Page 43 of Red Fury
Harrison clears his throat. “General, I would like for Ms. Douglas to remain to document this discussion and handle classified distribution afterward. As my personal assistant, she has the appropriate clearance levels.”
Delport shakes her head without hesitation. “Negative, Mr. Secretary. This falls under Compartmentalized Intelligence protocols. No support personnel, regardless of clearance level.”
“I assure you, Ms. Douglas has proven herself completely trustworthy. She’s handled classified materials for—”
“The decision is final.” Delport’s tone is clear. “She’ll need to wait outside with the others.”
Fuck!
Harrison looks my way and gives a grim nod.
Noooooo!
I gather my portfolio and laptop. Every instinct I have is screaming at me to refuse, to demand access, to shift into my dragon form and tear the answers from their throats.
Instead, I stand, keeping my composure. “I’ll be right outside should you need anything, Mr. Secretary.”
Harrison gives me an apologetic look. “Thank you, Claire. I’ll brief you on anything you need to know afterward.”
I nod once.
Sure you will.
We both know that isn’t going to happen.
I file out with the other dismissed personnel, my mind already racing through alternatives. The hallway outside the conference room is spacious, with several leather chairs arranged near tall windows. I choose a seat closest to the door, pulling out my laptop and opening a document to maintain the appearance of working.
Dr. Henley sits across from me, checking her phone. The FBI agent finds a spot near the windows, making quiet calls. No one else seems to care about being excluded.
I strain my enhanced hearing, pressing my senses to their limits as I try to catch even fragments of conversation from inside the room.
Nothing.
Not a single word penetrates the heavy doors. The room must be completely soundproofed – a security feature I should have anticipated for meetings of this caliber.
Minutes tick by with agonizing slowness. My dragon stirs, and I can feel scales trying to press against the inside of my arms, and I have to concentrate on breathing steadily to keep her contained.
This is a disaster. I’m sitting mere feet from the most important intelligence gathering opportunity of my career, and I might as well be on the other side of the city, or back at Draig, for all the good it’s doing me.
I need a more direct approach.
My fingers hover over my laptop keyboard as possibilities race through my mind. I have the same thought as always; Harrison’s computer would have everything on it – from meeting minutes to classified reports and correspondence. But accessing it would require getting into his office and doing itall without being caught. I already have part of his password memorized. I need to push harder.
The risks are enormous.
It’s so damned infuriating. Right now, decisions are being made that could determine the fate of my entire species. And I’m sitting in a hallway, completely powerless to influence or even witness them.
I close my laptop and lean back in my chair, my mind made up. If I can’t get the information through conventional means, I’ll have to be more creative. Harrison’s office, his computer, his files – one way or another, I’m going to get the answers I came here for.
Even if it kills me…quite literally.
14
Fury
We arrive at a building that is all glass and polished steel. Even the landscaping screams of money.
“Wow,” I mutter as we walk up to the entrance.
