![Jordan Summers - [Dead World 01]](https://fs.collectorofbookboyfriends.com/474996/thumbs/152x264/jordan-summers-dead-world-01.jpg)
than the others.
She stared at his face. A mole the color of his
alabaster skin dotted his right cheek, giving him a per petual tilt to his mouth. When he laughed, the co ntagious sound electrified the air. You couldn't
help but join in. Red would carry that joyful sound with her forever.
He looked up as she strolled closer. "Where's Rita?"
he asked, using the name she'd given the unit.
"I left her in my drawer."
"Why?"
"She's currently malfunctioning."
"Again?" Robert arched a brow. "When
are you going to get a new A.I. unit? You've had that one for nearly twenty
years. I'd be happy to have another one designed for you."
Red stiffened. "I like Rita. She'll be fine after
a few minor repairs." Or at least Red hoped she would.
"Sometimes I wonder if that
navcom knows you better
than I do," he said, his eyes warming with affec tion. "Is there anything else you'd like to
mention?"
"No, sir," Red said, knowing she wasn't
going to get away with that answer.
He frowned as he glanced at her blue-bootie-covered
feet. "Where are your combat boots?"
Red shrugged.
"Gina, not again. Do you know how many pairs this
makes?"
She shook her head. Rita would know the answer.
"I'm going to have to dock your pay if you keep
this up. Have them sanitized next time."
She pointed at the door and
changed the subject. "I passed Roark Montgomery in the hall. What was he doing here?"
"Looking for support, like every other
politician."
"He's better than most." Red smiled.
"At least he supports the continuation of the tactical team. That's more
than I can say for the other guy."
"Yes, he certainly backs our job. No surprise
there seeing as though he used to be one of us, but I still couldn't in good
conscience endorse him," he said, avoiding her gaze.
"What? Why? Roark is trying to unite everyone.
He's the best thing that's come out of the republics in years. Surely you can
see that."
"I'm well aware of his credentials." Robert
Santiago released an exaggerated breath. "But I have my
reasons."
"I don't understand. The tactical team's backing
would practically ensure his victory. How can you withhold that? The other guy
wants to shut us down and leave law enforcement solely to the republics. It
would be chaos."
"We're done talking about this, Lieutenant. You
won't change my mind."
"But?"
"That's an order," he barked.
Red debated whether to argue, but then caught sight of his expression.
Gone was her grandfather, in his place sat the commander.
"Yes, sir." she said, biting her tongue.
He dropped some of the synth-papers he held onto the desk.
"I've been reading Bannon's UID report. He seems to differ with your
account."
"My account of what? I haven't finished my report
ye t." She shifted. "Besides,
Bannon has an overactive im agination."
"As I recall, the same
could be said about you." He arched a bushy white brow, his gaze growing
distant. "I remember when you were five and were convinced that a
dragon lived under your rest pad. I told you I wo uld slay it. Your littlelip trembled as you stopped me and said you'd take care of it yourself." He chuck-led, shaking
his head. "Some things never change."
"Grandpa..."
"Please take a seat, Gina."
Red sat in the burgundy monstrosity her grandfather
called a chair. She sank two inches the second her body made contact with the cushions. Her bootie- covered feet
dangled above the area rug, making her feel like a child. The same child who'd
been frightened of the dragon under her bed.
The chair's thickness reminded Red of her rest pad and
it took concerted effort not to doze off while he spoke. It had been a long day
and it wasn't like she'd gotten any sleep
after she awoke last night covered in blood.
Red shuddered, pushing the
memory aside, when every
fiber demanded that she report the incident. She loved her grandfather and
normally shared everything, but relaying
this bit of info was out of the question. The
team already considered her an explosive about to detonate. The last thing
She stared at his face. A mole the color of his
alabaster skin dotted his right cheek, giving him a per petual tilt to his mouth. When he laughed, the co ntagious sound electrified the air. You couldn't
help but join in. Red would carry that joyful sound with her forever.
He looked up as she strolled closer. "Where's Rita?"
he asked, using the name she'd given the unit.
"I left her in my drawer."
"Why?"
"She's currently malfunctioning."
"Again?" Robert arched a brow. "When
are you going to get a new A.I. unit? You've had that one for nearly twenty
years. I'd be happy to have another one designed for you."
Red stiffened. "I like Rita. She'll be fine after
a few minor repairs." Or at least Red hoped she would.
"Sometimes I wonder if that
navcom knows you better
than I do," he said, his eyes warming with affec tion. "Is there anything else you'd like to
mention?"
"No, sir," Red said, knowing she wasn't
going to get away with that answer.
He frowned as he glanced at her blue-bootie-covered
feet. "Where are your combat boots?"
Red shrugged.
"Gina, not again. Do you know how many pairs this
makes?"
She shook her head. Rita would know the answer.
"I'm going to have to dock your pay if you keep
this up. Have them sanitized next time."
She pointed at the door and
changed the subject. "I passed Roark Montgomery in the hall. What was he doing here?"
"Looking for support, like every other
politician."
"He's better than most." Red smiled.
"At least he supports the continuation of the tactical team. That's more
than I can say for the other guy."
"Yes, he certainly backs our job. No surprise
there seeing as though he used to be one of us, but I still couldn't in good
conscience endorse him," he said, avoiding her gaze.
"What? Why? Roark is trying to unite everyone.
He's the best thing that's come out of the republics in years. Surely you can
see that."
"I'm well aware of his credentials." Robert
Santiago released an exaggerated breath. "But I have my
reasons."
"I don't understand. The tactical team's backing
would practically ensure his victory. How can you withhold that? The other guy
wants to shut us down and leave law enforcement solely to the republics. It
would be chaos."
"We're done talking about this, Lieutenant. You
won't change my mind."
"But?"
"That's an order," he barked.
Red debated whether to argue, but then caught sight of his expression.
Gone was her grandfather, in his place sat the commander.
"Yes, sir." she said, biting her tongue.
He dropped some of the synth-papers he held onto the desk.
"I've been reading Bannon's UID report. He seems to differ with your
account."
"My account of what? I haven't finished my report
ye t." She shifted. "Besides,
Bannon has an overactive im agination."
"As I recall, the same
could be said about you." He arched a bushy white brow, his gaze growing
distant. "I remember when you were five and were convinced that a
dragon lived under your rest pad. I told you I wo uld slay it. Your littlelip trembled as you stopped me and said you'd take care of it yourself." He chuck-led, shaking
his head. "Some things never change."
"Grandpa..."
"Please take a seat, Gina."
Red sat in the burgundy monstrosity her grandfather
called a chair. She sank two inches the second her body made contact with the cushions. Her bootie- covered feet
dangled above the area rug, making her feel like a child. The same child who'd
been frightened of the dragon under her bed.
The chair's thickness reminded Red of her rest pad and
it took concerted effort not to doze off while he spoke. It had been a long day
and it wasn't like she'd gotten any sleep
after she awoke last night covered in blood.
Red shuddered, pushing the
memory aside, when every
fiber demanded that she report the incident. She loved her grandfather and
normally shared everything, but relaying
this bit of info was out of the question. The
team already considered her an explosive about to detonate. The last thing
Similar Books
