Whatever It Takes: Book1 Time of Choices

Book1 Whatever 03



 


Whatever It Takes – Book I: Time of ChoicesPart 3 – Surprise Inspection
 General Treize Khushrenada’s personal shuttle landed at
the small base in Belgium shortly after noon. The young, ginger-blond man rose from his
leather chair, straightening out his uniform with a few sharp tugs. He told his aid to
have the shuttle ready for take-off at 1600 hours (for those not living on military time
that would be 4:00 p.m.) sharp. He had a business dinner to attend later that evening, one
he could not afford to be late for.
Captain Ventuno, the base commander, met Treize on the runway giving
him a crisp salute.
"General," the man stammered. "I was never informed
about your visit."
"Of course you weren’t, Captain," the ginger blond man answered in an
almost amused tone of voice. "Because if you were this wouldn’t be a surprise
inspection, now would it?"
"No, I suppose it wouldn’t." Ventuno agreed, blushing slightly in
embarrassment. The general could be charming and intimidating at the same time.
"Where would you like to start with your inspection, your Excellency?"
"I’ve heard there was an arrest made last night."
"Yes, Sir. The prisoner is being interrogated as we speak," the captain
explained.
"I see," Treize said. "Then that’s where we will start. Take me to the
interrogation room, Captain, if you may!"
Ventuno nodded. "This way, your Excellency."
A few minutes later they entered the secured area in the basement where a few holding
cells and interrogation rooms were located. Ventuno opened the door to one of the
interrogation rooms for the general and Treize was barely able to suppress a sharp gasp.
Obviously what was going on here was anything but a questioning.
A soldier was restraining a handcuffed and gagged prisoner on the ground. A second guard,
his trousers lowered to his ankles, was kneeling over the figure. The prisoner’s
white shirt was unbuttoned and ripped away to reveal pale skin covered with fresh
scratches and bruises. His pants too were unzipped.
"What is going on here?" the general snapped in a
dangerous tone of voice, as if the situation wasn’t self-explaining. Only a few
minutes later and they would have walked right into…Treize didn’t even want to
think about it.
Captain Ventuno had visibly paled at the sight. Henley struggled to
his feet, hastily rearranging his clothes and zipping himself up, while the other soldier
had already jumped up and snapped to attention. Both guards stammering incoherent words in
what might have been an attempt to explain their actions.
Treize knelt down next to the prisoner, reaching out to push a few strands of silvery
blond hair out of his face. Only then he realized how young…and handsome… the
boy was. Even a badly split lip and a dark, swollen bruise above his right cheekbone
couldn’t distract from his natural beauty. Treize breathed in sharply, staring at him
for a moment before he lifted the boy’s head, untying and removing the gag. The blond
gasped for air.
The general scooped the boy up into his arms. The prisoner panicked
and tried to struggle against him.
"Relax," he whispered. "I’m not going to hurt you."
The blond stilled. Maybe it was a result of his soothing words; maybe he had just reached
the end of his strength. His head drooped and rolled against the general’s chest.
"Unlock his restrains." Treize ordered and one of the guards hurried to comply.
He run a keycard through the handcuffs and removed them.
"I want the names of these men," the General snapped in Ventuno’s
direction, as he walked out of the interrogation room. And preferable their heads as
well.
The Captain nodded eagerly. "Of course your Excellency."
And with a look at the prisoner he continued. "We don’t have a infirmary on
base, but there is a military hospital nearby. I’ll have them send a doctor over.
Until then all I can offer is a couch in my office."
The ginger-blond man nodded, following the captain upstairs to the
office level. The boy was trembling in his arms and Treize pulled him closer against his
body.
"Shh, it’s over. You are safe now," he whispering
soothingly, not sure if the blond was even conscious enough to understand his words.
***
Treize dismissed Ventuno, basically throwing the man out of his own
office, then put the blond youth down on the couch. After telling one of the guards in the
hall to bring him some ice the general took a quick inspection of the room. He discovered
a water cooler, walked over to fill a glass and took it to the youth. Squatting down next
to the couch he slid one arm under the blonde’s neck, lifting his head up a bit and
supporting him while he held the glass to his bruised lips. Zechs drank thirstily. Treize
set the glass aside, pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and started gently to dab away
some blood from the corner of the boy’s mouth and his split lip. The prisoner
groaned. Eyelids fluttered, then opened. Ice-blue eyes tried to focus on the general.
There was something haunting about these eyes. They seemed unfitting for such a youthful
face. As if they had seen more than somebody of his age should ever witness. When Treize
reached out again to wipe away another trickle of blood the boy jerked his head away.
"Don’t touch me."
The ginger blond man nodded, rose to his feet and moved away.
"I don’t think I had a chance to introduce myself yet." He said.
"I’m Treize Khushrenada." A moment later the guard returned with the ice
the general had requested. Treize sent the man to the cafeteria to fetch some food, closed
the door behind him and turned back to the prisoner, handing him the ice.
"This should help somewhat. A doctor will check you out later."
Zechs hesitated a moment before accepting the icepack. He eyed the ginger blond man for
long while.
He is still so young and already a General. For a moment he
wondered what it had taken to get to that rank so quickly. How much blood does he have
on his hands?
Zechs wasn’t sure why the general had helped him. He just knew
that he didn’t like it. The man was an Alliance soldier, the same as those who had
killed his family. He didn’t want to feel gratitude toward him or be in any way
obligated to him. Pressing the icepack against a bruise on his forehead, he concentrated
on the cold and numbing feeling.
Treize looked at the youth scrutinizing, wondering for a moment what was going on in his
mind.
The boy was well build and muscular, signs that he was spending a
lot of time keeping himself fit. His clothes were expensive looking, probably tailored,
yet just like the boy they had seen better times. He probably had been living in them for
a while, but he was definitely not a street rat. His features had something distinguished
aristocratic to them. His long pale hair was mesmerizing, the way it floated around his
head, his bangs partially covering his blue eyes. Those crystal blue eyes filled with so
many emotions, so much hurt and anger.
The boy was beautiful and he was in pain, something that instantly awoke Treize’s
instincts to protect him.
Shaking his head to clear his mind the general stepped over to the desk. He slipped into
the high-backed chair, turned on the computer and called up the prisoner’s file.
Name: N/A
Date of Birth: N/A
Place of Birth: N/A
And so it went on. There was little data aside from the
circumstances surrounding his arrest.
I’m surprised we even know what he is here for, the general thought
sarcastically.
Zechs sat up, swinging his feet over the site of the couch, and
re-buttoned his shirt, tucking it into the beige pants with shaking fingers. He was
shivering but it wasn’t as much from the cold as of exhaustion.
Watching him in the reflection of the computer screen Treize could
see the boy’s eyes focus on the door.
"Don’t even think about it. There are two guards right outside that door and
even if you somehow manage to make it pass by them, there are at least three security
gates you will have to pass through before you even leave the building." Turning his
chair to face the battered prisoner he crossed his legs in a casual manner planted his
elbows on the armrests, interlacing his white-gloved fingers.
"I’m afraid I didn’t catch your name earlier."
"I didn’t give you my name." Zechs answered.
"Right." Treize said. "But don’t you think it would be much more
civilized if I could address you by your name?"
The youth sighed tiredly. "Zechs."
"I suppose you also have a last name, Zechs?"
"Merquise."
"Zechs Merquise." Treize echoed. "An interesting name. So, Zechs would you
care to tell me why you were trying to hack into top secret military files?"
"I’t know anything about any military files."
Zechs replied calmly. " I was only trying to burglarize that house."
Treize raised one eyebrow. "Oh really?" he askercasrcastically. "Then you
are not only a lousy liar, but a lousy burglar as well, not to mention a lousy hacker. Or
have you already forgotten about this?"
Zechs felt his heart sink all the way to his knees when he recognized the computer disk
Treize was holding in his hand. He had almost forgotten that he had that disk on him when
he was caught.
"You, young friend, have been using old access codes. See…" the general
explained in an almost casual manner. "Access codes are being rotated periodically.
The ones you have on this disk are at least 2 rotations old. Of course they still work, if
for no other reason than to track and catch people like you."
Zechs could barely stop himself from letting out a frustrated grunt. He wondered if Marcel
knew that he was selling him old codes. At least it was comforting, in some way, to know
that Otto wasn’t the one who had sold him out.
God I hope he is not in any trouble because of me.
"Why don’t you just tell me a little bit more about
yourself?" Treize asked casually.
Zechs scowled at the man. "You are wasting your time. I
don’t have anything to tell you," he pressed through his teeth.
A knock at the door interrupted them, as the guard came back with a tray of food. The
ginger blond general ordered him to put at down on the desk before dismissing the man.
Treize took a chair from the other side of the room and moved it to the desk, gesturing
for the boy to sit down and eat.
"I assume you didn’t have lunch yet."
Zechs didn’t have breakfast either, or dinner for that matter, but he wasn’t
going to sell himself for a plate of food. He had more dignity than that.
Yet his stomach clenched painfully at the delicious smell and he turned his head to stare
at the wall.
"I told you, you are wasting your time," he growled.
"I’m not trying to bribe you," Treize answered vaguely amused. "Just
sit down and eat, no strings attached."
Zechs stared at the man suspiciously, still hesitating.
"It is not drugged either, if that’s what you are concerned about," the
general assured him. " Now don’t be stubborn."
The youth sighed as he finally gave in. He sat down in the chair that Treize had pulled
over to the desk for him, his mouth watering at the mere sight of the meal. Picking up the
fork that was lying next to the tray he forced himself to eat slowly toid gid getting
sick.
Treize slipped back into the chair he had been sitting in earlier watching Zechs. It was
almost amazing what a difference a little food made. As soon as the nutrition kicked in
the boy stopped shaking, some color started to show in his pale cheeks and his hands
became steadier. And with that his defiance returned as well.
"So, I suppose you are the man who hands out the sugar?"
"I beg your pardon?" Treize asked confused.
"In the sugar and whip tactic," Zechs explained.
"What happens when you realize it isn’t working? Are you going to turn me over
to the men with the whip again?"
Treize gazed at him and for a moment. He had to admit that those words stung.
"I assure you what happened to you in that interrogation room was absolutely
unacceptable and those responsible will be punished."
"And I’m supposed to believe you, because…?
"Because, even if you don’t want to accept it right now, I assure you I’m
not your enemy, Zechs."
Zechs snorted. You have no idea. Everybody who associates with the people who massacred
my family is my enemy. He diverted his eyes back to his plate and finished his meal in
silence.

***
On his way back to Luxembourg Treize had a lot of time to think
about Zechs. He couldn’t deny it that that boy intrigued him. Even when had looked
like death warmed over, there was a fire in his blue eyes that showed a lot of spirit and
bravado. The General would have loved to talk some more. For now he had to leave but he
had all intentions to see the blond again. Somehow he knew it would be a challenge to gain
the boy’s trust, but no Khushrenada had never been shied away from a challenge.
Before he left the base he had made it clear to Ventuno that he was
going to hold him personally responsible for the prisoner, and he had no doubt that Zechs
was going to be treated well as long as he was under the captain’s care.
"Your Excellency, I have Lady Une on the line for you," his aid, Lieutenant
Walker, ripped the general out of his thoughts.
Treize nodded his thank as he flipped open his laptop.
"General." The woman on the vid screen tossed him a crisp salute that he
casually returned.
"Lady, it’s been a while. How are things going for you?"
"Everything works exactly as planned, your Excellency," she answered.
"That’s nice to hear. Of course I had no doubt about it. After all your
capability was the reason I put you in charge of the project."
"Thank you. Not that I don’t enjoy your praise or like
making small-talk with you, your Excellency, but is there a reason why you risked
contacting me without the usual safety measurements?" Une asked.
"In fact there is, Lady," Treize confirmed. "Last night a young man was
arrested near Brussels when he was trying to tap into the Alliance database with outdated
access codes. I’m sending you his picture right now. Is he by chance one of your
subordinates?"
The woman snorted. "I assure you, your Excellency if one my men would proof to be
that incompetent, I would kill him myself."
I’m sure you would, Treize thought with a smile. But aloud he said.
"Forgive me Lady, it was not my intention to offend you. I know that the special
force team has been trained well under your command. I’m really looking forward to
meet them some time soon."
She nodded curtly and he terminated the connection.
"Walker," the general called out for his assistant. "I want you to keep me
informed about that prisoner, Zechs Merquise."
"Yes, Sir."

TBC
Author's notes:

What's to come: Part 4
Treize pulls some strings to get Zechs out of jail
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