“Get over yourself, Chadwick,” Chadwick said, mocking Nova's tone. 

“Chad calm down, she’s right you know,” Fletcher said as they were practicing throwing knives. 

“Oh, and how's that Fetcher? But of course, you would agree with her, your best friend from childhood.” Chadwick said his voice was full of spite and disgust. Fletcher sighed as he threw another knife, Egil had brought him to this mafia when he was 10 and he had basically been adopted by Chadwick's family. Yet he still had no idea why Chadwick acted as he did. 

“Chadwick, she is not the same person I met when we were kids, if I had stayed I would have ended up like her or dead. If it wasn't for Nova I wouldn't even be here. So why don't you stop acting like you know everything?” Fletcher said, throwing another knife at the target. 

“Of course she’s some ‘Saint’ ”. Chadwick grumbled under his breath. 

“We’re just as capable as any of them.” Chadwick crossed his arms. Fletcher knew for some reason he didn't see why he wasn't as important as the others. 

“Chad they have their reasons. Don't make it harder than it needs to be. When we turn 17 we get to officially join, or you can talk to Valentina and ask her to lower the age.” Fletcher said as another dull thud echoed through the training room. 

“I still don't see why she gets to act like that. ‘Oh, I've been through so much.’ she needs to get over that '' Chadwick said mocking Nova again. Fletcher had had enough, he turned around and threw one of the throwing knives at Chadwick's head, it missed and landed in the wall right by his eyes. 

“What the hell Fetcher? What are you…” Chadwick began jumping up from his seat. Fletcher cut him off. 

“You don't know anything, Chadwick! She was abused by her father every day. She would come to visit me with black eyes, and handprints on her neck. Then she was forced to kill her best friend to be accepted. She is in her position because she has been broken and destroyed, twisted. And you think she’s just saying these things to get attention? Why do you think she barely ever smiles? You lived a life not knowing what pain is Chadwick, and it's about time you grew up. You are so dense you can't even comprehend, reasonable reasons for why you can't do something. To be in a mafia you need to be a team player, but you are not Chadwick. You're just an egotistical dumbass, who only cares about what he gets to do, as long as you don't have to work for it.” Fletcher threw his last knife at the target and it landed dead center. 

“Calm down man. You're overreacting just like she is.” Chadwick scoffed as he pulled the knife out of the wall and threw it at the target, he missed by a lot. Fletcher sighed, nobody was ever going to be able to get through too Chadwick. He was too stuck in his ways, hell even Ruby knew that and she still tried to fix him. It was only a matter of time before he hurt her too. 

“Besides why do you defend her so much anyway? You got a crush on Nova or something?” Chadwick laughed and nudged him. 

“No I don’t Chadwick, it’s called she’s my friend. Well, she was at one point.” Fletcher sighed, the Nova he knew as a kid was so different from the one he knew today. Every now and then when they talk he catches glimpses of the kind girl she once was, only for it to be disguised once again. 

“Oooh! You do have a crush on her! Just wait until Malorie and Ruby find out! They're gonna have a shipping field day!” Chadwick chuckled as he started to walk out the door. Fletcher snapped and tackled Chadwick and pinned him to the ground. 

“What the hell man!” Chadwick groaned.

 “Don’t you dare tell Malorie that!” Fletcher yelled at him. “She’ll never give me a chance if she…. Thinks… Fuck” Fletcher sighed as Chadwick smirked at him. 

“So it’s Malorie you got a crush on! Huh?” Chadwick cackled as Fletcher climbed off of him. 

“Shut up Chadwick,” Fletcher grumbled. 

“Fletcher! Chadwick! I've been looking for you two for almost half an hour now!” Freddie yelled at them. 

“Freds, Freds, calm down we were on our way.” Chadwick scoffed at him. 

“Chadwick Seve Alverez! I am not taking this sass today!” Freddie yelled as he stormed over to them. 

“ouch, Freddie!” Fletcher yelped as Freddie grabbed them by the ears and dragged them out of the room. Freddie muttered at them under his breath as he dragged them to the training room. 

“Fletcher, you're supposed to be working with Malorie, I've already filled her in now get to work,” Freddie growled as he let go of his ear. Fletcher tried to hide his embarrassment as he walked over to Malorie. He still remembered the day he met her like it was yesterday, he had fallen in love with her just by talking with her for a few moments. That day she had been brought to the mafia and became their animal trainer and veterinarian. She was only 16 and yet she knew more than most veterinarians and trainers, she was amazing. 

“Was he throwing another temper tantrum about something?” Malorie asked snapping him out of his trance as she gestured over to where Ruby and Freddie were scolding a very annoyed Chadwick. 

“Of course he was, he’s not capable of much else,” Fletcher said as he nervously ran a hand through his hair. Why couldn’t he just tell her how he felt? 

“Alright let's get to work, I got a few dogs for us to work with. We only have a few hours left to get this done.” Malorie said grabbing his hand and leading him out of the training rooms and towards the kennel. Fletcher felt his face flush as she grabbed his hand, just her grabbing his hand made his heart flutter and his blush. Could she feel how fast his heart was beating? 

“You alright?” Malorie laughed as he realized he was staring at her. 

“Yes!” Fletcher shouted his face turning an even brighter shade of red. 

“Uh, yeah I’m alright,” Fletcher said as she nodded her head and let go of his hand. Fletcher looked down at his hand; it felt empty and cold without her hand intertwined with his. 

“So, we're going to be working with just two of the dogs for this mission. I’ll teach you the commands later. First, we need to connect with the dogs.” Malorie explained as she walked into the kennel training area where two dogs were patiently waiting. “So we're gonna spend the next few hours playing with dogs?” Fletcher asked as she shrugged. “Yeah basically,” Malorie said smiling at him. “Sounds great.” Fletcher laughed, even if it was only a few hours. Any time he spent with her was like heaven to him. 

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“Alright, is everyone ready?” Nova asked as she walked over to their mission van. This was her first mission as second in command, she couldn't afford to mess up tonight. 

“Chadwick! For the last time, you are not driving no matter how good a driver you think you are!” Alfred yelled as he tossed Chadwick out of the driver's seat like a ragdoll. 

“Yeah, we're all ready. Even if it doesn't seem like it.” Rigby sighed as he shook his head. 

“Everyone has their communicators on them?” Amy asked, trying to keep everyone on topic. Everyone nodded their heads in unison, at least they were ready. Easiest part down, right? 

“Remember to use code names on the comms,” Nova said glaring at Chadwick. 

“Let's head out,” Nova said before Chadwick could say anything back at her. Nova climbed into the van as the others filed in behind her. 

“How are we getting into Solstice? That place is one of the most exclusive places around.” Ruby asked as they sped down the roads of the city. 

“Connections,” Nova mumbled as she stared out the window she didn’t feel like answering a million questions when the answers weren't important. Nova stared out the window as the buildings rushed by, they looked like blurry building blocks. Nova broke her eyes away from the window as they pulled up to the back alleyways of a cluster of buildings. Nova and everyone filed out of the van into the alleyway. The ground was covered in trash and puddles, she didn't think it rained last night. 

“Why aren't we going through the front door?” Chadwick complained as they stood there. Nova sighed, why must she explain everything five million times? 

“Chadwick, we’re going through the back because we're not supposed to be noticed by the bouncers and we don't want to be seen by anyone who can compromise us. Besides, I have a connection with the owner.” Nova said as she rolled her eyes at him. 

“Wait you know Rexton Vinogradov?” Ruby gasped as she pushed her way to the front of the group. 

“huh….Rexton that's funny I always just called him Rex.” Nova said as she watched Ruby slowly begin to lose her mind. 

“So how do you know him, Nova?” Chadwick asked her for Ruby who was having a mental breakdown. 

“He’s my uncle on my Mothers side.” Nova shrugged as she started towards the door. 

“This is not over Nova!” Ruby shouted as Chadwick was trying to calm her down. 

“You are just one big well-kept secret aren't you Nova?” Fletcher joked as he and Malorie followed her to the door. Nova Knocked on the door as the others began to approach. The door flew open and a man with copper brown hair like hers and with a giant beard held out his gun and shouted in a thick Russian accent  “who is it?” Nova laughed when she saw the fearful expressions on everyone's faces.

 “It's just me and some friends Rex,” Nova said, stepping into his field of vision. His face lit up as he placed his gun back into its holster. 

Malen'kiy voron - Little Raven    chto moye, to tvoye - what's mine is yours

“Malen'kiy voron how I missed you! Come in all of you! chto moye, to tvoye!” he said with Joy as he wrapped his arm around her and led them inside. “Enjoy all of you! And you Malen'kiy voron, I hope to see you again very soon.” Rex said as he left them at the doors to the club. 

“I’ll take some time to meet with you soon,” Nova said as he hugged her and went on his way. 

“Alright, everyone you know your objectives, let's get this done with,” Nova said as she threw open the doors to the club. A wave of colors and sound rushed over them. The room smelled like smoke and booze mixed with cheap cologne and old perfume. Nova entered the club no one even noticed them, everyone went their separate ways. It was time for her to prove she could do this. How hard could it be?