Scavenger's Mission (The SkyRyders Book 1)

by Liza O'Connor

  DC’s voice wasn’t so steady now. “Yes, sir!”

  “Good. Then get the hell out of my sight.”

  As annoying as DC could be, Logan normally didn’t allow his second-in-command to rattle him. However, DC referring to Alisha as Logan’s lover was a low-burning fire in his gut. He couldn’t just brush it off as he did the captain’s regular complaints.

  He knew the leadership complaints were bullshit. If anything, Logan was too lenient. He certainly wouldn’t be classified as “interfering” by any rational judge. However, the comments about Alisha, while technically untrue, had an uncomfortable air of truth. While she was not his lover, his feelings were more than he wished they were.

  He would have liked to classify them as “fatherly” for a poor kid on her own, but his feelings weren’t in the least bit fatherly. Despite the fact she was barely half his age, he couldn’t deny his physical attraction to the girl.

  Why he would feel like this after all these years, he didn’t know. Maybe it was her incredible flying that set her apart? Whatever it was, Logan knew DC’s complaints might have validity. Maybe she was too rebellious to become good SkyRyder material. Perhaps his personal feelings were interfering with his judgment.

  In his current mood, he might have toned down his request for exemption, but he couldn’t change it now. He’d already sent the request off before all this nonsense about the ghosts had begun. He opened the email and reread his recommendation.

  You’ve put your career on the line for this girl, he warned himself. If she fails, you’ll look like a doting old fool going through a mid-life crisis. Coupled with the negative reports he knew DC sent on a regular basis, MAC might reassign him to a lesser post.

  Just to prove that DC wasn’t the purest of angels, he pulled up the security cameras and watched him with his ear clearly pressed against the door.

  “What else did you do tonight, you lying bastard?” he asked as he backed the tape to when he had left the table. He listened to the “ghost stories” and understood immediately why Alisha hadn’t thought them funny. He didn’t find them amusing either. And the suggestion that Treadmill might not have died by accident and that Ginnie had been repeatedly raped until she submitted to DC’s sexual advances made his blood boil.

  Logan made copies of both videos. He would start his own file on DC and be more involved with his squad from this point on.

  He clicked to the live camera feed. Everyone looked asleep except for Alisha. She remained awake and terrified—for good reason.

  He turned off the monitor. What the hell was he supposed to do? Everything inside him told him to go get her and bring her back to the safety of his bed, but was that the colonel speaking or his libido?

  He went out to the kitchen to make himself some coffee. He was trying to light the stove when he felt her presence and turned around. She looked utterly exhausted.

  “You need your sleep. I’m serious about tomorrow being a hard day.”

  “I’ve flown without sleep before,” she replied, her voice sounding young and fragile.

  Having lost all interest in coffee, Logan took Alisha by the hand and led her back to his room. She followed without protest.

  “I’ve given the matter more thought, and I think it would be better for you to sleep here tonight.”

  “Why?” she asked as she crawled into his bed.

  He sighed. “Except for this room, all the rooms in this compound are under twenty-four-hour video monitoring. After our conversation, I went back and listened to the ‘ghost stories’ you heard after dinner. They sounded like threats to me as well. Certain implications made by my squad will require further investigation.”

  “They’ll think I told you.”

  “Everyone here knows the rooms are monitored. I’ll make the source of my information clear during my investigation.” He paused, seeing the worry on her face. “Alisha, I can’t just ignore what I heard.”

  She looked up in shock. “I never thought you would.”

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  “I’m not sure you’ll get very far with your investigation. Ginnie won’t admit to anything. She’s terrified of DC. And while I think Philly is upset by Treadmill’s death, I don’t think he’ll talk either.”

  “Well, I have to try,” Logan replied. “Now lights out and get to sleep.”

  By the time he returned from the bathroom, Alisha lay sound asleep in the middle of his bed, wearing his pajamas. He had never cared for that pair of pajamas, but they were quickly becoming his favorite. She looked so soft and cuddly in them.

  This is a bad idea. You should have left the girl where she was, he scolded himself as he slid into bed and, without thinking, pulled her tight against him. The scent of her filled his sleep.

  Chapter 16

  Her wristwatch ticked at three a.m., and she carefully eased out of bed without waking the colonel. Quietly, she went to the bathroom, dressed, and made her way to the door, but it wouldn’t open.

  Sighing, she went to the edge of the bed and touched the colonel’s shoulder. His eyes opened instantly.

  “Colonel, I’m sorry to wake you, but I need to start my chores.”

  He looked at his watch. “It’s three fifteen!”

  “I know. I’m fifteen minutes late. Ginnie’s already up. I can hear her.”

  The colonel groaned and pushed himself from the bed. “Later, when we are both awake, I want you to tell me exactly what chores you are doing at this hour of the morning.” He slapped his hand on the security panel and opened the door for her.

  Alisha slipped through with a final apology. She found Ginnie already in the gear room cleaning DC’s boots.

  She gave Alisha a bright smile. “I was afraid something bad had happened to you. I checked the washing machine, the stove, even the freezer, terrified I’d find you.”

  Alisha sat down close to her new friend. “Ginnie, you can’t go on like this. You have to tell the colonel what it’s like.”

  Ginnie shook her head violently. “I can’t. You can’t either. You have no idea what DC would do, what he did to Treadmill…”

  “What do you know about Treadmill?”

  “Nothing! I wasn’t here. I don’t know anything.”

  “But you just said—”

  “Alisha, please! I like you. I really, really like you. But if you don’t fall in line, you’re going to get us both killed.” Tears streamed down Ginnie’s face.

  Alisha put her arms around her friend in comfort. “It’s all right. I’ll try not to cause problems for you.”

  Together they cleaned the boots and flight suits and mended the catchers of DC, Ollie, Washington, Jersey and Philly. At five they finished, just in time to start breakfast for the crew. “How do you get all this done by yourself?” Alisha asked.

  “I often don’t, which is why poor Philly got fifty demerits the other day. The colonel found a rip in his catcher.”

  “He should get demerits. If his catcher had a rip, he should have found it right after landing. If a ripped seam blows in flight, you’ll probably take a dunk.”

  “Yeah…well, seams have a way of ripping overnight here,” Ginnie whispered. “You’d be wise to always check yours before taking off, especially if you keep pissing off DC.”

  “I don’t get it. Ripping a catcher on purpose…why would he do that to Philly?”

  “I think it was because of the video of you. DC said you’d taken a dunk, but Philly didn’t want to believe it, so he asked the colonel for a second opinion. DC hates for any of us to say anything to the colonel.”

  “If Philly had gone up with that rip—”

  Ginnie gave her a hard look. “Now do you understand why it’s important to toe the line? Even the smallest error has huge consequences.”

  That wasn’t what Alisha understood at all. What she saw was a certifiably insane captain.

  Just then, a hand squeezed hard on Alisha’s shoulder.

  “What are you two dogs whispering about?”
DC asked.

  “We were just speaking softly so as not to disturb your sleep, sir,” Ginnie replied. “I was telling her how to prepare the oatmeal.”

  “Is that right, new dog?” DC asked, pushing her hard against the counter.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Then let’s see how well you’ve been listening. Breakfast is yours. I’ve got a more pleasant job for Ginnie,” he said, leading Ginnie back toward the sleeping area.

  He stopped at the door. “Unless you want to switch and show me true contrition?”

  “No thank you, sir.”

  “Your call,” he said, and pulled Ginnie inside the sleeping quarters

  Five minutes later, Jersey stumbled into the kitchen. “Where’s the damn coffee?”

  “Still in the coffee can.”

  Jersey looked up in surprise, then walked over to her. “You’d better change your attitude, bitch, or you won’t survive this. You need all the friends you can get.”

  “I wasn’t aware you were offering me friendship,” Alisha replied. “I thought you wanted coffee.”

  Jersey tried to stare her down, but Alisha intended to hold her own with this crew. She could tell from the way they all treated Ginnie that meekness didn’t work.

  “Call me when it’s done!” Jersey ordered, and lay down on the couch.

  Alisha planned to let Hell freeze over before fixing coffee.

  She suddenly felt a strange sense of warmth rush over her. She looked up to see the colonel observing her from the far end of the counter.

  “You look quite efficient. Any chance of some coffee?” he asked.

  “I’ll put it right on.”

  “If it’s a bother…”

  “No bother at all, I’ve just been waiting for someone to want some. Coffee tastes best when just brewed.”

  Alisha didn’t have to look around to see if Jersey had heard. She could feel the icy glare of daggers on her back.

  When the oatmeal, eggs, sausages, and toast were ready, Alisha placed them on plates and put them on the table, calling out, “Breakfast!” She then sat across from the colonel and filled her plate as she watched him fill his.

  She had almost finished her breakfast when DC entered the room. He walked to the table and stared at Alisha as if she had defecated on it. “What the hell is this?” he asked, holding up the plate of sausages.

  “It’s breakfast.”

  “It’s cold!” he bellowed.

  “It was warm when I called breakfast.”

  “Sit down and eat, DC,” Logan ordered.

  When DC made no effort to obey the command, Logan gave him a hard glare. DC sat down, and the rest of the crew followed. Everyone remained unnaturally quiet until Ginnie got the hiccups. DC lashed out and slapped her across her head.

  Logan set down his fork and glared at DC. “Regulation 3.45 prohibits physically hitting or shoving a cadet. Do you wish to file a complaint, Ginnie?”

  “N-n-no,” Ginnie stammered in utter fear.

  “Very well, but as a witness and senior-ranking officer, I shall do so on your behalf.” He glared at DC. “Consider yourself on report, DC.”

  “May I speak to you in private, sir?” DC demanded.

  “You are free to schedule time on my calendar. I believe I have time tomorrow at noon.” Logan knew tomorrow was DC’s day off, and at noon he’d be in the Capital raising hell.

  “Now would be more convenient, sir!”

  Logan raised his eyebrows and sipped his coffee. “Perhaps for you, but not for me.”

  “This is important, sir.”

  “If it’s that important, I’m sure you won’t mind scheduling time tomorrow.”

  “You’ve obviously forgotten tomorrow is my day off.”

  “No, DC, I’m aware of that. Just as you are aware that today is my staff meeting with the general. If this conversation is so important, you’ll schedule it tomorrow.”

  The entire table watched in stunned silence. Alisha didn’t need to ask if this kind of power struggle went on regularly. It was obvious this was new. And while her heart rallied for the colonel, she knew that ultimately she would pay for his newfound decision to curb his captain.

  Alisha rose to clean up after breakfast. The colonel, however, had different ideas. He carried his own plate to the trash and cleaned it off, then slipped it into the water for Alisha to wash.

  “I’m instituting a change, per regulation 3.345. All compound responsibilities will be assigned equally among the crew. As part of this change, we will all clean off our own plates and place them in the sink. Since Alisha cooked breakfast this morning, Ollie, you can wash the dishes.”

  “Sir?” Ollie said in shock.

  “Wash the dishes,” the colonel repeated.

  Ollie looked at DC for his orders.

  “Lieutenant Simpson, are you confused as to whom the ranking officer in this room is?”

  “No, sir,” Ollie said, and moved to the sink, taking over for Alisha.

  Freed of chores, Alisha took the opportunity to check her gear. After Ginnie’s warning, she worried about what might have been done to her windcatcher.

  When she opened her pack, her heart sank. Someone had unquestionably been inside it. The windcatcher looked as if it had been packed by a chimpanzee. She carried it outside into the morning light so she could check it for minute cuts. She found seven sliced seams and a cored-out tether line. Any one of those could have killed her, but all together… Once one gave way, the additional stress on the other panels would have blown out like dominoes falling in a row.

  The tether line would require replacement, but the cuts could be mended—it would just take time, which she doubted she’d be allowed this morning. Gently she refolded her catcher and placed it back into the pack. As she picked it up, she saw Ollie watching her from the door. He disappeared inside. A second later, DC came out.

  “Let’s move out, cadet,” he ordered.

  “I’ll need a catcher, sir. Mine is damaged.”

  “Damaged…how?”

  “Small cuts near the seams, sir.”

  “Why didn’t you fix them last night, cadet?”

  Alisha looked up at him. “I didn’t see them yesterday.”

  “Sloppy, cadet, very sloppy! Very well, get some new gear. You’ve got two minutes before I put you on report.”

  Alisha ran back inside and pulled down a windcatcher from the rack. It looked to have been packed by the same sloppy chimp that had worked over her catcher. What if they were all cut? DC would never give her time to quality check another one.

  “One minute, cadet!” he screamed from outside.

  “Problem?” the colonel asked from the door.

  “My catcher’s been cut on seven seams and a toggle bar is cored out. I need another catcher, but these all look to have been tampered with as well.”

  She cringed at the string of curses that came from the colonel as he walked down to the locked cage and opened it, pulling out a brand new windcatcher. “Use this,” he offered, then stopped. “On second thought, maybe I should ground you today. I’ve grave reservations about sending you out alone.”

  “With a good windcatcher, I’ll be fine.”

  “Kane, get your ass out here!” DC screamed from outdoors.

  “Stay alert,” the colonel advised.

  ***

  As Logan watched his squad take off, he wondered what the hell he was doing. Last week he’d had a quiet, peaceful life. Now he’d brought a young girl into the middle of a power struggle between him and his second-in-command. DC knew better than to strike at him directly, but having guessed Logan’s partiality for Alisha, he’d see her as a clear target.

  Why did I challenge him openly? My plan was to gather evidence first then have him brought up on charges before he knew he was in trouble. But I blew that over some damn sausages.

  Yet he knew it wasn’t the sausages. Had the cook been Ginnie instead of Alisha, he would have held his peace, but with Alisha he couldn’t do that.
His first reaction was to protect her.

  Yet you sent her out on a training mission. He would have liked to believe that DC wouldn’t dare pull something that might actually cause her serious harm, but what would you call seven cuts and a hollowed-out toggle bar if not an intended murder? He gathered up her windcatcher and the seven spares and took them outside. There he documented the cuts with his digital camera. All seven spares had been sabotaged as well. No wonder DC had allowed her time to select a replacement. She would die with whichever catcher she chose.

  Having secured the seven spares in the cage and taken Alisha’s windcatcher to his room, he attempted to review the security camera for the gear room. Unfortunately, all he saw was a black screen. Checking the camera, he discovered a piece of black tape had been placed over the small hole that hid the camera.

  There might still be a chance. Due to problems with gear theft, a few years back additional cameras had been placed in the gear rooms, to which no one, not even the commanding officer of the compound, had access. He could make an official request for evaluation of those tapes.

  Logan smiled. Actually, it would be a good way to initiate an official investigation. He could also request back years on the sleeping quarters and request an assessment by a female adjunct officer for possible violations of a sexual nature. The problem with doing that was that he might ruin the careers of all his squad. He was quite certain without DC he could turn the rest around. There were too few flyers these days. If one could be saved, he wanted to try.

  He made his request specific to last night and the gear room. He hoped one of the hidden cameras would identify DC as the saboteur of the windcatchers. That single act would be sufficient to court martial him.

  Having sent off the request, he grabbed his own windcatcher, glad he always kept his gear in his room, or he would have had to spend another hour checking for seam cuts.

  As promised, he stopped by Daniel’s apartment and told him Alisha had passed the ethics test with flying colors. “She’ll be taking the test tomorrow.”

  “This is a good thing you’ve done for my granddaughter,” Daniel said. “She’s right about you being a kind man.”