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It was nice to be out as himself for a change, just Major, in his regular clothes, sitting in a nice restaurant.

The restaurant was basically empty, so he took the best table, near the window, and sat there quietly looking out over the city. It was beautiful. Seen from up here, it was peaceful, too. No evidence of the chaos and turmoil that roamed the streets.

A woman approached his table—the one Ravi had sent him for. Clarissa Bates. "Sorry," she said, pleasant but not friendly. "Have you been helped?"

Major offered her a smile. "Saw that it was kind of slow and I just sat myself." A martini was placed on his table and he lifted it to his mouth, sighing. "I needed this."

"Rough day at work, Commander?"

He met her eyes, feigning surprise at being recognized—in fact, he had counted on it—and smiled.

Clarissa smiled back, apparently having decided to make nice. "I have a TV. I've seen the head of Fillmore Graves before."

"They're all rough days," he admitted, wishing he was lying. Or exaggerating. He paused, then met her eyes. "I could use some company?"

She hesitated, then nodded. "I don't usually do this, but as you say … it's kind of slow." Taking the seat across from him, Clarissa nodded across the room at the bartender, and a martini appeared in front of her as well. "You want to talk about it, Commander?"

"Please. Call me Major."

"Major, then. And I'm Clarissa."

"Nice to meet you, Clarissa."

"So … you want to talk about it, Major?" She smiled. She was really quite beautiful. This might be the most pleasant assignment he'd ever had.

"I probably shouldn't. A lot of my job is based on pretending everything is all right, all the time."

"And yet, you're here. Alone. Asking for a stranger's company. That says you need to get something off your chest. Doesn't it?"

Major smiled. "I suppose it does." He sighed, looking out across the city, then turned back to Clarissa. "You have no idea what a drag Fillmore Graves is. Day in, day out, one thing after another, and it never gets better." He decided it was time to lighten the mood—they were getting too close to the actual truth. Making a face, he added, "And the hat. Ugh." He offered her one of his more charming smiles. "I mean, the temptation is always there. I could get myself out of the city if I wanted to. But …"

"You'd still be a zombie."

"Yeah. I mean, nothing against zombies—I just miss being alive." That, too, was mostly the truth. Some days. When he had time to think about what he missed. He held her gaze, letting just a hint of sex show in his eyes. "There is a lot of stuff that I really miss the taste of."

Clarissa froze, sizing him up. "You know—"

Major held his breath, wondering if it could really be this easy.

Then she leaned forward and lowered her voice. "I might know someone who might have access to a cure."

He lifted his eyebrows in surprise, and looked around to see if anyone was watching them. As he would if he hadn't expected her to say just that. Maybe not quite so soon.

"But—it's expensive. Like, really expensive."

"That's not a problem."

"I'll have to meet with the guy to check."

Major nodded, smiling a little.

Clarissa smiled back. But then she looked up at him again. "There's just one catch."

He waited.

"You'd have to take me with you."

Not entirely expected … but not entirely unexpected, either. Most people would jump at the chance to get out of New Seattle. "Hardly seems like a catch." Taking a pen and his card out of his pocket, he wrote down his personal cell number and handed it to her.

Hours later, he met with Ravi in his office. "So, she met with her guy." Turning his laptop around, he showed Ravi the program that detailed all of Clarissa's movements since their drink earlier.

"Honestly, it creeps me out that you can now fit a tracking device inside a business card."

"Yeah. Best thing about being the head of a private mercenary force? The toys." He studied the screen. "I don't know. This little trip into south Seattle kinda sticks out to me."

"Right. So … what now? Recon?" Major didn't respond and Ravi immediately went into twitchy mode. "That is the word. 'Recon'. Right?"

"Recon is indeed the word." He got up and grabbed his jacket, grinning at his roommate. "You were right. This is a nice change of pace."

"Right?"

"Let's go save some kids."

They went home and changed into what Ravi called "recon clothes", and took an unmarked Fillmore Graves car to the place in south Seattle Clarissa had gone. Major watched it with binoculars for a few minutes, but there was no sign of life. "Well, abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Place does indeed look suspicious. Oop," he added when someone came out the door of the warehouse. "Well, and that guy does look like a child smuggler. So. Park the car where they can't find it, then come around the back."

The guy from the warehouse had gotten into his car and was driving off. Ravi nodded nervously.

Major led the way, over fences, from cover to cover, with Ravi awkwardly hurrying after him. His roommate was not built for secrecy.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Ravi asked, panting with the exertion.

"You stay here, keep an eye on the entrance." Having Ravi with him would both slow him down and distract him. "Text me if you see any more cars coming. I'll go around, recon the front."

"Whoa, why can't I do recon?"

"'Cause I'm a trained mercenary soldier, and you're a medical examiner." He produced his sidearm. "And only I have one of these."

"Wait. What if there's more guys?"

"There's no cars."

"What if they hid them? Like we did. Or took public transportation, or—"

"I did show you this, right?" Major brandished the gun again. "You're the lookout! Just … look out."

Ravi nodded. "Yeah." But he didn't look convinced.