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Back Angels of Vengeance Save as PDF
Chapters (68)
  1. Blurb
  2. CONTENTS
  3. Dedication
  4. CHARACTER LIST
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. TWO MONTHS LATER
  60. ONE YEAR LATER
  61. TWO YEARS LATER
  62. FOUR YEARS LATER
  63. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  64. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  65. Also by John Birmingham
  66. ALSO BY JOHN BIRMINGHAM
  67. Copyright
  68. Cover

‘The bloke over here now who wants to kill you, you mean?’ Pappas grinned. ‘I’m afraid that unless I can make some headway,’ he added, holding up his notes, ‘we’re going to have to go with our original plan. Put you out there. Let them try. And hope we can reach out and grab them before they put a bullet in the back of your neck, or a bomb under your arse. How’s that sound?’

‘Spiffing.’

36

TEMPLE, TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION

To the aide’s credit, his cheesy grin didn’t freeze in place and shatter when Colonel Murdoch went upside his head. Tusk Musso looked as though he was about to have a litter of kittens, but if anything, McCutcheon’s smile beamed even wider and sunnier than before.

‘Ma’am,’ he said, ‘I’m sure you’re exaggerating. We do take security very seriously over at Fort Hood. I had to stop at two checkpoints myself coming here. That’s why we invited you down – we have a real security problem.’

The two men lowered themselves into their armchairs as one of the off-duty enlisted arrived to take Caitlin’s drinks order. In many ways, it was a very informal bar based on the honour system. A large pickle jar full of newbies watched by what she assumed was an off-duty sergeant ensured that it would remain honourable. Soldiers and civilians could and did walk behind the bar to get what they were looking for, holding it up for the non-com’s approval before dropping their coin into the jar. The drinks were free, government salvage, but the tips went to the staff.

‘I think I saw a bottle of Highland Park back there. If I could get one of those with a single ice cube, that’d be great,’ she told their waitress. ‘And in a decent glass, please, the crystal. If you’re gonna drink well, you should treat your drink well.’

Musso and McCutcheon both called for resupply on the beers and the female soldier disappeared to fill the order. At the far end of the room was a massive media wall. A pair of Rangers sat on recliner lounges with game controllers in their hands, firing at some sort of alien on the sixty-inch plasma. Thank Christ they wore earphones. Two other men worked around the room picking up the empties and polishing the tables down.

‘Is this on the duty roster?’ she asked.

‘Yep,’ said Musso. ‘Probably the most popular duty we have. I’ve always been surprised that it’s worked as well as it has.’

Caitlin returned her attention to the fixer-in-chief of the Blackstone administration, fixing him with a gamma ray stare.