New Mission

The rebels had each shared stories of been told on several occasions, before Vision's takeover that they were mature for the most part. With the way they handle things, you'd probably assume that as well. Archer though, he was seriously questioning it at this point in time.

According to him, he would not classify a food fight as part of the list of mature things to do.

It started when Cody and Riley were preparing a 'Send-off' breakfast for the three of them. Riley had apparently ruined something that set Cody off, and he threw an egg at her. Riley, fuming with the yolk dripping down her face, grabbed a handful of flour and thrust it towards the boy. Then there was screaming and the other two occupants in the room took sides.

Archer dragged his hand down his face in disappointment. These people were supposed to be smart.

"Guys," he said. When the battle didn't cease, he cleared his throat and spoke louder.

"Guys."

Everything came to a standstill and all eyes were on him.

"Sure, use all our food in a food fight. It's not like we need them to survive or anything. Plus, there're piles of them lying around every corner," he snarked.

They had the decency to look a little ashamed until he chuckled with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"The battle was glorious, just by the way."

Everyone brightened up instantly, Cody looking incredibly smug.

"Sorry bud, Sam and Riley dealt the most damage."

Betrayal was clear on the faces of the opposing team.

xxx

"We should get going now," Sabrina announced to everyone.

"You guys need anything else?", Riley asked, her finger tracing along the circumference of a soda can.

"We got what we need, plus it won't be too long until we reach. Just a couple of hours," Sam replied sending a smile her way.

"Cool," Riley acknowledged punctuated with a huge gulp of her drink.

Archer arrived from the room, a bag on his shoulder and a jacket on his arm.

"You forgot this," he said quietly and handed it to Sabrina without looking at her.

She shrugged her own bag off and slipped into the jacket, beaming.

"Thanks!"

He just nodded and Riley felt literal pain from trying to hold in her laugh and it looks like Cody was in a similar predicament. All of this going right over Sabrina's head.

Confused by the looks on everyone's face, she decided to change the subject, turning to Riley and Cody.

"Thanks for the breakfast, it was amazing."

"Anytime," Cody smiled, accepting the gratitude.

"And also for the brawl," she added with a laugh.

"Again, you are most welcome."

Riley and Cody escorted the trio to where Sam's bike was parked and bid their goodbyes, 'safe travels' and what not, with an added "Don't die" from Riley and a "Please, don't die" from Cody.

Sam, being the person he is told them that he's not making any promises and got a punch to the shoulder.

"Ow..."

And with that, they were off.

xxx

"Sooo..." Cody started.

"Uh huh," Riley answered.

"Are we going to stop staring at the ceiling now?"

"That is something we should do," Riley said getting off the couch.

"Can we go to see Clank now?", Cody pleaded, also standing up.

"Sure thing, kiddo," Riley said ruffling his hair.

He batted her hands away, grumbling something along the lines of "not that small, I'll show you kiddo."

Riley had put it off, saying that they'd just walked to see the others off so, she needed time to rest. Cody knew that it was a bluff, and she was just trying to rile him up and therefore didn't give her the satisfaction. As much as he loved her, a smug Riley, was the devil's cousin, and he couldn't deal with her alone.

The walk to the building that housed their sentry wasn't too far away, but they still carried their weapons. You can't blame them. They're being smart as opposed to the morning.

Along with their means to defend themselves, the blond boy carried a toolbox for him to tinker away with, as well as his tablet. Once they reached and the lock was off the door, Cody was hooked. Unscrewing compartments, fiddling with the wires, shining his flashlight everywhere. Riley loved watching him work, so she sat near the door, alternating between looking at him and looking out for him.

Riley was feeling a bit tense, but she wasn't sure why. She chalked it up to just being on edge due to them not being back at their safe place.

Riley had always had a sort of fierce protectiveness towards the boy. That came with being a big sister at one point in her life. Also, he always had such a happy aura that she couldn't help but be drawn toward him. That's what led her to actually talk to him during lunch-time at the orphanage.

They were very different people, but they immediately clicked. Talking about anything and everything. Addressing the rumours and making fun of the lunch lady, singing praises about the care-taker, mocking the meanies and just gushing over how amazing the food was (it wasn't). Just when she was feeling relaxed and enjoying the smaller boy's company, her laid back attitude tensed when an intimidating presence joined their table.

Turns out, she wasn't the only one who felt inexplicably protective of the little bundle of joy.

The person that joined them was a little shorter than Riley herself, but she'd heard enough about him through clipped whispers and the wary looks that were sent his way. The way crowds of kids parted for him like sea as he made his way through. How with just one look, it made you want to leave the country and start a life someplace else where the nightmares would still haunt you.

Yeah, she heard it all. Which is why she was absolutely terrified of him, but also couldn't keep her mouth shut.

"You're short," she told the embodiment of death and immediately regretted every single choice in her life that led her to this point. She prepared herself for her inevitable fate.

His eyebrow twitched with annoyance and his lip curled as if he was about to shoot back something horrible.

To her surprise he didn't, and turned to an amused Cody.

"This one bothering you?", he asked, danger coating his tone.

Cody just laughed and shook his head.

Archer nodded and took his place next to Cody and began eating silently.

Cody resumed the conversation he was having with Riley before they were interrupted. She complied, albeit with caution. Her responses were short and to the point while she spared glances every 0.5 seconds to the probably ticking time bomb next to Cody. After around ten minutes of nothing happening, she finally relaxed once again and was completely engrossed in Cody's ramblings about an old computer he snagged from the office with Archer's help, nudging the older boy throughout the story while he just grunted in response.

It was a bizarre thing to see. A part of her couldn't really believe it. She'd seen some of the fights and her mind just couldn't make the connection between that boy and the one sitting next to this kid. Again without prompting her mouth spoke with a mind of its own.

"I've heard so much about you being the big bad wolf in this place. Who knew you'd be such a softie, Archie?"

She really thought he was going to off her right at that moment. The look in his eyes were murderous. Most people would say that it's not right for a boy to hit a girl, but Archer, at that moment... she had a feeling - like an extremely tiny one - that he absolutely didn't care.

A small hand stopped him. Whispering something in his ear and his features immediately softened, and he nodded again, shooting one last look at Riley, slightly less 'I'm gonna kill you' and more 'You're pretty damn lucky', and then left the tablet to return his plate and cup.

Cody beamed at her and told her to join him again for dinner.

And who was she to refuse?

"What's with that dopey look on your face?", Cody tilted his head at her, effectively reeling her back to the present. He was wiping his hands with a rag, screwdriver sticking out of his pocket.

"Nothing. I was just thinking of that lunch," she sighed happily, looking outside.

"Ahh, that was a great day," Cody said, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

Cody watched her face contort from a lazy smile to one of furrowed eyebrows and a frown. He was pretty sure that she didn't even realise that she was doing it.

She probably doesn't even know what she's worried about.

When the silence stretched out too long, he took a few steps toward her, slightly putting more force than necessary, so she hears him coming.

It worked because she doesn't get startled when he puts his hand on her shoulder.

"He's going to be fine, you know that. They all will be, even if the negotiation isn't a success." Cody rubbed gently circles around her shoulder, squeezing it lightly at the end of his consolation.

Riley's frown disappeared slowly, and she found that her shoulders felt a little lighter, her head a little clearer. She turned towards the blue-eyed boy and saw him smiling down softly at her.

"Thanks Cody. I really needed to hear that," she smiled back at him and with her arm outstretched, she gestured for him to sit down with her. He complied and was soon engulfed in a warm hug. They both squeezed a little tighter.

xxx

"We can't take the bike any further," Sam told the other two and drove behind a fairly large bush.

"It's two hours on foot from here." He jumped off and slung a bag over his shoulder, then put his weapons in their appropriate holster, the other two taking the hint and loading up as well.

"Usually I love nature, but this is getting repetitive," Sabrina said staring at the trees that loomed over them. "We're gonna be there before it gets dark, right?"

"Probably, if we walk more than complain," Archer teased. She turned to him with mock-offense on her face.

"I am going to kill myself if I have to watch these two idiots," Sam muttered to himself, hearing them bicker. He turned towards them. "You guys done?", he asked slightly amused when he was greeted with the image of Sabrina in a headlock while Archer grinned like a maniac.

She huffed and picked up her foot, slamming it hard onto Archer's. "Yep," she smirked walking away when he released his hold, and hopped on one foot slightly behind them.

A few minutes passed when someone spoke up.

"You didn't have to stomp that hard."

"Don't be a wimp."

"You're a wimp."

She turned around raising an eyebrow, and he shot her a challenging look.

Deciding to be the bigger person she let it go.

They walked in relative silence, their minds wandering to further places as their feet took them to a certain destination.

Archer found himself reminiscing over old times.

He'd been in another fight. Honestly, it wasn't his fault. The four troublemakers of the orphanage were up to their usual nonsense. He would have ignored it, if it wasn't for the fact that the victims of their latest ploy was his new friends. Not to mention the fact that they had faces that were so punchable. And to add fuel to the fire, the main cronie had the audacity to ask, while he was being held up by collar, "What are you going to do? Hit me?"

It delayed the inevitable, but he was awarded with a blossoming bruise on his right eye. Archer was extremely satisfied with himself. His friends incredibly grateful but also extremely worried, trying to get him away, but a circle had formed to watch the fight. He had no way to get out as the Administrator walked in, absolutely furious.

There were very few things that scared Archer and this man- no, this monster - was at least in the top five.

He closed his eye, waiting for something bad to happen, but nothing came. A little tune played, its source was the Administrator's pocket.

"You're lucky. James, give him a punishment, I have to go," the man barked and left. The children dispersed after that, including the four idiots.

James, the care-taker, had old, wise eyes and an even kinder heart. Instead of giving him a harsh punishment, he just asked Archer to help clean up after all the kids ate and the boy happily agreed.

Riley and Cody stayed with him the entire time, making silly jokes and dancing around. When they were done, they sat in the care-taker's room, listening to him ramble on about his new store that he was building.

Things were so much simpler back then, he thought to himself.

His mind strayed to him and his friend's trying to survive, meeting the brunette girl, going on raids, her saving him, the whole hospital episode - he shivered at the memory, his hand reaching for his middle -, and then to the laughs they shared. The food they ate together and the food fight he'd witnessed this morning. The fact that they were still together.

His eyes flickered to Sabrina who walked beside him.

Maybe it's not so bad.