Grayman Book One: Acts of War
Page 19
2
November 10th.
Lawrence Henderson:
“You’ve been blixing, Captain Burke,” I get to the point fast enough to keep him off-balance. “You’d think you were still assigned.”
He doesn’t flinch, though. His face on my screen keeps up appearances: like I’d just caught him sleeping late, hung over, not giving a shit in full-attitude mode.
“Like I have anything better to do than sit around and wait for my face to get pretty again?” he hits back with the expected defiance. His Phoenix trip was less than discreet, and he knows it. But I’m not sure that he has any idea why he’s doing what he’s doing. That puts me at the advantage, because I do know what he’s doing, and (if Datascan continues to meet expectations) what he’s very likely going to do next.
“And you’ve learned…?” I nudge him toward his destiny.
“Doesn’t this get us back to me not being assigned to you anymore?”
“My point, Captain: I think it would serve us both if you were.”
“I don’t know,” he plays stupidly hard, “I haven’t really gotten tired of sitting on my ass yet. Try back in a few months. Years. Whatever.”
“And what have you learned?” I push him again, flaunting the luxury of being able to do it from an ocean away.
“Nothing new. Just what I knew before: you and yours have got something especially twisted going.” He seems to need to show me that he’s got the balls to accuse on a company link.
“You want in?” I come out and give. “Might clarify certain things for you.”
“Is that an offer or an order?”
“Whatever you like,” I rub it in. “I’ve got you on a flight to Langley at oh-seven-thirty.”
“Is this a standard debrief, or should I expect a Ghraib?” he stays snotty.
“Social gathering. Coffee. Some old friends.”
I sign out and leave him to digest. On cue, the AI’s ready-graphic comes up.
“Assessment?” I ask Datascan.
“WITHIN PARAMETERS.”
“Glad you agree.”