Return to Duty

by Elizabeth Hollows

  Jay could also understand better than most why pointing out bad behavior and misconduct was necessary. Sometimes, a spy was exactly what someone needed—that, or a presumed-dead witness.

  “We spoke about equines, Jay,” Tristan continued, pulling Jay from his memories, “and other facts of no consequence. How was I to know you’d continue where it mattered?”

  Jay stopped walking and Tristan did the same. There was a different tension between them now, the kind Jay had experienced in training rooms when he was sizing up a new member of the team. Tristan was eyeing him carefully and Jay knew this was a battle they needed to put behind them if they wanted to move forward.

  “You know I’m not a soldier anymore,” Jay began.

  Tristan laughed, cutting off further words.

  “No,” he admitted, “you’re a thief who spent months spinning ridiculous tales to a starry-eyed waiter who didn’t know any better. But I’m not him. I’m an IA agent. The major would hate me on instinct and the thief would want to avoid me. So, where does that leave us, Jaybird? Because I can’t figure it out.”

  Tristan’s words were laced with frustration, the same kind that had appeared when he’d struggled with Rinax. He was clearly floundering and he hated it. They were still leaning in and pulling away like they had in the diner, but it was no longer smooth or enjoyable. They were trying to find their footing in a strange new terrain, and more than just their lives depended on it.

  “It leaves us in the middle of nowhere, Tristan,” he said. “It means we have to make this work because there’s no other option.” He smiled ruefully. “That’s the thing about soldiers and spies. Spies know that everyone is lying about something, and they try to figure out what it is. Soldiers know that everyone is just trying to survive. Soldiers don’t have the time to do anything but hold blind faith that the man beside them is on their side.”

  Tristan raised his eyebrows. “Are you suggesting I adopt blind faith?”

  “I’m saying it would make things easier, but it’s probably contrary to your nature and your training.” Jay softened his words with a grin. “So how about we settle for telling the truth when we can and avoiding a lie when we can’t?”

  Tristan’s face remained blank, but Jay wasn’t bothered by it. They’d made great leaps and bounds in their partnership already. They’d aired their concerns and managed to be honest about it. The rest would come with time. It was better to let Tristan chew on everything and come to an opinion.

  Clicking his tongue, Jay encouraged Brutus to start walking again. But he didn’t get far before Tristan spoke.

  “They asked me for an assessment on your character.”

  Jay stopped and looked back at the other man. Tristan remained motionless, his face showing nothing.

  “They asked if we could trust you on the mission and if I was comfortable working with you,” Tristan explained. “Your skills and history during the UCAFD were perfect, but your time away had the agency worried. No one could be sure if you were a practical risk.”

  “But you endorsed me.” Jay realized that fact with some awe.

  “Yes,” Tristan admitted, “I did.”

  A smile pulled at Tristan’s mouth and his eyes were flooding with amusement.

  “Soldiers might have blind faith but spies”—and the way he used Jay’s description was cheerfully mocking—“make more educated deductions.”

  Jay laughed, surprise and pleasure bursting through him. Jay didn’t know why it mattered, but he felt satisfied knowing that Tristan had advocated for him. Tristan, for all their history and his standoffish nature, had chosen to work with him. Jay knew they would still argue, but this was a more positive start than Jay had expected. In fact, it pleased him more than it probably should.

  “Well,” Jay remarked, “maybe there’s hope for us after all.”

  Tristan’s smile widened before he coaxed his quagga forward. Rinax followed the agent without hesitation this time, and they set off once more. The silence returned, but this time it was more comfortable. The air had been cleared and the ground rules settled. They would likely continue to poke and prod at each other as the journey went on, but for the moment, Jay was content.

  They understood how to proceed, and for less than a day’s work, it was a good start.

  * * * *

  When they exited the other side of the cavern, the track split in three directions. They took the one on the left and were soon walking on a narrow path that forced them to move in single file. The trail was full of steep inclines and there were places where the ground was more rubble than road. There was a perilous and winding section carved into the rock with a ravine on one side. Despite knowing people walked it frequently, Jay still expected it to collapse beneath them.

  It was a slow process that took them four hours, but finally, they neared the end of the mountain range. The dirt underneath their feet started to turn from dark brown to light yellow. Rocks and struggling desert plants spattered the landscape. The wind was carrying grains of sand that caught against their skin while the oppressive desert heat was making itself known.

  They remained protected from the sun by the shadows of the rock face, but when they came around the last corner, Jay slowed to a stop. He stared out at miles of sand, disrupted only by dry shrubs and stunted trees. When they walked farther into the Carana Desert, fewer plants and animals would be found until nothing but dunes remained. There were a few oases across the desert, but the Kada’rah would guard them viciously. It would be a hot, demanding and challenging journey, with little chance of relief. Jay was already longing for a shower.

  Sighing, Jay grabbed the material bunched around his neck, pulling it over his head to form the hood that would protect him from the sun. Tristan did the same beside him, even pulling the shemagh up over the lower half of his face.

  When Jay stepped out onto the sand with his quagga following behind him, he could almost believe he’d never left the UCAFD. His uniform would have been heavy and familiar on his back and a plasma gun would never have been far from his reach. He could almost hear the footfalls of a group of soldiers behind him and the boisterous chatter of his unit—but it went as quick as it had come and Jay blinked away the memories.

  Shaking it off, he moved his attention to Brutus, giving the quagga’s gear a quick inspection before climbing into the saddle. It had been a while since he’d ridden, but it wasn’t a skill a person forgot. Tristan mounted his own equine and the two of them exchanged a brief glance before they started off.

  The information IA had given them said they would need to head north for thirty miles before curving to the northeast for another fifty until they reached the Kada’rah stronghold. Their first day and night on the sands would be easy. They would travel in territory still frequented by travelers and tourists. The syndicate wouldn’t patrol it and they’d be left alone. The second day would have them in Kada’rah territory, where they would need to be careful about being seen. It wouldn’t be until the third day that they would reach the closely monitored areas surrounding the compound. They would have to proceed on foot, staying out of sight and slipping into the building unseen.

  The plan was to perform a silent, perfect extraction. Jay doubted it would work. This wasn’t the kind of place filled with blind spots and dim-witted guards. Tristan would need a distraction to get anywhere near Zanik. Jay would have to cause chaos and explosions if this was going to succeed. He still wasn’t happy to perform an extraction without a team. He would feel more confident if he had additional men at his back, but he didn’t have a choice. His priority was getting Zanik to safety—by whatever means necessary.

  Focusing his attention on the steady steps of Brutus, Jay forced aside his worry. The quagga’s repetitive movements lulled him into a state of calm as they crossed onto the sand. Jay was never unaware of the landscape and what might lurk over a dune, but he let himself unwind.

  A few hovercraft flew overhead and there was even a caravan of travelers in the dis
tance, but there was little else to break the monotony. Nothing but Tristan… The agent was beside him, his hands loosely holding the reins and his blue eyes examining the distant caravan.

  “Too bad there weren’t more people to spare,” Jay remarked, “or we might have been traveling in style.”

  He gestured at the caravan, prompting Tristan to shake his head.

  “And become a giant beacon? I would rather be alone with a quagga.”

  “But you’re not alone,” Jay responded. “You have me.”

  He followed the flirtation with an instinctive wink. It was only in the silence that followed that he realized what he’d done.

  “It’s a habit for you to do that, isn’t it?” Tristan asked.

  Jay didn’t bother to deny it. “Charm has saved my life on more than one occasion.”

  “You call that charm, do you?”

  Jay took a moment before he caught the humor in Tristan’s eyes. When he realized the man was teasing him, Jay smiled.

  “I…and many others,” Jay agreed.

  “Clearly you all have bad taste.”

  Jay chuckled, and a comment about how susceptible Tristan had been at the diner was on his tongue, but he held it in at the last moment. Tristan had been on a mission. His thoughts and feelings on Jay’s flirtations were unclear. It was better to avoid joking about it.

  So, he tried a different tactic.

  “Then what would Tristan Fox consider an example of good charm?”

  “Something that makes a person blush rather than roll their eyes.”

  “Neither of us are the type to blush,” Jay pointed out.

  “Then maybe we’re not the right people to charm?” Tristan suggested. His eyes caught Jay’s. “Perhaps we prefer blunt honesty.”

  Jay’s lips twitched, but he quelled his smile. “Is that your way of asking to know about my thoughts on Athena?”

  Tristan laughed, the sound sudden and sharp. He’d startled it out of the agent and Jay felt proud of his success. Tristan had gotten himself under control, but his grin still lingered.

  “No, that wasn’t my intention.”

  “Then we’d better find something else to talk about.” Jay soon alighted on an idea. “You said my charm is bad, but I can’t be the worst you’ve heard. Bryce must have gained his share of terrible one-liners.”

  “He did,” Tristan agreed neutrally.

  “Then let’s hear them. We’ve got a long ride ahead of us.” Jay gestured at the unending sands. “Give me something to laugh about.”

  Tristan looked thoughtful before he declared, “Do you need someone to wash that apron? I’d gladly pick up your clothes tomorrow morning.”

  Jay blinked. “You’re kidding.”

  “No,” Tristan said dryly, “I’m not.”

  Jay whistled. “A laundry pickup line. I expected better from the workmen of Vicente.”

  “Oh, I have worse.”

  Jay shifted in his saddle and walked Brutus a little closer. He looked at Tristan with anticipation and settled in for a good laugh. Tristan rolled his eyes, but even with the shemagh covering his lips, Jay knew the agent was smiling.

  They spoke about bad flirtations for the first hour, which soon changed to people they had dealt with, both in and out of the job. Jay had numerous stories about foolish men and women he’d met in bars or in the criminal world. Tristan had an unending supply of people who’d taken his pretty face to mean he didn’t have a brain between his ears.

  They didn’t speak for the entire journey. Sometimes the heat became too oppressive or their throats felt dry from the sun and sand. But whenever they stopped, it took no effort at all to start back up again.

  They stopped twice to rest and hydrate the quaggas, using the break to check their direction and discuss the minute changes to their route. When Jay stood close to Tristan, all he could smell was leather, sweat and a hint of a woodsy fragrance. He could also tell how the temperature and harshness of the desert was hitting Tristan harder than him. The agent was bringing a hand to rub his neck, tension from the ride resting in his shoulders. A wet cloth dabbed over his face wasn’t enough to remove the flush from his pale skin. The desert was hardest the first time a person dealt with it. The constant, exhausting heat, the endless expanse of sand and the complete detachment from anything resembling civilization… It was like getting a glimpse of eternity.

  “Come on,” Jay murmured, squeezing Tristan’s shoulder in commiseration. “A few more hours and we can set up camp.” He grinned. “Night always makes the desert worth it.”

  Tristan didn’t look like he believed Jay’s words, but he still climbed back onto Rinax and prepared to start the next leg of the trek. Jay did the same, patting Brutus’ neck before directing him forward. This time, he started the first story, hoping to gain Tristan’s smile.

  The next section of desert was much the same as the first. They had small breaks every few hours to stretch their legs and refresh, but Jay could see Tristan’s good humor and energy fading. It was a blessing when the sun started to drop toward the horizon, bringing with it the promise of cool night air. Asam’s temperature didn’t drop as much as some planets Jay had been on, but he would greatly welcome any respite.

  They’d done well for their first day. Asam had a twenty-seven-hour day, and they’d spent a good portion of it on the sand. When they finally brought their quaggas to a stop, it was late afternoon and Jay already felt better without the sun on his back. Tristan pulled off his hood with relief, running his fingers through his sweat-dampened hair and tilting his face into the breeze. Jay smiled, happy to let the agent take a few minutes to rest.

  Pulling down his hood, Jay turned his attention to the quaggas. He gave them water and spread out some feed before unloading the supplies and equipment that he and Tristan would need for the night. The quaggas munched happily, allowing Jay to pull out the hobbles. The items were made of leather and there were two for each equine. They attached to the quagga’s front and back legs, with a rope in the middle. There was one hobble for each side of the animal and it kept them from wandering during the night. When Jay bent down to strap them, he heard the rustling sound of Tristan opening the other supplies. When Jay finished, he gave a firm stroke to the forehead and neck of each equine. He also slipped them each a sugar cube as a reward for their good work.

  Turning back to the makeshift camp, Jay found Tristan had already unrolled their bedding. It was designed for someone who wanted to travel light. Simple and compact, there was a bedroll for each of them that they could lie on or unzip, which could then be wrapped around their body for extra warmth. The top of the roll had a collapsible miniature tent for resting one’s head inside to protect from wind and, in their case, sand.

  Tristan was looking down at the bedding with discomfort. It was only for a moment, but he looked depressed as his hand came to knead his sore neck again. When Tristan noticed Jay watching, he dropped his hand and hid his discomfort.

  “Asam’s nightly temperatures shouldn’t drop low enough to need a fire,” Tristan said.

  He was already moving to unpack the other items Jay had unloaded. Once again, the man refused to show any hint of weakness.

  “No,” Jay replied, “but we should use one while we have the chance. You can’t do much to improve a soldier’s rations, but cooking them does help.”

  If possible, Tristan looked even more drained. Jay wanted to wrap a sympathetic arm around the man’s shoulders. Tristan’s last mission might have meant working long hours in a diner, but he could go home to a proper bed and eat what he wished. This wasn’t what he was used to.

  “Be happy we don’t have to hunt,” Jay offered, trying to cheer him up. “You don’t always luck out on that front.”

  “A lack of food to find?” Tristan asked

  Jay grimaced, partly for show and partly in memory. “Or things that taste worse than your rations.”

  He was rewarded by seeing Tristan’s curiosity and amusement return. “Oh?”r />
  “I suppose my platoon should have realized that if there was a high population of lizards that nothing was eating, there was probably a reason. But our information said they were edible, so we figured we’d give them a shot.” Jay shook his head. “Big mistake.”

  The squad had learned the hard way why no one, not even the predators, touched them, but they’d been running out of supplies and there had been nothing else to eat. It had become a game in the end, with one person eating their lizard while the rest of the platoon cheered them on. It had been a small burst of good humor amid a giant mess of a mission. No one had died and the mission had been a success, but they’d been stranded an extra week in the desert waiting for the UCAFD to extract them.

  Recounting the story, however, was an easy way to fill the time, as he and Tristan prepared a place to light their fire and cook their meal. Throughout the recounting, Tristan would chuckle at him, an indulgent smile on his lips as he prompted Jay at all the right moments. Tristan seemed to forget about the pain in his neck and shoulders as Jay wove a tale that was humorous and slightly exaggerated but entirely true.

  It was one of the first times in years that Jay had told a story from his days in the UCAFD. He forgot sometimes just how much he’d loved it, how much he missed his friends.

  Sleep well, boys, Jay thought, staring at the fire as it crackled to life, a sad smile on his lips. You deserve your peace.

  Chapter Six

  “I didn’t think it would look like this.”

  Jay glanced over at Tristan. The agent’s palms were braced in the sand as he stared up at the sky with wondering eyes. Jay smiled and tilted his head back to admire the view too. The night sky was beautiful. The four moons of Asam were visible and bright. Two were full and their light cast a violet hue over the sand. The stars spread out across the rest of the sky, making it look endless and as if there was no horizon. The occasional shooting star could be spotted, and this far into the Carana Desert, there was almost no visible air traffic. A sky would never be so clear in the center of a city, and while Jay had seen several desert skies in his time, Asam offered one of the best.