Improper use of a Soldier

“Improper use of a Soldier”
Chapter 2
(An “Alliance” universe ficlet)
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(Warning: Possible spoilers for all FF7 game/movie titles)
*Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all related characters belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can’t get enough of this world and the characters.*
~***********************************************~

The end of the weekend approached and Zack had trouble sleeping the night before his evaluation. He spent most of the night staring up at the ceiling and imagining what kind of scenario they’d give him for his test. He finally fell asleep sometime after eleven, only to be woken up three hours later by the sound of someone knocking on his door. Zack got out of bed and pulled his robe on before stumbling to the door. His visitor was Angeal, who had just gotten back from a mission the night before. The taller man’s chiseled features were completely serious as he greeted Zack.

“Angeal?” Zack covered a yawn and looked at the watch on his wrist. “What are you doing here at half-past two? Is something wrong?”

“Get cleaned up and dressed and come with me,” Angeal said. “Be quick about it.”

The last vestiges of sleep fled and Zack looked at him warily, wondering if he was in trouble for having that girl in his room the other night. “Uh…okay. Come on in.” He stepped aside to allow the bigger man entry to his quarters and he hurried to his closet to pick out a clean uniform while Angeal closed the door behind him.

“Are you going to tell me what this is all about?” Zack inquired nervously as he took his clothes to the bathroom and started changing into them. He left the door open so he could talk to his friend while he dressed.

“You’re having your evaluation early.”

Zack paused with his sweater halfway down his torso. “O…kay. That’s kind of…weird.” Things usually ran on a tight schedule unless there was an emergency and he’d never had an evaluation bumped up before.

“Something’s come up,” Angeal said. His voice sounded contemplative and grim.

Zack finished putting his sweater on and began to equip his body armor with practiced efficiency. He poked his head out the door and regarded his instructor, noticing that his stance seemed tense. “Like what?” Zack pressed.

“It’s classified,” responded Angeal. “You’ll be informed if you need to know.”

“Sounds pretty serious,” Zack muttered. He finished gearing up and used a pick to tidy up his hairstyle. He could have a shower afterwards. “Okay, I just need to grab my sword and I’m all set.”

~************************************~

A few minutes later, Zack and Angeal were waiting in the briefing room.

“This is going to be different from your usual training missions, Zack.” Angeal regarded his protégé somberly. “Meaning, the safety net you’re used to having in simulated missions isn’t going to be active. You need to treat this as though it’s an outside mission, with real bullets and real blades. Is that understood?”

Zack scratched his head, confused. “But it’s going to be a hologram mission, right?”

Angeal nodded.

“How can holograms hurt anyone?” Zack frowned. “Unless they’re going to put me up against real people in a simulated environment?”

Angeal searched his mind for a way to explain it to the younger man. He only partially understood the technology himself. “Have you ever noticed the gadgets and guns lining the walls and ceiling of the training room?”

Zack blinked. He remembered seeing a few weird devices in there and wondering why there were slits in the floor in some places, but he figured it was all part of the computer structure that ran the virtual scenarios. “Oh.”

Angeal smiled faintly. “I guess you understand what they’re for, now.”

Zack shrugged. “I can guess. The images can’t hurt me but the weapons in there are going to be working in synch with the program. So when someone shoots at me in the simulation, the guns are going to target in and fire real bullets, right?”

The bigger man nodded. “That’s right. It’s equipped with retracting blades, saws and clamps also…to name a few. I’ve never learned how many different automated weapons that room has but if a regular civilian tried to run any of the scenarios without the weapon system disarmed, they’d be human soup within minutes.”

The realization of how dangerous this “mock mission” was really going to be for him began to dawn on Zack and he felt a rush of adrenaline. He was nervous but he was surprised to find that his excitement was stronger. Real danger. He’d always thought the missions were too easy before because there wasn’t any true risk. Now he could really show his peers what he could do.

“Just one more question,” Zack said, “Wouldn’t having bullets flying around in that room damage the interior?”

“Not with the materials and alloys they used to build it,” Angeal explained. “If you’re that interested, you should ask to talk to the engineer who designed it some day. Right now what you need to worry about it not getting hit by any of those weapons.”

“Got it,” Zack said. “Guess I’d better start getting warmed up.”

He began to do his favorite warm-up exercise: squats.

~*************************************~

Zack was finishing up with his thirty-second squat when Director Lazard entered the briefing room with Sephiroth. Zack straightened up and stood at attention, well-aware that the formality of the occasion demanded proper protocol and respect.

“At ease,” Sephiroth said.

Zack relaxed his posture and waited quietly for their instructions. He guessed that Sephiroth was there to observe too, in order to give his own opinion of Zack’s performance. For once, Director Lazard didn’t make Zack feel like he had some ulterior motive as his cloudy eyes regarded him.

“I understand you’re eager to go on your first real mission,” Lazard said. “Today, you’ll get your chance. Insurgents have stolen a train in the city. Your task is to liberate it from their control and escort it safely to the nearest station. You’ll be flown via helicopter to the train’s location and commence a drop operation. Do whatever you must to rid the train from the Insurgents quickly, with as little damage to it as possible. Spend too much time experimenting with ideas and the conductor could get harmed or killed…which would be bad not only for ShinRa property but also for you, unless you can conduct a train yourself.”

Next to Zack, Angeal was frowning. “Director, this doesn’t sound like any of the virtual scenarios listed for promotional evaluations that I read.”

Zack bowed his head to hide a smirk. Boy, they were really laying it on thick with the acting. It seemed kind of silly for three grown men to put on a show like this when they all knew any convincing they gave him that it was “real” would end as soon as he entered the virtual training room.

“That’s because it isn’t,” Sephiroth informed. “This is a genuine situation, code yellow.”

“You’re actually giving him a real mission for his evaluation?” Angeal sounded convincingly worried and a little outraged. He turned to Lazard with a fierce, forbidding grimace. “Sir, this is unacceptable. Zack doesn’t have the live field experience to go on a mission like this alone.”

“Which is why you’ll be going with him,” replied Lazard. “Your job is to watch his back and intervene if needed, but Private Fair is responsible for finishing the mission, if he can.”

Zack barely held back a snicker, wholly amused by the effort they were putting forth. He remembered pulling a stunt like this once with a girl he liked, believing that if he got her scared enough he could “rescue” her and calm her down with kisses and maybe get a little nookie.

He convinced her to check out an abandoned schoolhouse at the edge of the jungle, told her there were legends that it was haunted and put on a show of laughing it off. Once he got her there, he covertly twisted the lens of his flashlight enough to sabotage the contact with the batteries and made a convincing show of frustrated cussing as he told her the light just “went out”. He’d timed it so that the light extinguished right after they went inside the schoolhouse and he shut the door. He followed up with a show of being just nervous enough to make it realistic, without looking like a sissy.

His ploy worked—better than he’d expected it to, in fact. The poor girl glomped him and begged him not to let go of her. He escorted her back out of the schoolhouse and walked her back to the safety of her house, with her clinging to him the entire time. Zack Fair lost his virginity that night, right there in the girl’s bedroom under her parent’s roof.

Zack’s grin faded as he remembered the consequences he and the girl suffered, though. Her parents came home early and her father caught him in her room before he could finish climbing out the window. Zack’s parents were notified and his father intended to force him to marry the girl. Her parents, however, had totally different plans. They moved away and Zack never saw the girl again.

~Now that I think about it, that was kind of mean of me to trick her into making out with me. Going for it with her was even more boneheaded and now I can’t even remember her name. I wonder what ever happened to her?~

Thinking of the girl and the shotgun wedding he’d dodged through fate made Zack think of the three girls he had after that. The second one was a ShinRa MP and he learned a lot of techniques from her. The third was, of course, his most recent “conquest” over the weekend. He was sure he could have had several more women in between the ones he’d slept with but his upbringing kept him from going all the way, unless the woman he was with initiated it first.

~I’m still a dog. I should have just practiced more restraint and waited for marriage, like my folks always wanted me to. Dammit…I’ve gotta be more careful or I’ll end up being a dad before I know what hit me. Hell, for all I know I’ve already got a kid somewhere in the world.~

“Zack, do you understand your mission?”

Lazard’s firmly spoken question dragged Zack’s wandering mind back to the Here and Now and he damned near blushed. If any of his superiors knew that he was reminiscing about girls he’d been with, they’d probably cut him from the list of potential graduates and he’d have to wait for another chance.

“I’m good to go, Sir.” Zack gave a confident thumbs-up and a grin, hoping nothing important was said while his brain was off cavorting with memories.

“Then let’s be on our way,” Lazard said.

Zack hung back respectfully while the Director and Sephiroth walked out the door. Angeal waited with him and as they started following the other two men, the muscular First leaned a bit closer to Zack.

“Stop thinking about girls,” Angeal muttered out the corner of his mouth.

Zack stopped and looked at him with raised eyebrows. “I…I wasn’t—“ Seeing the knowing look on his mentor’s face, Zack sighed and nodded. “Yeah, okay. Sorry.”

~******************************~

When they turned in the opposite direction of the training room and walked towards the elevators, Zack didn’t say anything. He was beginning to think that this was all too elaborate to be a ploy but he considered the possibility that they were only taking him to a larger, more refined training room specifically for higher ranking Soldiers and tests. It wasn’t an unlikely possibility, given the size of the ShinRa building and the places Zack still hadn’t seen yet due to clearance restrictions. He continued playing along, strolling with confidence beside his mentor as Lazard and Sephiroth led the way. He occupied his mind by admiring Sephiroth’s swaying, silken hair. The man could probably make a fortune selling that hair, if he were willing to cut it off.

When they boarded the elevator and took it up to the top floor, Zack started to wonder if he was mistaken. The hanger area was up there, where they kept all of the ShinRa aircrafts. He looked suspiciously at his companions and their expressions ranged from grim to neutral to thoughtful. Deciding that they were still putting on an act to test his obedience or nerve or patience or something, Zack crossed his arms over his chest and waited quietly.

They reached the top floor and the doors opened. Lazard and Sephiroth exited first and Zack finally lost the will to pretend he didn’t know what was going on.

“Come on, Angeal,” Zack whispered to his friend as the two of them stepped out and followed behind the other men. “You can cut the act.”

Angeal looked at him with a dead-serious frown. “What act?”

“You know,” Zack persisted, “the act! I know this is all part of the test. You don’t have to keep acting like it’s an…outside…mission…”

Zack trailed off as the big metal doors ahead of them opened up to reveal the air hanger. He stopped in his tracks as he passed through the doors with his superiors and saw a black ShinRa chopper ready and waiting, with personnel busy moving around, loading things into it. The rotaries began to turn and Zack saw the pilot give a thumbs-up sign to the ground navigator. The navigator waved his glowing beacons to signal other crewmembers to move away. The aircraft’s copilot was gesturing at Zack’s group urgently and shouting something that was drowned out by the chopper’s engine. Zack guessed he was telling them to hurry up.

It was a real mission. There was no holographic simulator to be seen. This wasn’t just an act to create nervous buildup.

“Oh…shit.”

~******************************~

Director Lazard turned to face the young man, having heard his blurted exclamation. Zack looked like he was having second thoughts. “Something the matter?”

“Uh, so this really is the real thing?” Zack’s handsome features had what appeared to be a nervous and uncertain expression on them.

Lazard couldn’t really blame him. The decision to assign this mission to Zack hadn’t come lightly and it was only human nature for the young man to be nervous about his first true mission. Ordinarily, he’d just expect the Soldier to deal with it and do the job but if this went wrong, it would reflect poorly on Lazard’s record because Zack didn’t yet have the classification to be doing this in the first place. He’d chosen the Third Class for the mission because he believed Zack was a cut above the rest his rank, but he didn’t want a career disaster on his hands.

The Director looked at Zack’s mentor. “Angeal, take Zack back to the training level and have him run through the standard evaluation scenario. Sephiroth can take the mission in his place.”

“No,” Zack protested passionately, shaking his head. “I can do this! Just give me a chance, Director.”

Lazard studied him and admired the flash of determination in his amethyst eyes. That spirit was part of what set Zack aside from his peers and it was what convinced Lazard to take this gamble in the first place. “You’re certain of that?”

Zack nodded with so much enthusiasm that the long bangs framing his face fell out of place and dangled over his eyes briefly. His gaze was intense and eager. “I’m positive. I’ll finish the mission.”

Lazard glanced at Sephiroth for his input and the silver-haired warrior nodded in approval. “Very well. Let’s board the aircraft and get started, before further damage is done.”

The climbed into the chopper and Lazard took his seat next to Sephiroth. While Zack and Angeal got in and took their seats, the Director reached up and freed the overhead monitor from the ceiling, pulling it down and activating it. Beside him, Sephiroth did the same. The doors slammed shut and Lazard put on a communication headset and adjusted his monitor. The chopper lifted off and soon they were in the air and flying over Midgar to the location where the hijacked train was last seen.

The train came into view below as they flew over Sector 7 towards Sector 8. Lazard reported into his microphone, informing Headquarters that he was dispatching a SOLDIER operative to neutralize the situation. Zack and Angeal had already unbuckled their safety harnesses and Zack was crouched on the floor by the hatch, waiting for the affirmative. The young man appeared to be meditating as he prepared himself.

Lazard began to count down. “Commence mission in three, two, one…mark. Begin mission.”

Zack stood up and opened the hatch. He held onto the hatchway and leaned out to peer down at the train below and mark his landing point. His feathery black hair whipped around his head from the wind but he paid no attention to it. Lazard was impressed with the way he performed so far. He was being calculating and professional—the mark of a good Soldier.

The impression of competence was abruptly damaged when Zack looked over his shoulder into the cabin and saluted everyone with a cocky, eager grin. “Oh, yeah!” He said brightly, and then he dove out of the helicopter.

“Get serious!” Angeal shouted before following.

Lazard exchanged an exasperated look with Sephiroth before turning his attention to his screen and watching the action begin below. “Pilot,” he said into his microphone, “keep the searchlights and cameras focused on Private Fair and Angeal. I want to see and record everything that happens.”

Almost immediately, the screen zoomed in and focused on the two small figures that had landed on one of the train cars below. The searchlights unsteadily settled on the two Soldiers and Lazard nodded in satisfaction and observed. Angeal appeared to lecture Zack for a moment before crossing his arms over his chest and giving him the nod to go ahead. It was uncanny, how Soldiers could hold perfect balance on a speeding locomotive.

“Has there been any word about Genesis or the other missing Soldiers?” Lazard asked Sephiroth, keeping his eyes on the screen as Zack began to run the length of the train and jump from car to car.

“None,” answered the General, his emerald gaze likewise studying his observation screen.

Lazard frowned. “Can we confirm that it’s all related?”

“Not yet,” replied Sephiroth.

“Then I suppose we’ll have to consider sending someone to investigate, if there’s no word soon.” Lazard sighed.

The loss of one of his most top-ranking Soldiers was bad enough. The loss of a dozen other First Class Soldiers and twice that many Second Class ones sufficiently weakened his department. The disappearances called for desperate measures and the need to strengthen the ranks again was part of the reason Zack and selected other lower-rank Soldiers were being evaluated early.

Sephiroth nodded and the conversation stopped as the train hijackers began to swarm out of the front cars and fire their weapons at Zack. He deflected and dodged bullets with ease that put other Soldiers his rank—and most Second Class ones—to shame. As he closed in on them car-by-car, Angeal stayed behind and watched his progress while keeping an eye out for any insurgents in the back cars. A few tried to sneak up behind Zack but they evidently weren’t aware of the bigger Soldier behind them and Angeal quickly cut through their ranks while Zack decimated the first group of opposition ahead of him and moved on to the second.

“He’s very good,” Lazard commented aloud. A part of him had worried that Zack’s performance in real live combat wasn’t going to be as good as it was in simulated battles, but the young Soldier was proving those concerns to be needless. Zack was cutting down his opponents with amazing rapidity and there were only two groups left in his way.

Lazard tensed when he saw the insurgents on the front line of the next car kneel tellingly and take aim at Zack with big, long-barreled weapons. Were those what he thought they were?

“Bazookas,” Sephiroth confirmed out loud with maddening calm.

It would be just his luck for Lazard’s intended grooming target to get blown to pieces on his first mission. The Director clenched his jaw, knowing that he couldn’t warn Zack because they were on communications silence until the threat was dispersed.

Zack apparently saw the threat, because just as the missiles launched he made a heart-stopping leap through the air. Lazard pulled the screen a little closer and narrowed his eyes, wondering if the Soldier would pull off the bold move. The rockets streaked over the top of the train cars passing beneath Zack as he sailed right over the heads of the men who’d fired them. Unfortunately, the missiles continued onwards towards Angeal, who was still near the back of the train. The muscular First saw his danger and hastily threw himself flat on top of the car he was on, narrowly avoiding taking the hit that was meant for his protégé. He craned his neck to look over his shoulder as the projectiles hit the track behind the speeding train and exploded.

Zack’s struggles must have somehow activated his communication device, because suddenly they heard his voice break through communication as he somersaulted and descended behind his attackers.

“SOLDIER Second Class Zack, on the job!”

He landed between the engine car and the first car and he drove his sword down, breaking the link holding the two together. As soon as he was finished with that, he jumped onto the roof of the engine car before it could get out of range. He whirled around to face the cars with the hijackers as it fell behind and he flourished his sword.

“It seems he’s already promoted himself,” Sephiroth commented dryly.

Lazard could imagine the exhilarated grin that must have been on Zack’s face as he turned around to face the front again and sheathed his sword.

On the rapidly slowing linked cars, Angeal cleaned up the remaining opposition while the helicopter pilot joined in and sped the process up a little with gunfire. The engine reached the station by the time they were done and there was annoying beeping sound as Zack tried to activate an already active communication device. The feedback was jarring and Lazard gritted his teeth.

“Zack to Director Lazard,” the young man’s voice said a moment after the whine of feedback faded, “mission complete. The conductor’s a little shaken up but he’s fine. We’re stopping at the platform near Mako reactor one.”

“Good,” Lazard responded. “Wait for Angeal to join you and then return to Headquarters with the conductor.”

He ended the transmission, checked to ensure that the data had been recorded and turned in his seat to regard Sephiroth. “I feel he’s passed the requirements…exceeded them, actually.”

Sephiroth nodded and removed his headset before stowing his monitor back into its overhead compartment. “Agreed. His failing lies in discipline, however.”

Lazard was already making plans concerning discipline and Zack, but he doubted Sephiroth was considering the same methods as he was. “Perhaps he shouldn’t be informed of his success right away. Have him report to my office as soon as he’s returned to Headquarters and wound down a bit.”

Sephiroth nodded and looked at him sidelong. His glittering, cat-eyed gaze was thoughtful but he neither questioned nor commented on the order. That was one thing Lazard liked about Sephiroth: the man minded his own business and kept his own council.

~******************************~

“I was scared for a minute when they shot those rockets,” Zack admitted to Angeal as the two of them walked the halls of Headquarters together. “I didn’t know if you were still behind me or what, but I knew you could handle it if they came at you so I just kept my focus, like you said.”

Zack grinned at his friend and he noticed Angeal’s uncommon smile before the bigger man could conceal it behind his hand. “What? You laughing at me?”

“You did a great job,” Angeal assured him. He was chuckling softly.

“Then what’s so funny?” Zack cocked his head quizzically.

“Puppy,” muttered the older man fondly. He reached out and ruffled Zack’s windblown, raven hair. “Go and give your report.”

Zack stopped. “You aren’t coming with?”

Angeal shook his head. “This was your mission, Zack. If they need further input from me, they’ll contact me.” He looked at Zack and sighed, his expression sobering. “This was a milestone for you. Remember the things I’ve told you, Zack. You’ll go far if you hold onto your dreams and your honor.”

Zack felt an odd tightening in his throat as Angeal smirked at him and patted him on the arm before turning around and heading in the opposite direction. Something was wrong, he was sure of it. He just didn’t know what it was. Angeal had been like a big brother to him since the day he took him under his wing for training but the big man was troubled by something now. It almost felt like a prelude to a goodbye.

“My imagination,” Zack sighed, turning back around and getting his bearings again. He resumed his path to the briefing room but his cell rang before he could take three steps. Zack stopped and retrieved the phone from his pocket.

“Zack Fair.”

“Zackary, you’re to report to Director Lazard’s office, immediately.”

Zack frowned. It took him a moment to recognize the voice. “Sephiroth? Um, I thought I was supposed to give my report in the briefing room.”

“Not necessary,” Sephiroth informed him. “The Director wants to speak with you about your performance privately. The entire mission was recorded and witnessed, so paperwork at this time is redundant.”

Zack felt a surge of anxiety. Again, he was faced with an abnormal situation and he had no idea if it was good or bad. Forcing his reservations down, he answered Sephiroth. “Got it. I’m on my way.”

Zack ended the call and put the phone away. He sighed and shut his eyes, steeling himself as he mentally reviewed as much of the adrenaline-pumped mission as he could remember. He had to get better about that…how could he give accurate reports when he went on real missions if he was so jazzed by the action he couldn’t remember the details afterwards?

“Stay calm,” he muttered to himself. “This whole thing was unusual. Maybe since I didn’t take a regular evaluation test the rules for reporting aren’t the same.”

He couldn’t convince himself of that as he made his way to Director Lazard’s office, however. Zack couldn’t help but think that somehow, he’d done something to blow it.

~******************************~

Lazard steepled his fingers and looked at the clock. He should be tired. The sun was due to rise in roughly twenty minutes and he’d hardly slept. However, he’d been fantasizing about molding Zack Fair into the perfect lover since the first time he laid eyes on him. Now that Zack had reached an age and status of discipline that was more acceptable, he could begin on the “training” he had in mind. He waited patiently, knowing that Zack had no choice but to accept the summons.

His desk monitor bleeped a few moments later and Lazard smiled in satisfaction. He schooled his features into a cool mask before activating it. Zackary Fair’s handsome face was peering up at him through the monotone screen, recorded by the security camera outside his door.

“Glad you could make it, Private Fair,” Lazard purred. He pushed the button to unlock the door and it slid open. The object of his lust walked in and looked around for a moment before remembering his manners and giving him a respectful nod.

“Sir,” Zack said. “You wanted to see me?”

~Oh, I want to do much more than ‘see’ you, tempting young Soldier.~

“Your performance this morning was lacking in restraint,” Lazard said bluntly.

Zack visibly deflated and looked very much like a scolded puppy. “Oh.” Under his breath, Zack muttered: “but I was holding back.”

Lazard fought a laugh. Gods, he hadn’t laughed in so long and it was tempting to cut loose, but he had a motive to advance. He reminded himself of his purpose and got to the point. “It’s good to have boundless energy and strength, but eventually even a Soldier runs out of it. You also prematurely announced your ascension to Second Class whilst in the middle of the fight, but I don’t recall anyone promoting you.”

Zack looked boyishly embarrassed as he scratched his head and fixed his eyes on a painting hanging on Lazard’s right-hand wall. “You heard that, huh?” He looked at Lazard again with obvious difficulty, struggling to be direct despite his discomfort. “Mind if I ask how? I mean, I was in the middle of a firefight when I said that and we were on radio silence.”

“You must have bumped something during combat,” Lazard explained. He removed his gloves and picked up a pen to deftly twirl it between his fingers. “Your declaration came through loud and clear.”

Zack bit his lip before answering. “Lazard…uh, I mean Sir…I didn’t expect anyone to hear that. I was just hyping myself up. Getting into the moment, you know? It gave me—“

“Incentive?” finished Lazard for him, eyeing him over the rim of his glasses. He smirked and stood up. “Accidents do happen, Zack. Fortunately, the rest of your performance was outstanding.”

Those dark-lashed, amethyst eyes lit up and Zack shifted, unable to completely hide his anticipation. Lazard turned his back to him and allowed himself a smile as he walked to his cupboard and opened it. On the top shelf, he had a Second Class SOLDIER uniform neatly folded, with the fresh new body armor pieces wrapped in a bag on top of it. He retrieved the items and turned around to face Zack again to carry it over to him in his arms.

Zack’s bright Mako eyes followed the motion as Lazard held the new ensemble out to him. “Congratulations, Zackary. You’ve passed the requirements to make Second Class.”

Zack took the uniform almost reverently and his grin was so openly thrilled that Lazard felt a momentary stab of conscience for what he was about to do. The Director watched Zack study the uniform and he nearly clucked his tongue and shook his head. In all honesty, the coloring of the uniform was the only thing that set the new uniform apart from the old. Lazard couldn’t empathize but he did understand that the symbolism mattered the most.

“So, I made it?” Zack said it almost shyly, despite his earlier confidence during his mission.

Lazard nodded. “Yes, you made it. You’re now Second Class. Congratulations, Zackary.”

Zack sighed and visibly relaxed. He smiled down at the uniform he held in his arms as he spoke. “I want to make it to the top,” he admitted.

Lazard considered the young man and wondered if his intentions could work. Zack was quite honorable, despite his horsing around and impulsive nature. Deciding that he’d never find out if he didn’t try, the Director moved on with his plan.

“Put it on now, Soldier.”

Zack looked up from the bundled uniform in his arms and blinked at Lazard with confusion that only enflamed the Director’s desire. He wasn’t fooled into believing that Fair was a virgin…not after catching a glimpse of the half-dressed girl in his quarters the other morning. Still, Zack’s reactions bordered on virginal and it was time to find out if Lazard’s hunch about him was correct.

“Um, there’s nowhere to change,” Zack said in confusion.

“We’re both men,” Lazard replied calmly. “Nobody can simply walk into my office. What are you worried about?”

Zack visibly swallowed, his throat working beneath his pale skin. “Sir, it can wait until tomorrow.”

Lazard bowed his head to hide his smile and he combed his hanging bangs back from his forehead. “I’m telling you to change into that uniform, Zackary. I have an evaluation of my own to give you.”

“I…I thought I already passed the evaluation, Director.”

The poor boy looked like he wanted to run the other way and for an irrational moment, Lazard worried that he might end up with a Zack-shaped hole in his wall. He circled around his desk and approached the confused Soldier, letting his gaze rove up and down the tight-muscled young body as he carefully chose his words and actions. He’d originally planned for Zack to strip and change in front of him but now, he had a better idea in mind.

There was no time like the present to begin training an unruly wolf.

“Zackary,” Lazard murmured in a low, intimate tone as he began to circle the Soldier, “Your lessons in SOLDIER are only part of your duties here.” As he began to pass behind Zack, he reached out and touched his right bicep, admiring the way it bunched under his caress. “I’m in charge of seeing to it that each and every operative is fully capable of performing his duties and obeying orders.”

Zack’s head turned and his eyes caught hold of Lazard’s for a moment before the blond moved out of his line of sight. “Didn’t I prove that already?” His voice was husky but nervous, uncertainty creeping into his tone.

“You’ve proven your worth as a Soldier,” agreed Lazard as he came around behind Zack. “But now it’s time for a different sort of ‘training’ to begin.” He spoke the last into Zack’s ear, stirring the dark hair and making the other man shiver.

“I don’t get it,” Zack said in an unsteady voice.

“I think you do,” argued Lazard. “Drop the new uniform, for now.”

“Uh…Sir?”

Lazard chose to touch Zack then, stroking his hands over the broad expanse of his shoulders until the pauldrons of his armor pieces impeded his progress. “I said, drop the uniform.”

“Drop the uniform,” Zack repeated, sounding mystified and nervous. “Sure…okay. I’m dr—“

Lazard took that moment to slide his hands down Zack’s back and squeeze the muscular, tempting ass cheeks that he’d been thinking about since he first met him.

“—OPPING IT!” Zack practically yodeled the rest of his sentence with surprise. The folded uniform and accoutrements fell unceremoniously to the floor as the Soldier’s surprise shocked him to numbness. “LaZARD,” Zack yelped, “I…I mean, Director…”

“Be still,” commanded Lazard.

Confused and conditioned to obey, Zack complied with the order. His body was tense and he gasped as Lazard’s hands stroked down from his ass to the back of his thighs.

“You seem the right size for the uniform I selected for you,” Lazard murmured thoughtfully. “I need to take your complete measurements to be certain, though. Turn around.”

Zack obeyed and the poor lad began to babble nervously, his country accent abruptly surfacing as his nervousness increased. “L-look Sir, I’ve already had my measurements taken and I can just write ‘em all down for you and bring ‘em back to yah in the morning…or better yet, ah can just send ‘em to yah through email and—“

“I do love that drawl,” interrupted the director as he persistently guided the tense young man to turn around and face him.

Zack shook his head, his eyes half-panicked. The crotch of his dark blue pants began to tent visibly and abruptly, making Lazard raise a golden brow with intrigue.

“No yah don’t,” Zack protested. “Makes me sound stupid.”

“No,” corrected Lazard with a lecherous smile. “It makes you sound exotic. Be still now, I have to get my own measurements of your frame to be sure you get the right…size.”

“W-wait,” Zack muttered, but his hands remained at his sides as his SOLDIER training dictated.

Lazard ran his hands over the young man’s chest, admiring the flex of muscles he felt beneath the blue sweater. Was it wrong for him to take advantage of his station? More importantly, did it matter? Lazard decided that it didn’t and he enjoyed the imaginary cuffs that kept Zack Fair from reacting other than to blurt awkward comments. Lazard allowed his hands to slide lower and he hid his lust behind an expression of cool superiority when Zack shivered and gasped something about laundry.

“—The ‘bubbles galore’ softener works best,” Zack was saying. His breath was quickening and Lazard wondered for a moment if it was caused by anxiety or excitement. The obvious way his pants were bulging out at the crotch suggested the latter.

“I think I know how to do my own laundry,” Lazard said dryly. He smirked at his prey and when Zack licked his lips nervously, he nearly came undone. “Stand up straight, Soldier.”

Zack obeyed. He’d been unconsciously hunching and trying to back away from Lazard’s attentions but evidently, his urge to flee wasn’t as strong as his sense of loyalty. Or perhaps, his curiosity was what bound him. Lazard made a mental note of that and allowed his hands to settle on Zack’s hips.

“Mmm-hmm,” Lazard murmured, pretending to guess Zack’s measurement there before bending over and stroking his hands over the Soldier’s right thigh. He allowed himself the pleasure of drawing his left hand up the back to squeeze the firm butt cheek above and Zack yelped again.

“Director, I’m pretty sure that’s not how they measure pants,” Zack announced in an unsteady voice.

“But it’s how I measure them,” responded Lazard with patient, determined calm. He rubbed the expanse of the globe he was fondling and gave it a little smack, startling his subordinate.

Zack made a peculiar “whoo” sound that was ironically familiar to a wolf’s howl. He shifted on his feet and spoke again, this time in an even more urgent tone. “Sir…I’m flattered but…I’m not into guys.”

Lazard couldn’t contain a soft chuckle. Zack was so very amusing at every turn. “No?” He questioned, moving his right hand up from the Soldier’s strong inner thigh to his crotch. “Then why are you so bloody hard, Fair?” He cupped Zack’s burgeoning package then and when he felt the size of the other man’s stiffened groin beneath the material, he was forced to shift to relieve the pressure on his own crotch.

“Unh…shit,” Zack grunted, staggering briefly with surprise. “Lazard…I’m just a guy…we just get hard sometimes, you know?”

“That,” Lazard purred as he massaged the length of the bulge under his hand and stood up, “Is the most evasive excuse I’ve heard in a long time.”

Zack started to reach up with his hands and Lazard gave them a pointed look and raised his brows. The Soldier lowered his hands at his sides again, his blue-violet gaze confused and faintly pleading. Lazard subtly maneuvered Zack until the Soldier’s back was pressed against the edge of his desk and then he closed the distance between their mouths, stroking Zack’s cock through the material of his pants all the while.

“You begin a new kind of training today,” murmured Lazard against his subordinate’s parted, gasping lips. “You’re going to be my toy soldier, Zackary. I’m going to train you to please me. When you aren’t on duty for SOLDIER, you’re on duty for me. Is that understood?”

Zack stared at him and grunted softly, his cock hardening even further under the Director’s attentions. “You serious?”

“Quite,” Lazard answered pleasantly. Unable to resist the temptation any longer, he kissed Zack on the mouth. At first, the other man’s lips were still but within seconds they became animated and it was Lazard’s turn to be thrown for a loop.

~Dear gods!~

Zack was probably the most skilled kisser Lazard had ever come across and the blond very nearly moaned as the Soldier’s tongue slid into his mouth to thrust, curl and tease. Clearly, Zack’s inhibitions were going out the window and as they made their beeline for escape, his sensual instincts kicked in.

Lazard squeezed the hard length he was fondling and pressed closer to Zack, considering forgoing his plans of seduction and training in exchange for a quick, satisfying fuck that might result in Zack Fair defecting in a flurry of shame and confusion. He reigned in his desire and enjoyed the burst of youthful passion and excellent kissing skills Zack demonstrated. His hands itched to undo the Soldier’s pants and see if his sense of touch was accurate about the size of Zack’s package, but he refrained somehow.

When the insistent tongue swipes and mindless groans of need from the young man became nearly unbearable to resist, Lazard broke away and gazed into Zack’s dilated, amethyst eyes. He continued to feel him up as he made his attentions clear to the Soldier one more time.

“You’re mine,” Lazard murmured huskily. “I’m a busy man and I don’t have time for romance. You will report to me whenever I call for you, whether it’s related to SOLDIER or not.”

Zack seemed to regain some of his senses and he stopped rubbing his crotch against Lazard’s stroking hand. He blinked, once again appearing confused. “Why me?”

“Because I find you attractive,” answered Lazard simply. He reluctantly stopped petting Zack’s erection and stepped away. He knew his cheeks were flushed with desire and Zack looked like he might fall on his face, his legs were so unsteady. “You’re dismissed, Fair. Collect your new uniform and take the remainder of the day off to rest.”

Zack stared at him for a moment longer before he retrieved his forgotten uniform from the floor where he’d dropped it and left the Director’s office. His motions were almost zombie-like and Lazard surmised that he would need a bit of time to absorb his new status—both as a Second Class and as his lover.

~**********************************~

When the door to Lazard’s office slid shut behind him, Zack stood there motionlessly in the hallway for a moment. There was very little activity in the building at this hour so he could probably make it to his personal quarters before anyone else could see the obnoxious tent in his pants caused by his boner. Still, he didn’t move right away because his mind was spinning over the encounter he’d just had. He opened his mouth and spoke out loud to himself.

“What the fuck just happened?”

~*************************************~

-To be continued