A couple of days later, Bay found himself releasing a Buthacus scorpion over the fence. Benji and Bay had discovered it loitering under the trash can in their room. That particular subspecies wasn’t equipped with very dangerous venom but it could still deliver a nasty sting.

Benji had immediately suggested stamping on the creature but Bay just couldn’t bring himself to do it. After all, the desert had belonged to the scorpion first, they were all just uniform clad interlopers. However, given that it was his act of mercy to save the scorpion, Bay also had to be the one to trap it in a Tupperware.

“Thank god you mom sent you those cookies,” Bay had declared, wiping his brow as he had finally managed to slam down the yellowed plastic lid and trap the angry, hissing creature.

“Where are you going to put it?” Benji had eyed the box suspiciously. “We don’t want it taking anyone else by surprise.”

“Hm,” Bay smirked as if in deep thought, “I was considering Brent’s underwear drawer.”

In the end, he had been persuaded against it and agreed to take the scorpion all the way to the fence perimeter and dump it over the side.

“Run free little buddy,” Bay grinned as he watched the small creature scuttle away into the twilight. The sun had set a little while earlier and now the darkness was starting to bleed across the desert.

Bay sighed and cracked his neck as he stood back up and turned round towards a low lying row of huts. There was a group of guys smoking nearby, a few of them sat on box crates and playing cards.

“You know idiots like you are the reason we have to spray the base with chemicals every week,” one of the burly looking men called out to Bay.

Bay froze with wide eyes, he hadn’t done anything, he hadn’t even said anything.

“Huh?” Bay frowned, his fingers tightening on the plastic box.

“Fucking releasing scorpions, spiders and snakes like you’re on a goddamn Greenpeace mission out here,” the man huffed, flicking his glowing cigarette to the sand before stamping it out. “You know that fucker’s just gonna crawl right back in here?”

Bay felt somewhat confused, this guy didn’t even know him.

“It wasn’t a dangerous species,” Bay shrugged, smiling to deflect the weird aggressive vibe he was feeling right now.

“Sorry, ignore him,” another man smiled apologetically. Bay recognised him as Finley, one of Benji’s old friends. “Mason here got bitten by a spider last week and his ass blew up like a baboon so he’s still a bit touchy.”

Bay laughed gratefully at Finley, scratching the back of his neck before turning to go.

“You’re with the listening station aren’t you?”

Mason had called out again. Bay sighed, his shoulders dropping as he swung back and nodded. “Yup, that’s right.”

“Yeah,” Mason stated, picking up a brown bottle that smelled like liquor and taking a swig. “You look like someone who’d just sit at a desk all day.”

The man next to Mason snorted before taking the brown bottle for himself. The rest of the men were whispering between themselves and Bay noticed that Finley looked as uncomfortable as Bay felt.

“Okay, well, you don’t know me,” Bay shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest and immediately regretting it as Mason noticed the defensive movement.

“Sure we do,” the man next to Mason piped up. “We see kids like you all the time. Weedy losers who figured they wanted to play with the big boys.”

“Yeah, don’t think that’s why the Air Force hired me,” Bay narrowed his eyes, feeling himself bristle. He didn’t want to be intimidated by these meathead jerks, he had been intimidated his whole life.

“Just leave him alone Cole,” Finley shook his head. “you guys are just drunk and pissed off you got your asses handed to you today by Captain Singh.”

“Oh fuck off Finley,” Cole burped loudly, setting his bottle down on one of the wooden boxes before standing up and walking towards Bay.

Bay took a wary step backwards as he noticed Mason get up to do the same.

“Seriously guys,” Finley snapped, standing up and throwing his cards to the ground. “leave it.”

“What the hell is your problem?” Bay asked, trying to keep his voice steady as the men approached him with sneers on their faces.

“Nice box,” Mason laughed, spotting the Tupperware on which Benji’s mom had written in multi coloured Sharpie, ‘Cookies for my lil’ Cookie – the handsomest and best son in the world!’

“Whatever,” Bay shook his head. This was utterly ridiculous, they were all grown men, in the military.

“Miss your mommy do you?” Cole cocked his head.

“Oh my god, really?” Bay let out a loud bitter laugh. “You sound like a baddie from an eighties high school movie. Aren’t you embarrassed? Because truth be told I’m embarrassed for y-“ Bay let out a surprised gasp as Cole shoved him against the fence.

The razor wire coiled at the top rattled ominously and Bay’s boots slipped against the sand as he scrambled to steady himself.

“You fuckheads,” Finley shouted, moving forwards but finding himself held back by two other guys.

“You touch me and you’ll be in big trouble,” Bay spat out. He could feel himself shaking, knowing it was the shock and adrenaline bombing it through his system.

“With your mommy?” Mason laughed.

“With me,” came an angry growl as Luca appeared behind the men, grabbing hold of Cole’s collar and throwing him across the sand.

Luca went for Mason next, body slamming him against the fence. The impact cause Bay to be sprung back off of the steel wire frame, careening forwards where Finley hurried to steady him.

“W-who the hell are you?” Mason coughed out, his eyes wide as Luca lifted him up an inch off the ground. Bay gasped as he saw the nectar darkened veins in Luca’s biceps stand out rigidly against the bulging muscle.

“His teammate,” Luca snarled, finally dropping Mason back down to the ground where the other man spluttered to try and catch his breath.

Luca spun round and came striding towards Bay and Finley. Bay could feel Finley tense with nerves behind him, and Finley was a big guy.

“You okay, Bay?” Luca asked, his grey eyes narrowed and assessing as he looked up and down the smaller man’s body.

“Fine,” Bay nodded skittishly. “Why are you here?”

Luca remained silent for a moment before sighing, “You’re late for briefing.”

“Oh, shit, right,” Bay smacked his hand against his forehead. He had known there was an evening briefing but he’d figured he had time to release the scorpion and make his way back to north side.

Bay turned round to smile sheepishly up at Finley. “Hi man, thanks for sticking up for me.”

“No worries,” Finley nodded, gesturing for the three of them to walk out from behind the huts and into a more central area. “Those guys are idiots; believe me I’ll be telling the Captain about this.”

Bay grinned in gratitude before walking back towards Luca and swallowing, his throat felt tight. He figured it was still a build up of all the nerves.

“Bring out the best in people don’t you?” Luca said wryly, a slight tug on his lips.

“Oh yeah,” Bay laughed, relieved that the tension was finally dissipating as he began to follow the other man towards the hangar. “You should have seen me at school.”

“You’re not hurt though?” Luca kept moving as he flicked concerned eyes briefly to Bay.

“No,” Bay shook his head, “ego’s a little bruised but it’s used to the abuse.”

“What did you do to piss them off?” Luca frowned after a pause.

“Oh,” Bay smiled weakly as they entered the large warehouse, “I saved a scorpion.”

Luca stopped as he turned round slowly to frown at Bay. The other man blinked before sighing, “Of course you did.”