Dead Weight

Melissa was fighting the waves, and Felicity couldn't even help Melissa to the best of her ability. Felicity had it easier with the suit on, and she tried her best to keep Melissa's head from going under. 

"Leo!" Felicity yelled. "Medina!" 

Felicity's body was burning from exhaustion trying to keep her head afloat in the perilous waters. Without Medina or Tatum, there was literally no way they were going get out of here. The helicopter that they jumped out of was nowhere to be seen.

The ocean had already swallowed up the machine with the large bubbles coming out. Her eyes glided over the dark waters frantically. As she bobbed up and down the water, her heart was thundering in her chest. 

A hand broke through the water, and she saw Leo a few feet from her. A scream in relief rang through the air as she swam over to him as best as she could fighting through the waves that showed her no mercy, dragging Melissa along with her.

Leo wiped the salty water from his eyes. "Are you guys okay?"

Felicity huffed out a breath. "Never been better."

He was still quite far from where she was. "Where is Medina?" 

"I don't know," Felicity paused to take a deeper breath to keep herself from hyperventilating only for the huge waves to start crashing down on them.

Her hold on Melissa slipped, and Felicity reached out of her only for Melissa's hand to fall out of hers. A shriek of fear came out of Melissa's lips as she drew further away and further away with the waves taking her around.

"Melissa!" Felicity yelled. "Hold on. Don't you dare let yourself drown!"

The murky waters grew ever larger, and she wasn't expecting to see a large hoard of raures swarming underneath them. It was nasty that she could see the transparent pale flesh underneath the water since their ribcages were glowing.

It was almost like they were water creatures, gliding through the ocean effortlessly. Felicity pressed a hand to her head that was starting to pound. They were going to be fresh bait before they even got the chance to escape. 

"Go after Melissa!" Leo yelled. "We won't have time if a raure gets to her first."

"I'm trying!" Felicity called, but there wasn't much that she could do when the current was taking Melissa far away. 

Nothing was on their side today. Felicity bit down on her bottom lip as she decided to give her everything to try and get over to Melissa. Swimming as best as she could, she didn't want to dip her feet too deep in case she gave a raure the opportunity to snag her leg and drag her under.

Leo was also trying his best to swim over to Melissa, but he was too far away. At this point, Felicity had the advantage, so it was up to her for the rescue mission.

She turned over his shoulder. "Don't bother swimming over here. Save your energy."

"I have nothing else to do but to save the others," Leo muttered.

Felicity shook her head but didn't bother to say more. They swam through the water trying to get back to Melissa who was slowly sinking back into the ocean. Felicity grabbed out for her, and Melissa tightly held onto Felicity's arm.

Melissa's breathing was ragged, and she leaned her forehead on Felicity's arm. Felicity patted Melissa's head for comfort. Felicity wished she could be more help, but there was nothing she could do. Leo called out into the darkness waiting for a response back. 

"We need a sign that they are still alive," Leo muttered.

Felicity's breath came out shuddered. She yelled once more for their missing crew, her throat raw. Medina couldn't leave them here alone like this after starting it. Still, the blame wouldn't the on anyone but themselves. They may have already been done for from the beginning.

"Medina! Tatum!" Felicity yelled. "We are here!" 

The sudden roar of the sky startled her as thunder and lightning crashed down, but the screeching of the raures were more jarring. The water underneath started to glow, and the transparent coloring of the bodies turned a red hue. 

It disconcerting how bright the colors were. They were so close to their feet. Felicity could feel them. Why they didn't attack didn't concern Felicity at the moment. They needed to find the others first. 

A flare burst into the sky, the blue light sparkling amidst the swirling and howling wind, immediately scattering the sparkle away. The hope as the flare burst made Felicity's jaw drop. They all made it.

Medina and Tatum were quite far away from where they were though. Leo turned behind and nodded slightly at Felicity. He then took the lead by charging into the ocean. His strong form disappeared into the darkness for a moment before resurfacing for air.

Felicity and Melissa slowly made their way behind Leo. Felicity didn't want to tire out Melissa even more so than needed, so she took on Melissa's weight as much as she could. She was trying to cut through the waves as best she could with the extra weight. 

Her body was hot from the exertion but the needle-like sensation on her arms and neck reminded her of the cold waters. She was strong, but Felicity also wasn't stupid when she knew her limits.

"Leo!" Felicity called. 

His sandy head looked over his shoulder. 

"Can you carry Mel?" Felicity asked. She needed a break. Her lungs were about to seize. He waited for them, and she switched off with him. 

Felicity took off Melissa's backpack from her shoulder, so that it wasn't extra weight. Layering the backpack over her first one, she noticed that Leo probably lost him in the process of jumping off. When she felt the bags behind her, she also realized that all the items in her backpack had fallen out.

"I'm sorry," Melissa whispered. "I'm dead weight."

"But we're all alive, and that's all I could ever ask for," Felicity responded solemnly.