Title: Dance
Fandom: Chaos
Author:
starrylizardRating: Gen, PG, humour
Word count: 854
Summary: Rick sighed and got back into his designated start position as the small prince pointed the remote at the television and the Zumba DVD started to roll yet again.
Notes: Written for
tvrealm challenge
Dance party. This is not beta-read as I had to post to make the challenge deadline. Feel free to mention any typos in the comments and I'll fix them. Any other comments are also very welcome and rewarded with virtual love. :D
"Dance for me. Again. Again."
Rick sighed and got back into his designated start position as the small prince pointed the remote at the television and the Zumba DVD started to roll yet again.
It had almost been fun the first few times - he never knew Casey was capable of such perfect salsa hip movements for instance. But now, even watching Billy make deliberately exaggerated ballroom dancing faces in an attempt to keep his spirits up, had worn off.
Sweat was sticking his shirt which was sticking to his body, his muscles burned and he knew without a doubt that he would never laugh at those Zumba advertisements again. This shit was hard! Still awful and completely wrong, but also HARD. He still didn't get why anyone would do this for fun when there was, you know, actual Latin dancing out there in night clubs. At least there, there was always a pretty girl to be danced with and a good night out.
The current track (they were all covers of well-known songs that had been rewritten to mentioned 'Zumba' every few moments) came to an end and all four men struck the appropriate pose. The small prince clapped his hands in delight. Golden bangles clanking and gaudy silks sliding about his body.
"My father thinks I should just kill you American scum-bags," he said, but I prefer to play with you first. You dance badly and it does amuse me so."
Rick glanced around at his team-mates and was surprised to see all three men looking suddenly alert. Yes, they were all sweaty messes, shirts wet and ties askew, but it was as if their ears had just pricked up. As if they’d been waiting for something and that something had arrived.
Michael noticed Rick's curious look and mouthed Here it comes.
"Yes, my father thinks I am an idiot, but once I have the nuclear material shipped to him, he will see my worth. We will be a power to be reckoned with then."
The small prince eyed the American spies, pausing in his speech as if waiting for something. Billy, Michael and Casey all nodded solemnly in agreement and Rick followed suit. Once he had a reaction, the small prince continued.
"Your stupid fellow Americans will never find my hiding place. Nobody will suspect I'd put nuclear material in a school house. I'll be father's favourite soon enough. Oh yes!"
The small prince paused again and, again, all four men nodded solemnly.
"Now dance for me. Dance! Dance!" The small prince's voice rose to a maniacal pitch as he once again hit the play button and the Zumba DVD started.
The men moved into position, but this time with small grins to each other and nods. Rick looked to Michael for guidance and Michael nodded. No words were spoken or needed, the look and the nod meant be ready.
As the music started to play, the four men moved into action rather than dance, Casey taking out three of the guards before the overly excitable instructor had even told them what their first moves were. And then it was fists and hands and guns and running.
Michael clicked a sim card from his belt as they ran, snapped it into a stolen phone and made a call.
"Fay, it's in the school house. I repeat the package is in the school house."
He hung up and turned to the others. "Chopper's on the roof in five."
They ran faster. Despite the heat and recent dance torture, adrenaline now fuelled their energy.
As he finally slumped down into the back of the chopper, Rick thought he'd never been so glad to be seated in his life.
"But how did you know?" he asked the others. "I mean, you knew if you played his game long enough he'd just tell you the plan?"
"We didn't know so much as suspected heavily, " Casey said.
"You know in Bond movies how the villain always spills the beans to the hero, prattling away while the hero gets his hands loose?" Billy explained. "And you wonder why they don't just shoot the bastard?"
Rick nodded. "I was always taught that real bad guys shoot first in the real world," he said.
"Most of the time they do. And then there's guys like this. Small princes with daddy issues, trying to impress everyone. It was unlikely he'd ever just shoot us,” Michael explained.
"Right now I almost wish he just had." Rick groaned for effect and massaged at a sore calf muscle.
"Cheer up, lad." Billy nudged at Rick's shoulder where they were squished up against each other in the back of the chopper. "You danced yourself into shape and now you're ready to party!"
Billy started to sing one of the annoyingly catchy Zumba songs, even throwing in some shoulder action so that he nudged Rick on certain words.
Casey pulled off his tie and threw it at Rick. "Gag him, if you need to. It's a long ride home.”
The chopper flew homeward. Four exhausted, but laughing men its cargo. Mission accomplished.
The End