer his question. How much time left…?” He glanced up at her, marveling at how beautiful a sound her voice was to his ears. The chaos surrounding them didn’t change the way his heart thumped against his chest at her care for him.

“It’s..It’s got six minutes left.”

--

Nodding slowly, I mustered up as wide a smile as I could manage. My heart raced, but I wouldn’t let him know just how terrified I was. I reached up and patted his shoulder.

“Then I guess we better figure out that riddle,” I mumbled. The blonde guy kneeling beside Mike grinned sadly at my words.

“What riddle is that?” he asked.

“Sam, why don’t you get your team downstairs, and I’ll brief you on the way,” Greg told him. He turned to Mike and furrowed his brows.

“You okay here, buddy?” Sam asked him. I could tell they’d been good, if not best, friends for years; the concern all over his face was sweet.