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the second man
2016/12/07 11:42
General Battle killed the audio link and sat with his chin in his right hand, a finger across his lips, studying the man across the table from him carefully. "If you have nothing else, I have ready status to prep."
The man rose. "I have nothing else, thank you, General."
Battle rose with him. "I don't need to remind you this mission is under the purview of the Science Division of the Military?"
The man smiled a little. "I need no reminder, thank you."
Battle stared at him, nodding a bit. "I imagine you have all the rules down pat, don't you?"
The other man indulged in a bigger smile. "I try to keep up with change, yes."
Battle collected the Orders Of The Watch in his hands. "Good, very good attitude." He looked up, hoping the smile he was forcing looked as false as it felt. "I always feel uncomfortable around a civilian with a weapon." He stretched his grin even wider. "Odd choice, a gun, in an environment like this."
The man decided to go with sarcasm. "Old habits die hard. Besides, I took a course at the YMCA."
Battle laughed, for real this time. "Really?" He walked around his desk, extending an arm to the smaller man's shoulder to escort him out. "You'd be amazed the number of people killed with their own weapons."
The smile faded a little as Battle's hand reached his shoulder. "I'll try to be careful."
The door opened, and the man left.
Battle watched him walk away as he closed his office door behind him. He didn't look at his trusted aide, Melanie Hinson, just said the words quietly. "LT, how'd you like to see what you can dig up on that weasel?"
Melanie Hinson had started poking around when the man had shown up unannounced. She handed him a piece of paper with distaste before he'd finished his sentence. All it said was "Classified".
All Lt. Hinson said was "Spook."
Battle cursed under his breath. "Very well, LT, then be so kind as to let me know when that little prick's off my pod."
"I'd be happy to do it myself, Sir?" She was already standing, donning her jacket over her combat knife.
He looked at her. "Yes, thank you, Lieutenant, that would be good."
Lt. Melanie Hinson looked at him. "And if he goes anywhere but out?"
Battle let his grim smile resurface. "Knife to the soft part of the brain, above the neck."
"My pleasure, Sir."
He shook his head slowly as she moved briskly away. To no one in particular, he said "The pleasure is all mine."
General Battle killed the audio link and sat with his chin in his right hand, a finger across his lips, studying the man across the table from him carefully. "If you have nothing else, I have ready status to prep."
The man rose. "I have nothing else, thank you, General."
Battle rose with him. "I don't need to remind you this mission is under the purview of the Science Division of the Military?"
The man smiled a little. "I need no reminder, thank you."
Battle stared at him, nodding a bit. "I imagine you have all the rules down pat, don't you?"
The other man indulged in a bigger smile. "I try to keep up with change, yes."
Battle collected the Orders Of The Watch in his hands. "Good, very good attitude." He looked up, hoping the smile he was forcing looked as false as it felt. "I always feel uncomfortable around a civilian with a weapon." He stretched his grin even wider. "Odd choice, a gun, in an environment like this."
The man decided to go with sarcasm. "Old habits die hard. Besides, I took a course at the YMCA."
Battle laughed, for real this time. "Really?" He walked around his desk, extending an arm to the smaller man's shoulder to escort him out. "You'd be amazed the number of people killed with their own weapons."
The smile faded a little as Battle's hand reached his shoulder. "I'll try to be careful."
The door opened, and the man left.
Battle watched him walk away as he closed his office door behind him. He didn't look at his trusted aide, Melanie Hinson, just said the words quietly. "LT, how'd you like to see what you can dig up on that weasel?"
Melanie Hinson had started poking around when the man had shown up unannounced. She handed him a piece of paper with distaste before he'd finished his sentence. All it said was "Classified".
All Lt. Hinson said was "Spook."
Battle cursed under his breath. "Very well, LT, then be so kind as to let me know when that little prick's off my pod."
"I'd be happy to do it myself, Sir?" She was already standing, donning her jacket over her combat knife.
He looked at her. "Yes, thank you, Lieutenant, that would be good."
Lt. Melanie Hinson looked at him. "And if he goes anywhere but out?"
Battle let his grim smile resurface. "Knife to the soft part of the brain, above the neck."
"My pleasure, Sir."
He shook his head slowly as she moved briskly away. To no one in particular, he said "The pleasure is all mine."