369: Sticky Fingers

Sticky Fingers

Now, I am not saying that I picked this mug for a specific reason, and I am not saying I didn't. But the extra-large travel mug with a demon coming out of the fiery pit of Hell saying, 'Touch my coffee, and I will drink it from your skull,' was pretty appropriate.1

Especially since the energy boost that Perky had given me also seemed to have left with her. I was now tired and done with the day. And I had just gotten up.

"Good morning," said the commander as he walked inside my RV. "I see everyone is up," he continued, looking straight at me. Yeah, the man had a death wish, one that I was more than happy to indulge.

"Good morning, Commander," smiled Liu Wei as I took a sip from my mug. This is why I let him be in charge for the day. Look at how good he was pretending that he didn't want to rip the man's spine out. Or maybe I was just projecting my feelings onto him.

I guess we will never know.

Liu Wei turned to me for a moment and raised his eyebrow. Ah, yes, the man was more than aware of what was going through my mind right now. Handy that.

"What can we do for you?" continued Liu Wei, turning his attention back to the commander.

"You can start by telling me where the Admiral is," grinned the commander, like he was in some big secret. Something told me that he wasn't in on the really big secret, so whatever he thought he knew, he didn't.

"You know, that is something that I always found funny. You admit that Wang Chao is an Admiral, but then in the same breath, you insist that you know his location. Are you unaware that you are several ranks below the Admiral and, as such, shouldn't be able to demand shit from him?"

I had really thought that out of all four of us, Liu Wei would have been the most laid back to deal with the commander. But apparently, I read that wrong. Liu Wei was definitely tearing into the man and managed to do it with a smile on his face.

"Now. You have requested our aid in your mission. Because Admiral Wang understood that it was a matter of national importance, he agreed to help you. But make no mistake; this was supposed to be your mission, which you screwed up—and needed outside help to complete. All of this will be recorded in your permanent file. Do you still wish to know where the Admiral is?"

"I didn't think that there were even permanent files anymore, Captain," said the commander with a smile that I just wanted to smack off his face. Maybe I should have kept Perky around for longer. She might have helped me get through the next few hours.

"If there aren't permanent files, then what are you doing?" demanded Liu Wei as he went to sit down beside me on the couch. "Or are you trying to say that there is no longer a military that records Conduct unbecoming of an Officer?"

I had to smirk at how well my man was handling the situation.

"Of course, there is still a military," sputtered Commander Huang Nian Zu. "As long as Country K is standing, there will always be a military looking after its best interests."

"Then who has given you the order to get the device, and what are your plans once you have it?" pressed Liu Wei.

"You are not cleared to know that," snapped the commander, not happy about being pushed back into a corner. He had seen nothing yet.

"I am the private secretary for Admiral Wang of Country K Navy as well as General Wang of Country K Ground Forces. I have more security clearance than you. Nice try," said Liu Wei, still maintaining the smile on his face. I would fully admit it was hot to watch him bitch-slap the other man into his place.

"The Leader has personally requested the device," said Huang Nian Zu through gritted teeth.

"And where is the Leader?" asked Liu Wei, neither accepting nor denying his response.

"In City A."

"Then why haven't you requested our help to escort you to City A? I mean, it is quite the distance now. A lot of things can happen between here and there. You wouldn't want to be responsible for losing a device that the Dear Leader has asked for. Especially not one that is so important."  The commander's gaze shot over to Liu Wei, and his eyes narrowed into a glare.

"Just what do you know about the device?" he demanded, reaching for the gun that should have been at his waist. Unfortunately for him, I had taken leave to remove it from its holder. I was not going to have someone with a loaded weapon around one of my men.

"Probably more than you. Higher security clearance and all that," said Liu Wei as he leaned back and crossed his legs like he had all the time in the world.

The commander just glared at him. "Fine. This afternoon at 1300, you and three of my men are going to the last known location of the device, retrieve it, and hand it over to me for safekeeping. You understand that, right?" he said, giving up any sense of politeness.

"Understood," said Liu Wei, not at all bothered by how the other man was speaking to him. "But it isn't our fault if the device is not there. You understand that, right? I mean, it is at the bottom of the East Sea. Anything could have happened to it. Including being eaten by a fish." Liu Wei adjusted his glasses, not bothering to hide his smirk.

The commander let out a low growl that would have impressed any zombie. "My men will be there to make sure that no one has sticky fingers."

"We will be in a wetsuit. Pretty hard to have sticky fingers in one of those," interjected Liu Yu Zeng for the first time. He was resting both of his arms on the island behind him.

"There will be inspections before and after you get into the water."

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