to transport this woman in an open jeep, do you?'
Rayford shook his head. 'You really think we'll surprise 'em?'
'Only briefly. The gate guard will let them know brass is coming.'
Rayford popped a U-turn and headed for the entrance. The guard at the gate asked him to state his business. 'Just chauffeuring the deputy commander here.'
The guard stooped to get a look at Albie, then saluted. 'An appointment with whom, sir?'
'Stephens, and I'm late, if you don't mind.'
'Sign here, please.'
Rayford signed 'Marvin Berry,' and they were waved on.
As they entered the front office, a woman at the desk was listening to a strange Voice over the intercom. It was high-pitched and nasal, and Rayford couldn't tell if it came from a man or a woman. 'A deputy commander to see me?' the voice said.
'Yes, Mr. Stephens. I checked the name with the GC database and the only Marvin Berry employed by us is not in Peacekeeping. He's an elderly fisherman in Canada.'
'I smell a rat,' the voice said.
So it's a man, but what's the matter with him? Rayford wondered.
'One moment, sir,' the woman said, standing when she noticed the deputy commander behind Rayford. 'Is your name Berry?'
'Berry's my driver,' Albie barked. 'Look up Elbaz on your computer. None of my family knows how to fish.'
'Mystery solved, Mr. Stephens,' the woman announced over the intercom. 'The gate guard had the driver sign.'
'Incompetent!' Stephens's weird voice sang into the squawk box. 'Send him in!'
'The guard?'
'The deputy commander!'
She pointed to the first door on the left down a short hallway, but when Rayford moved to follow, she said, 'Only the deputy commander, please.'
'He's with me,' Albie said. 'I'll clear it with the boss.'
'Oh, I don't know.'
'I do,' Albie said. He stopped at the door and knocked.
'Come in,' came the disembodied voice.
'Come in?' Albie repeated in a whisper. 'Is he going to be embarrassed when he realizes he didn't open the door to a superior officer.'
Albie pushed the door open, stepped in, and hesitated, causing Rayford to bump into him. 'Sorry,' Rayford mumbled. He could not see Stephens, but he heard the whine of an electric motor.
'Forgive the lack of protocol,' came the voice as Stephens's wheelchair rolled into view. Rayford was taken aback. The man had one leg, the other a stump just above the knee; his right hand had small protrusions in place of fingers, and the other hand, though whole, had clearly suffered severe burns. 'I'd stand, but then, I can't.'
'Understood,' Albie said, hesitantly shaking the man's partial hand.
Rayford did the same, and they followed Stephens's gesture to two chairs that filled the small office. What was it about the face? Stephens's neck was permanently red and scarred, as were his cheekbones and ears. He was clearly wearing a toupee. Except for the lips, the middle of his face – chin, nose, eye sockets, and the center of his forehead – seemed all of one piece, the color of a plastic hearing aid.
'Don't know you, Elbaz,' Stephens said, almost like a man with no tongue or no nose. 'You, Berry, you look familiar. You GC?' 'No, sir.'
'I'm here on business,' Albie said. 'I don't have a hard copy of my orders, but – '
'Excuse me, Deputy Commander, but I'll get to you. You got a minute?'
'Well, sure, but-'
'Just give me a minute. I mean, I know you outrank me and all, but unless you're in an unusual hurry, bear with me. Your story checks out. I'll give you all the help I can on whatever you need. Now, Berry, were you ever GC?'
Rayford, disconcerted by the wasted body and the voice, hesitated. 'No, uh, no, sir. Not Peacekeeping anyway.'
'But something.'
'I didn't mean to say that.'
'But you did. You were GC connected some way, weren't you? You look familiar. I know you or of you, or I'll bet I know a friend of yours.'
Albie gave Rayford a look, and Rayford quit talking. Regardless of the question, Rayford merely stared at the man, racking his brain. Where would he have run into a Pinkerton Stephens, and how could he forget him if he had?
'I was a whole man then, Mr. Berry. If that's your real name.'
Rayford grew more uncomfortable by the second. Had they been set up? Would he ever get out of here? And what of Hattie? Albie seemed to have stiffened and was no more comfortable than he.
Stephens cocked his head for one more lingering glance at Rayford, then turned to Albie. 'Now then, Deputy Commander Elbaz. What might be your business with me?'
'I've been assigned to take custody of your prisoner, sir.'
'And who told you I had a prisoner?'
'Top brass, sir. Said the subject was uncooperative, that some plan or mission failed, and that we were to return her to Buffer.'
'Buffer? What's that?'
'You know what that is, Stephens, if you are who you say you are.'
'Doesn't make Sense that half a man would be in a leadership role in the GC?' Stephens said.
'I didn't say that.'
'But it doesn't add up, does it?'
'Can't say it does.'
'Never saw another like me in the ranks, have you, Elbaz?'
'No, sir, I haven't.'
'Well, I'm legit whether you like it or not, and you're going to have to deal with me.'
'Happy to, sir, and when you check me out, you'll see that everything is in order, and-'
'Did I say I was housing a prisoner here, Deputy Commander?'
'No, sir, but I know you are.'
'You know I am.'
'Yes, sir.'
'Buffer is a female rehab facility, sir. Were you under the impression I had a female incarcerated here?'
Albie nodded.
'Does this look like a detention center to you?' 'They take different forms during different times.' 'Indeed they do. Is there a reason, sir, why you did not greet me with the new protocol?'
'I've been having trouble remembering that, Mr. Stephens.'
'Indeed? Do you realize, sir, that you have a smudge on your forehead?'
Albie jerked. Rayford felt a chill. A GC Peacekeeper could see Albie's mark? Things tumbled into place so fast that Rayford could barely keep up. How much had been compromised? Albie knew everything!
'I do?' Albie said innocently. He swiped at his forehead with his palm.
'There, that's better,' Stephens said. Albie slowly moved his hand until it rested on his side arm. If only Rayford had one.
'Gentlemen,' Stephens enunciated carefully past his awful sound, 'if you'll do me the kindness of following me, I'd like us to start over in a new room. This time we'll begin with the proper protocol-what do you say?'
He rolled past Rayford and Albie, reached for the door, swung it open, and sped through before it slammed on him. Albie rose and grabbed it, and Rayford followed him down the hall. Albie unsnapped the strap that held the 9 mm in its holster. Rayford wondered if he had time to peel off and get out the front door to the van before Albie
