Cloud Dust: RD-1 by Connie Suttle Read Free Book Online

"Just keep her
safe, got it? I hear things, Colonel Hunter. I hear Corinne may be a lot more
useful than you ever thought she'd be."
    "The President doesn't want that spread around, and she
doesn't want to alarm Corinne," I snapped.
    "If she didn't want to alarm Corinne, she should have
left her alone and found someone else to teach her Krav Maga."
    "Point taken."
    * * *
    Corinne
    "There's a formal breakfast meet and greet scheduled in
the morning," James handed a note to me. "You and the Five will be
there to meet the new guy."
    "I'm not looking forward to it." I stood on one side
of my doorway while James stood on the other, delivering the formal invitation
to breakfast Friday morning.
    "I know. I noticed you haven't written anything the last
two days."
    "It's difficult to write while you're mopey and
depressed," I pointed out.
    "Cori, you can't leave the book hanging like that."
    "Wanna bet?"
    "Please?" he wheedled. "I'd ask for cookies,
too, but that would be too much. I'll settle for the end of the chapter."
    "I can't make any promises, James," I said, leaning
my head against the doorframe. "Not only does he get my kitchen, he gets
to beat on me, too."
    "If he's any good at all, that won't happen."
    "Look, if he wants to impress the others, all he has to
do is join in and bully the weakest member, or don't you remember that from
high school?"
    "Cori, what are you really worried about?"
    "That the others will come to watch, and he'll hit harder
because of it."
    "It's only three days a week."
    "Yeah."
    * * *
    Ilya
    The best way to size anybody up, as they say in America, is to
catch them off-guard. I intended to size up Corinne Watson before we were
introduced. That's why I was in the kitchen quite early, sipping strong, black
coffee and waiting for her to arrive.
    Big mistake .
    * * *
    "Not the best way to make your presence known,"
Dalton shook his head.
    "If you'd given me sufficient information, this could
have been avoided."
    "I didn't have Colonel Hunter's permission."
    "Where is he, then? I'll talk to him myself."
    "Stay put." Dalton held out a hand. "We're in
enough trouble as it is, and this is just our first day."
    "Hmmph," I snorted. "How was I to know she'd
have a panic attack? You told me she wasn't very talented. I expected her to be
military, at the very least, and prepared for things like this."
    "Look, a big part of her file is redacted, so even I
don't have access. If you get information, you may have to get it from her. Colonel
Hunter is so mad he could breathe fire over this."
    * * *
    Corinne
    "Why, Dr. Shaw," I muttered. I opened my eyes to
find him leaning over me. "Whatever are you doing here?" I added.
    "I believe you know why." He grimaced and
straightened beside my bed. "You really need to handle surprises better
than this."
    "Did you see him?" I pulled myself up and leaned
against my headboard. "He looks like a mountain."
    "He's six-four. That's not a mountain."
    "Says you."
    "It appears you're feeling better," Shaw said, his
voice dry.
    "Look, just, well, never mind." I rubbed my
forehead.
    "I think he's willing to work out a schedule, or at least
knock," Shaw said.
    "Great."
    "The meeting with the others went well."
    "I imagine Becker is in his pocket already—Becker's never
made me have a panic attack."
    "Let's not add wild speculation to this debacle,"
Shaw said. "I have enough paperwork as it is."
    * * *
    Ilya
    Becker and Nick are pigs masquerading as humans. Maye is an
ice queen with telepathic talents. Kevin and Ken are tech geeks with acquired
physical abilities.
    All of them are sent out regularly on assignment; sometimes
outside the country. I wasn't surprised that their handlers were with them;
Dalton insisted on being with me when I met with the Five at breakfast.
    I wasn't stupid enough to ask why they were called the Five
and not the Six. To them, Corinne didn't count. I understood that—up to a
point.
    It wasn't difficult to determine that something was happening
with