A/N: Disclaimer: Refer back to Chapter 1.
WARNING: OOC, LANGUAGE, SUGGESTIVE THEMES
Chapter 2: Intuition
xxxxx
This was the first night of his covert operation. His team had just been from a mission and was dead tired. Well, they were tired. But he was not.
He grinned, 'Dis really is my calling!' he thought as he realized that he still possessed strength and energy while his other teammates did not!
Well, that was a good ego booster!
He looked left and right and noticed that he was alone. Drat! That was fast! They had already been dismissed!
He swiftly stalked out of the room and looked for his redheaded teammate. A few moments later, he stood in front of his room's door.
He narrowed his eyes. No…There had to be a better place to watch him…He panicked as he felt footsteps within, nearing the door.
'Damn! Gotta hide!'
He ran for the nearest corner and there hid himself as Heat walked out of his room. Cielo eyed him stealthily, 'Ah! I thought he was tired ja!?' Well, he was wrong. Heat was probably going for extra training!
Cielo nodded; mentally taking notes. That was probably how he managed to stay stronger than the rest! He grinned; sweet!
First lesson: clear!
He followed the redhead slowly, accurately, a few feet behind him and made a note of everything that Heat had done. Well, those things that Cielo deemed that fit his criteria…
Hm…
xxxxx
He had been tailing him for over two hours now and needless to say, Cielo was ecstatic! Heat had given him a few pointers! He had gone to the fitness center and had workout. After that, he had a relaxing moment at the meditation center…
Yes; Cielo agreed with that.
It was important to have a sound body and mind.
After that, Heat had his dinner. Healthy food.
Cielo stuck his tongue out at that and blanched, 'Healthy…Ewww…!'
But still, he knew that if he wanted to be like Heat and even surpass him, he had to eat the so-called goo.
Something had been bothering Cielo though. This was just standardized things. Meaning to say that every soldier of Heat's rank and duty did things like that. There wasn't any difference. And that wasn't what Cielo was looking for.
He wanted to know what set Heat apart from everyone else of his rank and place of duty. He wanted to know what drove the redhead to always outperform everyone else. He wanted to know that zing…that pizzazz that gave him the impetus to strive for being the best…for being the strongest…
He wanted to know what possessed him to run the extra mile.
And he knew that the training, meditation and diet weren't that impetus.
No.
It was something else.
Cielo narrowed his eyes; slightly disappointed.
Oh well.
He was young; there was plenty of time to observe Heat better! He knew that Heat had a secret; a secret to his success and Cielo was going to find out what.
xxxxx
It had been a week now since he had started to observe his enigmatic redhead comrade…And he was disappointed. There had been no new findings in his investigation…
Heat trained after dismissal…He meditated…and ate…He did his duty diligently…And then he had been sure to get as much needed rest as possible…
Cielo sighed.
There was no…zing in that. Everybody did that…!
"Come on brudda…! Do something amazing for a change! Dat stuff is boring…"
There, as he lay on his bed thinking of Heat's itinerary that it suddenly struck him. Of course! Why didn't he think of that?!
He grinned, 'So…it's probably…during dat time!' he thought convivially.
That was right! The zing that he had been looking for was something that was most probably closely guarded! Of course! It was Heat's secret to his success after all! So, whatever it was that he was doing or whatever it was that was making him stronger was something that he would never show the public!
And Cielo knew when the most likely time he would be engaged at such an act.
While everyone slept.
Now that he thought more about it, the more it made sense. Cielo had never seen what went on in Heat's room. The moment the redhead entered his room for his sleep, Cielo assumed that he had indeed retired for the night and so had retired as well.
Well, now, Cielo realized that it wasn't a complete loss!
Now he had another lead! Sweet!
xxxxx
Cielo pressed himself against the wall firmly as he saw the redhead enter his room. It had been two days now since his "breakthrough". And now he had decided to act upon it.
He walked over to his door; not before making sure that the hallway was empty. He pressed his ear against it.
Nothing.
No sound.
He furrowed his eyes and listened intently.
Still nothing.
Finally, half an hour had passed and still nothing was picked up by his attentive and perked up ears.
He suppressed a growl from within his throat.
Damn!
Were his assumptions wrong!?
Did Heat really…just do what everyone else did?! There was…nothing else?!
A part of Cielo refused to believe that…but a part of him did. He looked at his watch again. It had been an hour now.
Damn! That was fast!
Cielo sighed and saw that it was nearly one in the morning. He had better turn in for the night…They had an important mission tomorrow…On the next day, they were to meet the leader of the rebel rookies.
Their leader had asked for an audience with Serph…And the half-mute man had been kind enough to accommodate them.
Sometimes, Cielo just didn't understand Serph. If Heat had been in charge, he would've had those rebels caught and converted into Embryon by now!
Oh well.
He supposed that he would never understand politics…
That was probably the reason why he wasn't chosen as leader. He sweat-dropped at that. Now, as he thought more of his situation, his eyelids felt heavy. He needed to get some shut-eye. Oh well…
He could observe Heat some other time…
He turned to leave and suddenly froze.
There was a sound!!
He felt his fire of vigilance be rekindled as he found himself pressed by Heat's door once more, enticed by the faint sound that he heard.
He kept his eyes peeled, his ears perked up, his lips tugged upwards for a grin and waited…
And waited…
And waited…
His face fell.
He shook his head. Maybe he was imagining things…
'Oh mon…I do need sleep…'
He started to walk away again and there once more froze as he heard another sound emanating from within the room.
Again, he found himself pressed up against the wall, listening intently.
Again, he waited…and waited…and waited.
He slumped his shoulders, 'Dis is…getting old ja…?' he thought dryly, having half the mind to knock on Heat's door loudly and beat the crap out of him when he answered the door. Cielo sweat-dropped; beat the crap out of him…?
Hardly.
If anything, it would be Heat beating the crap out of him, bludgeoning him to a bloody pulp. He shivered at that.
He stiffened once more as he heard it.
He pressed himself firmer against the wall, his left ear on the door itself…
"…aa…f…ht…r…y…a…od…er…" the muffled sounds said.
There was no mistaking it now. Heat was…talking!?
No, no…
He wasn't…
He was…murmuring…
Cielo's eyes widened and his lips tugged upwards for a triumphant grin. He had been right all along! Heat did have that special crap! There was a zing after all!
Cielo furrowed his eyebrows in concentration as he heard the speech to be a bit clearer.
"You…reason for…up in the morning…You keep me going…"
Cielo removed himself from the door immediately, making a bewildered face.
'Say wat…!? He's…Ack! He's having a girl in dere!!!!' he mentally screamed.
No. It couldn't be right! Could it? At that, he pressed himself against the door again and listened…
"Without you…I wouldn't be able……anything…" his muffled voice said.
Cielo's eyes wanted to pop out of their sockets at that moment. His hair stood on one end. Why was everyone having that sort of situation!?!
Argilla had found her calling because of Serph…and vice versa. And now Heat too?! Did that mean that for him to be successful at his job, that he had had to meet someone that he would be enjoying the work…for!?
Cielo made a sour face and ran from the scene.
Did that mean that, like Argilla, he had to find a patient whom he would be glad to heal for the rest of his career!?
'No way!!' he shouted internally, refusing to submit to such an assumption.
'No, no!'
xxxxx
He frantically looked left and right for her. She could help him! His sapphire eyes scanned the area, looking for the all-too-familiar pink hair.
Because! There was no way that he would be able to discover Heat's secret on his own. Nope. He wasn't that skilled to pull it off.
'Wat, sneak into his room!? And get caught?! No way!' he thought defensively. At least, with Argilla, if he got caught, he would have her to backup his story and wouldn't be put under arrest. He would be there for "lawful" reasons.
He would let her sniff him out for him! That was all there was to it. It wasn't that he had not foreseen what he would need and what he would have to say to convince Argilla either. He knew a lot about Heat from his observations; and now that there had been an addendum, namely a girl, in the equation, Cielo decided that it was time to even that and add Argilla as well.
From the observations that he had made of Heat, he had been able to piece together instances that seemed "suspicious"; at least, from a military point of view.
Argilla wouldn't be able to resist his offer when he had told her all he knew about Heat. That he was sure of.
Ah! There she was!
Wait.
He frowned; she was speaking to Serph…
He made a sour face; and from the looks of it, she was liking it too.
'Eww…'
Well, he didn't want to break up their little moment, but Cielo deemed that it wasn't every day that he did interrupt such a moment. Besides, this was for a good cause! Well, better than talking about a sex-invite…
'Gross…!'
He ran up to them and scratched his head as he looked at Serph apologetically, "Erm…sorry ja? But…I…could I borrow Argilla for a while mon? It's important…"
Serph blinked and there nodded, "Alright…"
Cielo grinned, "Thanks brudda!" he said as he grabbed onto Argilla's arm, dragging her away from the scene without so much as asking her permission.
"Hey! What's the deal Cielo?!" he heard her ask, but he paid her no heed. He'd tell her; but not now!
Soon, they reached a secluded spot and there, Cielo met her blazing pink eyes. He sweat-dropped; so she was sort of mad that he had interrupted her moment with Serph. So what?! Come on! They practically were glued to each other! A few minutes without him wouldn't hurt!
"Argilla, I've found my true calling!"
xxxxx
Argilla blinked as she stared at Cielo, letting silence reign supreme. She had just spent a total of half an hour listening to his story…of his ramblings…and of his plan.
The plan seemed…feasible…
"So, whatcha think?! Pretty good investigating ja?!" he asked in hopeful joy.
Argilla blinked again and there…after a moment of pure silence…
"Are you crazy!?" she yelled.
Cielo cringed; she was…noisy…
"Cielo!" she gasped in disbelief, "You…you're not supposed to be stalking a member of our tribe! That's…that's a criminal offense! If Heat found out, he might press charges against you!"
Cielo winced; he knew that Argilla wasn't one who played dirty…She played by the rules…
'Not dat I didn't come prepared! Hehe…' he thought.
Well, it was time to put her trait of being straight-laced against her.
"But Argilla! I have reason to think dat he's hiding something ja?!" he said, whining a bit. Argilla was a softie…He was sure that she would like to hear him out.
Argilla sighed, "Cielo…I don't know. I mean, what could Heat be doing that would warrant for you to spy on him!?"
Cielo nodded, "Didn't you notice how sometimes dat he would disappear right after da debriefing…When he would say dat he forgot something?"
Argilla raised an eyebrow in suspicion, "Go on…"
Cielo smirked internally; she bought it!
"Well, wat if I told you dat I knew where he was going and de reason why…"
Argilla snorted, "That doesn't prove anything Cielo. He could've merely forgotten something in his room. That's not an uncommon scenario."
"Okay, okay…! Do you remember yesterday? When we were about to leave dat he left and came back a grouch?"
She snorted again as she crossed her arms, "Come on Cielo. That's just Heat. He's never the happy camper type. That still says nothing."
"Maybe not but didn't it seem dat Heat was…weird dat day? He wasn't even focusing! He kept getting distracted! Dat's wen it all clicked! He probably didn't find dat thing dat he goes to in his room before every mission! Dat was why he was upset!"
At this, Argilla let her suspicion rise and her curiosity take over.
Cielo was grinning like an elf as he saw that he was beginning to win her over.
'Finally!!'
"Well, de reason is…"
He whispered into the woman's ears and a moment later, Argilla backed away from him, "Whoa! That…that is against military conduct! You're not supposed to be…to be harboring people in your room! That's illegal!"
Cielo nodded cheerfully, grinning, "Yea, yea mon!"
Argilla suddenly raised an eyebrow, "Why are you telling me this Cielo? I could have both you and Heat thrown in jail."
Ah…
Cielo cast his face down, "I don't really care if you do. I just know dat I want to be like Heat. I've seen him and…well, I know dat he's getting his drive from somewhere else…Like de way you get your drive from Serph…"
Argilla's blazing eyes softened at that. Cielo thought that he had found his calling; that was why he was tailing Heat.
He wanted to be just like him…Just like the way a little boy envied his older brother or father before him…
'Cielo…' she thought with a softened demeanor, 'I hope you know what you're getting yourself into.'
He…wanted to know about Heat's source of inspiration…because he wanted to know of whether or not it would be the same for him. She had someone…And now it would seem that Heat had someone too…
And from the looks of it, Cielo probably wanted one too…
"I just…want to know…if I need someone like dat too. So…would you…would you help me find out…?"
Argilla sighed, "You don't need me Cielo. You could do that yourself."
He shook his head, "No way mon! Dis is a two-man mission! Besides, I need someone to corroborate my story ja?"
Argilla frowned; forgetting about the personal issue of Cielo's true calling and focusing on the obvious. There was still the issue of Heat harboring someone in that room. And if what Cielo said was true, then, it warranted that the redhead be investigated. The thing was, she didn't want to turn this issue over to the MP; they would be less forgiving…if Heat really was at fault.
No.
For now, she would keep this under wraps.
And as for Cielo…
She couldn't help but feel sympathetic. He was still in the dark; feeling his way along the walls, still trying to make sense of everything about himself. He still had doubts about his capabilities and his true path. He thought that perhaps his path might be similar to Heat's…
She knew that she was one who obeyed rules and such…But for now, she would indulge Cielo in his little game and turn a blind eye to rules. She needed him to realize his true calling; she needed him to realize his mistake.
What mistake…?
'That you're fine the way you are Cielo…No change is needed.' she thought with a smile.
"Okay Cielo. Tonight. You and me. At Heat's quarters."
"At 0100 hours." Cielo finished.
'Right on track!' Cielo thought with glee; mentally patting himself on the back as his manipulative mind coupled with his wounded-puppy routine worked. She wasn't so resistant after all.
xxxxx
It was a quarter of an hour to 0100 hours. Cielo's heartbeat quickened as he waited patiently for his partner in crime to arrive. He chuckled at that; it had sounded as if they were on a heist!
'Hehe…Just like playing robbers!' he thought with a snicker.
He suddenly shook his head! No! He should really stop behaving, feeling and sounding like a kid! Heat didn't say stuff like that!
'Ya! And he's sooo cool ja?!'
"Cielo…!"
He turned to the source of the low and whispered hiss and saw his teammate and crime accessory Argilla. He smiled and jogged up to her, "Hey! Ready to go?"
She nodded, "Right. Let's get this over with…"
He nodded cheerfully and proceeded to walk when she suddenly yanked him back, gripping his arm tightly, "Ey!"
He was met with blazing pink eyes, "This had better not be a waste of time Cielo…"
With the look that she was giving him, he couldn't help but shudder. She could be scary…
"Or otherwise I'm going to gut you…and leave you for Heat to beat the crap out of." she finished with a low growl.
He nodded frantically, attempting to quell her mounting suspicion and anger, "No, no of course not! It would be worth it! Now come on!"
Argilla rolled her eyes before pushing passed him and walking towards Heat's room.
Cielo scratched his head and smirked cheekily. Once they arrive there she'd know that he wasn't joking or fooling around!
Ten minutes later, they had reached the door…
Argilla looked at it intently and then at Cielo. The two nodded simultaneously and so set out on their covert operation.
The two pressed their ears towards the door…and waited.
Seconds ticked painfully by and no sound was heard…But the two persevered…Minutes ticked by…and again no sound was heard.
It had been half an hour now…and still nothing. Now, with the onset of the feelings of frustration and aggravation, Argilla shot Cielo a dirty look with her eyes narrowing into slits, shaking her head.
Cielo knew what that meant.
"You're dead. Your ass is mine." her face and more overly, her pink eyes, seemed to say.
He gulped again.
He suddenly stiffened. There! He pointed to the door again and motioned for Argilla to do the same.
"Aa…a…f…ht…r…K…me…g…g…" the voice seemed to say.
Argilla's pink eyes widened. There it was! Cielo wasn't kidding! There really was someone in there! But then again…Heat could merely be talking to himself…or was talking to someone in the phone.
She considered leaving then…
But.
She suddenly stiffened.
Was that…
Was that the rustling of clothes…?
And the sound of…moaning?!
She stifled a gasp. Nope. Forget about the earlier bailout plan. Now, the former option seemed more feasible than the latter. Rustling of clothes and moaning and speech of affection only meant one thing.
There was someone else in there.
Unless…
'Unless Heat's totally game for sex being done over the phone.' she snorted. She then shuddered as she considered the possibility of her teammate being that way, 'Eww gross!'
She stopped her thoughts when she heard the murmuring within again.
Argilla narrowed her eyes as she pressed her ear firmer against the door. She could hear the murmuring within!
"Yes…I…f…t…r…K…tie…"
"If it…weren't…for you……………I am…od…f…r…"
Argilla's eyes narrowed now, "Katie!? Is that the name of his woman?!" she hissed malevolently.
Now, she was convinced. Heat was hiding someone in there.
Cielo looked at her and nodded, "Maybe!"
Argilla gritted her teeth, "This is illegal!"
So Cielo had been right! There was a stowaway within Heat's room. Argilla tore herself away from door and suddenly yanked Cielo away from there too, "Come on Cielo. We've heard enough."
Cielo's eyes widened at that and there his lips quivered; he didn't even get to see Heat's inspiration!
Before he could protest, he had been yanked and dragged away.
"But…but…!" Finally, he capitulated, "Oh…okay…"
xxxxx
Cielo looked at Argilla's back and forth pacing form with mild interest. He had had his elbows rest on the table, his face in turn resting on the palms of his hands, "Um…wat now ja?"
It had been a day now since they had found out about "Katie"…
And Argilla was fuming. Cielo didn't know why though…
And so, he voiced out his opinion, "Say, Argilla…why is it so bad for Heat to have a girl dere anyway? Who cares? I mean, don't you and Serph do dat too?" he asked innocently, his sapphire eyes glowing in curiosity with no ounce of sarcasm.
Argilla blushed and then glowered at the young man, "No. It's different. Serph and I are perfectly aware of the regulations! And we do not cohabitate! Ever!"
Cielo rolled his eyes; whatever.
He really didn't care… All that he wanted to know was to see Heat's inspiration. Katie…
It was a name that he had never even heard off.
"Say…Argilla…Have you ever heard of a woman named…Katie…?"
Here, Argilla stopped pacing around and looked at the young man meaningfully, "No. Not really…But it could easily be a new recruit. You know how Heat is…"
Cielo snorted, "Yea…I know alright."
Heat had a tendency to switch girls as quick as he can change his underwear. He liked them young and fresh…and at times, the new recruits. It was possible that this Katie was a new recruit.
"Well, there's only one way to find out Cielo." she said as she grinned.
"Huh?"
xxxxx
The two found themselves seated in silence…Argilla had half the mind to report Heat to the MP…But she decided against it…
Heat wasn't just a fellow tribe member. He was a comrade…and most importantly, a friend. She didn't want to do this to him…But she had no choice. She had requested for the dossier for a "Katie"; a female within the tribe and no one was registered with such a name.
It was clear that whoever it was within his room was either using a pseudo name…or…or was a stowaway.
Probably a criminal that he was hiding…
She shook her head; there were so many dirty thoughts that were running through her head that she knew not even to justify. There were so many possibilities…Maybe this woman was a criminal…or a rookie…or whatever…!
Well. There was only one way to settle this.
Cielo was smiling though; they were after the same thing…But with different motives! He wanted to know who Heat's inspiration was! That was…if this "Katie" was even real…Yes. There was a chance that he and Argilla may have only misheard Heat…
But then again, Cielo wouldn't tell Argilla that. He needed her to sniff Heat the way a bloodhound would when hunting for a fox…
"So, wat now skipper?"
Argilla shrugged her shoulders.
"Simple. We have to tell Heat."
Cielo could've sworn that he heard her wrong. Say…what!?
"Wat!? Are you crazy mon!? He'd kill me if he knew!"
Argilla shook her head, "Don't worry. I won't tell him about you. I'll just say that I heard something within his room. Listen, this might be serious Cielo. But at the same time, we have to keep this under wraps."
Cielo felt relieved, "Okay…whatever…"
xxxxx
"Heat." Argilla stated, stopping an already brooding teammate from his walk.
"What?" he asked gruffly.
xxxxx
A loud roar was heard within the mess hall and Argilla felt all the more uncomfortable. A roar…? No…It wasn't a roar, per se. It was his laugh…
Heat laughed as loud as he could care to as he heard Argilla's accusation.
"What the hell are you talking about woman?" he asked.
Argilla blushed, but then again, kept her chin up and high…and proud, "Just what I said Heat. Are you harboring an illegal in your room?"
Heat stopped his roar of a laugh and there narrowed his red eyes at her, "No."
He then stood from the chair and there prepared to leave. Oh no! He wouldn't be able to get away from her that easily!
"Oh no you don't Heat! This is serious!"
Heat didn't pay attention and there just continued to walk away. Argilla gritted her teeth, "Okay…you asked for it…" she trailed off.
"Halt Heat!" she said with a loud and firm voice. He heeded her words and stopped with a sigh, "What is it now woman?"
"If you are indeed harboring someone in there, I wouldn't hesitate to have you arrested and that little filly of yours thrown in jail and face the military tribunal!"
She had expected Heat to relent and tell her the full story…But she didn't expect him to laugh at her…again.
What the hell was so funny anyway?! Wasn't he taking this seriously!?
"Woman, I don't know how much pot you've been smoking…But, I'll tell you again. I'm not having any girl or woman in my room." He then walked back over to her and leaned down towards her; their faces almost in contact and whispered darkly, "Got that?"
Argilla was frozen on the spot.
Taking her silence as compliance enough, he nodded and took his leave.
xxxxx