Chapter Text
Jett paced back and forth in the aircraft, her mind occupied with an overflow of buzzing thoughts. The tension was loud in the aircraft, about a quarter of the agents inside of it, all tense. The other quarter were in a different aircraft, planning to attack Omega from a different side while they handled the rest.
The next half of the agents were back in their own world, planning out everything with comms if things went wrong.
Neon had been gone for about two months. Everyday, Jett missed her badly, to the point she had genuinely cried herself in worry of her best friend. The first few days, Jett wondered if Neon just ran off, deserted, or went out to escape missions. It wasn’t out of the blue for agents to sometimes just leave without reason.
But then, when the days began growing, it was when everyone started getting worried. She wasn’t texting or calling anyone back, which was weird of her and Jett had called Neon's family, asking if she had come back to them for a holiday. She wasn’t there. It was then that Killjoy had found that someone had used her portal without authorization right about the time that Neon had left.
It was a no-brainer for everyone to realize what actually happened to Neon.
Day and night, Jett went to Brimstone’s office every opportunity she could, screaming at him to form a rescue team to get Neon back. He said it was in progress and Neon could hold her ground while they needed to formulate a plan. Brimstone said it was a waste to simply go through all the effort to only rescue Neon. They needed a full-on attack to take everything Omega had.
Jett wanted to punch his face but as long as Neon would be safe. She was so worried, she barely slept in that month. Even Phoenix had no idea how to console her and when he tried, she would brush him off. He wouldn’t understand. He would never understand, despite how much she loved him.
“Jett, you gotta sit down, fam.” Phoenix called from one of the seats, trying to reason with her. “You’re gonna tire yourself out before we even get there.”
Jett ignored him, only thinking about what they were doing to Neon. Were they torturing her? Trying to brainwash her? Or maybe she was dead already and they were trying to lure Sage in to kill her too? Jett shivered at the idea of Neon in the hands of those terrorists. She needed to get Neon back. She couldn’t mess up, this was the most important part of the mission.
Jett remembered the way Neon had blushed when she had kissed her on the cheek the night before she went missing. That was odd but Neon was always easily flustered by what Jett always did as friends. At least, that’s what she thought.
“We’ve arrived.” Killjoy nodded, a grim expression on her face as she stood up. “Everyone, you know your roles. Rescue Neon, take the blueprints and battleplans, cause as much damage as you possibly can and we leave.”
All the agents nodded in unison, all of them understanding the stakes of this mission if they dared to make one mistake. Neon wouldn’t be the only captive if they did this wrong. The ship landed just outside the Headquarters, close enough that they could get inside but far enough that they couldn’t see it in the darkness. It was quiet.
Jett gave a look to Gekko beside her and he nodded. The rest of the agents went off to their purposes and parts in the plan. They quickly made their way across the silent grounds of the Omega Headquarters Island, the only sound being crickets in the darkness. They stood right outside the building, Jett was surprised how they weren’t discovered yet. She pulled out Killjoy’s electricity detector, meant to detect Neon’s unique bioelectricity waves.
“Okay, so she should be–”
The detector started buzzing like crazy, the antenna swishing around until it pointed to the ground below them.
“Below us?” Gekko gaped, kneeling down to pat the solid ground beneath them.
Jett spotted a set of doors by the side of the Headquarters building, built into the ground. It resembled a basement trapdoor, of some kind. Jett gestured over to Gekko, who immediately caught on.
“Are you sure, chica?” Gekko said with a hint of uncertainty. “What if we’re walking straight into a meeting full of those–”
A resounding crash echoed on the left side of the Headquarters, where the other agents were meant to be.
“If we are, then that will distract them. Besides, we have Thrash.” Jett walked over, opening the set of trapdoors as quietly as possible.
The trapdoors opened to reveal a gaping hole of darkness lit by dim candlelights, placed precariously above cells barred shut.
“They have a dungeon? Why don’t we have a dungeon?” Gekko frowned as Jett’s ears twitched, hearing footsteps.
She immediately dived over, forcing Gekko to the ground and clamping a hand over his mouth as footsteps ran past inside the trapdoor, not noticing them and speaking in loud voices. Gekko’s eyes were wide and Jett recognized the voices of the people speaking. More booms reverbrated in the far side of the Headquarters, in result making the footsteps grow even more quick. All of a sudden, the lights cut off. Every single light in that building went pitch black and the only thing that they could see was the dim glow of the candles glowing onto the green grass.
The footsteps were far gone.
“That’s our cue.” Jett whispered sharply, letting go of Gekko and leaping down into the trapdoor without another thought.
She needed to get to Neon as fast as possible. Jett needed to know that she was okay, that Neon was still alive. Jett followed her way down the chamber full of cells, Gekko going the opposite way to fend off any agents trying to intercept the mission at the stairway.
“Here,” Gekko whispered, handing over Thrash. “If you run into anyone.”
“Thanks.” Jett accepted Thrash in his small form, relying on Gekko’s small pet to get her out of any trouble.
They went their separate ways. It was dark and grim. The end of the chamber led to a singular room, with bright electricity sparks glowing from it. Jett pressed her cheek around the corner, catching a glimpse of someone inside. Someone with a particular purple glow to them.
Omega Reyna. Jett opened her palm, Thrash in her hand, ready to be deployed and to fight.
“Neon’s depending on you, little guy.” She knelt to the floor and placed Thrash to the ground.
Almost immediately, Thrash grew at least ten its original size, growing into a horrifying giant beast of a creature. Thrash turned the corner and Jett heard Reyna’s battle cry ring out in surprise before she went silent. Jett dashed around the wall, activating her wind abilities, immediately pulling out her gun for a clean shot to the head with her Sheriff. The light disappeared from the Omega agent’s eyes, her signature purple glow on her chestplate completely fading away.
Jett exhaled with relief, kneeling down to pick up Thrash when she looked over. They were in a room with a pool of water. Jett took a closer look, letting Thrash climb on over to her shoulder as she peered over the edge of the pool, dotted with red.
Her whole heart sank to the floor.
Neon floated like a corpse inside of the tank of bloody water, bare movement in the water every-so often. Immediately, Jett dashed over to the side of the tank, dipping her hands underneath the water. She grabbed a hold of two limp arms and pulled them up without another thought. Jett sagged with relief when Neon coughed as she rose from the water, spittle and blood flying from her mouth. Neon was alive.
Jett couldn’t explain the relief that flooded through her senses. Neon coughed, leaning her head back and squinting her eyes as if to see who Jett was. The sight of those familiar cinnamon brown eyes again after so long, despite full of fear and pain, brought a flow of warmth through Jett’s body.
“J-jett?” Neon coughed, leaning her head back even further. “H-how did you–?”
“I got you, firefly, don’t worry.” Jett whispered, squeezing the Filipina’s hand. “I got you.”
Jett suppressed the urge to pull Neon into the tightest hug and never ever let go ever again. Neon looked so different from how Jett remembered the confident and healthy Filipina only a few weeks before. She felt smaller and weaker in Jett’s arms, dark circles sinking into her pale skin beneath her eyes, pupils shaking with fear. It broke Jett’s heart. She wanted to destroy all of those Omega agents.
“S-stop!” Neon gasped, trying to sit up. “You’re not–I’m not–!”
Jett didn’t understand what Neon was saying but she recognized this as some kind of panic trigger as Sage told her, confusion. Blood was dripping from Neon’s head, so Jett immediately pulled the agent back down, trying to reason with her.
“Neon, calm down.” Jett reassured her, before glancing over to the pool as her eyes widened with shock at the realization of what those small movements in the bloody water actually was. “Are you bleeding? Are those eels–oh, what the fuck. Don’t worry, we’ll get you to Sage soon.”
Neon started to panic even more if anything, struggling in Jett’s arms and fidgeting. Jett restrained her, trying to get her to move as little as possible. Suddenly, Neon coughed again, blood staining onto Jett’s shirt.
Neon sat up, her pupils dilated as Jett glanced at her with worry, reaching her arms over to force the Filipina back down.
“L-let me talk–fuck!” Neon leaned over the side of the eel tank, coughing out fluid and blood from her throat.
Jett looked at her with pure horror of what was happening to her, worried as she reached over to grab Neon’s arm.
“Firefly, please. We’re going to get you out of here and its not going to work if you’re not cooperating. We’re gonna get you to the ship and you can sleep there, alright?” Jett said, worry creasing her brow. “Come on.”
Jett stood up, trying to grab onto Neon’s arms to help support her up. Neon stayed on the ground, refusing to get up. She seemed to be thinking quite a lot and her entire body was shivering. Sighing, Jett only had one thing to resort to and she knew Neon wouldn’t like it. Jett kneeled down.
“Jett, fuck off. I’m not your N-neo–HEY!” Jett wrapped her arms around the struggling Filipina, an arm under her legs and the other on her back.
Jett couldn’t help but grin as Neon was visibly fighting back the blush on her face, all while screaming incoherent things at Jett and some things in Tagalog she didn’t understand. She could tell Neon was using every ounce of her strength to fight off Jett for some reason but Neon had probably been kept prisoner for a month so she had absolutely nothing against Jett.
“Aww, are you blushing?” teased Jett, tightening her arms around the small agent, who was kicking and pulling. “Am I your knight in shining armour?”
She listened for the sound cue in her earpiece for the other agents to tell her when to come back to the ship but now, Jett was going to bide her time for she had been away for far too long from Neon.
“Am not, asshole!” Neon kicked again, a particular strong one but Jett managed to keep her in her arms. “Put me down, motherfucker!”
Neon was a bit more rebellious and snappy than she was before but Jett understood why. It didn’t mean it wasn’t fun to tease the snappy agent nonetheless.
“Not even a thanks?” Jett smiled, lowering her head closer to Neon’s and looking at the Filipina’s chapped lips suggestively. “Not even a thank-you kiss?”
The pink on Neon’s cheeks grew even more clear and Jett thought it was adorable.
“Fuck off!”
Blood flew onto Jett’s face and she felt Neon try to detangle herself from Jett’s arms but the Korean saw it coming. Jett instead wiped her face on Neon’s sleeve and tightened her grip even more around the Filipina. Normally if it was anybody else, Phoenix even, she would be pissed at them for doing this after she was saving them but for Neon, she didn’t mind.
She never minded.
“Alright, okay. I get that you’re pissed and riled up after staying here for so long but no need for that kind of indirect kiss.” Jett heard Gekko shout in the doorway where she had came in behind her, turning her head back to see him. “We’re gonna go now, hang on tight. They’re getting the ship up and you’re gonna need to explain why you even got yourself here.”
Above the chamber, Jett could hear the ship’s engines starting up and more shouts and yells. Crashes and booms thudded in the distance. Neon was trying to say something but she couldn’t hear with the buzzes and shouts of orders in her earpieces and Gekko’s shouts for her to hurry up.
Boom.
With Neon in her arms, she ran over to the side of the torture room again, where Gekko had already climbed back through the trapdoor. The ship was beginning to lift off the ground and Jett caught a glimpse of someone running down the stairs to where she was. Without another thought, Jett gathered wind at her feet and leapt.
They were propelled high into the air as Neon screamed into her ears. Jett could barely see or even hear but what she did see was the ship, not so far from them. It was already up in the starry sky, the hatch at the back of the ship slowly opening as gunshots fired at the ship from the ground. They landed inside safely just as the hatch doors closed, the gunshots and sounds of rushing in her ears gone into a small drum on the metal exterior of the ship.
Jett gave an exhale, regarding the agents left in the ship. Killjoy immediately ran over to her, looking at Neon in her arms, still in a state of shock.
“Is she–?” Killjoy started but Jett yelped out as Neon kicked her hard.
“Get the fuck off of me!” Neon shouted, stumbling to her feet on the ground.
She looked around the room and Jett could see her fists clench, the blood draining from her face. Neon swayed on her feet as Jett rubbed her arm reproachfully, glancing back to Killjoy whose mouth was still open.
“Sorry for how long I took, Neon was a bit uncooperative.” Jett said, rubbing her arm even more, everyone staring at Neon.
“I can see that.” Killjoy was still shocked, glancing from Neon back to Jett. “Neon, you good?”
Neon wasn’t paying attention, her body slouched and exhausted, only staring around the room like she was in some kind of trance. Incoherent words spilled from her mouth as her eyes fluttered shut and open.
“Neon!” Jett shouted, eyes widening.
Jett anticipated the fall, springing forward immediately with open arms, catching the falling Filipina in them.
Neon’s eyes lolled to the back of her head as Jett shouted. “Healer! We need a healer!”
Killjoy rushed off to fetch Skye while Jett held Neon in her arms worryingly. She was in a far worse state that Jett had initially thought, now seeing her face close-up entirely. Neon’s cheeks were hollowed, her skin was ghostly pale. Bloody foam started bubbling at her lips which was when Skye finally arrived, with Jett panicking.
Don’t die, don’t die, don’t die. Jett prayed, holding onto Neon.
“Woah there, what–?” One frantic look from Jett made Skye silent, running over and placing a hand on Neon’s pale forehead.
Almost immediately, a cooling sensation seemed to pulse from Skye’s hand, with a tint of sage green in the air. Jett sighed out in relief, her aches and where Neon had kicked her a lot were soothed.
The blood from Neon’s lips seeped back and a bit of color seemed to flood into her face. Jett’s heart stopped racing as everyone seemed to finally relax. Neon was okay. They were okay.
Why was Jett so worried anyway?
Jett was confident in her skill to rescue Neon and even if she died along the way, Sage could revive her later. But something about holding Neon in her arms as she nearly had just died shocked a sense of reality into Jett. She wanted to cry.
All of a sudden, Jett felt an overwhelming sense of fatigue hit her. She felt so, so tired. Jett remembered how she hadn’t slept last night at all, or even for the past month. Jett had fallen asleep trying to drown out her thoughts from thinking of what they could possibly be doing to Neon down there. Kill her? Maul her? Absolutely rip out her throat? Keep her corpse as a trophy in their Headquarters?
Then, Jett tried to force thoughts of how she would hug Neon when she was finally rescued and never let the Filipina out of her sights ever again.
“Jett, c’mon. We got Neon home safe and sound, you can rest now.”
Jett felt Phoenix rest his hand on her shoulder and the idea of resting sounded amazing right now to her. But she didn’t want to leave Neon like this, so broken and small.
“It’s okay, pretty boy.” Jett shook her head, standing up with Neon wrapped tightly in her arms. “I’ll take her to the brig near the engine, she can sleep there and it's warm.”
“You sure?” Phoenix frowned, tilting his head for his fiery eyes to meet Jett’s tired ones.
“Don’t worry about it.” Jett walked to his side and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for worrying though, you’re sweet.”
Phoenix smiled, but something in his eyes didn’t match with his smile. “Alright then, Jett. But if I get down there to check and you’re not asleep…”
“Then, we can both go to the other room next door.” Jett winked, walking away before hearing Phoenix laugh and Gekko rolling his eyes and telling them to get a room.
Her focus went back to the Filipina in her arms. Jett navigated her way around the ship, making sure to hold Neon tightly in case the agent woke up and tried to dislocate Jett’s arm again. It was darker down near the brig, because it was meant to store prisoners in case they got any of the Omega agents in their grasp.
Jett didn’t want Neon to feel as if she was still locked up in Omega when she awoke but it was the warmest part of the ship because it was right above the engine. She would be there when Neon woke up too. The brig was lit by dim lights, otherwise dark and a bit dusty. In the center was a bed, far too comfortable for a prisoner but enough for Neon for the time being. She gently laid the agent down on the bed, sighing from everything that had happened today.
Neon looked ridiculously tiny on the brig bed, something that made Jett crack a smile. Raising her hands cautiously, she wondered if she should. Shrugging, Jett remembered that Neon wouldn’t let her do this anyway. Jett reached over and squished Neon’s soft cheeks, grinning at how silly and cute she looked.
Jett was immature, she knew it and did not give a damn.
Jett looked over to one of the chairs meant for a guard to watch the prisoner. They looked very uncomfortable compared to the bed. Jett sighed, pulling over one of the rusted chairs and plopping herself on it, resting her leg on top of the other.
It wasn’t long before she fell asleep, watching Neon’s chest rise and fall softly between her breaths.