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Brother Mark made himself ridiculous for a few minutes with Red Dog, wrestling and hugging it. Red Dog enjoyed himself and so did the churchman. Those passing in and out of the headquarters tent shrugged.
He returned to Valentine dusty and dirty. Valentine gave orders for Red Dog to be taken around to the sentries for the usual midnight Reaper check.
"What did you get?"
"A sensation. Cool and moist air. A glimpse or two through its eyes. The Kurian is high, over a small town on some kind of aerial tower. Fine view of these Kentucky hills. One odd thing about the town: There are train tracks running right down the center of town along the street. Shops and buildings to either side. Quite odd."
Valentine checked with the Wolves and had word back in ten minutes. There was a town to the north called La Grange that had train tracks running straight through town. Wolves on foot could be there before dawn if they pushed hard.
He had Gamecock alert his Bears.
"Can you just order an operation like this, even as chief of staff?" Brother Mark asked.
"No, I need Bloom's assent."
"I hope you get it."
"I will. I just have to get her back into the fight, somehow."
* * * *
Valentine presented his plans for an attempt to bag the Kurian. He didn't know if the mind manipulating the dog was also directing the Moondaggers, but any chance to take out an aura-hungry appetite would be a blow for humanity.
Bloom listened impassively. "I don't think we should risk it."
Valentine slapped her. Hard.
"What in-"
"That's no way for a leader to talk. Especially not the Cleo Bloom who spearheaded Archangel."
"See here, Mister," she said, bristling.
Valentine's hand became a blur. The slap carried like a gunshot.
"I'm putting you under arrest for assault."
"You've lost your nerve, Bloom. Showing the whites of your eyes. And your teeth. All you need is a gingham dress and we'd have a minstrel show."
She gasped, swung for his jaw. Valentine took the blow. If anything, he was grateful for it.
"You couldn't do Morse code with a tap like that," Valentine said, tasting blood. "Try again, you alley ho."
"Motherfucker" she said, falling on him. They went down and it was a dirt fight of knees and elbows. He covered his face with a forearm as she rained blows down on either side of his head, right-left right-left right-left.
"Woo! Officers fightin'," someone called.
Cleo Bloom stood up, her eyes bright and alive. "Jesus Lord," she panted. "Jesus Lord."
"Feel better, Colonel?" Valentine asked.
Later, they talked about it in the dispensary as a nurse put cold towels on Valentine's bruises and dabbed his cuts with iodine.
"I figured pressure must have been building up in you somewhere," Valentine said.
"I don't remember feeling any kind of presence," she said. "I just had all these doubts all of a sudden. I thought it was because it was the first time I was in command."
"I'm sure that helped," Valentine said. "The Kurians know what they're doing. They attack when someone is most vulnerable. It's how they fight. No need to beat us if we beat ourselves."
