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"What can I do for a militia major and a Wolf, by the looks of it?" Petrie asked.
"I'm going to need some paperwork processed quickly. I want to do some recruiting among the probations. About a hundred."
"A hundred?" Petrie ejaculated, showing more animation that he had all morning.
"Probations? You mean, let them loose?"
"No, just released to Southern Command, through me."
"That would take months."
"You want to do this the easy way or the hard way, Petrie?" Valentine asked.
Petrie tested his newly shaven chin. "Meaning what?"
"Meaning you can say 'Anything for the Cause' and get off your duff. Figure out a way to get ISO sign-off on the men I want. Pick up the phone and talk to whoever you need to talk to in order to get them cleared to join the Command."
"What's the easy way?" Petrie asked.
"That was the easy way," Valentine said.
"I'm late for lunch," Petrie said.
"He wants the hard way," Patel sighed.
Valentine stood up and opened the door for him. "Go to lunch, Petrie. Make it a big one.
By the time you get back, Sergeant Major Patel and I will have sworn out a warrant for your arrest. We both heard you extort a civilian on a Southern Command base. For five hundred dollars, to be exact. In case you don't know military law, that's a very big no-no."
Petrie looked around his office as if to see where they were hiding when they overhead the conversation.
"Lose your appetite?" Valentine said. He shut the door again and turned to address Petrie.
"You might think that being OSI, you're not subject to military law, but the people you've been juicing are certainly protected by it. You'll spend at least a night in the cells, probably more, as it'll take a bit of time to get you counsel. With our sworn statements, JAG
investigators will be here tomorrow. I'll tell them to be sure to bring a good accountant to see just how your paperwork balances up for this little corner of ISO. I wonder why you don't have a clerk to help you with some of these files, Petrie. Or do you? Existing only on paper, maybe? In any case, maybe the jaggers can't prosecute, but they can tie up your case in a beautiful ribbon and present it to the circuit court."
Petrie glowered for a moment, and then his lips cured into a sneer. "You think you're so smart, militia. Didn't you read the name on the door? My uncle's the lieutenant governor of Texas. I'll make a couple of phone calls and whatever stink you made will get blown right out the window. You'll get busted down to private and you'll spend the next four years pumping out porta-johns for the biodiesel plant."
"Thanks for the tidbit, Petrie. I don't follow politics, so I didn't recognize the name. But right after I talk to JAG I'll see if I can get a couple of newspapers interested. 'Recent arrest implicates Lieutenant Governor in corruption probe,' is how the Clarion will put it, I expect.
Better yet, 'Governor's office tainted.' The papers love a good coat of taint. Be interesting to see if your uncle lifts a finger to help you. Hope you remembered to send him his birthday card."
"Two can play your game, militia," Petrie said, folding his arms. "I can fill out warrants of my own. You're threatening an ISO officer into malfeasance. Maybe they'll put us in adjoining cells."
"You're not a big fan of reason, are you, Petrie? You never should have hit me."
"I never put a hand on-"
"The nose, Patel, good and hard."
Patel made a fist and punched him hard across the bridge of his nose. White light shot through his brain, and when Valentine opened his eyes again, he tasted blood, felt it dripping.
"Patel," Valentine gasped. "Restrain the marshal. He's flipped."
Patel moved nimbly for a man of his bulk. Petrie tried to rise but Patel sat him back in his chair hard with a good shove. When the time he rose again, Patel spun him around and gripped him across the back of the head and his right arm.
The cat gave up on its mouse and hid.
