Smol Women

Chapter Twenty-Three

"How is this possible?" Theodore exclaimed. "Why would Tank desert us? Has Diamond Daisy been working for ISIS this whole time?"

Thomas put his hand on Theodore's shoulder. "There's no time for questions right now. We need to decide what we're going to do."

"They're clearly waiting for us," Gibby said, picking up his gun from the ground. "I say we go out."

Selena nodded. "Either we go to them, or they come to us, and I don't feel like dying while hiding in here."

That settled it. Everyone pulled on their helmets and grabbed their guns before making their way outside, guns aimed at the three before them. Even Maxy Max pointed his gun, though not at Tank.

"Guns down," Jason commanded, his voice thick with an Irish accent. Even from here, food was visible spraying out of his braces-filled mouth as he spoke.

"Tank, how could you?" Selena exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at her old friend.

Tank refused to meet her gaze and scuffed his foot on the ground. "I dunno... I like it here."

"You like me!" Maxy Max exclaimed. "Do you leave because I say no to marry question?"

His words seemed to have no effect on Tank, who simply looked up at the group with cold eyes.

Suddenly Diamond Daisy let out a gasp. "Marianne. You're alive?"

"Yeah," Marianne glared at her. "I dragged myself all the way here."

Jason waved his hand. "Alright. Glad all that's out of the way. Now for what I want."

As if on command, the clouds covered the sun and a cool breeze blew in, giving an ominous feeling to the moment.

"I know you're supposed to be the elite group for the army. Sure, you killed an entire group of my soldiers. But you can't even keep your own members loyal! Tank told me how the U.S. government all but deserted you here. How long do you think you can last before you run out of rations?"

So that was why Tank and Diamond Daisy had taken most of their rations. ISIS was going to starve them out.

"I want you to join my side. Join ISIS. You'll see we aren't so different from you." Jason continued, scanning the group before him.

"You're literally a terrorist group," Selena told him. "How are we at all similar?"

"Not important!" Jason shouted, even though it kind of really was. "Either you join me, or I kill you, it's that simple."

Nobody moved, but they exchanged uncertain glances. Only then did they notice the guns trained on them from within the plane. They were outnumbered.

"Fine. I'll give you a day to decide. Don't act rashly," he said, before climbing back onto the plane. Tank and Diamond Daisy followed him, and the stairs raised, the door shutting behind them.

Squadron 69 hurried back inside the base, slamming the door shut behind them.

"Oh my god, oh my god," Marianne stammered, pacing back and forth. "What do we do?"

"I'm not joining ISIS," Theodore said with conviction. "I know none of us really signed up for this, but there's no way in hell I'm joining them."

Everyone shared this sentiment. A silence followed their agreements, as nobody had any ideas of what else to do.

"Can we fight them off?" Selena asked. "We've won when we were outnumbered before."

Theodore winced, "Yeah, but not all of us survive— never mind."

They all thought of The Hoff for a moment before Maxy Max piped up.

"Jason like me. Maybe I talk and he listen." He smiled at his suggestion, and for a moment the group considered it.

"No, buddy," Thomas sighed eventually. "We're not gonna send you out there to sacrifice yourself for us."

"Okay. We live here?" Maxy Max suggested alternatively. "We eat cats." He motioned outside to where the twenty dead cat bodies sat in a puddle of blood.

"No," Marianne shot back. "No way. First: gross. Second: that would only last so long."

Selena got to her feet and walked over to the kitchen, where the phone was. "The colonel called us on here before. Can we call him?"

"Yeah, I have his personal number saved," Theodore told her sarcastically.

Turning around to glare at him, Selena shot back, "Got any better ideas?"

Gibby stepped between the two with a warning look and pushed them apart. "Stop it. We need to think of something or we're all dead."

"Jason said we have a day to decide, right?" Marianne piped up. "Why don't some of us sneak out to the plane when it's dark and kill them?"

This silenced everyone's bickering as they considered Marianne's words. As they'd seen before, ISIS was oblivious, especially in the dark. It was their best shot.

"Okay." Thomas decided. "Any volunteers to sneak out?"

It was silent, as nobody wanted to step forward. Finally, Gibby did. "I'll go."

"Me too," Theodore shot Gibby a smile.

"Thank you, guys," Thomas smiled at them. "That's really brave of you."

After that, the group set to work strategizing on how they would sneak out to the plane, and what they would do once they were there.

The plan was for Gibby and Theodore to wait for the dark before silently making their way to the plane, where they would break in and kill Jason and any other soldiers on board. The consensus was to kill Diamond Daisy but to spare Tank, unless absolutely necessary.

When nightfall came, everyone was visibly anxious. Marianne wouldn't stop pacing, Selena kept peering out the window, Maxy Max had chewed off all his fingernails and toenails, and Thomas had drunk at least ten glasses of water.

Gibby and Theodore on the other hand seemed calm. The two sat at the table in the kitchen, talking quietly amongst themselves— strategizing, likely.

"It's time," Thomas announced an hour after it got dark. "There's been no sign of anyone going to or from the plane."

With a feeling of finality, the group stood and gathered together.

"You've got this," Selena grinned at Gibby and Theodore, who returned her smile.

"Whatever happens, we won't forget this," Marianne told them. She glanced at Gibby and before he could say anything, she pulled him in and humped him. "Go get 'em."

Without another word, the two men opened the door and snuck out into the darkness, vanishing silently, possibly forever.