Chapter Nineteen: The Shrink
0900 Hours
February 6th, 2018
Herefordshire, England
Hereford Base, Kade's Office
Kade found himself sitting at his new desk, in his new office, thinking of the words he'd spoken to Ela just hours before. To open up that darkness so soon? He may have overestimated how much of a burden Ela was willing to take on. It wasn't lost on him that he and Ela had moved incredibly fast in terms of the pace of their relationship. He didn't mind. He didn't have much experience in these matters and based on literature he'd read, every relationship seemed to have its own pace. Even so, he still had to wonder if telling her all those things was the right move. He looked at the stack of paperwork on his desk. Maybe now wasn't the time to be worrying about such things. It was his first day on the job, after all. There were two candidates Harry and Six were eyeing before Kade took over the position. Their names were Jalal El Fassi and Sanaa El Maktoub, natives of Morocco and members of the Groupe d'Intervention de La Gendarmerie Royale counter terrorist task force, or GIGR. Jalal in particular seemed like an outstanding candidate with his three decades of experience. Not that Sanaa was any less, her many expeditions through her journeyed career would be nothing but an asset to Rainbow. He would send communications through the proper channels and schedule a proper interview. He could just ask Harry to go if the timing interfered with Operation Scorched Earth. He began leafing through the other files, the majority of them being from counter terrorism units all around the world. That being said, there were also a few of recruits who had also applied for the position of operator. According to Six it had been much more common in the old days to have recruits trained as operators but with the variety of the recruits in the modern age, such a seamless transition wasn't nearly as frequent. That being said, one recruit had caught his eye. His name was William "Billy" Biddeford. Normal background, normal career path. The one thing that Kade saw that seriously interested him was a small note on the back of the file that detailed an almost "unnatural" ability to aim, shoot and eliminate targets at a blistering rate. Not that the operators in Rainbow had bad aim, everyone had above average aim at the bare minimum. But what Kade was seeing in the pictures and video links attached to his file were beyond anything he'd seen. His ability to snap to a target and deliver a kill shot in under three seconds was nothing short of remarkable. Kade knew he'd need work in other areas but his raw ability was certainly something he could work with. He supposed today would be a good day to visit the young man.
The bunks for the recruits reminded Kade of well-furnished college dormitories. They had state of the art bath, laundry and common rooms along with comfortable, spacious suites with multiple bedrooms. According to the file, William was in the third barracks, suite 204. Kade rapt on the door with three quick strokes, waiting patiently for someone to answer the door. The recruits had already finished their morning training so Kade was sure William would be there; or at least someone who knew where William was. A young man with a classic crew cut answered the door, his eyes bulging at the sight of Kade. He stood at attention, Kade returning his salute.
"Good morning, Recruit. I'm looking for William Biddeford. Might he be in today?"
"I-uh-yes sir! Billy! Get your ass out here, bro!"
There was the sounds of someone getting out of bed, grumbling, stubbing their toe and swearing venomously under their breath before a mostly naked, fit young man came stumbling out of a nearby bedroom, bleary eyed and clearly not ready to face the day.
"Jesus Billy, I told you to let me sleep, Keller kicked out-" William stopped speaking when his eyes Kade's. All traces of sleepiness were gone, his face rigid, emotionless and standing at attention. It reminded Kade of his early days in the army.
"At ease, Mr. Biddeford. I have something to discuss with you. Do you mind dressing and coming with me?" Kade said. William nodded vigorously, closing the door and presumably rushing to put on clothes. The boy was certainly earnest. Hopefully that would mean he'd agree to Kade's request.
Biddeford was nervous as they walked to his office. Not that he had no reason to be. Kade hadn't said a word and the last time the recruits had been personally visited by the scholar, a mole had been captured and nearly killed. William was praying to anyone who would listen that he wasn't suspected. He hadn't done anything like that in his life. He'd joined Rainbow because he believed in the cause and wanted to purge the world of the White Mask threat. William found himself rather intimidated by the tall operator. While his professorial look was welcoming and open to some degree, it was his demeanor and the way he carried himself that told William he was a soldier before all else. Kade's office was simple yet neatly furbished, with many pictures, awards and artifacts from Kade's younger days hung all around the room. Kade took off his coat, hanging it on the coatrack and motioned for William to do the same. Once they were sitting across from each other at Kade's desk, steaming coffees in front of them, William finally dared to speak.
"Um...sir? If you don't mind me asking, why am I here?" he asked. Kade smiled, locking his hands together as he did so.
"A reasonable question, Specialist Biddeford. But introductions first, no? My name is Doctor Kade Summers, though Kade or Doctor Summers is fine. Is there a different title in which you'd like to be addressed?" William squirmed under Kade's gaze. He wasn't used to being spoken to so formerly. Not even his commanding officer had spoken to him in such a manner. It reminded him of the brief meeting he'd had with Director Six when he'd first arrived at Hereford.
"I-um...my friends just call me Billy, if that's alright with you."
"Billy? Perfect. I'll get straight to the point, Billy. I was looking over your file and thought you would make a good candidate for Operational status. You are still looking to join the unit, yes?" William was struck speechless. He had submitted his resume as nothing more than a pipe dream. He'd been told by his commanding officers and more veteran recruits that his chance was slim to none.
"You want me, sir? I'll be honest, I didn't think you were the one that did these sorts of things. You know, recruitment and all." William babbled. Damnit, William! Just answer his questions and don't sound like a bumbling idiot while doing it!
"Perceptive, Billy. I was recently promoted to the head of the Psychology and Resource department, a position which was previously inhabited by Doctor Harishva. But yes, I do have an interest in you. The question is, will you indulge me?" Kade said. William sat back in his chair, taking a big sip of coffee. It would be a big jump, to go from simple recruit to a full-fledged Operator. No, it would be more than a big jump. A colossal leap, more like.
"Sir, how do you know I'm ready for that?" William was kicking himself, his mind screaming at him to say yes, but he just couldn't. Not with a good conscience. He had to know why Kade was so interested in recruiting him, of all people.
"You're not. Not in the slightest. But what you do have is something I've never seen before." Kade said cryptically. His straightforwardness stung but William couldn't be angered by it. His father had always told him that the truth hurt sometimes, you just had to step forward and accept it. Move on and try to be better. "Where did you learn to shoot, William?" William raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"Well that's easy sir-I mean, Dr. Summers. I grew up on a farm. My pops has always been real into guns so he taught me how to shoot when I was just a squirt, you know? Has a whole damn armory back at home. I just grew up with 'em." Kade nodded slowly.
"Fascinating. It would then stand to reason that your rather supernatural shooting abilities are borne of something biological-perhaps genetic. No one learns to shoot like you do by simply shooting beer bottles with bb-guns." William looked at Kade incredulously.
"Don't you think you're overselling it a little, Dr. Summers? I mean, I can't shoot better than all of you guys, right?" Kade shook his head.
"That's the thing, William. Ash may be able to rival your speed and Glaz your accuracy, but not one operator on this base can shoot as fast and as accurately as you do." he said. Williams head spun. How could that be possible? As far as he knew and as far anyone had told him, he was normal. Average. Sure, he could be a crack shot sometimes but he didn't think his abilities exceeded anyone else's. Certainly not the Operators of the Rainbow Six initiative.
"Everything else you'd need can be taught here by the operators on base, provided the training will be rigorous and more demanding than you're used to but if you're up to the challenge..."
Kade let the words hang in the air. William sat straighter in his chair.
"I can rise up to the challenge, Dr. Kade." Kade nodded in a satisfactory manner.
"Good. Pack up your things and report to the Men's dormitory by eleven-hundred hours." William extended his hand. Kade took it.
"I really appreciate this opportunity, sir. I won't let you down."
"See that you don't, Billy. I'll see you again soon."
If there was one thing William could do, it was keep his word.
Ela didn't expect to be sitting across from Kade in his office, not as his lover, but as his patient.
"I've already explained this, El. Six requires every Operator that took part in Operation Scorched Earth to have a mandatory counseling session. You're here as a client, not the woman I love and that is how I must look at you for this session. Can we continue?" Kade asked, his tone gentle towards the end. Ela crossed her arms.
"Go on, then."
"How did seeing what you did make you feel?" Ela shifted uncomfortably. Red, glowing eyes. Bloody, gnashing teeth. Screams so inhuman they clawed her heart and pumped it with cold, visceral dread.
"Nothing. Soldiers are paid to feel nothing. We follow orders and I followed mine."
"You almost died. Have you come to terms with that?" Kade said. Damn him. She felt like he was testing her and she did not like it.
"Of course I have. That is a part of this job. What kind of soldier would I be if I let that get to me?"
"I suppose I should clarify, did it effect you knowing you might die to the infected?" Ela suppressed a barely contained shudder. Considering the horrific nightmares she'd been having about that exact subject, she wasn't exactly keen on unpacking it.
"I...it did, yes. I was terrified and I'm sure that anyone else that was there would say the same." Ela admitted. Kade nodded, scribbling on a notepad he held just out of view from Ela. "Kade, why are we doing this? You know I'm mission ready." she said. It wasn't that she didn't see the benefit of talking about what she saw and experienced during the operation. She just knew that Kade was doing likely, for a different reason than she imagined. Kade sighed and put down the notepad face down.
"Truthfully? I just wanted to check in on you. On everyone that was assigned to that mission. Choking to death on that gas was terrifying enough. Looking through the captures of what you all saw...it chilled me to the bone. This comes from a good place, I promise." Kade said. Ela smiled.
"Well I appreciate the thought, Kade. Have an op list for the mission yet?" she asked. A dark cloud passed over his face for just a moment. She wouldn't pry but it sent a pang of worry through her mind. Kade shook his head,
"Not yet, still working on it. But we're not here to talk about me, my sprytny kochanek. Have you had trouble sleeping?" (translation: clever lover). She inwardly groaned. She hated talking to shrinks. With Kade it was slightly bearable but this line of questioning never put her in a good headspace.
"I think you know the answer to that question." she said with a coy smile. His eyes held nothing but love but his features were serious.
"For the sake of the record, I need you to answer the question seriously." Ela let out a frustrated sigh.
"Fine. Yes. The images...I have had nightmares. See them nearly every time I close my eyes."
"Do you think you could face this type of enemy again?" Ela paused at that. The first phase of Operation Scorched Earth had been one of the most taxing ops she'd done to date. To face such creatures that had no business existing in reality...in reflection the thought of facing them again was terrifying and revolting.
"I...yes. If I am ordered to then that is what I will do." Ela said, cringing at how unsure her answer sounded. She felt her anger rise as Kade scribbled away. Being evaluated like this, it reminded her far too much of her father.
"You sound unsure. Is there a reason for that?" Kade prodded. She let out something akin to a growl.
"Well what would you do?! Those things were human once! What else should I feel except disgusted and terrified at the thought of fighting them again?!" she shouted, standing rapidly and sending her chair to the floor. Kade's expression did not change.
"Like I said, we're not talking about me. Are you saying that you are not prepared to face these enemies again?" Something inside her snapped. She picked up the closest thing to her that was on the desk and hurled it against the wall. A stapler, now dashed to pieces, lay on the floor.
"Enough! No more questions, Kade! I've had enough, please." she nearly begged at the end. He nodded once.
"I suppose we'll have to continue this another day. I'll send you an email for the next appointment. You may leave." he said coolly, making her bristle like the animal she was nicknamed after.
"Please, do. Don't talk to me until then. I don't even want to look at you face." she said harshly, aggressively grabbing her coat off the stand and leaving. His expression betrayed nothing right up until she closed the door. At that, he slumped against his chair and sighed heavily. This was exactly what he was afraid of.
William Biddeford felt nothing but nerves as he made his way to the male dormitories for the operators. It still didn't feel real to him, the fact that he'd be an operator. Kade had told him to be at the dorms by eleven hundred hours so he was sure to be there at least ten minutes before just to be safe. He had all his things backed up in a backpack and duffle bag but wasn't really sure where to go once he got there. He scanned his base ID at the door, breathing a sigh of relief when it beeped in greeting. He was greeted immediately by a group of gentlemen he'd only seen walking around base.
"Who the hell are you?" a man with a thick English accent asked. The men were all gathered in what looked like a common room, a couple couches with a TV, gaming system, a fridge and kitchenette area, as well as a pool and ping-pong table all set up to allow the operators to take a load off when off of a mission.
"I-um, recruit William Biddeford, sir. I was told by Dr. Summers to report here at eleven hundred hours. Sir." he stammered out, cursing himself for showing his nerves in front of the battle-hardened operators.
"Is that right? You can call me Mike. Kade must've already gotten to work recruitin'. Looks like you're the first." Thatcher said, William nodding enthusiastically. Maverick limped his way into the common room, no longer needing a cane. According to Doc even the limp would be gone within a week at most.
"Yup, Kade texted me. You're bunking with me, kid. I'll show you to the room." Maverick said. WIlliam moved to follow Marverick down the hall but was stopped when Thatcher stood in front of him.
"When it comes to a new recruit, gotta put ya through an initiation. Come back out here once you're settled, we'll have ourselves a little welcoming party in your honor." Thatcher said. William held back from gulping and simply nodded, the big Englishman letting him pass and follow Maverick.
"Name's Erik, by the way. William, right?"
"I-uh, yes sir. But you can call me Billy. Sir." he said rigidly. Maverick smirked.
"Drop the sirs, we don't do that here. And don't worry about Mike, he's a big ol' teddy bear once you get to know him."
"Right. How are you feeling? I heard from talk around the base that you got infected by those...things." he said, the images of the chimera-infected individuals haunting his mind-and his dreams. Maverick laughed.
"I actually have an appointment with Kade soon. Have to make sure those monsters didn't shake me up too bad."
"Oh, right. I got an email about that. It's nice of him, leaving his doors open for anyone to talk about what they experienced. I know a couple of guys from my squad who could really use that." William said, happy to be making conversation so easily with his new bunkmate. They hooked a right down the hallway before Maverick stopped in front of a door. Room 206. Maverick opened the door, revealing a relatively spacious room with two beds, dressers and desk. Maverick seemed to own few possessions, the most interesting thing being a poster of Afghanistan pinned above his bed.
"Right side is yours. I don't have too many rules. Just let me know beforehand if you're gonna have someone over for the night so I can go over to Kade's." with that, Maverick left before he could say anything more; no doubt to the appointment he had mentioned. William threw his bags on the bed and decided he would face this "initiation", whatever it may be. He went back out to the common room just in time to see Thatcher and Mute beat Mozzie and Gridlock at ping-pong.
"Bugger it all! I bet this all you do in your downtime, huh old man?"
"Aye, that and every other game you can possibly imagine. Just can't beat perfection, mate." Thatcher taunted, making Mute roll his eyes.
"Apologies, Max. He can be a bit of arse when it comes to these things." Mute said, receiving an elbow from his fellow SAS comrade. Thatcher grinned when he spotted William.
"Ah! Time to go to the range new recruit, see what you're made of!" he said excitedly. William raised his eyebrows. How fortuitous.
Thatcher, William and Mute walked in the brisk Winter air towards the Operator's firing range. The recruit firing range was by no means spared an expense in terms of quality, but the operator's firing range was far more personalized, as William would soon find out. The space was expansive and fitted to have the best equipment money could buy. Adaptive targets, virtual technology combat scenarios and almost a limitless variety of weapons made it so operators could hone their skills to near perfection. Dokkaebi, Ela and Glaz were currently there, all doing individual training by the looks of it. William's eyes were immediately drawn to the wall to the right that was filled all the way to the ten-foot ceiling with weapons of all different shapes and sizes.
"Holy shit." Williamsaid in wonder.
"Holy shit is right, mate. Bloody blew me away first time I laid my eyes on the wall." Thatcher said, nodding his head towards the three other operators in the shooting area.
"Them over there are Grace, Timur and Ela. Careful about the green-haired one, little feisty she is." he said. He studied her, her eyes focused yet her features hard; every burst more forceful than the last. Thatcher hit a nearby buzzer, making all the operator's targets instantly deactivate. Ela turned around almost faster than William's eyes could follow, her eyes flashing.
"Sorry boys and girls, got a new recruit! Gotta run him through the crash course, if you know what I mean." he said Dokkaebi rolling her eyes and Glaz mumbling something in Russian. Ela said nothing, simply wrenching off her headset and moodily sat on a nearby the bench. No one was dumb or brave enough to try and strike up conversation with the Polish operator. William found that Dokkaebi caught his eye and felt his face redden when he caught him staring.
"Pick your poison, William. Let's see what you've got." Mute said, his blank face holding the ghost of a smile. Thatcher laughed.
"Haha! Mark's just happy not to be the runt anymore, ain't that right?" he said affectionately. Mute rolled his eyes but said nothing. William's eyes roamed the selection with anticipation. To think he come in this building and fire any of the weapons he wished filled him with unparalleled excitement. He finally decided on the TAR-21, having used it in his previous mission and feeling that its weight, kick and specifications were most within his comfort zone. He then went over to the resupply station and found pre-loaded 5.56 mm mags sitting in a case ready to be loaded and fired.
"Make sure you rack up whatever you use. It is our unspoken rule here." Dokkaei said, William nodding as he loaded the magazine and pulled back the charging handle.
"Alrighty, lad. Gonna put you on the crash course, everyone has to do it when they join up. Get a score of 200 and we'll respect ya. Beat Eliza or Timur and we'll bloody worship ya." Thatcher said.
"Who is this child?" Timur asked Mute quietly.
"Say's his name is William Biddeford. Recruit, snatched up by Kade. Mike's just putting him through the ropes." Mute said quietly. Ela's disposition seemed to sour even more at the mention of Kade's name.
"Hm. If he beats my record I will throw tantrum. No one will survive." Glaz joked.
"I can't imagine what you'll do when another sniper gets recruited on the team." Dokkaebi said, Glaz making a noise of disgust.
"Kade is smart. Knows I am best sniper. No room for other." Glaz said confidently. They all fell silent as the buzzer went off. William brought the TAR to his shoulder and took a deep breath. Just do what you always do. Mike's jaw hung open when William simply obliterated target after target with lightning fast speed. He was sure not to hit any of the civilian targets, some of the shots being nearly impossible to hit with how close they were to the terrorist targets. Glaz's eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets. Mute smirked, glad to see his SAS comrade rendered speechless. While her grumpy disposition was still obviously present, Ela did seem to perk up in interest at the impressive sight. Dokkabei was just as smug as Mute, happy to see the aging man's scheme backfire. Within a minute it was over and William Biddeford was the new record holder for the crash course; right behind were Glaz, Ash and Kade. Thatcher said nothing, only slowly clapping his hands together once William unloaded his weapon and took off his headset.
"I see why Kade chose you. With a little trainin' you're gonna be nasty." Thatcher said. William looked sheepish as he started to reload the magazine.
"Well I appreciate it, Mike. Shootin's been in my family since my great great grandaddy." William said, his face scarlet from the attention he was receiving. "Ya'll can call me Billy, by the way." he added on.
"If you're gonna throw that tantrum, now's the time." Mute said to Glaz snidely. Glaz could only shake his head in defeat,
"I am still best sniper. There is no debate." he said confidently, making Dobbaebi roll her eyes yet again.
"I'm going to the mess hall, Newbie, want to come with? How about you Ela?" Dokkaebi said with a friendly smile. Ela let out a sigh and nodded.
"I suppose I have cooled off enough. I will come." she said.
"That would be great, I'm pretty low in the tank right about now." he said gratefully. He was glad to have started off on the right foot with his new comrades. God knew if things had ended sourly, the repercussions would be enormous. He had to prove himself and he did just that, cementing a budding position amongst their ranks. Though, a thought stuck with him as he walked with the others to the Mess Hall. The persona that everyone seemed to be illustrating in regards to Kade was one of a puppet master; pulling all the strings so the pieces would fit just as he wanted. That slightly unnerving revelation left a couple of questions in his mind. What exactly did Kade have planned for him? Did he do this to everyone or was he a special case? How many people knew the true Kade Summers?
"And that concludes my questions. Thanks for coming by, Erik." Kade said, stretching in his chair. He had been attending to appointments almost all day, evaluating his fellow operators that had been on phase one of OSE and establishing psychological profiles on Clash, Mozzie and Gridlock. Kade took out his ironsmoke whiskey and poured both he and Erik a glass, turning the open sign on his door to closed and shutting the blinds.
"Looks like my gift pays in dividends." Maverick said with a grin, raising his glass and swallowing the liquor. He glanced over at the broken stapler.
"Some didn't take too well to your questioning, huh?" his friend observed, Kade's look saying all Maverick needed to know. "You sure you're up for this, man? Seems like you're catching some flak already." Maverick pressed, Kade sighing and emptying his glass.
"I am. I saw this response coming from a mile away, so I can't say I'm surprised. My intellectual sensibilities love the exploring of another's mind but I'm more than aware that no one here shares my perspective." Kade said, Maverick looking up in thought as he let the whiskey swirl in his glass.
"I don't see it the way you do but I know mental health is paramount when it comes to this job. Nearly lost my damn mind in Afghanistan. If you didn't bring me back to your place, give me treatment..." Maverick trailed off. They let the silence sit for a while, sifting through their years of shared memories. Maverick was as sharp as they came, being in the top two percent percentile of intelligence often meant he was the smartest person in the room. That was, until he met Kade. The two had immediately taken a liking to one another when they were assigned on a joint op, finding themselves similar in many ways. They taught each other lessons, had each other's backs, and only ever moved forward. So when Maverick came back from Afghanistan, frayed and nearly broken, Kade welcomed him into his home with open arms.
"I heard you have the inside scoop on the next op. Can you talk?" Maverick asked, Kade shaking his head.
"Not yet. Not until I have everything planned out." his friend answered shortly. The Massachusetts native was put off by Kade's short answer but didn't press. Kade knew that if shit was bothering him bad, Maverick was the one to come to.
"Anyways, how is-" before Kade could finish, Ela entered the room without so much of a knock, looking rather determined. She paused when she saw Maverick, clearly not expecting the man. Maverick gulped down the rest of his whiskey, holding the cup up to Kade before setting it on the desk.
"Was just leaving. See you around, Kade. Ela." he said, closing the door slowly behind him. He'd learned very well during his time in Afghanistan when to take a hint. Ela locked the door behind him, Kade unable to tell exactly what she was planning. He lit a cigarette, keeping one eye on his lighter, the other on her. He glanced at the broken stapler. She did the same.
"I won't apologize." she stated, Kade nodding.
"Didn't expect you to. I knew what I was getting into." Ela scowled slightly.
"Then why did you keep pressing?" she asked testily.
"Because that is what I was asked to do. I can't give you special consideration when it comes to this, no matter how much I might care for you. Which is quite a bit, I might add." Ela stayed silent for a while, no doubt, a flurry of thoughts flying around in her head.
"Jezus Chrystus you are impossible sometimes." (translation: Jesus Christ) she said, her tone somewhat defeated.
"I know. And I'm sorry, truly. It wasn't my intention to make you that upset." he said, his voice apologetic and sincere. Ela stared at him, It was obvious to both of them that her defenses were crumbling. She let out a sigh.
"Fine. I accept your apology. I'm...sorry too. For breaking the stapler. I'll buy a new one." she said awkwardly. It was clear to Kade she wasn't used to apologizing. Kade waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, smoke settling in a haze in front of his face.
"Don't worry about it. The things in here don't come out of my pocket. Now come over here, won't you? I missed you after our spat." Kade said, an inviting smile splayed over his mouth. Ela flashed a grin of her own.
"I didn't come in here just to apologize, my love. I heard that make-up sex is some of the best. Figured doing it on desk might make it even better." she said, her words filling the air with a crackling lustful tension. Kade sat back in his chair, his eyes glittering.
"Oh? Well I should mention that this room does have sound proofed walls. No one will interrupt up for as long as we wish. What did you have in mind? For starters, of course." Kade flirted back, making a tingle travel up Ela's spine. She threw off her coat.
"Take off your pants, kochanek, I'm about to blow your mind in two ways. Starting right under that desk." she said, Kade's eyebrows lifting up.
"How forward of you, Elzbieta. Office space sex one of your kinks?" Kade asked, unhooking his belt as Ela threw off her shirt. She snorted in response.
"The best sex I had before you was in an office. Plus, I need to brush up on my role play if we're going back to your college someday, yes?" she teased, Kade chuckling at her playfulness. Kade had just taken his shoes off when Ela pushed his chair against the wall, wrenching off his pants before straddling him. She grasped his face in her hands and kissed him deeply as he rapidly lifted his shirt. She growled when he broke contact to toss the garment over his head, her hands greedily soaking up his tattooed skin. Kade grabbed her chin and brought her mouth back to hers, his tongue forcefully intertwining with hers. It wasn't long before she could feel him beneath her and broke contact once again, the two panting from the hunger they felt for each other. She slowly slunk down to the floor, dragging his chair closer to his desk. Kade let out a low moan as her tongue began its work on his phallus. Though slow and steady weren't often used words in Ela's vocabulary, so it wasn't long before she began increasing in speed and intensity. The pleasure was mind blowing indeed, so much so that Kade kept his eyes lifted to the ceiling, a cloud of indulgence fogging his mind. As Ela serviced his shaft with what could only be described as "extreme prejudice", a thought slowly crept into his mind. It would either result in their pleasure increasing by tenfold or ending it and ruining it for both of them. However, knowing Ela's nature, he had a feeling it would be the former. When he was starting to get close, he grasped the back of her head and hair without warning, forcefully taking control of her movement. She made a sound of slight annoyance at first but it quickly turned into deep moans that couldn't escape her lips. She put her hands on his knees, giving him full control. Kade could hardly think, the pleasure was mind-boggling and judging by the sounds Ela was making, she was of the same mind. "Fuck!" he gasped as his orgasm hit, Ela making pleasurable noises that sounded almost as if she was melting. The two sat in their respective positions, regaining their breath and functioning parts of their minds that weren't blinded with pleasure.
"That was hot." Kade said breathlessly, Ela sensually smiling up at him.
"Told you. Now, give me five minutes until my legs work again. Then you're going to take me on that desk."
It was into the early evening when William realized that the operators at Rainbow had more than just the crash course for "initiation". They had invited him to the rec-center, only to be blind folded and made to do whatever his superiors told him. After all humiliating exercises, dance moves and the like had been exhausted and the laughter was finally starting to die down, Blackbeard had the brilliant idea of making him drink a lethal concoction of "assorted items". William was currently over the toilet bowl of the rec-center, Dokkaebi holding a hand on his back as he vomited again and again, all while howling laughter could be heard just outside the door. The newly instated operator was blinded by tears and was praying to god to let it end. He did however, appreciate the 707th operator keeping him company, though. Her hand was warm and reassuring on his back. He finally stopped, dry heaving a couple of times before breathing hard over the toilet bowl. Dokkaebi reached over him and flushed it, William glad to see the "assorted items" swirl down the bowl.
"I'm sorry, Billy. I should have stepped in, told them to stop." she said apologetically. He glanced at her, her pretty face sympathetic. He'd really wanted to impress her with withstanding the initiation but his plans had backfired.
"Did you go through this?" he asked, his voice rough and scratchy from all the vomiting. Dokkaebi shook her head.
"I refused. Told them it was outdated and stupid. Mike did not like my response." she said, William laughing in response.
"Haha! He seems nice enough, from my point of view. You guys have beef or something?" he asked, spitting into the bowl. He'd have to sit there for at least a few more minutes. No telling if his stomach was done emptying its contents; though he didn't understand how he could have anything left after that.
"He and I just have different ways of looking at things, I guess. Makes it hard for us to get along or agree on certain approaches for missions." William made a face.
"I thought it was to have opposing viewpoints. Makes for a better public discourse and the like. At least, that's what my sister says. She's a politician." William said. Dokkaebi smiled. His boyish, country-boy charm was quite endearing. It was different and refreshing; something she hadn't realized she needed.
"Well I think your sister's right, though we do not see through the same lens she does. In our line of work, having disagreements is a little more...messy." she said, William nodded slowly in understanding.
"Huh. Well, I'm sure if you two sit down and have an honest talk about it, something good would come out of it." he said, the look she gave him making him reconsider. "Maybe not?" he offered, making her suddenly giggle, a sound he found he liked.
"This isn't the time to be worrying about me and my troubles, anyways. Do you think you can stand?" she asked. William nodded, getting slowly but steadily to his feet.
"I'll be out in a minute. Thanks, Grace." he said, Dokkaebi smiling and nodding before leaving him to his devices. He turned the sink on, splashing some water on his face and making sure there were no traces of vomit left anywhere on his face. He didn't mind doing the initiation. The recruits had their own kind of initiations and he'd heard from the other guys that some military branches really took it full throttle. He saw it as a way to get closer to everyone but could certainly understand why Dokkaebi and others would have a problem with it. Either way, he was willing to jump through the hoops if it meant getting closer to his new comrades. He took a deep breath before stepping out of the bathroom, a big grin plastered on his face.
"Well, I just emptied the tank fellas! Mike, open up that handle, we're getting drunk tonight." he said, cheers erupting around the room. Dokkaebi smiled and laughed, shaking her head at William's foolishness. Mike clapped him on the back and handed him a glass of rum. Life was good.
It wasn't until the sun had set that Ela and Kade got back to the Spire from their "illicit" activities. It was a little chilly, so Kade immediately threw logs onto the fire, Ela expectantly standing by the island in the kitchen. Kade turned to see what it was she wanted, surprised to see he'd completely missed a rather large, wrapped gift sitting there. He looked at Ela in confusion.
"What is this, El?" She smiled.
"Late birthday gift. Takes a while for these things to be delivered to a secret military base, have to go through the proper channels, blah, blah, blah. Anyways, open the small one first." she said, pointing to a neatly wrapped gift that sat on top of the larger one. Kade was rendered speechless. Even though the newly restored Camero had cost her nothing, it was still more than enough as a gift; not to mention the gifts all his fellow operators had given him. He was far too spoiled.
"You are just too much, my dear." was all he could say, his tone defeated, as he walked over to the island. She let out a giggle, starting up the coffee maker as he unwrapped. He stopped at the tag, admiring her handwriting.
"You have such beautiful handwriting. I could spend a day reading pages of meaningless scribbles if you wrote them." he said. Ela came up behind him and wrapping her arms around his neck and shoulders, planting soft kisses up and down his neck and cheek.
"You are so strange, yet so sweet, I cannot help but love the things that come out of your mouth. Like a Ptasie Mleczko, have you had them?" Kade shook his head as he finished opening the gift, which revealed a small yet long green box with gold lettering. Inside was a golden watch, one of the nicest he'd ever seen. He gingerly took it out of the box, the gold plating shining brilliantly in the light.
"I don't know what to say, Elzbieta. This is just...wow." Kade said, struggling to find the words. He was fairly certain no one had ever given him a watch as nice as this one and while he owned a variety of watches for different events and such, none could simply compare to the elegant brilliance of this one.
"Not that I don't like your other watches, I just figured you needed a special one. From me. That you could possibly wear when we go out on dates. Whenever we get the time." she said, Kade chuckling.
"Hm, dressing me in style for our outings, are we? Don't tell me you have an entire wardrobe in this one." Kade said, picking up the big box and shaking it slightly. It was much heavier than anticipating, telling him that is guess was incorrect. Ela laughed, untangling herself from him and pouring coffee into two mugs.
"No, you will find something a little different in that box. Something you'd never expect." she said cryptically, Kade raising his eyebrow at her as he undid the bow and tore the wrapping paper. Ela was certainly right when she said he wouldn't expect it. What sat before him was some sort of machine. The box reach PS4 but he had no idea what that meant. He looked hopelessly at her.
"I apologize, my love but I truly have no idea what this is." he said apologetically. She laughed,
"Oh don't worry Kade I knew you wouldn't. It is technically a gift for us. It's a gaming system, one for you and I to use. I figured we needed a hobby to share." she said. Kade's smile was wide.
"Well then, that makes me very happy. Thank you, Elizbeta." he said, taking one hand in hers as the other sipped his coffee. They moved to the couch, enjoying each other's warmth and company for a few minutes while they sipped on their hot coffees.
"You never told me why you like psychology, Kade. It must do something for you if you're willing to endure my...distaste for the sessions." she said, setting her empty mug on the coffee table and laying her head on Kade's lap. Kade stroked her head and ran his fingers through her short, green hair as he thought about it for a few moments.
"If I had to pin point it, I'd say it comes down to human connection. Getting to know someone by analyzing how their mind works...I find few things more fascinating and rewarding. " he said, Ela's finger tracing his jawline, her eyes narrowed in deep thought.
"Where do I fit, inside that brilliant mind of yours?" she said rhetorically, letting her words linger in the air. Ela had nearly fallen asleep when she suddenly opened her eyes.
"I'm all gross. Mind if I clean up?" she asked. Kade shook his head, giving her a quick kiss before she got up and headed for the bathroom, grabbing a change of clothes from his dresser.
"I'm taking your clothes, too!" she called as she closed the door, Kade chuckling as she did so. Then the door opened, Robbie and Anna entering.
"Welcome, you two. If you texted ahead, I apologize. Haven't looked at my phone recently." Robbie looked confused, until he heard the shower turn on, then understanding filled his eyes. Before he could comment, his eyes fell on the PS4 sitting on the bar.
"You bought a PS4? Am I dreaming?" Robbie said, turning to his wife who covered her laugh with a hand.
"Another birthday gift from Ela, actually. According to her it is a hobby that we will come to share. I'm excited for it, though I have little understanding of how it works. Coffee or tea, either of you?" he offered. Anna nodded,
"Black tea would be wonderful, Kade."
It wasn't long before they sat around the coffee table, mugs of tea and coffee steaming in their hands.
"Now I love your guy's company, but I assume you're here because you wanted to talk about something." Kade said, Robbie and Anna giving each other a look before starting.
"Uh, yeah. I'm not gonna beat around the bush, bro. I think we need to have a service for Ma and the guys. Here. Now. Of course, we can do a proper one when we go back home and have all that figured out but..." he trailed off, staring intently at Kade's face and looking for his reaction. Kade sat very still. He'd been packing and unpacking his grief in very small doses and knew that holding a service would likely bring all that work crashing down. His silence had Robbie speaking again. "I know it's not ideal, none of this is. But something just feels...wrong you know? I haven't been able to really settle down since coming here and at first I thought it was because, you know, we're on a top secret military base but I started to think that maybe it isn't. I talked to Erik too and he thinks we should do it." he finished, waiting for his brother's response. Kade spoke after a long stretch of empty air.
"Okay. Yeah, let's do it. I'll send an email to Six, keep you guys updated on what she says." he said finally. Robbie nodded, looking relieved as he finished his coffee and put a hand on Anna's knee.
"Great. Thanks, Kade. Not that we don't enjoy your company but it is getting late and we don't want to keep Zofia up all night with Mary and Amanda running around." he said, getting up. Anna walked over and kissed Kade on cheek.
"Love you, Kade." she said sweetly. Kade smiled,
"Love you too. Hear that, Robbie? That's how you say goodbye to your brother." Kade teased, Robbie rolling his eyes.
"Yeah, whatever. Love you, yada yada. Oh! Zof wanted us to tell you that those kids that came back from that mission with you are being put into England's foster care system. Says she made sure they'd get the best treatment, resources and the like." Kade's mind immediately flashed to his and Ela's conversation, making him freeze. Robbie gave his brother a strange look.
"Uh hello? Kade-"
"Sorry, lost in thought. That's great, truly. Tell Zofia I said thank you, won't you?" he said.
"Yeah, sure. I'll pass it along. Night, bro." he said, unsure what to make of Kade's strange behavior.
Ela came out of the shower a little later, wearing a pair of Kade's sweatpants and one of his white t-shirts. She could immediately tell that something was wrong with Kade. He was stock still and loosely holding a handle of whiskey. She slowly approached him, sitting down next to him while leaning forward to look at his face.
"What's wrong, baby?" she asked, rubbing his back and easing the bottle out of his hands. He sighed,
"Robbie came by. Says he wants to hold a service for my Mother and the guys. I don't know if I'm strong enough for it. The irony of me grieving over my mother after having just made three children orphans is not lost on me either. I don't know how to grieve yet fulfill my duties. It feels like I shouldn't allow myself to feel this way, yet my professional perspective says I should. I think I'm quite stuck, Elzbieta." he said, finally meeting her eyes. She'd envisioned thunder clouds to be hidden within his irises, yet, they were reflective this time, brimming with tears. She embraced him, hugging his head to her chest, slowly running her hand up and down his back.
"You are a good man who has done very bad things, Kade. When you can't hold yourself accountable for whatever reason, I will. You have given everything for this life, for a purpose you believe is right. People can tell you it's wrong, right or somewhere in between but they can't take it from you. I had to do some questionable things as a PMC too. We all carry that burden. But I am here to carry it with you, my love." she said, pausing to let Kade digest her words before speaking again. "Your burdens are now mine. No matter how dark or twisted they may be. I chose to love you, no matter what may come. Sometimes, you piss me off and frustrate me. Sometimes you make me sad. But I'm sure I do the same to you. And that can be okay, because more than any of that I love you and want to be with you. We will take on this world together, kochanie." (translation: darling) she said, hoping her words would reach him. He gripped her hand tightly.
"I thank all the stars above for your companionship and support, Ela. You are, without a doubt, the single best thing in my life. Thank you, mój anio∤ z góry." (translation: my angel from above) he said, his voice tight from holding back tears. He looked up at her, a watery smile on his lips. She smiled back, wiping away a single tear slowly making its way down his cheek.
"You don't need to thank you for something I should be doing anyway. Now, go wash up while I set up our game." she said, kissing his cheek before springing up and grabbing the PS4 box. He sighed, wiping at his eyes and watching Ela as she opened the box, humming an unknown tune to herself. It was then that he remembered a pertinent quote from Roman Payne: "I wandered everywhere, through cities and countries wide. And everywhere I went, the world was on my side." Many things had gone both wrong and right in his life. Ela made him feel time and time again like nothing at all could touch him. He only hoped the world would stay on his side for just a little longer, as long as it meant spending one more day with his beloved.