“Yes, sir.”
“Has anyone else got any questions for Sergeant Colbert?” Cronley asked.
There came shaken heads, a chorus of no’s and uh-uhs.
“Okay, Sergeant Colbert, let’s give it a try,” Cronley said. “You can consider yourself a member of DCI from right now. What is that officially, Freddy?”
“Military Detachment, Directorate of Central Intelligence, Europe, APO 907,” Hessinger furnished.
“Sir?” Sergeant Colbert said.
“Yes?”
“Sir, with respect, I have conditions. Before I’ll agree to be transferred to DCI.”
Now, what the hell?
“Conditions, Sergeant?” Cronley asked unpleasantly. “Before you ‘agree to be transferred’? You don’t have to agree to being transferred. I decide whether or not that will happen.”
“Sir, with respect. Would you want me in DCI if I didn’t want to be here?”
Turn off the automatic mouth or you really will say something stupid.
“What sort of conditions, Sergeant?” Lieutenant Colonel Ashton asked.
Cronley saw Schultz flash Ashton a withering look, and then he said, “She has a point, Jim.”
“What sort of conditions, Sergeant?” Cronley asked.
“Just two things, sir. I’d like permission to wear civilian trian
gles. And if you’re issuing what I guess could be called special IDs, I’d like one of those, too. I suppose what I’m saying—”
“That will not pose a problem,” Cronley said. “We’re all aware that it’s easier to get things done if you’re not wearing rank insignia. And that ties in with what I said before that in the DCI authority is based on your job, not your rank.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
“You said ‘two things,’ Sergeant.”
“Yes, sir. I’d like to bring three of my girls with me.”
What?
Her girls?
Jesus Christ, she’s a dyke!
“Excuse me, Sergeant?”
“They want to get out of the ASA house . . .”
That she was queer never entered my mind!
Until just now.
So much for that intuition bullshit we were just talking about!
“. . . and not only will they be useful here, but they’ll be able to keep an eye on anything going to or from Washington,” Sergeant Colbert went on, and then stopped, and then went on again, “It’s not what you’re thinking, sir.”