Gemini Sign

There was a cold wind that blew through the desert night, the harsh blend of temperatures in this climate had him reeling. The days were blisteringly hot, and the nights were cold. He and his squad had been pinned down waiting for the chance to move. It was unusual that they had orders to stay in over watch for so long, but it had been this way since early in the day.

Their target was high profile, and while they wanted to capture him so they could get what information they needed to out of him, they knew the risk of capturing him alive.

Calvin himself was aware of just how dangerous this bastard could be.

He’d been honeymooning in Bali when they’d issued their first attack. Sending a wave of bombs through night clubs, targeting civilians. . . mainly American men and women who were vacationing there. The chaos and destruction had caused him such panic.

It was hard to imagine that one man had orchestrated those events, he’d taken the time to design each of the bombs wire by wire, and had someone hand deliver them as if they were ordinary packages you’d receive in the mail. Just ordinary boxes wrapped in brown paper.

Until they detonated and it felt as if it shook the entire island. The screams were still vivid in his mind as he felt himself wrap his arms around his husband. Nate had been so scared in that moment his face pure panic and Cal just reacted as if there were nothing wrong with the situation. He was used to the sounds of taking fire or bombs going off, as used to it as anyone could get without being mortified.

“Its alright.” He’d told him, running his hands through Nate’s hair, those blue eyes of his stunned by what had just occurred. Cal couldn’t help himself trying to relieve the situation.

“I told you we should’ve picked Hawaii.” He said before getting a rather hard punch to the chest that made him chuckle even harder. Of course it wasn’t funny that bombs had exploded and that people could have been hurt, but it also wasn’t beneficial to panic in a situation like this.

Somehow his world had collided with the bomb maker once again as he waited in the ditch here just outside his safe house, attempting to receive confirmation of his whereabouts and to ensure that he was inside.

Cal didn’t much care either way as she pulled on his jacket. The standard issue pack that carried all of their mission essential items serving as a sort of pillow for him at the moment although he held tight to his M4 and kept it stationed towards the target as his sergeant had instructed. He let his mind wander again to another place.

Nate had carried in a box that was cut out from the top, brown paper nestled around its in an old-school style like his parents used to use when covering their books. The box was plain and boring except for the colorful doodles he’d made, though on the inside there was intricate stuffing like one might use in a gift basket. In the center of the box however was a vase, with water as he sat the box down Cal looked it over and studied it. Nate was busying himself before crossing the room once more his arms behind his back as he did so.

“Pick one” he stated and Cal could only stare at him in amusement, a smile already creeping up to meet his eyes.

“Hmm, lets go with left arm.” he stated knowing Nate was naturally a rightie which meant he was probably already having some difficulty with holding whatever it might have been, as he pulled his hand around there was a bouquet of flowers colored teal and orange. His two favorites as he had never been able to truly decide on picking his favorite of anything. Nate always said it was because he was a Gemini and shared two souls within his frame, though that usually made Cal laugh as he didn’t really believe in that stuff. The conversation would usually turn to making a point about how he could be a mushy pushover when it came to flowers and the sappy side of romance and then would turn that soldier side on the minute anyone else came around. He couldn’t truly object to that.

His time in the service hadn’t been easy, especially when he’d decided to live his truth. Thankfully, the world was slowly changing in that regard.

He watched as Nate placed the flowers in the makeshift center piece he’d created before circling around his other arm, to hand him a satin covered box, one that was much smaller. Inside was a necklace with a ring attached to it. Cal hated wearing any type of jewelry truthfully, and as stubborn as he was the necklace was Nate’s way of a compromise while still upholding their vowels.

Not that he had to try.

Cal couldn’t help the pleasant thoughts that came to him as he stared dreamily into the night sky. There were jokes from the other members of his team about him possibly having a ‘wet dream’ but he just ‘cut the shit’ right back at them. He’d been doing this for way too long to be bothered by school boy taunts.

Then he was suddenly brought back to life as he saw the sergeant steadily creeping up, he’d been peering through his night vision lens and stated that there was movement at the compound. While they were on the firing squad the other half of the squad that made up Team Alpha would be the maneuvering squad that would go in for the capture. Cal’s crew would provide cover if needed, but for now they were hoping to make a steady approach.

Then came the sound of gun fire. The shots echoed as he hit the dirt, and he could see the dirt ricocheting just behind the sergeants head. They’d been well covered so thankfully the shots missed, but it took him a moment to gather himself enough to return fire.

There was someone in his scope and then boom just like that dropped like a fly. He could hear the sergeant screaming orders to the rest of the squad but he couldn’t really make them out, instead he took aim at another and took his best shot. It was a miss, but it allowed him to see the movement of the shooter previously as the squad they were backing up made their move.

“We’ve got to get closer, Sarge!” He yelled and the Sergeant agreed with that assessment ordering him to cover him. He did just that letting a flurry of bullets fly so the Sergeant could make it to cover, he had to reload almost instantly as he followed in pursuit watching through night vision as the Sergeant’s gun came to life providing the same service for him so he could move forward. Then they worked together letting shots go so that the others in their team could join.

There was silence for a moment as they waited and then they proceeded to move forward once again this time directly to the side of the compound. While they were meant to stay in firing range, with their position being made they’d had to improvise and they’d support the other team from here if need be.

There was yelling on the comms as a side of the compound exploded with a loud boom. The sky was colored orange momentarily with flame until a shower of debris rained over the four of them, but then there was more yelling on the comms before someone screamed “We’ve got ‘im!” it seemed like music to his ears after they’d waited so long to go to action.

Then within just a few moments it was all over. When they brought him down, his wrist were zip-tied behind his back, and cuffs tightly locked his wrist in place as the soldiers who’d made their move casted rugged glances in his direction. Their faces charred with dirt and the faint hints of exposure when the bomb had gone off. Everyone eagerly awaited his response the man’s capture, and yet Calvin said nothing.

Lifting that same necklace he’d worn since the day he was wed, he kissed it softly as it now held two rings.

“This one’s for you.” He said looking up to the sky.

The effects from those bombs had been more than just physical, Nate’s lungs had been contaminated by the debris as he’d been closer to the impact zone. Cal felt guilty because he’d stepped outside to get some air. When the bomb went off, the entire building had halfway collapsed. The radiation from that device had given Nate a disease that many were all too familiar with and he’d passed away two years after they’d been married from his fight.

There was a part of him that wanted to seek vengeance now, that wanted to make this man pay for what he’d done, but then he thought back to that makeshift centerpiece and that bouquet of orange and teal, and he was incapable of doing so.

In Nate’s eyes Cal had been like this desert climate, hot and then cold, hard and then soft, soldier and then lover. For now he chose the love as a tear strolled down his cheek and he looked up to the stars to see a particular set of stars gleaming in the night sky.

And he laughed. A celestial message from the heavens.