Nothing Special V, page 22
part #5 of Nothing Special Series
Running at a break-neck speed, Tech locked his fist and bent his arm at the perfect angle. Using his momentum, he sidestepped at the last second and threw his arm up to catch the first guy in a devastating clothesline, knocking him to the ground. Before he could do anything else, the second guy was on him, slamming into his midsection, trying to mow him over. The man’s weight was powerful and he wasn’t afraid to use it. Tech dug his heels in and bowed over the man’s shoulder as he was shoved back against the dumpsters, but he held tight, refusing to go down. The sirens were deafening behind him, but Tech could hear the man in his grasp growling with anger. Tech brought his knee up and crashed it into the larger man’s midsection. He knew it wouldn’t be enough. The guy was thick, maybe six one or six two and full of muscle. Like the kind you got from pumping iron in the prison yard. Damn, why’d he pick this big sonofabitch to showcase his skills on? His back was to the brick wall, trapped by this wild animal. Fighting not to let fear cloud his training, Tech ducked a wild punch that he knew was coming, balled his right fist and used his entire right side to put as much force into the blow as he could, striking the man in his ribs. The hit was good, but still not enough. Another right hook came at his face – a hit that would’ve rung his bell – but Tech shot his left forearm up and blocked it while he reached with his other, grabbing at a beer bottle in the trashcan next to him. He reared to the side and slammed the thick end of the bottle directly over the bridge of the man’s nose, hitting him where he knew it’d cause the most damage. Thick shards of tinted glass shattered around them as the man clutched his nose, stumbling back in pain. His eyes shut tight, blood flooding his palms. The first guy Tech hooked was back on his feet, looking up and down the alley, trying to figure out which was the best way to run when he was tackled by a man flying through the air. Tech blinked, recognizing Steele’s jacket as they rolled several feet from where he stood. Busted nose took off dazedly in the other direction but ran right into another fist to the face. Ruxs’ punch had to have permanently rearranged the guy’s nose. If it didn’t, Green slamming him to the ground face first certainly did.
Steele already had his guy under control, but Syn and God assisted him, anyway. That’s when it finally hit Tech what he’d just done. His chest was heaving hard and fast and his stomach felt like it’d been hit with a two-by-four from that huge bastard slamming his shoulder into his solar plexus. Still, Tech stood up tall. Day was in front of him, a look of concern on his lieutenant’s face while he looked Tech up and down. As soon as Day realized he was alright, there was that shit eating grin of his.
“God is going to kill you, but holy shit. I don’t know where that came from, Tech… but… but, holy shit. When Syn said you wanted to go in the field, God and I were hesitant. But you knocked that guy on his ass and then went right for the next one without missing a step. You looked like one of my Enforcers out there, Tech.” Day smiled, clamping Tech on his shoulder and pulling him away from the trash. “I can’t save you from the beating you and Steele got coming, bro. But, good job, Tech. Damn good job.”
Tech didn’t look directly at God as they watched the uniformed officers Mirandize their suspects and load them into squad cars. The cool night air did nothing to quench the heated glare his boss was firing at him. He knew he was going to get it when they all got back to the office, but he’d take it. The compliment Day just gave him was worth any wrath God leveled on him. Tech had waited years for a compliment like that and he didn’t think anything could ruin it. What a way to end a date.
“You two must’ve fucked each other’s brains out because I’ve never seen either of you act this goddamn stupid!” God fumed at them. His green eyes were bright and blazing down at them while Tech and Steele sat side-by-side at the large conference table. Their boss paced angrily in front of them, Day sitting on the edge of the table looking sad for them, but not daring to interrupt God’s tirade, as Syn sat in the chair on the other side, his hands steepled in front of him.
“What the fuck were you thinking?!”
“We hit traffic. I knew you were still a mile and a half away. I didn’t want to—”
“I ORDERED YOU TO STAND DOWN!” God’s powerful voice boomed over top of him, causing him to flinch hard and clench his hands tightly under the table. He’d seen God angry before, but he’d always watched from a distance, never having had his fury directed at him… it sucked, to say the very least, it was a monumental embarrassment at most, as officers in the bullpen peered inside to see who was catching hell this time. Tech deserved his lieutenant’s rage; he’d disobeyed an order, end of point.
“Those men were armed and dangerous! I do not allow any member of my team to act recklessly, no matter the circumstance!” God looked at Steele. “Steele, I don’t understand why you didn’t advise him of the risk before he took off on his own. Do you fully understand the severity of this act? He was on his own! WITH NO BACKUP! The only reason those men didn’t draw their weapons and open fire was because they didn’t recognize him as a police officer. Which is another fuck up to add to the pile… he never once identified himself before he started kicking ass. These types of mistakes can’t happen!”
Steele rubbed his hand across his forehead, he didn’t look stressed, he looked disappointed in Tech, and it made him feel like an ass that he’d gotten Steele in hot water all because he wanted to prove something. If Steele had tried to advise him, it fell on deaf ears because he was out of that truck so fast, his mind could hardly keep up with his legs. Tech spoke up before Steele could. “He did try to warn me. I was out of the truck before he even—”
“I’m not talking to you anymore!” God hollered. “I said, Steele. Is that your name, huh? Do you think I want to hear anything else you have to say?!”
“No, sir,” Tech mumbled.
“I should suspend you both. How can I trust you in the field, Tech, if you can’t follow commands? Going off half-cocked will get you or a member of the team killed! I won’t take that risk.”
“He didn’t go off—”
“SHUT UP, STEELE!” God exploded, his voice a deeper bass than Tech had ever heard. Dominant enough to make Steele snap his mouth closed so fast his teeth clicked. “We couldn’t connect with your ass the entire time because you didn’t have your earpiece. So, shut. The. Fuck. Up. Don’t try to effectively communicate now, it’s too late!”
“It won’t happen again, sir,” Steele replied, not making an excuse for his own mess up, the Marine in him shining through.
“You better damn well hope it doesn’t! This is both of your one and final warning. Next time, you’ll be suspended for two weeks without pay, with an official write-up for insubordination,” God barked, jerking open the door so hard Tech was surprised the glass didn’t shatter. God stormed through the bullpen, officers rushing to move out of his way.
Day sighed, dropping into one of the chairs. “I guess that covers the scary part of the discipline.”
Tech looked over at Syn. His sergeant had been talking him up, and now he’d made him look like an ass. “Syn, I’m sorry. I don’t know… I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Syn sat up higher. “I know you’re sorry. And it’s unfortunate God had to come down on you like that your first time out. But technically, you weren’t supposed to be out, Shawn. God’s specific instructions were for you to get Steele to the location, he didn’t say for you to engage, Tech. You scared the shit out of him... all of us. If something had happened to you, he wouldn’t recover from that. When we saw you cornered by that guy, God was out of the truck before he even brought it to a stop. He was frantic and out of control, screaming at Ruxs and Green to get to you, but Steele burst through the tree line and was demolishing the guy before God could get to him. We work as a unit. We strategize and plan before we attack, it’s how we stay alive. You know this; you’ve worked with us long enough. Ruxs and Green do dangerous shit, but they’re always together to back each other up. You took off and left Steele, knowing he didn’t have a way to communicate with you or any of us.”
Tech brought his shaking hands up and dropped his face in them. He knew his fair skin was beet red from shame. “I can’t believe I did that. I let everyone down.”
“No, you didn’t. Yeah, you acted like a gung-ho cowboy, but what you did was impress the hell out of us and earn a shot out there in the field with the Enforcers. You showed you could provide technical assistance and be a physical asset on the streets. With that said, you’re our new field rookie as soon as you find a replacement for yourself in the office. We’ll discuss further details when God has cooled off.”
Tech looked up with wide eyes, unsure if he’d heard Day right. “Are you serious?”
Day stood up. “Congratulations, Tech. I’m proud of you. You’ve been working hard and it showed.”
Tech stood and let Day embrace him in a strong hug before he gathered his belongings. “I’m going to go downstairs and administer some oxygen to God while he’s waiting for Ruxs and Green to finish interrogating the guy you didn’t send to the hospital. See you in the morning.”
Tech looked at Steele to see a look of extreme pride and relief on his face. He’d obviously been thinking, like Tech had, that’d he’d blown his one shot.
“I hope you have someone in mind to replace you in the office. You’ll start shadowing the Enforcers immediately. We got to get you properly trained how to react in every situation. You got the chops, Tech, you just need to know how to rein’em in, control them, and use them collectively with the rest of us. Promise me, no more caped crusader acts.” Syn smirked.
Tech nodded, his throat tight with relief. “I promise, Sarge.”
Syn put his coat on over his gun holster and walked towards the door. “I gotta say. I thought I was gonna keel over from shock when I saw you take down that first guy. Un-fucking-believable. I haven’t seen a Russian Sickle since my days of watching wrestling in the eighties.”
Steele laughed, clasping his hands together. “That was the move to end them all,” he agreed with Syn.
“Damn straight.” Syn waved a lazy salute and left them alone in the office.
Tech smiled when he felt his chair yanked closer to Steele’s and maneuvered so their thighs were intertwined. “How are you? You had a big night.”
“Yeah, I guess I did,” Tech said softly.
Steele got up and pulled Tech with him. “Let’s go. It’s after three and we have to be back in the morning. Besides, Ruxs and Green will probably be in interrogation for a while if this guy is slow to sing. I need a ride.”
Tech wanted to beg Steele to come home with him, he didn’t want to be alone. He was right, it had been an extremely eventful night and his body was exhausted, his mind restless. If he could curl himself up against Steele’s warmth, he might actually get a little sleep. But it was their first date and their first time being intimate; he didn’t want to appear clingy.
“Stop me by Ruxs’ so I can grab a change of clothes since it’s on the way, and you won’t have to bring me by there in the morning,” Steele said matter-of-factly.
Tech hid his smile while they walked through the parking lot. He was thankful to have the decision of asking Steele to stay the night out of his hands. He wasn’t ready to leave his company yet.
Steele
Their hands still clasped together, Tech let them into his home, and they walked inside for the second time that night with one word that started with S on both their minds… and this time it wasn’t sex. It was sleep… well, two words… shower and sleep. If they were lucky, they’d get a good three hours. Steele put his weapon under one of Tech’s pillows while Tech put his in his nightstand. He followed Tech into the bathroom while he turned the nozzles on. He undressed quickly and waited for Tech to finish. When Tech reached his arms up and pulled off his shirt, he heard the sharp intake of breath and the grunt of pain.
Steele was in front of him in a heartbeat, looking for the damage. The pain coming from the action of lifting his arms, he’d say it was Tech’s midsection or ribs. “Where are you hurt?”
“I’m not hurt,” Tech bit back.
“Don’t do that. It’s not necessary. Did one of them get a hit in on you?”
“No. He charged me. It just knocked the breath out of me, that’s all.” Tech turned to step into the shower and Steele let him since he’d be following right behind him, anyway.
He stayed behind Tech, letting the large showerhead relieve some of the strain of the fight. A street fight was rough. Once the adrenaline wore off, your body was quick to take notice and remind you of every hit you’d received and thrown. He wrapped his arms around him from behind and it wasn’t long before Tech sagged back against him. Steele kissed him gently on the back of his neck, feeling Tech’s wound-up body tremor against him. He needed to breathe and calm down. “Relax. It’s okay. Breathe, Shawn.”
“Oh god,” Tech gasped, his chest rising and falling erratically under Steele’s hands. “Oh no.”
“Don’t fight it. Let it go.”
Tech spun around, wrapped his arms around Steele’s neck and pulled him into him just before the wave of tears hit him hard. Steele held him as tight as he could, knowing exactly what Tech was feeling. He’d experienced his first taste of action and his body had flooded with excessive amounts of hormones, with adrenaline and cortisol. But when the mind realizes the danger has passed and the fight or flight response dissipates, then the psychological reaction appears… tears.
“Edwin,” Tech cried to him.
“It’s okay, just let it happen,” Steele whispered, rubbing his hands up and down Tech’s back. “You’ll feel better after.”
“Oh my god. I’m crying like a damn pussy,” Tech said between hiccups.
Steele couldn’t help but chuckle. He slicked Tech’s hair back and buried his lips just beneath his ear. “You know, as smart as you are, how do you not know what your body is going through right now?”
“What?” Tech asked, easing back to look in Steele’s face, his body flushed from the rush of stress tears, not the steam from the hot shower.
“Come on, that’s enough rinsing. Let’s get in bed.”
Tech tried to hide his face while he dried off. Steele took his hand and guided him back to the bedroom, the comforter still wrinkled and half hanging off the bed from earlier. Steel pulled back the heavy blanket and the sheet, helping Tech get settled underneath before he slid in behind him, pulling him into his chest.
It was dark in the room, quiet except for Tech’s occasional sniffs. “I was in Nahdah, Oman, the first time I fired my rifle at an enemy. We were doing a transport with a couple commanders that had to be escorted to a base in Yemen. We’d quadruple-checked the intel and then double-checked it again. Though we were always safe, I’d been itching for a fight ever since I’d enlisted. I was trained… ready. But it’s not until you’re in the thick of it that you realize your body is never geared for a fight. It acts on instinct. Sure, you can move fast and dodge hits, but the mind is always screaming to survive and it floods your body with what it needs to do just that.
“When we got out of there with our lives, leaving dead men scattered along the deserted road, we got the commanders into the base, and we headed to the nearest empty corner and cried like babies all over each other.”
Tech turned in his arms to face him, a slight frown line between his eyes. “Why? Were you scared? Did you feel bad for killing them?”
“No. None of us felt bad. It was them or us. And the reaction is the body’s way of bringing you down. Technically, they’re called florid tears, infused with endorphins, charged with a kind of calm down cocktail. That’s why I was telling you to let it happen, not fight it. It literally has nothing to do with being a wimp or a pussy. Your amazing brain sent those tears to help blunt the situation and bring you down. We used to call it the battle cry. Whenever it happened to any of us, I just held on to my brother or they held me until it passed. We’d rumble a gruff, ‘Thanks, Jar’ and move on.” Steele grinned, thinking back on it.
“Wow.” Tech stared at him, those beautiful eyes pulling at Steele’s heart every time. “I was trying to let the water calm me, but I felt myself getting more and more wound up.”
Steele kissed Tech’s pouty lips. “The more you fight it, the harder you’ll cry. I bet you feel better now, don’t you?”
Tech waited a few seconds before looking back at him. “Yeah, I think I do.”
“Good.” Steele pulled Tech’s long leg up on his hip and sealed their pelvises together, fitting them together like an erotic jigsaw puzzle. He kissed Tech on his forehead and closed his eyes, sleep claiming them both in a matter of minutes.
Day
It’d been several weeks and he and God were pulling all-nighters trying to tamp down the shit storm that had become their – now delayed – trial after someone tried to knock off their primary witnesses in the case they’d worked on for seven months last year. They’d gotten the dickheads – well, Tech had – that were hired to take the witnesses out, but the DA had to work fast and get the case transferred to another jurisdiction, somewhere out of the powerful kingpin’s reach, before he got that close again. More and more thugs were popping up, trying to find their witnesses, hitting old safe houses. They were getting too close. God and Day didn’t know who was on the inside helping them, but it had to be someone with access to their databases. That was for the cyber crimes department to handle, all God was focused on was keeping his star witnesses safe. Unfortunately, this wasn’t a headache they needed right now, with their wedding only a couple weeks away.
