#they make it to the airlift and Gil holds her in his lap the whole way back

[softquietsteadylove]

For the Thenamesh Spy AU:)

Thena is in danger and it’s on Gil to save her!

"Gil, remember the plan."

"Go to hell." He ripped his earpiece out of his ear, marching through the storage yard. He was never planning on following their plan for this operation. He had said whatever he needed to--anything that would get him here.

He was here for Thena.

She had gone undercover to infiltrate an international arms deal. She could have easily gone undetected to steal their files and such, but they needed confessions for any justice to be served. So they had sent her in as a call girl. All she was supposed to do was record the deals, pour them champagne and look unassuming and beautiful.

They caught her.

He could still remember all of his bones going cold as they overheard on her mic one of them calling her a snake. There was a scuffle, but Thena was in there in a fucking lace bodysuit without even a knife on her. All things considered, they were lucky she was seen as valuable enough to be a bartering chip.

The higher ups were discussing how and what to trade for her. Particularly because they knew Gil was going to come in here and rip every single one of these creeps to pieces.

Gil checked the number of each storage container he passed. He had come in the back way, and every other location they would keep someone seemed clear. But a storage container would be fairly innocuous if they got taken by surprise. And they wouldn't have to risk her being seen when it came time to transfer their operations somewhere.

G-I-L

It was so, so faint. But he heard it--the Morse Code for his name. It was much more effective than an SOS as far as he was concerned. He crouched as he moved in a light jog.

Not the furthest one away but almost, this container had less rust on the outside of it. It was newer, and hadn't been shipped around as much. Gil pressed his ear to it.

G-I-L

It was quiet--she was being restrained at the very least.

He pulled out bolt cutters to take care of the padlock. What he wouldn't give for her lock picking ability, but she was always better at the delicate stuff than he was.

He opened the door carefully. His stomach churned.

Thena was curled up in a ball in the corner, trembling from the cold of being kept in a metal cage in lingerie. Her ankles and hands were bound and she was blindfolded and gagged. There was nothing else at all in the place with her. She couldn't have been in here for more than a day and a half, but they didn't seem to have even brought her water.

Gil rushed over to her but touched her gently, just the tips of his fingers to her shoulder. "Thena?"

She flinched, her breathing rapid.

"Hey, it's me," he whispered as he helped roll her over and sit her upright. She was covered in bruises. "It's me, Thena."

Her eyes were bloodshot, obviously not allowed much sleep, if any. But they adjusted to him slowly. She whimpered.

"Sh, sh, sh," Gil cooed as he tossed away the cloth around her eyes and over her mouth. He unlocked the cuffs around her wrists and ankles, massaging the bloody skin there. "I'm here, Thena. I'm so sorry."

She leaned into him, clutching at the earthy green of his suit. He was in mission gear, but he had made sure to bring something spare, in case of an event like this.

Gil pulled the sweatshirt over her head, moving her arms gently. She let him, just barely clinging to consciousness. "I've got you, sweetheart. You're safe now."

"Hm," she managed to get out. She probably wouldn't be able to speak for a few hours, but it was confirmation that she knew what was happening.

Gil pulled her up, easily holding her with just one arm as he made his way out again. He couldn't risk having both hands completely occupied, and he would put her down again if need be. But that was only in the most dire of circumstances. "We're gettin' out of here, okay? Druig's got an airlift waiting."

She whimpered again; she was worried they would discover her missing and come after them. She was a hindrance to Gil moving as quickly as possible.

"When did they last come to check on you?" he asked.

She patted his chest; three and a half hours ago.

"Okay, we have a little time," he rubbed her shoulder as he made his way to the back of the storage yard and to the fence he had cut on his way around the perimeter the first time. "It's okay, I promise."

Thena clung to him, her arms looped around his neck. "Mm...m-m...m-"

"Sh, it's okay," Gil whispered, kissing her cheek. If he had the spare time at all, he would come back and kill these guys with his bare hands. "Let's go."

Thena held onto him as he slid down the hill and started into the mountains with her. She nudged his head with her forehead.

"Higher ups are still trying to figure out how to barter for you," Gil responded to her silent questioning. He pushed tree branches out of his way as he moved at a brisk but steady pace. "They told me I wasn't allowed to storm the place."

She let out a little puff of air--a laugh.

"They were going to ask Makkari to extricate you," he mumbled as he held onto her sliding down another hill. "Said I was too close."

"Hm."

They were too close. They were definitely too close for Agents, even for a partner set.

Gil looked up at her, perched in the crook of his elbow and hanging onto him. "I could never leave you, Thena."

She still couldn't speak, but she smiled as much as she could, running her thumb over his cheekbone. She tapped against it.

My hero.

He smiled at her, bringing her hand up to kiss the tip of her thumb. "Tell me that when you're all healed up."