certain jobs.”
“Like combat.”
“Exactly,” he replied. “We used certain firms to supplement our troops overseas in the Middle East. They’re used in Africa for certain covert operations.”
“So much secrecy,” she complained.
“Well, you don’t advertise something that might get you sued or cause a diplomatic upheaval,” he pointed out. “Covert ops have always been a part of the military. Even what they call transparency in government is never going to threaten that. As long as we have renegade states that threaten our sovereignty, we’ll have black ops.” He glanced at the clock. “Shouldn’t you warm up the game system?” he asked. “It’s five-thirty.”
“Already?” she exclaimed. “Goodness, I need to tidy up the living room! And the kitchen. He’s bringing pizza and beer!”
“You don’t drink,” he said.
“Well, no, but you like a beer now and then. I expect somebody told him.” She flushed.
“I do like a glass of beer.” He smiled. “It’s also nice to have friends who provide food.”
“Like your friend Cy and the Chinese stuff. I’ll get spoiled.”
“Maybe that’s the idea. Your boss likes you.”
She’d gotten that idea, herself. “Don’t mention horns, pitchforks or breathing fire while he’s here,” she said firmly.
He saluted her.
She made a face at him and went to do her chores.
“That’s not fair!” Cappie burst out when she’d “died” for the tenth time trying to take out one of the Hunters in the Halo game.
“Don’t throw the controller,” Kell said firmly.
She had it by one lobe, gripped tightly. She grimaced and slowly lowered it. “Okay,” she said. “But they do bounce, and they’re almost shockproof.”
“She ought to know,” Kell told an amused Bentley Rydel. “She’s bounced it off the walls several times in recent weeks.”
“Well, they keep killing me!” she burst out. “It’s not my fault! These Hunters aren’t like the ones in ‘Halo 3…’ they’re almost invincible, and there are so many of them…!”
“I’d worry more about the alien grunts that keep taking you out with sticky grenades,” Bentley pointed out. “While you’re trying to snipe the Hunters, the little guys are blowing you up right and left.”
“I want a flame thrower,” she wailed. “Or a rocket launcher! Why can’t I find a rocket launcher?”
“We wouldn’t want to make it too easy, now would we?” Bentley chided. He smiled at her fury. “Patience. You have to go slow and take them on one at a time, so they don’t flank you.”
She gave her boss a speaking look, turned back to the screen and tried again.
It was late when he left. The three of them had taken turns on the controller. Bentley and Kell had wanted to try the split screen, but that would have put Cappie right out of the competition, because she was only comfortable playing by herself.
She walked Bentley outside. “Thanks for bringing the pizza and beer,” she said. “Some other time, I’d like to have you over for supper, if you’d like. I can cook.”
He smiled. “I’ll take you up on that. I can cook, too, but I only know how to do a few things from scratch. It gets tiresome after a while.”
“Thanks for bringing the game over, too,” she added. “It’s really good. Kell is going to love it.”
“What did we all do for entertainment before video games?” he wondered aloud as they reached his car.
“I used to watch game shows,” she said. “Kell liked police dramas and old movies.”
“I like some of the forensic shows, but I almost never get to see a whole one,” he sighed. “There’s always an emergency. It’s always a large animal call. And since I’m the only vet on staff who does large animal calls, it’s always me.”
“Yes, but you never complain, not even if it’s sleeting out,” she said gently.
He smiled. “I like my clients.”
“They like you, too.” She shook her head. “Amazing, isn’t
“Like combat.”
“Exactly,” he replied. “We used certain firms to supplement our troops overseas in the Middle East. They’re used in Africa for certain covert operations.”
“So much secrecy,” she complained.
“Well, you don’t advertise something that might get you sued or cause a diplomatic upheaval,” he pointed out. “Covert ops have always been a part of the military. Even what they call transparency in government is never going to threaten that. As long as we have renegade states that threaten our sovereignty, we’ll have black ops.” He glanced at the clock. “Shouldn’t you warm up the game system?” he asked. “It’s five-thirty.”
“Already?” she exclaimed. “Goodness, I need to tidy up the living room! And the kitchen. He’s bringing pizza and beer!”
“You don’t drink,” he said.
“Well, no, but you like a beer now and then. I expect somebody told him.” She flushed.
“I do like a glass of beer.” He smiled. “It’s also nice to have friends who provide food.”
“Like your friend Cy and the Chinese stuff. I’ll get spoiled.”
“Maybe that’s the idea. Your boss likes you.”
She’d gotten that idea, herself. “Don’t mention horns, pitchforks or breathing fire while he’s here,” she said firmly.
He saluted her.
She made a face at him and went to do her chores.
“That’s not fair!” Cappie burst out when she’d “died” for the tenth time trying to take out one of the Hunters in the Halo game.
“Don’t throw the controller,” Kell said firmly.
She had it by one lobe, gripped tightly. She grimaced and slowly lowered it. “Okay,” she said. “But they do bounce, and they’re almost shockproof.”
“She ought to know,” Kell told an amused Bentley Rydel. “She’s bounced it off the walls several times in recent weeks.”
“Well, they keep killing me!” she burst out. “It’s not my fault! These Hunters aren’t like the ones in ‘Halo 3…’ they’re almost invincible, and there are so many of them…!”
“I’d worry more about the alien grunts that keep taking you out with sticky grenades,” Bentley pointed out. “While you’re trying to snipe the Hunters, the little guys are blowing you up right and left.”
“I want a flame thrower,” she wailed. “Or a rocket launcher! Why can’t I find a rocket launcher?”
“We wouldn’t want to make it too easy, now would we?” Bentley chided. He smiled at her fury. “Patience. You have to go slow and take them on one at a time, so they don’t flank you.”
She gave her boss a speaking look, turned back to the screen and tried again.
It was late when he left. The three of them had taken turns on the controller. Bentley and Kell had wanted to try the split screen, but that would have put Cappie right out of the competition, because she was only comfortable playing by herself.
She walked Bentley outside. “Thanks for bringing the pizza and beer,” she said. “Some other time, I’d like to have you over for supper, if you’d like. I can cook.”
He smiled. “I’ll take you up on that. I can cook, too, but I only know how to do a few things from scratch. It gets tiresome after a while.”
“Thanks for bringing the game over, too,” she added. “It’s really good. Kell is going to love it.”
“What did we all do for entertainment before video games?” he wondered aloud as they reached his car.
“I used to watch game shows,” she said. “Kell liked police dramas and old movies.”
“I like some of the forensic shows, but I almost never get to see a whole one,” he sighed. “There’s always an emergency. It’s always a large animal call. And since I’m the only vet on staff who does large animal calls, it’s always me.”
“Yes, but you never complain, not even if it’s sleeting out,” she said gently.
He smiled. “I like my clients.”
“They like you, too.” She shook her head. “Amazing, isn’t
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