Scouts honour

3

Drew flips the table with her plans on it scattering the papers onto the floor and kicks the wooden chair breaking it with her shin, "Fuck!" She can't help but be mad that they keep interfering with her.

She shakes her head, they always mess everything up and never apologise for it but; she knows she can't kill them, she doesn't have the heart to.

She takes a few deep breaths and starts packing to relocate and devise a new plan to get to the virus before it's released, or worse; the agency gets to it first. Her thoughts can't help but drift to Joel when she thinks of the agency, she's smart but naïve and Drew can't help but feel like they'll use her till she's burnt out.

🔫

Joel lies on the hospital bed, unconscious with a drip in her arm, "I told you this was a bad idea,"

"Since when do we play the blame game Mark?"

"Since you put her life in danger!" Mark shouts at Forster. He lifts a finger and points it at him, "this one is on you, she could have been killed. Drew wasn't the only one there, those men could have killed her too if Drew didn't,"

"She can handle herself,"

"I know, but she shouldn't be handling your business," Mark says shaking his head. He knows he needs to make a rational decision to keep Joel safe and he knows what to do, he turns to Forster, "I'm pulling her off the case, and that's final," Mark says with a sigh.

Forster feels anger boil within him, he grabs Mark by the collar and looks at him with raging eyes, "over my dead body," Forster growls. He knows he doesn't have much authority over who gets what case but he knows Joel can finish the case and get Drew into his grasp.

Mark pushes Forster off him, "I have made the mistake of listening to you before Forster; look where we are! The best agent we've ever had has gone rogue, half our agents were killed for no reason because of your obsession with Drew; you started a war you couldn't even finish and now you're opening old wounds which landed one of our best in a hospital bed,"

Forster grinds his teeth and shakes his head in defeat; nobody understands why he wants Drew so bad, it's because he's trying to fix his past mistakes and he knows Joel is his best bet. He looks at Joel and sighs is defeat, "fine." he whispers before walking away.

Mark looks at Forster walk with his shoulders slouched and his head bowed. He sighs in sorrow, not only for him; but for the huge mess that can't be fixed because of Forster's hunger for power.

Joel stirs after hours of Mark staring at nothing in particular; only entertained by his thoughts, Mark sits up in his seat and watches Joel carefully as she slowly opens her eyes. He smiles in relief and releases a breath he didn't know he held.

"How are you feeling?" Mark asks gently when he is sure Joel is familiarised with her surroundings.

Joel clears her throat, "I'm fine," she says weakly, she looks up but doesn't see any water so she points at her throat.

Mark smiles and quickly stands, "I've got it," he walks out looking for a nurse or a filter.

Joel shifts uncomfortably and tries to sit up but her mouth is suddenly covered and she frowns instead of panicking hysterically like any normal person would, "promise you won't get mad?" Drew asks softly.

Joel rolls her eyes and pushes Drew's hand away, "you shot me, I'm jumping for joy right now you can't tell?" Joel asks with a fake smile.

Drew sighs, "it was either that or you get killed,"

Joel shakes her head, "whatever,"

Drew opens a bottle of cold water and places a straw in it before putting it close to Joel's lips; she motions for her to drink and Joel takes a few sips of the water moaning at the cold liquid cooling her dry throat.