Chapter 9
Decker laid in bed, Alex's head nestled on his shoulder. A small content smile found its way across his lips. Without thinking about it his fingers began to lightly stroke her hair while she slept. She was gorgeous, and it was cute the way she nuzzled into him. It was soft and gentle and what? Unguarded? Vulnerable?
Whatever it was, he liked it.
A soft breeze fluttered through the open curtains, the cooler air had him pulling her in just a bit closer. The warmth of her skin against his had a him closing his eyes for a second to revel in the feel of her. A nice quiet timeout from everything. And completely different from last night.
Last night had been great. No, if he was honest, it was a lot more then great. Alex was feisty, and fiery, and knew exactly what she wanted. Which just happened to be to ride him until he was unable to think past her. Demanding and certain, she moved above him; hair swaying, breasts firm and perked with arousal. That mischievous glint in her eyes looking down at him. She was beyond beautiful.
His body reacted to the memories of the feel of her. Hot, slick, stroking over him, clamping down around him as he gave her everything she needed. A deep shuddering breath escaped him as he replayed those images.
Alex snuggled in closer to him and his arm wrapped tighter around her. Holding her securely against him. There was something vulnerable about her. Despite her...almost... determination to be anything but. What ever it was it had him wanting to protect her.
Decker could see it. It was in the way she moved. Her insistent need to be in control of things. She had to have the answer and she knew exactly what and how things were going to go. The few times he had tried to take control last night; override her pace, set the tone, she had become almost fervent. Playful wrestling for position as he had flipped her onto her back had led to complete disengagement until she had managed to find her way back on top of him. A tight grip on his wrists as she pushed him into the bed. Her eyes flashing back to life as she sank down on him again.
He wanted to protect her from that. Whatever she was running from, she didn't need to be afraid. Whatever had caused that. No. That was wrong. It wasn't a "what" it was a who. Suddenly it was plain as day to him.
In the morning light, that content smile that pulled at the corner of her lips as she slept – exhausted from that need to be in control. It hadn't been an animalistic or passionate need. No, there had been something else in her eyes. A glint of fear? Pain even?
And all because of what? Because she'd been used by Peck and then had that fact put on display by Decker himself. He'd known it at the dinner table.
"Don't do this because of him."
"I'm doing this for me. And for you."
Because it's the only way she knew how to gain control of that part of herself again. Decker's eyes slid shut and he rested his head against hers. Alex should never have felt that way. Naked, used, and thrown out. All the while having it put in the spotlight for everyone to see.
And Decker himself was responsible for part of that. Peck would have disappeared from her life sooner or later and she would have never known that she was just a passing party favor. Instead, he drug her into his office and dangled this role in front of her. This way to for her to get some retribution. Retribution that she didn't even realize she needed until he had shown her. Jesus Christ, what the hell was he doing? Taking a page out of Peck's book of tricks?
Here he was lying with her safely in his arms and he was the one that had put her in this position in the first place. What the hell was he supposed to do with that?
Nothing.
He had a job to do. Peck was a lying, cheating, cold hearted bastard who used anyone and everyone to get what he wanted. And the least Decker could do was lock that bastard up where he couldn't hurt anyone else.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes again, the determination setting in to the very fiber of his being as he pulled Alex in just a bit closer. He didn't deserve her, but damned if she deserved to feel like a nothing more than a marker on chessboard.
XXXXXX
It was 75 degrees out and pouring. A clap of thunder echoed in the distance. Face struggled to keep up with Decker's pace. It was uphill terrain now, probably the final stretch if he had to venture a guess. Streams of water flowed down the hillside turning the once dry hard dirt into wet clay that filled the traction on his boots and gave way without warning.
Face caught himself again as he lost his footing, the cuffs bit into his wrists every time he put his hands down. Decker had clamped them on tighter than before. He pushed himself back up only to have his toe catch on a rock. He grunted as he hit the ground again. This time full on. A moment later his wrists got pulled out in front of him. God damn it. He was going to break his ankle if this kept up. He pulled on the rope, used it to get some leverage as he fought to get his feet under him again.
"Colonel," one of the guards behind him called out, "we're going to wind up carrying him out of here if we keep this up."
He slipped down to his knees again and scrambled to get back up only wind up sprawled in the mud. He tightened his grip on the rope, waiting for it to snap tight again.
"Get up."
Face stared at him for a moment, surprised that he had finally stopped. He took a couple deep breaths and pushed himself back up. Decker dismounted the horse and crossed the few steps to him, a hand straight in his chest shoved him none-too-gently backwards until he was off the main trail. "Sit down."
Face glared at him, he was too tired to put up much resistance even if he had wanted to, besides, Decker would just pull him up and start back on the trail. He lowered himself to his knees and sat there. A second later a hand on his shoulder pushed him backwards – hard – until he was on his ass in the mud.
He locked eyes on Decker as he caught himself- a momentary urge to push himself back up flashed through him.
"Do it." Decker challenged.
Face stopped. Everyone's attention focused on him. This wasn't going to get him anywhere. He took a deep breath and dropped his eyes to the ground as he pushed himself up to a sitting position and left it at that. He was exhausted- his legs were burning, his reaction time was muted and he felt like he could sleep for a week. He was soaked through to the bone, covered in mud, and had a growing collection of bruises. Right now, all he wanted was to be left alone. The less attention he got the better.
Face barely saw the canteen headed his way in time to bat it away. He glared at Decker for a moment, the colonel was really pushing it, Decker knew it too, and knew Face had to just shut up and take it at some point. Finally he reached over and grabbed the canteen out of the mud. There was a good chance Decker wouldn't stop again and he wasn't sure how much further they had to go. He took his time drinking the water. The rain beat down on him as he sat there.
All he wanted to was rest. His body was running on fumes and he knew it. Decker had done a damn good job of making sure he had never had a chance to get fully on top of the situation. Tired to his core. His body hurt in ways that it hadn't since 'Nam. Even Hannibal's training sessions allotted for enough sleep to be able to function.
He swallowed the last of the water. They wouldn't be stopping again. They were out of supplies, and if what the sheriff had said was accurate, there'd be no need. He tossed the canteen back to Decker where it landed at his feet with a thud.
"You dropped something."
"Glad to see you've caught your breath, Lieutenant." Face's hands snapped forward with the leash again as Decker pulled him up to his feet and back over to the horse.
Face took a slow deep breath. There wasn't much more to get through. And if Decker kept up the pace he'd set thus far today... Hell. Face couldn't keep that pace up. He'd been falling more and more and it was getting harder to get back up. Sheer determination and stubborn pride wouldn't beat out a broken leg. Decker had to know that.
Face shook his hair out of his face, kicked the mud out of the soles of his boots. He really could have used a bit more time. Thunder rolled in the distance again and he couldn't help but look up at the angry sky. Dark clouds that were rolling so freely it was like the whole sky was moving.
Wait. That thunder sounded ...different – like? Not like thunder. Like chopperblades. And they were getting closer. He fought a smile off of his face as hope of the team rescuing him flooded back. He needed to stall. Make sure they saw him, buy some time. "You know, walking around in a lightning storm is just asking for trouble right?" He kept his tone light, he didn't need another confrontation, he just needed some time.
"I'll take my chances." Decker mounted the horse again, glaring at him.
Face held the gaze. "Come on, Colonel, this is Oregon." He appealed - hearing the desperation seeping into his voice. "The weather changes every hour." He smiled even as the rain pelted down, hard enough to wash the mud off of him. "You could find some shelter, build a fire, and wait this out. Give everyone a rest"
Decker kicked the horse into gear. "Shutit, Lieutenant." There was no mistaking the warning tone. "I'm not in the mood."
Face started walking along side the horse, fighting the urge to search the sky again. It probably didn't matter, Decker had ears of his own. Damn it, Decker wasn't going to wait around. Come on, think.He stuck to edge of the trail, where there was more grass and less mud as the pace picked up again. "Yeah?" his tone dropped – baiting, "That why you got rid of your fuck buddy so quickly out here?" They needed to stop before they got back into the heavy tree cover.
Face's arms pulled out in front of him and lost his footing again, he rolled with it, stopped himself when his back hit the dirt and searched the sky in the quick moment he had before he pushed himself back up. "You know, for such a hard line military man, you sure seem to like men on their knees." He sneered. Come on, stop!Get off the Goddamn horse and punch me in the mouth. He could make a play for the lead...
Decker stopped the horse and turned towards him, the anger in his eyes unmistakable. "If you don't shut your mouth, boy, I am going to gag you."
Do it! By the time you get me gagged that chopper will be here - Face sneered openly, the adrenaline pumping through him again. "With what Decker?" he shot him a look- he needed push this over the line. "All natural equipment, or you packing a ball-gag in those saddle bags?"
Decker glared at him, but the anger was gone. "You think that helicopter is for you, don't you?" Decker kicked the horse back into gear.
Face felt himself falter at that, Decker wasn't supposed to catch on so quickly. "You know BA and Hannibal don't fly." A condescending smirk schooled back in place. "Or are you still banking on Captain Murdock being our crazy undercover pilot?" His tone was patronizing at best, one he was sure Decker had heard from his superiors in the past in regards to the 'Murdock' theory. Come on, damn you, back up that gag threat.
"I wouldn't put anything past you, Lieutenant." Face looked back up to Decker, the colonel's tone was more than threatening. "But if you're thinking of executing some beautiful escape, you should know that my orders to shoot still stand."
Face laughed outright at that. He probably shouldn't take Decker's faith in his ingenuity as a compliment. "Decker, if I had a way out of this I'd be gone already." He listened for a moment, the chopper was still getting closer. "What am I gonna do, huh? You have my lock picks, all the guns, and I'm tied to a fucking leash. A bullet is the least of my problems, let alone this 'beautiful escape' I'm supposed to be plotting while being drug around out here."
"Just as long as we're clear, Lieutenant."
The helicopter was loud now. Face looked up, searching the clouds. "Right," he dismissed. There- Face stopped- there it was. Blue. What did it say? Channel 8 KGW. The rope pulled taught on his wrists and he stumbled forward again. It wasn't the team. That hope left him as though he'd just been hit in the gut. He pushed the disappointment down.. It almost didn't matter anyway. They'd all scattered, gone to ground. Even if Hannibal caught the news, he wouldn't be able to act fast enough.
Face went back to concentrating on the trail, the weight of the situation settling in on him. It was another two hours of an unfriendly pace that had him sliding all over the place before the trail took another steep turn, and suddenly they were in a parking lot. He lost a step as they came into the clearing. This was not good. He hadn't planned on making it this far with Decker. That fact alone was daunting, and left him feeling empty. He looked around at the green sedans, the MP's that Decker had sent ahead were now standing by, awaiting their arrival. Suddenly Face's world got very small.
Decker grabbed him none-too-gently by the arm, half dragging him to the cars that were ready and waiting. Decker shoved his chest down on the hood of one of the sedans a knee planted firmly in his thigh in case he decided now was the opportune time to make a break for it. "Hands behind your head."
Face complied as a sinking feeling moved from his chest to his gut. He didn't bother looking around, or tossing out a sarcastic remark, things were well beyond that. Decker latched his hands together behind his back and pulled him off of the car. A second later he was inside the sedan, the door was closed and he was trapped.