This was insane. Reckless. The kind of decision that could blow up in their faces in about a hundred different ways.
But Shaw observed him with dark eyes, and Hudson remembered the heat of him, his rock solid… everything, how nothing had ever felt that intense before.
"Yeah. We're doing this."
"Good." Shaw smiled slightly. "Terms established?"
"Terms established."
"Then we should probably get back to the actual assignment before someone notices we've been negotiating something else entirely."
Hudson laughed. "Right. The hostage situation."
"Which, just so you know, your insertion strategy won't work." He smirked.
"Excuse me?"
"The terrain's wrong for aerial insertion at that point. You'd be exposed for too long."
Hudson grabbed the map, suddenly competitive again. "No you wouldn't. If you came in from the east?—"
"The east puts you directly in the sight line of the building."
"Not if you're fast enough."
Shaw leaned forward, close enough that his breath ghosted over Hudson’s face. "Fast enough isn't the same as smart, Hale."
"And playing it safe isn't the same as actually accomplishing the mission, Shaw."
They glared at each other across the table. Hudson felt that familiar spark of challenge, of competition—except now it was laced with heat unrelated to mission disagreements.
"Fine," Hudson said. "What's your brilliant plan?"
Shaw’s finger drew a circle on the map. "Ground insertion.Here." He tapped it. "Two-person team. Fast and without a sound."
"That's more dangerous."
"But more effective."
"How do you figure?"
Shaw started talking—laying out his strategy with that precise, methodical approach he had to everything. And Hudson listened, arguing points, suggesting modifications, falling back into their professional rhythm.
But now, every time Shaw's knee brushed his under the table, Hudson registered it everywhere. Like foreplay he had no control over.
By the time Master Sergeant Chen called time, they had a solid plan and a completely different agreement that no one else knew about.
They got up, gathering their materials. Around them, other pairs did the same, voices rising as people debated their solutions.
"Hale," Shaw said in a low voice as they headed toward the door.
Hudson glanced at him. "Yeah?"
"Storage room. Building C. 2300 hours."
"Tonight?" Hudson's throat went dry.
"Unless you've changed your mind."
