c.o.m.m.u.n.i.t.y. is {family} -crystal-

[~echo~]

"Every week, we go out and collect people who are lost and scared."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"And every day, I go out and fighter monsters and rescue innocents. You do your part; I'll do mine." Braden met his eyes with a steely resolve. He wasn't going to give in.

[~echo~]

Mark growled. "You truly are the most foolish man I've ever met."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"Perhaps," Braden said. "But, as you know, I'm also a very stubborn one."

[~echo~]

Mark looked sad. "Why can't things be like they were? What made you leave?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"I already told you: I needed to do something more."

[~echo~]

Mark sighed softly and backed up from the fence. "I recognize defeat. Perhaps one day our paths may cross again."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"I hope so," Braden said softly, and he meant it. "Goodbye, Mark."

[~echo~]

Mark bowed his head and then trotted off, trusting his former friend not to shoot him.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Braden never even considered it. He knew Mark was trying, in his own way, to do the right thing. He turned away from the gates and nodded to Gabriel. "Thank you for telling me he was here."

Gabriel just shrugged and walked back toward the building.

[~echo~]

(Timeskip? I was thinking Mark could try to capture Braden)

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Okay! Sounds fun)

[~echo~]

(Alright.)

Mark stole around the fence, looking for the entrance. His entourage followed.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Gabriel and Braden were in "the den," as the members liked to call it. A few of the members of other teams sat around the table, and Braden was dealing out a hand of poker. Garret Jensen, leader of Team 1, was smoking a cigar, his eyes watching Braden's hands. "Ante up," Braden said. Each of the people at the table, threw in a chip.

[~echo~]

Jordan, pointman of Team one, stood leaned up against the wall, pistols in holsters at each of her hips and her arms crossed. She was as tense as usual. She watched the game of poker occasionally but mostly kept her gaze on te door.

By then, Mark's men had managed to subdue the guards outside and make their way inside. Mark ordered everyone to split up and find Braden, subdue him as well and being him back to their van.

(Im so sad that Sagey is gone... her character Marshall and Jordan had a fling for a while )

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Yeah, I miss her, too )

Braden picked up his cards and took a peek at his hand. He glanced up, looking at the other faces around the table. He knew there was no way he'd be able to read them. STARS had a way of training you to have a good poker face. In fact, if any of them was bad at bluffing, it would be him. "Your bet," he said to Jensen. The team leader threw in a red chip. Five bucks. The rest of them called.

Braden looked over at Jordan. "You sure you don't want to play?" he asked.

"She's too uptight to play," Jensen said around his cigar. "Ever since Marshall died... well, no fun in the world now. Right?" He raised his eyebrows at Jordan. No one had ever called him sensitive.

[~echo~]

Jordan grit her teeth angrily. "I don't play with a**holes," she said sharply, her face turning several shades of red. She crossed her arms ever tighter when hot tears pricked the backs of her eyes. She had never had the chance to tell him how she felt....

Mark and his group had infiltrated STARS and they had found some uniforms. They walked through the hallways, tense and still searching for Braden.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Braden glanced at Jordan, his eyes sympathetic, but he didn't say anything. Standing up for her to Jensen would probably be a bad idea. They were about to do the second bidding round, but Braden held up his hand. "Wait... did you hear that?"

[~echo~]

"Shh," Jordan said in biting tones. She had heard it before they had. The door was open and Mark's team threw in several smoke bombs. Tey went off and the room was instantly blurred. One couldn't see anything. Mark lunged for Braden

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

As soon as the man crashed into him, Braden knew who it was. He wasn't sure how, but Mark had gotten into the compound and now he'd come for him. He struck out blindly with his elbow.