“Of course. You likely won’t hear anything from me for the time being. I have a few other things lined up I need to take care of first. But as soon as I find any leads, I will relay the intel to her. She knows how to get in touch with you? To assure that there’s no direct contact traceable between us, I will run intel by her rather than you directly, if that’s okay.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
And thus, steps one and two are completed. Things are set in motion—and now I have to wait and see whether it’s just a harmless pebble I’ve kicked off, or whether this will turn into an avalanche.
I still have half an hour before I need to head to my gate, so I kill the second phone and grab a bite to eat. I mull things over and over in my head, but it’s hard to concentrate on things that no longer hold any interest for me—like dealing with McGillis and his constant gripes. I do a quick calculation in my head—it must be early afternoon at the base where my men are stationed, waiting for my return. Getting out my own phone, I get ready to jump through hoop after hoop after hoop until I get Major Slater on the line—or rather, one of his techs—but then change my mind at the last second, dialing a different number with a US area code instead. The call goes live three rings in; I’m not surprised that the old badger is awake already.
“I wondered when you would call,” Decker’s even voice greets me with.
“I want back in.”
He laughs softly, but not in surprise. “You were never exactly ‘out,’” he reminds me.
I have to unclench my jaws and take a moment to respond to keep the anger in check that wants to leak into my voice. I’m sure he knows exactly how furious I am with him—not that it has ever been an issue for him.
“It’s been four months since I got any actual work to do,” I say instead of telling him that I’m going to tear his heart out if I find even a hint of his involvement in my brother’s death. “And I have orders for three more missions that a kindergartener could coordinate and execute. You showed up at the funeral to remind me that it was my choice to drop from the A-team to the cleanup crew. Consider this my official request to change my mind.”
Another chuckle follows that elicits the same reaction as the first. “Who says there’s still a place for you among the best of the best? Hamilton has done a fine job filling in the spot you left vacant.”
I bet he did—and the idea of crossing paths again with my former best friend adds another knot to my stomach, but there’s no way around this. And, who knows? Maybe I’ll find a comrade-in-arms in him once more. It’s been over two years since we were on a joint mission—that’s long enough for tempers to calm down.
“When has ‘fine’ ever cut it with you?” I jeer, a little surprised that a part of me actually means it. Intellectually, the last thing I want is back in. But the competitive asshole side of me is more than happy to jump back into the race. The more of a challenge, the better. “You know that I’m the best. And you want me for any jobs you need done. My flight leaves in thirty minutes. I’m ready to change my itinerary after I touch down two hours from now.”
“Someone will be waiting for you on arrival.”
No need to clarify where my flight lands. No further instructions needed about signing in with my unit. I’m certain that by the time I board the plane, one very harassed-looking major will be running around like a headless chicken because all of a sudden, he has a company without a captain and two very confused lieutenants sitting around on his base. Thinking back to my last exchange with McGillis, I wonder if he even expected me to be back. He has no clue about my past but he asked enough questions when his old captain suddenly had better things to do and I showed up instead to connect the dots.
I wonder if I just signed my death warrant, if only because I’m running the risk that Decker will find out that my heart’s not truly in it. It’s not much of a risk, I decide, considering that the moment he reveals to my mother that his prodigal son has returned, she will know what decision I’ve reached—not that there was much guessing needed after yesterday’s conversation. She’ll know what to tell him to put any fears about my impending insubordination to rest.
Whoever was stupid enough to murder my brother will pay for it—and I will set heaven and hell into motion if I have to, no question about that.
Patreon
Love the books and short stories? Can’t get enough of them? Need something to fill the void until the next one is out? Maybe fancy a few outtakes and behind-the-scenes information? I have just the thing for you! I’m now on Patreon where I post exclusive content on a monthly basis—starting with the Prequel, of how everything began between Bree and Nate, before that fateful Friday that they met again at the coffee vending machine in the Green Fields Biotech atrium. Here’s a quick teaser for you!
I absolutely don’t get what my brother saw in her. Dr. Brianna Lewis, Bree to her friends, cutie pie to her girlfriend. She’s so not his type.
I allow myself a momentary smirk at reducing a woman whose academic credentials are longer than her name to her appearance. I’m sure she must love that whenever it happens.
Of course, my brother’s interest in her started—and presumably ended, as well—with her intellect. I’ve read her dissertation and all of the scientific publications that she has to her name, but understanding is a different thing. That’s why she has a PhD, and I’m the product of the research she was hired to work on—presumably. That I can’t say this with certainty has been irking me for months.
What I can say for sure is that Dr. Lewis is one thing above all else: boring as fuck.
Find out more on Patreon!
About the Author
Adrienne Lecter has a background in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, loves ranting at inaccuracies in movies, and spends increasingly more time at the shooting range. She lives with the man and two cats of her life in Vienna, Austria and is working on the books of a new series.
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Books published
Green Fields series
#1: Incubation
#2: Outbreak
#3: Escalation
#4: Extinction
#5: Resurgence
#6: Unity
#7: Affliction
#8: Catharsis
#9: Exodus
#10: Uprising
#11: Retribution
#12: Annihilation
Find outtakes and short stories on Patreon!
Beyond Green Fields (Book 1): Beginnings [A Post-Apocalyptic Anthology] Page 14