Rhapsody (The Bellator Saga Book 5) (26 page)

“She’s ready,” Jack said.

Major Ballard frowned. “Ready for what?”

“Equal authority with me.”

There was some mild grumbling near the back of the table. Odd since he’d made it pretty clear just a few days ago that Caroline was on the same footing as his other advisors. “Is there a problem?” Jack asked.

Of course Flaherty was the one to speak up next. “Perhaps you can give us a bit more enlightenment.” He shot a glance at Schroeder. “Her interaction with the captain last week was slightly disconcerting.”

Jack bit back the snappish remark he wanted to make. “I’ll grant she has issues with her temper. My concern is that you’re wary because of the content of her discussion.”

“It’s not that, I-”

“We need her,” Schroeder said. “She’s the only one who has firsthand information about what Santos is doing.”

A quick jump. Jack certainly hadn’t expected that. “My assistant understands the situation. I don’t know why the rest of you can’t.”

Flaherty shook his head. “I’m not sure this is necessary.”

It wasn’t nice to trick his friend but it was the fastest way to a resolution. Jack slid a file across the table. “Keith, would you remind your colleagues how Major Gerard performed during her training?”

“Very clever, Commander.” Flaherty flipped open the file, probably out of habit. “I don’t need to reiterate what I said earlier. We all know what she’s capable of.”

“She needs to be in command along with me. You know that. Hell, she’d probably do a better job than I have.”

Flaherty returned the file to Jack. “Is it safe to assume that any issues she has with regard to your relationship have been resolved?”

Well, they’d have to loosen up the meeting sometime. Jack couldn’t hide his laughter. “That isn’t a problem anymore.”

Flaherty smiled. “I figured as much but wasn’t going to assume anything.”

If his mood hadn’t been blatantly obvious the moment he walked into the room, Jack would have been shocked. “Gentlemen, we’ve been spinning our wheels for months. She’s the catalyst to get us to where we need to go.”

“You’re right, sir,” Ballard said. “She might be headstrong and stubborn but we all have a touch of that. It’s why we’re part of this team. And she completely understands why we’re here and what we’re trying to do.”

“Shall we take a vote?” Jack asked.

He’d never seen a table shrug collectively but there was a first time for everything. Yes, the mood had shifted. Hopefully permanently.

“Well,” he said, turning to Schroeder. “Make it happen.”

*              *              *              *              *

Jack had been pretty tight lipped when he got back from his meeting. Mumbled something about a few more commitments the next day, so they’d taken it easy that evening. Caroline sent her husband on his way the next morning with a homemade lunch and a peck on the cheek, offering to have dinner waiting for him when he got home. He laughed and told her to behave herself while he was gone.

She had heard a rumor that there were clementines in the cafeteria, so she sneaked her way over while Jack was in his briefings. It was shortly after one but there was a decent crowd inside. Normally when guys were eating they weren’t paying attention to anything other than their food, but as she entered the room she heard a chorus of whispers, and noticed a definite increase in the number of eyes on her.

She looked over at one of the tables ordinarily occupied by officers, including the professionals. She saw Natalie smiling at her before turning serious as the captain next to her stood up and called the room to attention. Before Caroline realized it everyone was standing. She racked her brain, trying to remember proper protocol. Their group hadn’t adopted more than a loose paramilitary structure, but she knew she had some obligation to respond.

Caroline cleared her throat. “As you were,” she called out.

The soldiers resumed their meal and she breathed a sigh of relief. She wouldn’t have known what to do after that, and was happy that she hadn’t brought a giant bag to start stuffing with clementines. She’d had every intention of hoarding as many as possible back in their apartment.

Caroline decided to keep up the routine and walked over to the officers’ table with her shoulders straight and her head held high. Several of them started to get up again as she approached.

“For God’s sake, sit back down.” She took the empty seat next to Natalie. “Somebody want to fill me in as to what that was about?”

“It’s nice to see you too,” Natalie said.

“Quiet. I’m serious.”

“How’s your head feeling?”

“Much better.”

The doctor’s green eyes roamed over the band on Caroline’s left ring finger. “How’s life?”

Caroline shook her head. “Natalie, honestly.”

Natalie scrolled through her phone and handed it to Caroline. “You moved up in the world.”

She scanned the email, which was blessedly short.

Major Gerard has assumed co-command of this operation. She is to be granted all the deference and regard afforded to Commander McIntyre.

“That little shit,” Caroline muttered.

Natalie laughed. “I take it you didn’t know.”

She pointed at her hoodie and untidy ponytail. “Am I dressed like I’m in charge? I only came in here to pilfer citrus fruit.”

A couple of the officers at the table chuckled. She took a peek at them. All men. Caroline really didn’t want to have a heart to heart where they could listen in. “Come out in the hall with me for a minute,” she told Natalie.

Natalie stood up. “Sure.”

Caroline spotted an open conference room and pulled Natalie inside. “When did he send that out?”

“I received it this morning. Schroeder sent it. Jack’s much too important to make that kind of announcement himself. He didn’t tell you?”

Caroline thought back to earlier in the day, when Jack had made a comment to her about making sure she looked presentable if she went anywhere. She assumed he was kidding since she technically wasn’t on duty.

“It must have slipped his mind,” she said.

Natalie sniggered. “Like hell it did.”

“He’s a big fan of catching me off guard, particularly when he knows I’m not going to respond well.”

“You’re unhappy about this?”

“It’s unexpected. Everyone’s going to think he’s only doing this because of who I am.”

“Believe me, they all know what you’ve done for the cause. I’m surprised it took this long. It should have been this way from the minute you arrived.”

“Perhaps it was my open dislike for the man running the show.”

Natalie smiled. “I doubt that very much.”

“Maybe my mental instability, then.”

“You may have a point but I can’t be unhappy about how things worked out, because otherwise we might not be friends.”

“That’s a very nice thing to say, but I can’t think of anything else to justify this decision.”

“Um, how about you starting a rebel movement from your computer?”

Yes, that had worked out well for everyone. “Being tracked by The Fed and getting captured by the enemy isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of my management skills, Natalie.”

“I’m sure that’s not the only reason he did it. What about that escapade into Nevada last month?”

The escapade Natalie very reasonably tried to talk her out of going on. Caroline shook her head again. “Fucking something up isn’t the kind of thing that warrants a promotion, either.”

Natalie put her hands on her hips. “Well, I’m out of ideas. No matter what I say, you’re going to come up with a witty retort.”

“I’ve been told I’m good at it.”

Natalie rolled her eyes. “Caroline, you are so myopic sometimes. Jeez.”

Caroline continued to massage her head, as she had developed a sharp pain between the eyes. “I never thought I’d be one of those women who slept their way to the top.”

Natalie grinned again. “Is that your way of telling me the two of you are back together? It explains your good temper. Relatively speaking, that is.”

She smiled a tiny smile. “I guess we are.”

“No guessing. Your demeanor is a dead giveaway.”

“You’re right. We’ve definitely made up.”

“The ring was a little hint too,” Natalie said. “And by little I mean massively large. Where on earth did he get it?”

Caroline held up her hand. “It
is
a bit flashy. He gave it to me on our first anniversary. I didn’t even know he had it with him. I almost never wore it; I thought it was garish. But now-”

“It doesn’t seem so bad?”

“Nope. At least, as long as I’m not doing anything useful. It’s too delicate to be practical. I forgot to take it off before I came over here.” She blushed. “I’ve usually been wearing it when we’re alone.”

“He’s still got the other one?”

“I told him to keep it.” Caroline pulled the chain with his wedding ring out of her sweatshirt. “You might say we’re even.”

Natalie grinned at her. “That’s so sweet. I can hardly make fun of you for it. Aren’t you two a couple of little lovebirds.”

She was maybe poking a little fun, which was fine with Caroline. “Horndogs, lovebirds, same difference.”

They both laughed.

“It wasn’t just the ring,” Natalie said. “Jack has been acting like less of an asshole the last couple of days.”

A promising statement. Caroline was worried he would start slacking once he left the apartment, since he was so eager to get back to her. “Getting laid puts him in a better mood,” she said, then slapped her hand over her mouth. She’d spoken before thinking about what she was going to say. “Sorry. The co-commander of an operation shouldn’t be talking about other officers that way.”

Natalie laughed. “Screw that. Can I give you a hug? You look so happy right now that I need to share it with you.”

Caroline put her arms around the younger woman. She could definitely oblige. “Okay.”

Natalie pulled back, still smiling. “This is good. Very good. Not only for the mission, you understand, but for you and Jack.”

“Thanks, kiddo.”

“I bet he’s ecstatic to have you back. It’s nice to see you this way. Really nice.” She squeezed Caroline’s hand. “I knew the real you was in there somewhere.”

“You didn’t even know me before.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Caroline hugged her again. “I still have my moments. Many, many moments. Are you ready for me to accidentally snap at you over something stupid, probably within the next day or so?”

“I’ll forgive you if you do. I get off in a few hours anyway so you can practice. Can I stop by your quarters tonight so we can talk some more?”

“Absolutely.” Caroline gave her a rascally look. “Before you finish your lunch, can you do me a favor?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Can you steal me some clementines?”

*              *              *              *              *

Caroline strode into the commander’s office, popping the last of the remaining clementine in her mouth. Natalie had been kind enough to grab four, mostly because that was all she could take without looking conspicuous, and Caroline had eaten every single one of the tangy fruits during the walk over to the main building. She’d have to go back before dinner and see if Boone would let her hoard an entire bag.

Schroeder instantly stood up when he saw her. “Ma’am.”

“Sit down, Captain,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Is he in there?” Caroline gestured toward the door to Jack’s office, which was closed.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She sighed. “Schroeder, do you always call Jack
sir
?”

“No, ma’am. Sometimes it’s just Commander. Or McIntyre.”

This kid was wound up tighter than she thought. “How about you do the same thing with me? Or drop the formalities entirely.”

“I don’t know if I can do that, ma’am.”

Oh, for Christ’s sake. “I know this is going to sound strange, but what’s your first name?”

Yeah, he hadn’t expected that. “Michael.” He cleared his throat. “Ma’am.”

“Well, Michael,” she said. “I don’t expect formality. At all.”

His expression led her to believe he disagreed, and his response confirmed it. “So is it Gerard or McIntyre?”

She wondered what would happen if she told him to call her by her first name. “Either one is fine. But if you say the latter you might confuse us if we’re both in the room. And for future reference, when your boss is promoting someone, you might want to remind him it’s a good idea to tell the person receiving the promotion before he tells anyone else.”

“You didn’t know?”

Caroline laughed. “No, I didn’t, but for some reason seeing the look on your face makes it a little better.”

“I can’t believe he didn’t tell you,” he muttered.