Non-related short fics
Asset Adams
By PaBurke
Cross: Adams Family/ Covert Affairs
Word Count: 200
Annie walked straight from Joan’s desk to Auggie’s. Auggie was supposed arrange her travel, but Annie expected more. “Why are they sending me to extradite an asset from torturers?”
“Ms. Adams might not want to leave. The situation requires finesse.”
“Might. Not. Want. To. Leave.” Annie had a scary thought. “She is the one being tortured, right? She’s not the torturer.”
“Let me put it this way: it won’t be the first time that an agent’s arrived and Adams had stepped out of the victim’s chair to show them how to do it right. But she’ll stay if the torturer is efficient.”
“Picking up tips?” Annie quipped through her horror.
Auggie quirked his mouth. “If you can keep up the dry, morbid humor in her presence, you’ll do well.”
“Okay, what shouldn’t I say?”
Auggie considered it. “One, don’t assume any patriotism or Company loyalty. She’s an asset and not an agent.”
“Why does she work for us? Money?”
“No. Adams doesn’t covet cash. She covets experiences, knowledge, poisons, instruments of death and attempts on her life.”
Annie didn’t understand. “Supposing I poison whatever she’s being fed, she might follow me out?”
“She might. She might also return the favor.”
*
Your Sins Will Catch You
Verse: Covert Affairs/Once Upon A Time
Word Count: 250
The male known as Ben Mercer stood on the beach of a very beautiful island where every adult pleasure was at his fingertips. Annie was sleeping behind him in their bed. She was beautiful inside and out and Ben loved her.
But she didn’t know anything about him, because he was a spy. Spy was a politically acceptable term for liar. Ben had lied to her. She didn’t even know his real name, much like his employers. He had lied to his handler Jai and to all of the CIA. He had done much worse on orders from the CIA. He was an excellent spy.
He was a spy with pain shooting up his leg.
It had happened in intervals before, but never for this prolonged. Then Annie had said that she smelled wood. She had thought that someone had a bonfire on the beach. Ben had sniffed and realized that that distinct wood smell wasn’t native to this island. There was only one place where one could find that wood.
Ben remembered the time before he turned seven. He remembered a father that had lied to royalty to save his son.
He remembered a warning from a blue fairy.
Ben had to leave Annie and return to the States. He had to help a baby girl that was now a woman find her family. He had to hurry. He had three decades of sins about to avalanche onto his body.
“You’ve been a very bad boy, Pinocchio,” he murmured.
*
True Enemies
Universe: Once Upon A Time
Word Count: 200
Granny sat in front of the barred door with her crossbow ready. She would shoot any enemy that entered her house, a fortress. Red and the hunting party all thought that she was paranoid against the wolf. Granny let them think that, it was safer that way. Granny had presented her scar to the entire village and told them they were fools for hunting the wolf. The villagers thought that she was trying to prevent them from dying, from going out to hunt the wolf and being killed. They assumed she was trying to get the village to adopt her method of protection by hiding from the wolf.
That wasn’t true.
It was true that her way would protect the village, but more importantly, it would protect Red.
If the villagers were hiding, they weren’t hunting. If they weren’t hunting, they would never figure out that the lair of the wolf was a wooden house and a bed covered with a homemade quilt.
So Granny sat in front of the barred door with her crossbow ready. She would shoot any enemy that entered her house. Her enemy was the hunting party, not the wolf that slept under a red cape.
*
Self-Made Man
Cross: Once Upon A Time/Suits
Word Count: 200
“What did your parents call you?” Mike asked.
Harvey shouldn’t have been surprised at the question. They had just found a recipient of an inheritance based upon a pet name. Harvey should have lied. He should have deflected the question, but he wanted one person to know that truth. Mike would never tell and he would never use it against him. “Bae,” he answered.
Mike blinked. He hadn’t expected Harvey to answer honestly. “Really? Why? What’s that short for?”
Harvey glared.
Mike ignored the glare and decided to press in a different direction while Harvey was answering questions. “Where were they from?”
Harvey smirked. Yes, he’d answer that. “They lived in a land far, far away.”
Mike huffed. “Are they glad that you’re a lawyer?”
Harvey thought about his father and his protectiveness and the family’s poverty. “I don’t know.”
“What do you think?” Mike pressed more. “Would they be glad you’re a lawyer?”
Harvey considered his father’s obsession with contracts and gaining power. How he wanted the best for Baelfire. Well, Harvey now had access to the best and he did it without much help from anyone. He had accomplished all this with hard work and without magic. “Maybe.”
*
Tickets to Success
Cross: Suits/Glee
Word Count: 1000+
Mike Ross had hoped that he would stop by Harvey’s office and the man would have left already. He had slaved over both Louis and Harvey’s grunt work and was ready to call it quits. Unfortunately, Harvey was in his office, talking intently on his cell phone. Donna was still at her desk with her phone against her ear, as well. It looked like she was on hold.
“What’s up?” He asked her, nodding at the senior partner pacing on the other side of the glass.
Donna was feeling magnanimous and answered. “A client couple is flying in tomorrow because they aren’t happy with a contract. They’re big Broadway fans and so Harvey wants to soften them up with two tickets to the hottest show, but the hottest show this week is one of the smaller theaters that suddenly got rave reviews. There aren’t any tickets to be had.”
“ ‘Dar Gee Ling’ or ‘Bombay Beach’?” Mike asked as he reached for his phone.
For once, he had managed to surprise Donna. “Dar Gee Ling.”
“Good show,” Mike remarked as casually as he could, considering he was gloating. “Well deserving of all the accolades it’s received.”
“You saw it?”
“Opening night.”
“How can you afford opening night tickets to any Broadway show?” Donna asked suspiciously.
“I write contracts and do taxes for a trio of up-n-coming Broadway stars. They pay me back in complementary tickets.”
“Call them,” Donna ordered.
“Shouldn’t I wait until I know whether or not Harvey can pull some out of his hat?”
“No, even if Harvey has some, yours might be better and Harvey will still owe you one.”
Mike decided to trust Donna’s instincts and found the phone number he was looking for. He dialed it, checking his watch. There was still a good hour before the first performance tonight, the singer should still be…
“Mike?” a lovely female voice answered suspiciously.
“Rachel,” Mike enthused. “I’m calling to tell you that you won the bet.”
“Oh,” Rachel sounded amused but willing to play along. “And what bet would that be?”
“The first of you three that I call begging for two tickets for another client.”
“There are no tickets available tonight,” she warned. “Not even for the star.”
“Don’t be silly. I don’t want tickets for tonight. I want them for tomorrow.”
Rachel muttered something and Mike was pretty sure it was Yiddish cursing. “I’ll see what I can do. Last I heard, we’re sold out ‘till March.”
“You’re the best. I knew our deal would someday score me more than a classy date.”
“I’d be more mad if you hadn’t written my contract so that I get a cut of the profit.”
“I’m the best,” Mike agreed.
“What name do you want to reserve them under?”
Mike turned to ask Donna but she already had the file out and was pointing to the name. “The Collis’s please. Cee-oh-ell-ell-i-ess.”
“Got it. I’ll text you the seat numbers in a minute.”
“Thanks again.”
“You’re welcome.” Rachel hung up on him without saying goodbye. Mike stared bemused at his phone.
“So she’s getting them?”
“Looks like.” He waved his phone at Donna. “I’m waiting for confirmation before telling Harvey.”
“Good plan. While you’re waiting, make your decision of what you want from Harvey before stepping into his office,” Donna advised. “Make it specific and larger than what he’s going to offer in return. And don’t tell him your source. You don’t want to get in trouble with the firm for doing work off the books.”
“I shouldn’t keep a favor in reserve?”
“Later, do that, but for this time, set the boundaries.”
Mike thought about it. “What should I ask for?”
Donna grinned. “How about dinner for you and your contact at a swanky restaurant?”
Mike brightened. “That’d be nice.”
“By the way, you owe me for all the good advice I’m give you.”
Mike was instantly wary. “Oh? Rachel’s not going to get me another set of tickets.”
“You owe me. I want two tickets for Bombay Beach.”
Mike winced. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Do,” Donna suggested.
Mike’s phone beeped and he looked at the text. He grinned. “Rachel came through.”
With an imperious and gentile flick of her wrist, Donna waved him into Harvey’s office. Harvey immediately glared at Mike, even though the tone of his voice didn’t change. Mike didn’t hide his gloating as he showed the older man the text. Harvey didn’t pause in his phone conversation as he grabbed Mike’s phone. He did lean around Mike to check with Donna that this was for real. Mike tried not to be insulted.
Harvey continued his conversation, but now he was extraditing himself without letting his contact know that he had another source. Mike couldn’t help but to be impressed and Harvey wrung another favor out of his contact for not fulfilling the current one. Finally he hung up his phone. He still hadn’t given back Mike his.
“Eighteen C & D?” Harvey read aloud. “How did you manage that?”
“I have friends,” Mike told him loftily.
Harvey’s gaze turned sharp. “Drug dealers?”
Mike snorted. “Not even close. They’d probably jump me and stage an intervention if I ever suggested it.”
Harvey nodded satisfied.
“So you owe me now,” Mike said.
Harvey’s face settled into his lawyer mask. “You think so? I don’t recall asking you for anything.”
Mike reached for his phone. “Donna could always use the tickets.”
Harvey pulled the phone out of reach. “But since they are available and already in the clients’ name, we might as well leave it be.”
“You owe me,” Mike reiterated.
Harvey waited, perhaps hoping that Mike would surrender in the silence.
Mike spoke first, but he wasn’t backing down. “Remember where I hosted my introductory dinner? I want dinner for two there, on you.”
“I want to meet your contact.”
“Not a chance.” Mike knew better than to start negotiations against this man. “Like I said, Donna will take them.” And they both knew that Donna would and would not turn around give them to Harvey for his clients. Not without extracting a lot more than a dinner out of Harvey.
“You wouldn’t use them yourself?” Harvey asked.
Mike shrugged. “Already saw it.”
Harvey finally returned Mike’s phone. “Agreed. Dinner for two at a swanky restaurant.”
“You are very welcome,” Mike said cheekily.
Harvey waved him away. “Get out of here.”
Mike left, whistling the chorus line ‘Dar Gee Ling.’ The best part of it was that Harvey couldn’t be sure as to the melody’s source.
*
A Mirror Doesn’t Reflect It All
Cross: Glee/Leverage
Word Count: 600
Spoiler for Glee Season 3 Episode 'Yes/No'
Finn took a deep breath and walked into the Army recruiter’s office. A different guy was sitting behind the desk. This guy was older. He was sharp like Ms. Sylvester but compassionate like Mr. Schue.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m here to back out of my contract,” Finn told him honestly.
The man nodded. “May I ask why?”
“I wanted to follow my father’s footsteps and now I know that my father was dishonorably discharged. And…”
The man leaned forward and had his hands ready on the keyboard. “Who’s your father?”
Finn blinked, but answered.
The man typed his answer and then started scrolling down.
“Can you find my dad’s file?”
The man smirked a bit. “I have help.”
“I didn’t think recruiters had access to that kind of thing.”
“Normally they don’t, but I’m here because the local records of soldiers don’t match the Pentagon files.”
“What do you mean?”
The man stared at him. “This is classified, you can’t repeat until it is reported by the newspaper. Not even to your mother.”
Finn nodded, eager to hear what this man’s words.
“Certain soldiers are listed in the Pentagon as honorably discharged or honorably KIA and have a stipend mailed to them or their families. Here, in this office, they are listed as dishonorably discharged and no money is being delivered.”
“Someone is stealing?”
“From both Uncle Sam and military families.”
“Is my father?”
The man nodded. “Your father is one of them.”
Finn breathed a sigh of relief. His mother had been telling him the truth as she knew it with both of her stories. He sat in the chair across from the recruiter and asked, “What can you tell me about my dad. Was he a hero?”
The man looked at him kindly. “Not as most civilians would consider. He was a decent soldier. Average. He didn’t excel. He was a supply officer. He made sure that the guys in his unit got what they needed when they needed it. He was in only one firefight and it looks like he didn’t even fire a shot. But afterwards, his reviews went from average to much better than average. The incident matured him. He had one black mark. It seems that he took a rather shady route to get some supplies to his unit. The kind that they needed. According to this, he was a team player. He took the black mark and didn’t complain though two in his unit sent in written recommendations to have the black mark removed.”
Finn worked hard to not cry in front of the recruiter. This was more than he had expected.
The recruit eyed him. “Why don’t you go home? Watch the newspapers and think about what you want to do. The Army works for some people who aren’t ready for college and it can teach you some skills, but like any other place, it has its share of… bad guys.”
Finn nodded like a bobblehead doll. “But my mom said that he was different when he got back. That it was because of drugs.”
The recruiter checked the file. “I can tell you this: your father never had a problem passing the random drug tests. But I’ll look around. Looking at your father’s death…. There’s a chance that your father got a hint of the same fraud that I’m investigating. That would distract anybody.”
“Oh.”
The recruiter waved him out of the office and Finn left. He thought that he might have heard the recruiter say, “Hardison…”
Finn turned to look, but obviously, the recruiter wasn’t talking to him anymore.
*
By PaBurke
Cross: Adams Family/ Covert Affairs
Word Count: 200
Annie walked straight from Joan’s desk to Auggie’s. Auggie was supposed arrange her travel, but Annie expected more. “Why are they sending me to extradite an asset from torturers?”
“Ms. Adams might not want to leave. The situation requires finesse.”
“Might. Not. Want. To. Leave.” Annie had a scary thought. “She is the one being tortured, right? She’s not the torturer.”
“Let me put it this way: it won’t be the first time that an agent’s arrived and Adams had stepped out of the victim’s chair to show them how to do it right. But she’ll stay if the torturer is efficient.”
“Picking up tips?” Annie quipped through her horror.
Auggie quirked his mouth. “If you can keep up the dry, morbid humor in her presence, you’ll do well.”
“Okay, what shouldn’t I say?”
Auggie considered it. “One, don’t assume any patriotism or Company loyalty. She’s an asset and not an agent.”
“Why does she work for us? Money?”
“No. Adams doesn’t covet cash. She covets experiences, knowledge, poisons, instruments of death and attempts on her life.”
Annie didn’t understand. “Supposing I poison whatever she’s being fed, she might follow me out?”
“She might. She might also return the favor.”
*
Your Sins Will Catch You
Verse: Covert Affairs/Once Upon A Time
Word Count: 250
The male known as Ben Mercer stood on the beach of a very beautiful island where every adult pleasure was at his fingertips. Annie was sleeping behind him in their bed. She was beautiful inside and out and Ben loved her.
But she didn’t know anything about him, because he was a spy. Spy was a politically acceptable term for liar. Ben had lied to her. She didn’t even know his real name, much like his employers. He had lied to his handler Jai and to all of the CIA. He had done much worse on orders from the CIA. He was an excellent spy.
He was a spy with pain shooting up his leg.
It had happened in intervals before, but never for this prolonged. Then Annie had said that she smelled wood. She had thought that someone had a bonfire on the beach. Ben had sniffed and realized that that distinct wood smell wasn’t native to this island. There was only one place where one could find that wood.
Ben remembered the time before he turned seven. He remembered a father that had lied to royalty to save his son.
He remembered a warning from a blue fairy.
Ben had to leave Annie and return to the States. He had to help a baby girl that was now a woman find her family. He had to hurry. He had three decades of sins about to avalanche onto his body.
“You’ve been a very bad boy, Pinocchio,” he murmured.
*
True Enemies
Universe: Once Upon A Time
Word Count: 200
Granny sat in front of the barred door with her crossbow ready. She would shoot any enemy that entered her house, a fortress. Red and the hunting party all thought that she was paranoid against the wolf. Granny let them think that, it was safer that way. Granny had presented her scar to the entire village and told them they were fools for hunting the wolf. The villagers thought that she was trying to prevent them from dying, from going out to hunt the wolf and being killed. They assumed she was trying to get the village to adopt her method of protection by hiding from the wolf.
That wasn’t true.
It was true that her way would protect the village, but more importantly, it would protect Red.
If the villagers were hiding, they weren’t hunting. If they weren’t hunting, they would never figure out that the lair of the wolf was a wooden house and a bed covered with a homemade quilt.
So Granny sat in front of the barred door with her crossbow ready. She would shoot any enemy that entered her house. Her enemy was the hunting party, not the wolf that slept under a red cape.
*
Self-Made Man
Cross: Once Upon A Time/Suits
Word Count: 200
“What did your parents call you?” Mike asked.
Harvey shouldn’t have been surprised at the question. They had just found a recipient of an inheritance based upon a pet name. Harvey should have lied. He should have deflected the question, but he wanted one person to know that truth. Mike would never tell and he would never use it against him. “Bae,” he answered.
Mike blinked. He hadn’t expected Harvey to answer honestly. “Really? Why? What’s that short for?”
Harvey glared.
Mike ignored the glare and decided to press in a different direction while Harvey was answering questions. “Where were they from?”
Harvey smirked. Yes, he’d answer that. “They lived in a land far, far away.”
Mike huffed. “Are they glad that you’re a lawyer?”
Harvey thought about his father and his protectiveness and the family’s poverty. “I don’t know.”
“What do you think?” Mike pressed more. “Would they be glad you’re a lawyer?”
Harvey considered his father’s obsession with contracts and gaining power. How he wanted the best for Baelfire. Well, Harvey now had access to the best and he did it without much help from anyone. He had accomplished all this with hard work and without magic. “Maybe.”
*
Tickets to Success
Cross: Suits/Glee
Word Count: 1000+
Mike Ross had hoped that he would stop by Harvey’s office and the man would have left already. He had slaved over both Louis and Harvey’s grunt work and was ready to call it quits. Unfortunately, Harvey was in his office, talking intently on his cell phone. Donna was still at her desk with her phone against her ear, as well. It looked like she was on hold.
“What’s up?” He asked her, nodding at the senior partner pacing on the other side of the glass.
Donna was feeling magnanimous and answered. “A client couple is flying in tomorrow because they aren’t happy with a contract. They’re big Broadway fans and so Harvey wants to soften them up with two tickets to the hottest show, but the hottest show this week is one of the smaller theaters that suddenly got rave reviews. There aren’t any tickets to be had.”
“ ‘Dar Gee Ling’ or ‘Bombay Beach’?” Mike asked as he reached for his phone.
For once, he had managed to surprise Donna. “Dar Gee Ling.”
“Good show,” Mike remarked as casually as he could, considering he was gloating. “Well deserving of all the accolades it’s received.”
“You saw it?”
“Opening night.”
“How can you afford opening night tickets to any Broadway show?” Donna asked suspiciously.
“I write contracts and do taxes for a trio of up-n-coming Broadway stars. They pay me back in complementary tickets.”
“Call them,” Donna ordered.
“Shouldn’t I wait until I know whether or not Harvey can pull some out of his hat?”
“No, even if Harvey has some, yours might be better and Harvey will still owe you one.”
Mike decided to trust Donna’s instincts and found the phone number he was looking for. He dialed it, checking his watch. There was still a good hour before the first performance tonight, the singer should still be…
“Mike?” a lovely female voice answered suspiciously.
“Rachel,” Mike enthused. “I’m calling to tell you that you won the bet.”
“Oh,” Rachel sounded amused but willing to play along. “And what bet would that be?”
“The first of you three that I call begging for two tickets for another client.”
“There are no tickets available tonight,” she warned. “Not even for the star.”
“Don’t be silly. I don’t want tickets for tonight. I want them for tomorrow.”
Rachel muttered something and Mike was pretty sure it was Yiddish cursing. “I’ll see what I can do. Last I heard, we’re sold out ‘till March.”
“You’re the best. I knew our deal would someday score me more than a classy date.”
“I’d be more mad if you hadn’t written my contract so that I get a cut of the profit.”
“I’m the best,” Mike agreed.
“What name do you want to reserve them under?”
Mike turned to ask Donna but she already had the file out and was pointing to the name. “The Collis’s please. Cee-oh-ell-ell-i-ess.”
“Got it. I’ll text you the seat numbers in a minute.”
“Thanks again.”
“You’re welcome.” Rachel hung up on him without saying goodbye. Mike stared bemused at his phone.
“So she’s getting them?”
“Looks like.” He waved his phone at Donna. “I’m waiting for confirmation before telling Harvey.”
“Good plan. While you’re waiting, make your decision of what you want from Harvey before stepping into his office,” Donna advised. “Make it specific and larger than what he’s going to offer in return. And don’t tell him your source. You don’t want to get in trouble with the firm for doing work off the books.”
“I shouldn’t keep a favor in reserve?”
“Later, do that, but for this time, set the boundaries.”
Mike thought about it. “What should I ask for?”
Donna grinned. “How about dinner for you and your contact at a swanky restaurant?”
Mike brightened. “That’d be nice.”
“By the way, you owe me for all the good advice I’m give you.”
Mike was instantly wary. “Oh? Rachel’s not going to get me another set of tickets.”
“You owe me. I want two tickets for Bombay Beach.”
Mike winced. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Do,” Donna suggested.
Mike’s phone beeped and he looked at the text. He grinned. “Rachel came through.”
With an imperious and gentile flick of her wrist, Donna waved him into Harvey’s office. Harvey immediately glared at Mike, even though the tone of his voice didn’t change. Mike didn’t hide his gloating as he showed the older man the text. Harvey didn’t pause in his phone conversation as he grabbed Mike’s phone. He did lean around Mike to check with Donna that this was for real. Mike tried not to be insulted.
Harvey continued his conversation, but now he was extraditing himself without letting his contact know that he had another source. Mike couldn’t help but to be impressed and Harvey wrung another favor out of his contact for not fulfilling the current one. Finally he hung up his phone. He still hadn’t given back Mike his.
“Eighteen C & D?” Harvey read aloud. “How did you manage that?”
“I have friends,” Mike told him loftily.
Harvey’s gaze turned sharp. “Drug dealers?”
Mike snorted. “Not even close. They’d probably jump me and stage an intervention if I ever suggested it.”
Harvey nodded satisfied.
“So you owe me now,” Mike said.
Harvey’s face settled into his lawyer mask. “You think so? I don’t recall asking you for anything.”
Mike reached for his phone. “Donna could always use the tickets.”
Harvey pulled the phone out of reach. “But since they are available and already in the clients’ name, we might as well leave it be.”
“You owe me,” Mike reiterated.
Harvey waited, perhaps hoping that Mike would surrender in the silence.
Mike spoke first, but he wasn’t backing down. “Remember where I hosted my introductory dinner? I want dinner for two there, on you.”
“I want to meet your contact.”
“Not a chance.” Mike knew better than to start negotiations against this man. “Like I said, Donna will take them.” And they both knew that Donna would and would not turn around give them to Harvey for his clients. Not without extracting a lot more than a dinner out of Harvey.
“You wouldn’t use them yourself?” Harvey asked.
Mike shrugged. “Already saw it.”
Harvey finally returned Mike’s phone. “Agreed. Dinner for two at a swanky restaurant.”
“You are very welcome,” Mike said cheekily.
Harvey waved him away. “Get out of here.”
Mike left, whistling the chorus line ‘Dar Gee Ling.’ The best part of it was that Harvey couldn’t be sure as to the melody’s source.
*
A Mirror Doesn’t Reflect It All
Cross: Glee/Leverage
Word Count: 600
Spoiler for Glee Season 3 Episode 'Yes/No'
Finn took a deep breath and walked into the Army recruiter’s office. A different guy was sitting behind the desk. This guy was older. He was sharp like Ms. Sylvester but compassionate like Mr. Schue.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m here to back out of my contract,” Finn told him honestly.
The man nodded. “May I ask why?”
“I wanted to follow my father’s footsteps and now I know that my father was dishonorably discharged. And…”
The man leaned forward and had his hands ready on the keyboard. “Who’s your father?”
Finn blinked, but answered.
The man typed his answer and then started scrolling down.
“Can you find my dad’s file?”
The man smirked a bit. “I have help.”
“I didn’t think recruiters had access to that kind of thing.”
“Normally they don’t, but I’m here because the local records of soldiers don’t match the Pentagon files.”
“What do you mean?”
The man stared at him. “This is classified, you can’t repeat until it is reported by the newspaper. Not even to your mother.”
Finn nodded, eager to hear what this man’s words.
“Certain soldiers are listed in the Pentagon as honorably discharged or honorably KIA and have a stipend mailed to them or their families. Here, in this office, they are listed as dishonorably discharged and no money is being delivered.”
“Someone is stealing?”
“From both Uncle Sam and military families.”
“Is my father?”
The man nodded. “Your father is one of them.”
Finn breathed a sigh of relief. His mother had been telling him the truth as she knew it with both of her stories. He sat in the chair across from the recruiter and asked, “What can you tell me about my dad. Was he a hero?”
The man looked at him kindly. “Not as most civilians would consider. He was a decent soldier. Average. He didn’t excel. He was a supply officer. He made sure that the guys in his unit got what they needed when they needed it. He was in only one firefight and it looks like he didn’t even fire a shot. But afterwards, his reviews went from average to much better than average. The incident matured him. He had one black mark. It seems that he took a rather shady route to get some supplies to his unit. The kind that they needed. According to this, he was a team player. He took the black mark and didn’t complain though two in his unit sent in written recommendations to have the black mark removed.”
Finn worked hard to not cry in front of the recruiter. This was more than he had expected.
The recruit eyed him. “Why don’t you go home? Watch the newspapers and think about what you want to do. The Army works for some people who aren’t ready for college and it can teach you some skills, but like any other place, it has its share of… bad guys.”
Finn nodded like a bobblehead doll. “But my mom said that he was different when he got back. That it was because of drugs.”
The recruiter checked the file. “I can tell you this: your father never had a problem passing the random drug tests. But I’ll look around. Looking at your father’s death…. There’s a chance that your father got a hint of the same fraud that I’m investigating. That would distract anybody.”
“Oh.”
The recruiter waved him out of the office and Finn left. He thought that he might have heard the recruiter say, “Hardison…”
Finn turned to look, but obviously, the recruiter wasn’t talking to him anymore.
*