“Sir?” Janeesha’s voice sounded timid.
Daniels checked his watch. “Janeesha, I assume you’re calling because Corporal Hatcher is standing outside my door, ready for disciplinary action.”
“No, sir.”
Daniels allowed himself the pleasure of grinding his teeth for just an instant. In the most sickly sweet and condescending voice he could command, he said, “I want you to disregard anything else, Janeesha. Do you hear me? I don’t care if the whale just washed up in your office and spit out Jonah. You better have disciplinary papers for me to wave under Corporal Hatcher’s nose when he finally deigns to show up.”
“But, sir? I’ve got—”
“No buts, Janeesha. I want it made a matter of record that I’m a different kind of commanding officer than Colonel Ryan. To make that point, you will immediately cease what you are doing and follow my instructions. And if you don’t, you, along with Corporal Hatcher, will know exactly what it means when Major Daniels gives an order.”
“But, sir—”
“Like I said, no buts! You have your orders. You don’t so much as call me back until those papers are finished. And not a moment before! Understood!”
“Yes, sir.”
He slammed down the phone.
Janeesha, face pale, carefully replaced the headset in its cradle. She looked up, eyes wide, at Staff Sergeant Myca Simond, then at the frantic, wild-eyed helicopter pilot. Behind him two EMTs, rubbing their wrists, might have been on the verge of shock.
“He says he won’t even take another call until I finish some paperwork.”
“He what?” Simond bellowed.
“His orders were explicit. He won’t deal with this other thing until I’m finished.”
“And that will be how long?”
“About fifteen minutes if I hurry, Sergeant.”
But when she tapped in the keystrokes to access the document templates to create the forms, the system promptly locked up, the enigmatic words, “’Bye for now!” filling her screen.
Fifteen minutes would prove incredibly optimistic.