Page 76 of Lucky Charm
“Info went up the chain. Stocker,” Doogie rolled his eyes, “needed a chill pill when he found out. He wanted to reinterview all of us, especially Doc.”
“Does he mean right now? She’s in her quarters for the night. She got off late because she covered Baxter.”
Doogie shrugged. “I can only tell you what I know. You better talk to the Commander.”
“Copy that. I’ll be right back.” He turned to go to the Commander’s Office. Doogie stopped him with a hand on the arm, quickly dropped. “Tell me what’s up whenever. I’ll cover you.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
Taking a moment outside the Commander’s office, he built a wall of calm bit by bit. Anybody coming at Cait automatically set him off. He couldn’t give in to that. Not in this context. Protection of her, her reputation, and her career mattered to him, and whatever frame of mind he needed to pull off this conversation he’d do.
A smart knock, a quick-spoken enter, and Hunt opened the door and scoped the room. Scott stood alone.
“Come in, Hunt. Let’s get this shitshow started. I’ve been asked to cooperate with Stocker and Major Reynolds. They’ve started on firsthand accounts from everybody. He’s already talked with your team except you and Baxter. Now he wants to talk to the doctor. Reynolds has permission to search the mountains in the target area again to do a comprehensive look for weapons – using Army and Marine assets this time. Parameters for IQS stay the same. He’s Stocker’s problem.”
“That’s going to get messy. There are many missions documented in those mountains, and notsuccessful ones.” Hunt approached the desk. Scott waved him into a chair.
“CIA and Command are drawing new plans based on your two forays there. They’ve got a hidey hole in those mountains, and we’re going to find it. How’s the doctor?”
“Sir?” Hunt stopped a squirm before it could materialize.
“You were gone most of the evening.”
“Sat with Baxter. He’s disoriented and in pain. He’ll be transferred in the morning to Germany. I had another conversation with Dr. Michaels. Nothing to add from earlier. I walked her to her quarters since it’s late.”
“Can you text her?”
Hunt was shocked at how hard his mind rejected that idea. “I don’t have her number, sir. By the time I called the hospital and asked someone to go to her quarters, I could walk there. Besides, it’s dark, sir. I don’t think, given everything, she should be walking unattended, and she wouldn’t have specifics for getting here and getting past the security layer.”
Scott stared at him, staying silent. “You’re getting pretty close to her.”
Hunt didn’t like the test, and his temper stirred. “Considering what happened and what she knows, it’s a given.”
“Is that all it is?”
Hunt stifled a load of exasperation and fought a hard battle to keep his tone even. “Commander, I’m an adult. So is she. We have missions here toaccomplish and a ton of responsibilities. We both know it.”
“That’s it?”
“Do you really want an answer to that?”
“No. Keep it professional, Lieutenant. I don’t want any complaints.”
Hunt stood. “I’ve been under your command for two years, sir, a SEAL for ten. I’ve never had any complaints of that nature, and there won’t be any. I’ll note your directive, sir.”
Scott sighed. “I’m ham-handed at these things, Hunt. I much prefer to not step into the personal lives of my men.”
“Then why step into mine, sir?”
“Because you may replace me in another year when you get promoted and it’s easy to let things get out of perspective.”
Hunt stared at him. As far as he could tell, he’d finally found perspective. He’d become a SEAL because he’d had nothing else, no one who cared. If he died, only his teammates would know the difference. Now he had enough time away from Cait to know what he wanted. His life was so skewed to the SEALs that he’d already been questioning what he’d do when he retired. In any case, he couldn’t conceive of any moment when he’d sit with his commander and talk about feelings. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“It was better that you weren’t around. Stocker didn’t take the news of IQS very well. He needed a bit to settle down.”
“If we had seen him, we would have tracked him. If Dr. Michaels had been read in, we would have been in a better position. We can’t react to things we don’t know, and it’s a waste of time to worry about what’s already happened and lay blame that’s irrelevant. We take where we are now and go forward.”
“I agree. Go get Dr. Michaels. Let’s get this done. Mission plans are in process. Reynolds people will look for weapons. Stocker will look for IQS and continue a search for Reid. Your team will proceed, per your support mission directives, and provide backup on the rest. Haquiri’s autopsy is not complete, but the bullet is United States made.”
