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If he was involved in something bad, he would make it into my final story. I reasoned with myself as I wrote my observations of him, mostly bad traits. Some good slipped in.
Before I finished the writing session, someone knocked on the door. Who could that be? I closed the laptop and stood up, ready for anything Afghanistan threw at me.
“Hold on.”
I turned the doorknob and saw Cooper standing outside. His bulging muscles were about ready to rip his olive-green tee-shirt. He grinned that cocksure grin of his.
“Hey, Cooper. What’s up.”
“The CO wants to see you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you know why?”
He glanced to the left then right then said, “Do you have a sat-phone with you?”
“No. It’s against the rules.”
“We intercepted the signal going out. You’re dealing with the U.S. Army, not a bunch of idiots.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I insisted.
“Can I give you a tip?”
“Sure.”
“Tell the truth, okay? If you do, he won’t restrict you in your quarters.”
“He can’t do that to me,” I said. “I’m a private U.S. citizen.”
“Look, Jade. I’m just trying to help you out. He has a lot of power out here.”
“Yeah? What kind of power? Anything going on I should know about? Like those samples?”
His eyes widened almost imperceptibly, but I saw the surprise on his face.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Let’s go.”
“Yeah, just like I have no idea what you’re talking about with the sat-phone you said you saw me using. Right?”
“Come on,” he said, turning. “I have to bring you to him.”
I took a deep breath then walked outside into the cool evening air. With dinner in an hour, he wouldn’t yell at me long. And making Captain Jeffries upset might work to my advantage if he got heated and let something slip.
As I followed Cooper across the central plaza in middle of the base, I planned out answers to the questions he would ask me. No matter the situation, I liked to be prepared. It’s what had gotten me through college and made it possible for me to find freelance assignments around the world.
Cooper slowed down as we approached the Captain Jeffries’ office.
“Just be honest, okay? It’s for the best.”
“Like you being honest with me about the samples, huh?”
He frowned.
“Like I said…”
