During the first week after Team Azrael reported to Middletown, Cortin
got her men assigned quarters and the personal vehicles they were
authorized, then made arrangements for them to have unlimited access to
the Elysian Gardens, the city's most exclusive--and equally
expensive--joy-house. The proprietor was reluctant--her ladies were
accustomed to New Pennsylvania's nobles and gentry, not common
troopers--until Cortin, with considerable hidden amusement, paid
generously in advance, and promised bonuses if her men were pleased.
She also offered the Base Commander her services as priest and
Inquisitor. He preferred to retain the base's civilian chaplain, but
did accept her other offer, promising her all the work she could want.
With that done, Cortin discovered that time went by very slowly when
you were part of a group that had to conceal its mission, yet remain
independent and assert special privileges.
Her work helped ease the boredom for her, and she took advantage of
some of her spare time to ease more by practicing her driving. She'd
never been in a car before her trip to the Academy, hadn't driven one
until Strike Force training. It had been frightening at first, but
she'd come to like it, and Odeon encouraged her. Since she no longer
had the consolations of sex, he said, she really ought to make full use
of what she could enjoy--and after all, a tank of gasoline wasn't much
more expensive than an evening at the Elysian Gardens.
She was pleased when, midway through the second week, Degas asked to
join her on one of her after-work drives. She'd known from their first
meeting that something was bothering him; it was about time he got
whatever it was out of his system. He was silent as she drove them
through town and past the Ducal Palace, but when they got to open
country, he asked her to pull over. She did so as soon as she found a
shady spot, and turned to him. "What is it, Tony?"
Silently, slowly, he drew his pistol and held it to her, butt-first.
"You may want to use this."