-1-

The urgent order from Headquarters had come to Camp Harmony swiftly and without explanation; decrease the inmate population.

Each day a new list of inmates who should be transferred home came in and within two weeks half the inmates were gone.  Camp Harmony was more quiet than it had ever been, but the work for Maxwell had only increased.

Haley had managed to avoid St. John and Strange, he  wanted to warn Maxwell about their plan to file complaint, but the sergeant seemed more on edge with this new order from headquarters.  With fewer prisoners to bully, Maxwell had started to take most of his aggression  out on the privates and his staff.

Private Cieran, lay in an infirmary bed with a dark bruise spreading up his stomach. He’d collapsed during a 10 mile run and had been accidentally trampled by a few privates before they noticed he was down.

“It’s internal bleeding,” Corp. Strange told Audrina. He’d  been a medical resident before enlisting and had begun taking up hours in the infirmary much to Audrina’s chagrin.

“I know, sir,” she said in a short tone.

Haley had been taking stock in the infirmary and watched as Audrina spread a thin antibacterial on Private Cieran’s bruises.

“You may want to go now,” Audrina says  to Haley pulling out a small scalpel and tube from a cart.

“I’m  not squeamish,” Haley tells her.

“I can’t guarantee you’re not in a splash zone,” she added.  “Tell Maxwell I recommend sending Private Cieran home…but since I know Maxwell won’t send him home,  tell him the private will need two days of bed rest.”

“Can you even fucking remember all that ?,” Strange asked him pointedly.

“Yes, sir.” Haley said as he stands. He didn’t know what St. John had said about him that inspired so much  hate in Strange.

As  he passes the prisoner barracks Haley can sense someone standing behind him. He expects its Strange following him to talk about the court martial—but it is Felix and Marco staring at him.

Felix takes a few steps towards Haley and  he flinches on instinct, but Felix keep his distance. He just stares at Haley, his fist balled at his sides and his eyes filled with anger and…tears.

“Felix--”

 “You fucking bastard,” Felix spits out, his voice shaking.

“What now, Felix-”

“Harlow is dead,” Felix says  blinking away unexpected tears. “My best friend dies months ago and nobody tells me ? You had us believing he got away and  that he’s alive --”

“Felix, I'm so sorry. It’s not what you think--”

“Yes it is,” Felix says his voice raising. “Your sister told my mom and she told me. You’re  a lying piece of shit. Did he even kill himself like they said  ? ”

Haley closes his eyes, wishing the moment away.

“Come on,” Felix says. “ You at least owe me the truth about how he went. Because the Harlow I knew wanted to leave forever.”

 “He didn't kill himself exactly,” Haley says. “I'm sorry--”  

“No, fuck you,” Felix says. “You always thought you were better than him—then us. You betray your brother just to become that RLA asshole’s bitch ? Is that it ? You were supposed to be Harlow’s family, but none of you cared about him the way Marco and I did.”

“Harlow was a monster,” Haley reminded him. “You have no idea. I tried to do the right thing when he died--- “

“Bullshit,” Felix argues. “You  never cared about Harlow and you were happy to see him dead. All of you. Your entire family disgusts me.”

“Felix, I’m sorry I lied to you. I have his ashes and I’ll give them  all to you--”

“Marco and I are getting out tomorrow,” Felix interrupts. “Did you hear ?”

“No,” Haley said. They were leaving three months early, that was earlier release than most.

“Maxwell didn't tell you while you were sucking his cock ?,” Felix smiled. “ We got early release papers and when we get back home we're going to do right by Harlow. We’re going to make your family pay for how they treated him.”

“I lied, Felix. I did it." Haley says. "My family had nothing to do with this.”

“Bullshit. Your cunt sister is selling his shit , she didn’t even have the decency to have a funeral, but she want to make money of him ? I’m not letting that bitch get away with that.”

“Leave Isla alone!,” Haley shouts and it catches the ear of a nearby corporal who walks over.

“Hey, break it up,” the corporal shouts

“You have to detain him,” Haley says pointing to Felix. Haley usually never addresses the corporals but he was desperate. “He threatened me---”

“Shut up,” The corporal barked . He took the handheld retina scanner off his shoulder strap and turned it on each of them. “You two should be cleaning your bunks unless you want some extra days on your sentence.”

 Felix gives the corporal a withering look and then turns to Haley with a final glare. He walks off without another word, Marco trailing behind him. 

“Where the fuck are you supposed to be ?,” the corporal asked.

Haley ignores him and heads for Maxwell’s office.

***

 -2-

Haley paces in the hallway outside of Maxwell’s office for 20 minutes before sitting down on the hard wood bench.  He can hear the  voices of St. John and Strange inside. After another half hour he  hears the meeting end in a short laughter and  he stands as the door opens.

Maxwell had showered and change into his officer’s uniform since the 2 hour run from the early afternoon. St. John and Strange walk down the hall to their shared office. When  Maxwell  makes a move to walk past Haley he steps in front of him.

 “Sir, may I speak with you ?,” Haley asks.

Maxwell glares down at him  in annoyance, but lets him into the office and shuts the door.  They don’t sit; Maxwell stands, staring down at him from a formal distance.

“What ?,” Maxwell asks. 

“It’s Felix and Marco,” Haley says.

“What about them ?”

 “You can’t release them tomorrow. Um,  they know about what really happened to….Harlow”

“Fucking hell--”

“I didn’t tell them anything, sir.” Haley adds. “Felix found out from Isla, so he doesn’t know the details….they’re threatening to hurt my family.”

Maxwell crosses his arm and walks slowly towards the door.

“Those two idiots are just bullshitting you.”

“Felix is really upset…I’ve never seen him like that.”  Haley says. “Can you not release him right now ? I think he may do something.”

“I can’t do that,” Maxwell says pausing to look into the mirror that hung on his wall. “ The release orders are from my superiors. Now, let’s go to lunch.”

Haley should have been used to Maxwell’s  flippancy, but in that moment he felt the tinges of resentment and frustration building. He only had one card to play with Maxwell and he had to play it now.

“You have to do it,” Haley says quietly. “I’m not giving you a choice.”

“Excuse me ?,” Maxwell says amused, turning from the mirror to face him.

“If you don’t keep atleast Felix here…... I’ll tell someone what you…what you did to me,” Haley says. “You’ll go to prison.”

Maxwell’s amused look turns into something closer to anger.

“And who exactly is going to believe you ?,” Maxwell asks

“Audrina,” Haley says and then immediately regrets bringing her into this.”…and St. John and Strange already have it out for you--”

“That is not how this works,” Maxwell says coolly. “Don’t forget you told me you participated in a murder. There is no statue of limitations on murder. If you even try to take me down I will  take  you with me. I am in control here, not you. Do you understand ?”

“No,” Haley says

“Excuse me--”

“Harlow’s father doesn’t know Harlow’s dead yet….I’ll tell Harlow’s father that you covered up Harlow’s murder.”

Maxwell’s eyes narrow at Haley’s confidence.

“Who is Harlow’s father ?,” Maxwell asked, his teeth on edge.

“Senator Winthrop.”

Maxwell’s face breaks into an icy smile at the mention of one of the Republic’s highest ranking senators.

“The Senator Winthrop has been married for 40  years. You really think he is going to acknowledge his bastard--”

“No. But he  loves Harlow,” Haley tells him. “He protects him. He’s the reason Harlow never went to prison before, he even got Harlow taken out of the RLA draft. When he hears you let his son die he’ll take away your entire career --”

“Shut up,” Maxwell says through gritted teeth, rage building.

He knew Senator Winthrop from the occasional dinner parties and had seen the man flirt with anything with breasts. Sen. Winthrop was Cass’ father and  one of Barrister-Finches’ advisers.

Now Maxwell had stupidly covered up the murder of his son. Not even General Hinkley could save him if Sen. Winthrop was involved. Haley really did have him.

Maxwell had let his relationship with Haley get messy and now he was going to have to clean it up. This wasn’t how any of this was supposed to go. He didn’t have time for this.

“Maxwell--,” Haley starts.

The sound of his name unleashes Maxwell’s boiling aggression. Before Maxwell can even think about what he is doing he pulls off his belt. The thick leather strikes  Haley’s face, the dull crack of the buckle sends tingles down Maxwell’s spine and thick dark blood streams from Haley’s nose. 

With a swipe of his wrist Maxwell locks the office door. He takes the mirror off the wall and scans his eye over a retina lock  safe built into the wall. Pulling a firearm from the safe, he points it to Haley who  had left a trail of blood as he made a run to the floor to ceiling window and begin pulling  at the manual window lock.

 “Get on your knees,” Maxwell orders, aiming the gun at Haley’s chest.

Haley ‘s eyes dart to Maxwell’s name plate—which could be used to break the windows. Maxwell points the gun upwards and shoots a warning shot into the ceiling.

“Get on  your knees or I will but a bullet in your pretty little skull.”

Shaking Haley sinks to his knees immediately, the tears falling faster and mixing with the blood from his nose.

“Maxwell, I’m sorry, “ Haley says quietly.  “I’m sorry. Please don’t shoot  me, please don’t shoot me, please----”

 “Open your mouth,” Maxwell orders stepping closer until he is right on top of him, his face nothing but shadows.

“I’m sorry. P-p-p-lease--,” Haley begs, bloody tears sliding down his face

Maxwell presses the still warm barrel to Haley’s forehead.

“Open your mouth,” he says again. “Or bullet in the skull.”

Haley complies. He shuts his eyes and  makes a strained sound as Maxwell guides the barrel off the gun into Haley’s open mouth. It tastes sharp and hot, the gunpower residue from the warning shot still on the tip.

“Open your fucking eyes and look at me.” Maxwell says. “Stop crying and listen carefully.”

Haley nods.

“You are not in control,” Maxwell tells him in a stony voice.  “ You are disposable. And if you ever try to blackmail me I will get rid of you.”

He pushes the gun in farther and Haley gags as the barrel reaches his throat.

“This is an unregistered gun with unregistered bullets,” Maxwell tells him. “ I can shoot you and dump your body in the middle of the desert. I’lll tell everyone you ran away and if by some luck someone does find your body in thousands of mile of desert it will be  picked over by vultures and unrecognizable. Is that what you want, Haley?”

He shakes his head no slightly.

“I think it is,” Maxwell counters.

Maxwell pushes the gun farther down his throat and Haley gags violently  under Maxwell’s gaze. The blood from his nose seeps down to his lips and into his open mouth.

“Are you done threatening me ?,” Maxwell asks.

Haley’s eyes leave Maxwell, as if he is looking for a way out. Maxwell pushes the gun farther into his throat.

“I said are you done threatening me ?,” Maxwell repeats. “Are you going to be a good boy ?”

Haley slowly tilts his head yes.

Maxwell’s hand is inches away from Haley’s mouth and admires how Haley is kneeling so silently even though  the barrel of the gun is  so far  down his throat. His full pink lips are wrapped almost around the handle. The submissive position turns Maxwell on more than he would have imagined.

“You don't have gag reflex,” Maxwell tells him quizzically, as he one handedly unbuttons his pants.

Maxwell slowly pulls the gun out of Haley’s open mouth. Haley turns his head away in disgust  and Maxwell snaps it back and replaces the gun with his growing erection.  He pulls down Haley’s hair and gathers the loose strands to crudely drive Haley’s mouth over his cock.

Maxwell had never felt this much intense pleasure from  dominating another person. His arousal felt vulgar and sharp. He held Haley’s head still as he finished in his mouth.

He kneels down to Haley’s level until they are eye to eye.

“I am in charge,” Maxwell says grabbing his chin.

He considers adding insult to injury by ordering him to swallow. Before he can get another word out Haley spits on him.  A mixture of semen, blood and saliva stains his officer’s coat.

Fueled by rage Maxwell jerks Haley up by his collar, he tries to scratch at Maxwell’s face but he catches his hand and pins it behind Haley’s back.

“You disrespectful son of a bitch,” Maxwell growls.

“Let me go!,” Haley screams, this time managing to elbow Maxwell’s eyes. In Maxwell’s moment of blindness Haley grabs the gun and strikes Maxwell’s face.

With quick reflexes Maxwell bends Haley’s arm back and takes back the gun. A new fury ignited, Maxwell jerks Haley’s shirt  and slams his body into the floor the ceiling windows, pulling his pants down in the process.

The glass window begins to  crack sat the impact of Haley’s head on the glass and for a moment he sees white.  Privates pass by the office on their way to lunch, but Maxwell had put the blackout tint on the windows so no one could see inside the office.

Maxwell lifts Haley’s arm and braces it above his head on the window with his own hand. He pins his other hand over  Haley’s waist  as he forces himself on to him.

The need he felt was carnal. The sudden aggression made him hornier than he had been in years. Within seconds he was breathless and  panting into Haley’s writhing body.

For a brief moment Haley’s cries of pain turn into a confused moan of pleasure and his entire body shudders so hard Maxwell can feel it in his own body.

Maxwell dips his head and lets his teeth sink into Haley’s shoulder.

“Don’t you ever disrespect me like that again. Do you understand ?,” Maxwell says  pushing him harder into the glass window.

When he doesn’t answer Maxwell brings the gun  back to Haley’s  head.

“Yes, sir,” Haley chokes, his eyes momentarily rolling into the back of his head.

“Tell me who is in charge ?,” Maxwell growls into his ear.

“You are, sir,” Haley  pants quickly.

“Who ?,” Maxwell asks

“….Sgt. Maxwell,” he tries

“Do you believe that ?”

“Yes”

“Do you really ?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do I need to teach you this lesson again ?”

“No, sir.”

Maxwell pulls out and finishes on the curtains. When he releases his hand from the window Haley’s knees give out. Maxwell catches him and lowers him slowly to the ground. Sinking next to Haley, Maxwell captures his mouth  in a full mouthed kiss. He  can taste the blood and himself on Haley’s mouth and it turns him on.

“Who is in control ?,” Maxwell asks.

“You,” Haley says his eyes down.

“Who owns you ?,” Maxwell asks, forcing him to look him in the eyes.

“You,” he says quietly.

“Why ?”

When he doesn’t answer Maxwell catches his lips in a kiss.

“Because I know what is best for you,” Maxwell tells him.

Maxwell reaches for Haley’s face and brushes back the now tangled blonde strands that hung past his shoulders. Reaching for Haley’s nose Maxwell presses hard on the delicate bone in his nose.

“Look up  at my mouth, Alex,” Maxwell tells him.

Maxwell had used his first name intentionally. A part of him hoped using Haley’s first name would make what he had just done seem less real. Like it had all been  a scene just for his pleasure and now that he’d used their safe word it was all over. Now he wasn't a terrible person

But it wasn’t a scene.

 It has been ugly and messy and the proof was all over his office windows, carpet and both of their uniforms.

Haley was scared shitless, which was all Maxwell needed until he could figure everything out.

Maxwell applies firm pressure on Haley’s nose until the bleeding finally stops. He wipes the remnants of blood on Haley’s shirt.

Maxwell fumbles his desk drawer open and produces a miniature of cheap vodka he’s taken from a private’s bag. Maxwell takes a small  sip and hands it to Haley.

“Drink it all,” Maxwell tells him.

He finishes it in less than a swallow and Maxwell takes his lips into his, letting the taste of alchol flow between their mouths. Maxwell was still  intoxicated with his own dominance and kisses his lips until they are raw and only stops when a desperate knock sounds at the door.

Maxwell  breaks away and  strides to his coat  closet. He swiftly replaces his shirt and jacket with his clean spare He douses his soiled shirt in water and wipes his face.

 He  places his unregistered gun on Haley’s desk.

“Get yourself cleaned up and then come back and clean the gun,” Maxwell tells him.

Maxwell opens the door and an impatient Strange steps inside. If he immediately notices the mess or that Haley’s hair is  suddenly undone he doesn’t say anything.

 “Sir,” Strange says locking his eyes on Maxwell. “There is an air fleet coming in…”

“Excuse me ?,”

“A small fleet is in our airspace. It’s not on the schedule, but we had to clear  it for landing. ETA 20 minutes.”

“You don’t clear anything without permission!” Maxwell barks.

“It was a judgment call, sir--”

“I make the judgments here-”

“Sir, the fleet is from Headquarters.”

 -3-

Maxwell barks out a series of orders from his Syndicate as he does a quick walk through of the camp performing quick uniform inspections, contraband sweeps and security checks. He'd just finished the perimeter check when he hears the docile hum of the RLA fleet

"All corporals and privates report to the landing field now," Maxwell barks into this Syndicate as he takes a seat in the RLA Jeep with St. John at the wheel.

They drive the half mile to the landing field where the corporals and privates stand at attention in two orderly horizontal lines one in front of the other. A quick glance over the line and Maxwell could still see small uniform violations and he only hoped whichever officer was on that plane didn't notice.

Maxwell stands at attention  in front of the plane's ramp and his curiosity is quickly quelled as Lieutenant Cassia Winthrop descends from the runway in uniform dress. She is flanked by three senior corporals and she's traded in her heels for a pair of very new looking knee high leather boots. Maxwell hides his smile when she takes her first step on the ground and nearly slips on the sand.

"Ma'am," Maxwell greets her with a salute and the entire camp behind him follows in unison. Cass pointedly removes her sunglasses and surveys the men.

“At ease, boys,” she yells and they relax positions, but the field remains respectfully silent.

 "This visit is very unexpected, ma'am" Maxwell tells her. "Had I known you were coming we would have been more prepared."

“This isn't a social call, Sargeant,” Cass tell him walking up to him until they are  inches from each other.. "We have some very sensitive information that had to be delivered in person. I'll need your most secure conference room--" 

“We don't have conference rooms here,” he tells her, biting back his annoyance. "Ma'am.

 "Then give me the next fucking best thing," she says.

***

Maxwell's office had never been so crowded. Cass sat behind his desk, with her three senior corporals surrounding her. Standing in front of the desk, in a cramped line were the 9 corporals staffed at  Camp Harmony. Maxwell stood in front of them and to his left were St. John and Strange.

His curiosity over what she had come all this way to say was overshadowed by his fear of  her somehow figuring out the perverted pleasure he'd enjoyed in this office not an hour ago. He'd ordered Haley to clean the office while he went to the landing strip and it looked as good as new, but Cass was perceptive.

Cassia looked good behind his desk. He noted her uniform wasn't regulation; her hair was down, she wore a gold necklace above her collar and her jacket buttons were undone but she sat so purposefully behind his desk he knew no one would question her. He remembered why he'd so willingly submitted to her in bed. A part of him wanted that again. Power had  made him lose all control.

"As you all may have noticed we've been emptying your RCP site," Cass says. "It's because the RLA is transporting some very special prisoners to Camp Harmony."

She hands Maxwell a stack of  leather folders to pass around.

"This is very classified," She explained. "The contents of these folders can't be discussed  over Syndicate for fear of interception. Thus my visit."

Maxwell  snaps opens the file and quickly scans through it.

“Prisoners of war ?,” he says reading the file.

“Three,” Cass says. “No officers. Just  young, low ranking Eastern Guardsmen. Apparently they were on a drone recon mission and their plane went down near a neo-luddite site. They've been in interrogation for weeks and we've exhausted their usefulness. We need a more permanent solution for them and Camp Harmony won out.  Your files detail the necessary supervision requirements and safety measures. This is an honor, gentlemen."

Cass reviews the file with the men before collecting the files again and putting them in a locked box marked DESTROY.

When the meeting closes Maxwell escorts Cassia and her platoon to the barracks to meet the privates and then to the infirmary where Audrina was working on setting a broken arm.   Haley sat silently in the infirmary as well continuing to  take the  inventory from earlier.

"I don't know how you do it," Cass smiles conspiratorially at Audrina. "Day and night with all these men ?"

"I enjoy the work, ma'am," Audrina says. "Never a dull moment."

"I'm sure," Cass smiled thinly. Maxwell knew she was already disturbed by all the medical equipment and needles. The woman liked to be put out to have a cavity filled.

After a few polite questions with Audrina, Maxwell escorts Cassia out the door.

Cassia's leather boots were now covered in dust and she bent down every step or two to wipe them off. When they are a distance form the infirmary she signals for Maxwell to walk with her and for her flank of corporals to stay behind.

"Would you like to tour the fine cuisine of your inmate prepared RCP military food ?," Maxwell teases looking to the Mess Hall.

"I'm afraid I can't stay for lunch, Ken," she says, smiling around his name. "I  have to get back to headquarters tonight."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"I get it. This place really is fucking miserable. " Cassia says coolly. "But that is unacceptable."

“What is ?,”

“I’m not stupid. That boy is technically a prisoner. It could get messy--"

"Did he say something to you ?," Maxwell interrupts and Cassia scowls.

"No. But I know what you like and how you like it," she says gently stroking his neck with her hand. "I'll look the other way this time but you have to stop."

“You banish me to this hell hole for 7 years and expect me to live like a monk ?"

She stares at him with something close to sympathy and brushes the sand out of her lashes.

"Well, just stop making it so obvious," she says crossing her arms and smiling amused.

"Cass. I'm not...proud of what I'm doing," Maxwell tells her.

"I'm sure you're not," she says. "I was just thinking that if you have a type then you'll really enjoy your new prisoners."

 ----

A/N

 By the way here is my picspiratin for Cassia Winthrop. Except with her Peyton Sawyer curly hair.