-1-

“UP! DOWN! UP! DOWN--”

Corporal St. John’s steady commands echo off the  gated training field.

Rivers of sweat run down Alex Haley’s straining arms, making his palms slippery against the burning sand. He  didn’t think his body could be pushed to do this many pushups. Throbbing veins had appeared on his biceps and both his  arms were shaking from muscle exhaustion.  He needed water and felt seconds away from passing out.

To his left he hears a grunt and turns to see Audrina with her chest flat on the ground. She wasn’t fairing any better. Her breathe is loud and ragged. Her entire body trembles as she attempts to push herself back up. She starts choking on the dust particles in the air.

“GET UP LAURENTI!,” St. John screams at her. His face is red  from the heat, all the way up to the top of his shaved head.

Audrina  tries again but her body refuses, she  gives up and flops gracelessly to the ground again. After some wheezing coughs, she turns her head and  throws up on the ground. Haley cringes and turns away.

St. John squats down until he is face to face with her.

“I. Said. Get. Up, Laurenti,” St. John repeats.

Audrina closes her eyes and lets her forehead rest on the sand. She shakes her head slightly.

“I said get up, bitch.” St. John growls. “Don’t you pussy out on me. Get the fuck up and give me five more !”

“What did you just say to me ?,” Audrina wheezes, lifting her head.

“ I said five more, Laurenti,” he says calmly standing up. “This is a basic drill. Get back into position now and learn some damn respect next time you address me.”

Audrina pushes herself  up and stands.

“You learn some respect,” she snaps, her voice hoarse. “You do not get to call me a bitch. I want an apology.”

St. John turns and walks threateningly towards her until they are nose to nose.

“You don’t get special treatment. Just because Sgt. Maxwell isn’t here doesn’t mean you get to be disrespectful--”

“Neither do you--,” she says stepping closer to him.

“YOU ARE BEING INSUBORDINATE--”

 “Apologize!,” she rasps

“GET BACK DOWN AND GIVE ME--”

“No. Apologize,  assho--”

Before she can get the words out St. John shoves her, Audrina stumbles back but stops herself from falling. Haley can see that St. John regrets it  the moment he does it  and Audrina does a forced laugh as she shakes her head.

“Maxwell is so  hearing about this,” she threatens

“You want to play with the men you have to train like them. Your free ride is over this isn’t a fucking vacation. Maxwell is not coming back and when I start running things you’ll learn—”

“Maxwell’s not coming back ? Are you so sure about that ?,” she says before turning her back on them and walking out of  the training field.

When she is gone St. John looks down at Haley.

“Get up. You’re dismissed,” he says

“Yes, sir.” Haley says and quickly makes to leave.

“Hey,”  St. John calls after him, causing Haley to pause.

“Yes, sir ?” Haley says turning to face him.

“You and your little colleague better get used to me. You are civilians and I’m a commanding officer. You obey me and we will get along just fine. Understand ?”

“Yes, sir.”

Haley  takes a quick  shower and changes out of the tracksuit and into his RLA provided  uniform  of black pants, black shirt , black tie and black cover. After training Haley was supposed to go back to the office, but instead he walks towards the infirmary.

There is only one man in the infirmary—an inmate who appeared to Haley to be passed out. Audrina sits at her desk by herself siphoning pills into bottles. When she hears the door shut and sees Haley enter she jumps.

“Shit,” she says as a few of the pills scatter on the desk.

“Um, are you okay ?,” he asks her, his voice quiet and unsteady.

 In his entire time in the camp they’d never had a conversation, she only looked at him dissaprovingly .They were the only two civilians for thousands of miles and yet they’d ’d never even been alone together without Maxwell or St. John around barking orders.

“Of course,” she scowls. “You just snuck up on me.”

“Is it true what you said ?  Is Sgt. Maxwell coming back ?”

“Yes,” she says and goes back to sorting the pills.

Haley makes his way to the door, but before he can open it, Haley decides to make one last confession.

“I don’t know why you don’t like me,” he says. “And since… Harlow isn’t here to say it I want to say I’m sorry if Harlow hurt you. But I’m not like him.”

She  finally  looks up at him.

“Get on the table,” she says gesturing to her examination table.

“Why?”

“I need to look at the stitches from the bullet wound.”

“Oh.”

He untucks and unbuttons the bottom of his shirt before sitting on the table.  The scar the bullet left still looked ugly; it was pink and raw around the edges. If this was what being grazed by a bullet did he could only imagine what kind of scar actually being shot could leave.

“I don’t  dislike you,” Audrina says, running a finger of the stitches. “I just hate that you—hell, you whole family , never tried to stop Harlow. You could have saved a lot of hurt, you know ?”

“We didn’t know what he was doing all the time. And to be honest—we were afraid of him.”

“It’s no excuse,” Audrina says and lowers his shirt. “It looks like it’s healing nicely.  I’ve been seeing a lot of infections lately.”

“Did Roxi ever tell you about my mother ?,” Haley asks.

“No. Why would she ?,”

“My mother once got so paranoid when were little that she tried to drown us all  in a bathtub together. Harlow had to knock her out to make her stop.”

Audrina crossed her arms.

“To be honest I’d heard your mother was… crazy,” she admits

“She’s not crazy,” he said quickly his voice trembling. “ The priests tried to take out her patch to stop her  addictive behavior and it went wrong--.”

“Of course it did, no one should ever do that. Who the hell let that happen ?,” Aurdina interrupts

“My grandmother—it’s a long story, but it’s all because of her addiction from drugs she bought from Pascal…he preyed on her.How come you never stopped him from selling dangerous stuff like that ? Didn’t you care ?”

“Our situations are  different,” she says. “And for the record I tried to make Pascal go legit. I really did. Not that it matters…I’m sure you know Pascal is gone.”

“So is Harlow,” he adds.

“Have Felix and Marco been messing with you ?,” she asks.

“No,” he says, confused by her change of subject.

Audrina lifts his arm and his shirt sleeve falls down revealing light bruising on his arm. His entire face burns when he remembers Maxwell’s grip.

“What’s this from ?,” she asks.

“Oh…that’s old. I forgot it was there,” he lies.

She just rolls her eyes and lets his  arm go.

 As he starts to tuck his shirt back in a loud boom followed  by jackhammering from outside causes the windows to rattle and vibrate.

 The RLA Capital Development Team—which consisted of hundreds of armed men and women who could operate construction equipment—had been working around the clock on new structures for the camp since last night.

 “What do you think the construction is about ?,” he asks her.

“I’m not sure yet,” she sighs. “I have a feeling things will be changing around here.”

***

Felix wishes his best  friend Harlow were here. Harlow could make anything fun. He saw all the angles and all the possibilities.

Even in washing dirty underwear.

The basement washroom was hot and unpleasant and Felix had  spent eight hours chained to a 6 foot perimeter folding the soldier’s underwear. Felix was sure there were machines to do this work and this was a form of torture by the RLA.

Felix smiled to himself because had seen some angles though.

Earlier,  he and another prisoner had been tasked with going through the soldier’s barracks picking up the hampers—Felix slyly started riffle through some of the soldier’s personal trunks.  He’d found six pills and hid them in his cheek.

The end of the day bell rang and the chains holding them together unlocked. The men were escorted outside and back to their barracks.  There was 30 minutes between the end of the work day and dinner and it was the time of day they most looked forward to.

Some of the men took quicks naps while others were trading stories about family and life at home. Felix did what he knew Harlow would do—he observed. He’d noticed a couple weeks ago that one of the new guards had the shakes.

Felix watched him now.  The guard’s upper body would still occasionally shake and he was always swallowing hard and then spitting into the dirt . He was going through withdrawl.

Felix breaks from the group of prisoners and walks towards the guard.

 “Hey, I need to use your Syndicate--,” he whispers to the guard.

“Sit down, inmate,” the guard orders.

“Please, I’ve seen the other soldiers let guys use theirs,” he says. “My Mom’s been sick…plus l’ve got  these.”

The guard looks down as Felix opens his palms to reveal the pills. Without thinking about it the guard takes them in his hand and stuff them in his pockets. Felix hadn’t intended to give the man all the pills, but he doesn’t say anything.

“You get 2 minutes,” the guard says handing him the device. “I’ll be recording it.”

Felix nods and  dials his mother.

“Who is this--,” she starts

“Mom it’s me, tell Harlow we need to talk--”

“Harlow ?,” she says “ Isn’t he with you in that…place ? If they let him out early they should have let you--”

“No, it’s not like that. You sure you haven’t seen him--”

“No. Damnit, Felix your infatuation with that grown man isn’t healthy.”

“Go to his house,” he tells her.  “It’s important. I need to know what to do next.”

“20 seconds inmate,” the guard says.

“Mom, please. If you catch wind of him tell him to find a way to contact me--”

“Felix, honey why are you doing this to us--”

“Find Harlow--”

The line clicks off before he can finish.

***

-2-

The dark mahogany desk was so heavy it takes  ten corporals to get it inside and perfectly aligned atop the Persian rug. The desk was made to look antique and regal even though the stain has only dried a few weeks ago.

Maxwell loved it.

 He stared at the desk and the equally expensive leather chair behind it. He would have been happy just to have an office he didn’t have to duck his head to get into, but these were nice perks.

His new office was all very real.

 The floor had a real rug, the door was real wood and even  bolted shut. There  were floor length windows to the outside that he could change the tint with a tap to his syndicate.

You can do this  he coached himself.

“Seven years,” Maxwell says. “ Are you with me for that ?,”

He turned to Audrina who was standing next to him, examining his new office with her arms crossed.

 “Sounds about right, sir,” she says solemnly.

“What does that mean ?”

“I guess I just  realized that part of the reason I volunteered to come to Ft. Harmony   is for penance. For all the things I saw and let slide. Seven years sounds about right.”

“I give you two before you run out of here screaming,” he says.

She laughs and reaches up and rubs his shoulder in a comforting way she’d been doing since he got hurt, before backing out of the office.

Alone, Maxwell sits in his new chair and puts his polished shoes up on the top of the desk.  It was a beautiful desk and he hated that he’s have to cover it with all of the RLA computer systems.

Footsteps sound down the hall and he  stands as Haley enters the office, holding a box of monitors and supplies from the old office—which was being torn down.

“They put this together so quickly,” Haley says, his eyes wandering the room.

“The RLA is efficient when it wants to be.”

The new building wasn’t as nice Headquarters, it was mostly  a glorified  brick trailer. It had three offices in a single hallway and   Maxwell could pace from one end of the hall to the other in less than a minute.

The new barracks for the Corporals had been a nice addition, but the design had put his quarters as an annex to the building. He had a separate entrance, but he hated being so close to his subordinates.

“Who are the other two offices for, sir ?,” Haley asks.

“We’ll be doing some basic training here and it’s a lot of responsibility dealing with rookies so I’ll need to appoint a second in command and a drill sergeant from my squad of corporals.” he says. “I’ll most likely make St. John my second in command.”

“Even after what he did yesterday ?,” Haley asks.

“What happened yesterday ?,” Maxwell asks, his voice taking on a dark tone.

Haley realizes Audrina’s threat to St. John to tell Maxwell that he pushed her must have been an empty one.

“Um, nothing. I just—you’ve said some bad things about him.,,sir.”

“Oh, that he was a motherfucking shitstain ?,” Maxwell says. “Yes, well, you  always keep your enemies close.”

Maxwell walks  across the room and standing over Haley he pushes the office door closed. He walks back to his desk and motions for Haley to follow.

“Sit on the desk,” Maxwell orders.

"I don't understand, sir--"

"Put your ass on my desk. It's not complicated."

 The desk is  high and when Haley lifts himself on to it  his feet only just barely touch the floor. Maxwell stands between his dangling legs and runs the back of his finger over Haley’s cheek before pressing his lips to his in a slow kiss. At first contact Haley can feel his entire face going pink. His lips part, but Maxwell pulls away.

“Do you like it when I do that ?,” Maxwell asks.

The questions surprises Haley and he searches for the answer Maxwell must want.

 “Be honest with me,” Maxwell says.

“I…don’t know, sir.” He says in barely a whisper. “It’s….not….bad.”

 Shame creeps over him.

Maxwell cups Haley’s cheek in his hand and tips his face up towards him.  He kisses him again, this time opening his mouth and letting his tongue briefly slide over his before pulling out. Maxwell presses his forehead into Haley’s and inhales deeply. Their faces as close as they could be without kissing.

“When I was in Ft. Perch I had to sign a 7 year contract. That means I can’t leave this post for 7 fucking years.” Maxwell says breathily. “I’ve helped you and I will continue to do so, but I need you to do a few things for me.”

Haley’s breath catches as Maxwell reaches down and undoes his own belt. An alarm goes off in Haley’s body and if Maxwell wasn’t boxing him in, he’s sure he’d run.

“It’s simple…You help me,” Maxwell says taking Haley’s hand. “And I help you.”

Maxwell kisses him again and without breaking the kiss he guides Haley’s hand   into his pants and Maxwell can feel his unease.

“Just pretend your jerking yourself off,” Maxwell tells him.

“I…I don’t…really do that,” Haley says in a whisper

Maxwell sighs against his mouth. “I saw the scar when you were in the infirmary. Does it not work ?”

“No, nothing like that.,” he says quickly.” At New Revolution schools they believe any form of lust to be dangerous, if we did anything like that—even outside of school we were punished--”

“And what do you believe now ?”

“I’ve never really thought about it-”

“Men die that way. No wonder you’re so god damn tense,”

Maxwell kisses him again, his hands touching the bare skin at his wrists and neck. He guides Haley’s hand under his own until he is moving slowly between his thighs.

“It’s for the best actually,” Maxwell says. “I’ve never much liked reciprocating--.”

“I--,”

“Unless you asked me to,” Maxwell adds and it sends blood rushing through Haley’s body.

Haley keeps his eyes on the side of Maxwell’s face as he strokes him, even though  curiosity is urging him to look down. 

After a few minutes Maxwell  makes a soft groaning noise and presses his two hands against the smooth desk.

“Fuck,” Maxwell sighs

 It’d been so long since someone else had touched him. For the first time he didn’t have to fantasize about anyone else.  Haley was young and beautiful—he wasn’t sure he could come up with someone better in his mind.

He hadn’t realize how close he was until Haley’s hand stopped.

Maxwell has a small satisfied smile as he puts himself back together. He rests his lips on Haley’s cheek and once his belt is back in place the moment passes. Maxwell steps away from the desk and surveys the office.

“Get the hell off my desk,” Maxwell orders.  “And get the rest of my shit out of the old office. Now.”

Haley looks at his hand before looking Maxwell in the eye.

“Yes, sir.”

 

----

So, Maxwell has moved on to sexual favors. This always ends well, right ?

Muse: Well, we do know how it ends

SHV: We do ?

Muse: Oh, right....we don't actually

SHV: #lifeof panster

Sidenote: Maybe it's all the Lux Aeterna-Verse stuff, but I'm really enjoying writing workout porn.