The Food of the Devil

Over the next few days, Nico and Cub were given a wide berth. The son of Hades knew that he probably should have toned down his abilities, but having spent the entire time since the end of the war against Gaea in the Underworld honing his skills, he felt he wasn't putting enough effort in as is. Nico thought that their fearful gazes hit a little too close to home, though – he'd come here so he could start again, not be feared. Cub, on the other hand, liked to make fun of the men who walked quickly away from the two as they approached. Instructors never challenged them; Davids had spread the word to just let the boys get on with it. If they said they could do it, they could do it. With not a lot of other human interaction other than K-Unit, the boys had grown rather close together. Nico noticed one day he was changing; he was more open about himself. He also realised, with a start, that he really did care that the SAS men were afraid of him.

One afternoon saw K-Unit in their cabin. The four men were playing cards – Eagle cheating horribly – while Nico and Cub were sprawled on the floor, talking. They'd spent the morning at the shooting range and while Nico wasn't as good as Cub with a gun, he was still better than he should be.

Then, Cub brought up the subject that was on Nico's mind.

"Is it just me, or are you getting sick of how everyone's avoiding us?"

"Yeah," Nico replied. The card game near them stopped abruptly.

"And do you get really annoyed at how, every time we try and have a conversation, K-Unit listens in to see if we're planning on killing them in their sleep?"

Nico snorted and affirmation and muttered "Busted," to the listening men. Wolf sighed and dealt another hand. Eagle kept staring at the two boys.

"You're not actually planning on killing me in my sleep, are you?" He asked uneasily. Nico bent his head back and his eyes flashed red.

"I don't know, Eagle," he mused. "You're pretty murder-worthy."

Jaguar laughed into his cards and Snake clicked his fingers in an 'oh snap!' kind of way. Wolf kept staring at his hand, a smile hidden behind it. Eagle went pale and dived under his bed.

"Can't kill me if I don't sleep!" He cried childishly. Cub shook his head.

"No, no we can't," he conceded. "We'll just have to off you while you're awake then."

Eagle screamed and ran out. Snake put down a set.

"That's got rid of him and his awful cheating," he said, turning over a flush. "I win."

Wolf groaned and so did Jaguar. They packed up the cards on silent order before shuffling over to sit with Nico and Cub.

"Now, about your predicament," Snake started, but Nico cut him off.

"I already have a plan."

Cub blinked. Nico nodded to him.

"I just came up with it."

"Okay," the boy spy said. "Spill."

"You know how everyone complains about the food here?" He asked. Nods were received around the group. Nico grinned. "Well, what if I went a got some actual, edible stuff, and we had a feast with the other units."

Silence was met by his words. Then Cub shook his head.

"We're miles away from anything, Devil," he said. "Though that would work, it's not possible."

The rest of the Unit were quiet and Nico knew they were remembering how he'd shadow-travelled to the roof and back. That was, of course his plan. To shadow-travel to the nearest town and relieve the stores of some grub. The Stolls would be proud.

"And even if we were near anything," Cub continued. "You'd never be able to get out. This place is heavily guarded." He shook his head again. "It can't be done."

"Actually Cub," Nico said. "It can, if it's done by me."

Cub stared at him curiously. Suddenly Wolf nodded.

"He got here before you Cub, and he did this thing…" he trailed off, looking to Snake for an explanation. Said man shrugged in response and Jaguar didn't help one bit because he didn't know either.

"Moving on," Nico said. "I can get out. It might take a few trips to bring back everything I have in mind, but it shouldn't take any longer than an hour. By then, the sun will have set. Wolf," he turned to the Unit leader. "You get the other four Units and bring them here. Don't get the instructors, they get better food anyway."

Wolf nodded and turned to stand.

"Tell them that we're having a party!" Nico called after him. Then he faced Snake and Jaguar.

"You two set up some tables. Steal them from the kitchen if you have too, but make sure there are plenty of surfaces to put food for around thirty men."

The two men nodded and went to obey. Cub kept staring. Nico looked at him.

"You're not coming," he said immediately. The gleam in Cub's eyes was by now familiar and Nico knew what he was planning.

"Oh come on!" Cub exclaimed. "If you can go I want to as well. Besides, I don't have anything to do."

Nico shook his head.

"I don't want my only friend to get shot!" Cub snapped. Silence broke over the two of them. Nico looked up at him, shocked.

"I'm your friend?" He asked hoarsely. Cub nodded, also surprised with himself. Making friends was risky in his business, but he'd bonded with Devil somehow. Nico shook his head in disbelief.

"I've never really had a friend before," he whispered to himself. Cub heard though, and felt a sudden swell of determination.

"Well, I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not."

Nico kept staring at the floor.

"I don't want to scare you," he said eventually. "Especially if you're my friend now."

Cub snorted.

"Whatever you're thinking can't be as bad as some of the things I've seen," he said. Nico shook his head again.

"No, it really is. You should be scared."

Cub stopped for a moment.

"I don't care," he said finally. "Besides, you need someone to help carry the bags. Then we can make the time thirty minutes, even though an hour was ludicrous to start with."

"Not happening," Nico stated simply. Cub crossed his arms, frowning.

"Yes, happening," he said.

"You'll have to catch me."

"It's on!"

Nico ran outside into the dying daylight, Cub hot on his heels. Nico knew his trip would have to start with giving Cub the slip and shadow-travelling away. So he ran into the SAS bathrooms. Finding the darkest stall he could, Nico slipped in and locked the door. He concentrated on the supermarket he'd seen across the road from the MI6 headquarters and, just as the bathroom door opened to let Cub inside, Nico was already on his way.

Plucking meats, fruits, chips and bread from the shelves, Nico chuckled to himself once again. Harnessing the Mist, he'd disfigured the shop owner's vision to make him see nothing, not the trolley Nico had or the food in it and most importantly, Nico himself.

Standing in front of the drinks fridge, Nico grabbed around five to six 3L bottles of various mineral drinks. He couldn't get beer, because the men would be stoned by the next day and that's not what they needed. Piling the drinks into the almost-full trolley, Nico walked out. He was grateful he wouldn't have to lug a million bags with him.

Unbeknownst to the son of Hades, he had been watched. One camera had been fed an override code, and the man behind the screen watched as Nico left the store, stolen trolley piled high with stolen goods. The shop owner didn't even look up once. The man smiled.

"We seem to have found ourselves a potential bargaining object," he said smoothly, playing back the film and zooming it up to see the SAS seal on the boys back pocket.

An assistant suddenly ran up behind the man. He didn't even glance at them.

"Send out a team to intercept the boy," he demanded. The assistant bowed.

"Yes, Dr Three."

The plan is unfolding now! Please review! Thank you so much people, honestly it makes me so happy!

Jasmine Out!