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?”