"You couldn't be civil for five minutes?"

Gray had exiled Rebel and I to the kitchen. As he did so, he'd told his mercenaries to stay behind in the makeshift living room, while he sent Team Bravo and Gunner to do a perimeter check.

I would've rather been doing the perimeter check.

Instead of directly answering Gray, I poked a finger Rebel's way, arching a brow simultaneously. "How long have you been here?"

Rebel smirked in response, his attention cutting over to Gray. "Five minutes."

Gray let out a highly exasperated sigh and shook his head. "I can't believe I almost forgot how difficult you both are."

A catty smile lifted my lips. "Good thing we're both here to remind you, then, isn't it?"

He looked between us both slowly then, his eyes narrowing as he seemed to catch on to the double meaning to my words. This time, the only indication of his sigh was a slow rise and fall of his chest. "You're both bitter about the stasis."

"What in the world could've given you that idea?" Rebel drawled. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the counter I was seated on, his green eyes focused on Gray with laser precision.

Gray frowned at Rebel's remark. "I understand you're both upset with my decision ..."

"If you're going to say you did it for our sakes, you can stop now," I interrupted flatly. "We both know that'd be a pathetic lie at best."

"We were your best option when Team Charlie attacked," Rebel said.

"They came for us at headquarters," Gray protested.

"Yeah, and killed half of the agency," I shot back.

"You think you could've prevented that?" Gray challenged, crossing his arms over his chest now as he leveled his gaze with Rebel and I.

"All I know is that if we had been there, the Kinetic would no longer be an issue," I said coolly.

Gray shook his head and scrubbed a hand over his face. "You," he began slowly, carefully, "were Boss' greatest accomplishment. And he knew you worked best when you were underestimated. The stasis was a precaution; to lose you would be to lose LASAR entirely." He held up a hand before either of us could protest the unlikeliness of that. "I did what I had to do. And now you have your chance at revenge. But not if you pick apart the little help I have managed to find."

His excuse was still that: an excuse. Claiming he put us away to preserve us was no better than if he had tried to say he'd done it for us, but it did, at least, make more sense. It was more along the lines of how LASAR — how Gray — worked.

So we allowed him the subject change he had so smoothly transitioned to. "Right, your merc friends," Rebel nodded in feigned seriousness. "Really impressive ragtag bunch you got there."

"Your dislike of them doesn't diminish their effectiveness," Gray said calmly.

"No, but it sure doesn't encourage my feelings about teamwork, either," I said as I slid off the counter and dropped to my feet. "Charlotte's a grade-A button pusher."

"Charlotte is a highly effective assassin," Gray replied calmly. "She, like you, usually works independently."

"She needs to learn to keep her mouth shut," Rebel said. "Her age doesn't give her superiority here."

"She'll figure that out soon enough," Gray replied. "For now, I'd rather you both refrain from attacking anyone else on the team."

"Yes, well, we can't always all get what we want," I said with a fake smile.

Before Gray could further reprimand me, Rebel spoke up. "Why is Desmond here?" he asked bluntly, making steady eye contact with Gray.

The older man remained unfazed as usual. "Aside from the fact that he's a technological prodigy?"

"You know what I meant," Rebel said, his expression unamused.

Gray merely shrugged. "Boss had a relationship with a woman at some point while LASAR was growing. They never married, but she became pregnant. They completely fell out of contact, but Boss would send them money in one way or another."

"Desmond is Boss' son?" I asked with raised brows.

"If he's Boss' estranged son, how did you get him here?" Rebel asked.

"Money serves as excellent motivation," Gray said.

Rebel arched a brow. "Blackmail or bribery?"

"Bribery," Gray answered. "Blackmail would've been painstaking and pointless. Either way, he is here, and he is helpful."

"For now," I responded calmly.

Gray didn't answer that. "I need both of you to try to get along with all of them," he said instead, giving us each a pointed look. "No more assaults."

"How about death threats?" Rebel challenged as I smirked beside him.

Gray's frown was severe, yet after several seconds' pause he said, "So long as they are only threats, I'll allow it. But not with every passing breath."

"Deal," I grinned. "Lead the way back to your goonies."

Gray rolled his eyes and muttered something I thought was likely akin to cursing under his breath, but he still turned away from us and headed back toward the living space.

As we did so, Team Bravo and Gunner came around the corner. When they saw us trailing Gray, they all three grinned. They were quick to fall into step with us. "How'd your chat go?" Sergeant asked.

"Peachy," Rebel smirked.

"Oh, I'm sure it was," Legion said with a mocking nod. "Best one you've had since coming out of your stasis, right?"

"No, no," I disagreed quickly. "My best one was the one with Charlotte the Killjoy."

Gunner laughed loudly at that, the sound booming through the halls. "That was one of the most enjoyable ones I've witnessed so far," he agreed while still laughing.

Gray was shaking his head, and I only barely heard him mutter, "I forgot how completely sardonic all of you are."

Those were the last words exchanged among us before we were back in the living room with the mercenaries.