Cloud Dust: RD-1 (R-D #1)(13)

"Don't let him hurt her. This isn't fun and games, you know, and beating on her for the pleasure of it will garner a complaint from me to the President."

"When are you scheduled to meet with her?" I asked, ignoring the threat. I figured the President wouldn't be happy if somebody broke Corinne—she was her new toy.

"Next Wednesday, right after Corinne's appointment."

"Convenient. You can yell at Rafe if he hurts her," I said.

"You know that's not the way things work. Those sessions are private and shouldn't bleed into the others."

"Yet you and I discuss," I began.

"I discuss with all the handlers. That's their job—to see that their assets don't get out of hand, or receive what they need to thrive. If they'd asked, and they didn't, I'd have suggested leaving Rafe and Corinne separate, and building a second kitchen."

"We were given enough money for a few doors, nothing else," I huffed.

"Corinne would have paid for a private kitchen," Shaw shot back. "You know that. Are you asking her to help keep an eye on him?"

"That's not common knowledge," I hissed. "Keep it to yourself."

"Not a problem," Shaw shrugged. "Just keep her safe, got it? I hear things, Colonel Hunter. I hear Corinne may be a lot more useful than you ever thought she'd be."

"The President doesn't want that spread around, and she doesn't want to alarm Corinne," I snapped.

"If she didn't want to alarm Corinne, she should have left her alone and found someone else to teach her Krav Maga."

"Point taken."

*

Corinne

"There's a formal breakfast meet and greet scheduled in the morning," James handed a note to me. "You and the Five will be there to meet the new guy."

"I'm not looking forward to it." I stood on one side of my doorway while James stood on the other, delivering the formal invitation to breakfast Friday morning.

"I know. I noticed you haven't written anything the last two days."

"It's difficult to write while you're mopey and depressed," I pointed out.

"Cori, you can't leave the book hanging like that."

"Wanna bet?"

"Please?" he wheedled. "I'd ask for cookies, too, but that would be too much. I'll settle for the end of the chapter."

"I can't make any promises, James," I said, leaning my head against the doorframe. "Not only does he get my kitchen, he gets to beat on me, too."

"If he's any good at all, that won't happen."

"Look, if he wants to impress the others, all he has to do is join in and bully the weakest member, or don't you remember that from high school?"

"Cori, what are you really worried about?"

"That the others will come to watch, and he'll hit harder because of it."

"It's only three days a week."

"Yeah."

*

Ilya

The best way to size anybody up, as they say in America, is to catch them off-guard. I intended to size up Corinne Watson before we were introduced. That's why I was in the kitchen quite early, sipping strong, black coffee and waiting for her to arrive.

Big mistake.

*

"Not the best way to make your presence known," Dalton shook his head.

"If you'd given me sufficient information, this could have been avoided."

"I didn't have Colonel Hunter's permission."

"Where is he, then? I'll talk to him myself."

"Stay put." Dalton held out a hand. "We're in enough trouble as it is, and this is just our first day."

"Hmmph," I snorted. "How was I to know she'd have a panic attack? You told me she wasn't very talented. I expected her to be military, at the very least, and prepared for things like this."

"Look, a big part of her file is redacted, so even I don't have access. If you get information, you may have to get it from her. Colonel Hunter is so mad he could breathe fire over this."

*

Corinne

"Why, Dr. Shaw," I muttered. I opened my eyes to find him leaning over me. "Whatever are you doing here?" I added.

"I believe you know why." He grimaced and straightened beside my bed. "You really need to handle surprises better than this."

"Did you see him?" I pulled myself up and leaned against my headboard. "He looks like a mountain."

"He's six-four. That's not a mountain."

"Says you."

"It appears you're feeling better," Shaw said, his voice dry.

"Look, just, well, never mind." I rubbed my forehead.

"I think he's willing to work out a schedule, or at least knock," Shaw said.

"Great."

"The meeting with the others went well."

"I imagine Becker is in his pocket already—Becker's never made me have a panic attack."

"Let's not add wild speculation to this debacle," Shaw said. "I have enough paperwork as it is."

*

Ilya

Becker and Nick are pigs masquerading as humans. Maye is an ice queen with telepathic talents. Kevin and Ken are tech geeks with acquired physical abilities.