Viper found Sage pacing around in the Medical Ward after receiving notice that some of them were getting tasked to infiltrate Kingdom and get back Jett. Viper herself wasn't too happy with Brimstone for tasking her of all people to go along with the goof-offs- besides Sage.

Brimstone claimed that she was the only one that could the rest of them level-headed, and even though Sage was the best at that. Sage was in no condition to console others, thinking more rashly than usual.

Viper continued to watch Sage's nervous pace turn quicker and quicker as the minutes passed. Eventually, Viper found it aggravating and knocked on the door. At first, It seemed Sage didn't notice so she went to tap it louder.

Sage groaned, "I'm thinking"

"About what?"

"How I'm going to save Jett. I'm this close to leaving right now because Brimstone is taking too long to assemble the team"

Viper shook her head and walked closer to Sage, "Sage, It's okay. Just breathe, Brimstone has assembled the team. He is just waiting for the right time to send us out"

Sage gripped the side of her work table and attempted to compose herself, "Why are we waiting? The more time we stay here, the more Kingdom has the advantage"

"Advantage of what? Keeping Jett in a holding cell longer than we did? Just calm yourself. They won't do anything to Jett, like Brimstone said"

"How can I believe that? We don't know what Kingdom plans to do with her. And what if they find out she's working for us. Surely they aren't just going to let her off the hook. Kingdom is far worse than we're making it out to be"

"That is true, but at least they won't kill her"

"I don't want to see her hurt, Viper! Yes, she will be alive, but she could leave with brutal injuries that could paralyze her for life. I don't want her to live on with that" Sage mumbled with distraught.

Viper's mouth opened as if to say something but it shut instantly. She knew the words she was saying were not what Sage wanted to hear. Viper had a tendency to be straightforward and never really considered what she was saying unless it was with the people she cared about.

Viper sighed after a while, "Sorry for being close-minded. I'm not a huge fan of Jett, but if she means a lot to you, I promise I will do anything to make it so she comes out alive. I can't promise she will be uninjured, seeing as that Kingdom may hurt her for her course of action-"

Sage glared at Viper.

"..-But, as I said. I will help treat her wounds with you. I'm not the best medical doctor, but I can assist you with anything"

The corners of Sage's mouth tugged up as she stood up to pull Viper into a small hug, "Thank you. I know that wasn't easy to say"

"You're right. It wasn't, and you're a pain in the ass for making me do that"

"Hey, I never made you do it. I don't move your mouth"

Viper didn't have a good enough comeback for Sage so she decided to wrap a single arm around Sage's waist to offer comfort.

They broke apart after a bit and Viper offered a smile, "It'll be okay"

"I hope so"

~~

"Ahh!" Jett whimpered feeling the sting of a taser hit the side of her body for what felt like the millionth time.

Hench growled and pushed Jett harder against the concrete wall, "Why did you let yourself get captured by Valorant! Why didn't you succeed?!"

Jett could feel the drips of blood seep down from her hairline, "I-..told you not to have faith in me-"

Jett knew that was the last thing she should've said because the taser baton was pressed right into the middle of her chest. Jett let out a strangled cry as the shocks zipped through her body.

"Wrong answer!"

When the baton was removed, her body felt weak and frail. Almost all thoughts flooded her head and the only thing on her mind was that she was going to die. A sad death people may say.

Jett began to think it was wise to just stay quiet but the sound of Hench cracking his knuckles made her want to scramble back. But all the energy from her body was barely even there anymore. Her limbs felt like jelly, and even though she could feel them they were immovable. The only thing she could move was her arms and hands, but they were chained against a metal post.

"You better tell me right now, and why it took you so long to get back to me. I was informed that you were clearly fine and hanging along with some friend. Who might that friend be? A Valorant member perhaps?"

Jett gulped and she could feel her palms become sweatier. She couldn't lie because Hench already knew the truth.

"I won't kill you if you just tell me the truth, Jett. Out with it already, or do I need to force it out of you?"

Hench kneeled down and pressed the baton straight to the center of Jett's forehead. Jett whimpered at the cold steel and screamed.

"Fine! I was ended up captured by Valorant. They convince me t-to join.." Jett whimpered.

Jett thought she would be able to get away with lying and convincing Hench that Valorant "brainwashed" her and gave her no choice to back to Kingdom.

Hench didn't seem convinced, he made sure to brush his thumb over the button to ignite the electric waves. His eyes narrowed, trying to read Jett's expression. Oddly, he wasn't able to find any sign of lying in Jett.

"You're telling the truth, correct"

"O-Of course. I wouldn't lie to you"

Hench clicked his tongue and threw the taser to the ground. He found himself growing angry that his strongest subject was able to be captured so easily. The fact that Jett seemed so honest made him want to bash his head into a wall. Oddly, he found it satisfying to tease Jett with pain.

"Okay, I believe you. But that doesn't change the fact that you allowed yourself to be taken away so easily. And not to mention, you even joined Valorant. Don't think I don't know about the battle that happened on Icebox. I know very well, and for that..I think you deserve a punishment"

Jett wanted to cry. She didn't want to feel any more pain, so with the tiny ounce of stamina she had left, she got on her knees.

"Please..don't do anything more to me. I promise..I won't let them take me again" Jett whimpered softly. Sounding the most pathetic as ever.

Hench narrowed his eyes, "Oh don't worry. I plan to keep you here one way or the other, but sometimes, people need to be taught a lesson. It'll only be temporary"

Jett's eyes bulged when she saw a mechanical-looking screwdriver in Hench's hand. She backed up the most she could, but she knew her efforts were useless. Hench approached her and pressed her up tightly against a wall.

Hench's smirk grew as he shoved a harsh hand to Jett's mouth and drove the screwdriver right into the middle of her chest. Oddly, Jett didn't feel any pressure to her chest, but she could feel something being drained from her.

Jett screamed and kicked when she realized what was happening.

The Radianite in her body was beginning to fade.

~~

Sage huffed as she dealt with another wave of guards that came full-boar at her and her squad. She felt the heavy adrenaline begin to kick in as more and more came. She knew that taking the time to take out hundreds of guards meant that she was wasting time in the process. And as more time was wasted, the more her anxiety grew.

Viper could sense Sage's nervousness and her eyes narrowed to a small path that was clearly unguarded due to the attention all being on them.

Viper pulled Sage back, "Look there. It's an opening that you can go into. I'll buy us some time for you to sneak away and get in"

Sage gulped and looked at Viper, "And you sure you guys can handle it?"

"We're Valorant for a reason. We can handle these clearly untrained guards"

Sage nodded and ran over to the hidden cover, waiting for Viper to give her the call. The call felt like an internity, but once she saw Viper throw a quick thumbs-up, she sprinted to the other side of the perimeter and saw the unguarded opening.

Sage quietly opened the door and at first glance, it seemed awfully similar to how HQ is set up. She gulped as she held her gun tightly against her chest, checking each corner. The Radianite energy felt overwhelmingly strong. Stronger than even HQ. It is clear how much Radianite that Kingdom has managed to capture...

Sage was just about to call in and ask Cypher for the layout map of the inside of Kingdom so she could get an idea of where Jett could be. But she was able to get her answers when she heard the familiar cries and whimpers.

Sage's heart cracked at the sound as she sprinted towards the noise. She ended up bumping into a few walls in the process but she managed to find the source of where Jett's mournful noises were coming from.

She approached the door with caution and shook herself to get rid of the chills that crepped along her backside. The hair on her arms rose as she slowly opened the door. The sight of she saw made Sage's heart drop to her stomach.

She saw Jett's lifeless form, slumped up against a man that had his hand droved right into the middle of her chest. Sage bared her teeth as she scoped into her vandal and aimed for the man's head.

Without holding back, she shot the trigger but wore a look of horror when she saw the bullets fall right off of him.

"Well, if it isn't Valorant. I knew you would show up eventually. Come to save, Jett?" Hench laughed.

Sage dodged the small knife that was thrown in her direction, her eyes widening when she saw it pinned to the doorframe right beside her head.

"Quick instinct I see. I'm glad Brimstone sent you..you will be a perfect asset to my little dolls" Hench said.

Sage wanted to throw up at his words as she dodged several more of his knives. She was grateful for the many options of cover as she reached by her side to throw a slow orb. Because of her nervousness, the orb slipped and landed in a completely different direction. She mentally cursed herself for that.

Hench laughed at Sage's nervousness and found himself growing bored of watching Sage dodge his knives.

"Let's just settle this here and now. I have to deal with the problems outside. I'll make you a deal, I know you want Jett. But unfortunately..I can't do that for you. So it's best you leave, but if you stay here and oppose me, I won't hesitate to kill you and your friends. Including..Jett"

Sage wouldn't fall for it but her heart quickened when she saw Jett being held up by the throat as if she was some rag doll.

"You wouldn't do it. Jett is too valuable to you-"

"Hah! That's rich. She isn't anything to me. There are several people that wish to be in Jett's position but she's taking it for granted. Spoiled people deserve punishment, don't you think?"

"Jett isn't spoiled! And let her go-"

Sage was about to finish her sentence but felt her heart soar when she saw the familiar green smoke fill up the room.

"Don't get in my way" Viper hissed, throwing down a pit of poisonous liquid that only outsiders were affected by. It seemed Hench was being affected by it because the room was now filled with dry coughs and wheezes.

Sage took the opportunity to sprint inside the green smog and grabbed Jett's body that had dropped out of Hench's grasp.

"Come on, let's go!" Phoenix yelled, pushing everyone out.

Phoenix turned around at the last second and used his second-life ability to get a few shots on Hench before returning to his original body.

Hench growled when he saw his enemies getting away. But he knew that he had got what he wanted in the end.

"You'll come back to me..Jett..after all, I have your Radianite"

~~

Sage instantly laid down Jett's unconscious body onto the table and began to pull out her healing orb. She pressed it to all of the visible wounds but there were no signs of Jett breathing. Sage's breaths came short as she began to lose hope.

"No, you can't die. You can't do this to me" Sage whimpered as she placed two hands over Jett's chest and pushed down roughly.

She didn't know if she wanted to go with mouth to mouth, but if it had to come to that, she would do it in a heartbeat.

Sage could feel the tears drench her face as they dropped onto Jett's resting face. Sage softly brought up Jett's shirt to see a nasty purple bruise in the middle of her chest. Sage closed her eyes and dragged her hand up to press it to her chest with care. She felt a wave of relief to feel a weak heartbeat, but she had to do something before it got worse.

Pressing another healing orb to the bruise at her chest and it seemed like Jett was finally beginning to get a stable pulse. It looked like most of the internal damage had happened at her chest.

Sage felt a bit drained after all the healing orbs she had used in the past 20 minutes but all her energy came back when she heard soft curses.

She towered over Jett in an instant and watched Jett's eyes open weakly. Jett looked confused at first but then reality sank in. Sage was surprised when she had a look of horror on her face, "Are we back at HQ?"

"Oh thank god, you're alive" Sage whimpered, bringing Jett's hand to the side of her face in relief.

Jett still stared at Sage with the same expression, "Sage, please don't tell me were back at HQ"

Sage looked at her with confusion and brought her hand down, "What are you talking about? Of course, we're back here"

"No, damn it! No no no.." Jett whimpered.

Sage's eyes widened when she saw Jett struggle to bring herself into a sitting position, "Jett? What on earth are you doing? You need to be resting your muscles"

Jett ignored Sage's warnings and continued to push herself until she felt Sage press her back down onto the bed, "Stop it"

Sage wanted to scold Jett but held herself back when she saw tears streaming down Jett's face. Her mouth hung open and didn't know what to say. What was wrong with Jett?

"H-He.."

"What happened, Jett?"

"H-He took m-my"

Jett didn't have to finish her words for Sage to know what Jett was going to say. Her hand cupped over her mouth as she finally realized the empty aura of Jett's Radianite.

"Oh, Jett.."

Jett wanted to scream and push Sage away for taking her away. But she knew it was stupid, and that she probably saved her from dying. But her Radianite is what made her the person she is today. And without it..she isn't Jett..

Jett felt a warm hand touch her cheek, "Jett, look at me. It will be okay, w-we can think of something but for now, you need to rest"

Sage stared at Jett with a pleading look in her eyes.

Jett shook her head, "How can I sleep when I know I can't be myself anymore"

"Jett-..Radianite doesn't define who you are-"

"Yes, it does! It was my purpose! It made me who I am!"

"What if Brimstone just gives you another piece?"

"It doesn't work like that Sage. What if I get a new ability? I can't do that to myself..." Jett cried, weakly leaning into the hand that was caressing her cheek.

Sage's heart broke at Jett's weeping as she safely pulled Jett into her arms, "I know, I know. I shouldn't have offered that kind of suggestion. But please..for now, rest. For me. I promise, by the time you wake up, I will think of a plan to get your Radianite back"

Jett wanted to disagree but the look on Sage's face made her do otherwise. She simply laid down with the help of Sage and looked at her with an empty sad gaze.

"Try to get some sleep. You'll be better by tomorrow" Sage whispered.

Jett didn't want to sleep, but even through her grief. She wanted Sage at ease, and for her to do that, she needed to sleep.

When Sage saw Jett close her eyes, she was relieved. She dropped her hands at her side and couldn't help but press her lips weakly to the side of Jett's temple.

"It's going to be okay.."