“Right.” I added, “I think there were a few things missed on that case.”
“Yeah? And you’re going to get it straight?”
“I’m trying. On my own time.”
He thought about that awhile, then said to me, “Koenig wouldn’t tell me why you were in deep shit. He told me to ask you. I think this TWA thing is the reason. What do you think?”
“That’s probably it, Captain. They get all weird about that case.”
“Corey, why do you stick your nose where it doesn’t belong?”
“I’m a detective.”
“Yeah, I’m a detective, too, sport. But I follow orders.”
“What if they’re not lawful orders?”
“Don’t pull that John Jay shit on me. I’m a lawyer. I have more bullshit in my little finger than you have in your whole fucking body.”
“Yes, sir. What I mean is-”
“Did anyone tell you directly not to poke around that case?”
“Yes, sir. Liam Griffith. At the memorial service. He was there for some reason. But I don’t work for Liam Griffith. Therefore, his order-”
“Yeah, yeah. Okay, listen up. I like you, Corey. I really do. But you’ve caused me a lot of problems in the short year you’ve been here. You get away with some shit because, one, you’re a contract agent, two, you were wounded in the line of duty, twice. Three, you did a good job on the Khalil case. And four, and I mean this, you’re good at what you do. Even Koenig likes you. Well, he doesn’t like you, but he respects you. You’re an asset to the team. And so is your wife. People like her, even if they don’t like you.”
“Thank you.”
“But you’re a loose cannon. You’re not doing her career any good. You have to start behaving. Or you have to leave.”
It looked like I was getting off easy, but I smelled something bad and it wasn’t just Stein’s cigar. I said, “Well, if you’re asking for my resignation-”
“Did I say that? I gave you a choice of getting yourself under control or resigning. Is that such a hard decision? Just tell me you’ll be a good boy. Come on. Tell me.”
“Okay… I’ll…” Change the subject. “Captain, I can’t believe they didn’t tell you what this was all about. Maybe I’m confessing to the wrong thing.”
“What else have you done wrong?”
“I play video poker on my government computer.”
“Me, too. You know Chaplain Mike Halloran? You know him, right? The priest.”
“Yeah, he-”
“Here. He taught me something. Look.” Stein raised his hand with the cigar in it and made a little waving motion. “All your sins are forgiven. Go and sin no more.”
And I thought
“I got a few more things here.” He shuffled around his untidy desk and said to me, “I got an assignment for you. This is straight from Koenig.”
“Speaking of which, Kate is talking to him right now.”
“Yeah. I know that.”
“Does he want to see me?”
“I don’t know.” He found a manila file folder and opened it. I hate when people do that.
He said, “You remember Mission: Impossible?”
“Uh… not very well. I’m an X-Files guy.”
“Yeah. Well, this is Mission: Impossible. How’d that go? Your mission, if you choose to accept it… like that. Right?”
I didn’t reply.
He looked down at the folder and said, “You following this shit about Aden?”
I hoped he meant the bartender at Dresner’s.
“You up on this?”
“As a matter of fact, I am. Ambassador Bodine has barred John O’Neill from returning to Aden because he wasn’t behaving. Personally, I think-”
“She’s full of shit. That’s what I think. But that doesn’t leave this office. Anyway, as you probably know, we got some people over there-FBI and NYPD task force guys. Well, they’ve requested a few more.”
“There’s probably enough there now.”
“That’s what Bodine said. But O’Neill got permission to send a few more in exchange for him getting kicked out and not making a fuss.”
“Bad deal. He should make a fuss.”
“Career Feds do what they’re told. Anyway, Koenig has recommended you to join the team over there.”
“Where?”
“Aden. Port city of Yemen.”
“Is this for real?”
“Yeah. It’s right here. This is considered a hardship assignment, so the good news is that this will give your career a big boost.”
“That’s really good news. But I’m not sure I deserve this.”
“Sure you do.”
“How long is this plum assignment?”
“Couple of months. I mean, the place really sucks. You speak to any of the guys who’ve been there?”
“No.”
“I did. It’s like a hundred twenty degrees in the shade, but there is no shade. The good thing is that there’s a woman behind every tree. But there are no trees. The hotel’s nice, though. We got a whole floor in a nice hotel. The bar is okay, according to these guys. You can’t take women up to the rooms either. But you’re married, so that’s no problem. Also, unmarried sex is a capital offense, punishable by beheading. Or is it stoning? I think she gets stoned to death; you get your head chopped off. Anyway, you’ll get briefed over there. You should pay close attention.” He added, “This is a good career move.”
“For who?”
“You.”
I replied, “As tempting as this sounds, I’m afraid I have to take a pass.”
Captain Stein looked at me through his cigar smoke, then said, “We can’t force you to take this assignment.”
“Right.”
“It has to be voluntary.”
“Good rule.”
“But I have the feeling if you don’t take it, your contract may not be renewed. I mean, I can’t say that because it sounds like coercion.”
“I wouldn’t interpret it as coercion. Sounds more like a threat.”
“Whatever. Hey, it could be fun. Take the job.”
“I teach two courses at John Jay. I need to be there on the Tuesday after Labor Day. It’s in my contract.”
“We’ll try to get you back in time. Talk it over with your wife.”
“I can tell you right now, Captain, I’m not going to fucking Yemen.”
“Did I mention the extra pay? And ten days administrative leave when you get back? Plus the annual leave you build up over there, and you got a real vacation.”
“Sounds great. I can think of a few married guys with kids who need the money. If there’s nothing further-”
“Hold on. I gotta tell you a few more things that can help you decide.”
“Look, Captain, if you’re going to tell me that my wife’s career will be screwed up if I don’t take the assignment, then that’s unethical and probably unlawful.”
