view showed they had no objection to working for an Inquisitor.
Quite a number of people objected to even working near an Inquisitor,
for which Cortin supposed she couldn't blame them--she'd been
apprehensive about Inquisitors herself, not all that long ago--but
since all the teams would have Inquisitors, it semed reasonable to
assume that those who couldn't work with them at all would have been
removed from consideration.
Her first interview was the following day with the medic, a nun
transferred from St. Ignatius to St. Thomas by her Order, at her
request. Cortin rose as the young woman in sky-blue slacks and
shirt--the Blue Sisters' field habit--entered. Sister Mary Piety was
as attractive as her photo indicated, but there was an air of stress
that hadn't shown there. From her records, Cortin thought it was
probably the residue of her mistreatment by the Brothers--well, she'd
find out. She introduced herself and gestured the nun to a chair, then
took her own seat. "I know what's in your records, of course, Sister;
I just want to get to know you as a person, and let you know me well
enough to decide whether or not you can work for me. So relax; I only
hurt criminals."
"I understand, Captain." Chang studied the woman in Enforcement gray,
puzzled. There was something about Captain Cortin that reminded her of
the Raidmaster--but in Cortin, it wasn't frightening. It wasn't even
mildly disturbing, the way she usually felt around an Inquisitor; if
anything, it was reassuring, even comforting. "What do you wish to
know?"
"Well . . . it puzzles me that when you reported the attack on the
clinic, you always called Shannon 'the Raidmaster', never by name. I
admit he's frightening, but that much?"
"I was not aware then that he used that name," Chang said, hiding her
irritation. "Nor is it fear that keeps me silent. I tried to tell the
troopers, but I was unable to say his name--or to describe how I
discovered his identity."
"No offense intended," Cortin said mildly. "Your report said he'd
forbidden you to tell, yes--obviously with more than words."
"That is true, Captain," Chang said, mollified. "Though I have found
that almost as difficult to describe." She smiled tentatively. "It
may be as well I have such difficulty--were I able to identify him as I
know him, I would not be believed."
"If you ever feel able, I'll believe you. He qualified me for Special
Ops and the Strike Force, too." Cortin
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