Scanned (IQ x Male Reader)

Still Sour

-3rd person POV-

The atmosphere in the fuselage was tense.  Cutting it with a knife would be way too easy.  It could be broken by a mere scratch.  IQ sat quietly, looking out the window at the passing clouds beneath them.  Sighing, she glanced up at Y/N, who was asleep, his arms wrapped around her protectively.  Deep down she knew that Y/N would protect her; would ALWAYS protect her, but she just had a bad sense of misjudgement about their mission.  Not so much the free-falling, but afterwards.

After a while, Jager came over the comms, stating they would be within dropoff in a half hour.  IQ figured she had another good 20 minutes before Ash made her rounds, waking the sleepers, and getting everyone prepped.  She admired the redhead's leadership role, and she wanted to see herself as such one day.  Maybe lead her own mission? 

She thought about that more, what it would be like to lead her own team.  She's done solo ops before, and shes observed countless operation leads of her peers, Ash mainly, but also from Thermite, Kaid, Thatcher, even Y/N on the mission to get Salvador...

That mission still left a yucky feeling in her.  A feeling of failure, not only of the mission, but of herself.  She knew she was better.  She WAS better.  They had let the doctor slip away through their fingers.  Granted, he had help from Kali's recruit, who turned out to be a double agent, but still.  She felt there was more she could do.

Upon feeling the presence of someone else, IQ opened her eyes to see the redhead looking down at her.  Jumping a bit, she stretched as Ash chuckled a bit.

"Hope I didn't scare ya"  she smirked.

"Only a tad"  IQ replied, still sour towards Ash.  She knew that she and Y/N were probably the best suited for the task.  Still didn't mean she had to be happy about the fact.

"Just get in there n give 'em hell"  Ash commanded, nodding at the blonde.  IQ smirked.

"Thought this was a stealth mission?"  she asked, cocking her head.  Ash shrugged.

"Get what we need, then give 'em hell.  We have a missile cruiser on standby if things get hairy".  IQ smirked a bit, sitting up more.

"So if things go sideways, you're gonna just blow us up?  This plan gets better and better"  she muttered the last part, wanting Ash to hear.  Sighing, Ash sat down across the isle from her.

"We don't plan on using any form of destruction unless you're both out.  That was always the plan"

"Always a plan to use destruction" IQ spoke, sighing.  "Why do we even need to do this if we just want to destroy the island anyway?  What good does an operation do?"

"Extraction"  Ash spoke after a breath.  "Get intel on project Heracles, know what it is and how we can counter it if it pops up again.  And destroy what's left".  IQ sighed.  Ash's plan was filled with holes, as much as swiss cheese...or a soldier's body on the field.  There were so many questions in her head, too many answers she needed with not enough time to even ask them fully.  Thankfully, Ash picked up on her thoughts.  "I'll explain everything, I promise.  Right now, get ready, alright?"

"I am ready"  IQ shrugged, nudging Y/N awake.  "It's this one you should be worried about"

"W-whaaaa" Y/N yawned, stretching.  Ash and IQ shared a slight chuckle as Y/N woke up.  After a quick brief to him, Ash headed towards the cargo bay, leaving the two of them alone.  IQ looked over to Y/N nervously.

"Ready for this?"  she asked him.  Surprisingly, she watched him shrug.

"I don't think so, but I gotta be.  You?"  IQ sighed.

"Ready as I'll ever be"