Return to Duty

by Elizabeth Hollows

  “What did you discover?” Tristan asked, coming to stand by him. He scanned the fallen criminals.

  “Enough supplies for two people to remain here for a month,” Jay answered. “There are no other signs of habitation. I’d say they’re here to guard the area and dispose of any travelers who get too close.”

  “Travelers don’t come into Kada’rah territory anymore. They know better,” Tristan said. “Their lack of concern shows they expected an easy job.”

  Jay nodded. He pulled the other pilfered communicator from one of his pockets and gave it to Tristan, who hooked it to his ear.

  “Their lines have been quiet,” Jay said.

  “Then we’ll see what our captives have to say,” Tristan replied. “The Kada’rah might not be willing to admit their secrets under interrogation, but untrained body language can speak volumes.”

  “The right flinch on the right question says it all,” Jay agreed. “But even if it doesn’t work, their sandmobiles are all we need. We can cut across the desert at nightfall and be at the compound in a matter of hours.”

  Tristan started tapping his thigh, his lips pursed in thought.

  “We’ll need to confirm the patrol routes and avoid them, but you’re right. This will be our best opportunity to reach the area undetected.”

  Jay smirked. “Which means we get to enjoy an oasis for the afternoon.”

  Tristan looked amused. “While our enemy is unconscious five feet from us?”

  “Better that than the other way around,” Jay offered.

  Tristan shook his head, but Jay had still caught a hint of a smile.

  “Let’s see what we can learn from them,” Tristan said.

  Nodding, Jay walked over to the first Kada’rah member and bent down. The man would have a hell of a headache from the knock to his head, but he’d suffered no other damage. He slapped the man’s face to rouse him. The criminal jerked awake, his eyes wide and confused.

  Jay offered a dark smile. He stayed crouched over the criminal, but far enough away to avoid a headbutt. He used every intimidation tactic the UCAFD had taught him. The criminal was groggy but quickly focused on Jay. He tried to struggle free from his bonds, but when the man realized he was trapped, he twisted his face into an angry scowl.

  “I think we should have a chat,” Jay said.

  He lifted a plasma gun and pointed it at the man’s chest. The criminal tensed and eyed the weapon warily. Would the man be sensible and tell them what they wanted to know or be foolish and end up unconscious once more? Only time and the interrogation would tell.

  * * * *

  The Kada’rah weren’t cooperative. They spat curses, threatened to kill Jay and Tristan and refused to answer their questions—but Tristan was good at tricking information out of people. He used carefully worded sentences and verbal jabs designed to incite reactions. They could eventually confirm that they had relieved the previous guards less than a week ago. No one was due to contact the outpost for three days.

  Once assured of their safety at the oasis, Tristan turned to the communicators. His familiarity with the Kada’rah, combined with IA’s information, allowed him to work out the best time and way to reach the compound. They would go at night, using the cover of darkness and the Kada’rah’s vehicles to avoid notice or suspicion.

  Everything was solved and decided within an hour of their capture of the oasis.

  When there was no other use for their prisoners. Tristan stood guard while Jay went to the storage container at the edge of the campsite. It held the syndicate’s long-term supplies, and Jay pulled out everything that he and Tristan could use. He also removed the ammunition or anything that could be turned into a weapon. Once completed, Jay assisted Tristan with hoisting the two criminals to their feet. They marched them to the storage container and tossed them inside before bolting the door.

  When they were safely contained, Jay surveyed the campsite. It was no longer a potential threat. It was now a perfect place to spend the afternoon. The large tent was raised on wooden planks and pilings. Its back was to the water and would protect them from the sun while giving them a place to rest. There was a fire pit they could light without fear of being discovered and the food the Kada’rah had was fresh and abundant. The Kada’rah also had a stockpile of weapons they could use to attack the compound. It was one of the easiest and most plentiful targets Jay had taken throughout his years as a soldier.

  Turning to Tristan, he grinned and said, “Looks like we get to enjoy the oasis.”

  “Perhaps,” Tristan replied.

  His tone was neutral, but Jay could see the satisfaction in his eyes. It was a job well done, and they should reap the rewards. Yet before Jay could say words to the effect, Tristan stepped away and started exploring. Jay let his gaze linger on the man’s fine figure before he went to the quaggas and brought them all the way in to the campsite. They shouldn’t need the equines for the rest of the trip, but it was best to keep them nearby and tied to the tree with feed and water until nightfall. Situations could change on a dime. It was best to be careful.

  After removing what they needed from the quaggas—both for their makeshift camp and the assault on the compound—Jay took a seat on the red-and-black wool rug that lay beside the burned-out fire. Tristan soon joined him. He had the keypasses they’d taken from their captives in his hands.

  “These will get me inside easily.”

  “That’s good,” Jay answered. “The sooner you get Zanik, the less of a mess I need to make of the compound.” He chuckled and nodded behind them. “But with the weapons we’ve got here, I’ll have no problem creating a distraction.”

  “I thought the goal was to get in quietly?” Tristan questioned.

  Jay held his gaze. “You never believed that would happen any more than I did. Slipping inside will be hard enough. You don’t need them on their guard.”

  Tristan looked away, but his silence said it all. Jay was grateful. He didn’t want to enter the compound at odds with Tristan. They needed to be on the same page to succeed and survive.

  “We might have this sorted by tomorrow,” Tristan said, his voice unusually solemn.

  It was presumptuous to call a victory before they’d fought the battle, but they did have to acknowledge the possibility.

  “We might,” Jay admitted.

  He looked away from the ashes to catch Tristan’s gaze. The man’s blue eyes were impossible to read, but Jay didn’t need to pick out his emotions. They both knew what success would mean—the end of their association.

  “What will you do when the mission is complete?” Tristan questioned.

  It prompted a knee-jerk suspicion within Jay. Was he trying to gain information for IA? Did they plan to lie in wait and capture him all over again? Yet, as quick as the worry came, Jay dismissed it. He’d spent hours talking to Tristan over the last few days. He knew the man wouldn’t sell him out to IA. Tristan had enough honor to stay quiet. So, he wouldn’t lie, but that didn’t mean he’d tell the full truth either.

  “I’m not sure,” Jay said, surprised that he really didn’t know.

  A clean slate would open a lot of doors for him, but his brief time in the desert had shown him how empty his life had become. He’d turned into a thief when he’d been wounded and wanting to spit in the face of the UCAFD. Jay had buried himself in the role, but he’d lost a core part of who he was too. He’d thrown away the good memories as well as the bad ones.

  He’d felt more alive and happier on the mission with Tristan than he had in years. He needed to reconsider his options and plans. Major Chapman’s exemplary record and his newly rewritten past would make freelance extraction work easy to come by. He could even set himself up as a bounty hunter and put his skills to work doing the right thing rather than the wrong one. Jay had a lot of choices. He just had to pick one.

  “There’s a wide universe out there to explore,” Jay finally continued. His gaze fell to the rug beneath him. “I might check in on some old friends.”<
br />
  There were a lot of people he’d neglected, and there was one in particular who he wanted to see. Maybe, after this mission, he could visit them without feeling ashamed.

  Tristan nodded but didn’t reply. He stood instead and dusted off his pants. “Start the fire. I’m going to get some food.”

  Jay watched the man walk away, feeling confused and unsettled. Had his answer disappointed Tristan? Was he upset that Jay wouldn’t be lingering around Vicente or signing up for a new commission? Jay hated that it bothered him. What did he care what Tristan Fox thought?

  After turning back to the fire pit, Jay grabbed the nearby wood and lighter. It took a matter of minutes to get a good flame, and by that point, Tristan had returned with his arms laden. They didn’t speak as they fell into the routine of cooking a meal. The food and drink were far better than a ration pack, but this time the conversation didn’t run freely. They sat tense and didn’t look at one another. The oasis was safer than the sand dunes, and yet they both acted like they were waiting for the sound of enemy fire.

  Tristan finished first and stood without a word. He walked over to the raised wooden platform of the hut and took a seat. Jay watched him with a frown. Tristan seemed upset. Was it mission nerves? Did he fear what would happen when he was back with IA? Was he angry at Jay?

  Jay doused the fire with the leftover water from his cup. The sun was high in the sky and Jay didn’t want additional heat on a hot day. Standing, he went to join Tristan. The agent had sat down under the shade of the cloth canopy. His arms were resting on his raised knees and he was staring out at the sands. He didn’t react as Jay walked up the steps and took a seat beside him. The air was cooler here, but Jay knew that wasn’t what had made Tristan walk away.

  Jay ran his eyes over the agent, trying to work him out. Tristan was as weathered and tired as he was after days spent under the hot sun of the desert. He had a sunburn forming on his forehead and the backs of his hands. Tristan was far from pristine, but it made him even more attractive to Jay. Maybe that was the problem? They’d tried and failed to tamp down the attraction that burned between them. Jay wanted him just like this—sunburned, annoyed and coated in sand. And judging by the way Tristan was swallowing and trying not to look at Jay, the agent wanted him too.

  Jay knew it could be risky, but he didn’t want to waste the few moments they had. They were alone in an oasis and they didn’t have forever—only a small window of opportunity. Their mission could fail and, even if they made it out alive, they’d be going their separate ways in a few days. Right now, their mission was on hold. They were, for all intents and purposes, free to do what they wanted.

  Jay knew what he wanted.

  He shifted closer, his movement finally making Tristan look at him. They weren’t sitting near enough to touch, but Jay’s hair was on end, knowing how little it would take to feel Tristan against him once more. The agent wet his lips and Jay yearned to cover them with his own. He didn’t see a reason to deny himself. There was no protest and no hint of resistance as Jay scooted closer then cupped Tristan’s face and brought their mouths together. It was a soft touch, but it was charged with desire. The memories of their night together sent heat zinging down his spine, while affection kept their kiss from turning frantic. Every second felt precious.

  When they broke apart, Jay didn’t go farther than a few inches. His hand was still against Tristan’s cheek, his thumb almost touching the other man’s lips. They were both breathing more heavily and Tristan opened his eyes.

  “Jay,” he said, his voice low and rough, “the mission…”

  It was a token protest and easily brushed aside.

  “No one will show up here,” Jay said, stroking Tristan’s skin with his thumb. “You know this is a rare chance.” Our last chance, Jay silently added.

  Tristan knew it. Jay could see it in his eyes, could see the other man’s mental debate too. It was obvious in the slight tension to his jaw and the small frown on his forehead. But before Jay could try to argue his case, Tristan surprised him. He closed his eyes and placed his hand on Jay’s neck to pull him back in for another kiss. His decision was seemingly made.

  Tristan’s mouth was hot and moved with purpose. He nipped at Jay’s bottom lip with his teeth until Jay let him inside. Jay groaned and slid his hands down Tristan’s body. He got caught in Tristan’s poncho before finding the man’s hips. He grasped them and encouraged him closer. Tristan complied by climbing onto Jay’s lap and straddling him. They never broke apart as they rearranged their positions.

  Tristan kissed like someone had opened the floodgates, each move more passionate than the last. He ran his hands all over Jay, touching everywhere as if to memorize him. Jay matched the agent move for move, jerking his hips into the rolling grind of Tristan’s and battling eagerly with Tristan’s tongue as it curled around his own. He had one hand on the agent’s neck and the other on his hip. Jay’s world had narrowed down to Tristan and it was as if nothing else existed. He needed to feel those smooth, strong muscles naked against his own.

  Breaking the kiss, Jay grinned at the sight of Tristan’s flushed face. “You could use a few less clothes.”

  Tristan chuckled and mouthed at Jay’s jaw. “So could you.”

  Jay angled Tristan back into another kiss before slipping his hands under the hooded wrap that Tristan wore. Jay fingered the material of Tristan’s shirt before pushing it out of the way to touch his skin. It was warm and smooth, just like he remembered. When he scratched his fingers against it, Tristan shivered. Jay started to slide his hands up higher, but Tristan pulled away.

  Jay frowned. “Tristan?”

  The agent grinned. “I thought we said less clothes.”

  He undid the buttons of his poncho and yanked it over his head. His shemagh came next as he unwound it from his neck, letting it join the poncho on the wooden decking. Once finished, Tristan was quick to pull the hooded shawl off Jay and throw it out of the way. When it was gone, Tristan dived in for another kiss. Jay groaned and ran his hands up Tristan’s back, bunching in the shirt and holding him close.

  Tristan ground his hips against Jay’s in slow circles as they kissed. It sent small sparks of pleasure through Jay, making his cock harden inside his pants. Tristan wouldn’t stay still. He wandered his hands around Jay’s chest, up his neck, through his hair then back down. He tweaked Jay’s nipples and caused Jay to hiss.

  “Sensitive?” Tristan asked before doing it again.

  Jay would have responded, but Tristan was smirking and his blue eyes were bright with desire and laughter. It was the fun that had been missing from their first time together. It was as if someone had taken down a wall, leaving Tristan more open and ready to enjoy himself. Jay didn’t want to do anything to ruin that.

  “Only for you,” he quipped.

  Tristan laughed, and the sound made Jay’s heart race. He let go of Tristan’s back to cup his neck and pull him down for another kiss. Tristan came without hesitation, but he also shifted his hips. It let their arousals rub together. He moaned into Tristan’s mouth. Their clothes were designed for long hours on the saddle of a quagga. They weren’t designed for erect cocks. Jay wanted to get his free, but he also didn’t want to lose the blissful friction that came from their slow grinding.

  Tristan apparently had less trouble deciding. He pulled back and started to shift out of Jay’s embrace. Jay held him tighter on instinct. Tristan just chuckled.

  “I want more than this, Jay. I want”—he grinned—“to ride you.”

  Jay groaned and his hips twitched with want. The idea of Tristan on top of him made his mouth go dry.

  “Yeah,” Jay panted.

  He ran his hand down Tristan’s back and over his ass before cupping the back of his thigh. He couldn’t wait to guide the man down on his cock.

  “Yeah,” he said again, feeling breathless with desire. “Any way you want me.”

  Tristan pressed his smirk against Jay’s lips in a barely felt kiss then pulled b
ack and climbed off him.

  “Get the rug from the campfire onto the decking,” Tristan ordered. “I’ll get the cooking oil.”

  Jay couldn’t resist a smirk.

  “Yes, sir,” he quipped.

  Tristan rolled his eyes, but he continued to smile. Jay took a moment to enjoy the sight of Tristan so lighthearted and happy before he left to get the cooking oil. Jay forced himself up and climbed down the steps. He picked up the rug and shook it free of sand. When he came back to the decking, Jay laid it down. He was crouched beside it, smoothing out the edges when he heard the wood creak under Tristan’s feet. Tristan stopped beside him and curled his long fingers into Jay’s hair. He tugged softly and Jay turned to find Tristan’s hips inches from his face, his arousal obvious beneath his slacks.

  Jay licked his lips, tempted to undo Tristan’s pants and free his erection. He’d only let the desert air caress it for a few seconds before Jay would take it into his mouth. He wanted to feel the way Tristan’s hips stuttered as he tried to maintain his control. He wanted to drive the man out of control the way he hadn’t managed on the IA ship. If he could get Tristan crying out his name and tightening his hands so hard in Jay’s hair that it hurt, he’d consider it a victory.

  But Tristan wouldn’t be derailed from his plans. He removed his fingers from Jay’s hair and bent down to untie his boots. Jay blinked his fantasies away and moved to do the same. Tristan finished first, but once Jay was done, Tristan placed a hand against his shoulder.

  “On your back, Jay,” he requested.

  Jay willingly complied. He took a seat before lying down and looking up at Tristan. He could have felt vulnerable if he were with somebody else, but Jay knew he was safe. He could put his trust in Tristan and know he wouldn’t regret it. That trust offered him the perfect view as Tristan pulled off his shirt. He stood there in nothing but his pants, the desert a backdrop behind him. Tristan was his own oasis—a beautiful jewel that Jay was lucky enough to have found.

  Tristan stepped forward and straddled Jay again. Their arousals rubbed together once more, but it wasn’t enough. When Tristan prompted him, Jay folded himself into a sit-up so that Tristan could slip his hands under Jay’s shirt and pull it off. When the material cleared his head, Jay lay back down. Tristan looked gorgeous, leaning over him in nothing but his trousers, his cheeks pink from arousal and sunburn. Jay loved being at Tristan’s command.