Page 26 of Beta Team-The Saviors: Part two
“Tivon Askari,” Kira answers. We all wait for his reaction, and we don’t have to wait long.
Ari’s eyes widen. “He was in my training camp in Israel.”
“I’m sure he can tell you more, but he picked up where you left off,” Kira answers. “It probably doesn’t mean much, but I trust him.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Little warrior. Your opinion matters to us.” Kira looks back at me with soft eyes and snuggles into my chest. “I agree with Kira, though. I think he can be an asset for hunting your crazy fucking uncle down, and dealing with your dad.”
Ari sighs and leans back against the pillows. “He’s probably already on his way back to tell my father that he failed.”
“What does that mean for you?” Jason asks, and I can hear the worry in his voice. Ari grabs his hand and kisses the back of it.
“It means that I need to disappear.”
Something about that sentence doesn’t sit right with me, and I frown. “If you go, we go.”
Ari’s already shaking his head before I finish speaking. “No. You guys have been through enough because of me. I need to handle this on my own.”
Keon sits up on the bed, glaring at Ari. “Have you lost your damn mind? We’re ateam, and you almost fucking died because of this.”
“But I didn’t,” Ari argues, and it just pisses Keon off even more. I’ve seen these two throw down more than once, and emotions are running high right now.
“No, but you also didn’t have to stand by while they brought you back to life over and over again. You didn’t have to sit here and listen to the doctor tell you that we needed to start saying our goodbyes, and you didn’t have to sit around wondering what the fuck was happening to you while you were missing. So, don’t sit there and act so goddamn flippant about being on a fucking ventilator, in a fucking medically induced coma, after almost fucking dying from blood loss and shock.”
Ari sighs. “I just want to make sure you guys are safe, Ke.”
“What about YOU?!” Keon’s voice rises with each word, and he stands from the bed. “When are you going to give a fuck aboutyourself?You keep your cards close to your chest. I know that. But if you would have been more honest about who you are, then Jason and Kira could have been more prepared.”
“They didn’t?—”
“They needed to know,” Keon interrupts. “I told you from the beginning to tell Jason who you are. Theydeservedto know. You want to sit on your high horse and talk about how important it is to be a team, when all you want to do is be a lone ranger.”
“I just want to protect you.”
Keon rakes a hand down his face, trying to get his temper under control. “And we want to protect you, but fuck if I’m tryinganymore. You want to run off and play hero? Be my guest. But I'm not gonna be there to see it.” Keon spins on his heel and heads toward the door.
“Keon!” Kira calls out, but he keeps walking. I give her a gentle nudge, and she gets up to follow him. If anyone can calm him down, it’s her.
“He’s right, you know,” Gavin says quietly. “You’ve beaten into my head from day one how important the team is, and at the first sign of trouble, you want to do it alone.”
“This isn’t just trouble,” Ari grits out. “These are highly trained operatives. They outnumber us bythousands. The guards that were taken out at the prison? That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
“Then we cut the head off the snake,” I reply. “They can’t follow orders to kill you if your father isn’t able to give the orders.”
“What are you going to do?” Ari sits up, wincing with the movement. Jason goes to help him, but pulls back from the look Ari gives him. “Fly into Israel and start a war? It’s not that easy.”
“Then we bring them to us,” I argue. “Going off by yourself is stupid, and you know that.”
“Getting you guys involved is stupid, andyouknow that.”
“We’re already involved,” Gavin responds.
“You need them,” Jason says softly. “And we need you. I’ve already come close to losing you once. I don’t want to do it again.” Jason kisses Ari on the cheek and slides from the bed, ignoring when Ari tries to reach for him. Gavin gets up and follows him, leaving me alone with Ari.
Ari lays his head back to stare at the ceiling. I move to sit on the edge of the bed and grab Ari’s hand. Ihatemaking myself vulnerable. It’s bitten me in the ass before, but Ari needs to see reason, or he will disappear the first chance he gets.
“Look, I’m not good at this shit,” I start. Ari squeezes my hand, and I find the courage to continue. “But without you, we aren’t a team. You’re the glue that holds us together. Sitting here, thinking you were dying just proved that. There is no us without you.”
A nurse walks in before Ari can answer, and I lean down, kissing his lips softly, ignoring her eyes boring into the side of my head. I stand up quickly and disappear from the room before Ari can see the tears in my eyes. I go straight to a nearby bathroom and shut the door, then lean against it and slide down until I’m sitting on the floor. That’s when I finally let the tears fall. I’ve been holding it together for everyone else, trying to help them stay strong, but I can’t do it anymore.
