and from the cafeteria, the gym, and that’s it,” said Wendy.
“That is correct,” said Rice. “The rest of the base is out of bounds.”
“Shouldn’t be too bad. We’re only planning on being here for a day or two anyway,” mused Roy.
“I hope the food here is good,” said Wendy. “I’m all skin and bones these days. I need to put some meat back on this frame.”
Rice chuckled. “It’s too good. That’s why the gym is not restricted to you. If there’s nothing else I can do for you, I have to get back to work. If you need me, just pick up any comms device and ask for me by name. I’m never more than a couple of minutes away from you.”
“Thanks, Sergeant,” said Roy.
Wendy glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Since it’s near lunch time I say we go for a walk and check out the dining facilities.”
Tarina shrugged. “I could use a decent salad.”
“Salad! After all we went through? This base is in Canada; I’m hoping they have that meal they have with french fries, gravy, and cheese on it.”
“It’s called poutine,” explained Roy.
“Whatever it’s called, I want a plate full of it and nothing else.”
Tarina smiled. She had been worried that after her experience in the prison that Wendy would have become withdrawn. Instead, the opposite was true. She was more outgoing than she had ever been. Tarina hoped that her friend wasn’t overcompensating and would crash to the ground as an emotional wreck.
“Is it a healthy meal?” asked Angela.
“Nope,” said Roy. “It’s the polar opposite of healthy.”
“Then why eat it?”
Wendy took Angela by the arm and led her out of their room. “I want it because it’s bad for me, that’s why.”
Chapter 16
The secure video conference between Sheridan, Cole, and Oshiro lasted less than five minutes. They were released from custody and quietly escorted from the ADF Headquarters by a military police major who apologized profusely to Cole for ten minutes straight about the soldier who butt-stroked him in the face. Cole shrugged and didn’t give it another thought. The officer had sent some of his men to pick up their packs from their hotel. After what had happened earlier in the day it was deemed too dangerous for them to be seen on the streets. For blocks around the headquarters, a house-to-house search for anyone who could have abetted the insurgents was underway. As they left the base via a side gate, they were given their gear. The major gave them his emergency contact number in case they ran afoul with the authorities again.
They waited a few minutes before melting in with a group of off-duty soldiers. They walked along until they came to a small restaurant a couple of kilometers from the base where they took a seat in a secluded corner so they could talk in private. After their server had taken their order, Cole brought out the dead men’s wallets and room cards.
Sheridan picked up one of the cards and examined it. “Atlantis, isn’t that the name of the floating city halfway between here and Sardinia?”
“It sure is. Have you ever visited one of these floating cities before?”
Sheridan shook his head. “Have you?”
“My ex and I spent a week at one off the coast of Brazil when we first got married. It was quite the place. Our room was below sea level so we got to see fish swimming by our windows. The place was entirely energy self-sufficient.”
“I guess that’s our next stop. We’ll have to arrange transport over to Atlantis. It’s probably too late in the day to book a flight.”
Cole checked the flight times on his watch. “There’s an airship leaving from Rome at six tomorrow morning.”
“Book us a couple of seats.”
“Already done.”
Sheridan picked up one of the wallets and emptied it on the table. There were several fake IDs, each with a different name and nationality on it, and a credit card that still had five hundred and ten credits on it. The other wallet contained the same items
“That is correct,” said Rice. “The rest of the base is out of bounds.”
“Shouldn’t be too bad. We’re only planning on being here for a day or two anyway,” mused Roy.
“I hope the food here is good,” said Wendy. “I’m all skin and bones these days. I need to put some meat back on this frame.”
Rice chuckled. “It’s too good. That’s why the gym is not restricted to you. If there’s nothing else I can do for you, I have to get back to work. If you need me, just pick up any comms device and ask for me by name. I’m never more than a couple of minutes away from you.”
“Thanks, Sergeant,” said Roy.
Wendy glanced up at the clock on the wall. “Since it’s near lunch time I say we go for a walk and check out the dining facilities.”
Tarina shrugged. “I could use a decent salad.”
“Salad! After all we went through? This base is in Canada; I’m hoping they have that meal they have with french fries, gravy, and cheese on it.”
“It’s called poutine,” explained Roy.
“Whatever it’s called, I want a plate full of it and nothing else.”
Tarina smiled. She had been worried that after her experience in the prison that Wendy would have become withdrawn. Instead, the opposite was true. She was more outgoing than she had ever been. Tarina hoped that her friend wasn’t overcompensating and would crash to the ground as an emotional wreck.
“Is it a healthy meal?” asked Angela.
“Nope,” said Roy. “It’s the polar opposite of healthy.”
“Then why eat it?”
Wendy took Angela by the arm and led her out of their room. “I want it because it’s bad for me, that’s why.”
Chapter 16
The secure video conference between Sheridan, Cole, and Oshiro lasted less than five minutes. They were released from custody and quietly escorted from the ADF Headquarters by a military police major who apologized profusely to Cole for ten minutes straight about the soldier who butt-stroked him in the face. Cole shrugged and didn’t give it another thought. The officer had sent some of his men to pick up their packs from their hotel. After what had happened earlier in the day it was deemed too dangerous for them to be seen on the streets. For blocks around the headquarters, a house-to-house search for anyone who could have abetted the insurgents was underway. As they left the base via a side gate, they were given their gear. The major gave them his emergency contact number in case they ran afoul with the authorities again.
They waited a few minutes before melting in with a group of off-duty soldiers. They walked along until they came to a small restaurant a couple of kilometers from the base where they took a seat in a secluded corner so they could talk in private. After their server had taken their order, Cole brought out the dead men’s wallets and room cards.
Sheridan picked up one of the cards and examined it. “Atlantis, isn’t that the name of the floating city halfway between here and Sardinia?”
“It sure is. Have you ever visited one of these floating cities before?”
Sheridan shook his head. “Have you?”
“My ex and I spent a week at one off the coast of Brazil when we first got married. It was quite the place. Our room was below sea level so we got to see fish swimming by our windows. The place was entirely energy self-sufficient.”
“I guess that’s our next stop. We’ll have to arrange transport over to Atlantis. It’s probably too late in the day to book a flight.”
Cole checked the flight times on his watch. “There’s an airship leaving from Rome at six tomorrow morning.”
“Book us a couple of seats.”
“Already done.”
Sheridan picked up one of the wallets and emptied it on the table. There were several fake IDs, each with a different name and nationality on it, and a credit card that still had five hundred and ten credits on it. The other wallet contained the same items
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