Canvas Skies (Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great!) by S. L. Wallace

“Is the
food here any good?”
    She raised her arm and waved in the
direction of the bar. A man behind the counter, Tony perhaps,
immediately sent a waitress. Keira placed an order for me without
consulting a menu.
    “You've been here before.”
    She shrugged. “This is my part of town.”
    The man behind the bar continued to watch
us. I scanned the room. A lean yet muscular fellow was looking at
us too. When my gaze lingered on him, he turned away, back toward
his drink. Apparently, Eberhardt wasn't the only one watching out
for Keira today. Although Tony's was a seedy tavern, I sensed that
Keira was safe here, with or without backup.
    “Who's he?”
    Keira followed my gaze. “Oh, that's Cole.
Excuse me.”
    I stood and helped her from the booth. When
I sat back down, I noticed Eberhardt was staring at me, but I
couldn't read his expression.
    “What is it? Do you know who he is?”
    He nodded. “He's a drug dealer – has
connections with the military and the Elite. At least, I assume
it's the same Cole. I didn't realize Keira was involved in all
that.”
    “She's not.”
    We watched as Cole reached out and gave her
a hug. Keira leaned in and returned his affections. Eberhardt
looked like he wanted to say more, but I shook my head.
    Keira returned to our booth. “Something is
definitely wrong. Cole knows a lot of important people. Some of his
military contacts have stopped calling, not just from Special Ops
either. And some of his friends and neighbors have disappeared too.
It backs up what my other source said.”
    “What about his Elite customers?” Eberhardt
asked.
    She raised her eyebrows. “You know
Cole?”
    He nodded. “I know of him.”
    “No change there.”
    I threw out an idea. “Maybe they're not
being abducted. It's possible they're choosing to go in for
testing.”
    “And why would they do that?” Keira
asked.
    “Well, we know how it's done with the
military. Soldiers have to sign all those waivers just to join, and
once they're in, there's no going back. So as far as the Gov is
concerned, it's legal to test soldiers, even if we believe it's
unethical.”
    “But it's not just us!” Keira interjected
before I'd had a chance to finish. “By worldwide standards it's
unethical! That's why it's illegal.”
    “I agree, but by passing laws, signing
treaties and using other official means, the Gov attempts to make
the unethical, legal. Do you see what I mean?”
    She nodded slowly.
    “So if they're cutting a deal,” I continued
with my original thought, “it wouldn't take much to get some people
to sign on, would it?”
    “You mean if they think they don't have
anything to lose?” she asked.
    “Or money to gain.” She was catching on. I
hesitated and then asked, “How do you know Cole?”
    She didn't answer. Instead, she picked up
her apple and twisted the stem this way and that.
    Eberhardt stood. “I need another drink.” He
left just as the waitress arrived with my food.
    I thanked her and returned my attention to
Keira. “I wouldn't think less of you. Sometimes people do whatever
they can to escape, and you've had plenty of reason.”
    “I've never used drugs. I already told you
that.” Her focus remained intent upon the apple. “When I needed an
escape, I couldn't afford them, and once I could, I no longer
needed them.”
    “Then how do you know Cole?”
    “You shouldn't be asking me that.”
    But I needed to know. I reached for her
hand, and she finally looked into my eyes. “He's from your
past?”
    She nodded, and her jaw clenched.
    “Did he ever hurt you?”
    “No, never.” Her voice was breathless. “Why
do guys always assume that?”
    So that's who he was, but I still needed to
hear it from her. “Keira, nothing you share about your past will
change how I feel about you. You know that, right?”
    She closed her eyes. “Cole is who I used to
run to when I needed a safe place to stay.”
    And she'd paid him in the only way she
could. I took a breath and steadied my