unpunished for this… but you, Corman, deliberately screwed this mission up.” The Monitor wasn’t intimidated by Corman’s hard stare. In fact, he returned the look with one of his own. “Don’t you try that with me, soldier,” he growled menacingly.
“It’s her job—”
“I know what her job is!” he bellowed, “The least of which is to put up with your crap.” The Monitor leaned back heavily in his chair. “And thanks to you, the unit has been put on notice. One more screw-up and we’re all out of a job.”
While the conversation transpired, Tarris watched her enemy carefully. Corman didn’t seem surprised by the news. In fact, he nearly seemed pleased.
“Luckily it will be on full pay.”
Corman grinned.
“Except for Corman and Tarris. Corman, you’re suspended for four weeks without pay.”
His grin disappeared. “Four weeks! But—”
“Tarris, you’re suspended for two weeks without pay and loss of rank. You should have seen this coming.”
She did see this coming. She just couldn’t stop him. “Yes, Monitor.” In a way, it was a relief not to be unit leader anymore. Her only fears were who would replace her and would he be strong enough to resist Corman’s influence.
“Dismissed. You will be contacted when the backlash of this mess has blown over.”
The room emptied quickly, with Corman and his men near the last to leave. Corman looked over his shoulder at Tarris and mumbled, “Pathetic.” He sauntered arrogantly out the door as if the world were his for the taking.
Maybe she was pathetic. The blame ultimately rested on her shoulders for Corman’s actions.
“Get that thought out of your head, soldier.”
Tarris looked up from her musings. The Monitor stood a couple of feet away from her. “Pardon?”
“We both know Corman. What Corman wants, Corman gets.”
“True. I think he did it just to piss me off. He succeeded.”
“What happened?” The Monitor called up the official report on his computer screen.
“They knew we were coming. The compound was lit up like the Council building. Shark got blinded, and I had to shut down the power on the roof. The targets were gone, Monitor. The rooms were empty. Of course, Corman’s victims were screaming like banshees as he ripped them apart. And it wasn’t one or two, Monitor. He was going through the guards at will.” She didn’t like laying blame, instead content to let the cards fall as they will, but it was good to let off some steam. And the Monitor needed to know they had been betrayed.
“I don’t know what’s going on,” the Monitor said, “but I’ll look into it. In the meantime, take some time off and rest up. It’s been a hell of a couple of weeks.”
“Yes, Monitor.” She pushed off from the wall toward the door.
“Oh, and Tarris? If it’s worth anything, you did a hell of a job getting everyone out of there.”
“Thanks.” She left the room, and the door silently closed behind her.
The meeting had gone better than she could ever have hoped for. While it meant two weeks without pay, her head was still on her shoulders and that was of utmost importance. As she strolled toward her apartment, other matters surfaced. Maybe she could arrange a meeting with the mediprac who she hoped would help her walk again. She wanted her legs back.
Chapter 4
Tarris sought out the one place where she felt relaxed. At the park, she found the familiar form of her friend, Darmen, in his usual position under a tree. Here was a bright spot in an otherwise awful day.
“So you do live here! I knew it…” Tarris couldn’t help but smile.
“I’m here often enough, my friend. Maybe I do.”
“Either that, or you’re spying on me.”
“Would that be a bad thing?” When the smile slid off Tarris’s face, Darmen added, “It was a joke, Tarris. Not in a good mood?”
“Sorry. No, I’m not in a good mood.”
“Do you want to talk about it, or do you want me to leave you alone?” Concern etched his
“It’s her job—”
“I know what her job is!” he bellowed, “The least of which is to put up with your crap.” The Monitor leaned back heavily in his chair. “And thanks to you, the unit has been put on notice. One more screw-up and we’re all out of a job.”
While the conversation transpired, Tarris watched her enemy carefully. Corman didn’t seem surprised by the news. In fact, he nearly seemed pleased.
“Luckily it will be on full pay.”
Corman grinned.
“Except for Corman and Tarris. Corman, you’re suspended for four weeks without pay.”
His grin disappeared. “Four weeks! But—”
“Tarris, you’re suspended for two weeks without pay and loss of rank. You should have seen this coming.”
She did see this coming. She just couldn’t stop him. “Yes, Monitor.” In a way, it was a relief not to be unit leader anymore. Her only fears were who would replace her and would he be strong enough to resist Corman’s influence.
“Dismissed. You will be contacted when the backlash of this mess has blown over.”
The room emptied quickly, with Corman and his men near the last to leave. Corman looked over his shoulder at Tarris and mumbled, “Pathetic.” He sauntered arrogantly out the door as if the world were his for the taking.
Maybe she was pathetic. The blame ultimately rested on her shoulders for Corman’s actions.
“Get that thought out of your head, soldier.”
Tarris looked up from her musings. The Monitor stood a couple of feet away from her. “Pardon?”
“We both know Corman. What Corman wants, Corman gets.”
“True. I think he did it just to piss me off. He succeeded.”
“What happened?” The Monitor called up the official report on his computer screen.
“They knew we were coming. The compound was lit up like the Council building. Shark got blinded, and I had to shut down the power on the roof. The targets were gone, Monitor. The rooms were empty. Of course, Corman’s victims were screaming like banshees as he ripped them apart. And it wasn’t one or two, Monitor. He was going through the guards at will.” She didn’t like laying blame, instead content to let the cards fall as they will, but it was good to let off some steam. And the Monitor needed to know they had been betrayed.
“I don’t know what’s going on,” the Monitor said, “but I’ll look into it. In the meantime, take some time off and rest up. It’s been a hell of a couple of weeks.”
“Yes, Monitor.” She pushed off from the wall toward the door.
“Oh, and Tarris? If it’s worth anything, you did a hell of a job getting everyone out of there.”
“Thanks.” She left the room, and the door silently closed behind her.
The meeting had gone better than she could ever have hoped for. While it meant two weeks without pay, her head was still on her shoulders and that was of utmost importance. As she strolled toward her apartment, other matters surfaced. Maybe she could arrange a meeting with the mediprac who she hoped would help her walk again. She wanted her legs back.
Chapter 4
Tarris sought out the one place where she felt relaxed. At the park, she found the familiar form of her friend, Darmen, in his usual position under a tree. Here was a bright spot in an otherwise awful day.
“So you do live here! I knew it…” Tarris couldn’t help but smile.
“I’m here often enough, my friend. Maybe I do.”
“Either that, or you’re spying on me.”
“Would that be a bad thing?” When the smile slid off Tarris’s face, Darmen added, “It was a joke, Tarris. Not in a good mood?”
“Sorry. No, I’m not in a good mood.”
“Do you want to talk about it, or do you want me to leave you alone?” Concern etched his
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