Hands of Clay Ch. 19

The operations center bustled with men and women from every part of HQ. As Brice weaved through the people, he wondered what everyone was doing this early in the morning. It looked like busy work to him. They were probably all planning more useless meetings for him to attend. Smiling, he realized that he didn't care. As long as he saw Clay again tonight, he didn't care how many meetings he had to sit through.

Brice strode around the tables and desks and reached his message slot. He checked for memos and then picked up a couple of request forms from supply. Just as he turned to leave, he spotted Rea in the doorway of his office. Rea gestured for Brice to come over, but he had a phone tucked to his ear.

"I know. Luna said he's teething. Having teeth ripping through anyone's gums would hurt like hell." Rea talked into the phone and motioned for Brice to sit across from his wide oak desk. "Karma, I--" When Brice paused at the threshold, Rea once more waved to the cushioned green chair in the center of the room. "That? I can do that, Kitten."

Brice stared at Rea's office while the man finished his conversation. He eyed the neatly organized files in black baskets against the far wall.

"Well, now." Rea sat in his rolling office chair as his voice dropped to a whisper. "If we can do that, I'll get you a five-man team to babysit, and I will clear my entire schedule for the day." He grinned broadly. "I'll be in our bedroom waiting." He hung up the phone and turned to face Brice.

"I only have a minute." Rea grinned again, and for the first time, Brice understood that stupid happy expression on the man's face. Before Clay, Brice could never understand Rea and Karma or even Gears and Luna. They walked around like the world was filled with nothing but roses and wine. Now Clay did that to Brice.

"Meeting Karma?"

"Yes, so this is only gonna take a second." Rea snatched a folder from his desk and slid the file across to Brice. "Sign those."

"Fine." Brice flipped the cover open and glanced at the orders. "What are they?" Clay's name stood out at the top of the paper.

"I was supposed to drop those orders to you a few days ago, but they got buried." Rea waved to the papers in the baskets. "It's nothing new. I want to take a couple of your recruits for an assignment. Easy work. Just need your authorization." Rea rose from his chair and walked to a square mirror next to the exit. He fixed his hair. "Karma said we could spend the day together while Luna babysits." He glanced back at him. "Sign and get out."

Brice scanned the document. Rea was right. These orders were nothing new. In the past, if recruits were training particularly well, Rea sometimes had them go on a few light missions. Getting them out in the field was a good test. The easy assignments let them get their feet wet.

He flipped to the paper tucked under the first. The person who would partner with Clay was Abdul. His stomach clenched painfully at the idea of Clay with his old boyfriend for this first mission. Here it was. It was staring. Brice felt like he'd swallowed razorblades.

As the weeks passed, somewhere along the way, Brice had gotten comfortable with Clay. Brice loved the nights with him, listening to music and holding him, and the sex was phenomenal. He loved the man like the dope he was. And now, the missions would begin. Clay would get his first taste of adventure. His shepherd would be saving Abdul. They would be holding each other and exploring and having fun. The excitement would run in Clay's blood until the nights on the couch with Brice would no longer interest him. Brice would be forgotten. Soon Brice would be thought of as a few nights of good sex, and then one day, Clay wouldn't come back again. Brice knew it would happen, but for some reason, he wasn't ready for the goodbye.

"Pen?" Rea went around his desk and tossed a pen at Brice. "All good soldiers should carry a pen."

Brice caught the writing instrument. Biting his tongue from saying he had a pen on him, Brice held the inky tip over where his name belonged.

Over the years, Brice had signed many of these. His fingers shook. This was precisely why sleeping with a recruit was a shit idea. He didn't want Clay to go, but that's why they trained the recruit--To leave on a mission. What if his shepherd got hurt and never came back to HQ? What if he got Snow Flu? Brice exhaled. That shouldn't matter to him. Eventually, Clay would never return to Headquarters unless he stopped to pick up a new assignment or a new gun.

The document stared at him. Didn't he say he wouldn't help build Clay's career or cry over him when he left? Brice said their relationship wasn't permanent. He was the one who stated that they wouldn't marry and his heart would stay intact.

All he had to do was sign his name and kiss Claymore Wicks goodbye.

"Brice?" Rea cleared his throat. "I'm going to be straight with you. I want to be with my wife before I kill people. Sign the fucking paper and get out of my office."

"Yes." Brice's fingers hovered. "I'll sign it." Why was this so damn hard?

"Damn it." Rea snatched the folder from his hands and then leaned against the desk. "That's a lie. Now, what's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem."

"Lie."

"I'm fine."

"Lie."

Brice groaned. Rea's human lie detector gift was going to be a pain in the ass. He would have to tread carefully and stick to the truth.

"The truth is," Brice said slowly. "I don't want Abdul and Claymore to go on this mission. I want you to pick someone else."

Rea scooted back until he sat on his desk. He spun the file folder in his hands.

"Do you know much about Recruit Wicks? Do you know that he has a brother who is an H.S.P.C. agent?"

"I know that." Brice shrugged. "I try to learn about all the men who train with me," he said carefully.

"Claymore's older brother is named Butch. You might've heard of him. The Originals call him The Butcher. He was one of the men who were part of the raid that saved you."

Brice kept his face from showing his shock. The Butcher and his partner, called Tips, were legendary. It was whispered that The Butcher was a straight-up murderer, and his partner was a steely-eyed killer. The two killed everyone in massive sweeps like angels of death. Heartless, cold, and creative, people said Karma was a fan of their work.

"The Butcher is Claymore's brother?"

"Yes. Butch found someone he decided not to kill. That doesn't happen often." Rea snorted. "This man isn't one I like to cross. He, for some reason, saved two children, and I don't know why. Normally he and his partner, Tips, kill everyone in a clean sweep, and they don't care. But Butch likes these two, and he wants them at HQ."

"What's so special about these kids?"

"I didn't ask, and he didn't tell me. Butch requested, and when I say requested, I mean he demanded that Wicks pick them up at the station and drop them off safely here." Rea glanced down at the file. "It's an easy mission. Pick up two kids at the Dallas train hub and drop them here. My son can't walk yet, and even he could do this assignment."

"Why can't fully trained agents go?" Brice rose from his chair. He knew he sounded whiny, but he didn't like this. What if it was dangerous? He wanted Clay in his bed at night.

"You got earwax in your ears? I told you. Butch wants his brother to do the job. He doesn't trust anyone ever, and he has good reason not to." Rea exhaled with frustration and got up from his desk. He walked around to his chair. "Listen, I don't give a shit, and I don't see why this is a problem. Claymore Wicks is capable of going to the station and getting two kids. Do you think Wicks isn't competent enough or strong enough for this mission?"

"I think Clay is outstanding," Brice said honestly. That wasn't the problem. The real issue was Brice wasn't ready to be forgotten by his shepherd.

"That's the truth." Rea handed back the documents. Brice opened the file. "If you think he can do the assignment, sign."

"I..." Brice glared at the paper. "I don't want Abdul to go with him." Again, Brice spoke carefully. "Abdul is constantly in places he shouldn't be. He messes around and is always making mistakes. The other trainers are annoyed with him. He starts fights, and Abdul and Janis have been found smoking, drinking, and having sex in multiple places." Brice listed off all the things he'd heard the trainers complain about in the past weeks. "I don't think Abdul should be with Claymore Wicks." Brice held in his grin. That was all the truth.

"Damn it." Rea glanced at the clock. "Why am I always having stupid conversations when I want to be doing something else?" He ran his hands through his red hair until the locks stood up. "Fine. Who do you want to partner with Claymore Wicks?"

"Anyone other than Abdul is fine."

"Lie."

"I don't care."

"Lie."

Brice rubbed the back of his neck.

"This would be faster if you'd tell me who you want to go with Wicks," Rea snapped. "I agree with you. I'd like to keep Abdul here at HQ. But Claymore is going. So, who should partner with him? You have someone in mind."

Brice curled his hands into fists. Unfortunately, there was only one person he wanted with Clay ever.

"Me."

"You told the truth." Rea's eyebrows rose. "You want to go on a mission. Why?"

Brice stared at the threadbare gray carpets in the office. He had to come up with a reason that wasn't his insane lust for the man or his jealousy or love. All those things Brice shouldn't have anyway. His heart was going to get pulverized if he didn't get rid of Clay soon.

"You hate missions," Rea said when Brice kept his lips shut. "You've made it an artform dodging them."

"I'm still nervous about missions." Brice shifted in his chair again.

"Truth."

"And I still like my position as head instructor at HQ."

"Truth." Rea's eyes narrowed. "But you still want to do this?"

"You said it's easy. I thought maybe I could give this a try. Just see where I'm at." Brice hoped to God that the words were close enough to the truth to get past Rea's gift.

A slow smile slipped across Rea's lips. He grabbed the file and crossed off Abdul's name, and then added Brice's. His eyes danced.

"I've been trying to get you to take a mission for a while now. I hate seeing you scared of leaving the compound. You need to try. If this is what you think you can handle, then I'm for it. Pick up the kids from Butch at the train station in Dallas. Claymore will go with you. It's easy. Their names are Clare and Dan." Rea handed him the adjusted paperwork before he walked to the baskets at the back of the room. Next, he gave him a thick envelope. "This is the specifics."

Brice took all the documents. A schedule for the train's arrival time was on the top. There was a short outline of the children's basic info from Butch. Everything he would need for the trip was handed to him. The weapons request forms were stacked on the bottom, but Brice had his private collection of guns. Brice and Clay would leave this afternoon. His heart thundered. Could he do this? It had been a long time since he set foot out of HQ's walls. He would have to get out his Snow Flu mask from the closet.

"I've already excused Recruit Wicks from training. I'll reinstate Abdul and make adjustments for your absences."

Brice nodded.

"Sign?" Once more, Rea handed him the folder with his name next to Clay's. He was an idiot. He could have another panic attack. Brice could get hurt, or his panic could hurt Clay. He needed to let go of the man.

Brice scribbled his name. Rea snatched the folder and headed to his door.

"I have a hot date." Rea passed the threshold and vanished.

Brice sat in the chair and stared down at the details of the mission. He was a fool for doing this. He should let Clay go on his first mission and let him be. Why was he doing this? He remembered.

He was a dope.