 had wandered from Lennox to Ratchet. Praying that he would get her clue she stared at him, rolling her eyes wildly as if following the flightpath of a fly. She repeated the movement and only when his optics widened for half a second followed by the tiniest of nods, she took in a deep breath and hollered: "Ratchet NOW!" and squeezed her eyes shut.
A second later, the unmistakable buzzing of countless insects filled the air, the noise swelling in her ears. She did not want to watch what was about to happen next for if it went wrong she rather preferred not to see her killer.
There was some commotion and a tone much like the sizzling of a light arc, then two muffled sounds as metal hit concrete followed by a third high-pitched noise. A scream, high and furious, then something heavy made contact with Felice abdomen. She let out a panicked scream and tore her eyes open just to see the limp form of Scalpel lying on her.
"Get it off!" she shrieked, writhing against her cuffs.
Then Lennox was at her side, lifting the body of the Decepticon and throwing it to the ground haphazardly. Felice pushed herself up, vaguely realizing that Scott and Jones had unchained her, and slung her arms around Lennox' neck. She felt him pulling her to him and did not care that his gear made painful contact with her body and relief overwhelming her, she burst into tears.
"I'm sorry." she sobbed, trembling violently. "I shouldn't have acted against your orders. I am so sorry, Lennox."
"Shh, it's alright." he murmured soothingly, lips brushing her hair. "It's over. 
It took a while, but eventually Felice regained her composure. Carefully, Lennox disengaged himself from their embrace and took her face into his hands.
"Are you OK?" he asked anxiously, eyes locked with hers.
"Uh-huh." she nodded.
The lights had been turned on and when she looked up, she saw that Bee and Sides were tearing apart the two dead Decepticons, while the NEST team swept out to take care of Scalpel's body. Lennox followed her gaze and sensed her discomfort whilst looking at her tormentor. He reached out of her hand and squeezed it lightly. Felice turned and looked at him.
"I didn't know that Ratchet had some insects as well."
There was no accusation or anger in his voice, just mere curiosity.
"Yes, we recalibrated them so that they only attacked Decepticons. And their venom is not lethal to humans anymore." she replied mechanically and raised a hand to wipe some tears from her face. Then she spotted something in the rear part of the room.
"Easy, easy." Lennox warned as she suddenly swung her legs from the table, but she cast off his helping hand.
He watched her as she stood and with unsteady steps walked to the far corner of the room where a motionless figure was lying on the ground. Nobody spoke as she knelt down next to her dead friend and closed his eyes with a caring gesture. Demo – he didn't even know his name Lennox realized as he observed the scene – had sacrificed his life, maybe in order to save hers. He would never now. His heart contracted painfully in his chest when he heard Felice' sobs as she mourned her friend so openly. After a few more moments however, she stood up wiping the tears from her face and walked slowly, almost somnambulatory out of the room.
"Come on, let's clean this mess up." he said quietly to Jones, in order to keep his men busy and buy her some more minutes alone.
Lennox and his team exited the facility some fifteen minutes later while Felice was standing in some distance. She was talking to Ratchet but when she saw them the conversation ebbed away.
"Optimus, Bee and Sides are taking care of the Decepticons. They will destroy their remains as soon as we've left." Lennox said when he'd reached her. "You ready to go?"
Felice did not meet his eyes but looked towards the entrance of the facility. Two soldiers were carrying the body of her dead RIO to Ratchet who had transformed into his alt-mode. They opened the doors of the truck and the stretcher along with the two soldiers disappeared from view.
"I heard you." she said wearily and turned to the black SUVs.
Lennox followed her, placing a hand on the small of her back which she did not brush away. He took his place on the passenger seat while Felice sat in the rear, but glanced to her from time to time. Her look was unfocused and she seemed not to notice what was happening around her, yet when they arrived at Hickam she was the first to exit the car.
"I need to call Reigart and Demo's family." she said, her voice all business like nothing had ever happened. She was about to turn, when Lennox stopped her by gently taking hold of her arm.
"Hospital wing first." he said in a tone that left no room for argument though not unkindly. And to his surprise she did not object.
"You're right." she said with an absent gesture towards the cut on her eyebrow where the handle of Scalpel's drill had hit her when he'd slumped dead.
"I'll arrange the calls for you. Come to the conference room when you are ready."
Lennox nodded and turned to the enlisted soldier at the base entrance.
"Stay with her, Private."
"Will do, Sir." the young man replied crisply and turned to Felice. "This way, Ma'am."
When Felice left the infirmary half an hour later, she felt lot calmer than before. And although she knew that the hard time was yet to come, she was just relieved and glad that this ordeal was finally over. The insect-Decepticons had been destroyed by the Autobots and with Scalpel and the White Ghost dead they could hope for some calmer times.
She reached the conference room Lennox had spoken about and found the door ajar. The Colonel was on the phone with somebody but as he heard her knock, he beckoned her to enter. He spoke a few more words before he put down the receiver.
"It's Reigart. You can speak to him now."
Felice stepped closer.
"I'll wait with the guys."

The calls were dreadful, yet when she put down the receiver she felt a relieved. Relieved that there was finally closure. That the White Ghost and the creature standing behind him were finished once and for all.
She sighed and ran her hands down her face, suddenly dead tired but she forced herself to get up once again. She knew that the others were waiting in the mess, celebrating their victory. The time would come where she could mourn Demo, but after those horrible hours in that hangar with Scalpel she craved for some company and distraction. So she rose and walked the short distance to the mess, hearing the cheers and laughter from far away.
"And again Felice saves the day single-handedly." Epps smirked as he saw her entering the room.
"You know that's not true." she dismissed his flattery though his infectious smile lifted her spirits a fraction of an inch. "I have to thank you for the extraction." She looked into the room. "All of you."
"Oh, don't worry. You've got plenty of time to repay that debt over the next days. We're not returning to DC until Thursday. I'd say the next round's on you."
"Done." Felice laughed resignedly as the others hollered in approval. She then turned to look for something to drink when Jones stepped to her.
"I am sorry for your RIO." he said quietly, placing a consoling hand on her shoulder.
"Thanks, Ray." Felice replied. "And thank you for getting me out of there."
"Anytime." he said with a genuine smile. He nodded towards the door. "Lennox wants a word with you. He's waiting outside."

"Tell him from me not to be that stern with you. You really saved the day after all." Jones suddenly said; his voice serious and warm.
"Did that ever work?" Felice grimaced, but she was touched about her team mate's support.
Jones chuckled but did not comment on that. 
She found Lennox leaning against the wall just outside the door, hands in his pockets. When he heard her however, he pushed himself from the wall and stepped towards her. His gaze wandered over her face and he reached out, gently putting his thumb under her chin and turning her face in order to get a better look at her injury.
"Looks worse than it is." Felice said patiently and to her surprise Lennox smiled.
"That's good to hear. Come on, let's walk."
He turned and Felice followed him. Together they left the main buildings and strolled towards the small housing area on base where the stationary personnel had once lived. Nowadays, they preferred fancier accommodations and so the buildings lay in darkness, the neat sidewalks illuminated by only few lanterns.
"Jones forbids you to give me the sermon for what happened earlier." Felice said after a while, bending the words of her team mate shamelessly.
Lennox stopped and turned to her.
"Did he?" he asked