Agents Universe

First Read:
Desperate Measures - Unlikely Allies Part 1
In the Brotherhood - Unlikely Allies Part 2
Beneath the Ice - Unlikely Allies Part 3

08:58 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I watch as Mark takes the lead. I'm impressed as he climbs the ice fissure with skill and dexterity, clearly ignoring the knife wound in his shoulder. The rest of the men look on, equally impressed.

He secures the rope, and the rest of us quickly rappel up the fissure. There is a cold wind up here, a wind that bites into the middle of your bones, a cold beyond cold. Quickly, we break out the cold weather gear, and bundle adjusting our packs. There is another rumble, just after Mark finishes radioing the Prince of Wales, and behind us, a vast section of the ice dome caves in, the impact creating a small earthquake.

I grunt, "We need to hurry. This whole section of the ice sheet seems less than stable." The wind picks up, and the ice sheet is not flat like you would expect, but rather ridged and cut with trenches and upthrusting chunks of ice, some of it fresh. The sheet shakes again. "How long until we are picked up?"

10:12 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I look at Ivan. "An hour they didn't even know our vague coordinates until now... we need to head West, but we need to get as far from this place as possible. This is about as stable as an avalanche.

I put the goggles on my face. "Rope everyone together, it'll be easy to get lost in this, especially if we get a full on snowstorm."

I look at him putting my hand on his shoulder. "I know you fight for money, but come on, doesn't helping save the world give you a small thrill?"

11:19 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I nod at Mark, and rapidly pass the rope back, each man in turn roping himself to the shared line. We also took a moment to tightly bundle up our captive scientist, so he wouldn't freeze to death.

Then, strapping the goggles on, and covering my face with a length of scarf to preserve as much heat as possible, I am ready. I give Mark a wry grin as he puts his hand on my shoulder. "I don't fight for money... Money just pays the bills. I fight for my family. You get a salary, don't you? But I'm guessing you don't do what you do for the money, Mark." I put my hand on his shoulder as well, giving it a firm squeeze. "As for my thrills... You know how I get those." I give him a long, hard look, my eyes twinkling.

Then, we head out. I take up position in the middle of the column, letting Mark lead. Adam is right in front of me, with our captive on his shoulders, and Jose is taking up the rear. We get about 400 yards to the west, fighting the biting, stinging wind, when suddenly there is an awesome, ear splitting, sharp retort that echoes from horizon to horizon. The ice beneath us shakes and trembles like a trampoline, making it extremely hard to keep our balance. I lean forward, helping to steady Adam, but he ends up dropping the scientist on the snow and ice.

Grunting, the shaking stops, and I start to get up, when there is another sound... a rending, tearing sound, and suddenly a crack races across the ice, opening up just behind me and Adam. The crack widens, and there are shouts of alarm from behind me as Jose and the others loose their footing. The ice sheet behind us tilts up at a crazy angle as it splits, dumping the men in the chasm.

Grimly, I reach out, wedging my gloved fingers into the ice to hold on. The shock as the four men behind me suddenly slam into the side is terrific. I let out a scream of determination as pain shoots through every joint in my body.

If I loose my grip, then I risk dragging everyone down. Have to hold on... must hold on... Then, to my horror, the unconscious scientist starts to slide towards the precipice. In some ways, he is more important than anyone one of us. He might be all that stands between us and uncounted millions of dead. Adam is all tangled in the ropes, and can't get free.

Grimly, I let go of one hand, and seize him by the bundled overcoat he's wrapped in, holding on for dear life... I can feel my one handed grip starting to slip as I'm holding him by one hand, and gripping a crevice in the ice with the other.

12:24 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I slam to the floor as I feel the massive jolt as the rope is slammed tight. Luckily Ivan, the man behind me is taking a lot of the pressure.

I go into my clothes quickly and pull out a flare and activate it slamming it face down into the ice to burn a hole through it slamming the metal of the flare into it to to give myself some hand hold.

I look down and see Ivan’s grip starting to go and I grab onto his arm with one hand and the flare in the ice with another.

My shoulder screamed in pain as I grabbed him. “Ivan. Tell your men they need to climb up the ice. Take the pressure off us. I can’t hold on to you for much longer.”

The pain was immeasurable in my shoulder as I tried to hold on to both. My grip on him was strong but it wasn’t going to last. “Hurry!”

12:57 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I can feel my own grip start to slip when Mark's hand reaches out and grabs my arm. I look up into his eyes, as time seems to slow down. Agony is flaring through my joints as I nod, and call down to the men, "Climb up, hurry!" First Jose, then the other three climb up one at a time, the pressure starting to loosen as each man scrambles in turn up and over to the ice ledge.

I grunt, the pressure much reduced, but I can't pull myself up while I'm holding onto our captive, my arm is too fatigued, so I call out, "Take him next Mark." I can see fractures starting to spread in the ice, but hopefully now with everyone else up on the ledge we can get enough of the roped men past the fracture to be able to keep us from falling. I'm more worried about the captive.

15:30 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: “I can’t. I’d have to let you go. This is fucking killing me you Russian cunt. Less fucking talking and more fucking climbing. If I let you go and you fall you’re going to pull me down and we’re fucking stuck.”

The pain in my shoulder was tremendous now. “Put those fucking muscles to use Ivan. Suck it up and fucking climb.”

15:37 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I growl in rage as Mark gives me shit. His words light a fire inside me. Suck it up? He's telling me to fucking suck it up? A blast of adrenaline surges through my aching, exhausted muscles, my core tightens harder than concrete and a surge of rage and power ripples through my steel-hard muscles. I contract my arm, and manage to dig the toes of my boot into a crack in the side of the ice.

My other arm flexes, and heaves, nearly throwing the captive up over the edge, sending his prone, tubby body rolling away from the edge before I suddenly heave up over the crack, landing on top of Mark, my 250 pounds of tired Russian muscle nearly squashing him flat.

15:41 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: “And now you’re fucking fat you Russian twat,” I say clearly in a lot of pain from holding Ivan up. I try and bring my arm down and it shot through my arm with lancing pain after pain.

“I’ve dislocated it. Can you set it?” I look at him.

15:59 Commando_Ivan_Usov: Gasping with exhaustion, I lay there on top of Mark, then start to laugh suddenly as he calls me fat. "And you are one of those skinny little English twinks, no? Can't handle a real man on top of you." The near brush with disaster had suddenly made me light-hearted, as it often does.

I scramble up, and heave the SAS Commando to his feet, hooking my hand under his good armpit. I step behind him, pressing my body up against his. I wrap my arm under his right armpit, reaching up across his chest, my hand encompassing his wounded shoulder, holding it tightly in place, I grunt in his ear, "Brace yourself." The contact is strangely intimate.

I grab his hurt left arm, just above the elbow, my hand crushing down tight, feeling the girth of his thick muscled tricep and bicep, before lifting his arm out, holding his shoulder with my other hand, grunting as I yank hard on his arm, then squeeze tight on his shoulder, pushing firmly, popping the shoulder back into place. I linger for just a moment longer than necessary, enjoying the feeling of his body in my embrace, even through the heavy layers of cold weather gear.

22:47 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I don’t argue about the embrace. It’s cold and I enjoyed Ivan’s presence. For how much longer that will last is hard to say.

We’ve tried to kill each other before and probably will have to again.

I groan loudly as the arm is put back in its socket. Blood leaking through the patch i had put on the gunshot as we walked. “Fuck. What is it with you and fucking shoulder wounds. It’s the same fucking shoulder as well.”

“At least last time you were only trying to kill me. This time you’re being nice to me and it fucking hurts worse.”

I look at the phone. “We need to keep going. Check on your men. I’ll phone in a status report.”

I sit down on the ice and take some deep breaths. It’s fucking painful right now. I phone in a report and note the coordinates and then walk back to Ivan and the guys. “I’ll just give you a heads up. We’re heading out by Royal Navy ship. I’ll be honest you’re not going to be particularly liked on board and will probably be confined to your quarters. Not much I can do about it. The navy doesn’t respect the SAS much. But I’ll make sure the government don’t fuck you over. Just need to bear a week on an aircraft carrier.”

08:56 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I chuckle at the string of complaints from that hard, handsome SAS Commando. "Next time, I'll rip your arm off and beat you to death with it, how's that?" I let him go, then gather together the men, Adam picks up our unconscious captive, then everyone heads out away from the edge, leaving the gaping ravine behind us, jets of freezing cold seawater spraying up, testament to the incredible forces beginning to tear the ice sheet apart.

I turn back to Mark as he finishes his status report. I can tell that while he might be trying to hide it, he's in a fair amount of pain. As much as I enjoy seeing him in pain, I figure this is probably not the time for it. "I've got some morphine if you want something for the pain, Mark."

I shrug as he explains the situation. "I wasn't expecting red carpet treatment. We didn't do what he did for popularity or fame. We did it because it had to be done."

"We all knew what we were signing up for. I wouldn't be at all surprised if your government decides to fuck us over. I'd be surprised if they didn't. If they do decide to fuck us over, what do you really expect to be able to do to stop them?"

09:08 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: Mark looked up at Ivan and smiled. “There are things a tonne stronger than the UK government. And I’ve got a plan just in case.”

I smile and look at him and shake my head to the morphine though. “Right now I can’t afford to have the pain dulled too much. It makes me tired morphine. That’s not something we can afford. Unless you want to carry me as well.”

“I hope we don’t meet in battle in the future,” I say bluntly. “I don’t want to kill you.”

09:28 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I grin, looking over at Mark, "You have a plan, do you? This promises to be ... entertaining."

"I'm happy to carry you; the exercise will help me stay warm. But if I were in your position, I wouldn't want morphine either. Pain is how we know we are alive."

I look at Mark with a serious expression at his final statement, nodding slowly. "A similar thought occurred to me the other day... I would regret having to kill you if it came to it." I shrug then.

"But that's the risk we took." I look pensive for a moment, my thoughts going back to Kyle, as they so often do. "Enemy ... brother ... right ... wrong ... familiarity tends to blur those distinctions." As we begin our march across the frozen hell, I grin, "But before I kill you ... you owe me a fuck."

09:32 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: “I pay my bills,” I say as we continue marching across the ice. “But right now. It’ll be a fucking pussy cat fuck compared to the last one with my arm like this”

I smile. “Bet you couldn’t be fucking gentle in bed if you tried.”

“I think Jeremy ended up respecting you in some ways. You didn’t fuck him as well did you. I thought he was straight.” I smile.
09:51 Commando_Ivan_Usov: The wind picks up, and a spray of icy, stinging snow begins driving into our faces as we walk along.

"You are right... it's not in my nature to 'be gentle'. That's not what I do."

As Mark mentions Jeremy, my jaw clenches. He fucked us over. We took him in as one of us, a member of the Brotherhood. Then he betrayed us. I'm not inclined to look upon him favorably. After the incident in Libya, Derek and I had been discussing organizing a hit on Jeremy. We deal with traitors harshly.

But circumstances have changed ... dramatically since then. For once, we would ... not overlook his betrayal... but choose to forgo our customary punishment. The situation was murky. Still, if I ever came face to face with him... it would not be a harmonious meeting.

I look at Mark, my eyes turning hard for a moment, "Ah yes... Jeremy. We took him in as one of ours. He no doubt was surprised to learn that we are not monsters who kill and torture for pleasure." I smile grimly, thinking of Watts, "Well, most of us are not. We are a family for each other. We care for our own."

"But no... we never fucked. I only met him once or twice."

09:56 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: “Yeah it wasn’t you by name he mentioned. I didn’t even know your name until we met in the cafe”.

“I’ve known Jeremy for over ten years. His opinion carries weight with me. The only people I won’t be lenient on are the guys who tortured those royal marine and Ranger kids. I think they’re dead but just giving you a heads up.”

“Yeah torture can be used. I’m not squeamish. But they’re fucking just kids you know. You and I could fucking take that, but fucking kids… nah.”

10:57 Commando_Ivan_Usov: As we are walking, the wind is picking up, blowing fiercely. I listen to Mark over the rising howl of the wind.

I smile grimly to myself as he mentions the torture of Private Roger and Marine Collins. To my way of thinking, that is utter bullshit. They are not kids. There are no kids in the Royal Marines or the Rangers. Perhaps in the Army, but not in a special forces regiment.

And... besides, if he was in my position, and needed to discover the identity of a mole who had infiltrated his regiment, he would not hesitate to torture an enemy soldier, no matter their age.

I am about to reply to him, when suddenly the wind blasts forth with a surge that must be well over 100 miles per hour, coupled with a savage spray of icy shards. It takes everything I can manage to not get blown over. I can hear shouts and yells, as the wind bowels some of the less fortunate men over, sending them skittering across the frozen ice and snow, putting tremendous tension on the rope line holding us together.

I hear a shouted curse from Adam as he drops the scientist again. I catch sight of his body tumbling across the ice sheet, headed for a ravine. I groan, thinking, "not fucking again" to myself.

I unclip myself from the rope line and hurl myself on top of the chubby captive, scrambling in the fierce wind to latch onto him, digging my boots and gloved hands into the ice sheet to stop our momentum.

12:16 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: Fuck. I think to myself as Ivan unclips himself and jumps onto the guy who is a massive liability at this stage.

I know we need him but I fucking just want him dead right now.

I can’t move as quickly with the shoulder injury and there’s not much I can do to help. But I unclip and look at Adam. “You fucking drop him again and I’ll fucking beat the fucking living crap out of you.” My frustration building up.

I unclip myself and brace myself against the wind and dig my show shoes down into the ice with every step towards the scientist and Ivan. “Hold on!”

12:33 Commando_Ivan_Usov: As I scramble to find a hold in the ice, I can hear Adam's angry shout in response to Mark, "You try carrying that tub of lard in the middle of a fucking blizzard and see how you like it."

I grunt, as Jose and the others are picking themselves up after that massive gust. The angle is getting steeper, and the ice here is too fucking smooth.

Holding onto the inert scientist in one hand, I reach down and grab my sidearm with the other. As I'm starting to pick up speed towards the ravine, I fire a few rounds into the ice, aiming below me, adjusting my aim to keep hitting the same spot as I slide, blasting a thick hole in the surface. I wedge the toe of my boot into it, about two feet from the edge. I look up, shouting out some orders as I see Mark coming for me, the idiot unclipped himself.

I didn't even stop to think that I had done the same thing. I snap out into the wind, "Adam! Jose! Throw a rope down here! Hurry!" My makeshift foot hold gives off a sharp cracking sound. It's not that stable... FUCK FUCK.

14:00 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I grab a rope from the backpack as I stop on the ice to start knotting it, making a slip knot and turning the rope it on itself.

"Ivan... Clip yourself to the fat guy, this is going to FUCKING HURT."

I knot the rope and throw it over the edge of the ice sheet , it misses Ivan by inches, but it's the choice between grabbing the rope and saving the scientist, and we both have a particular mission right now, and the scientist's death isn't even on the possibility list.

I swear loudly wrapping the other end of the rope around my good arm and throw again, this time the rope slides neatly around Ivan's neck. "Going to fucking hurt!"

I yank back on the rope and the slipknot went tight around Ivan's neck, like my sleeper hold did the other day. "Do not fucking yet go!"

"Jose..... FUCKING HELP ME!" I brace myself to take their weight should the foothold give out, but the ice is sheer and I slam my combat knife into the ice to at least get some friction.

Ultimately if I killed Ivan by hanging, which hopefully wouldn't happen, if he did clip the scientist to him, at least we'd get a live scientist and that's the mission. My arm burnt with the pain of holding on , it was my good arm, but I was holding two fucking people with it with only the edge of an ice sheet as a pivot to help out.

14:44 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I hold on grimly, my right hand locked around the cold winter gear of the heavily bundled scientist with every ounce of concentration I can muster.

Mark throws the rope down, but it misses me by inches, as a stray gust of wind drives it off course.

I reach down with my spare hand, grabbing the carabiner attached to my tactical belt, and snapping it around the tubby researcher's belt. Now, we are hooked together. I can feel my precarious toe hold start to shift, and desperately I reach out with both hands, digging into a slim crevasses as my improvised toe hold shatters, chunks of ice plummeting into the ravine.

Grimly I can feel my grip start to slip. I look up, as Mark throws the rope again. I hold my head high as the slipknot catches tight around my throat.

The pain is fucking incredible as Jose runs up to help Mark begin to pull me.
A line of hot white fire erupts around my neck, I can't breath, and my whole world descends into sheer breathless agony.

The rope acts like a sleeper choke, cutting into my carotid. Grimly, I look up as Jose and Mark pull me. My hands go limp, and it seems like I'm falling down a black tunnel. As Mark and Jose start to pull me and the attached tubby researcher up, everything goes black.

14:51 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: As Ivan and the researcher break over the top of the precipice I collapse onto the ground and look at Jose. "Thank you."

I turn to Adam. "Clip yourself to him. It's the only way we're not going to lose him... and yeah... I don't fucking blame you for dropping him."

"And some point hopefully we can use his head like a fucking football, but not now."

I roll over to Ivan to check his pulse as I remove the noose from around his neck, I remove my snow goggles and lean down and start giving him mouth to mouth, pressing down on his chest to resuscitate him.

"Fucking not losing any fucker.. not even ... fucking big... fat Russians." I say between breaths into Ivan's mouth.

15:16 Commando_Ivan_Usov: Slowly, I come back to awareness... the first sensation is a hot, searing fire around the circumference of my neck. The next is something pressing hard against my mouth.

My eyes open blearily, as I gasp. I look up into Mark's face, realizing that he's been giving me mouth to mouth.

I feel light headed, and fuzzy. It's so fucking cold. I struggle to sit up, then everything comes rushing back. I reach up and feel the raw, red welt surrounding my neck. I suddenly start to chuckle, a strange, raw sound coming from my mangled throat as I rub my neck. Once again, I always seem to see the funny side of once more narrowly avoiding a meeting with the grim reaper.

I croak out, "Come Mark... I know you play rough... but that is taking it to the extreme, no?" I stagger to my feet, sitting down once, as I feel very light-headed. I wish someone would turn off the goddamned freezing wind.

I look over at the scientist, once more draped across Adam's shoulders. I grunt. He had better be worth all the trouble.

15:34 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I put my arm around his shoulders and help him up. "I do like choking you out before kissing you, admittedly." I smile. "Come on... we need to keep going... we're not far away, when we get near the end of the ice sheet they can drop us ropes from helicopters, but we're still a bit too far inland.

"It was the only thing I could think of, my shoulder isn't strong enough to lift you up."

"Next time I'll allow you to choke me out in bed if you want." I smile. And help him on the way. "Come on Ivan."

15:40 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I look up at Mark, still feeling a bit dizzy, fighting through the fog. As he helps me to my feet, I chuckle again. I feel sick too, and breathing is a challenge. But as I said before, pain is how we know we are alive.

"Let's go then. You did the right thing. I was expendable, but our captive is not."

"And don't think that I have forgotten what you owe me... the coin toss was only to determine who fucked who first...." I stumble more than once, feeling ashamed... I'm used to my body responding instantly, like a well oiled machine. But I realize that when one is resuscitated... brought back from the brink of death, the body might need a bit to catch up.

I find myself leaning on Mark as we carry on towards the edge of the ice sheet and our transportation off this frozen hell. I found myself regretting once again that Mark and I were from different worlds... perhaps had he been in the Brotherhood.... he and I might be more.

16:14 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: It's nearly two hours later as I go back to the radio and we are close enough to the edge of the ice sheet that the aircraft carrier can send helicopters through the driving wind to us.

One by one everyone heads up in the ropes towards the helicopters and I look at Ivan before the last couple of ropes comes down.

"Saved the world... congratulations, Ruski."

I smile as we head onto the helicopters and across to the massive aircraft carrier, finally out of the cold in the heated helicopter.

"Let's see if the ship can get us some dry clothes and some food."

16:36 Commando_Ivan_Usov: Finally, after two more hellish hours of cold, we arrive at the rendevous spot.

The helicopter has finally arrived. The rest of the men head up the ropes first. I turn to look at Mark, a wry grin twisting my features, "You saved the notorious Ivan Usov, ... congratulations Limey."

This next part of our journey would be ... interesting. I wondered if me and my men would be thrown in the brig. Wondered if this would be the last taste of freedom. Still, no regrets. We did what we had to do. "Dry clothes and hot food would be a treasure."

I settle myself down in the cabin of the helicopter as it makes it's way towards the Prince of Wales. Curious.... what fate had in store for us next.

17:19 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I got out of the helicopter and walked over to the senior bridge officer who was standing there, wasn't the captain, a commander it looked like.

"Thanks for the lift, Commander. I need you to get some rooms for these men, I need a safe and secure brig room for my prisoner, who needs a 24 hour a day watch to make sure he's safe. He is pretty darn vital."

The officer looked at me. "There was no mention of prisoners from the UK Government."

"Change of plan. Top Secret, can't explain why. Can we get some food and dry clothes for my colleagues."

"The Brotherhood colleagues?"

"Yes..." I say looking at him. "The ones who just helped me complete my mission."

"They are to be placed in the Brig."

I looked at the commander. "I've had a terrible day and my shoulder is killing me. This is not the times for jokes."

"It's not a joke, they're a security risk and the captain has ordered it."

I look at him for a minute. "Turn this ship around and head towards our destination. I'll worry about the Captain's orders, Commander." Rank was a nebulous concept to the SAS at the best of times.

"But unless you want to be saddled with mistreatment, you can take them where you want them.. AND give them clothes and food."

08:51 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I stepped off the helicopter, on alert. We were surrounded by, to be blunt, the enemy. Our only ally, and a temporary one at that, was Sergeant Mark Christopher. But none of this was a surprise to us; we knew what we had signed up for. I motioned Adam and Jose to hold position behind me. Adam surrendered up the heavily bundled scientist, who started to struggle as he finally came back to consciousness.

I listened to the exchange between Mark and the Commander without a hint of surprise. Of course they were going to put us in the Brig.

I could tell by the expression on the Commander's face that he was not pleased with Mark's attitude.

And then, as if to make things more interesting. The Captain strode up.
At about the same time as a dozen or so Royal Navy Police began to surround us.

This is going about how I expected. I appreciate Mark's efforts... but one man against the UK Military establishment are not good odds.

11:10 Captain_Matthew_Sinclair: I'm finishing up my report when word comes in that Sergeant Mark Christopher has just arrived, along with the international terrorists.

My second and deal with the situation while I finish my report. I look out again, and realize with a frown that the SAS Sergeant is actually arguing with my commander. I frown, annoyed.

First, I get sent down here to the Antartic without a proper briefing, other than to standby to pick up one Sergeant Mark Christopher. Clearly, something big is going on, and just as clearly, they trust a lowly Sergeant in the SAS with the details over the Captain of the HMS Prince of Wales. Annoying. As if that was not bad enough, the briefing mentioned that he would be accompanied by a group of international terrorists, members of the Brotherhood of Steel, the same group responsible for the attack on Thames House, and countless other atrocities. My orders regarding their disposition are strangely silent, but obviously, they are meant to be taken into custody, to stand trial for their crimes.

I put my report aside, and stride out, sharply rattling down the stairs, bundling up, ordering some Royal Navy Police to accompany me and surround the terrorists. "Don't hesitate to shoot if they give you any trouble, Sergeant."

I stride across the deck, and snap out, "Sergeant. What seems to be the trouble here?"

09:41 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I turn and look at the captain then ignore him and look at the Sergeant. “You shoot them and the moment you’re within helicopter range of the SAS. I’d start sleeping with your eyes open.”

My eyes make it clear that I’m not joking when I turn back to the captain and I motion around to the massive ship.

“When I order an Uber I don’t expect the driver to start getting lippy. I’d rather the Uber driver didn’t talk at all frankly.”

“I’m here at the behest of the British government on a mission of vital importance which is above your clearance level. If you can put your foot on the gas please and take this ship to its rendezvous in Southampton I’d be very grateful. But you surrounding my team with armed guards is not going to get you a five star review.”

“They’re all currently carrying vital pieces of equipment from a syndicate base that you are not allowed to know about. If you don’t already know about it. That equipment is not to be touched. And unless you’ve gained the powers of telekinesis that’s going to be hard if you try and touch my team.”

I’m in pain and don’t like it when the taxi driver for the real soldiers gets lippy. “Now I’m going to phone my government about the mission. I don’t expect you to let them run around a billion dollar boat but let’s start with food, dry clothes and somewhere non brig like which is comfortable considering what they’ve just done.”

“Oh and if their equipment is damaged by gunfire. I’m pretty sure a Court martial will be the nicest possible outcome that will happen to you. Followed probably by being locked up in the Tower of London for treason. And no. At no point in this list am I fucking joking.”

“If anything. I am understating the bollock load of shit you will get into it you fucking touch these people right fucking now.”

“Get this fucking taxi moving.” I pull the satellite phone out and dial David.
10:05 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I turn my head, and send a sharp order to Adam and Jose as armed men surround us. "At ease, don't provoke them."

I listen with a growing sense of amusement as Mark unloads a full rasher of shit, most of it pure bullshit, onto the unsuspecting Captain. I wished I had a bag of popcorn to help me enjoy the show.

11:10 Captain_Matthew_Sinclair: I'm shocked speechless as this trumped-up overblown stuntman has the audacity to give orders to my Sergeant.

But he doesn't stop there, he makes threats and proceeds to insult me in the most shocking and outrageous manner. I swear, I won't rest until he faces courtmartial. The entire time he's ranting, my face is getting redder and redder and my eyes are getting colder and colder. An Uber driver?

The Captain of one of the largest, most powerful warships the United Kingdom has ever constructed, compared to an Uber driver? I'm about to order him to join the terrorists in the Brig when suddenly he mentions two things that pull me up short... My lack of clearance, comparable to an unwanted ulcer ... and additional equipment being carried by the terrorists?
Of vital importance to the mission? I'm about to explode in rage, when again I stop myself short. I was ordered down here to retrieve the Sergeant and the team of terrorists accompanying him, the mission was vital enough to divert the HMS Prince of Wales.

I'm nearly choking, sputtering with rage by the time he's done. I'm this close to ordering him taken to the brig, when he picks up his satellite phone and places a call.

I decide, finally, to wait... and get more information before acting rashly. You don't get command of the HMS Prince of Wales by acting rashly. But I swear, there will be consequences for this little bastard's total breach of protocol. Serious consequences.

I snap off an order to my second, "Get us underway." My words are clipped, my rage barely held in check.

11:10 Lieutenant_David_Armstrong: I'm sitting with James Mason, in the hospital, back in London. After being treated in Finland, the UK had chartered a plane to bring him back to London. He just regained consciousness about two hours ago. It was touch and go. I'd gotten the briefing about Mark's embedding with the Brotherhood and ... a request for transport from Antarctica.

Damn..

I was worried sick about him.. and of course, the stakes could not have been higher. When my phone rang, and I heard Mark's voice on the other end, I felt a sense of relief. "Mark!! Fuck.... What's going on?"
10:37 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: "Hi mate, sorry for the bad signal, I've got a bundle of hot air near me," I say as I walk away from the captain.

"Is Sam's brother with you - is he okay?"

"I'm on board the Prince of Wales and my uber driver is being a little bit pissy, so I need a word with James. I got the packages.... and the person who made them."
10:48 Commando_Ivan_Usov: 11:10 Lieutenant_David_Armstrong: "James is okay, I'm with him right now. We're back in London. Your uber driver huh?" I chuckle for a moment, my relief at realizing that Mark is okay, and more importantly, he has the package, translating into humour. Trust Mark, the hater of officers, to refer to the Captain of the HMS Prince of Wales as an Uber driver.

"Glad you managed not to get yourself killed. Here's James."

11:10 Agent_James_Mason: Getting shot is never any fun. And I think this might have been one of the most serious gunshot wounds I've ever yet had the privilege of receiving. I don't remember very much after jumping in front of Mark, mostly blurred images and dreams. I remember Kyle's face... he's sleeping now, and David has been here with me the whole time.

And of course I remembered our mission. The tension, the stress, all of it slammed into me again as soon as I was conscious. It never really left. When David picks up the phone, and I realize that it is Mark, I sigh deeply, wincing in pain as even that small movement hurts.

Gratefully, I take the phone from David, "Sergeant? What's your status?"

10:59 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: "I have the cure, and more importantly I have the person who invented the cure. I believe the cure itself couldn't be replicated in a year without him.... so went a bit off message and brought him back as well."

"I'm with the brotherhood guys onboard the ship right now. But we're having a bit of a problem with the captain. He's trying to arrest them and put them into the brig, I need someone to put the guy back in his box right now."

"Not joking - they put their lives on the line to get it out, multiple times, including saving my life.. when they had the cure in their hands. They may not acknowledge it, but they're doing it for the right reasons this time."

"So I need you to put a call in to put the captain back in his fucking box."

"I've got about six spare canisters of the cure itself, and I've given the Brotherhood spare ones to take back to their own governments."

"The antarctic lab was going to be an ark for them to come out and be saviours of humanity.... the lab is ... erm... broken now."

"Once you get the captain sorted, I'm going to phone Blue and Green troops and my guys to come out to the ship when we're closer to the UK... which will piss the captain off even more. To give everyone an escort safely back to ... well wherever you want to give us Tea and Medals."

"And you're going to need to get onto your bosses, because right now, you're not going to like the next sentence. The guys who blew up Thames House... they're going to need some medals as well. That's going to be a fun conversation for you isn't it... good luck with that one."

"Because they helped save the world."

"My medal can be bigger, and maybe with more gold on it... I also accept knighthoods, and single malt scotch whiskey, whatever you have in the cupboard."

11:10 Agent_James_Mason: I listen, taking in the torrent of words pouring out from the double-tough Sergeant.

My mind sorts and sifts through all the updates, fighting sluggishly to focus through the woozy feeling of post-op recovery. I need to be sharp, on point.

I take a deep breath, and consider my reply.

"Good news has been in relatively short supply, you've just made my day, Sergeant. That was a stroke of luck, capturing one of their researchers. We'll have a team of boffins standing by. I'm sure we can work out some deal with the researcher to make him see the benefits of working for us." The main benefit being that he gets to live.

"We'll send a strike team to investigate the location of their lab in case anything ... or anyone ... useful is left."

I've deliberately saved the thorniest issue for last ... the Brotherhood. First, I need some time to get over my shock at his 180 degree change in attitude.

Just a few days ago, he and I fell out over working through the Brotherhood in the first place. He thought it was a stupid idea ... and I told him to grow up and be pragmatic. He's gone through pragmatism ... and now wants to give them a medal for saving the world?

I thought for a moment of my encounter with Ivan... back in Des Moines... when he spared my life and freed Kyle, my lover... after subjecting him to torture, he had a change of heart. Ivan ... the man who fell in love with Kyle... the man Kyle still loves. The man who lead the assault on Thames House... the man who helped Mark Christopher save the world.

I felt torn between pragmatism... the realities confronting us... and the paradoxes snarling the whole situation. There was no right answer. Whichever way we go, there will be consequences.... I wrestle... and decide that, right or wrong... we had to give Ivan free passage. For now. It was the honorable thing to do... but it was a decision that will cost me, at the highest levels. Well fuck.

Finally I speak up, "Now, about the Brotherhood men with you... Here is my decision. They can keep the cure they have on their persons, and they will not be imprisoned. We all knew this was a temporary arrangement. They may have helped save the world, but that doesn't change the past. There can be no medals... not from us. Maybe they can give each other medals. And Mark... there can be no celebrations, no medals. The boffins have assured me that we can distribute the cure in the same way the bacterial cysts were distributed ... through the water supply. We can't afford to let the fact that the end of civilization was only narrowly avoided become public knowledge. You'll have to make do with my personal thanks. And maybe some single malt scotch. I can manage that much."

I sight, rubbing my head, "Here is what I can do for them, Mark. I'll arrange a rendezvous at sea to transfer the Brotherhood contingent to North Africa once the HMS Prince of Wales reaches the vicinity. I'll speak to the Captain, and ensure that they are treated as guests, not prisoners." What I don't tell Mark is how much heat I'll receive when the politicos find out what I've done. I have to keep them in the dark long enough to pull this off.

11:58 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: Mark shrugged. "That's fine... you don't get what you don't ask for. if I don't get it, I don't get it, no point arguing about things. I'm sure you can sneak in a medal for me for something somewhere."

Which is pretty pragmatic.

"The scotch will have to do and a good word when I'm up for my next promotion."

"That all sounds good to me. I'll get the SAS out here to help me escort the cure back to the government safely. I won't tell them what I have."

"See you soon, slightly less sexy brother. You still owe me some drinks from the last time I helped you out." Mark apparently has chosen to forget their argument over the brotherhood as well. He turned and walked back to the captain and threw the sat phone at him.

"Hey... the government wants a word."

11:10 Agent_James_Mason: I was prepared for another argument, but instead, Sam's mercurial friend once again catches me off guard, flirting with me ... apparently reinstating the drink that I still owed him. I chuckled... as he handed me off to the Captain.

11:10 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I watched the entire exchange with a kind of fascination. Mark was finished speaking to whoever was on the other end of the line, and tossed the phone to the Captain.

The Captain had a very sour face as he snatched the phone out of the air and listened. I couldn't hear a word that was said, but his expression was clear as day. I could see rage, humiliation and chagrin in quick succession march across his features. Every time he tried to speak, he was clearly overridden. Finally, in disgust, he hung up, and gave Mark the phone.

11:10 Captain_Matthew_Sinclair: In icy rage, I toss the phone back to Mark and approach the Sergeant guarding the prisoners ... no... the guests. I clench my teeth, seething inside.

Being treated as though I were an ensign tended to put my teeth just a bit on edge, and having to provide safe harbor for wanted international terrorists did not improve my mood. But I was given explicit instructions during my briefing to follow any instructions given to me by James Mason. I didn't have to like them. And I would find a way to make that snarky Sergeant Mark's life a living hell.

I snapped out an order, "Escort our ... guests ... to spare quarters, see that they are provided with a hot meal." I turn and leave, catching the eyes of Sergeant Mark on my way, staring daggers at him, but not saying a word.

11:10 Commando_Ivan_Usov: As the Royal Navy Police escort leads us to the hatch, we catch up with Mark. I look at him with a crooked grin, "You are a man of many talents. Thank you Mark. I don't know how you pulled it off, but thank you."

12:19 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I follow Ivan into the ship. "The SAS are the most elite regiment in the UK, we believe it's more important to get a task done than deal with petty crap like rank structures."

"Also, I find that when I'm actually in the right, there is no reason to ever back down. Not when I'm totally in the right. Plus the navy are all pussies who live on boats and don't get involved in real fighting." I dismiss them out of hand, they weren't SAS... I'd be the same about the marines or anyone like that.

"When we get to North Africa, you'll be passed over to another ship, and from there you go back to your jobs and I go back to mine, and our temporary alliance is all over."

"I sadly don't get a medal out of it., which is a bit sad, because no-one is going to know this happened. But... I don't do it for bits of metal.. I do it for my country."

I follow Ivan through the ship to his quarters and look around. "Nice... they'll get everyone food as well." As I watch as the others are escorted down the corridor.

"Next time we meet won't be anything like this. And sadly, broken arm, with a gunshot, and probably fractured ribs from saving your life. not going to get a proper fuck from me."

"But fancy a bit of more gentle fooling around?"

12:31 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I let Mark's words wash over me as I follow the Royal Navy Police down into the vast bowels of this massive floating superstructure. I nod as he explains the arrangement to get me and my men to South Africa. That will be sufficient.

He mentions the upcoming end of our temporary alliance, and I feel a brief pang of ... regret. One of the Royal Navy Policemen points out my quarters, and I walk inside, with Mark behind me.

I look around, the quarters are spacious, clearly intended for an officer, with slightly more than enough room to swing a cat. I turn back to Mark, my eyes glinting, "I didn't do any of this for a medal. I did it first of all for my family.. and second of all... for the countless other families out there. Most of humanity simply struggles to get through their daily grind. They don't need a world-ending disease on top of that."

"Next time we meet... it might be on the other end of a gun." I was simply stating facts. "I very much 'fancy' a bit of fooling around with you Mark. But don't worry if you aren't up for fucking... because as I recall..." Then I smile very broadly, "Your ass is mine. I am well up for a hard fuck."

I was feeling strangely ... melancholy and incredibly horny at the same time. Mark and I had shared something rather special... for a brief while, we'd been aligned, as brothers towards a common goal. Mark had about him a charisma, combined with a will to power that was irresistible to one such as me. And soon, that must end. Time though, for one final celebration.

I shrug my winter gear off, and help Mark pull his off, then, I pull him into me, a bit more gently than I would normally be, as I enfolded him in my arms, feeling his strength, and being careful not to aggravate his wound, as I leaned into him and began to kiss him, with more passion then I had kissed anyone since Kyle.

12:47 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I kiss Ivan back and move and lie back on the bed taking my own t-shirt off I look at him. I pull him down next to me to continue the kiss, he was a powerful man, I wouldn't settle for anything less.

"If it's on the end of a gun you're already dead. I'm a sniper so you'll be long gone before you see my gun."

My left arm still has a massive amount of dried blood dripping down it, I figure that Ivan couldn't care less about that. "I like medals, it's like a nice bonus at the end for a job well done."

"But I have a favour to ask, this is personal, not the government. You ever find yourself wanting to kill Jordan Byrne. Find me."

I run my hand over his belt. "But you ever work with him. I will kill you."

12:55 Commando_Ivan_Usov: Mark pulls me down onto the bed, as I shrug my own t-shirt off, pulling the steel-hard SAS Commando against my own combat-forged muscle as I sprawl out on the bed. I can see Mark's wound. I make a mental note to dress it properly after we are done fucking.

I run my hands up and down his body as we lay side by side, drinking in each other's power. "Who said it would be on the end of your gun? " I grin at him.

I look at him quizzically, "I told you already Mark, I would never work with Jordan Byrne. He's a terrorist. He kills civilians. We will have nothing to do with him or his pals. But... I swear, if I ever find myself in a position to kill Jordan, I will let you know."

Lazily, my hand trails over his belt, unfastening the buckle, and removing it, opening his fly, and teasing out his cock and balls, massaging them in my hand, feeling my breath catch and my heart start to race. His shaft feels so good in my grip.
13:12 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: “I don’t want to kill you,” I say as he touches my shaft and my head hits the pillow. “But I will. I know you’d be the same way.”

“This was meant to be temporary. I know that. Never thought I’d be even vaguely attracted to you.”

I take his own shaft in my hand after unbuttoning his trousers. “With something like this you must have a tonne of lovers.”

13:23 Commando_Ivan_Usov: With one hand, I carefully stroke his torso, a light, almost delicate touch, out of character for me perhaps, but it suits my mood. I let my hand lovingly trace each ridge and furrow of his hard muscle.

My hand begins to stroke his shaft with greater vigor as his hand finds mine. "If I've learned anything in all my years as a mercenary... I've learned that everything is temporary. Enjoy each moment while you can, for tomorrow we may die. I knew I was attracted to you when we tried to kill each other in Libya."

I grin at him, "I am very selective as to who I take on as a lover. The last man I truly consider my lover was named Dave..." I sighed. "He was a member of the Brotherhood, from Manchester, actually. He served with me. I loved him very deeply. We trained together, fought together, drank together." My face turns sad... "James Mason killed him in Minneapolis. And I was going to have my revenge on Jame's lover, Kyle... but life is strange, and seldom unfolds the way we expect."

13:31 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: “I must admit I wasn’t attracted to you in Libya. I thought our fight. Was good. You pushed me to my limits. That was good.”

I smile as my cock is jerked harder and I do the same to him.

“I didn’t think James Mason would have a lover. I thought he was too stuck up for that.” I smile. “I thought for a brief time I was in love with James’ brother. I may be. But … I don’t think I’m cut out for love. Shag and move on. Love is for people with stable lives.”
13:37 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I look at him, with a knowing smirk on my face. "I am always attracted to a man who can push me to my limits."

"James ... is a passionate man. I used to hate him. But now..." I shrug.

I look at him more closely. "I thought the same when I was younger. Fuck, move on, no strings. I never thought I would change. Dave taught me differently."

Then, I focus on Mark... working his trousers down, and gently turning him onto his side, on his good shoulder, I slide up behind him on the bed, folding him up in my arms, growling as my lust starts to thrum hotter in my veins, my cock getting stiffer. I twine my legs about his, and as I continue to stroke his shaft, my own cock begins to tease the tip of his asshole. "But here and now, Sergeant Mark Christopher, you are going to taste my steel... A shame that I cannot be as rough with you as you were with me today... but who knows what the future might hold?"

13:50 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: “Luckily I’m still young. Unlike you,” I smile as I can feel his shaft right next to my arse as I look him straight in the eyes.

“Your monster will be more than enough. Not used to anything that big. Except from an American friend. But … he’s just a friend. Close. But we’re not in love.”

I put my good arm around his head as I look at him. “You’ll miss seeing the SAS guys turn up to escort the researcher back.” I kiss him once more before leaning back.

Life was too short to worry about any crap like love. Maybe when I was old and not in this job.

“So you going to fuck me or keep talking like a fucking woman.”

13:54 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I let my mouth linger on his for a moment, as Mark rattles on. Then, his final comment gets a growl out of me. My eyes flash, and I twist over him, crushing his mouth with a deep, hard kiss, as one hand snakes around his taut, rock hard abs. I grunt, and brutally thrust my thick cock full up his ass.

There is a bit of pre-cum for lube, but not much. The pain of my forced dry entry up his ass is exquisite and suddenly, a hot fire fills my belly as I kiss him fiercer, harder, crushing his lips, tasting blood, mine and his mixed together, my thick shaft driving like a pile-driver deep up his hole.

14:02 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I grab his throat as he does that one handed. Smiling at him through the pain. “Fucking motherfucking Russian.”

I hold his throat tight. “Fuck that hurts you cunt. Fucking push it harder,” in both pleasure and pain. The feeling is amazing as I squeeze his throat.

“Fucking do it.” I grunt loudly as I feel my own cock surging with pleasure.

14:09 Commando_Ivan_Usov: The aggression surges up inside me, his hand on my throat causing the red welt surrounding my neck, from the near hanging I endured earlier, to flare up with fiery hot pain. The pain feeds my lust and I growl, my hips suddenly increasing in tempo, the thick herculean quads smashing my cock into his ass with savage force.

I snarl, "Take it you British mother fucker... take it ... take it all..." My hand around his waist crushes tight, practically pulling his body onto my cock as I slam it home with my hips.

14:56 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: The surge of pain as he pulls me onto him just increases my pleasure as my cock leaks between us as I tighten my grip on his neck.

“Harder you fucker. Harder.” It was already harder than most guys could take. But decompression after a mission was important. For a lot of lads it was beer. For mark it was sex.

15:01 Commando_Ivan_Usov: My arms snaked tightly around his solar plexus, leaving off stroking his shaft to plant a bearhug on the hard-muscled SAS Commando. He wanted harder... I wanted harder... i wanted to fucking crush him out as I reamed his ass like there was no tomorrow.

My biceps tightened, swelling with power as my arms tightened like a vise around his solid core, applying savage pressure to his ribs, and driving deep into his solar plexus, restricting his breathing like a python, Every time I thrust deeper into his ass, I crushed tighter with my gorilla strong grip around his core. The deep passion, grown stronger by the danger we had shared both against each other and working side by side, took me over completely. My balls started to boil with lust…

15:16 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: The ribs were in a lot of pain and I very nearly ask Ivan to slow down. They’d strained themselves after the two crevice issues on the ice sheet.

They were in massive pain as they were crushed and the bear hug made the wound on my shoulder start leaking again. But I ignored it and my cock was trapped between me and Ivan and I couldn’t stop the Friction On it. Couldn’t stop the stimulation as I felt myself starting to shoot despite wanting to keep going. Despite wanting to keep going for a much longer time. But soon our two bodies were covered in my thick seed.

15:22 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I lost myself in the power, the pressure, the savage thrusting of my manhood deep into Mark's core. Carried by the wave of pure aggression, strength, and sheer lust until suddenly Mark's body started to tense beneath me, as I had rolled him over to his back and crushed him tightly during my savage reaming of his hole.

I grunt as I feel Mark losing his seed. Thick, white SAS jizz coating the narrow gap between our torsos... I lean forward and lock my mouth onto Mark's as I erupt savagely into his hole, groaning as I kiss him crushingly hard, filling him up from the inside out with my thick Russian cum.

16:07 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: I collapse back onto the bed under Ivan kissing him hard and looking straight up at him.

"Fucking hell... wish I was better to do this properly," I say looking at my arm. "Next time we won't get time for this fun... just beating each other's heads in."

I'm covered in sweat as I look at him, his cock still inside me. Big and meaty and massive... nearly as big as David's I think.

I lean up and kiss his neck. "But if I do have to kill you I'll make it painless," I smile at him. "Don't pull out yet, let me fucking feel this"

16:50 Commando_Ivan_Usov: I feel myself covered in sweat as I lay there, on top of Mark, my dick still buried deeply inside him. I can feel a few driblets of my seed leaking out of Mark's ass around the girth of my manhood.

I grin wickedly down at him, "Who says beating each other's heads in isn't fun?" But I knew what he meant. From enemies ... to brothers in arms ... to enemies again. The world was a strange place.

I grunt in response to his comment about killing me. I kiss him back, I would do the same, give him a quick clean death, when it came to it, but he knows that. I let my cock linger inside him and just allow myself to rest atop him, feeling exhausted, and soaking up the deep connection we are sharing.

Somehow.... even though we might have to kill each other one day, the connection will remain.

16:54 Sergeant_Mark_Christopher: And in quite a rare experience, I actually fell asleep there under Ivan, it had been a massively exhausting day and the feel of Ivan's cock was good enough for me right now.

There were worse people out in the world than Ivan currently.

A lot worse.

Published: 2021-09-09, viewed 51 times.