Page 51 of Attraction

“What thefuckwas that for?” Digby moans loudly as pain sears up his thigh and he closes his eyes and lays back.

“Darius, what the hell are you doin’ man?” Ozzie pushes against his chest but is instantly wafted away like he’s nothing.

Glaring, Darius smiles and turns his attention from Ozzie back to Kat. “Looks like you got yourself a patient.” He then looks at his watch and faces toward the extract point. “Question is, can you get him to exfil before the helo arrives at first light?” He grins smugly, watching the confused look on her face.

Kat frowns, looking at Digby then back to Darius. “But there’s nothing wrong with him, he just needs to walk it off.” She swallows apprehensively as Darius kicks Digby again—much harder this time. “Wait!” Kat yells. “Just stop it! What the hell are you doing? I don’t know what you want from me.”

“I told you, he’s your patient.Youneed to get him to the extract point.”

“What? Get him over there? I mean, how?”

From the ground, Digby concedes. “Alright, I’m sorry. If that’s what you wanna hear, I apologize.” Saying sorry to Darius doesn’t come easy, but Digby swallows his pride. “Oh, c’mon man, I’ve apologized. Alright, I shouldn’t have joked around, it won’t happen again.”

“Too little, too late. I warned you aboutfuckin’around with her, but you just can’t keep it in your pants, can you? You knew this was gonna happen, but you just accelerated the process.”

“Oh, Darius c’mon man, she can’t do this! It’s impossible. C’mon, you’ve never asked any of the others to do it—not this far out.”

Ozzie and Bud both sigh as they stare at the one and a half klicks to the exfil point and exchange doubtful looks. “Darius, he’s right man,” Ozzie pleads. “It’s a helluva long way out.”

“Do I look like I care? You pair need to haul ass… QT, Zak, you as well. I mean it… GO!”

“Fine!” There’s a group sigh and a chorus of “Fuck it!” and “Sorry, Kat.”She frowns, still unsure exactly what’s going on.

“What, you’re just gonna leave us here?”

“Yeah, pretty much. You can see where the exfil point is, right? So, all you gotta do is get him there.”

“Fine!” she says, knowing she and Digby are in for a long walk if they don’t do as they’re told.

The rest of the team stays on alert, watching, just in case anything happens. Knowing Digby’s not likely to just take this, Zak keeps an attentive eye—still waiting for tempers to flare as Digby and Darius are right on the point of eruption.

“What the fuck are you all staring at? I said …HAUL-ASS!Go on… get gone, double-quick!”

Reluctantly they turn, and with a huge sigh, Zak takes point and leads them at a steady pace across the sandy terrain.

“She’s never gonna do it! He’s never asked any of the others to do it this far out.” Bud sighs but stops talking as Ozzie glares—although he’s only stating what they all know.

“Man, just leave it alright. He’s made up his mind. You know as well as I do nothin’ we say is gonna change that. We say anything, we’re only gonna make it worse, and it’s not our place to question, they need to work it out between themselves.”

“Diggs shouldn’t have been such an ass. This has been comin’ for days.” Zak sighs. “He knew what was gonna happen, if he kept pokin’ the bear. Bear’s gonna bite back and this is exactly why them fuckin’ and her being on the team is not a good idea—it’s too intense. You know, I’m not sure she’s the best thing for us. She’s messin’ with Digg’s head, and I for one, don’t like it.”

“Look, they’ll sort it out. Digby just needs to learn his lesson and put his libido back in the box. Kat’s sound and I like her.” Ozzie says.

“Yeah well, she ain’t got a prayer now. From what I can see, Digby just blew it for her.”

“S-she’ll d-do it.” QT takes them all by surprise.

“What the hell did you say?”

“I s-s-said s-she’ll d-d-d…” Q T’s stammer becomes worse as the eyes of the group stare at him. He never says much—ever, and so his defense of Kat comes as a surprise. “D-do… i-it. She’s sp-p-pecial.”

Zak frowns, dismissing his comment. “QT, what the hell are you talkin’ about? Just go back to sleep.” He glances behind, Digby still laying on the ground, Darius talking to Kat. “Digg’s sure as hell is gonna be pissed though.”

“Yeah, but I don’t mind…” Bud grins. “Cos uh… I thought for damn sure it was gonna be me, again—for the uh, long walk back.”

Chapter 15

“Wait! I don’t understand what the hell you’re expecting me to do here?”

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