Code of Honor

75

So,” Cathy said, her head resting against Ryan’s chest. “I still can’t get my mind around the fact that Michelle Chadwick was never a spy.” She smelled like peppermint and Dioressence. A good pairing, Jack thought.

“Nope,” he said. “A true-blue patriot… who still hates my guts.”

Cathy patted his stomach. “I love your guts.”

“Means a lot, Doc,” Ryan said.

“What’s Father Pat thinking, going back to Indonesia?”

“That’s the way callings are, I guess,” Ryan said.

“Terrible about PFC Geddis,” Cathy whispered.

Ryan breathed deeply, feeling guilty for being in his comfortable bed while he spoke of such sacrifice. “I know. Sounds like he put himself in danger so the rest of his squad could get safely off the rope.”

“And now Ding’s son is joining the Marine Corps?”

“I know,” Ryan said again.

“I’ll bet Patsy’s freaked about it,” Cathy said.

“And proud,” Ryan said. “I talked to John on the phone. Apparently, JP has been talking to him a lot lately about becoming a SEAL. He thought the Marine Corps would get him ready.”

“How is Ding?”

“Concussed,” Ryan said. “But too hardheaded to have much damage.”

Cathy scoffed. “If that were the case, you’d be bulletproof. And the computer tech? How’s that going?”

“Cyber Com believes they have all the copies located,” Ryan said. “Or at least how to patch against it. China is sure to have extra copies on hand. Who knows… The damned thing could be hiding in my phone at this moment.”

“Don’t joke about that.”

“I wish I were joking,” Ryan said. “Even if we got it all, it’s only a matter of time before someone develops something better… or worse. AI is the future of… well, the future.”

He and Cathy got to talk like this so rarely, he enjoyed their back-and-forth volleys. It was like playing tennis in bed with a beautiful half-naked woman.

“What about that horrible man who came to the clinic with General Song’s family?”

“Tsai?” Ryan said. “No idea. Back in China, I suppose, being the same horrible man.”

“Too bad,” Cathy said, pooching out her lips, no doubt thinking of what she’d like to see happen to the rude little Communist minder.

She rolled onto her back, using her head to fluff her pillow. “Thank you for letting me help a little.”

“Are you kidding me?” Ryan said. “Your help was key.”

“Maybe.” She turned to him again, restless, unable to lie still. She touched the point of his chin with the tip of her delicate finger, the sure finger of a surgeon. It was something she did when she wanted to get her way — when all she really had to do was show up.

“I have an idea,” she said. “You should consider letting me get involved with all your palace intrigue a little more often.”

Ryan took her hand in his. “These fingers give people back their sight. You should take care of them, not work them to the bone with counterespionage.”

“Is that what you call what I did?” Cathy nestled her head against his chest again, which still made his heart race after all these years. “I was thinking it was more like diplomacy.”

“Tomato, tomahto, spycraft,” Ryan said.

“Well,” Cathy said. “I really enjoyed it.” She pulled back slightly so she could look up at him, her lips inches from his face. “It made me feel… like you.”