"On second thought, you can join Elise's men," the general replied in a clipped tone.
Lana smiled faintly, meeting Brady's gaze again. Her brow furrowed in guarded curiosity as he stared at her. Brady looked away, aware she didn't know him from any other man.
But he knew her now, and she was beautiful.
"Do you talk, sir?" she asked him.
"Not much since being strung up by a savage at the bottom of the mountain, ma'am," Dan replied for him.
Her gaze shifted to the purple ring around Brady's neck before she returned to her microcomputer.
"Oh," she breathed, stopping midstride.
"What's wrong?" the general demanded.
"Arnie," she replied, paling. "Excuse me, sir."
"Take Elise."
She broke into a quick trot. Brady watched her, doubtful the sort of mayhem that occurred on the compound was as dangerous as that they'd encountered on their trip up the mountain. A moment later, Elise darted by with a hand laser in her grip, disappearing between the same buildings.
The general was quiet as he escorted them to one of the squat buildings and inside. The sterile scent tickled Brady's nostrils. He lowered Dan into a chair outside the doctor's quarters and was about to sit for a breather when the general slapped him on the arm.
"You all right here, soldier?" he asked Dan gruffly.
Dan nodded.
"Come with me, Major."
Brady straightened and winked at Dan, who rolled his eyes in response. The general's stride quickened as he exited the medical facilities towards the direction both women had gone.
"Damn civilians," the general muttered. "This one's a piece of work. As loony as they come."
The general motioned to a greenpod, and they squeezed into the small vehicle. It moved silently and quickly down the winding road through the forest. He heard the shouts before they reached the helipad atop a cliff overlooking a valley.
A man stood near the boulders hedging the cliff, crazed as he flung his arms around and screamed. His face was red, his voice hoarse from shouting. Brady recognized him-he was another high-ranking politician in the President's cabinet. Brady stepped from the greencar, not expecting the amount of brass and rank on the secluded mountaintop.
Elise was there, one hand aiming the laser at the raging man with the other hand planted on Lana's shoulder to prevent her from entering the potential line of fire. Two more black-clad protective service members with weapons drawn stood nearby, one a safe distance behind the lunatic and the other near the cliff.