- "OK, we're not here just for the food."
"I told you they wouldn't like it."
"No, we don't. Like what, exactly?"
"Alex's "small fish eats big fish" plan."
"AWOL is your idea of a small fish?" - ―Alex Wilder, Livvie, Chase Stein and Karolina Dean[src]
The Ambush at the Simply Blossom was a confrontation between the Runaways and AWOL.
Background[]
- "We're gonna use the small fish, a.k.a. AWOL, to get to the big fish, better known as our awful parents."
- ―Alex Wilder to Livvie[src]
Despite being forced to live on the run with his teammates, and unlike the rest of them, Alex Wilder, leader of the Runaways, remained determined to have PRIDE arrested and sent to jail for their crimes. The investigation he conducted notably led him to the discovery that his own mother Catherine had murdered Darius Davis, which had been covered up by the LAPD.[4]
Upon learning, through his girlfriend Livvie, that she also had footage of AWOL shooting at the South Los Angeles Medical Center, Wilder decided to use it as well as leverage so that he could reach PRIDE through AWOL. Knowing that his friends would disapprove his plans as they were all trying to move on with their lives, he chose not to disclose their plan and therefore only enlisted Livvie's assistance into bringing the team into a restaurant where AWOL frequently went, the Simply Blossom.[5]
Ambush[]
- "I could kill everyone in here right now and get away with it. You know that, right?"
- ―AWOL to Alex Wilder[src]
The Runaways were the first to arrive into the Simply Blossom, most of them believing that they were only there to enjoy a good meal following Livvie's recommendation of the restaurant. However, AWOL and his squad arrived shortly afterwards, immediately causing the Runaways to understand that Wilder had not disclosed the full truth. Questioned by Chase Stein, Wilder recognized that he planned on trying to use AWOL to reach PRIDE, although his friends doubted that this was a good idea due to how AWOL was dangerous, especially since he had held Molly Hernandez captive.
Ignoring his teammate's reluctance, Wilder approached AWOL, who initially ignored him until Wilder insisted and revealed that he knew that AWOL was involved in the framing of Darius Davis for the death of Destiny Gonzalez. Recognizing Wilder as one of the fugitives the LAPD on PRIDE's payroll had been instructed to find, AWOL drew his gun and ordered the other patrons and staff of the restaurant to immediately leave the area, leaving only the strike team and AWOL.
Assisted by Mitch and two other members, AWOL ordered the Runaways to kneel with their hands behind their head. Although Wilder tried to convince him to listen to him, AWOL ignored his plea, stating that he could have all the teenagers killed without having anything to fear. This prompted Nico Minoru to use the Staff of One to stop AWOL and his men, as they found themselves simply unable to move while the Runaways safely left the restaurant. Once outside, the Runaways insisted that Wilder had to stop such initiative in his war against PRIDE.[5]
Aftermath[]
- "Letting everyone know that you're a liar, who went behind our backs and made a deal with AWOL, all because you hate your parents."
- ―Livvie to Alex Wilder[src]
Contrary to what the Runaways had thought, Alex Wilder soon seized another opportunity to strike a deal with AWOL. Indeed, as he brought Livvie to her house, he found AWOL sitting in the living room, after he had concluded an uneasy alliance with Tamar, Livvie's sister. Although Livvie disapproved, Wilder began negotiating with AWOL, and they ended up agreeing on a deal: in exchange for the footage showing AWOL firing his gun at the South Los Angeles Medical Center, AWOL would provide Wilder with evidence against PRIDE gathered by Flores.
However, things quickly got out of Wilder's control. Firstly, Livvie, who had eavesdropped on the conversation between Wilder and AWOL and violently blamed her boyfriend for striking a deal with a known criminal, reported it to the other Runaways, thus threatening his leadership over the team. Secondly, AWOL decided to double cross all those he had made deals: he turned on Flores by revealing his betrayal to PRIDE, leading to the death of the corrupt detective; then kidnapped Livvie to have leverage against the Runaways so he could find their locations and bring them back to PRIDE.[5]