David looked up and down the hall, asked her to forgive him, licked his thumb, and pressed it against her forehead as she leaned in to him. He looked both ways one more time and leaned down to embrace her briefly. "Sister," he whispered. "I am glad to see you! I didn't know we had anybody in Medical."
"I don't know of anyone else," she said. "But as soon as I saw your mark and knew your rank, I thought of your phone."
"You're brilliant," he said.
"You're welcome. I'll be back in touch."
"I'm sure you will."
"And thanks, Nurse P-"
"Hannah," she said. "Please, David."
On his way back to the elevator he checked his phone. There were several messages, none from Annie. He would visit the morgue only as a last resort. He speed-dialed the Supreme Commander's office and reached Sandra, the assistant Carpathia and Fortunato had shared.
"Glad to hear you're up and about," she said. "They're expecting you. I'll tell them you'll be a few minutes."
Assuming that because David had finally gotten Albie's clearance into the system he might also have passed along the location of the Pueblo bunker, Rayford jogged to the fighter to grab Albie's computer on their way out.
"This used to be an interstate," he said, driving Judy Hamilton's nondescript minivan south on C-25. "Until everything got renamed for St. Nick."
Albie was accessing data. "It's here," Albie said. "The interchanges and exits are still under construction, so watch for a hard left into Pueblo. I'll tell you from there. Humph. Pinkerton Stephens. There's a handle for you. The man we want to see there."
"Heard of him?"
Albie shook his head. "Ask me tomorrow."
A few minutes later they passed the Quonset-hut-style building deep off a side road. Rayford said, "Question.
Why not come in here with a GC jeep-complete the image?"
"Surprise. You told Ms. Durham in no uncertain terms you were not coming,, knowing they were listening. They're not expecting anyone. Let them wonder who's pulling in. I show up in uniform, outranking everyone; they don't recognize the civilian. They'll worry more about impressing us than making up a story. Anyway, I don't want to transport this woman in an open jeep, do you?"
Rayford shook his head. "You really think we'll surprise 'em?"
"Only briefly. The gate guard will let them know brass is coming."
Rayford popped a U-turn and headed for the entrance. The guard at the gate asked him to state his business. "Just chauffeuring the deputy commander here."
The guard stooped to get a look at Albie, then saluted. "An appointment with whom, sir?"
"Stephens, and I'm late, if you don't mind."
"Sign here, please."
Rayford signed "Marvin Berry," and they were waved on.
As they entered the front office, a woman at the desk was listening to a strange Voice over the intercom. It was high-pitched and nasal, and Rayford couldn't tell if it came from a man or a woman. "A deputy commander to see me?" the voice said.
"Yes, Mr. Stephens. I checked the name with the GC database and the only Marvin Berry employed by us is not in Peacekeeping. He's an elderly fisherman in Canada."
"I smell a rat," the voice said.
So it's a man, but what's the matter with him? Rayford wondered.
"One moment, sir," the woman said, standing when she noticed the deputy commander behind Rayford. "Is your name Berry?"
"Berry's my driver," Albie barked. "Look up Elbaz on your computer. None of my family knows how to fish."
"Mystery solved, Mr. Stephens," the woman announced over the intercom. "The gate guard had the driver sign."
"Incompetent!" Stephens's weird voice sang into the squawk box. "Send him in!"
"The guard?"
"The deputy commander!"
She pointed to the first door on the left down a short hallway, but when Rayford moved to follow, she said, "Only the deputy commander, please."
"He's with me," Albie said. "I'll clear it with the boss."
"Oh, I don't know."
"I do," Albie said. He stopped at the door and knocked.
"Come in," came the disembodied voice.
"Come in?" Albie repeated in a whisper. "Is he going to be embarrassed when he realizes he didn't open the door to a superior officer."
Albie pushed the door open, stepped in, and hesitated, \causing Rayford to bump into him. "Sorry," Rayford mumbled. He could not see Stephens, but he heard the whine of an electric motor.
"Forgive the lack of protocol," came the voice as Stephens's wheelchair rolled into view. Rayford was taken aback. The man had one leg, the other a stump just above the knee; his right hand had small protrusions in place of fingers, and the other hand, though whole, had clearly suffered severe burns. "I'd stand, but then, I can't."
"Understood," Albie said, hesitantly shaking the man's partial hand.
Rayford did the same, and they followed Stephens's gesture to two chairs that filled the small office. What was it about the face? Stephens's neck was permanently red and scarred, as were his cheekbones and ears. He was clearly wearing a toupee. Except for the lips, the middle of his face – chin, nose, eye sockets, and the center of his forehead – seemed all of one piece, the color of a plastic hearing aid.
"Don't know you, Elbaz," Stephens said, almost like a man with no tongue or no nose. "You, Berry, you look familiar. You GC?" "No, sir."
"I'm here on business," Albie said. "I don't have a hard copy of my orders, but – "
"Excuse me, Deputy Commander, but I'll get to you. You got a minute?"
"Well, sure, but-"
"Just give me a minute. I mean, I know you outrank me and all, but unless you're in an unusual hurry, bear with me. Your story checks out. I'll give you all the help I can on whatever you need. Now, Berry, were you ever GC?"
Rayford, disconcerted by the wasted body and the voice, hesitated. "No, uh, no, sir. Not Peacekeeping anyway."
"But something."
"I didn't mean to say that."
"But you did. You were GC connected some way, weren't you? You look familiar. I know you or of you, or I'll bet I know a friend of yours."
Albie gave Rayford a look, and Rayford quit talking. Regardless of the question, Rayford merely stared at the man, racking his brain. Where would he have run into a Pinkerton Stephens, and how could he forget him if he had?
"I was a whole man then, Mr. Berry. If that's your real name."
Rayford grew more uncomfortable by the second. Had they been set up? Would he ever get out of here? And what of Hattie? Albie seemed to have stiffened and was no more comfortable than he.
Stephens cocked his head for one more lingering glance at Rayford, then turned to Albie. "Now then, Deputy Commander Elbaz. What might be your business with me?"
"I've been assigned to take custody of your prisoner, sir."
"And who told you I had a prisoner?"
"Top brass, sir. Said the subject was uncooperative, that some plan or mission failed, and that we were to return her to Buffer."
"Buffer? What's that?"
"You know what that is, Stephens, if you are who you say you are."
"Doesn't make Sense that half a man would be in a leadership role in the GC?" Stephens said.
"I didn't say that."
"But it doesn't add up, does it?"
"Can't say it does."
"Never saw another like me in the ranks, have you, Elbaz?"
"No, sir, I haven't."
"Well, I'm legit whether you like it or not, and you're going to have to deal with me."
"Happy to, sir, and when you check me out, you'll see that everything is in order, and-"
"Did I say I was housing a prisoner here, Deputy Commander?"
"No, sir, but I know you are."
"You know I am."
"Yes, sir."
"Buffer is a female rehab facility, sir. Were you under the impression I had a female incarcerated here?"
Albie nodded.
"Does this look like a detention center to you?" "They take different forms during different times." "Indeed they do. Is there a reason, sir, why you did not greet me with the new protocol?"