Chapter Text
It had been two years since Candace and Stacy joined the resistance.
Despite a whole lot of hardships, like the Major and Monty being captured, if you asked Candace how it was going, she’d say it was going pretty well. They had managed to recruit quite a few people, mostly teens, to the cause, and Stacy had even convinced her little sister and all of her friends to join as the new Firestorm division, which despite its members being only seven years old, quickly became the most elite team in the resistance.
Now, the resistance had finally built up enough strength to go for a bigger target; the old OWCA headquarters. OWCA HQ was filled to the brim with all sorts of useful equipment, and was far enough outside Danville that they would be able to hold onto it for at least a few months.
The attack was going well; Johnson’s strike team had successfully diverted the Normbot’s attention toward the front entrance and the Firestorm Girls had cut communications in the area. Candace and Stacy were now about to infiltrate the building via the old agent transport tubes.
“Alright Stace, we’re here” Candace said before kicking open the hatch, revealing the large expanse of the OWCA basement
“Well, this is certainly alot bigger than our HQ” Stacy said as she and Candace finished crawling out of the tube
“And it’s alot less barren than I expected. You’d think the Normbots would’ve destroyed most of this tech by now” said Candace as she inspected a piece of old lab equipment
“Okay, according to the map, the elevator should be just over there” Stacy pointed to an outcropping in the wall with a door in it “although I still don’t get why they didn’t have any stairs in this building.”
“Yeah, I don’t get it either, but then again, they also used animals for all their agents” Candace said as she pushed open the doors to the elevator
“Eh… I guess that’s true” Stacy said, looking at the ceiling “I found the hatch, boost me up” Candace boosted Stacy up to the maintenance hatch, which opened easily “Huh, unlocked; that’s strange”
“Eh, the probably just needed to do alot of maintenance on it, considering there’s no stairs” Candace said while Stacy climbed up to the top of the elevator “now help me up”
Candace reached out her hand to Stacy who pulled her up top “You got your grappling hook?”
“Yup, we need to get up to the ground floor. There’ll be one level above it, but that’s the roof”
“Got it! Let’s go”
Candace and Stacy both raised their grappling hooks and fired upwards, they had to wait a second before they caught and could begin ascending. After about a minute of going up, the pair made their way to the ground floor where Candace pried open the door and they both exited the elevator shaft.
The ground floor was rather mundane compared to the basement, mostly comprised of cubicles and offices, however Candace and Stacy remained vigilant, as there could be Normbots about, despite the diversion.
“Alright Stace, check in with the Firestorm Girls”
Stacy pulled out a radio and hailed the Firestorm Girls “This is Alpha Group to Firestorm, have you reached the rendezvous point?”
Isabella’s voice could be heard crackling through the radio “Yes sir, rendezvous is secure”
Stacy said back “Copy, we’ll be there in 2” she then put the radio away and turned to Candace “They’re already waiting at the back”
“Great, then let’s get over there”
The pair snuck around to the backdoor where they’re supposed to meet the Firestorm Girls and opened the door quietly.
Candace was greeted by the Firestorm Girls with a salute before they all went inside. Before she closed the door, Candace noticed some destroyed robot parts on the ground outside.
“Were there any complications?” Candace asked Isabella
“There was a guard at the door, but we took it out before it could ale-”
“CANDACE LOOK OUT!”
Candace turned around to see a blast coming straight at her, before she could react, she felt Stacy tackling her out of the way of the blast and Candace watched in horror as she saw Stacy get hit by the blast, sending her flying.
The Firestorm Girls immediately jumped into action to destroy the Normbots which had snuck up on them; but Candace wasn’t concerned with that and rushed to Stacy’s side.
“Stacy! Are you alright?”
Stacy coughed before weakly saying “Yeah, I’m fine”
Candace looked her friend up and down for injuries “oh my god Stacy you’re bleeding”
There was a large wound in Stacy’s abdomen where she had been hit, Stacy took her hand off from where she had been holding it to look at it and saw the blood soaking her hand “Oh shit”
Candace immediately began barking orders “Isabella, you take command, I’m taking Stacy back to HQ for medical treatment”
“Yes sir!” Isabella responded before continuing to fight the Normbots
“C’mon Stace, I’ll help you up” Candace said, turning back to Stacy
“Candace, I… I don’t think I’m gonna make it”
“Don’t talk like that Stace, you’ll make it” Candace slings Stacy’s arm over her shoulder to help her up, but as she tries to stand, Stacy lets out a yelp of pain.
“I… I don’t think I can walk”
“Then I’ll carry you back to HQ”
“Candace… you can't carry me all the way back to HQ”
“I will”
Candace lifted Stacy off the ground and started to make her way toward the elevator.
“Candace… please, you don’t have to do this”
“No, I do. I’m with you all the way, remember?”
“Then be with me right now!” Candace stopped dead in her tracks and set Stacy down against one of the cubicles. “I… I… I think this is all the way I go”
“No… No…” Candace could feel tears begin to drip down her cheeks “you’re going to make it… We’re going to make it, together, all the way. We’ll… We’ll…”
“Candace, please… look after Ginger for me”
“You can look after her yourself, c’mon” Candace tried to pick her up again but Stacy stopped her
“It’s been an honor… Candace…” Stacy weakly saluted before closing her eyes
Candace began shaking her friend while crying “c’mon Stacy, don’t give up on me… please, just… just stay awake… Stacy please”
Candace hugged her friend as she cried; she didn’t know how long she was there, but it was long enough for the others to finish the mission. Candace didn’t particularly care about the mission in that moment, but she did vow from that day forward, to never let this happen to someone she loves ever again.