Perifidy

Chapter Sixteen: Homecoming

"Ah! You look splendid, Ela. Kade will be enchanted, I am sure." Zofia said happily. Ela raised an eyebrow at her sister.

"Are you saying I can not enchant him otherwise?" she said. Alfons laughed from the bed,

"Easy you two. Let us just focus on the fact that he is coming home, yes?" he said. Amanda started giggling at her show, snuggling in closer to her father. Zofia smiled at her sister before getting back into bed. With all the shit she had been through, Zofia more than deserved a day or two where she could sleep in until the afternoon. She moved to leave the room. She had things she needed to prepare.

***

          Kade hated plane rides when he was injured. Every bump or jostle made his arm spike in burning pain. Montagne wasn't doing much better, grimacing every time his propped-up legs rumbled with the turbulence. Kade did, however, appreciate the private jet Six had sent to fetch them from Colombia. A near limitless supply of booze and smokes? That's what you call a little slice of heaven. Montagne sat adjacent to him, his legs propped on the couch, while he enjoyed a French newspaper. The big man had gotten some coffee and a cigarette. It was strange to Kade, seeing as he had never seen Montagne smoke up until now.

"Anything good in the editorial section, Gilles?" Kade asked, holding a cigarette in his lips as he fished the lighter out of his breast pocket. He suddenly remembered why he hated being injured, it was rather bothersome, doing everything with only one arm.

"Nah. I try not to read these too often. Too prideful." he replied. Kade lit the cigarette and took a long drag.

"Hm. French newspapers and smokes are reserved only for when your legs are broken, then?" Kade said. Montagne grunted, turning the next page

"Only for when I'm homesick. I feel it, now and again." he said. Kade let out a billowing cloud of smoke, turning his attention back to the pad of paper in front of him. While he was more than useless at art, he had felt a sudden burst of inspiration. On it, was a crude drawing of the number six with a small pistol drawn in the middle. Montagne peeked over his newspaper.

"An artist now too?" the man asked. Kade shook his head,

"Not at all, big man. My artistic capabilities are actually rather pathetic." Kade held up the pad.

"Six mentioned something about an insignia in a meeting before we left for the op so I was trying my hand at making one." he explained. Montagne looked at it, his expression confused at first but slowly turned to one of understanding.

"The execution is what we French would call terəbəl, but the idea is worth saving." (translation: terrible) he said with a grin. Kade put the pad back on the table.

"Indeed. I'll have Ela or Elizabeth create the final draft." he said, his eyes suddenly distant as he stared out the window at the fluffy white clouds Montagne stared at him for a moment.

"It's a relief there's something you can't do, boss man." he said suddenly. Kade broke out of his trance, giving him a strange look.

"Pray tell what that means, my mountainous friend." Kade said.

"It means you're a damn good soldier, Kade." Montagne said. Kade smiled,

"I assume that explains the boss man moniker too." he said.

"You bet. You point, I follow." Montagne said, turning his attention back to his paper and bringing his cigarette to his lips. Kade smiled to himself. He looked at the small wrapped gift sitting on the table. What a feeling.

***

          Kade was surprised to see Six being the first to great him on the tarmac, which he found disconcerting considering he'd already submitted his full report while he was in the hospital. Then he spotted the man standing next to her, a grin on his face. Harry. Kade slowly hobbled down the stairs, using a cane to ease the pain on his sore leg. Montagne meanwhile was being wheeled down from the jet, Blitz anxiously awaiting at the bottom. Kade smiled. He had been privy to the phone conversations between the two shield operators while at the hospital and the love and care they held for each other was something he hoped to have in his relationship with Ela. Ela. His heart lurched, thinking of his partner. There was almost no one he wanted to see more; save Robert and the rest.