Not My Brother, Chapter 5
Ben waited in the darkness, hoping she'd show up.
The door opened and he closed his eyes in anticipation.
"So..."
Ben's eyes flew open at the masculine voice as Zane sat on Krit's bunk, "When were you going to tell us you got busy with Maxie?"
"WHAT?" Ben sat up sharply.
"Please, Ben," Zane leaned back on his hands, "I have an enhanced sense of smell. Plus, the 'fuck me' eyes...it was pretty obvious."
Obvious. That was a bad thing, obvious.
"Does," Ben swallowed, "Does Lydecker know?"
Zane looked affronted, "Why would I tell Lydecker? I doubt Zack even knows."
"I thought it was 'obvious,'" Ben mimicked.
"Not everyone is the genius I am, bro."
"Not everyone is the suspicious bastard you are," Ben corrected with a sigh, laying back in his bed.
"So what was it like?"
"Bye, Zane."
"Guess I'll have to go bug Zack, then," Zane shrugged.
"If you tell him, I'll kill you," Ben informed him.
"Come on, Ben," Zane whined. "Is it different with one of us?"
"Even if I had a basis for comparison, please explain why I should tell you."
"I haven't gotten any in like a month, Ben, let me live vicariously."
"Aren't you supposed to think of Max as a sister?" Ben's eyes narrowed.
"So you can get with her, but not one else can even think about it?"
"Sounds right."
"Fuck off, Ben, she's hot."
"She's mine."
"Breathe, Ben...damn, I'm not going to steal her, I just want details," he whined.
Ben rolled his eyes, "OK, Zane...but this stays between us."
Eyes alight with excitement, Zane nodded for him to continue.
"She has the most beautiful, mind boggling pair of eyes I have ever seen," Ben smiled. "Now let me sleep."
"Dammit, Ben..." Zane muttered.
"Leave," Ben settled back into his pillow, wondering who else knew about him and Max.
***
She couldn't sleep that night, but didn't move.
It wouldn't be hard to get to him, not with Krit still out on a mission, but what could she say?
He would ask about the mission. It was natural and there was no reason not to tell him except the obvious.
The idea of fidelity wasn't something she'd considered, it was a human idea that she hadn't thought to have a problem with. She didn't want anyone else. Why would she? Just thinking of Ben's face made her body heat and heart clench.
He was sure to find out, no matter what she did, that her mission would entail sex. What would he think? Max rolled her eyes. She knew what he'd think. They'd have to cart him back to psy-ops if he acted on it. But he'd get over it, right? It was a mission, not an option.
***
No one else came to see him that night.
He'd thought she would. What was the problem? They usually watched you closer, the night before a mission, but that was a joke. She could be here if she wanted to.
Obviously, it wasn't a big enough deal for her.
Ben shook his head, it was an important mission, she just needed sleep. It was understandable that she wouldn't want the added stress of sneaking over to see him. He punched his pillow into better form, trying to get comfortable.
As though that would help him sleep.
There was something wrong. He knew it. Or she'd be there.
***
"452," Renfro acknowledged as Max walked through the door, standing at attention. "At ease, soldier. Take a seat."
Surprised, Max did as instructed.
"This isn't your average mission, 452. Not only are the order unusual, but it was created specifically with you in mind."
There was no proper response, so Max waited.
"We're assigning you, undercover, to a special division of Government Security. Your mission is to meet and get acquainted with this man," Renfro slid a picture across the desk, "Special Agent Ames White."
Max nodded, not really understanding the need to repeat everything from the brief she'd already memorized.
Renfro eyed her carefully, then leaned down to her desk, pressing her call button, "Come in."
A man in a white lab coat came in and looked from Renfro to Max as he tapped the air bubbles from a syringe in his hand.
"Your arm, 452?" Renfro looked at her.
Swallowing, Max held her arm out for the shot, her eyes darting wildly from Renfro to the technician.
The pain was inconsequential, but Max's heart beat hard with the uncertainty of what just went on.
"Standard drugs, 452, don't worry about it," Renfro smiled, "Ready to go?"
"Yes, ma'am," 452 stood up again.
"You leave in an hour, soldier."
***
"Jondy!" Max grabbed her sister in the hall, yanking her into the bathroom.
"Hey, Max," Jondy smirked, "What's your problem?"
"Look, I just need your help...Syl said she mentioned my mission to you."
"Yeah," Jondy's face fell, "I'm sorry, that sucks. Have you told Ben yet?"
Max's eyes flew to Jondy's face, "No...I just told Syl. What does Ben have to do with anything?"
"Come on, Max," Jondy rolled her eyes, "I have a nose."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Max asked in confusion, then shaking her head, "Never mind, just don't let anyone else find out about the mission. I don't want them to feel bad for me or whatever."
Jondy shrugged, "Whatever as long as Ben- Shit, you're not going to tell him, are you?"
"I don't have some weird arrangement to tell Ben everything," Max shrugged uncomfortably, not enjoying the way Jondy kept looking at her.
"Max, I know you guys are having sex, just give. Why aren't you telling him?"
Max closed her eyes a second, not bothering to deny her sister's words, "You saw what he did to Zack."
"Yeah...?" Jondy raised her eyebrows.
"Zack ilooked/i at me," Max told her quietly.
"OH," Jondy bit her lip, "Oh...damn."
"So can you just not let him know?" Max pleaded.
"Yeah...I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks," Max murmured, her shoulders slumping.
"It's gonna be okay, Max," Jondy caught her eye, "It's just a mission."
"Right," Max nodded, "Just a mission. Say bye to...everyone, for me."
"No problem. See you in a couple weeks."
Max smiled slightly, "Yeah. I'll do that. Bye," she muttered quickly, hurrying the other direction.
***
"Hey Ben," Jondy smiled at him quickly.
"Morning, Jondy," he eyed her warily. She was never a happy morning person. Ever.
"So how's our new alpha male?" she winked.
Ben rolled his eyes, "What do you want, Jon?"
Jondy made a face, "Fine then, morning sunshine, what's up with you, Zane?"
"My bro's holding out on me, but other than that, I'm fine."
Ben winced. This conversation could not possibly end well. He turned a cautious eye to his sister, who was smirking back at him.
"Hey, random subject change," Zane grinned, "You know where Max went?"
Jondy's eyes lit up as she looked between her brothers, "Very odd you'd think of her right now," she agreed, "She's on a government mission, tailing some guy," she shrugged of the question, "Back in a couple weeks."
"So it's just routine?" Ben's mouth opened before he could stop it and he could feel Zane's amusement, damn him.
"That's what she said," Jondy smiled.
Something was off. He could feel it, but he didn't know what it was. Shrugging off Jondy's statements, he watched her as she fidgeted nervously.
"Well, I better get to training," she murmured.
Ben's eyes narrowed. "I'll go with you," he smiled.
***
"Otto Gottlieb," the man in front of her held out his hand.
"Special Agent Max Guevara," Max shook his hand firmly.
The door opened behind them and Max turned to see the man she recognized from photographs, Ames White.
"I'm at work now, honey, I'll call you later," he smiled into the cell phone, "Give him a kiss for me. He'll get better soon. I love you. Good bye."
Max's heart pounded as she took in the gold ring on his left hand and the expression on his face as he talked on the phone. He was married, he was happy. He couldn't possibly want to cheat, could he?
"Ames White," he held out his hand, his eyes flickering over her.
Heart sinking, Max let Otto reply for her. It didn't matter that he was happy with another woman. She'd seen men look at her that way before. It was only a matter of time before he said something and unlike every other time, she wasn't allowed to kick him in the balls.
Ben's face danced in front of her mind and she shoved him away ruthlessly. She'd get back to him, eventually. This was just a mission. It wouldn't affect anything.
"I'm looking forward to working with you," she smiled coyly, letting her eyes run over his body, taking in his attractiveness with a detached interest.
He wasn't Ben.
How could she do this?
Ben waited in the darkness, hoping she'd show up.
The door opened and he closed his eyes in anticipation.
"So..."
Ben's eyes flew open at the masculine voice as Zane sat on Krit's bunk, "When were you going to tell us you got busy with Maxie?"
"WHAT?" Ben sat up sharply.
"Please, Ben," Zane leaned back on his hands, "I have an enhanced sense of smell. Plus, the 'fuck me' eyes...it was pretty obvious."
Obvious. That was a bad thing, obvious.
"Does," Ben swallowed, "Does Lydecker know?"
Zane looked affronted, "Why would I tell Lydecker? I doubt Zack even knows."
"I thought it was 'obvious,'" Ben mimicked.
"Not everyone is the genius I am, bro."
"Not everyone is the suspicious bastard you are," Ben corrected with a sigh, laying back in his bed.
"So what was it like?"
"Bye, Zane."
"Guess I'll have to go bug Zack, then," Zane shrugged.
"If you tell him, I'll kill you," Ben informed him.
"Come on, Ben," Zane whined. "Is it different with one of us?"
"Even if I had a basis for comparison, please explain why I should tell you."
"I haven't gotten any in like a month, Ben, let me live vicariously."
"Aren't you supposed to think of Max as a sister?" Ben's eyes narrowed.
"So you can get with her, but not one else can even think about it?"
"Sounds right."
"Fuck off, Ben, she's hot."
"She's mine."
"Breathe, Ben...damn, I'm not going to steal her, I just want details," he whined.
Ben rolled his eyes, "OK, Zane...but this stays between us."
Eyes alight with excitement, Zane nodded for him to continue.
"She has the most beautiful, mind boggling pair of eyes I have ever seen," Ben smiled. "Now let me sleep."
"Dammit, Ben..." Zane muttered.
"Leave," Ben settled back into his pillow, wondering who else knew about him and Max.
***
She couldn't sleep that night, but didn't move.
It wouldn't be hard to get to him, not with Krit still out on a mission, but what could she say?
He would ask about the mission. It was natural and there was no reason not to tell him except the obvious.
The idea of fidelity wasn't something she'd considered, it was a human idea that she hadn't thought to have a problem with. She didn't want anyone else. Why would she? Just thinking of Ben's face made her body heat and heart clench.
He was sure to find out, no matter what she did, that her mission would entail sex. What would he think? Max rolled her eyes. She knew what he'd think. They'd have to cart him back to psy-ops if he acted on it. But he'd get over it, right? It was a mission, not an option.
***
No one else came to see him that night.
He'd thought she would. What was the problem? They usually watched you closer, the night before a mission, but that was a joke. She could be here if she wanted to.
Obviously, it wasn't a big enough deal for her.
Ben shook his head, it was an important mission, she just needed sleep. It was understandable that she wouldn't want the added stress of sneaking over to see him. He punched his pillow into better form, trying to get comfortable.
As though that would help him sleep.
There was something wrong. He knew it. Or she'd be there.
***
"452," Renfro acknowledged as Max walked through the door, standing at attention. "At ease, soldier. Take a seat."
Surprised, Max did as instructed.
"This isn't your average mission, 452. Not only are the order unusual, but it was created specifically with you in mind."
There was no proper response, so Max waited.
"We're assigning you, undercover, to a special division of Government Security. Your mission is to meet and get acquainted with this man," Renfro slid a picture across the desk, "Special Agent Ames White."
Max nodded, not really understanding the need to repeat everything from the brief she'd already memorized.
Renfro eyed her carefully, then leaned down to her desk, pressing her call button, "Come in."
A man in a white lab coat came in and looked from Renfro to Max as he tapped the air bubbles from a syringe in his hand.
"Your arm, 452?" Renfro looked at her.
Swallowing, Max held her arm out for the shot, her eyes darting wildly from Renfro to the technician.
The pain was inconsequential, but Max's heart beat hard with the uncertainty of what just went on.
"Standard drugs, 452, don't worry about it," Renfro smiled, "Ready to go?"
"Yes, ma'am," 452 stood up again.
"You leave in an hour, soldier."
***
"Jondy!" Max grabbed her sister in the hall, yanking her into the bathroom.
"Hey, Max," Jondy smirked, "What's your problem?"
"Look, I just need your help...Syl said she mentioned my mission to you."
"Yeah," Jondy's face fell, "I'm sorry, that sucks. Have you told Ben yet?"
Max's eyes flew to Jondy's face, "No...I just told Syl. What does Ben have to do with anything?"
"Come on, Max," Jondy rolled her eyes, "I have a nose."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Max asked in confusion, then shaking her head, "Never mind, just don't let anyone else find out about the mission. I don't want them to feel bad for me or whatever."
Jondy shrugged, "Whatever as long as Ben- Shit, you're not going to tell him, are you?"
"I don't have some weird arrangement to tell Ben everything," Max shrugged uncomfortably, not enjoying the way Jondy kept looking at her.
"Max, I know you guys are having sex, just give. Why aren't you telling him?"
Max closed her eyes a second, not bothering to deny her sister's words, "You saw what he did to Zack."
"Yeah...?" Jondy raised her eyebrows.
"Zack ilooked/i at me," Max told her quietly.
"OH," Jondy bit her lip, "Oh...damn."
"So can you just not let him know?" Max pleaded.
"Yeah...I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks," Max murmured, her shoulders slumping.
"It's gonna be okay, Max," Jondy caught her eye, "It's just a mission."
"Right," Max nodded, "Just a mission. Say bye to...everyone, for me."
"No problem. See you in a couple weeks."
Max smiled slightly, "Yeah. I'll do that. Bye," she muttered quickly, hurrying the other direction.
***
"Hey Ben," Jondy smiled at him quickly.
"Morning, Jondy," he eyed her warily. She was never a happy morning person. Ever.
"So how's our new alpha male?" she winked.
Ben rolled his eyes, "What do you want, Jon?"
Jondy made a face, "Fine then, morning sunshine, what's up with you, Zane?"
"My bro's holding out on me, but other than that, I'm fine."
Ben winced. This conversation could not possibly end well. He turned a cautious eye to his sister, who was smirking back at him.
"Hey, random subject change," Zane grinned, "You know where Max went?"
Jondy's eyes lit up as she looked between her brothers, "Very odd you'd think of her right now," she agreed, "She's on a government mission, tailing some guy," she shrugged of the question, "Back in a couple weeks."
"So it's just routine?" Ben's mouth opened before he could stop it and he could feel Zane's amusement, damn him.
"That's what she said," Jondy smiled.
Something was off. He could feel it, but he didn't know what it was. Shrugging off Jondy's statements, he watched her as she fidgeted nervously.
"Well, I better get to training," she murmured.
Ben's eyes narrowed. "I'll go with you," he smiled.
***
"Otto Gottlieb," the man in front of her held out his hand.
"Special Agent Max Guevara," Max shook his hand firmly.
The door opened behind them and Max turned to see the man she recognized from photographs, Ames White.
"I'm at work now, honey, I'll call you later," he smiled into the cell phone, "Give him a kiss for me. He'll get better soon. I love you. Good bye."
Max's heart pounded as she took in the gold ring on his left hand and the expression on his face as he talked on the phone. He was married, he was happy. He couldn't possibly want to cheat, could he?
"Ames White," he held out his hand, his eyes flickering over her.
Heart sinking, Max let Otto reply for her. It didn't matter that he was happy with another woman. She'd seen men look at her that way before. It was only a matter of time before he said something and unlike every other time, she wasn't allowed to kick him in the balls.
Ben's face danced in front of her mind and she shoved him away ruthlessly. She'd get back to him, eventually. This was just a mission. It wouldn't affect anything.
"I'm looking forward to working with you," she smiled coyly, letting her eyes run over his body, taking in his attractiveness with a detached interest.
He wasn't Ben.
How could she do this?
