SURPRISE!! Another USUK! : Veins and Wires

Loss

"Where is he? Where is he?" Arthur paced back and forth, chewing on his nail as he waited beside Francis. His hips still had a slight ache to them from two nights previous, but he had to ignore it for the mission's sake.

Francis sighed and pat his partner's shoulder. "Arthur, sit down and relax. I'm sure it is nothing. There is no commotion. See?"

Arthur looked back at the building, then nodded. "I suppose. But he's been in there for an hour. It normally takes him only half an hour."

Sighing, Francis sat the Brit down. "Yes yes, I know. But perhaps they had moved the information and he is simply searching for it?"

The Brit bit his lip, then nodded as he sat down. "Yes... That could be it." His green eyes stayed on the building. Then he tilted his head as a man stepped out and spoke with the guards at the entrance. "That guy is unscedualed," Arthur pointed out, standing back up. "No one was supposed to come out and talk to the guards for another twenty minutes."

Francis nodded. "Maybe that is Alfred?"

Arthur gasped, but stayed still, even as the man made his way towards them. When he was only twenty meters away, he untucked a rolled up blueprint from his coat and waved it up. "It is!" Arthur struggled to contain his excitement as Alfred came closer, steadily taking off his disguise to reveal the clothing he had worn when entering the enemy's facility.

"Piece of cake!" Alfred waved the blueprint as he was closer, then shouted out as he was tackled by Arthur. "Whoa! Hey, babe!" Alfred laughed, hugging Arthur with one arm.

"You're safe!! You made it out! I was starting to get worried!" He then pulled out of the embrace and slapped his lover's arm.

Alfred only laughed and kissed Arthur's head. "Sorry, but they moved it. Had to go deeper."

Francis chuckled, ruffling Arthur's hair. "What did I say, hm? Now let's go. He have to get through Manhattan on foot. And right now, they're bombing the shit out of it."

~

"Fuck!" Alfred snatched Arthur's wrist and yanked him forward. Arthur yelped, crashing into Alfred as debris smashed right where he was standing a split second previous. "Arthur, careful!"

Alfred kept hold of his smaller lover's wrist as they ran forward, Francis ahead of them with the blueprints. "I-I'm trying!" Arthur struggled to keep up with his two partners, his hips and sides and legs all aching.

Bombs were tossed from the skies, landing all over the crumbling city. Arthur cringed with every scream he heard coming from the civilians.

Suddenly, Arthur shrieked as gunshots went of nearby.

"Shit, we've been spotted!" Francis picked up his pace as well as Alfred. However, Arthur was stumbling over his own feet and couldn't keep up.

"Arthur!" Alfred abruptly picked up the Brit, causing him to shriek. "Damn it, Arthur!" Alfred bolted through, dodging burning cars, bullets and debris as he followed Francis. "Bonnefoy! We're being followed!"

Francis whipped around to see a black car, zooming through the trashed streets, not so discreetly following them. "Crap! Contact Fernandez! Tell him to send back up!" The Frenchman dodged a flying car. "Preferably the Italian brothers! If not, send in Kohler!"

Alfred nodded, asking Arthur get out his walkie from his belt. "Fernandez! Fernandez!"

Static buzzed the device in Arthur's hand as Alfred shouted. "Jones? What is it? Did something go wrong in the mission?"

Alfred cursed, spinning to avoid gunfire. "No, we got the blueprints! But we need backup! We're being followed! We need Kohler or the Italian brothers!"

"I'll get right on it. Wait for Kohler. I just sent the Italian brothers out for a mission in Maine and Kohler is already in the Helicopter. He'll be there as soon as possible."

Arthur tucked the talkie back into Alfred's belt, then yelped at a particularly close bomb landing. "Alfred, it'll take the helicopter too long to reach us! He doesn't know where we are!"

The American grinned down at his lover. "He does know. I got a tracker on me and so does francy-pants!"

"ALFRED! MOVE!" Francis stopped to scream.

Alfred looked up and his eyes widened. "Shit!" He stopped and threw Arthur.

Arthur cried out as he hit the gravel and tumbled. He rolled to a stop, his body now aching all over.

"NO! JONES!" Arthur looked up to see Alfred standing still, his eyes wide.

The Brit shrieked, scrambling to his feet, tears already effortlessly making their way down his dirty cheeks. "Alfred!"

Alfred shook as he looked down, blood already dripping from his lips. A thick, metal pole cleanly impaled his chest. He suddenly felt light headed and he collapsed onto his back. The pole hadn't gone all the way through his body.

"No!" Arthur scurried over, falling to his knees beside the American. "Alfred! Alfred, stay with me!" He frantically picked up Alfred's head, the younger man struggling to catch his breath. "Al! Alfred!"

Francis dashed over, grabbing Arthur's shoulders. "Arthur, we have to go! We're not safe!"

"No!" Arthur shoved Francis away. "I'm not leaving him! We have to get him back to Head Quarters to get him help!"

"He's not going to make it!" Francis whipped his head around, searching for every threat.

"Yes he is!" Arthur hugged Alfred closer to himself. "Alfred, you're going to make it! You will, I promise! You still gotta take Matthew for that hockey game you promised him! We need to go back home and relax! I'll read while you play your stupid video games!"

Alfred grasped Arthur's shirt, his body spasming with agony. The sound of a helicopter nearing pierced Arthur's ears, but he refused to look up. "Alfred please..."

Suddenly, Alfred froze, then a slow, soft sigh slipped from his slightly parted, bloody lips and his eyes dulled of life.

Arthur shook his head, feeling for a pulse in the still body. "No... No no no, Alfred! Alfred!"

Francis hurriedly grabbed the panicky male and yanked him from the lifeless body. "Mathias is here! We have to go, Arthur!"

The Brit screamed and thrashed. "No! No, let me go! Let me go! Alfred! Alfred!" Arthur was force into the helicopter by Francis and Mathias.

"Where the hell is Alfred!?" Mathias shouted over the helicopter.

Francis shook his head, forcing a head set over Arthur's head and his own.

"Oh," Mathias muttered, then set the helicopter for takeoff. "Maybe Beilshmidt or Fernandez will pick him up."

~

Arthur curled up in his bed, wrapped around a pillow that smelled very much of his lover. His tears stained the white cloth, but not a noise slipped from his lips. His door opened and closed, but he didn't look up, even as the bed dipped behind him.

"Arthur..." A familiar, rough voice spoke. "I'm sorry. There are... No words. I don't know what to say, and I certainly can't tell you that I know how you feel. I still have my lover. But... I lost a friend today. Everyone here lost a friend today. And you lost a lover and Matthew lost a brother."

The other man sighed, hunching over. "If it wasn't for Alfred, my little brother would be dead. He may have been one of the youngest, but he was certainly one of the best." He gently pat Arthur's head. "So I'm going to do everything I can."

Arthur turned slightly to look over at the man who created all the tech used by their agency. "Gilbert..." Said Albino looked over at the Brit. "Thank you."

Gilbert blinked, then nodded, trying a small smile. "Anytime, Arthur. See ya soon." He got up, pat Arthur once more, then left.