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Christian glanced at the small cloth doll that was supposed to be Lily. “I wouldn’t mind being the one who kept him company a little more often.”

Which was something he would never have dared to admit to his sister. She’d never let him live it down.

DAVID

Of all his job obligations, personally meeting with specially picked soldiers was one of his favorites. It allowed him to interact with the men and women who had their boots firmly on the ground and worked with the rest of the base. Part of it, he knew, was nostalgia. Seeing the younger generation as they learned to navigate the world was fascinating. It also didn’t hurt that interacting with the younger military members allowed him to glimpse the changing ways of military life he might miss perched too high up.

Oscar Reyes was a good reminder of what David missed and what he was glad he avoided. An IED had taken half the man’s arm and made his hip only half functional. As far as Command was concerned, Reyes would have been a better fit behind some desk for the rest of his career. Barring that, he might have been given early retirement with all the pretty commendations that meant shit to a soldier like Reyes.

Which was precisely what David tried to get across to the man after they’d made it through all the expected pleasantries. Reyes had listened raptly, his dark eyes searching David’s face constantly. Reyes waited until David finished his professional speech before replying.

“No offense, sir, but I’m sensing a ‘but’ somewhere in that explanation,” Oscar said.

And therein lay the problem. He’d hoped to bring Oscar into the fold, placing him beneath Philip and inching him into the man’s position. The problem was Philip was still being stubborn and dragging his heels.

David let out a slow breath, keeping his voice steady. “You would be correct. Currently, the position is occupied.”

“Then, why am I here?”

Like he’d tell the man there was little more to the problem than politics. Soldiers like Reyes kept their heads down and away from the constant politicking and maneuvering that happened so often in the upper echelons of the military. David himself had been just like that when he’d been younger, and while he hadn’t lost that attitude, necessity had forced him into the game all the same.

Damn it.

“Because once matters have settled, the position will become a vacancy,” David promised.

The large man raised a brow as though expecting to hear something else. The truth was David wanted to lay the entire story out to him and let the man make an informed decision. The problem with politics was that David couldn’t be sure he could trust everyone. While he had high hopes for the sort of person Reyes would be if he was given a chance to take Philip’s place, David would have to wait before indulging the man’s curiosity.

Oscar nodded. “Yes, sir. But that still doesn’t tell me why I’m here now.”

Direct. He liked that.

David nodded. “You’re here now because there’s no point wasting away at home or your family’s home. While we’re waiting for the vacancy to open up, I can easily find somethingfor you to do. For the moment, I’m sure you can help out here in the office.”

“Pure desk work,” Oscar said, his voice tight with disdain.

He could remember the first time he’d been placed into an administrative capacity and how much he’d hated it. David had sworn up and down he would never be any good at pencil-pushing. Yet, despite that, he’d found a way to make it work. A good administrator in the military was a good leader, and a good leader could take the shittiest circumstances and make them work in their favor. Considering Reyes had already proven himself a capable field leader, David hoped he would find a way to navigate the safe, though not necessarily peaceful, deskwork.

General Winter chuckled. “You’ll get used to it, and it’s a perfect place to be if you’re going to learn how things work around here. It’ll give you a feel for working Stateside. We’re a little less chaotic here.”

“Not sure I know what to do without a bit of chaos,” Oscar said.

“You’ll find plenty. As much as we in the military like to make a big fuss about regimen and order, we’re still people, and chaos follows in our wake. Perhaps by working at the center of it, you’ll have a better idea of what you’ll need to do once I can put you in your proper chair.”

If there was anything he’d learned about juggling everything on the base, it was that he was never short of chaos and confusion. Everywhere he looked, something demanded his attention or his direct intervention. Maybe with Reyes eventually at the helm of Operations, David might be able to take a breath.

To his relief, Oscar let out a sigh and gave a nod. “Yes, sir. When do I begin?”

“You can start in a few days. Give yourself a chance to look around first and rest after moving across the country.”

“Yes, sir,” Oscar said.

David smiled, checking his screen. “Ah, right, and just as a formality, do me a favor and report to the clinic on base as well. I require all newcomers to go in for a check-up, no matter how recent their last examination was.”

“Yes, sir,” Oscar said with a curt nod.

It was as good a time as any to end the conversation. Reyes had been dragged across the country and was expected to settle in quickly. Having been the one to order that and follow it up with unsettling news, David felt he owed the man a break.

David stood. “Then I think that about covers everything. You’ll have a couple of days to find your feet, maybe see the sights a little. But I’ll need you in here on Monday at 0700, got it?”