Interpreter #14

"When you own a big chunk of the bloody third world, the babies just come with the scenery"

Kayla didn't wait for the discretion of close quarters.

We're on "go". By weeks end...

Xino nodded, allowed a polite embrace.They started back towards Kayla's waiting Lincoln for what he knew would be an interesting ride. At least - he thought, as Kayla's man moved from the to open the doors - we'll be warm.

***

She was yaking away full speed even as Xino ducked into the Lincoln:

I'm bringing the skin changers back to see to this. Most of command will be stateside for the next seven days at least. You and Best figure out logistics with the Mech. We don't need the ass or the grunts, so ask Neccas what he's gonna do, his call. If he doesn't feel good about going without his precious Interpreter tell him to split up and dig in. All the names and faces go through you. No docs. No reports.

She let by a moment to for the plan-change sink in, then continued without waiting out the reply:

I want Cort for Gildge Sr, probably the sister as well. A-Group want erasure for ALL principles. I'm taking the brother myself, I want you and Speed to answer the phone as the other names come up. That end is yours, and I'll handle Cort and the brother. AG says seven days.

After it's done?

I don't know, we'll see...

And you're taking the field? How long has it been?

It hasn't been. What you don't know can't hurt me.

I smiled:

That's encouraging. Was it just the Gildge people?

We've had people tracking it for a week now and so far, yes. If it stays that way...

Silence completed the thought. Three minutes later he was back standing outside, freezing once again.

***

He was still weighing her words 20 minutes later, riding in the back of his own comfy Towne Car.

Kayla Bowman tended towards hyperbole, but A-Group had been cleared for D-Day operations for almost a month. Things would be moving soon regardless of security leaks. Was this it? Finally? For a few seconds he basked in the possibilities, but soon he found every heady thought begat a host of strategic questions that he'd yet to answer in his computer models and simulations.

He knew she'd have a plan and he knew it would be risky. Working with Kayla dictated it would be fashioned in his absence and then laid out for him to tweak. After that Kay would readjust as she saw fit before oscar mic swept the entirety of A-Group into whatever lay on the opposite side of it's ultimate, successfully completed mission.

It would work, he knew, no matter what. Even so, the prospect of success didn't leaven the risks or the enormity of the task. When the mission went, the planet - it's people and places and everything in it - would be cast Into play. It was a lot to think about, especially with at least three more innocent citizens who would die to get it done.

Xino had no qualms about murder in general. Killing was his game, and he played it well, erasing game-pieces for the CIA, Naval Intelligence, A-Group, and whoever else could meet his usually stratospheric price. A hit on innocent civilians for the simple crime of receiving an email was something else again. Of course, this late in the game he'd no real choice. He'd carry out the order, tell himself nobody is truly innocent, keep his eyes on the prize and hope judgement - when it came - would favor his side.

***