Claim It! Pt. 04

Without blinking an eye, or changing his expression, Hughes gently said, "For now, it's your old friend Ger talking, not the military officer. So what I'm going to say is as a friend." Taking a breath to give him time to marshal his thoughts, "I know how hard it was for you to lose Mack, but unfortunately, that sort of shit happens. He just couldn't deal with what you are. And, I think you catching him in bed with the neighbor was planned. It was the easiest way he knew how to tell you. I'm not saying I agree with his method, but it did work. Although, I doubt he'd foreseen how you'd react. Man, that was a mess. I heard when he finished physical therapy, he was able to walk again. Sort of." said Hughes with a slight grin.

"You were lucky that time. Afterwards, Mack knew he'd fucked up with how he went about it, so he didn't press charges. But, the DA still wanted your ass. It was all we could do to make him drop the charges. That was what- Eight years ago. In that time you haven't been the same. Oh, sure, you do the job just as well as ever, but you don't have that same spark that motivated you; that kept you going even under the worst of conditions. I'm not the only one that's noticed it, either."

"Are you saying I'm not fit for duty? Sir." asked Wanda in a chilly voice.

"Not at all. Well, physically, you aren't. Not yet. And you were lucky in that regard, too. But, it's not just about your physical readiness. I know what the psych evaluations say, you're top notch, ready and willing, and etcetera, but Wanda we both know something- a part of you, is missing. And, has been since Mack. You weren't so bad before Mendoza died. And yes, I know, he was just a friend, but his death hit you harder than you've shown or admitted. Right now I don't care about the why of it, I just want you one-hundred percent. In every way."

Yes, sir."

"Listen up. I happen to know that Hudson has an interest in you. How far and how deep that interest goes, I don't know. But, I do think he fancies you a bit. So, my idea serves two purposes, one is to be sure Hudson is protected, and two, maybe after all this is over, you and Hudson, well..."

"Sir! I hadn't realized that among your vast number of skill sets, it included match making." quipped Rhodes sarcastically.

Shaking his head, Hughes scowled, growling out, "Just make sure you escape with him. Dismissed, First Sergeant!"

As Rhodes stood and snapped to attention, then angrily stomped out, Hughes couldn't help but grin. Hudson didn't know it yet, but if he thought his life was rough now, wait until Rhodes becomes a part of it. Hughes even felt sorry for the guy. Though just a little.

~N~

The man and the woman walked down one of the deserted main street sidewalks of the town called Kincaid. They'd walked nearly all night and it was now close to dawn. They'd covered at least twenty miles before reaching the town. It wasn't a very large town, and neither of the two was surprised by this fact. They almost expected and even hoped for it.

"Why the fuck did you come anyway? I told you I didn't any help, and your boss is going to be looking for you, so it'll make it even more difficult to get lost with you tagging along." complained Don as he trudged wearily along.

"Fuck you! I didn't come to help you. Think about it, shit for brains, where else should I have gone? What other direction should I have chosen? You saw the map. This is the only place that's near enough to make it by foot. So don't flatter yourself, Hudson. Believe me, you ain't worth it." gasped Rhodes. Her shoulder was aching terribly, each breath a searing pain, which caused her to gasp.

"What about your boss? Hughes. Won't he be looking for you?"

"No. I was already assigned sick leave, and I'd told him I'd be leaving early oh-dark-thirty. So no one is going to be looking for me for at least a week." grunted Wanda.

With the strain in her voice apparent, he stopped walking, looked over to his unwanted companion and in the dim light noticed the grimace on her face. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing! Keep moving. We need to be off the streets and hidden some place before daylight."

Don looked closer; she was obviously in a lot of pain. Knowing the little he knew of Rhodes, Don knew she had to be pretty bad off for her to show any indication of pain.

"You aren't going to make it much longer. We need to find some place to roost, now." said Don in a no nonsense tone. He wasn't inviting any discussion.

"No. Don't. We need-" started Rhodes before being cut off by Don.

"Shut up, Rhodes. Or so help me, I'll leave you right here!" said Don harshly.

She was ready to blast him with a hot retort, but she stopped herself, knowing he was right, she wasn't going to last much longer. 'Damn it!' she thought, 'I'm tougher than this.' Another voice inside her head, suddenly answered. 'Yeah. You think you are, but you're getting older, taking longer to heal. Not to mention, oh, but I'll mention it, your biological clock has been ticking away the days, weeks, months and years. In a couple of more years, you can kiss goodbye any chance of ever having little soldiers. That is, if you can have them at all, after all the fucked up shit you've done to your body.'

'Face it, Rhodes, your former husband knew that you wouldn't make a good mommy, -hell, you didn't make a good wife- so he dumped you by fucking someone else. But, you took care of him and his cheating ways. You got him good. You crippled him. Man, did you fuck him over but good. Why didn't you do the same to the slut he was with? Well, Rhodes? Can't answer that can you, not without being honest with yourself. And, we both know that's not going to happen.'

'SHUTUP! SHUTUP! Just shut the fuck up!' silently screamed Wanda.

There was no reply, not that she expected one, still, her conscious was her balance and soon enough, it would return, with a vengeance. More so, because of her weakened condition. Damn this pain!

Before long, although Wanda was beginning to drift in and out of conscious awareness, she had flashes of crystal clear cognizance where she knew Hudson had found them a place to stay. Then, the blackness descended and the pain went away.

~N~

"Wake up! Come on, Rhodes. Wake up! We've got to get going."

Wanda heard the voice, but it seemed distant and without much presence, plus, she felt herself drifting comfortably, without a care in the world, as serene as any place she'd ever experienced. So why did she need to wake up? Instead, she sunk deeper into her warm comforting cocoon, shutting off the voice.

An immeasurable amount of time passed until Rhodes was rudely awakened by a splashing cascade of frigid water that immediately set her teeth to chattering. And, incidentally and abruptly awakening her to full, and a angry, consciousness.

"What the fuck?! HUDSON! YOU MOTHERFUCKER! I'LL KILL YOU!" screamed Rhodes as she tried in vain to remove herself from the spray of water falling and running down on her body, and that's when she noticed she was naked!

"YOU FUCKING PERVERT! I'M GOING-" started Rhodes.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" roared a steely voice. The undertones the voice carried made Wanda shut her mouth abruptly, but she continued to struggle against a unrelenting vice like grip that held her arms pinned and keeping her under the shower.

"Stop struggling! You're going to re-injure your shoulder." said Don in a calmer manner.

"Okay. I will. I am. Now, let go." said Rhodes through clenched teeth, all thoughts of the frigid water gone as she fought to keep her temper in check.

"I need to tell you something before I do," began Don. Something about his voice made a unbidden thought spring immediately into Wanda's mind, 'Did he rape me? Is that what he's going to tell me?'

"When I let go, I'm going to step out of the shower. We are in a very confined space, and I know you can't use but close moves with your elbows, knees and head. If you try anything like that, I will hit you. I will knock you out and leave you here. When you come to, I will be long gone. Do you understand?"

Wanda felt a sense of relief, yet, resentment built up at his words. She would bide her time, but she was going to pay Hudson back for those words. Rhodes nodded her understanding.

"No. I need to hear you say you understand. I'm not fucking with you and you need to understand that part. I will hurt you. I will leave you." Don said in a calm but toneless voice.

Wanda felt her anger rise like hot air on a freezing winter day, "Yes! I understand!" snapped Wanda, adding mentally, 'One day I'll make you pay! You motherfucker!'

She felt his hands release her arms and then heard the shower curtain slide to one side, she felt his body's warmth leave and then heard the curtain slide closed.

"Use the shower. I don't know when we'll get the chance to clean up again." said Don's disembodied voice.

Wanda heard the bathroom door close.

After showering, which didn't take but a few minutes, Wanda discovered some clean clothing folded neatly on the shelf, next to a large towel. There were a pair of jeans, a bra, a pair of panties, socks, a black t-shirt, a blue long sleeve shirt, a pair of running shoes, and a short brown jacket. All brand new. And all in her size. Rhodes was pleasantly surprised, but it didn't do anything to blunt the anger she felt at Hudson.

In a couple of minutes Rhodes was dressed and exiting the bath. Wanda was ready for Don's bullshit. Not that she would do anything to him right that moment, but when the mission was done, she was going to pay him a unexpected visit.

Don sat perched on the edge of the bed, his face a study in contemplation; his brows were knit close together, his mouth was a thin tight line, and his facial muscles were taut and harshly outlined.

He looked up as Rhodes entered the small room.

His eyes never changed, they remained calm but emotionless, like a snake's gaze. "Are you ready to move out?"

Even his voice seemed devoid of emotion. Wanda blinked in surprise at this unexpected side of Hudson.

"What did you do with the clothing I was wearing?" asked Wanda, ignoring his question.

"They're gone. Burned and trashed. Now, are you ready to go?"

"What gave you the right to take my clothing and burn them?" demanded Rhodes in angry frustration.

Without bothering to reply, Don grabbed a large military style rucksack that had been sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed. It was brand new and bulged with whatever it contained. That too came as a surprise to Rhodes. 'How long have I been out?' she wondered. 'No use asking the pervert, he would probably tell me to go fuck myself.'. For some reason, she couldn't explain, that thought made her smile inwardly.

Without looking at Rhodes, Hudson walked outside and headed to a small white truck parked at the other end of the roadside motel. Wanda had no choice but to follow him out. It was midmorning. The day was bright and without a cloud in the sky. The temperature was just above freezing, but it felt good to Wanda.

The truck had seen better days; its paint was peeling and showing gray primer, it was covered in road dust, and the windows were nearly opaque by the film of brown colored dust that covered every window. Despite herself, Rhodes was impressed with Hudson's scrounging ability.

He entered the truck and waited for Rhodes to do the same. Once both were belted in, he drove off down the two-lane highway.

"You've been out for three days. You've cost me seventy-two hours. I'm hoping Hughes won't be able to track us. But, you needed the rest and the time to heal. Your shoulder is still messed up. The long walk drained you." said Don by way of explanation as he adjusted the truck's heat controls.

"Why did you wait for me? Why didn't you leave me behind?" asked Wanda, curiosity evident in her voice.

"I thought about it. At one point I did walk out of the room, ready to drive off. Why I stayed...? Honestly, I don't know. Perhaps, because you seemed helpless, and vulnerable." said Don matter-of-factly.

"Oh. The big strong man has to protect the little weak girl. Well, fuck you!" Wanda couldn't help herself. Almost every word out of the asshole pissed her off.

"Can it, Rhodes. You asked, I answered. Since you don't like my answers, then don't ask anymore questions."

Hudson moved slightly, as he did so, Rhodes noticed a bulge in the side of his jacket. Instantly she knew Don was carrying a pistol.

They drove along several minutes in tense silence before Wanda's curiosity reared its ugly head.

"How did you get the truck?" With the pistol in mind, she added, "And whatever else?"

Don threw a quick look at Rhodes, returning his eyes to the road without replying.

Hudson's glance sent a shiver down Wanda's spine. It was clearly a 'Don't ask stupid questions' look, but there was something else with it. Like a warning. Something had changed in Don while she'd slept, and it didn't seem like a good thing.

They drove in silence for a few hours until Don pulled into a major chain convenience store selling gas. Stopping in front of one of the gas pumps, Don quickly exited the truck and walked into the store. He hadn't said a word to Rhodes, which had her feeling both relieved and concerned.

Rhodes exited the vehicle and entered the store, spotting Hudson near the coffee island.

"I'm going to use the restroom. I'll be right out. Are you going to wait for me?"

"Yeah."

His answer, instead of comforting her, rang warning bells. "Seriously. We're in the middle of nowhere. You leave me here and I'm stuck. I can't call Hughes because I'm supposed to be- Well, not here. Whether I like it or not, I'm forced to tag along. At least, until we reach a place I can operate on my own. So will you wait?"

Don looked at Rhodes, and not for the first time, noticed how attractive she was, despite her head's odd shape. As he continued to gaze upon her face, something stirred deep within his soul.

"I'll make you a deal. I'll wait for you, if you agree to tell me what happened to your face." he said coolly.

Wanda's eyes widened in surprise. "Why would you want to know that?"

"I'm curious."

Rhodes studied his face a moment, and saw nothing but a calm nonchalance.

"Do we have a deal?" asked Don, his voice steady and even, as if he were asking about the weather.

"I don't have much of a choice. Do I?" snapped Rhodes angrily.

"We all have choices. You could have chosen to stay with Hughes, or go to your home. Instead, you chose to join me, against my wishes. By the same token you can choose to remain here, hoping for a ride. Or, agree to my condition and ride out of here, now."

After a moment's pause to think on Hudson's words, Rhodes said, "Fine! I'll tell you, but only when we're on the road."

"Okay. Fair enough. I'll see you in a few." agreed Don as he turned and moved toward the checkout counter.

After gassing up, and getting on to the highway, Don asked, "What's your story?"

Wanda turned to Don, giving him an scathing look. If he noticed and was bothered by her expression, he didn't give any sign as he continued to wait expectantly.

"I was caught in a explosion. It messed up my face. End of story." said Rhodes quickly.

Without looking at her, Don said, "Not good enough. Details, please."

Rhodes stared hatefully at Hudson for a second before turning her head toward the passenger window.

At just above a whisper, Rhodes began to talk. "I was nineteen, it was the second year of Operation Enduring Freedom, I was fresh out of AIT and assigned to a logistical support unit which was tasked to maintain supply to the boots in Afghanistan. Essentially, I drove a deuce and a half all over Afghanistan. They sent us out one day on a short run, without any gunfighters, and we were ambushed by the Taliban. One of the Haji's launched a RPG and hit my truck. In the explosion I was thrown clear, my co-driver wasn't so lucky. Trapped in the cab, he burned to death. I came to in the US Army hospital in Frankfurt."

Rhodes was silent for so long, Don assumed she was done speaking, but after another minute passed, she spoke up again.

"My face was messed up. Broken cheek bones. Dislocated jaw. Fractured orbital. Fractured skull. And, a broken nose. Much of my facial skin had been burnt. I was never a beauty, but I had looked okay. After the attack, even I scared myself looking in the mirror. It took three years to rebuild my face. They used bone grafts and skin grafts. Even plastic prosthesis to help reshape my face. In the end, what you see now, was the best they could do."

Mentally shaking herself to dispel the painful memory, Rhodes turned to glare at Hudson. "Happy now, asshole?"

Don gave her a amused grin at her reference to him, but remained silent.

"What's changed you? A few days ago you were just this normal guy, lost in a sea of confusion. Now- I don't know. What happened to you in the last few days? Where did you get the truck and the pistol you have?" asked Wanda in bewilderment.

The slight smile Don wore, dropped off his face like someone snapping a switch.

"Well, lets see. I was accused of cheating by my loving wife, then Pete and his cronies take over my life, then two assholes come to kill me, and then I discover my wife is nothing but a slut. A mercenary slut at that! So if that isn't enough reason to change, then I don't know what is." explained Don in a harsh voice.

"And the rest? The truck, the weapon?" prompted Rhodes.

"I have resources. I used those resources to get a truck and arm myself. Aside from the pistol, it's all legit. The pistol is unregistered and has never been used. Anything else?"

Despite her dislike of Hudson, Wanda had to admit that he was resourceful, and even as she allowed herself that unwelcome thought, something else intruded her mind. She felt a sort of kinship with him.

"No. I think that covers it." said Rhodes mildly. "Except, where are we going?"

Don looked at her and suddenly she was filled with dread, for his face was alien in its stone like expression.

"To get answers."

~N~

"HE DID WHAT?! WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP HIM?" roared Pete at Hughes.

"Calm down, Top. I'll explain." said Hughes in a placating tone.

Fuming, Santos closed his mouth tightly and waved a hand at Hughes to continue.

"He was going to try escaping no matter what I told him or did. I don't have the man power to watch him twenty-four seven. Even if I did, I wouldn't do it any way. I'm not a jailer. So I let him escape without interference."

"Of all the fucked up ideas you've ever had, Gerald, this one is the most fucked up of them all." said Santos, in a calmer but admonishing tone. "How are you going to keep track of him? What if he blows the entire op? Damn! Why didn't you call me? I would have figured something out."

"Easy, old man. He didn't go off alone. Rhodes is with him." said Hughes with a sinister grin as wide as the Grand Canyon.

"Oh, shit. Well...fuck! Why didn't you say so earlier?" exclaimed Santos in grudging admiration. "Poor Don."

Both men started laughing hard, which eventually turned to chuckles and the wiping of eyes.

"Damn, Lieutenant, you're one nasty motherfucker." choked out Santos, as he chuckled.

"It's why they pay me the big bucks." replied Hughes off handedly. "Pete, you ready to drop the carpenter's hammer and return to the team? I mean you've got to be tired of all that civilian bullshit. Right?"

Shaking his head, Pete said, "Ten years ago, no, even just five years ago I would have agreed with you." Sighing, Pete continued, "When Stephie died, I needed to some time to come to terms with her death. More importantly I had get over the guilt I felt over being away from her for so long. She was a good woman. She bore her suffering in silence, not once did she ever complain. Even when deployments ran a year or two. When she was diagnosed with colon cancer- I decided that enough was enough. I was done with all the military bullshit. So I spent every waking moment trying to make up for not being there all those years."