The Drill: M-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you.


Seven

"Specialist Parr has a report from the field."

"Those in charge of field patrol are supposed to bring in their own reports at the end of their shift."

"Parr claims that Sergeant Wilkins sent her before the end of afternoon patrol because the message couldn't wait," Marielle replied.

Elizabeth sighed. "Let her in."

"Captain." The specialist saluted. "I bring word from Sergeant Wilkins."

"I'm aware of that. What's so important that it couldn't wait until 1630?"

"My team found an encampment northwest of the wall."

"How far?"

"Nearly seven miles."

"Why didn't Wilkins come personally?"

"Sergeant Wilkins asked that I convey his apologies, but he wanted to check out the camp himself," Catherine recited. A little less formally, she added, "I was the one who saw the Ravenwood patches, so I was the one tapped for messenger duty."

Elizabeth felt the hair on her arms prickle slightly and unconsciously smoothed her sleeve. "Ravenwood works under contract to the Allied States government. If they have business with us, why didn't they come straight into town?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, Sergeant Wilkins didn't offer any theories. He just muttered 'Goetz' before he sent me into town."

Of course. Why wouldn't Goetz's buddies lay in wait for the perfect moment to exact revenge?

"Tell me, Parr, were all of the people you saw wearing Ravenwood patches? Were there any Jennings & Rall uniforms? Did anyone look familiar?"

"Private Howard said she thought she'd seen some of the guys walking around New Bern before, but she wasn't sure if they actually lived there, or if they were in town for other reasons."

Elizabeth nodded. "Go back and tell Sergeant Wilkins that I've given you orders to relieve him. If he hasn't placed his deputy in charge yet, inform him that he needs to do so because I want to see him on the double."

oOoOoOo

"About fourteen. I haven't had a chance to tally all of them, but it looked like six Ravenwood and nine private citizens. I can't say for sure if all of them are residents of New Bern; Private Howard and some of the others have confirmed the identities of certain persons, but the rest of the information will require extended observation."

With Marielle's help, Elizabeth had gathered the rest of the officers and found what was perhaps the only conference room in all of Jericho. Captain Shaughnessy and her lieutenants had assembled to hear Sergeant Wilkins's report and—with the exception of the unusual encampment—had yet to hear anything that concerned them.

"Dependent upon our final decision, we'll engage in an extended recon mission," Ruby declared.

"I have some thoughts on how to follow up to the reconnaissance operation, but I will wait to share them with you until we have further information, Sergeant," Elizabeth added.

"Any change in orders, ma'am?"

"None immediate. I will send Master Sergeant Bancroft or one of the officers when we've determined the finer details."

Sergeant Wilkins saluted and made a beeline for the exit.

"Care to share this brilliant plan with the rest of us?" asked a sharp-featured second lieutenant Elizabeth seemed to remember was called Chamberlain.

"The data we gather is likely to have one of two outcomes," Ruby interjected.

"That they have set out to ambush the city-state or that they intend to launch an attack on another entity," the captain finished.

"So it's a case of offense versus defense?" Lieutenant Harbor asked.

"For the time being." The assistant administrator glanced at her supervisor, who nodded.

"I do not recommend that you invent information," Elizabeth amended. "But I will not hesitate to say that they sooner that we get a handle on this situation, the better!"