A/N: Oi, I had to make mini-quiche for a potluck at work today. They turned out beautifully, but it made me late to update. Sorry!
Thank you to the reviewers, you guys are so understanding and awesome. I will definitely work on finishing this story over the 'break'.
Thank you to Greg for beta-ing this, he's apparently going through some stuff, so I'm especially grateful that he took the time to look it over.
Read!
XXIII.
The four unharnessed kids were predictably found on the farthest outskirts of camp. They had set up inside and around an old station wagon. Gia was apparently napping in the open back seat, Kelsey sat in the front with a book, and Doug and Roman were sitting on the hood playing a game of cards. The boys paused, turning to glare, as Jimmy and Ben approached. Ben stopped short several meters back and Jimmy paused a few feet from the car.
The entire left side of Roman's face, where Jimmy's knee had connected during their scuffle, was painted a particularly sickening array of black, blue and purple, tinged slightly green at the edge of all the bruising. He only darted a quick look to Jimmy, before focusing his dark, intense stare on Ben. Doug's eyes, trembling, were locked on Ben as well and Ben returned the ominous glares with a particularly heated one of his own.
Jimmy couldn't help feeling somewhat like a chair or table, as though he were some inconsequential piece of furniture, the way those three boys paid him so little mind. He cleared his throat and shifted his weight from foot to foot, self-consciously shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Weaver wants me to take you four out on a quick practice scout," he announced, though his voice was barely audible, like the rustle of leaves. His words whipped away on the wind and faded into a finite silence. Somewhere an owl or some other crepuscular bird cooed softly.
Jimmy looked between Doug and Roman, and then turned to peer over his shoulder at Ben. Ben's eyes were narrowed almost dangerously on Roman. Jimmy shuddered; he didn't quite like the glint in those soft brown eyes. Ben wore a strangely dark, terrifying expression, a snarl twisted on his usually pliant, pleasantly drawn lips.
"What happened to your face?" Ben growled question.
"What happened to yours?" Roman returned snidely.
A stone cold weight dropped in the pit of Jimmy's gut. From the tone in both the other boys' voices, things were about to turn ugly fast.
"Clever comeback, what five year old did you steal it from?" Ben muttered, folding his arms over his chest and persisting against the obvious warning, "How did you get so much bruising? You don't actually do anything around camp. Did you run into a wall or…?"
"Isn't that sweet? He's concerned for your well-being, Rome," Doug mocked under his breath, flicking the cards in his hand against his thigh, "Maybe there is something human left in him."
Roman scoffed and shifted his intense gaze to Jimmy, "Is there a reason you brought your razorback with you, brat, or did he just follow you here like the average mongrel?"
Jimmy shrunk back from Roman's sudden attention swap, heat flooding his features, and his heart slamming straight up to pound erratic in his head. The older boy certainly hadn't lost much of his edge, despite having indisputably lost their earlier scuffle. Ben perked a brow, his features screwing into puzzlement, as he studied Jimmy out of the corner of his eye.
"Weaver wants Ben to come with us," Jimmy explained, struggling to keep the stutter from his words. He shrugged sheepishly, and grumbled, "To see if you can all work together."
"Isn't that a little premature?" Gia's voice piped from the car's backseat. She was lifting herself up, groggily rubbing the sleep from her eyes, "He doesn't even know if we'll make good fighters yet and he already wants to see if we can play with the big gun?"
Roman tipped his chin down, obviously not pleased with Gia's insinuating word choice, although it caused Jimmy's lip to twitch involuntarily into a slight smirk. Roman talked big but at least they all recognized that Ben was the seasoned fighter. At his back, Jimmy could hear Ben shuffle a bit, probably wearing a sheepish expression to match the nervous fidgeting, in a rare moment being adorably modest instead of his usual adorably arrogant.
Kelsey slipped from the front of the car and sidled up next to Roman, keeping her head ducked low and pinching her fingers in the hem of Roman's t-shirt.
"It's just convenient, is all. I need another experienced fighter with me for this trip, Ben has nothing else to do, and sooner or later you'll have to work with him if you want to be fighters, so…yeah," Jimmy rambled off explanation.
"Or he's rushing us," Roman challenged, from his tone it was obvious he wasn't asking but stating exactly what he knew to be true, "Because something urgent suddenly came up."
Jimmy glanced quickly back at Ben who perked a curious brow at him. He sighed, lowered his head and glared up at Roman, even as he could feel Ben's heated stare at his back.
"The alien structure," Jimmy murmured, "Weaver might want to go through with the attack on it…if….if you guys can keep up with Ben."
Ben made a noise low in his throat, almost like an animalistic growl, it was a kind of muted angry sound. He retreated away a few steps, shaking his head angrily at the ground. Roman sneered, his focus returning to Ben.
"Looks like Weaver needs us to pick up your slack, Mason. He doesn't trust you to go in on your own anymore?" Roman jeered.
Jimmy scowled, "That's not why," he turned round and whispered hastily to Ben, "Weaver just doesn't want you going in there alone."
"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Ben hissed in return, locking his eyes on Jimmy's own.
Jimmy shrugged, shrinking back and darting looks between the four teenagers gathered around the car and Ben. At this rate, they were never going to make it to the shopping center; Weaver would have his answer as to whether those five could work together within half-an-hour of doling out the mission. And at the crux of this soon-to-be-failed experiment would be Jimmy; he couldn't control his students, he certainly couldn't control Ben, he was just a failure that never should have been trusted with such an important assignment. It was starting to look as though all in one shopping trip he would be losing his first mission on point for the 2nd Mass, Weaver and possibly also Dai's respect and trust, and – Jimmy's heart gave a pathetic thump against his chest – Ben.
"I…well…that's because…" Jimmy scrambled for an excuse but he couldn't get his tongue to cooperate, it suddenly felt too large and thick and heavy in his mouth.
"Probably because he can't form a clear sentence," Doug quipped, "Honestly, Mason, what do you see in this kid? Everyone knows it can't be the clever conversation, you couldn't pry a syllable out of him if you had a crowbar."
Jimmy faltered, the insult slamming right into his chest and knocking the air clean out of his lungs, his head light and reeling out of control as unbidden tears suddenly dotted the corners of his eyes. He wondered it often enough, what could Ben possibly see in him, that he probably should've been better prepared for someone else to make that same observation but instead it just about shattered him completely. He was so knocked off balance by the comment, that he almost didn't register Ben advancing towards Doug, yet somehow he managed to pull himself back to reality in time to throw himself in front of Ben, struggling to hold the raging boy back.
"Don't talk about him like that," Ben roared.
Doug slipped off the car hood as though prepping himself for battle, Gia crawling out of the backseat to stand anxiously at his shoulder. Roman remained seated, staring unimpressed at Ben's display, Kelsey quiet beside him, her wide eyes gazing blankly out at the scene before her.
"Could everyone just calm down," Jimmy pleaded, his forearm braced across Ben's chest, as he used his entire body weight to hold Ben back and even that was barely enough, "Will you…please….just stop? Shit…Ben, stop. Doug, shut up."
"Okay, we'll play," Roman announced.
Ben paused in his struggle to take his pent-up angers out on the obnoxious Douglas, returning his dangerous glare on Roman. Jimmy relaxed, straightening and dropping his arm to his side, his eyes curiously fixed on Roman as well.
"We'll go scouting with you, brat," Roman continued, and Jimmy could sense the way Ben beside him seized at that little meaningless sort-of-nickname, "And we'll attempt to play nice with your razorback. That is, if he can play nice with us."
Ben snorted lightly, turned his face away to study the horizon. Jimmy shoved his hands into his pockets, eyed the ground and waited, the distant sounds of the 2nd Mass waking for the day like a roaring ocean in his ears.
"Fine," Ben agreed.
Jimmy took a deep, steadying breath. He looked to each of the five gathered, and quietly exclaimed, "Great. Let's go start making plans."
Jimmy and Ben led the way into the community center, the other four lagging significantly far behind though still following. They held conference in one of the smaller classrooms, Ben and Roman positioned themselves as far from one another as possible, with the others scattered in between them.
For the first hour or so, there was a lot of arguing. Jimmy made small suggestions but remained silent for the most part, he wasn't accustomed to making the plans, just following them. So he let the others throw out ideas and it seemed everyone had something to say: some concern, some disagreement, some half-cocked scheme or wishful thought.
Eventually, the plan settled on Ben and Jimmy splitting the four rookies up between themselves. Despite Ben's protests, Jimmy would take Roman and Douglas, Jimmy didn't think the three hot-headed boys could be trusted together but he felt confident that he could handle the two older boys by himself. They were obnoxious but for the most part meant Jimmy no harm. As long as they kept their insulting comments focused on Jimmy and for the most part left Ben out of the conversation, Jimmy knew he could tolerate them.
Ben would take Gia and Kelsey. Gia seemed more than capable of taking care of herself and Ben was better at keeping a clean mouth than Jimmy, which should deter most of the tension in their group. Kelsey on the other hand, Jimmy felt she may need more protection in battle than the other three rookies; she still flinched at gunfire and cowered constantly behind her three older friends. Ben could more readily protect her than Jimmy but Roman wasn't thrilled with the decision and voiced it in a slew of insults that ended on a threatening note, 'keep her safe if you know what's good for you'. There was an added benefit to splitting Kelsey from Roman that Jimmy didn't mention aloud; it gave the younger girl opportunity to develop more independence. She relied too heavily on Roman's presence and it hindered her training to become a fighter.
Jimmy's team would clear the east side of the complex; Ben's team would take the west. They would come up on the complex from the south side, meet up on the north end. Once they had a secured perimeter, Ben and Jimmy would let the four others search the stores in the complex for much needed supplies while they maintained the perimeter and directed the four on protocol.
When they were finished looting whatever resources they could find, Jimmy and Ben would lead the four on a few scenario drills, that way they had the job completed and could leave in a hurry if need be without the trip being a waste.
Plans hashed out, Ben went to collect the artillery and any other items they might need while Jimmy instructed his four students on basic hand signs used in the field and a rundown on formations. He also rehashed gun safety, although he emphasized that neither none of the four teenagers were expected nor should they find themselves in a situation in which they would have to fire the guns or, for that matter, actually be able to shoot anything.
"We barely just learned how to shoot, though," Gia complained at one point, "What if something does attack us?"
"Nothing should attack," Jimmy replied, though there wasn't much certainty in his tone. He'd been on enough scouts that were supposed to be 'easy in and out' that ended in dodging Skitter claws while racing through a hail of mech fire to know that the only guarantee in life was that if something could go wrong then it most certainly would, "The area is pretty dead of enemy troops, but if we do run into trouble, me and Ben'll handle it."
"Great. So our lives are in your hands?" Doug grumbled, clearly disconcerted by that revelation.
Jimmy shrugged, murmuring, "You can always stay behind."
"I guess we all got to die sometime," Doug returned, slouching down in his seat and exchanging a look with Roman, warning glinting in the older boy's eyes.
The matter didn't get pressed much farther than that and, short on any more information or advice to offer the four, Jimmy left to brief Weaver on his plans, retrieving the vehicle keys while he was there. Then he led the four to the truck they would be using, finding Ben waiting for them there, already loading a few items in the truck bed.
"You're on the bike," Jimmy told Ben, accepting an offered pack of fighter necessities: first aid kit, emergency provisions, etc., as well as his rifle retrieved from the community center and a couple of his knives: one with a serrated blade, and the other a two inch switch blade. He tossed the pack in the truck cabin and set his rifle next to it, strapped one knife to his hip and clipped the other one inside his boot. He handed over the key to one of the 2nd Mass's multiple motorbikes, marked with a color-coded keychain.
"About what I said before…" Ben started in a low voice, watching warily the other four teenagers as they clambered into the truck, whispering amongst themselves and for the most part putting on a grand show of paying the two boys no mind, though Jimmy was well aware that their full attention was on Ben and himself.
At Ben's words, Jimmy grimaced, tensing his shoulders and nibbling his inner cheek. He knew from Ben's tone that the other boy wasn't exactly revving up for an apology or a recant of his earlier promise, so whatever he was about to say was just going to be a practice in futility as far as Jimmy was concerned.
"What about it?" Jimmy grunted.
Ben opened his mouth, left it dangling unhinged a moment, then closed it again and murmured, "Forget it. Look just…be careful out there, okay? And…you know…keep an eye on those two."
"I'll be fine," Jimmy muttered, feeling agitated. It was weird, he always seemed to be having this conversation with Ben, as if he weren't capable of remembering to be careful, as if he had no clue to be cautious of malevolent intentions in another human being, as if somehow those six months – forget the thirteen years – he'd miraculously managed to survive on his own before ever meeting Ben had somehow been a fluke.
"Jimmy," Ben whispered, dropping his gaze, "Please just…"
Jimmy frowned, seething, "Please what, Ben? Do what you say without question? Follow your lead because you know what's best, because you're so much better than me?"
"Please can we not go out there mad at each other," Ben whispered haggardly.
Jimmy fell silent, slumping slightly as an odd pain thrummed in his chest. Ben glanced at the four teenagers waiting in the truck, and then took a small step closer to Jimmy, dropping his voice to just above audible, though Jimmy knew it was irrelevant, the four could apparently hear just as well as Ben.
"Anything can happen out there and I don't want the last thoughts we ever have of each other to be…" Ben trailed off, closing his eyes and squeezing the air hard from his lungs, "Be angry at me when we get back to camp but not right now. Please?"
Jimmy said nothing for a stretch of seconds that felt like years. He gazed out the corner of his eyes at the houses across the street, thinking absently, as he always did, about questions that seemed important though their answers were no more relevant in that present time than who won the World Series in 1980: who used to live in those houses, what kinds of people were they, how did they live their lives, what kind of work did they do, where they married, divorced, did they have children, did those children go to school, were they happy, were they miserable, did they die, were they alive somewhere in a different resistance or were they running, constantly searching for a sanctuary that didn't exist?
"I can't do that, Ben. I can't not be angry with you, not when I know what you plan on doing when we get back to camp," Jimmy whispered, darting his eyes meekly, briefly, to the other boy and regretting it the moment he caught glimpse of the pain contorted there. He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed down hard his emotions, as he admitted, "If anything does happen out there, though…I promise…my last thoughts of you…they won't be…they won't be bad, Ben. I know that they could never be…"
Jimmy sighed, shaking his head and frowning at the ground.
"It's weird. I'm mad but I guess it doesn't actually mean anything," he muttered, "I'm only mad because I…because of…I care about you…so it doesn't really do anything, being mad…it just…"
"Yeah," Ben agreed. He put his hands in his pockets, eyed the ground a moment and then whispered, "Why don't we do something when we get back?"
Jimmy perked a brow, wondering bitterly, "What about your other plans?"
"Well, they're only kind of back up plans," Ben confessed sheepishly, "You know, in case what I really want to do is busy with something else…"
"What you really want to do…?" Jimmy repeated stupidly, and Ben smirked up at him. Jimmy dropped his gaze, flushing, "Oh."
A distant smile touched Jimmy's lips, his heart softly fluttering in his chest, warmth spreading through him, as Ben watched him with furtive, uncertain glances. One of these days Jimmy needed to learn how to stay angry with Ben for longer than it took the other boy to pout his lip and beg 'don't be mad at me', otherwise he would never win a fight, but it didn't seem like today would be that day.
"Were we going to be leaving anytime soon or would you like us to postpone this trip so that you two could work on your feelings? Maybe cry things out a little?" Roman called impatiently, if not somewhat frustrated, from the truck bed. Douglas beside him burst out laughing and Gia's lip curled up, looking the very picture of a satisfied cat.
Jimmy winced, burying his face in a palm to hide the blossoming red across his face, and Ben darted a dark look the older boy's direction, a low warning growl rumbling in his chest.
"Right, let's get moving," Ben bellowed harshly, and then in a light whisper to Jimmy, "I'll see you at the complex."
Jimmy nodded, watching Ben retreat towards the cluster of 2nd Mass motorbikes a moment before turning to the truck and climbing into the driver seat, Kelsey beside him in the cabin and the other three out in the bed. He turned the key in the ignition and fumbled a bit to remember how the clutch and gear shift worked, struggling just to get them both to move with his embarrassingly undersized and over worn muscles, and then he eased the truck out of the parking lot towards the street in line behind Ben on the bike.
Ben darted off down the road, shooting far ahead and quickly out of sight and Jimmy swallowed hard, heart staggering in his chest, pulling the truck out of camp and pointing it the direction Ben had gone, towards the shopping complex. He could feel Kelsey beside him, tense and anxious, and see the other three out of his rearview, making excited expressions and gestures, shouting, every now and then, exclamations quickly swept away on the wind.
As the comfortable suburbia where the 2nd Mass took shelter whipped by and gave way to an empty highway, Weaver's earlier question suddenly came back to ring portentously in Jimmy's ears: are you ready for this.
.
.
.
A/N: And so there is the first real interaction between Ben and the other Unharnessed teens. More to come!
Let me know what you guys think, please! Thanks.
Reviewers: Faithful Harmony, thank you for dropping by with the review! I'm glad you're liking the story so much. SassySavanna190, lol, a little drama is good for the soul. Um...Jimmy's old friends...hm...I think I mentioned last story I was thinking about some of them coming into the story...I guess you'll just have to read and find out how that unfolds. :) WhisperMaw, it's always a good day when you have time to stop by! I was so very happy that you noticed the boys narrate differently! I've been trying to write them with distinct voices, so I'm so excited its sort of showing through! Thank you for that. No, no double update on this story...but...I would recommend checking the fandom around Christmas regardless, just in case Santa does drop you guys off something. I hope you have a happy holidays too! Cookie97, lol, that was my sentiments exactly! Not because I hate when they fight (conflict is the spice of life) but because I needed the story to go somewhere and their fighting wasn't getting it there! Oi vey. Boys, I swear. IcicleLilly, Greg'll be happy that someone else is on Ben's side in a fight...though I don't know how easy it would have been for Jimmy to say 'no' to his mentor, hero, and father-figure. I'm looking forward to Tom coming into the story myself, there will be plenty of family conflict.
Thank you guys for stopping in! Last update of the year will be Sunday and then I'll see you guys...on January 3rd.