Chapter 6
"It's late."
Sequoia smiled softly but didn't turn in the direction of the voice. She just kept petting Bear and rubbing his ears. She teased, "Could say the same to you, sir."
Hesh made a face and groaned, "Don't do that."
"Do what?" Sequoia turned to smirk at Hesh as he approached her. "You are team leader. I am the Freefall asset."
"And a Ghost," Hesh growled. He hefted himself up to sit on the tree root that she had placed herself on. He laid his weapon across his lap to be within easy reach. "If anything…"
"Don't go there, Shappa," she interrupted. She smiled gently as she shook her head. "I did lead a team and I was the team leader. Not my job anymore."
"You're better I think."
Sequoia hummed at that. She didn't think so. She did what she did as Echo leader because it seemed right. Command thought she did good and kept her there though she was certain that she wasn't any good. Elias must have seen something which was why he requested her team be placed under his command though it was laced with the fact that he was protecting family too. "I'm not that. I just… I just know how to get the job done."
"You can fool everyone else but not me," Hesh countered as he looked at her. "And not any one of us on the Ghosts."
Sequoia smiled gently as she studied the intense and expressive look Hesh was giving her. "Maybe," she finally allowed. "I mean I guess I did have a few ideas of what a team should be." She gave a lopsided grin at that.
"And the stories are still told," Hesh grinned in agreement. He looked out at the jungle and sighed. As much as he wanted to be openly affectionate, he couldn't and it wore down on him but it was bolstered by the sheer fact that they were still together on the same team. Sometimes he had pessimistic thoughts about the other shoe dropping and she was reassigned. Most of the time, aside from the urgency of the job, he was happy just getting any time with her. It was more than he could hope for.
Sequoia hummed and smiled at that. She was tempted to reach over and grab his hand but they were hardly in a position to do so without getting caught by someone on base. She didn't want any trouble falling back on Hesh or the Ghosts but it frustrated her to no end that she couldn't be as free to express what she truly felt. She wasn't a prisoner to it since they had their moments and the best being when they shared a bed. In all honesty, she was grateful that she had been able to come back to them and she tried not to waste a minute of it.
It caught her off guard when she felt her hand grasped and held in his strong and gentle grip. She looked at him as she tried to take her hand back but he refused. He looked back at her with a look that told her to let him indulge so she relented. She knew that she could have refused since they were more or less the same rank but she didn't since in honest truth, she wanted the same thing. She stopped struggling and held still. She teased him, "You are taking a big risk."
"So?"
"Rebel."
Hesh chuckled at her reply. He was hardly that. "No. Just taking an opportunity," he grinned slightly at that.
Sequoia chuckled with him. It was rare that Hesh broke out of being careful and throw caution to the wind and it impressed her. It showed what attracted her to him since day one despite the fact that they didn't quite like each other at first. It was more like what she would do in the old days. She admitted, "And I like that about you."
Hesh leaned into her and gave her a gentle bump. He looked at her and replied, "And it's what like about you." He sighed when he saw how close he was to her face. "God, it's hard. You have any idea how badly I want to kiss you right now?"
Sequoia looked into Hesh's pine green eyes, mesmerized by his gaze. He held hers as she held his and it was how they sparred. Her chest panged and she felt like she was out of air but it was the good kind. "As much as I want to do the same with you."
Hesh stared at her lips as they moved. His eyes moved to take in her face. He took in the scar on her brow from when she 'fell out of a tree', the smoothness of her skin even covered in camo paint and her hair… black and silky smooth like a hawk's wing. He schooled himself to resist touching her in a manner that would be considered inappropriate and it was killing him. If it weren't for the nights they shared, he may have gone insane and did something completely reckless. Sighing, he held fast to her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Sequoia looked at Hesh. She wanted to touch him badly but she accepted the hand squeeze. She returned it with one of her own before tugging his hand to her lap. She used her other hand to run over it, feeling the scarring from the year old injury. Her fingertips ran along the scar. "At least we have this."
Hesh watched as she caressed his hand, feeling the scar. He fought to steady his breathing and relaxed his hand. "True. And every moment I spend with you, I treasure it."
"As do I." Sequoia looked up and smiled at Hesh. She sighed deeply and content and shifted to look out into the jungle. She adjusted her position to sit a little closer to him while keeping an eye on things. "I just hope what I know… won't do anything to…"
"We'll just have to work it through. I'm not letting you go without a fight, Hawk." Hesh looked at her with an intense expression. He repeated, "I'm not letting you go."
Sequoia smiled, knowing that he meant it. He did come looking for her and never lost hope that they would see each other again when she was gone those three months. He was a man of his word. He kept his promises. "I know."
Hesh nodded as he turned to look out at the jungle. He didn't like the situation but he was going to make the best of it. He adjusted his weapon and assumed the position of guard and noted she did the same. He knew he had to get to business. He said, "The CO of Kranz said that the com lines had been on the fritz for a while and then they just gave out."
"Hmm. Convenient huh?"
"Way too much." Hesh looked out at the landscape. "Harris actually was neutral and suggested that it was jungle conditions." He chuckled a little at that. "I guess your talk with him helped."
Sequoia shot a look at Hesh as he sat there, looking ahead. She could lie about it but that would just make things awkward and heading down towards the bad road. Besides they had enough stress with their relationship as it was not being able to show as much affection as they wanted. Sucking it up, she replied, "I didn't mean to overstep but…"
"It's okay." Hesh didn't look at her. He figured that she had said something. Harris had worked with her before and would have more likely talked to her. He had been a little upset if he wanted to look at that closer but in the end, he wasn't as mad as he could have been. Besides, Harris had been a bit rough with her too. So she had as much right. "Besides, he was rough with you, too," he said and looked at her. "And it took a lot to not bust his chops."
"Knowing you, it would be jumping him and pulling his kidney out through his throat." Sequoia looked ahead and then glanced at Hesh with a smirk. "You've done it plenty with a foolish FNG every now and then."
"Actually that is you with letting them have it," Hesh countered, "After a workout teaching Logan or your victim of choice a new move." He turned away and chuckled. "Nice knowing someone who knows how to get close and personal."
"It's a gift."
Hesh laughed at that. It was more than a gift. She was a natural and that wasn't just because she had been training since she was a little girl. He was starting to believe that she had been born as a warrior. "Right. Cause you're a born warrior."
"Don't you forget it… sir." Sequoia emphasized her point with a finger to Hesh's shoulder. She smirked at him as she adjusted her weapon.
"Don't start on that," Hesh warned with a slight grin. "Just because I'm team leader…"
Sequoia waved her hand, saying, "Alright, alright." Then to tease him she started going off in her mother tongue. It was mostly nonsense but she knew enough to make it sound like she was scolding him. She started emphasizing with her hands and started imitating her mother when she used to scold her father. Mostly it was about ridiculous things that were nonconsequential on a FOB base.
Hesh widened his eyes as he watched Sequoia start yelling, well not exactly yelling, at him and in her native tongue. He had no idea what she was saying. He figured it had something to do with him since she gestured at him and she was standing now and Bear was doing that low rumble in his chest. "Hawk…"
Sequoia turned towards him and grinned as she let out the last of her tirade. She smirked at him and lowered her hands. If she wasn't holding her weapon, she would have clasped her hands in front of her and continue to smile at him like an innocent girl. She said nothing as she twisted at her waist smirking at Hesh before saying, "You're lucky all I did was rant on the weather." She chuckled before turning to head back into the base. She paused only to call Bear to her side and then give Hesh a grin before wishing him good night.
Hesh stared at her with a wide opened mouth. He managed to close it and start chuckling. He shook his head at the fact that he had been had. Normally that would have resulted in a talking to but even he knew that soldiers needed to blow off steam. Harmless fun was to be expected in all forms. Sometimes it was your fists like the occasional sparring bouts, unspoken of blowing off steam aka sex, or pranks. The last one was one done on Keegan. That had been a doozy since it ended up with the man getting a tattoo on the back of his left shoulder and the quiet man actually cursing up a storm. The tattoo stayed and the culprits never caught but it was a good laugh and one told to every new FNG that entered base.
Hesh always suspected that it was his brother. He couldn't prove it though and let it go by telling Keegan that his ranting was making him look like an idiot. He did catch Logan grinning every time the quiet sniper walked by and once maybe a snicker. So it was inevitable that he would be caught in some form of teasing. Well it happened on occasion from Sequoia. The problem was that her teasing came when he least expected it and that turned him on and encouraged him to figure out something to get her back on. That was his own form of spec ops and he liked the challenge.
Sighing, Hesh hopped off the root and turned to head back in. His team wasn't on patrol. More or less they were guests. If they needed help, they would ask and they were under orders to help out if there was anything related to their mission of finding the missing asset. The good news was that the collected intel was secure and Sequoia had found out that there was something on the drive that was not part of the intel and was very important. The bad news was that the asset was still missing and he had information that could be valuable if he was broken.
Hesh walked through the base, looking around with Riley at his side. His thoughts were on the mission and what else they could look for if they were going to find this asset and keep Command from finding another reason to put the Ghosts under scrutiny. Even though it had been a year since Sequoia's recovery, they were still on a tight leash even with the colonel's help. It was a frustrating thing and in the end maybe it was warranted since he and Logan did go after Rorke against orders… sort of. That was the whole consequences for actions lesson there and they were paying for it. The best to do was do the job. So that was what he was going to do. He would check in with the tech guys assigned to the FOB and see what they were able to do about the encrypted file.
Hesh was walking through when a soldier called out to him. He recognized him as one of guys who was a sort of escort around the base. He waved him over. "What is it?"
"General Barrett wants to speak with you. About the com problem." The soldier, a private was out of breath and it looked like he had been running around to find him. "The cause."
Hesh looked at the private. He had met the general and got the impression that he ran a tight ship and had been pissed about his com problem. He was even more pissed about the convoy and the fact that there were missing soldiers and some had been executed. If the general wanted him to talk to him, then that meant there was a serious problem. He replied, "Take me to him."
"So this is the bastard that made it hard for Kranz to help them out?" Harris shook his head as he looked through the window at the prisoner. He walked away looking ready to punch someone. He paused a little when he got close to Hesh and moved away to give him space. "Sounds like a traitor to me."
"He was checked and the ID he stolen was from a guy of ours. He killed him and used his ID to get onto base," Keegan asserted as he stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. "No one questioned it."
"Maybe they should've," Harris countered.
Hesh held up a hand to keep the argument from escalating, "Should've yes but according to General Barrett, the ID was for an FNG. No one had seen him before. It made sense to assume." He looked at Harris with a firm look that told him to button up.
"Fair enough," Harris conceded. He couldn't argue with that. The whole thing made him angry. Too many of their men had been killed and even though they pushed the Federation back, they still were in a fight. "It just doesn't sit right," he added in a softer tone.
Hesh nodded his agreement as he crossed his arms over his chest. At that moment, Logan asked, "So what are we doing now? Isn't Command sending someone to question?"
Hesh looked at Logan. As much as Logan understood the situation like everyone else, the question still had to be asked. He replied, "We already have an interrogator on site." He glanced over at the door to the tent where he could see through the glass what was going on. "Hawk."
Keegan followed Hesh's gaze and saw through the window Hawk as she was talking to the general. No doubt she was protesting the whole thing. He didn't blame her since more than likely she would have to get nasty. He did see her magic at work when they found her and he didn't count her intimidation of Ramos. As she said, it was a party trick, but it worked. "You sure about this?"
Hesh looked at Keegan. No doubt the older Ghost was questioning him as a means of testing his feelings. He didn't like it either but they had a job to do. He didn't like that she might be plagued with bad memories but… "We have a job to do and that is to retrieve the asset. The com breakdown was no coincidence. It was deliberate and may be connected. We need to find out and Hawk is trained for it."
Keegan looked at Hesh and studied his expression. He had known for a long time the kid's feelings, both of theirs. He was impressed that they managed to keep a working relationship with each other in front of the brass while still managing to have some sort of a relationship. It was grounds for some sort of punishment but even Merrick wasn't cruel about it. They did their jobs and didn't let feelings get in the way but sometimes… "Alright then," he said.
Hesh looked at the older man, "I don't like it either but this is our mission." He glanced at the others. He saw Logan's silent confirmation that he had his back and Harris was giving a nod that was less surly than earlier. He looked back at Keegan. "We do the job and bring the asset home as well as any survivors."
"Copy that," Keegan replied nodding.
At that moment Sequoia came into the holding tent with General Barrett. She was holding a file folder and had stripped down to her ACU pants and t-shirt. Her tags hung around her neck and her hair was neatly coiled at the nape of her neck. Her camo paint had been washed off but hastily so there were a few smudges. Not that it mattered. She wasn't going for pretty.
"All I want is to know what the hell he is doing here on my base and you can ask whatever you want to get what you need," Barrett was saying to her.
Sequoia looked at the general and nodded, "Understood sir. Just to be clear, the MPs need to stay clear of the room. Outside the door is fine and my team here can help."
Barrett looked at her with a poignant look, "Whatever you need, Falcon. Slayton said you were the best." He looked at her as if daring her to contradict that assessment. He put his hands behind his back and added, "I don't care if you make him piss in his pants. Just get it done."
"Wilco," Sequoia replied as she tucked the file under her arm. She glanced at the other Ghosts. The last face she looked at was Hesh and her gaze sharpened. She gave him a nod and proceeded to open the door to the interrogation room.
Barrett watched her go in with no fear, no trepidation… nothing but calm. He pursed his lips and then glanced at the Ghosts, "No fear in that one."
Hesh responded since he was the team leader, "She was trained for it, sir." He adjusted his stance to appear more respectful since he was in the presence of a general.
"I know that." Barrett relaxed his stance and looked at the team leader. He had heard of the Ghosts and that they were instrumental in getting the barriers down that helped them take down LOKI as well as taking out a traitor. They were the ones that got things done; they didn't stop until the mission was completed. "She's one of Slayton's but there is something about her that you just can't help but admire."
Hesh nodded respectfully, "You have probably heard of her team Echo."
"Defenders of the wall."
It felt awkward with the general standing in there with the Ghosts. It was like having the principal come in and watch your class. Everyone felt stiff in his presence. Hesh knew he had to relax and set an example. He nodded, "One of many teams near Fort Santa Monica."
Barrett looked at Hesh with a raised brow. He knew the younger soldier was being polite as rank dictated and respected that. "Indeed. I heard you were good as well. Viking was it?"
"Yes sir."
"I wouldn't expect less from the sons of Elias Walker." He glanced over at Logan who was standing near the door and watching the proceedings. He looked back at Hesh who was standing there with a respectful stance, not giving away anything. "Anyway, I am glad the Ghosts are on this. The coms outage just burns my biscuits."
"I can imagine, sir."
"Lieutenant," Barrett countered after pacing. He looked at Hesh as he relayed his request/order, "We have the encrypted file being examined. Perhaps it will go quicker if your tech specialist were to help. Might clear this up."
Hesh considered that. True that it would help if they had a hand in it. He refrained since it was a matter of respect for the chain of command. The only other person he knew of that would be able to do that was… He nodded and replied, not breaking his gaze with the general, "Logan. Help them out."
Logan looked at his brother staring at the general. He wasn't sure what was going on but the tension was palpable even though his best friend was fairly relaxed going in. He glanced into the interrogation room and then back at Hesh. "Copy that." He picked up his gear and left to head to the tech tent.
Hesh waited until his brother left before asking, "Do you require anything else, sir?"
"Word." The general walked out of the tent and gestured for Hesh to follow.
Hesh tensed a little but he didn't let it show. He followed the general after shooting a look to Keegan that clearly meant that he was to keep an eye on Sequoia and to be there if she needed help. It wasn't that he didn't think that she could do it. He was concerned that the prisoner might try something and she might need backup. Getting that from the elder Ghost, he followed the general out of the tent and joined him. He didn't say anything but his presence indicated he was asking what the general wanted.
General Barrett, pulled out a cigar and held it in his fingers. He slowly put it in his mouth and lit it. "Tell me something: what are you doing with a Freefall asset?"
Hesh stood there, not sure if this was a trick question or not. "Falcon is a member of my team. A Ghost, sir."
Barrett looked up as he puffed out smoke. "Don't try to be protective, Lieutenant. I know about Freefall. I am curious."
Hesh straightened a little about it. He looked at the general and replied, "We're investigating and retrieving the PC from the convoy that was ambushed."
"Which happens to be one of Slayton's assets," Barrett answered poignantly. He was liking Hesh more and more for keeping his cool. He wished he had more like him under his command. "Well that's perfect. Like we need those Fed bastards snaking anything else."
"I doubt the asset would give in so easily," Hesh offered as he adjusted his weapon. He hadn't unpacked his gear since he had his initial meeting with the general. "From my understanding, they are trained not only in interrogation methods but anti interrogation as well as more… persuasive forms of interrogation."
Barrett nodded as he took a puff of his cigar. He looked at his base and thought about things for a moment. He knew that the soldier next to him was probably anxious to know what was going on and as much fun as he had making soldiers squirm, he knew better than to mess with a spec ops teams. He finally said, "I know. Which makes me wonder why Slayton has you guys under his command but I'm not going to question it. At least Charles' little girl is doing well."
"Excuse me, sir?"
Barrett grinned and looked at Hesh, "You know what I mean." He chuckled at the expression on Hesh's face. He explained, "Charles was a good friend of mine. We went through the ranks together. He would have been general himself now."
"Sir, Falcon is a member of…"
"And in good hands. I heard good things about you, Lieutenant," Barrett interrupted, enjoying the reaction. "And your father was a good man." He turned to look at Hesh full on. "Look, I'm not going to bust your chops. Anything you need of Kranz, let me know."
Hesh straightened slightly. "Thank you sir."
Barrett nodded and took a puff of his cigar. He muttered for Hesh to carry on and to let him know what they found out. He paused a moment to let slip, "Oh, by the way. Don't be afraid to take a chance. There is a way to work things out with the brass." He gave a wink for good measure.
Hesh could only stare at the general. He had a moment of panic since it was clear that the general suspected his relationship with Sequoia. And yet he seemed supportive but it made him nervous anyway. He shook his head to clear it. He would have to worry about it later. Right now he had to worry about the interrogation and their next steps. He turned and headed back into the tent just as he heard a crash and then a sickening thud.
"I think you are what I tell you to be."
A/N: Some down time at FOB Kranz and figuring out what happened and an interrogation. What a way to go and see ya next time on Ghost Ops: Freefall...