IMPORTANT Author's Note: This story is a continuation of my fic "Last Words," which is my re-telling of the events of the episode "Avalanche." You don't necessarily have to read "Last Words" to understand this story, but you should know that, in my version, Adam and Bree rescue Chase from the avalanche. Not Douglas. Douglas hasn't shown up. Yet. :)

This was also written before "No Going Back" and "Sink or Swim" aired, so it will not line up with those episodes. Consider it AU, if you like.

This story is mostly complete, so updates should be frequent. It is also the LONGEST thing I've ever written. Special thanks to musicnotes093 for her feedback and encouragement when I got frustrated and wasn't sure I could keep going. I don't think I could have made this journey without you. Please check out her fic "Trial and Error." It's excellent. :)

Enough blabbering! On with the story!

Traitor

By 88Keys

PROLOGUE

He could be a very patient man, when he needed to be.

After his brother left, taking his life's work and most of Davenport Industries with him, he had to start over again. All he had was his brains, his programming ability, and a desire for revenge. It was difficult, but losing everything forced him to work hard and to be resourceful. He found abilities he never knew he had. Made new connections and found new financial backers (all off-the-record and unofficial, of course). He was able to create weapons and technology that he never dreamed of before.

And during those long, hard years, that desire for revenge had grown. It burned hot inside of him, but he forced himself to go slow and keep it under control. Eventually he made the breakthroughs needed to merge his bionic technology with state-of-the-art robotics, resulting in a powerful android. Still, he took his time. Sent his android pseudo-son to do surveillance, while he learned everything he could about his brother and the opulent life he was now living.

Finally, he had discovered a weakness. A way in. So he made his move, and he almost had them. But ultimately, his attempt, his grand plan, had ended in failure and even more loss.

So he backed off. Bided his time, again. Looked back over what had happened, replaying it in his mind again and again. He saw his mistakes. He had not considered all of the variables. More importantly, he had tried to take them all on at once. Even with the help of his bionic android, the combined skills of the other Davenports had been too much for him.

That was his mistake. As a united front, they were too much for him.

But in his months of watching them, he had noticed another weakness. It had not registered as anything more than petty sibling bickering at first. But now, replaying it in his mind, he saw the cracks in the façade. The chink in the collective armor.

Together, they were strong.

It was time to divide and conquer.

CHAPTER ONE- The Failed Mission

"Guys…what happened?" Donald Davenport asked the young members of his team of bionic super-humans as he surveyed their appearance with dismay. One was cradling her injured wrist against her torso. Another had dried blood stains on his face, where the red liquid had dripped out of his nose. The third seemed uninjured, but he kept glancing between the other members of the team with annoyance, and back at their creator with fear.

"WHAT? HAPPENED?" Donald said sternly when no one answered him the first time.

All of three of them started talking at once. They were all pointing fingers and trying to explain why it was someone else's fault.

"ENOUGH!" Donald cried, silencing them. He pointed to Chase, who was always considered the team leader on these missions. "You go first. What happened? "

"We got to the warehouse and started investigating just like you said, Mr. Davenport," Chase explained. "I found the room with the computer mainframe and started looking through the records there. You were right; they are involved in a lot of shady business operations, including improper use and disposal of illegal chemicals. Those two," he pointed a finger at his older brother and sister for emphasis, "were supposed to keep a look out for the guards. But they got bored and started goofing off."

"We were not goofing off," Bree said defensively.

"You were texting Owen, and Adam was going around to all the offices looking for candy," Chase replied. "How is that not goofing off?"

"There was nobody else around and nothing else to do while you were downloading the records," Adam said.

"If there was nobody else around, then how do you explain those guys who jumped us?" Chase said, his voice rising in pitch and intensity. "You could have warned me they were coming!"

"YOU were in the room with all the security monitors," Bree said. "You should have seen them coming and warned us!"

"OK, OK, settle down," Donald sighed. "So you got interrupted and jumped by the guards. Then what happened?"

"Bree super-speeded Adam and herself out of there, and left me to fight three huge thugs by myself!"

Bree glared at him. "That is NOT true, Mr. Davenport. Adam got hit right in the nose and was having trouble. I knocked the guy out and got Adam out of there. I was coming back for Chase, I swear. But I ran in to more trouble outside. By the time we fought those guys off, Chase was already out."

"You could have come back sooner!"

"I could NOT!"

"Could to!"

"GUYS!" Donald cried. "Chase, please tell me you got the records downloaded so we have proof to present to the authorities."

Chase looked down guiltily. "I kinda…left the flash drive behind."

Donald sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on. "This is the second mission in a row that we've had to abort. I don't why, but you guys are getting sloppy. You're not working together as a team or following directions.

"That's what I've been telling them, Mr. Davenport-" Chase began.

"This goes for you too, Chase," Donald said sternly. "I expect more from you. It's up to you to keep the team together and to see these missions through from start to finish."

"But that's not fair!" Chase cried. "I can't do everything by myself! They were the ones goofing off. Why aren't they getting in trouble?"

"You're ALL in trouble," Donald explained sternly. "Tomorrow is Saturday. We're going to take the whole day to train, and we're not going to stop until you all are working together again, the way you used to."

All three of them started at him in shock. An entire Saturday spent training instead of doing anything fun! But they knew better than to argue. Adam and Bree both turned to glare at their little brother, who glared back with hostility.

"Now, Adam, Bree, you better let me take a look at your nose and your wrist. Chase, are you hurt anywhere?"

"No," Chase mumbled.

"Good. You can start putting the mission gear away. Get some rest tonight; you're going to need it for tomorrow."

"Thanks a lot, Chase," Bree said angrily after Donald had left the lab.

"Me?! Why is it my fault? You guys were the one who weren't paying attention."

"You were the one who left the flash drive behind! Getting that info was the whole reason we went on the mission in the first place!"

"Yeah!" Adam joined in.

"Well you guys could have helped, you know. I get sick of having to do everything myself while you two play around."

"Are you serious?" Bree asked. "We fight the bad guys. We clear the area. I super-speed you in and out. All you do is stand there, tell us what to do, then grab some files and bring them back to Mr. Davenport so he can give you all the credit. Adam and I get sick of doing all the hard stuff and never getting any recognition for it."

"Yeah, Chase," Adam agreed. "And we're tired of you acting like you're smarter than us, too!"

Chase rolled his eyes. "I am smarter than you two."

"We KNOW, OK? You point it out all the time," Adam said. "All you ever do is make us feel dumb and look bad in front of Mr. Davenport."

"You guys do a great job of looking bad all on your own. Maybe if you weren't so stupid," Chase said, pointing at Adam, "and you weren't so shallow and boy-crazy, Bree, I wouldn't have to make all the hard decisions and do all the work by myself!"

When he saw the expressions on his siblings' faces, Chase instantly regretted his words. He wished he could go back and erase them, but it was too late. The words hung there like an angry black cloud, casting a pall over the already tense room.

Bree looked genuinely hurt. She opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. Adam's expression darkened in anger, and Chase braced himself for another toss across the room. But instead of attacking, Adam merely turned around and stormed out of the lab and into the elevator. The doors closed, and Bree and Chase heard a loud crack as Adam punched the "up" button so hard that it broke.

Bree turned back to look at her younger brother. Her eyes held the same angry look that Adam's had, and Chase was struck by how much his siblings looked alike in that moment.

"You know, Chase, Mr. Davenport should create a humility app for you. Because you're an arrogant jerk most of the time." She super-speeded up the stairs and outside before Chase could even begin to think of a reply.

END CHAPTER