by Chandra Ryan
“You know what, rookie, I’m glad they put you on this mission. I think you’ll fit in with the rest of us just fine.”
The weight of the mission came rushing back to him at Gates’ praise. If only Julian was as certain. “Thanks. I didn’t really know what to expect with my first mission.” He ran his fingers through his hair as he took a deep breath. “I mean, I know I said I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for all this back on the shuttle but…” He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.
“But you were trying to fit in.” Gates nodded. “Everybody else appears to have their shit together so you don’t want to be the odd man out?”
“Something like that.”
“First missions are hard. Second missions too. It takes some time to adjust. But we’ve all been where you are.”
Julian snorted in disbelief. He couldn’t imagine Gates ever being where he currently was—filled with indecision and self-doubt.
“You don’t believe me? Okay. Let me see if I can convince you.” Gates paused for a second. “For me it was the intensity that ate at me. Everything was so immediate. And I couldn’t let things go. I had to react—to everything.”
That was one way to describe it. Maybe Gates had gone through some of what Julian was. “Yeah. Kind of like being thrown into an ocean and told to swim. But as soon as you take your first stroke, they tie your hands. You know, just for fun.” Julian’s gaze snapped back to Gates. “Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate everything they did for me. But it would’ve been nice to know the drawbacks.” The doctors had told him he’d be faster, smarter and would heal quicker. But none of them had told him that with the extra speed came extra adrenaline or that the accelerated healing meant enduring days of agonizing pain.
Gates laughed as he nodded. “It gets easier to deal with.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“It does. You expect the positives, so you can’t see them as well as you do the negatives that you weren’t told about. But that eases with time. Things will eventually level out.”
Emotion tightened his throat. “Thanks. It’s nice to talk to someone who’s been through it.”
“Being modified is one of those things a person can’t understand until he’s lived it. But now you’re with soldiers who’ve experienced what you’re going through. You should talk to them.”
Uncomfortable with the idea, Julian shuffled his feet.
“Talk to the men,” Gates repeated with a smile. “Sure they’ll tease a little. But really, what family doesn’t give each other a hard time every now and then?”
He found it difficult to believe Gates’ men cared about him. They’d just met him. Maybe after a few missions, sure. He could see them growing to think of each other as family after they’d been through some rough times together. But just because he was modified? He doubted it. Still, he couldn’t tell Gates that. “I’ll give it some thought.”
“Do that.”
“Regardless, I appreciate you talking to me.”
“If our little chat has helped then I’m glad you found me. Regardless of the circumstances.”
Julian chuckled and shook his head. “And on that note, I’d better get back so I can try to get some shuteye. Oh, and Hicks is looking for you.”
“I’m glad he didn’t find me.” Gates got out of the pond and Julian had to look away to avoid the temptation to stare at Gates’ toned body. “He’d never let me live down that little scene you walked in on.”
“He gives the men someone to laugh with.”
“True, but I’d prefer they not be laughing at me.”
Julian could relate to that.
As the commander dressed, Julian thought about starting his walk back to the camp. He could use some alone time to recover and get control over his body’s reaction to a naked Gates. But he resisted the urge. He liked Gates. And not just because he felt an attraction toward him. Gates had taken an embarrassing moment for both of them and had risen above it. More than that, he’d turned an event that could’ve become a wall between them and made it into a bridge. And Julian didn’t want to rush off and undo that.
When Gates was dressed, they made their way back to the camp together. The men teased Gates a bit about getting lost and needing the new guy to help him find his way back but Gates took it well. He laughed it off and then thanked Julian for his help before walking toward his tent.
“Don’t forget your netting.” Julian tossed a pack toward Gates.
“Because you wouldn’t want that baby-smooth skin of yours to get a blemish, now would you?” Lieutenant Marx teased.
Gates quirked an eyebrow in response but didn’t laugh. “No. And neither do you. Everybody uses the netting and that’s an order.”
“Because Commander Gates has the best-looking squadron in the military.” Hicks struck a pose that was equal parts pinup and comedy.
“Got that right. You screw up that pretty face of yours and you’ll be with another squadron so fast you’ll get whiplash.” Gates finally smiled just before he retreated into his tent with his netting.
After the commander left, the group started to break up and settle in for the night. Julian found his own tent to be snug and the netting confining. Even as exhausted as he was, he just couldn’t overcome the discomfort. Especially when his mind brought up the image of Gates’ naked body.
It was all too easy to imagine what Gates’ skin would feel like under Julian’s tongue. His chest would be firm and his nipples coarse with a light sprinkling of hair. And his abs would ripple under Julian’s mouth as he kissed and licked his way down them. Gates would run his fingers through Julian’s hair and try to direct him lower, toward his erect cock. But Julian would make him wait. Julian would take his time appreciating Gates’ body. When he finally made his way to Gates’ cock he would lick him slowly from the root to the tip.
Julian slid his hand down his pants and gripped his cock as he imagined the scene. He was already hard and he hissed with pleasure at the feel of the strong hold. In his mind it was Gates jacking him off as he took Gates’ cock deep into his mouth.
Pressure built in him. The ball of desire in the pit of his stomach grew until it filled him. Sweat beaded on his brow and his heart raced as his release coiled deep inside his gut. He only needed a moment more to find his climax and then hopefully fall into a relaxed sleep.
A scream filled the night and stilled his hand. He hadn’t let out the call. Not even in his state of hunger. So who had? Another shout of pain rang though the camp and replaced the desire pumping through his blood with adrenaline. He had to help. Now. By the time the next shout echoed around him, Julian had fastened his pants and freed himself from the netting. He left the relative security of his tent before leveling his weapon in front of him and then he made his way toward the sounds of terror. He wasn’t the first one there though. A group of men surrounded a shredded tent and two bodies writhing on the ground. Julian couldn’t make out who or what had attacked the soldier but he could tell that the soldier was losing.
One burst of a laser weapon flashed through the darkness and the attacker sagged on top of the soldier. “Where the fuck is my medic?” Gates put his weapon back in his holster before rushing over to the bloody scene. He rolled the beast off Demetrio and then moved to his man. His fingers swept over Demetrio’s neck in what Julian could only guess was a search for a pulse.
“Here, sir.” The medic, Homer, knelt next to Gates in a puddle of Demetrio’s blood and began his own exam. Even from where he stood, Julian could see that Demetrio had a large gash that traveled from his neck to his navel. Whenever the medic would move the man, Demetrio’s internal organs would show through the tear. Even if they had a hospital the odds wouldn’t be in the soldier’s favor. Out here in a jungle with only emergency supplies? A miracle wouldn’t even be enough to save the man.
“What the fuck is it?” At Marx’s words, all attention except the medic’s shifted from the doomed soldier to the hostile that’d attacked him.
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“It looks like some mix between reptile and man.” Gates barely glanced at the animal before his focus returned to Demetrio.
Julian wished he could be as cavalier about the hybrid lying on the jungle floor. He couldn’t stop staring at it as his brain raced to find some sort of explanation. But there was none to be had. The animal did indeed have the mouth and scales of a reptile but the arms, legs and torso of a man. And no matter how long Julian examined it, it just didn’t add up. “Is it a native species?” He’d never heard of an alien life form that fit the particular description of the beast in front of him but that didn’t mean none existed.
“Doubt it. I’ve been on most of the inhabited planets in this system. Never seen the likes of him.” As Gates made the statement Julian felt bile rise in his throat. “Whatever he was, though, he’s dead now.”
“As is Demetrio,” the medic said.
Julian’s stomach cramped painfully as he started to heave. He was going to vomit. He scrambled out of the group and into the nearest bushes before he lost his supper.
What had he gotten himself into? It didn’t seem as if all the modifications in the world were going to protect him if he could be attacked by some hybrid as he slept. There wasn’t even safety in numbers in that case. They hadn’t been any help to Demetrio as the man was being slaughtered in his own bed.
It was only their first day on this planet and they were already down one man.
There were only nineteen of them left.
Chapter Two
Gates stumbled out of his tent at first light. His eyes were gritty and his head pounded as though he’d drank too much alcohol the night before. But his hangover was of the emotional kind. And there was no cure for it.
After the other men had buried Demetrio’s body and the body of the animal that’d attacked him they’d called it a night. But Gates had spent most of the evening tossing and turning. He couldn’t get the sight of Demetrio being slaughtered out of his mind. Of all the missions he’d led over the years, none had gotten off to such a horrible start. He’d lost men before. Things happened. But never on the first day and never in such a gruesome manner. Call him superstitious but it didn’t bode well for the rest of the mission.
He stretched to loosen his muscles and then folded his netting before joining the other men at the fire. None of them looked any better than he imagined he did. And several of them looked downright surly. Which meant he needed to rally the troops. “Last night we lost a good man. And I can understand if you want a day off. You probably don’t want to go hiking through the brush after the night we had just so we can be one day closer to the goal.” Several of the men grumbled at his words in acknowledgment but he cut them off before their grunts could become intelligent arguments. “But I’ll tell you what I don’t want. I don’t want to be on this forsaken planet any longer than we absolutely have to be.”
Several of the men looked up at him as he spoke and he took that as encouragement to continue. “I don’t want to hang around here, staring at that spot where we witnessed it happening.” He pointed at the ground that was still dark with Demetrio’s blood. “And I most certainly don’t want to be sitting around just waiting for the next animal to attack. I want to finish this mission and get off this rock.”
Most of the men were nodding. But several were too busy scratching at their forearms and legs to pay attention to him. He guessed they’d forgotten to wrap back up in the netting after the burial. Not that he could really blame them. With everything they were dealing with after watching one of their own die, netting seemed rather unimportant.
Everybody dealt with their grief in their own way. For some, loss made them want to cling to the other living people around them and seize the day. But for others, death set them to drift. They internalized the loss and wanted to isolate themselves from everyone around them. He was one of the earlier types. But he couldn’t force his men to be like him. He could, however, do everything in his power to snap them out of it as quickly as possible.
“So let’s grab some food, break camp and put this piece of land as far behind us as possible.”
Julian nodded before going to grab the rations. Some would argue that the boy could pull it together so fast because he was new and hadn’t been close to Demetrio but Gates had witnessed Julian’s horror and shock the night before. He’d been just as rattled as the rest of the men. So the only thing Gates would attribute the man’s eagerness to was competence. He’d been through the ordeal with them, helped them bury one of the team and now he was ready to see this mission through. Gates admired that. And he was grateful that when the men saw Julian trying to do the job of three, the rest of them seemed to snap into action. Before long they’d finished their morning chores and had the camp broken down. It was going to be another long day of marching but they would indeed put some distance between them and this cursed piece of land.
They headed out due west and made pretty good time. When they stopped for lunch, though, several of the men’s need to itch seemed to be reaching the point of distraction. And apparently Gates wasn’t the only one to notice.
“There’s some salve in the medical kits if you want to give it a shot.” Julian picked up one of the tubes and held it out to the group of men.
Langster snatched up the tube and then walked into the jungle. “Thanks, man.” He returned a few minutes later and handed the tube off to the next man waiting. There were four in total who used the salve before they sat down to eat their rations.
“Whatever snacked on me left a mark. Damn. I’ve never seen bites swell so much in such a short time.”
Homer looked up from his food at the comment. “Can I take a look? You might need a histamine blocker along with the itch relief.”
“Sure, Doc.”
Homer made his way over to them as Langster pulled the collar of his shirt back a little to reveal a swollen spot on his shoulder.
“That is strange.” Homer pressed gently on the spot and Langster pulled back with a hiss.
“Damn. You could at least give a man a little warning. That hurts like hell.”
The medic pulled his hand away. “Are all the bites as tender as this one?”
“I didn’t exactly poke at them, but yeah. I think so.”
“I can give you a painkiller for now but I think we should drain them when we make camp tonight.”
Langster’s face paled noticeably. “There are at least ten bites on my back alone.”
“It looks as though they’re infected. If we don’t drain them—”
“Yeah, yeah. I know.” Langster held up his hand and shook his head as he spoke. They’d all seen what happened after infection set in. On such a remote planet with limited medical facilities it would be gruesome. Gates shuddered at the thought.
Homer examined the other three men and found two of them were in the same situation as Langster. The third one seemed to have gotten off easy. Itching seemed to be the worst of his issues.
After they’d eaten and gotten all the supplies stowed away they set off once more. Gates hated that his men were miserable and in pain but draining the bites was going to take time. And they didn’t have any to sacrifice. At least not during the day. It was hard enough to see where they were going with the canopy blocking out most of the light. But the night brought with it a blanket of blackness that would make travel impossible. And each step they took brought them one step closer to reaching the goal and going home. His men were tough. They’d make it.
Only four hours later, though, the three men were having chills and muscle cramps that slowed the group down to a virtual crawl. As soon as they came upon a relatively clear spot Gates declared it camp and quickly got the medic set up. The medical facility consisted of a blanket thrown across the ground with only a bed of palm leaves under it to act as a cushion but it was the best they could do.
The circumstances might have been less than ideal but Homer was one of the best medics in the military. Gates had insisted upon him when
he’d been assigned the mission. If the military was going to send him and his men marching into the unknown, Gates was going to have the best team at his back.
“Huh…” With a syringe in one hand, Homer used the other to press on one of the swollen masses. Langster yelped and jumped a little under the touch.
“What the fuck, Doc?”
“Sorry. Let me take care of that.” Homer gave Langster a shot of a local anesthetic before he looked up at Gates. “These were fluid-filled when I checked them earlier. Now they feel almost solid.”
Gates’ stomach turned anxiously at the statement. Langster had stripped down to his cargo pants before lying down to be examined, which gave them a clear view of the swollen bites scattered over his body. “What does that mean?” Gates wasn’t sure he wanted to know but he had to ask.
“No idea.” Homer put the syringe down before holding his hand out to Gates. “Hand me my laser scalpel, though, and we’ll find out.”
After Gates handed him the requested instrument, Homer pressed a button and the small laser hummed to life. Gates wasn’t focused on the glow of the scalpel though. Instead his gaze was fixed on the swollen mass on Langster’s shoulder. “Is that moving?” The skin seemed to be quivering.
Homer cleared his throat. “You might want to take a step back, Commander.” Homer slipped on a protective face mask before touching the scalpel to Langster’s skin. As the laser cut through the skin, wisps of seared flesh stung Gates’ nasal passages. But his focus was on Langster as hundreds of tiny spiderlike insects erupted from the incision. They swarmed down Langster’s back, leaving fresh pinpricks of red as they bit at his skin.
“Fuck!” Langster jumped up and began trying to brush the bugs off but they clung to him. All Gates could do was watch in terrified fascination as one of the pockets on his back erupted into a new swarm of spiders. There were so many of them. And only two of the pockets had been ruptured. How many of the little spiders were still buried in the soldier’s body? The thought made him break out in a cold sweat of fear.