the final mission

26

Roddy walked away.

She quickly gestured for Kai to resume fighting with Jennings as she took off. Lancer's goons were a distraction and Roddy knew that. She pushed her way through the crowd and returned upstairs to the shadows, where she belonged. She was quick to pull out a pistol and aim, but unfortunately she was interrupted.

"Love?" Gio came up beside her and engulfed her in a hug. Roddy knew she had been too late and Gio had seen the gun already. At that point, she could not bring herself to care. She was a woman on a mission and nothing could stop that.

"Gio, great to see you. I'm kind of busy right now, so if you could just -" Roddy received a gentle kiss on the cheeks. She was becoming impatient and pushed past him.

She aimed. She shot. She fired.

Lancer screamed as she realized a bullet had gone through her leg, but the authorities were quick to pick her up and carry her away. Roddy sighed as she realized the mission was complete. However, she remembered she still had a nuisance to deal with behind her.

"Gio, I'd love to talk. But now is not the time." Gio gently pulled her back by the wrist and entangled their hands, giving her a sly smirk as he did so.

"Not this time. Roddy, I've been nothing but nice to you. I give you everything a girl could ever need; everything a girl could ever want. But you continue to hurt me, why?" Gio's face was starting to scrunch up in desperation and Roddy etched sadness on her face.

"What do you mean? I -"

Gio dropped her hands.

"And you continue to lie. Roddy, I know everything. However, I'm feeling particularly nice today. Either you come home with me tonight or I spill everything to your friends." Roddy silently glowered at the con artist in front of her. "No words? Well then, I'll be -"

"Gio, we've known each other a long time. What's the catch?" Gio's grin widened as his eyes crinkled with joy. Roddy rolled her eyes.

"Good. It doesn't matter which you choose, I'm spilling to your little buddies regardless. If you go home with me tonight, I will give you a month grace period." Roddy became absent as she pondered over what her future held.

Roddy always tried to be on the winning side. She worked hard to ensure the safety of those around her, despite most not caring about her. Not only would she be on the losing side, but she she would be on it alone.

Roddy's downcast eyes stared out into the large room where she could see all of her friends goofing off. Kai, Cale, Diego, and Brody danced as the girls were laughing the night away. They were planning on leaving soon because of the planted bombs, but the group wanted to have a bit of fun before returning home.

A faint smile appeared on Roddy's face as she saw Brody trip over his own feet but continue dancing. She would miss him; all of them. Roddy wiped away the lone tear that led a miserable trail from her eye to her upturned lips. She turned around and took Gio's hand and returned into the darkness.

★★★

Ziva chucked the rag at Diego's head.

"Diego! Why?" She was currently staring at the mess he had made in the kitchen in an attempt of cooking her lunch. He burned the chicken, used the wrong seasoning, and did not fully cook the vegetables. The kitchen looked as though a tornado had gone straight through it.

"I thought it'd be romantic!" Diego groaned as he put his head in his flour covered fingers. Ziva snorted when he shot his head back up. His dark brown hair and tanned skin were covered handfuls of the powdery substance. Ziva thought he looked absolutely comedical, so of course she snapped a quick picture on her phone.

Diego snapped his face up at the flash and immediately glared at her. He opened and closed his hand, gesturing for the phone. Ziva smiled and almost handed it over. She sprinted to the back yard and ran as fast as the wind would carry her.

A few yards away, Cale and Winslet sat in silence.

They were admiring the clouds, wishing they could partake in the never ending cycle of being reborn again, just to travel the earth. Every once in awhile, one of the two would point out a funny shape and they would share laughter together.

"That looks like a rabbit holding its dick." Winslet snorted at Cale, who had already been staring at Winslet with a slight grin on his face. Despite being a relatively quiet person, he enjoyed the companionship of Winslet. Silence was not awkward with them; it was a necessity. They preferred to observe rather than speak.

Cale was content.

Cale, Winslet, Ziva, and Diego would have not been so content if they had realized they were being watched from the forest beyond them.

Twenty men stood, ready to attack at any moment.

Too bad the men were there for Roddy, who was currently in their leader's home.

Too bad.