Fortress

42

Aaron Stutz, chairman of Oryxis, came towards them: late fifties, balding, grey suit, dark blue tie, round wire-rimmed glasses, reminiscent of the US bureaucrats Tom used to see in the Green Zone, the ones who wore suit jackets over their body armour. He wondered if Skip’s miraculous facial-recognition software would work on Stutz. His face was so uniform and featureless; surely it couldn’t be picked out from a crowd. Nonetheless, he had to have something unique about him: everyone did. He cracked a brief, almost subliminal, smile and held out a chubby hand. He might have looked like a Central Casting average corporate animal but the small blue eyes blazed with intelligence. ‘Welcome to Texas, Tom. It’s good to have you here.’

Stutz glanced briefly at the screens and shook his head. He had evidently heard the last part of Skip’s informal presentation. ‘Please forgive the boy’s… enthusiasm. His work gets him so carried away he forgets his manners. So, you’re gonna be Vernon’s new recruit? Congratulations. Vernon is a very dear friend of mine, so you can believe me when I tell you he has no greater admirer than myself.’

Recruit? That wasn’t how Tom saw it. ‘Well, let’s say I’m just here to do my bit, for the moment.’

Stutz put a hand on Tom’s shoulder and guided him away from Skip towards the door. ‘We just got the news about the bomber. How’s that for timing?’

Tom frowned. ‘In what sense?’

Stutz smiled grimly. ‘The folks you’ll be speaking to tonight, they know you guys are on the front line over there. They know what’s wrong and what it’s gonna take to put it right. You’re among friends.’

Tom was mystified. He nodded while he digested this and struggled to find some appropriate reply. ‘Well, that’s good to know.’

Stutz clasped Tom’s arm. His grip was surprisingly firm. ‘Vernon’s lucky to have people like you around him, men he can count on.’

‘Thanks for the compliment, but I’m pretty new to this.’

The grip tightened. ‘I’m familiar with your story. So believe me when I say how deeply I feel your anger about what happened in Afghanistan with that ANA asshole. Don’t forget, we’re grateful for your service alongside our people.’

Stutz’s cheeks had started to go an alarming purple colour.

Skip’s pictures of Delphine, and now this. Tom felt as if he was being sent a covert message. We know a lot more about you than you’ve bargained for, so watch it.

He held Stutz’s gaze. The door he had tried to close on Afghanistan had just been wrenched open again. But what was Stutz’s agenda? The best way to find out, he reminded himself, was to play along, for now. ‘Well, thank you for acknowledging that. I appreciate it.’

Stutz’s face began to ease back from purple to light plum. ‘Son, I’m getting the feeling we’re gonna get along real fine.’