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“Doc, I’m coming to the med tent with our two hot zone specialists. I want you to tell them exactly what you told me alright? They’ll be on the field and will need all the information they can get.”
“Of course, Eliza. You can come, I can make them a demonstration of how the carapace works.”
“That’ll be perfect. We’ll be there in a few minutes.”
She signed off and Doc started to clean a bit the table and prepare the tent for the newcomers. He had heard that one of the two operators was a Virologist and Immunologist specialist. That would be a great help, Six really had an eye for talents. He was cleaning the blood off his gloves, who had become slippery, when Ash entered with the two agents. They were already geared up, full black and yellow CBRN outfit and masks on. There was first the woman, she had a scar on her face but a determined gaze and a spetsnaz patch on her left side. Then there was the man. Gustave’s attention immediately got caught by the GIGN letters. Then the O- patch of cloth. And when his eyes met the man’s gaze, he immediately knew.
The silence and his petrified face must have talked for him, since Eliza cleared her throat:
“I presume you already know each other?” she asked.
“Yes” ”No” They both blurted at the same time. So, Gustave sighed and admitted:
“Yes, we do.”
Eliza didn’t have time to ask any other question, because Doc immediately went for the briefing. Showing them the sample they had isolated and how the tissues and the carapace around the skin of the infected worked. He tried to give as many details as he could, not wondering if he was getting too difficult to follow, he just tried to keep his mind busy with other information.
Seeing how his hands were shaking, he tried to hold tight to the small tools he was handling for the demonstration. And after a few questions from “Finka”, he finally had worn out his reserve of details and observations.
“Alright, thank you very much Doc for this detailed explanation. We’ll grab Jordan’s nanothermite charges and immediately set off for the nursery.”
But Lion asked:
“Ash, can we just… Can I have 10 minutes with Gustave first? I’ll be quick.”
Eliza seemed to understand that it was an important matter, and not some cheerful reunion, considering Doc’s anxious face. She didn’t want them to start a conversation that they probably should better have after the operation, but at the same time if the two were to work together, it was perhaps better that they at least talk a bit. She sighed:
“Alright, 10 minutes but that’s all. We really need to go afterwards, ok?”
Lion respectfully nodded and Ash and Finka left the tent. He then took his helmet and balaclava off, as Gustave immediately walked towards him, and Olivier was sure he was going to get punched.
But Gustave cupped his cheeks and threw his lips on his, their teeth banging with the sudden impact and Olivier widened his eyes. Although, he didn’t let a second for his brain to figure out what was going on and wrapped his arms around Gustave’s waist, pressing him hard to him and deepened their kiss, like he had been craving it for a century.
It was savage, animal, wet and desperate. It was their inner animals meeting again and tossing aside the humans that had broken their bond and taken them apart. Away from each other.
It lasted several minutes, perhaps the entire time Lion had asked Eliza, before they slowly parted away. Lips reddened by the assault of their mouths and wet saliva glimmering on their lips. Gustave murmured:
“There will be a lot of talking. And screaming. And crying. And hate. Harsh words. Fighting and arguments. It will be unbearably difficult. It will hurt.“
Before we might be together again. And it wasn’t a threat; it was a prediction. Olivier could only nod to that, as his hands reluctantly left Gustave’s hips, his inner animal whining at the separation.
“I know.”