“Tomorrow?”
My phone buzzes and I glimpse at the message. Fuck’s sake.
Caliste: If you show up at the office tomorrow, I will send Rodney to kick your ass. Get the damn surgery.
“You told Cal?” I ask as though it actually surprises me. Hint: It doesn’t.
“Had to bring in the big guns,” he answers breezily. “And it’s not like I’m waiting for insurance approval. Dr. Tamashiro is raring to go and has plenty of the skin matrix to work with and I’ve already got the knee joint. We just need you.”
I look out my window over the green belt that surrounds the building, feeling like I’m about to jump out of an airplane. But this time it feels like I have a parachute…and a bunch of people waiting for me on the ground.
“Guess I’m getting the knee-skin replacement combo then.”
“Shit, dude, this is awesome. Gear up because we’re about to change your life.”
20
Odd
Those motherfuckers think they’resosneaky. They forget that I have people on the ground and ears everywhere. Or that Hedy sees more than they realize and is not as filtered as they’d have hoped.
Hedy:Hey, Anders and Dr. T are prepping for DB—that’s awesome! I thought you were going to be in Houston though?
Odd:What?!
Odd:DeShaun’s having the surgery?
Odd:When?
Hedy:Shit.
Hedy:Ignore this text.
Hedy:Don’t tell them I fucked up.
Odd:Never, gorgeous. Thanks for the heads-up.
Hedy:Sigh. This is why I stick to recruiting and analysis. I’d trip and give the Russians the nuclear codes.
Hedy:Tomorrow.
Odd:
I’m flooded with a weird churn of pissed-off and anticipation, so I dial up Thane before I think about it too much.
“S’up, Odd?”
“I’m not going to make it to Houston, boss.”
“Is everything okay?”
“DeShaun and I figured our shit out, but now I have to kick his ass a little, and it’s more important than the Houston recon.”
“I take it you know about the surgery.”
“Did he fucking tell everyone but me?”
“No. It came in on the alerts.”
