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She thought about that for a moment. “He kept a promise to me once, a long time ago.” Oklahoma reminisced, sounding sleepy again.

“He didn’t have to, but he did. And keeping it made him the man he is today.

” Her voice broke. “So, I honestly don’t care what he does to you or the world.

That’s not me trying to be mean, that’s simply stating a fact.

He could take an M40 machine gun to a preschool and I’d back him.

He could take an M40 to me and I’d back him.

I honestly would. Without a second thought.

Because I owe that man more than can ever be repaid. Even with my life.”

“Must have been some promise he kept.”

Oklahoma considered that for a beat, her voice tight. “It was to me.”

****

J. Wyatt Ferral was having a really bad week.

He’d been blown up. He’d been hospitalized. He’d spent several days trapped under the sea with Julian. And now he was returning to the city to find that his home had been demolished and his nemesis had basically taken over his business.

At the moment, he was standing in the remains of the Agletarian’s former base, doing cleanup and trying to make certain that his team hadn’t missed anything.

He glared at the other man, trying not to kill him.

Bobbi seemed to be having similar difficulty. The woman was positively fuming about what had gone down. “I’m taking my department back .” She spat out.

“It isn’t ‘your’ department.” Montgomery reminded her. “It’s Miles’.”

“And when he’s not here, I’m in charge of it.” Her eyes narrowed. “And he’s not here.”

“And who exactly are you going to get to staff your department?” Monty asked, fake curiosity in his tone. “Elves?”

“I’ll think of something.”

“The rest of us have been assuming that about you forever, Officer Frith, but you continue to disappoint us on that front.” He leaned against his cane, eyebrow arching in challenge.

“Sadly, it appears that Miles did indeed teach you everything he knows.” Then he simply walked away, like the entire matter was settled.

Bobbi stared after him, her voice filled with hate. “I am truly sorry that he’s not dead.”

Poacher considered that for a moment. “If it’s any consolation, I think he is too.”

McPherson stepped in front of Monty, halting his progress.

“ There you are you son of a bitch!” She pointed at him angrily.

“Do you have any idea the kind of nightmare you’ve caused!

?! I’ve been on the phone with the Agletarian ambassador all morning!

Do you know the number of innocent people you blew up in Agletaria! ?!”

“My official policy on that is going to be ‘Wait and See,’ Agent McPherson.” Monty informed her casually, echoing her earlier words.

“But the event is developing, so I’ll get back to you should the situation warrant.

” He took on a sneer which he must have thought looked like commiseration.

“Do thank the ambassador for me and kindly give her my condolences on the tragic loss of her friends. It’s such a shame when someone’s imagined self-importance and estimation of their own power is brought down to earth. ”

“You also blew up a building in Washington. Took out two cabinet officials.” McPherson added darkly. “Which means this is going to be much, much bigger than the city now.”

Monty took on a confused expression. “What? Oh, how tragic. I had no idea. What an unfortunate coincidence, that government officials just happened to be in the same room as our enemies. What are even the odds of them randomly bumping into one another?”

McPherson’s jaw tightened. “One of these days, someone is just going to kill you. You’re going to do something, because you’re sure you’re untouchable, and someone is going to kill you.”

“You’re welcome to try.” Monty spread his arms out from his sides as if offering her an opening, his eyebrows raised expectantly for a moment.

Then he lowered them. “No?” He seemed almost disappointed.

“Well, you know where I’ll be if you can ever garner the courage to act upon the demands of your moral conscience.

” He started to limp away. “Until then, I have work to do .”

Wyatt started after him, limping on his own injured leg. He still wasn’t 100%, but he wasn’t about to sit idly by while everything his wife had built here fell apart.

“You can’t just walk away from this.” Wyatt caught up with him and spun him around. “You crossed a line. People died . You blew up our home. You shot an unarmed prisoner in the head . Our people died on your orders. For your crazy plan which had an almost zero percent chance of succeeding.”

“Except it did .” Monty shot back. “I achieved total victory over an opponent which everyone thought unbeatable. I cleared the board of all opposition and stood victorious over an army sent to see us dead and this city in ruins. Business is about taking risks and living with the consequences, Ferral .”

“Consequences?” Wyatt repeated in amazement.

“You mean like the pile of bodies you left behind? The bodies of people that we were responsible for ? Half of Oz’s team, which you used as cannon fodder and sacrificed?

The bodies of perfectly innocent civilians and the people you massacred in Agletaria! ?! ”

“That’s not my department.” Monty reminded him coldly. “I was tasked with winning the war, not worrying about the politics of our victory.”

Wyatt shook his head violently, trying to keep his temper in check. “That’s unacceptable . The responsibilities of the Purchasing and Production Department do not include murder.”

“This is war.” Monty reminded him, as though he may have forgotten. “ You show me the war where no one dies and I’ll show you the war that wasn’t worth fighting.”

“This isn’t war, this is crime-fighting .” Wyatt corrected.

“It’s the same thing.” Monty crossed his arms over his chest. “Fine, you tell me a way out of that situation, where everyone survives and returns to happy homes filled with iddy-bitty kittens.” Monty countered.

“Go ahead. I’m listening. How do I stop an unstoppable thousand person special forces team and the alien mega-weapons they’ve acquired, without injuring anyone ?

” He paused, waiting for Wyatt’s answer and not hearing it.

“I’m sorry? Did you say something?” His expression hardened again.

“No. Because when it comes to choosing between the deaths of dozens and the deaths of millions, you just do the best you fucking can and move on.” He pointed at Wyatt’s chest. “That’s part of being a big boy and growing up. ”

“You. Got. Innocent. People. Killed .” Wyatt told him flatly, carefully enunciating his words to keep from losing his temper.

“Yes.” Monty nodded. “It’s call ‘sacrifice,’ Wyatt.

It’s how great things get done.” He started walking away again.

“If you want to ride in the boat, someone has to do the rowing. They’re dead.

There will be others. Friends, enemies, and people neither of us even know yet.

People who deserve it and people who are perfectly innocent.

Maybe you. Maybe me. But they’re all going to die, just the same.

No matter what we do. Because that’s the world.

That’s what life is. It’s messy and pointless and painful to endure.

Welcome to the machine.” He entered the large hanger area in the Agletarian’s base.

“The Agletarians had to believe it was real. If they suspected anything, they never would have charged into the base so quickly, or called us to gloat. Which means, we had to put up a fight. Which means that the security department needed to put on a show, and yes, some of them didn’t make it out.

But they knew the risks. And it was them or all of us . ”

“They were tasked with guarding our base and watching you .” Wyatt reminded him.

“I can’t help but notice that you devised a plan which would put them on the front line and then remove them from the equation.

You staked them out like goats, getting the Agletarians to do your dirty work for you.

Almost like you didn’t want anyone watching you going forward, Montgomery. ”

Monty stared at him silently for a long moment. “Funny how that worked out, yes.” He agreed, voice hard.

Wyatt’s jaw clenched, unsure if the man had just confessed to something or was just trying to piss Wyatt off.

Monty ignored Wyatt’s inner debate. “How do you think this is all going to end, Wyatt?” He asked, voice sincere now.

Wyatt shook his head. “I don’t want to…”

“No, no,” Monty interrupted, “I’m serious.

How do you think the story of the Consortium of Chaos ends?

” He tilted his head to the side. “Do you think someday the world is just going to give us what we want? Do you really believe that we’re all destined for something other than dying for nothing and being forgotten?

” He watched him in silence for a moment longer.

“Oh, God…” Monty squinted at him, as if seeing him for the first time, “you do , don’t you?

You genuinely do… You poor deluded son of a bitch.

” He shook his head in genuine pity. “I’m sorry, but life just doesn’t work that way for us, Wyatt.

That’s not what our future is . I thought you understood that.

You more than anyone. We don’t get happy endings.

No one does. Especially not heroes. Because the future is coming.

Whether you want it to or not, the future is coming all the same.

And it’s always worse than you can possibly imagine. ” Monty started to walk away again.