“Understood, Major.” He disconnected and scowled. Senator Kinsey had nearly pulled the rug out from under him once before. It couldn’t be a coincidence that his son was snooping around, no doubt looking for a story. The “public” face of the Complex did provide the occasional tour for the interested (and usually high-ranking) civilian, but it was always scheduled well in advance and Pace made sure that Hammond was fully informed. Hitting him out of the blue this way was a violation of their agreement: Pace provided cover and no nasty surprises, and Hammond provided… no nasty surprises. The difference was that Hammond pretty much knew exactly what kind of surprises Pace could come up with, while Pace had absolutely no idea what he was being sheltered from. It was another reason Pace didn’t like the arrangement. Barely hesitating, Hammond got up and left his office, heading toward the upper levels of the mountain. It wasn’t quite time yet for his official appointment, but that was just too bad.
