“Fuck! I know that sound. Are you the one who did that to her? I’ll fucking hunt you down and kill you, slowly and just as painfully.” That’s when the memory connected. US Air Force Colonel Vicki Taser Cortez, a war criminal according to Major Jon Swift’s files. A former member of Miranda’s team.
Another call tried to beep into the background.
Susan made several attempts to get in a word edgewise, but couldn’t think of what to say between the torrent of abuse, the noisy beeps of the incoming call, and Miranda’s undiminished howls.
An instant after the second phone call stopped trying to get through, Susan’s own phone began to ring.
At a loss for what to do, she tossed Miranda’s phone still connected with Taz to Holly, then answered her own.
“Commander Piazza here.”
“Are you airborne yet?” She recognized the voice this time.
“No sir, General Nason.”
“What the hell is that noise?” The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs sounded almost as annoyed as Taz had.
How the hell was she supposed to explain this?
“Piazza?”Drake’s voice ground out.
“I’m…not sure, sir. Miranda appears to have reached her limits.”
“Fuck! What did you do to her?”
“Nothing, sir.”Christ in heaven,who wasn’t on this woman’s side?
“Ask her—Shit!No, that won’t work, will it? Piazza, fix this. You have less than two hours to deliver her to Brunei. And she does no one any goddamn good in…” he paused as if listening to the sounds of Miranda’s pain, “…this state.”
Then he hung up, clearly pissed as hell.
Holly hung up on Taz at about the same moment. Then she stalked over until they stood inches apart.
“I was gone under fifteen minutes, Piazza, what the fuck did you do to her?”
Susan took the one step that placed them toe-to-toe and shouted in Holly’s face.
“I. Didn’t. Do.Any!Fucking. Thing.”
Holly studied her long enough for Susan to wonder if she was about to die. Then her shoulders sagged.
Though they stood so close, Susan could barely hear Holly’s whisper.
“Well…shit.”