Green pffted. “In my defense, I was caught off guard, okay. No one got the fucking drop on me.”
“Bullshit!” Day burst out laughing. “You got your fuckin’ clock cleaned.”
Syn was the next one to laugh. This was how they reversed tense situations. There was always a joke that’d fit in somewhere, and it was usually Day who started it. When the laughter eased, God walked over to Tech. “You couldn’t have known. I could see you lost yourself in reading what he did. I have no doubt Steele’s service was—”
“Heroic… amazing,” Tech finished. “I blew it, though.”
“Not if you can forgive him. Because he won’t forgive himself, otherwise.” God gripped the young detective’s shoulder.
“I can. I just don’t know if he’ll forgive me. It was illegal to get that information, God. I was showing off. All of you can do so much.” Tech shrugged like this was nothing, but God was wondering if he’d missed something in Tech. “All I have are my computers. I wanted to show him what I could do, too. Why I’m even here.”
“We’ll all get the chance and he’ll get his chance.” God spun Tech’s chair around and bent so the man was looking directly at him. “No one on my team is dispensable. No one is weak. No one… especially you. There’s no way we could do this without you and you know it. So man up. Stop looking so damn sad. You just took an arm clutch by a Force Recon Marine and didn’t scream like a bitch, so hold your goddamn head up.”
Tech turned his chair back around, but God saw a little pride cross his face before he did.
“So, what’s the verdict?” God looked around. They knew what he was asking. Did they wanna work with Steele? After what happened, God had a little more of a say if he wanted the man on his team. He, himself, was psyched as shit to see what else Steele could do. The guy was a loose cannon. A hothead and terrible with authority… but wasn’t that their team motto? Steele would be uncontrollable, and God knew exactly where to put him.
When they all nodded in agreement, God pointed at Ruxs and Green. “You guys got a third. Go get your new partner.”
Steele
Steele leaped up on his raggedy porch and threw open his screen, only damaging it even more. He didn’t care. He’d be gone from here soon, anyway. His uncle would be hurt, but he’d screwed up, there’s nothing he could say or do now. Steele pulled the bottle of Jack out of the crinkled brown paper bag and dropped down in his La-Z-Boy in front of his television. He didn’t want the bottle but he didn’t want the memories, either. He cut his eyes to the stack of papers he’d taken from Tech, a printout of all his mistakes.
Damn… Tech. Steele had immediately liked the guy. That shy demeanor that he could sense concealed a fearless animal. The detective was more than just a man behind a computer screen. He had the trifecta. Smarts, looks, and Steele had hoped to see his fight soon. But he’d blown it. He knew the man hated him now. He was a bully. Everyone hated bullies. No doubt, Tech’s team was probably hunting him down for revenge. The bad part of it all was he actually wanted to work with those guys. Taking a deep breath, he tilted his head back against the headrest. He’d disgraced himself. His father, his uncle… Ackerman. Fuck. Chris, if you could see me now. His gunnery would kick his ass. Steele forwent the shot glass and took a large gulp from the bottle. Grimacing as the burn slid down his throat and landed like dead weight in his gut.
Like a glutton for punishment, he reached behind his seat and pulled out the ten-year-old answering machine that he’d kept in his apartment the entire time he’d been deployed. He took another chug on the bottle and closed his eyes, pressing play. Ackerman’s gruff voice filled his tiny trailer and flooded his mind with memories and pain.
“What’s up grunt? If you’re listening to this, then we’re finally back stateside. Thank fucking God, huh. I uh… I wanted to have you come over, man. I feel like a damn coward doing this on your machine, but… I wanted to let you know that… I think I feel the same way you do. More than brothers, ya know. I mean, I wanna be more. Fuck… this sounds coy as shit. Just get over here… I’m waiting… I uh… I love you, man.”
The message ended with a click of the button. Steele was supposed to go to him, but Ack never made it home. When Steele heard that message, he’d trashed his place… everything but the ancient answering machine. Even now, he wanted to take out the tape and crush it in his hands but he stopped himself by taking another long swig of the harsh whiskey. All those nights out there with Ackerman – his straight comrade – had changed their relationship. They fell in love. So many nights of sitting up, sleeping back-to-back, with their heads on each other’s shoulders, sharing secrets no one else in the world knew. Endless days of hiking through the dangerous jungles of Malaysia, trusting his best friend at his six to protect him. All those nights of sleeping in subterranean temperatures, Ack’s thick body wrapped around him from behind to keep each other warm, his hot breath on Steele’s sensitive ear. It was thought that love and war went hand and hand. But Steele couldn’t believe that shit anymore. Because too many war heroes never made it back to their loved ones.