Red Phoenix Burning by Larry Bond & Chris Carlson

Author:Larry Bond & Chris Carlson [Bond, Larry]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Larry Bond & Chris Carlson
Published: 2016-03-16T07:00:00+00:00

26 August 2015, 2130 local time

Operation Backstop Headquarters, Munsan Refugee Camp

Outside Dongducheon, South Korea

Cho Ho-jin found Kary back at her “office” in the headquarters tent. Although there were always people working, it was quieter after the dinner hour, and it gave her time to think and plan for the next day.

Kary’s office consisted of a table with two folding chairs. A cardboard box under the table held a few items she worked with and several hard-copy printouts she still had to read more carefully. Her badge of authority, a cell phone with Kevin Little’s number already loaded, lay on the corner of the desk. As sparse as her workspace was, it was prime real estate. Colonel Little’s office was just a few feet away.

She sat with two pads of paper on her lap. One had a list of tasks that needed to be done right away, and the second listed things that had to be done before the first list could be dealt with. She was tired, overstimulated, and wrung out. It was a different kind of tired than her recent all-night drive south with Cho.

But she also felt happy, and relaxed in a way she hadn’t felt since the coup in the North had begun. Barring stray missiles or rogue dinosaurs, she was physically safe, the people she was taking care of were safe, and she could work to make things better.

And her latest phone call with her father had gone very well. It was her third or fourth, and while she was telling him about the camp and her work, he was telling her about her cousin’s wedding plans. It was several months off, and she might be able to attend.

She knew other people talked to their families like that all the time, but her anger at her father, turned sideways, had kept her away from the family member closest to her. Kary could be stubborn. She understood that part of her personality. She had Cho to thank for breaking the logjam.

The words on the paper swam, and she shook her head to clear it. At some point, she’d have to go back to the tent she shared with three other women and sleep, but her mind whirled with thoughts that needed to be captured before they flew away. Then she could rest.

Cho came into the tent. She waved and offered him the other chair. Sitting, he reported, “Cheon Ji-hyo just came out of surgery. I spoke with the doctors, and they said there was very little work left for them to do.” His smile broadened. “Gam Sook-ja and the children said to thank Fowler-seonsangnim for saving their mother’s life again.”

Kary sniffed. “And of course, you had nothing to do with that.”

Cho ignored her. “I helped Gam put the kids to bed, and came to find you.”

“I wish I could have been in the surgery. Did they have to . . .”

Cho held out a hand. “I deliberately did not ask for details. The surgeon is looking forward to speaking with you tomorrow, and he will tell you everything, using words I would not understand.

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