"William W Johnstone - Ashes 32 - Destiny in the Ashes (txt)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Johnstone William W)

morning, as his team members filed into his office. He'd called a staff
meeting to discuss the latest intel on recent happenings in the USA.

Mike Post, his XO and Chief of Intel, took his customary seat next to
Ben's desk, while Buddy Raines, Ben's son and heir to his command, sat
on his left.

Cooper, known as Coop, was the next to enter, followed closely by
Jersey, Ben's bodyguard. Coop had his left arm in a sling, courtesy of
the final shoot-out in Mexico City a few months before.
The rest of Ben's team filed in and took seats around the large office,
sprawling in comfortable chairs and sofas in no particular order.

After they were seated, Ben glanced at Coop's arm, then at Dr. Larry
Buck, who'd taken over the previous year for Dr. Lamar Chase.

"Buck," Ben said, a wry smile on his lips, "how's Coop's arm coming along?"

Buck looked over at Coop and shook his head. "I can't understand it,
Ben. All of the tests show the arm to be completely healed, but Coop
still complains of stiffness and pain."

"Coop?" Ben asked, his eyebrows raised.

Coop assumed a pained look on his face. "I don't know,

8

Ben," he said, moving the arm around in his sling. "It just doesn't feel
right yet."

"Hah!" Jersey exclaimed, a look of derision on her face. "Coop's just
playing it up to the hilt, Ben. He knows you've ordered us all to
undergo extensive training exercises to keep in shape between
hostilities, and he's using that old wound as an excuse not to run the
obstacle course."

"I think a little refresher course in hand-to-hand combat might be just
the thing to get the stiffness outta that arm," Harley Reno said,
smiling at Coop.

"Aw, Ben," Coop complained, looking injured. "They're not being fair. I
think it just needs a little more physical therapy and it'll be good as
new."

Jersey's eyes narrowed. "Is that what you call it?" she asked. "Having
that big, buxom Swedish nurse over at sick call rub around on you all day?"

"It is therapy," Coop said, glaring at Jersey. "Just ask Dr. Buck."