“Um, Babe, if you point a laser dot on an operator’s chest,” Noble snickered, “They are gonna drop and roll.”
“Shit, sorry,” Max switched off the laser. “I forgot.” He crossed the room to help put the table back in place and gather all the stuff which had gone flying when Rick used it as a makeshift cover.
“Fast reflexes,” Zenko placed his mug back on the table. He winked at Saxon. “I like him You should keep him.”
“You like anyone who causes trouble,” Noble smacked his second in command on the back of the head. “All of you fuck off ‘til we fix this shit. I want everyone on the course ready to go in five minutes.”
“Ah, fuck.” Roman elbowed Luc. “He’s pissed.”
“Ya think?” Luc stepped away from the wall and reached for the door.
“No shit, Sherlock.” Castiel thumped Saxon on the back as he strode toward the door. “Your man is a dumbass.”
Rick watched them all mutter and bitch as they left the war-room. “I fucked up.”
“They’ll get over it.” Saxon pushed back his chair and got to his feet. He jerked his chin in the direction of the door, silently telling Rick to follow him.
“What’s the course?”
“SEAL team obstacle course.”
“Oh, fabulous.” Now he got it. Having to run through a SEAL obstacle course was a reason to be pissed. They were running on little sleep from rescuing his ass, now they had to go compete with each other through one of the toughest obstacle courses in the world. Because no doubt about it, Noble Bauer would insist on nothing less. “I haven’t run that course in years.”
“You want to stay here, then you better man the fuck up and make it through.” Drax pushed open the door and waved them out ahead of him. “We are a family, the shit you bring to our door affects us all. It’s better we know now if you recon people can hack it or not.” Drax pushed past Saxon and Rick, grabbed some gear, and headed down the path toward where Noble had set up the course.
Was this the same dude who’d just asked if he could join his team a few minutes ago? What flew up his ass? “He doesn’t like me very much, does he?”
“Drax doesn’t trust many outside of us,” Saxon explained. “His twin was fucked over by recon and spent some time in Section 209. He’ll like you when he gets to know you.”
That would do it! There was nothing like a recon fuckup to make people wary. “I’m more of a boots on the ground kinda guy rather than the recon who sends intel on up the chain.” Any intel he and his team picked up on the ground was sent back to a central headquarters. There it was analyzed, and decisions were made on who needed to know what. Rarely did Rick ever know if the intel he provided was actioned. Unless it was a huge thing that ended up on the six-o’clock news, like the raid on Bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan. “We’re gonna die doing this training.” He swiped a hand over his forehead to wipe away the sweat. “It’s almost 100 degrees out here.”
“Wussy.” Saxon pulled off his shirt, his muscles flexing as he stretched while he walked. Going to a box, he pulled out a paintball vest and handed it over. “Ain’t it great.”
“Idiot.”
“Yup,” Saxon grinned at Rick. “And you’re stuck with me ’til this shit is fixed.”
Isn’t it awesome! You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours before it’s done!But he didn’t dare voice that opinion out loud. Not unless he wanted Saxon to take off screaming about not being a commitment type of guy.
“Fucking fabulous.” Rick followed suit and stripped off the button down he’d borrowed from Saxon earlier, pulling on the vest. “I want a do over.”
That’s right! Let him think you’re pissy about staying.
“Nope.” Saxon bounced on his feet. “You’re stuck with me.” Going to a locker, he pulled out two paintball guns and checked that they were loaded.
Yes!
It may be only Saxon teasing and shit, but right now, he would take an admission that he wanted him to stay any way he could get it. “Gah, you are fucking crazy.” Rick took the weapon he offered and repeated the actions he had just seen Saxon do. Paintball or not, if someone gave him a weapon, he was checking if it was loaded himself.
“That’s crazy daisy to you.”
“Argh.”
This teasing back and forth… he fucking loved it.
* * *
Rick kept his eyes moving,following Saxon’s lead as he ran with his teammates through the woods, weaving in and out of trees, running hard, but silently as they shot at each target that popped up at random intervals throughout the course. Often several targets appeared at once, requiring multiple operators to shoot and protect their teammates’ sixes. Apparently, even punishment runs were used as a training opportunity. He approved. Claudio ran their teams in a similar manner.
