Chaos Theory – Chapter 14

Heated Developments

A/N: A huge thanks to Chan for her assistance!

2020, Manticore Mission to Assist US Combatants – West Africa

494 was entrenched in mud. And like any feline, he itched to lick himself clean of the filth he’d been mired in for the past 3 days.

He couldn’t believe he’d agreed to this. If he’d only known what the mission entailed…he might have feigned disability or exhaustion.

It was an extraction op. On his return to Manticore after capturing the rogue X5-452, Lydecker had pulled him aside.

Colonel Donald Lydecker clapped him on the back and grinned. “494, let me commend you on an operation well executed. I’m proud of you, son.” 

494 swallowed the bile that threatened to rise in his throat. Another compliment from the brass. He hated that he was helping them, giving them reason to be pleased.

Deck leaned against the doorjamb giving 494 a once-over. “We’re sending a unit tomorrow  to West Africa. An army battalion has been taken captive and are behind enemy lines. We need an extraction team and I want my best soldiers on this. I’d like you to head the team.”

494’s head was pounding. The events of the past few days had sent him into a funk. The lack of sleep, the constant fighting, the stifling heat of the jungle and…the heady scent of pheromones!

His head whipped up and he glanced at his fellow soldiers. Who was stupid enough to agree to a mission knowing she was so close to a heat cycle? His eyes settled on 714’s flushed face and sweat soaked body. He inhaled sharply and immediately felt his pants tighten painfully over his increasingly oversensitive lower region. His eyes narrowed when he noticed the looks the other transgenics were sending her way.

494 pulled himself up from the ground, his entire body covered in hot, wet mud. He watched the others do the same.

494 stepped in front of 714 and acted as a shield, hiding her from view. 714 was his friend, his unit mate, and he was her CO. He had to keep her from making a mistake she’d regret. It wasn’t like he had much choice. Back at Manticore she’d be locked away in isolation to wait this bitch out. But here, surrounded by a squad of primarily male X5s, she didn’t stand a chance without him.

Speaking softly, he circled her, eyes wary of the advancing, horny, sex-crazed X5 males. “Stay back, 714. I’ve got you covered.”

He had the shock of his life when a jolt of pleasure shot through him as 714 pressed up against his back. She reached around him and began unbuttoning his shirt. In her haste, she popped the buttons, pulling the material from his body. He opened his mouth to protest when a wave of pheromones hit his nose and he inhaled. That’s when 494 lost his focus and gave in to temptation. His nerve endings were on fire and he knew that if he didn’t fight for her now he would lose. And losing was something 494 did not do.

494 continued to eye the other transgenics who seemed hell-bent on taking 714 for their own. 

“Stand down, all of you. She’s mine.” he growled as one man reached out to grab at 714’s sleeve. 494 struck out, catching the other man with a hard kick to the gut. He fell to the ground, grunting. Recognizing his superior rank, the other soldiers warily backed off. All except for one.

664 boldly took another step forward. “I have just as much right to claim her as you, 494. Maybe even more.” His eyes glinted dangerously as he openly challenged his CO.

494 growled deeper than before, the sound rumbling throatily. “We all know you’re pining for her, 664. But she doesn’t seem to want you. She wants me.” 494 grinned and 664’s face contorted in rage. He leapt at 494 and they stumbled almost drunkenly. 

“Like hell I’m gonna let you have her!” 664 roared as he grabbed hold of 494’s throat and started to squeeze. 494 was disgusted with himself. He’d let his cockiness cloud his mind and had given 664 an opening for attack.

Struggling for air, 494 pulled back as far as he could and then rammed his forehead into 664. The head butt was brutal and 664 loosened his grip, reaching for his head with his hands. It was all the opportunity 494 needed. 

494 spun and swept 664’s feet out from under him, sending him sprawling face down onto the slick, mud-covered jungle floor. 494 straddled 664 from behind and held him down. 664 feigned acquiescence. When his body went limp, 494 moved to get up. 664 flipped over, knocking 494 onto his back and then he lunged, wrapping himself around his CO.

The two soldiers were tangled in a body lock. Their limbs tightly wound around each other, gripping and squeezing as each man fought for dominance. 664 was at a disadvantage. He was fully clothed and it gave 494 something to grip as they fought. 494’s chest was slick with mud and 664’s fingers slipped repeatedly. 

664 fought valiantly. He matched 494 kick for kick, punch for punch. But whereas he was putting all his energy into the fight, and was beginning to tire, 494 hadn’t broken a sweat and his breathing was as calm as ever.

494 struck his opponent’s neck, trying to keep him down without killing him. Through the haze of pheromones and the heavy testosterone-laden air, 494 knew he didn’t want to kill his friend; he only meant to disable the opposition. 

The action winded 664 and 494 blurred to the nearest tree, scaling it effortlessly. He grabbed hold of a thick vine, tugging to test it’s strength before swinging with all his might toward the slightly distracted 664. 494’s feet impacted with 664’s stomach and the man went sailing into the bushes where he promptly lost consciousness.

494 looked down at his mud encrusted body and cursed loudly. “Anyone else care to challenge me or can I get back to business?” he glared at the other transgenics, daring them to push their luck. When they kept silent, 494 sauntered over to 714 who immediately rubbed up against him again. 

He backed her into the brush. The mission would have to wait. There were more urgent matters to deal with at the moment.

664 eased into consciousness in time to see 494 step from the brush, zipping his pants, a wide, self-satisfied smile gracing his face. 714 crept shyly behind him, standing close to him. 664 growled to himself, every nerve ending alive and pulsing with the force of his jealousy and anger. The look of rapture and contentment on her face made him see red.

From his position he could hear 494’s words clearly.

“We need to talk, 714,” 494 turned to face the girl whose transformation was complete. An hour before she’d been writhing, wild, primal. And now she stood before him meek and shy, clingy almost.

494 took her by the hand and led her off to the side, down a slope to a small, clear stream, away from prying eyes and sharp ears. Little did he know that every word he spoke was weaving a web of betrayal that would ensnare him tightly within.

He bent down to clean himself up with water from the stream, motioning to her to do the same.

“Back there, 714, that was intense. But I don’t want you to misunderstand me, soldier. I was acting in the capacity of your Commanding Officer. As the highest ranking officer of this unit, I did what I could to protect you. I’m sorry it got out of hand. I couldn’t control myself any more than you could.” He looked sideways at her, his gaze intent yet soft, hoping his words weren’t too harsh or hurtful. 714 was a good friend and a fine soldier. He didn’t want this to complicate their relationship.

714 stared back at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “So that’s it? I was just another fuck to you?” she whispered angrily, splashing water on herself, rubbing rigorously at her mud-covered body. Her anger was apparent in every move she made.

494 shook off his feeling of unease and regret. The last thing he’d wanted was for this to happen. Goddamn pheromones! Fucking Manticore for making them freakish like that. 

“Well, yeah. And a damn good one, too.” he smiled wryly. “But I’ll say this once, and only once. I can’t get involved with one of my own soldiers. You’d be transferred from our unit, 714. Is that what you want?” He had to stay unbiased, detached. 494 wouldn’t be able to protect them properly otherwise. 

714 raised her head once more to stare up at him from eyes swollen with tears. “You fought for me, Sir. I know you care. You’re just trying to protect me.”

494 shook his head warily. He was walking a fine line. So this was what the guys had meant by the ‘awkward morning after talk’. Goddamn.

“Yes, I fought for you. Because I knew I would win.” He looked away at the hurt that flashed in her eyes. “Look, 714,” she tried to stop him by pressing her fingers to his lips but he forcibly pulled her arms down to her sides. He spoke softly, trying to let her down as gently as he could. “I do care and I am protecting you. But I don’t want you like that. Maybe that sounds mean but I’m not gonna lie to you. You’re my friend, nothing more.”

Watching her face contort with pain before the blank mask he knew so well slammed down over her features, 494 began to understand Manticore’s segregation of female X5s in heat. The emotional overload wasn’t something he’d been taught to deal with. And he felt like shit. After they got out of the jungle he knew things would never be the same again.

714 raised her hand suddenly and slapped her CO across the face and spit in his eye, hissing all the while. “You’re no better than the trainers and the guards! Take what you want and fuck the consequences. I hate you! And I don’t care if I never see you again!” She rose swiftly and hiked back up the incline.

494 stared at her retreating from. He was at a loss. He had no idea what she meant by that comparison. He shrugged tiredly and went to rejoin the rest of his unit. They were already over an hour behind schedule, due to the complications of a heat-induced feverish coupling on the jungle floor. They had better make good time or his ass would be grass.

664 had seen and heard the entire exchange. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he thought to himself. Just you wait, 494. You think you can use her like that and get away with it? You’ve got another think coming…