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“Great! Just great! It is like working with a damn ten-year-old! Nice going, Carter!” Brian yelled over the now-wailing sirens. They blared around them, making almost any other noise inaudible and reminding Nick of a yowling feline in heat. Not the most pleasant noise in the world.

“Oh yeah, like I sneezed on purpose just to fuck you up!” Rolling his eyes, he went to his watch, contacting whomever would answer it first. It seemed Pearl had gone for her infamous Mountain Dew break (to replace coffee, since she refused to touch the stuff) because it was Agent Jay on the other end this time around.

“Jay!”

“Nick?” He blinked at the noise filling his ears as Nick had to put subtitles on his own watch. A small screen arose so it could capture what the other agent was saying. Amidst the sirens, he’d never know what Agent McLean was saying otherwise. “What in the holy blazing hell is going on over there?!”

Brian grabbed Nick’s arm as chaos ensued around them. Many of the enemy agents were too busy scrambling around to even notice there were two uninvited guests among them at the moment. “He’s busy screwing up the mission! That’s what!”

Nick shoved him aside with a glare, before focusing back on the watch. “We set off the fucking failsafe thingy! Tell me Pearl has the layout of the laser still up! Is there a way to still shut it down?”

The older man back at HimTak started typing rapidly, but was obviously uncomfortable operating the complicated system the scientist of the agency made look simple. “No, get your asses out of there before you get blown to penguin shit!” And the screen shut off.

Nick sighed, wishing the damn thing would shut up. “We’re fucked!” he yelled. “Let’s just get the hell outta here!”

Brian started racing past agents, temporarily delayed by the minion finally realizing he was against him. Nick was soon behind him, only pausing to catch sight of two Russian females, looking around with a smirk and a chuckle to each other. It hit him that they may have been the ones who brought the laser there to begin with. Yet, when the two shared a passionate kiss as the lair slowly began to fall apart, all thoughts fled momentarily.

They laughed again. “They’re not gonna get us! NOT GONNA GET US, GONNA GET US!” And with that, they raced off together, lost within the crowd of panicking people.

“Nick! Stop staring at the lesbians and come on!” came the CIA agent’s agitated voice.

And for once, Nick listened to him, if only because he knew it’d save his ass later.


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“Sir!” Chris Kirkpatrick called, with the penguins following, squawking fearfully at all the noise about them.

Howard turned, fury resting within both eyes as one twitched anxiously. “You better say something I want to hear, Kirkpatrick.”

“The, the laser is self-destructing!”

A low growl escaped his lips as he shoved him back. Justin watched, somewhat amused by his new mentor’s demeanor, a nagging voice reminding him how K or Jay had never been this way. But he shoved that away, to be lost with other thoughts of those who betrayed him. “I know THAT! Who did it!?”

“We think it’s agents from Himitsu Takana!”

“Damn that Carter!” A blade was quickly whipped around, gleaming in the light, and reflected in the icy, mirrored wall around them. Within seconds, it slid across his worker’s throat. Crimson fluid gushed angrily from the wound, splattering on the walls around them and making a deep pool on the floor, freezing slowly soon after the body slumped pitifully to the ground. Dr. Rough snorted as he kicked it aside. He had no room for those that inferior. He needed a strong team to take the snobbish and prideful agency called HimTak down. And they would fall… Somehow, he would bring them down.

He rubbed his temples, a headache growing from the wailing alarm around them. “Drums, see to it that those important get out and to my ship. I am barricading this door behind me so that the pretty agents make no discoveries.”

“Aight, yo,” was the simple reply. Following orders, he headed out, knowing Dr. Rough would be using the escape tunnel below.

Coming upon the hall, his gaze shifted downwards toward the first floor below him. Justin eyed the area: mayhem had taken over. Anyone near could feel the heat escaping the laser as it ran its doomed countdown. He could see Nick, with a new partner, it seemed. He even recognized the shrimp, K's cousin, Agent of the CIA. Amazing that those two could work together, knowing how Nick was. Yet, it didn't matter now. He could pursue them, risk his life again, another accident like before. Like his…

But something stopped him. Unsure of what that thing was, he credited it to his own instinct of preserving his own life. His remaining eye took in one last look before he quickly caught on to a rope, swinging himself down from the upper levels to the ground floor. He jumped down, bolting to the nearest exit, in the direction of Dr. Rough's own private escape vessel, where he knew he'd be welcomed. As he did, he could hear the familiar yells of the now foe, and upped his speed.

It seemed Nick wouldn't let him go that easily. No matter; he could lose him quickly in the icy death trap awaiting them both.


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Nick was almost outside the false iceberg when he caught sight of Drums once more. It was then that his mind went to autopilot. Nothing else mattered then but capturing his former friend. He picked up his pace, following his direction out rather than Brian’s.

Brian slipped out, only to see him in pursuit once outside the lair. He yelled for Nick. “Damnit, Nick! Let ‘im go! We got what we need!” But as usual, Nick wouldn’t listen. Brian went for the boat, having known he would be the one Nick needed as an escape when the laser did destroy anything within its radius. He gunned the agency, following the two from a distance along the water. There was a fury, a determination within Carter he hadn’t seen before.

Nick kept up the chase, leaping over a frozen stream he doubted could support his weight, jumping down from steep hills, trying anything he could to capture his man.

Gunshots rang out within the distance, causing Justin to finally grab a penguin. The curly-haired man picked up the pace even more, incredibly enough. Using the animal, he slid down a icy cliff side crazily upon it in the style of a toboggan.

The other man skidded to a stop. His feet caught the edge suddenly, narrowly escaping a dangerous slide on his own. He screamed with frustration at seeing his nemesis slide away to the F.A.N.S. boat in the distance.

Brian directed his own boat as close as he could to Nick‘s location. He knew the man saw him and would come in a moment. Nick was furious; he shouted curses to the heavens. To The Rok, it was almost as if…

Almost as if this was personal. Was it?


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Brian pulled up to a stop, watching the young agent intently.

“Nick, c’mon, it’s too late; he’s gone already. Get on, and let’s go.”

Brian watched as Nick made his way onto the boat, picking up a dirty rag and flinging it hard against the deck. What was his problem? He was getting way more upset over this than he should be.

Sighing, Brian turned the boat around and started back.

“It’s okay, ya know. We’ll get em. Don’t let it bother you.”

Nick said nothing, flopping down on the seat, staring out blankly, tension radiating from his body.

Brian continued to eye him curiously. “So…what’s that all about?”

Nick inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled, saying nothing. He didn’t want to be bothered, didn’t want to talk about it. He sure as hell didn’t wanna talk about it with some guy he hardly knew.

“Ohh, the strong, silent type, huh?” Brian chuckled. “Figures.”

“Just what the hell does that mean?”

“Aww, poor 008’s all upset ‘cause he couldn’t catch the bad guy.”

“Go to hell,” Nick muttered.

“Ya know, you’re just like I expected. Young, naïve. The government would’ve never hired anyone like you.”

“Good thing I don’t work for the government then, isn’t it?” Nick spat.

“It sure is.”

“Look, I don’t give a rat’s ass what you think, okay?”

“You’re in the wrong profession, little boy. Why don’t you leave this up to men to take care of?” Brian teased, trying to get some reaction from him.

Nick looked at him, his eyes cold and empty. “Shut the fuck up. You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I suggest you keep driving and mind your own fucking business, you got it?”

“He talks big…” Brian had just managed to stop the boat when he saw Nick come barreling over.

He couldn’t take it any longer. He stood, storming over to the other agent, fisting up his shirt in his hand, his voice startlingly calm and cold.

“I’ve had just about enough as I’m gonna take from you, you got it? You don’t know shit about me or what you’re talking about. You have no fuckin’ clue as to what I’ve been through. This is more to me than just some damn mission, okay? You walk all up in here like this is just another assignment, on your high fuckin’ horse, when you don’t know shit.”

Brian stared at him, clearly stunned.

“Why don’t you do a little research before you go shooting your mouth off about who’s qualified to do what? I’m way more than qualified; I’m the only one who can do this. You’re a government man, right? Why don’t you stick to that instead of sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong? The government has no part in this. This is personal.”

Brian remained perfectly still as Nick slowly released him, staring hard at him moment longer before turning and sitting back down. He, too, turned, starting the boat up and taking off, shooting wary glances at the guy sitting next to him. He couldn’t figure Carter out. He acted all cocky, but there was something there, something hidden and painful.

Staring out at the water, he drove. Maybe there was more to the rookie than he’d first thought.


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