Edge of Honor Read Online Free PDF Page A

, under his thumb.”
    Turner’s fingers beat a tattoo on her desk in a well-known signal. They were about finished with the subject. “If I understand what you’re telling me, we’re seeing some new mix of the political and criminal leaders of Russia. What exactly is the threat stemming from all this? Are there any domestic implications for us?”
    “I’m not exactly sure,” Mazie replied.
    “At best,” Serick said, “it means a legitimization of criminal activity.” He snorted. “Nothing changes in Russia.”
    Turner recalled that morning’s discussion about Russianorganized crime and Yaponets. “Mazie, keep on top of this and talk to the attorney general.” She paused. Mazie was one of her most trusted advisors and was obviously concerned about the situation. As president, did she need to do more? She turned to the vice president. “Sam, next week—” Her voice trailed off.
    Sam Kennett laughed. “I’ll add Poland to my European vacation.”
    “No one,” Serick grumbled, “goes to Poland for a vacation.”
    The Hill
    Zeth Trogger led Maura, Pontowski, and Sarah from Quarters One to Lusk Hall, the administration building. She set a slow pace for Maura O’Keith and patiently answered Sarah Turner’s endless questions about NMMI. Zeth’s answers were right out of the Parents’ Handbook and Pontowski smiled. “What class are you in?” he asked.
    “Third Class, sir,” Zeth answered. She was a senior in high school.
    “Why did you pick NMMI?” Sarah asked.
    “My dad’s an alumnus and I always wanted to come here.” She gave the little girl a serious look. “It’s a tough school. My Rat year was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
    Pontowski studied the cadet. Zeth Trogger had beautiful green eyes that flashed with intelligence and spirit. An eighteen-year-old on the cusp of womanhood, she was definitely feminine and curvy. But she wore no makeup and her only concession to femininity was her long hair. She walked with the confidence of an athlete. “Sports?” he asked.
    “I’m on the soccer team,” Zeth answered.
    “I didn’t know you had a women’s soccer team at NMMI.”
    “We don’t,” she answered. She led them to the superintendent’s office on the second floor. She held the door for them to enter and then waited outside.
    General McMasters ushered Maura to a seat at the largeconference table while Pontowski held a chair for Sarah. The little girl beamed at him, reveling in the courtesy. Nelson Day, the commandant of cadets and a retired Army colonel, joined them and sat next to Maura. “Well,” McMasters began, “we do have a problem here.” He turned the meeting over to Colonel Day who was responsible for cadet discipline.
    Day quickly reviewed the basics. The two Rats in question were in the same squad and had taken an instant dislike to each other, mostly because Mr. Pontowski was not as well coordinated and as strong as the others and slowed the squad down. Animosity had flared and the two boys finally decided to settle their differences in a more direct fashion. The other cadets had cooperated and helped them sneak out of their rooms in Hagerman Barracks late at night. Somehow, they had gotten into the Tunnels of NMMI, which were really little more than a series of interconnected basements between the barracks and adjoining buildings.
    “How did they get past the Secret Service?” Maura asked.
    McMasters shifted into a bureaucratic mode. It was the way he covered his impulse to smile at what the cadets had done when he had to be the disciplinarian. “Well, the Secret Service is embarrassed.” He described the security arrangements in detail. “They were geared for intruders, not for cadets going into the Tunnels from the inside. We’ve already fixed that.”
    Maura kept shifting her gaze to Pontowski. “General McMasters,” she said, reading the discussion right, “I know you’re worried about losing your most famous student, but this sounds to me like a