Chapter Text
Dark circles marred the skin under her eyes as Mandy Ellis thumbed through what little paperwork her liaison had managed to supply her with. Her body was starting to shut itself down due to exhaustion and she was finding it harder and harder to concentrate. Davis and Blackburn had both tried to talk her into at least eating something of substance but she had waved them off. The bars she had brought with her would be enough for now and they could be munched on absentmindedly while she worked. There was a shuffle of footsteps and Mandy looked up to find Trent staring at her with a plate of food and Gatorade. The medic's eyes were surprisingly soft as he set the drink on the table in front of her. He managed to snatch the paperwork from her before she could even start to form a protest and she gawked at him.
"You're going to eat real food and drink something other than that damn coffee." Trent was staring pointedly at her hands as he sat down in one of the folding chairs across the table. He settled into it and his eyes never left her. "Eat up."
Her eyes closed and her jaw worked as she inhaled for patience before her stomach rumbled loudly. Traitor, the thought was vicious even as she sat down and started to spear the food with a fork. "I can eat and work at the same time." Her free hand shot out and motioned for him to return her intel. "And give me back my coffee."
"Don't think I will." The answer was stern as Sawyer watched her intently. If Mandy didn't know any better she could have sworn there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Maybe some time away from it will clear your mind." The medic shot a dirty look at her coffee mug. "And you're going to have one hell of a caffeine crash."
She frowned before she sipped at the Gatorade and shoveled the food into her mouth. The faster she ate it meant the sooner she could return to scrutinizing her work. Her patience only lasted until half the plate was gone before she whipped her hand back out. "Give it, now." An eyebrow was raised by the operator and Mandy sighed before adding, "Please. It's already been two and a half days since we... since they went missing. I need to find out what happened."
That seemed to appease Trent because the man stood and held out the file. "Get some sleep in a few hours Ellis. A muddled mind won't help anyone."
Jason's butt, legs, and feet were numb as he tried to shift under his rookie. The minute movement was enough to leave the kid with a white-knuckled grasp on the master chief's shirt and Hayes stilled almost immediately. It was getting increasingly more difficult to keep track of time and the actions of their host were leaving him far more alarmed than he cared to admit. Since the initial interrogation, the two seals had been left alone; the door to the cell only opening to deposit as a small basin of water complete with a washcloth and a large plate of food. Hayes had stiffened when one of the men strode up to the pair and pointed at the water pitcher before he had cupped his hands and pretended to sip. Drink. Jason had growled in response and he hadn't relaxed until well after the man left.
"Alright kid," he didn't notice that his knuckles were rubbing gently along Spenser's sternum as he spoke, "I'm gonna set you down so that I can get the stuff they left us." This time he ignored the pull at his shirt as he carefully began to disentangle himself from the other man. For someone deadset on being independent, the sniper was incredibly clingy when he was in pain. "Hey!" The word was barked, "let go." The grip loosened but didn't release the fabric completely and Jason had to free it from the kid's grasp. It wouldn't be a longshot to assume the other man's joints were just as stiff as his own.
It took a few minutes for his legs to restore circulation and Jason hissed as the limbs tingled back to life. A concerned flick of the eyes from Spenser had him waving the kid off though and Hayes cautiously started to clamber to his feet. It was awkward, his legs clumsy as they supported his weight, but he managed to hobble over to supplies. His chains rattled as he moved but the sound was ignored. The food looked surprisingly fresh and Jason raised the piece of bread to his nose and inhaled deeply. It didn't smell strange and they did need the fuel. He hovered indecisively before he sighed and returned to his companion. "Don't eat it yet." The warning was gruff as he set the plate and down and made his way back to the basin.
Having the chance to clean Spenser of the vomit that had splattered over the younger man would be appreciated but once again Hayes felt his stomach twist. These weren't the actions of a man who cared when he got the answers he sought... just that he got them. Captives needed to be alive to talk. The basin was surprisingly heavy and some of the water sloshed over the side but Jason managed to carry it closer to their small corner of refuge.
"We staying at the Ritz?" The question was voiced hoarsely as Clay managed to sit up.
The effort had left the kid panting and Jason narrowed his eyes, "Told you to stay still." He dipped the rag into the water before he squeezed it and crouched next to the sniper. "Let's get you cleaned up a little." The body beside him tensed and for a moment he thought Spenser was going to try and refuse to be administered to. He raised the cloth to the kid's face only to be swatted away with an annoyed slap.
"I can at least do that." The comment was borderline snippy as the cloth was grabbed with a hiss. "Besides, you need to get cleaned up as well boss. Red isn't your color."
"Quit moving your wrists," his gaze slid to the bloodied barbed wire that lay discarded on the other side of the room. Removing it from the kid's wrists had been hard on both of them and the master chief had thrown the cruel binding to the side in disgust. He was ignored and he had to fight the urge to grab his operator's arm and take the cloth away from the other man. The damp cloth dabbed at his head and Jason snarled but the kid persisted. The cloth retreated, the white stained red as it dipped back into the water. It was rinsed, squeezed, and cautiously dabbing at the master chief's forehead once more. Just let him do it, Jason shifted uneasily as he tried to follow the voice that sounded surprisingly like Ray's. Then the dabbing grew bolder as the cloth worked it's way to the source of the blood and he hissed at the pressure. It was only when Clay slumped tiredly that he took the cloth, "Feeling better?"
Blue eyes lazily slid open, "Well, its easier to look at you now."
Little shit. Hayes didn't lower himself to reply and busied himself with inspecting Clay's wrists. The skin was irritated but starting to crust over and begin the healing process. Jason chewed his lip before dipping the cloth into the water, wished that it was clean, and began to dab at the wounds. There was an initial flinch but other than that Spenser kept still. "Can't let it get infected." He was sure the kid knew that but he found himself needing to hear it. How did Trent do this? Logically he knew the answer and had provided field care in the past. Task first, emotions later. Right, his eyes slid down his operator's body and fixated on the twisted wreck that called itself a leg. Is he even going to be able to come back to us after this? The question left him shaken and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself. He was supposed to have more time to train the rookie that had wormed his way into the team. Even Sonny was starting to realize that the kid wasn't so bad. Starting, the thought made him snort in amusement. Sonny still had a ways to go before he considered Spenser a true brother. He hoped his team was eating and sleeping.
"This really for us?" Clay was pawing at the bread, meat, and cheese with wide eyes.
"Yeah, guess they want to keep us alive." The observation sounded more dejected than he had intended. He let the washcloth slide into the basin as he eyed the food. "Here, I'll prepare it." Hayes pulled the plate closer and began to portion what they'd been given. Spenser was starting to tremble and Jason was quick to resume a supportive position so that the kid could relax. A soft sigh of contentment from Clay left Hayes reeling and the seal found himself frozen. It took a hard mental shake to snap him out of his stupor and a quick look told him that Spenser was close to falling asleep. "No, hey!" The kid stubbornly refused to open his eyes and only nestled himself closer to the master chief's chest. "Bravo Six!" That got his operative's attention and Spenser's eyes flicked open. "Need to eat first."
Jason raised the ramshackle sandwich he had smashed together and held it under Spenser's nose. "Come on, at least try it." God, it felt like he was bartering with a sick Mikey. There was a moment of hesitation before Clay obeyed and raised a hand to grab hold of the food. Let him do it. Hayes frowned and wondered if he should be concerned about hearing Ray's voice. "There you go," the croon left him before he could stop it and he felt the kid tense in surprise.
"You'll see him again boss." It was hard to decipher the words, Clay's mouth full of the sandwich as he tried to reassure his boss.
"Quit talking with your mouth full and swallow." The reprimand was soft. "Don't need you choking on your food."
For once Spenser obeyed without attempting to make some sort of retort. Jason's hands moved to the kid's chest and started rubbing soothing circles as his operative managed to consume most of the food he'd been given. It was only when a soft snore sounded that he realized Clay had fallen asleep. His heart seemed to flutter at how young the other man looked and he frowned. Why the hell was he feeling so paternal?
He'd need to squash that before their captors came back but for now... for now he was willing ignore the ache in his back and resume watch over his rookie.