Hudson couldn't look at him. He kept fumbling with his belt, trying to make himself presentable. What the hell was he going to say when he walked out that door?
"Listen—" Shaw tried again.
Hudson moved toward the door and Shaw's hand shot out, catching his arm. Hudson jerked away like he'd been burned.
"Don't," Hudson said, voice rough. "Just—don't."
Shaw's jaw tightened. "Hale?—"
"We're done." Hudson finally got his belt fastened. "This has to end."
Confusion crossed Shaw’s face, but Hudson couldn't deal with that right now.
"Wait—"
Hudson left before Shaw could finish.
Footsteps echoed off the concrete in the empty hallway as Hudson moved fast, trying to outrun the image of Reed's face. He needed to get far away from that storage room.
He needed to find Reed. Right the fuck now.
Hudson rounded the corner toward the barracks and nearly collided with Sergeant Barnes.
"Lieutenant Hale." Barnes's voice came out clipped. "Where are you supposed to be?"
Hudson's mind went blank. "Sir, I was just?—"
"Night watch starts in ten minutes. You're on the roster."
Hudson's stomach dropped.Come on. "Sir, I thought—I need to?—"
"Ten minutes, Lieutenant. North perimeter. Lieutenant Briggs is already out there waiting." Barnes's eyes narrowed. "Is that going to be a problem?"
Hudson’s brain screamedyes. But he couldn't say that.
"No sir. No problem."
"Good. Get your gear and report."
Barnes walked away, leaving a desperate Hudson behind. Reed had vanished into the compound, probably exaggerating what he'd seen. And Hudson was about to spend hours on patrol with the last person in the world he wanted to be stuck with.
The north perimeterfence stretched a quarter-mile between the training facility and the woods beyond. Cold, dark, and mind-numbingly boring even under normal circumstances.
These were not normal circumstances.
Briggs was leaning against the fence when Hudson arrived, flashlight in hand, the usual self-satisfied smirk on his face. Everything about him screamed asshole.
"Hale." Briggs straightened. "’Bout time."
“I’m on time.”
"Barely." Briggs fell into step beside him as they started the patrol route.
Hudson kept his eyes forward, focusing on the fence line. Four hours. He could handle four hours of Briggs's bullshit. And once this shift was over, he would find Reed, figure out what the hell he was thinking, maybe convince him that what he'd seen wasn't?—
Wasn't what? Wasn't Shaw with Hudson’s dick in his mouth? That was exactly what Reed had seen. There was no explaining that away.
Neither of them said anything else for a few minutes. Hudson counted his steps, focused on his breathing. Then Briggs opened his mouth.
