Power Trip

Duo was staring at the tracks, everyone piling up behind him. He wiped at his forehead. He looked pale and his hand was shaking. Those were two things that Milliardo noticed first when he faced the man and demanded simply, "Agent?"

"Something's changed," Duo said as he pointed at the tracks.

Milliardo studied the deep grooves and the sunken imprint of combat boots all around them. "Explain?"

Duo blinked as if he were having trouble staying awake as he motioned at the tracks and said, "Not as deep."

Milliardo raised his eyes to examine his agent and saw Hawkins concerned face over the man's shoulder. He and Milliardo exchanged a look and Milliardo's mouth went into a hard line as he made a decision. "Hawkins, take point. Maxwell, give him the GPS. You'll fall behind with Shef and continue at your own pace."

Duo scowled. "I'm not sick! I know what I'm talking about. This is some sort of trick!"

Milliardo studied the tracks again, and didn't see anything different. "The earth is more hard packed here, that's all. Think, agent, we are close on their heels. They won't have had time for any evasive maneuvers."

Duo shook his head. necklaces and dog tags swung, along with his braid, as he turned and surveyed the surrounding forest. "You have to listen to me!"

"I have listened,"Milliardo replied calmly as he nodded at Shef. "I've also made my decision. You will follow my commands, Maxwell."

Shef was taking Duo's temperature and then looked into his eyes. He grunted at what he saw. "Something's not right. This isn't infection. Feel like shitting or hurling?"

Duo shook his head and staggered a bit as if it had disoriented him. He rubbed hands over his face and said, "Feel hot... tired... dizzy..." He firmed his stance. "I'm not out, though. You gave me the juice. It should take care of all of it, right?"

Shef grunted as he pulled the GPS out of Duo's hands and handed it to Hawkins."I'm not God, Maxwell, of course it doesn't take care of everything. If you've picked up parasites, Tapai fever, or sepsis, a couple of shots in the ass won't make much of a difference."

"Witch doctor," Duo grumbled.

"We're out of range of a pick up, Duo," Shef said bluntly. "You better hope I'm not anything like a witch doctor."

Milliardo felt worry for Duo wash over him and it was difficult to control it, especially when he had to tell Shef, "Stay with him. We must continue on."

"Yes, sir," Shef replied and tugged at Duo's arm. "You heard him, Maxwell."

Duo stared at the tracks, blinked rapidly, again, and then looked at Milliardo. "Maybe... I might be wrong.... I'm really not thinking all that hot." His confession surprised Milliardo.

"I am in command," Milliardo told the man. "Rely on my experience."

Duo raked a hand through sweaty bangs, and gave a nod, but then he was smiling weakly. "You really turn me on when you take command, like that. After this is done, we have to hook up, seriously, all right?"

"Can it, Agent!" Milliardo snapped. "The only personal time you will be getting from me will be if I have to follow Yuy's example of pushing you down to get you to obey me."

Duo managed a grin. "I lied about that. He really just cold cocked me in the face and told me he'd cut off my balls, and use the things for paper weights, if I didn't follow his commands. I knew he was serious." Duo rubbed at his crotch protectively.

"So am I," Milliardo retorted. "Don't doubt what I'm capable of if you compromise people's lives."

Duo's humor banked and he looked serious, for once. "I won't do that."

"You won't plan for it, " Milliardo corrected, "but I doubt planning has little to do with any of your strategies. Fall back."

Milliardo motioned Hawkins to proceed and the agents began walking again. Duo stood still until he was the last man and then he and Shef fell in behind them. Milliardo waited only long enough to make certain that Duo was capable of the pace, and then he was moving up the line and taking his position.

He was right, Milliardo told himself. This wasn't a trick. Their targets were just up ahead. They had to be ready for combat. He couldn't let Duo make him doubt that. "Levitz," he ordered. "We're close. I don't want us walking into anything."

"Understood," she replied. She handed her pack to Tammins and pulled out her pistol. Hurrying ahead, she disappeared into the jungle.

Milliardo didn't have to command silence. Even his newbies were checking their weapons and staying alert. They didn't have surprise on their side. Their targets were going to be ready to open fire. Milliardo could only hope that they would have the advantage that Duo had given them, an advantage that he had ordered against, but now appreciated. Their targets believed that they were wounded, reduced in number, or totally decimated. A full force was going to be their only advantage.

It was two hours before Levitz returned, full of dirt and leaves and looking pleased with herself, but nervous about Milliardo's reaction as she reported, "Disabled the sled, sir. The targets are half a click up ahead and trying to make rapid repairs."

"How did you...?" Milliardo had a hand wrapped in her collar before he could stop himself. He forced his fingers to let go, and kept walking as he demanded, "Report."

She swallowed and tried to keep up with his longer stride as she said, "It was an opportunity, sir. They were attempting to leave another trap for us and left the sled and the weapon unattended. I was able to slip in and jam the treads. They have to drag it, now, just not pull it. I doubt that they will manage it."

"Did they complete the trap?" Milliard asked.

"Yes," she replied, and described the trigger. They hadn't given her much time to disable the sled. Milliardo decided that she had made the right decision.

"Good work, Levitz. Describe our targets and the sled."

The target was a match of their own, Milliardo decided when she was done reporting. Skill was going to be the deciding factor and good command decisions.

"Team," Milliardo called, not loudly, and brought everyone together. Duo was leaning on Shef, now, and looking paler. The man lowered him onto a fallen tree trunk and Duo sat with his head bowed, breathing hard.

"Our goal will be to disable the sled permanently. It has minimal anti grav units, and it relies mostly on treads." Milliardo looked each agent in the eye, gauging their nervousness, especially the newbies. "I want us to be moving targets. Fast in and fast out, with specific shots fired. A series of these moves will soften up the target enough for a decisive final attack."

Milliardo looked to Shef, who shook his head firmly in answer to Milliardo's unspoken question.

"Maxwell," Milliardo ordered, bracing himself for an argument, "You will remain here for pickup, later."

"Yes, sir," Duo replied simply.

Everyone stared. Duo raised his head enough to show them an amused eye from under his bangs.

"I know when I'm down and out, sir," he told Milliardo. "I'm a liability."

Milliardo narrowed his blue eyes in suspicion. "I'll leave Shef with you-"

"I'm a big boy, sir," Duo protested. "You'll need Barbecue with you, in case someone gets seriously hurt. I can take care of myself. Now, go get the bad guys."

"Under cover, agent," Milliardo ordered tersely.

Duo made a shaky salute and Shef helped him find a comfortable hidden spot to wait for them.

"When they moved out again, Hawkins was looking back with a frown. "Why don't I trust that?" he said almost to himself.

"Maybe he's really bad off, enough to die?" Tammins wondered anxiously.

Shef said sourly, "Let's not get hysterical, little girls. He'll be fine. I wouldn't have left him, otherwise."

"Which makes me even more... suspicious," Hawkins said. "If he's not on death's door, then I can't see him staying behind."

Milliardo couldn't fault his logic. He was thinking the very same thing. Since he hadn't known Duo to use subterfuge to do as he pleased, he concluded that Duo was worse than he was letting Shef know. Milliardo eyed Sheffield. Or Shef wasn't telling him the entire truth.

"Since when do you follow his orders?" Milliardo ground out, furious.

"Since you became emotionally attached to him," Sheffield replied unapologetically and knowing exactly what Milliardo was alluding to. "We thought it best that you were focused on the attack and not on him back there."

"He needs care," Milliardo guessed.

"We should make this quick," Sheffield agreed.

Milliardo swore under his breath, but speed had been in his plan all along. He simply had more of an incentive, now, than the acquisition of a contraband weapon.

Emotionally attached? He wanted to scoff at that, but he was honest with himself. Duo had the ability to draw people to him like a moth to a flame, sexually and otherwise. Milliardo wasn't immune to it. The man wanted him and Milliardo was certain that he rarely didn't get those he chose to favor.

Milliardo gave his agents their orders and they moved to take positions. One man down and an evenly matched force up ahead. Everyone's life depended on Milliardo making the correct decisions, on orders being followed quickly and competently. Game time, he thought, and gave the order to move in.

TBC