Page 3 of A More Perfect Union

“I’m not getting backon a plane.” Zoey placed her hands on her hips as if to emphasize her defiance.

“Who said anythingabout a plane? You’ll have a car and a driver who will take you anywhere in thecity you need to go. No questions asked.”

“And you?”

“As much as I wish Icould accompany you on this little adventure, I have a meeting I need to getto.” She looked into Zoey’s eyes and thought she spotted the tiniest tinge ofregret. Rook wanted to act on it, but there wasn’t time. “Come on.”

A few minutes later,they were in the hangar reserved for charter flights. Rook gave her name at thedesk, and the woman pointed outside to the helicopter on the pad. Before shecould ask about the car, she spotted the familiar vehicle. She told the womanshe’d board in just a second and walked back to Zoey.

“Your car is ready.”

Zoey followed hergaze. “Are you going back to the main terminal?”

“Nope. That’s myride.” Rook pointed at the helicopter as she escorted Zoey to the car. “It’sbeen fun tearing through the airport with you.” They were steps away from thecar, and now that it was time to part ways, Rook wished she hadn’t had to rush.She started to ask for Zoey’s number, but the driver’s side window lowered andher driver, George, peered out. She resigned herself to handing Zoey’s careover to him. “Major Zoey Granger, meet George Olson. George will take good careof you.”

Zoey looked betweenthem and then, apparently satisfied there was no danger in accepting the favor,shrugged out of Rook’s jacket, handed it over, and stepped into the car whileRook held the door. She wanted to say more, ask how long Zoey would be in town,ask if she could see her again under different circumstances, but her strictrule about not getting involved with clients stopped her despite the fact Zoeywasn’t an official client, but more of a pro bono on the fly rescue case.Still, she had a press conference to get to, and the sooner Zoey cleared theairport, the better off she’d be. She squeezed Zoey’s hand, stepped back, andshut the door on this fun little chapter. Time to go to New York and straightenout someone else’s mess.

* * *

Zoey watched throughthe car window as Rook climbed aboard the helicopter. Rook was rakish, dashing,and devilishly handsome, and Zoey shook her head at her good fortune at runninginto her. But now that Rook was gone and Zoey was in a car with a stranger, shequestioned her lack of discretion. For all she knew, Rook Daniels was anopportunist, exactly like the reporters who’d been chasing her through theairport in an attempt to turn her life into a front-page story.

“Where to, ma’am?”

She looked at thedriver, George, surprised at the soft, quiet tone of his voice. She made asplit-second decision that he seemed harmless enough despite his hulking frame.“The Pentagon.”

“Excellent.” He tooka moment to consult his phone. “Traffic is light. We should arrive in aboutthirty minutes.” He pulled out of the parking lot, and Zoey watched thehelicopter carry Rook into the sky as they drove away. Resigned to her decisionto let this scenario play out, she leaned back into the cushioned leather seatand tried to relax.

The summons fromGeneral Bloomfield had come with very little information, which wasn’t initself unusual, but the timing—so close to her testimony before Congress—wassuspect. She’d been trained not to question orders, but now that she was withina half hour of obtaining more detail, she couldn’t help but wonder if thesummons was a not-so-subtle means of dismissal.

Whistleblower lawswere designed to keep people in her position safe, but that was the law, notthe reality. She’d heard anecdotes of people in her position leaving quietly,choosing to resign their commissions rather than fight the system andpotentially lose the benefits they’d worked so hard to guarantee. She didn’twant to fight, but she’d already decided she would if it came down to it. Maybethe hearings would buy her a little time since she doubted the brass wanted herappearing in front of Congress with a discharge fresh on the books.

She pulled out herphone and glanced at the screen, just then realizing she’d forgotten to take itoff airplane mode in the flurry back at the terminal. When she switched it backon, the screen blew up with alerts. She skimmed the texts from GeneralBloomfield’s assistant, and her apprehension grew.

Corporal Stinewill pick you up. He’ll meet you at baggage claim. Text him when you land.A number followed. The next text read:Allbags claimed and you’re nowhere in sight. Report.

Twenty minutes later:Flight manifest says you were on board. Is disappearing one of your specialskills?

She punched thenumber for Stine. “Stine, it’s Granger. Stand down. I didn’t get the messageyou’d be picking me up until just now, and I had to duck a gaggle of reportersat the airport. I’m en route to the Pentagon. I’ll call and let the office knowI’m on the way.”

“Better let me call,Major. No need in you taking more of a beating than you have been.”

Zoey breathed a sighof relief at the friendly overture. “Thanks. Much appreciated. Sorry you had tomake a wasted trip.”

“Not a problem. Drivesafe.”

If George’scalculations were correct, they’d arrive at the Pentagon in twenty minutes andshe could do with a dose of non-military conversation before being submersedagain. Fact was, her mind kept wandering back to Rook, and curiosity won outover duty.

“George, how well doyou know Rook Daniels?”

He flicked a glanceat her in the rearview mirror, and Zoey sensed she was being sized up. “I’ve knownMs. Daniels ever since she came to DC. I used to drive for her father.”

Cagey answer sinceZoey would need a few extra pieces of information for his comment to makesense. She wanted to know more, but sensed George either wasn’t able or willingto indulge her curiosity, so she just nodded and moved on. “I’ll be here forabout a week. Anything special I should do or see?”

“First time in thecapital?”

“Yes.”

“Do a nighttime tourof the monuments. Weather’s perfect for it this time of year. Bus will take youaround to most of them over about three hours and stop long enough for you towalk around and check them out. When they’re all lit up, there’s nothing elselike it.”

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