Prompt: Exhaustion

Focus Agent: Sova
Featured Agents: Brimstone and Viper

Timeline: During the blackmail. Viper's voicemail to Brimstone about Sova

Summary: With Sova being Brimstone's most trusted agent, he sends the hunter on one too many missions. Sova refuses to acknowledge it, but Viper can tell he's exhausted.

Golden Boy

Sova's boots crunched through the fresh snow. Cold wind brushed past his skin and his breath froze in the air. It was good to be home. 

The blackmailer had alluded the hunter all over the globe. With no leads, Sova had searched every corner, every shadow, every whisper, but still nothing. 

Cypher was impressed, but Brimstone and Sova were unsettled. Upon his recommendation, Brimstone had put the Omega Project on hold and grounded the agents until the threat had been eliminated. Sova was the only exception. 

  "We need to find this blackmailer," Brimstone had told him in the privacy of his Range office. "There's no one I trust more than you, Sova."

That's how the Russian hunter found himself back on S22 weeks later with nothing to show for his efforts. 

He had no reason to go to S22 except for an old lead long since gone cold when Yoru found his dossier here on his last visit. Despite the young man's stubbornness and starving curiosity about this place, whatever was on his dossier frightened him enough actually listen to Brimstone's orders and stay away. 

Sova couldn't blame him. He had found his own dossier in the remains of Venice, Italy while trying to track down the threat. As a man who valued honesty and trust, he had hoped the blackmailer would have nothing on him. His hopes were dashed and he mourned the fact he was not so open with Brimstone and his team as he thought. 

He reported the find to the captain and was ashamed to keep its contents to himself. Brimstone never required any of them to share, but he could see the surprise on the other man's face when he withheld the information. Sova couldn't let him know that the perfect archer had missed his shot before. That his most trusted agent was capable of failure. 

Sova pushed aside the fear and shame. He rubbed his eyes, the lack of sleep making even his prosthetic eye ache. He ignored the way the Ghost in his hand felt heavy as he made his way through the abandoned research facility. He shivered, and it had nothing to do with the cold. The base was eerily silent and every shadow seemed darker and longer than before.  

After scouting the entire facility, S22 proved to be another dead end. 

Sova's shoulders slumped in discouragement and something else he would not admit. Tucked away in a corner on B site, Sova's back slid against the wall until he was sitting in the wet snow, defeated and in despair. There were no more leads after this. He had been to Italy, Morocco, Tokyo, and other places his foggy brain could not recall at the moment. Now in the motherland Russia, the hunter was spent. 

As he sat in the freezing cold, Sova's eyes began to droop. He rubbed them again to force them open. Life in the Russian wilderness taught him to never fall asleep in below freezing temperatures. He knew he should move on, yet he couldn't find the strength in him to stand. Where would he go? He can't go back to Brimstone with nothing. He refused to let his friend down. What good was the perfect hunter if he could not find his prey?

A beep from his technological bracer startled him out of his daze. He raised his arm and squinted in the growing darkness. Two words pixelated on the blue screen: 

COME BACK.

Sova let autopilot fly him back to Headquarters. He paced back and forth in the ship, unable to rest with his growing anxiety. Was VALORANT under attack? Had the blackmailer leaked the dossiers? Had they found the blackmailer? Did Omega earth destroy another city? The usually calm, level-headed archer could not heed his own advice as he silently willed the Vulture faster.

HQ was still in tact with no sign of danger when he arrived. That brought him a small amount of comfort. Viper was waiting for him on the landing pad, arms crossed with a permanently serious expression on her face. 

In his eagerness to reach her, the surefooted hunter practically stumbled out of the plane, surprising even himself. Firm hands gripped his biceps, steadying him. Sova blinked away the rush of dizziness and straightened. 

  "Viper, what has happened? Is something wrong? Did we find the blackmailer?"

  "No. And nothing's wrong."

  Sova blinked again like a perplexed owl. "Then why did Brimstone call me back?"

  "He didn't. I did."

  "What?"

  The American scientist sighed in exasperation. "Sova, you've been gone for weeks. You're clearly exhausted and dead on your feet. You need to rest. There's nothing you can do right now."

Sova was indignant at her last statement. He was a scout and a hunter. He was the only one who could do something. Before he could voice his arguments, he found himself being dragged through base by the other agent. He reserved no love for Viper and her sudden display of concern surprised him. Perhaps there was more to her cold and violent exterior. 

She lead him by his hand all the way to his quarters. He opened the door and she gently nudged him through.

  "I don't want to see you leave this room for at least eight hours," she ordered firmly, reminding Sova of the days when she used to be Brimstone's second by default, "or I will have Sage raise a wall in front of your door and make Cypher plant cameras."

  "I need to report to Brimstone."

  "I'll send him a message. Now rest." The door slid shut behind her. 

If he wasn't so exhausted, Sova would have chuckled in shock at her behavior. Instead, he sat on the edge of his bed, relishing its familiarness, and removed his boots. The moment his head touched the pillow, he was in a deep sleep.

No matter how tired he was, a hunter's senses were always alert. Sova pried his eyes open to find a fuzzy figure in his room, back turned towards him. Blinking away drowsiness, Sova recognized the person and sat up slowly. The creaks of his bed startled the intruder and he turned, a sheepish and apologetic smile on his face.

  "Sorry I didn't knock. I wanted to let you sleep," said Brimstone. "I was just going to put this on your desk." He raised a plate of hot food, a vinegary and delicious smell wafting from the steam. Sova's mouth watered as he recognized Neon's adobo, Viper's favorite dish.

After setting the plate down, Brimstone hesitated. "I wanted to speak to you. Do you mind if I...?" He gestured to the desk chair.

  "Please."

The leader pulled Sova's chair to his bedside and sat down. Embarrassment crept up Sova's face as he was reminded of his babushka sitting by his bedside in his youth when he was scared or sick. He sat crosslegged facing Brim to reclaim some dignity. 

  "I wanted to apologize," the older man began. "I was relying too much on you. I overworked you and gave you no time to rest. I was a bad leader and I'm sorry."

His words were meant to be kind, but Sova felt only panic. His worst fears were coming true.

  "I can handle it," he insisted. "I will find them."

  "I have no doubt about that, but–"

  "You need me out there, Brimstone. I won't fail you."

  The commander cocked his head, a curious expression dawning. "Viper sent me a voicemail about you. She described you as my 'golden boy' and that you won't admit when you are exhausted."

Sova was stunned to silence. Prompted by this, Brimstone shook his head and continued.

  "It's true that I trust you a great deal. I should have realized how that would have effected you. I don't know what's on your dossier, but now I can make a guess. Sova, you're just one man, and no man is perfect. Being tired and needing a break doesn't let me or any of us down. You're human. Don't forget that."

  Sova took a deep breath, Brimstones words stirring up emotions he would have to sort through later. "I couldn't find the blackmailer. I've spent all of my leads. They were all dead ends."

  "Then we'll help you. I'm sending more agents on the ground. We need more eyes and ears out there."

  "Is that wise?"

  Brimstone huffed. "We're in a tight spot. Desperate actions can't afford to be wise. But if Viper thinks this is what we should do, then I think it is. She never takes a risk without careful calculation."

  Sova looked away, shame burning his pale cheeks. "If you're replacing me..."

  "I am not replacing you," Brimstone cut in firmly. "Unfortunately, I have to send you back out there sooner or later, hopefully later. You're health and wellbeing is important. I'll be better at that, and you should, too."

  He stood up and brushed his hands on his pants, then nodded to the cooling food. "Take care of yourself. You already lost an eye for us. I would hate for you to lose you life for us, too."

With that, he left his golden boy to rest and consider his words.