Alone

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Sad.

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

Major Hernbeck was having a very bad day. The expected report from Osborne hadn’t come - in fact, *no* report from Osborne had come after he’d informed them the four pilots were there and had left to look for the fifth. Tillman was permanently stationed by the radio, bored out of his admittedly low-intelligence skull as he waited for reports that never came.

Now *she’d* come. Commander Une, the person he would have been thrilled to see there under any other circumstances. But not now, not when this - delicate - mission was going on. His attempts to impress her had so far left her as cold as when she’d arrived. The woman with her - some doctor? - and the other agents she brought seemed openly hostile. Perhaps they felt him a threat to their own positions? The thought buoyed his flagging ego.

He turned to her to try again, and found the cool eyes watching him with a sort of detached amusement. She’d insisted on using Chang’s office, for some reason he could not understand, had spent some time going over his desk, paperwork and computer. She’d smiled at some things that seemed to him perfectly innocent, and ignored others equally innocent. She and the doctor had especially been amused by the very small stash of chocolate tucked away in the back of a lower desk drawer.

He had not. He didn’t allow his agents to eat in their offices - well, not this agent. He overlooked anyone else. Some instinct for caution had kept his mouth shut, and he was glad, later, when Une had stalked through the rest of the building on a brief inspection tour, and others had been having lunch or sharing sweets without hesitation.

The sky was darkening with evening, and he felt it time to speak up again. Most of his suggestions had been calmly waved away, surely this one would be welcome?

“Commander? It’s getting late - would you care to have dinner? There are a few good restaurants in town - or we could have something delivered...” She was already shaking her head.

“My assistant has already taken care of that, Major.” She had found a new file on the computer, and now her eyes didn’t even bother to look at him. “Sally.” Her voice was suddenly insistent, and the doctor turned from her perusal of the small filing cabinet to lean over the desk. He wanted desperately to know what they were seeing, especially when their eyes narrowed and they exchanged knowing glances. If Chang was in trouble, he wanted in on it.

“Ma’am?” He stepped forward, daring to come around the edge of the desk. By the time he could see the screen the file was closed, and Une was leaning back. She ignored him.

“Dryson.” A burly agent came to immediate attention.

“Ma’am?”

“Bag the computer, take it to the shuttle and put it in lockdown. High security.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Before the Major felt like he’d had time to blink, the computer was in a clear plastic bag and vanishing out the door. He felt a desperate need to follow, to coerce that computer into his possession, or to send some trusted agents to ‘retrieve’ it - by any means necessary. Before he could move towards the door, the Commander called him back.

“Major.”

“Yes, ma’am?” He tried to keep the edge of desperation out of his voice. He wanted to *know* who that computer was going to get into hot water, Agent Chang... or himself? Was it something incriminating that they’d found? Couldn’t be - he’d had all the passwords on Chang’s computer disabled, did regular sweeps of it. There was nothing worth sweating over there. Anyway, Une was smiling at him for almost the first time.

“Still no word from my agents?”

“No, ma’am.”

She leaned back and steepled her fingers, gazing at him with sudden intense interest.

“Nor from your agent?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Why do you think that is, Major?”

He was saved from replying by his secretary, little mousy girl with big dark eyes currently full of surprise.

“C-Commander Une, ma’am... you have a ‘phone call. He says its... very urgent.”

“Name?”

“He... didn’t give one. He said, ‘02'.”

Une’s face lit up. “Excellent. Transfer it in here.”

“Yes, ma’am.” She skittered out the door, and Hernbeck turned to follow her. He’d long since had Chang’s phone tapped and was certain he’d want to listen in on this.

“Major.” That voice was not to be denied.

“Ma’am?”

“I didn’t give you permission to leave.”

“Yes, ma’am, but I need to...”

“Stay.” It was not a request.

He sat down.

Une picked up the phone, eyes suddenly alive with excitement.

“Une, here.”

He could barely make out the voice on the other end, and no words came through to his straining ears.

“Excellent.” .... “And condition?” .... “Yes, on standby.” .... “Oh, really? Interesting...” .... “Not a problem. I’ll have a mini shuttle there in half an hour.” .... “Right.” She reach the phone to the doctor, a strict warning in her eyes. Sally took it with trepidation, and turned her back, her voice a low murmur.

“Sally.” .... “List them, please.” .... “No, that’s good. Probably the best you can do, now.” .... “I have equipment waiting.” .... “All right. In half an hour.” She reach the phone back to Une, shaking her head at an unspoken question, and Une dropped it in the cradle without speaking again. Her gaze settled on the unsettled Major, amusement back in the depths of her eyes.

He waited for her to speak, to say anything about that call. She didn’t. She scribbled something on a paper, called again for one of her agents, and handed it over. They vanished to do whatever she had bid them, and she leaned back in Chang’s chair, stretched a little, and sighed.

“He has a habit of picking the absolute most uncomfortable chair in the entire building.” She said cheerfully, and the doctor laughed. Hernbeck frowned.

“Ma’am?”

“Chang Wufei. The agent whose office we’re invading? Always picks a straight chair. I think he considers slouching a weakness when he’s working.” Her tone was warm, affectionate. She had only spoken of Chang with her usual calm distance before, and now warning bells went off in his head.

“You... know him well, ma’am?”

“Of course. An honorable enemy, a wonderful ally. One of the five best Preventers I have.”

Sudden chills went down the Major’s spine.

“Oh... really?” His voice was weak.

“Really.” She turned back to her perusal of Chang’s small amount of paperwork with one final twinkle at him.