Page 78 of Obsidian Prince

The other guard interrupted him. “You’re clear, ma’am.” He waved his arms. “Let her through. She’s got full access at any time.”

“But …” the first guard said.

“She’s with Colonel Bennett’s people. Orders came through this morning. Special clearance. Way above our pay grade.”

Looking at Liliana, arm wrapped around herself, human eyes staring at the pavement between her feet. “This can’t possibly be the woman we were told to …”

The other guard pointed at the ID card Liliana still held up.

Finally, the first guard looked at it. His face paled. “Apologies, ma’am.”

The second guard asked with a trace of deference. “Ma’am, is there anything you need from us?”

“There is a building on base, tall like a tower, but it has no glass in the higher windows. It is important that I get there quickly.”

“The fire tower,” one guard said. “That’s clear on the other side of the base.”

“Um, we’ll call someone and see if we can get you a car,” the other guard said.

Cars were coming out the other side of the gate. One stopped, the window rolled down and a familiar voice said, “I’ll take her there.”

Liliana was surprised to see Sgt. Giovanni in an ordinary car.

“Well, get in already.” The sergeant’s voice was flat and tired.

Liliana got in.

Without a word, Sergeant Giovanni did a quick U-turn and went back in through the gate. The guards waved her through. They drove in silence.

The auto-drive moved them smoothly through the streets of the base the size of a small town. Sergeant Giovanni clenched her jaws tight. She refused to look at Liliana after she entered in the destination. “You’re here because Colonel Bennett is in danger. He told us something about a killer coming before…” She trailed off.

“Yes. A man is coming to kill him. He will die today if I can’t get there in time to fight the murderer.”

The car rounded a corner. They passed the statue of a soldier that Liliana had seen on her nightmare run through the base. It looked considerably less forbidding as she drove past it with no one shooting at her.

They said little as more of the base slid past the window, but Sergeant Giovanni seemed to be getting more and more agitated. Liliana could hear her teeth grinding together. “Are you sleeping with the colonel?” she asked finally.

“Yes.” Liliana wondered if that was really a question the sergeant wanted answered. “He is mine.” That was perhaps optimistic, but if she had anything to say about the matter, it would be true.

Another few moments of silence slid past along with the hospital that Liliana had prevented from blowing up.

Finally, Sergeant Giovanni growled through her clenched teeth. “If you break his heart, I’ll break your legs.”

Smiling, Liliana glanced up at the military police sergeant.

Sergeant Giovanni glanced back at Liliana. “What are you smiling about. You don’t think I’m serious?”

“No, I think you are very serious, Sergeant Giovanni. That was a shovel speech.” Liliana’s smile broadened.

“Damn right it was.”

“The thing is, Pete and Colonel Bennett are both under the impression that now that you know they are both Others, you do not care about them anymore.”

Sergeant Giovanni ducked her head. Liliana heard her teeth grind again. “That’s bullshit. The colonel is the one who told me to transfer because he didn’t want me around anymore.”

“Alexander is under the impression that you do not want to be near him or his unit because he and many of the soldiers under his command are Others.”

“Yeah, well, maybe he’s right.” Sergeant Giovanni’s words were surly.

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