aftermath: life debt | the bad batch

viii. the beginning of the end

╭ ─┉───── • ─────┉─ ╮

viii.

the beginning of the end

╰ ─┉───── • ─────┉─ ╯

tw: mentions of alcoholism

disclaimers:

1. there isn't a specific age for the bad batch members, but i'm going off the theory that they're technically around two years old (biologically 26 years old) because they did mention that Omega was there when they were created (except for echo, who's biologically 26 but technically 12)

2. i'm not a medical professional. so i'm sorry i'm advance if some descriptions seem off. just go with it for the sake of the story.

•••

"Tech! Tech, can you hear us?" Hunter said, which was coming through Omega's communication device. The message was very static, since there was barely any signal because of the sandstorm. 

"Yes, we can hear you. Not very well though. Also, why are you contacting us through Tech's communication device?"

"Because they took all of our communication devices."

"Who took them?"

"The pykes. We're trapped, and there's no way out."

•••

"That son of a bitch stole my comm link!"

"He doesn't have a mother," she muttered to Tech. "As a matter of fact, none of us do. So who are you calling a bitch?"

"It's just an expression, Omega."

"Oh."

"They notified the empire of our location. Apparently Crosshair increased the bounties on all of our heads. They also took Echo in for questioning. I don't know what they're doing to him, but it isn't good. They're going to take me next. I'll give the comm link to Echo when he comes out. Just make sure to constantly be checking in case anything goes wrong."

"Wait, where's Wrecker?" Omega asked worriedly.

"He chickened out at the last minute. He said the building was too tall so he decided to just stand guard for us. But I notified him to get back to the ship immediately."

"Are you okay?"

"I am at the moment, yes. Echo, I'm not so sure of. They're holding us in a jail cell. I can't talk anymore right now, I can hear a few pykes coming in the direction," Hunter said. "I'm turning my communication device off now. Good luck getting up the building."

"We need to go help them!" Omega told Tech, already starting to head out of the ship.

"Hell no, you're staying right here, on the ship," Tech replied. "If you don't, Hunter will kill me. Usually I would be joking about that but to be honest, I wouldn't put it past him now."

"Bye Tech," she said, grabbing her bow and arrow.

"Did you just forget the long list of symptoms you gave me? You aren't coming. It's for your own health."

"When others' lives are at risk, I set aside my problems to save them. We need to leave now, before anything bad happens to them," she continued, leaving the ship. "Plus, you said you wouldn't let them die. I guess I'm keeping your promise for you."