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Chapter 1

“You’re going to be good for me right?” I purred as my fingers searched. “You’re going to open right up?”

My greasy fingertips found the smooth rounded edges of the plug, and I moved my tool into position, making sure it was snug where I wanted it.

Satisfied that it wouldn’t slip, I shifted position and put both hands on the wrench, leaning into it, my muscles flexing.

“Come on baby,” I coaxed. “Don’t fight it. This is good for you, you know.”

I could have sworn that I felt the plug loosen slightly, then the wrench slipped.

“Motherfucker!” I cursed, hoping I hadn’t scraped the skin off my knuckles where they’d dragged against some other part of the engine.

I felt around for the drain plug again, got my wrench on it, and decided that nice wouldn’t work any longer.

“Come on you son of a bitch,” I ordered. “Open up for me. You’re getting fresh oil whether you want to or not.”

That time the plug did loosen, and a few seconds later it dropped into the waiting drain pan, followed by a stream of almost black liquid.

“Shit…” I muttered as I retrieved the plug before it could become submerged. “Either somebody drove you hard, or they lied about your last oil change.”

I cleaned off the plug and checked the washer. I cleaned up the bottom of the oil pan with a shop rag, finger-tightened the plug back into place, then used the wrench to get it secure again.

I pushed the drain pan out from underneath the vehicle and rolled out—only to find myself staring up at a man in a service uniform.

“Staff Sergeant Avery Carson?” he asked, standing at parade rest.

I noticed the insignia on his uniform as I climbed up from the roller. “At ease, private. That’s me. What do you need?”

“Orders from base command,” he stated. “Report to Colonel Davies’ briefing room at fourteen hundred hours.”

I nodded. “Understood. Anything else?”

“No, sir.”

“Orders acknowledged. Let the Colonel know I’ll be there.”

“Yes, sir.” With that, he saluted, turned, and strode out of the garage.

I glanced up at a clock, and saw I only had about an hour before the meeting—and I was covered in grease and grime.

It was no way to present myself to the base commander. I had to shower and change.

I sighed and strode to my commanding officer’s office. “First Sergeant?” I asked as I knocked on the door and immediately assumed parade rest.

“At ease. Yes, Carson?”

“Permission to return to barracks?” I asked, shifting into a natural stance. “I’ve been ordered to a briefing with Colonel Davies at fourteen hundred, and need to make myself presentable.”

One of his eyebrows rose. “Do you know why you were ordered to see the Colonel?”

I shook my head. “No, sir.”

“Any guesses?”

Another shake. “None.”

“Anything else?”