Page 70 of Mr. Charming

When we reached one of the long, metal buildings with a rounded roof, Logan stopped.

“This is you,” he said.

I opened the door and climbed out.

“Hey,” Cooper shouted out.

I shielded the sun from my eyes with my hand and stared at him.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t let him give you too much shit, okay? I’m glad you’re safe.”

Despite my best efforts to mask my emotions, I smiled.

“Thanks. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“You better,” he said. “And get that head checked out.”

“I will.”

After Logan drove away, sending up a cloud of smoke, I walked to the entrance of the building that reminded me of a huge metal shipping container.

Captain Jeffries, the Commanding Officer of FOB Cobra, would not be happy with me sneaking out, but if I was investigating claims against the military, I wasn’t able to work too openly with them.

I opened the door and walked inside. While cooler than outside, without air conditioning it wasn’t very comfortable. Tony Roth, His aide-de-camp, sat at a tiny desk.

“Hey,” he said. “You made it back. Are you okay?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I think so. I came here first. Jeffries wants to speak with me?”

He nodded, his frail facial features so out of place in Afghanistan.

“Yes, he does. You should go see the medic first.”

“No, I want to get this over with,” I said as I walked past his desk.

“Hold on,” he said, standing up.

I kept going, opening a door that divided the two ha

lves of the metal container. Captain Jeffries looked up from his desk. He frowned the moment he saw me.

“You wanted to talk?” I asked, standing near the door.

“Do you know how much trouble you caused today?” he asked.

“I’m simply trying to do my job.”

“And so am I. Sit down.”

He pointed to the plain armless chair in front of his desk.

“I need to go see the medic,” I said, changing my mind.

“You were fine enough to come straight here, you can sit down and talk a minute.”

I sighed, annoyed, then walked over and sat down with my arms crossed over my chest.