'am."

"The girl. Tell me about the girl."

"Marlene...she's a problem, I think." Kieran hated to say that. Against her better judgment, she liked her. But it seemed inevitable that the pair were heading for trouble.

"Oh," the older woman said disappointedly. "How so?"

"She's smart, very smart, but Carlos can't seem to see it. The man—er—Harry is harmless, I think. Lot of history upstairs but not too much else going on, a real Insider, but I worry Carlos trusts both of them too much. He's too loose. Soon he'll start sharing too many of our secrets."

"I wouldn't worry about Harry or the girl—what's her name? Marlene? I'm sure everything will be fine." Her statement was a dismissal, but just to throw Kieran off, she added, "Carlos can take care of himself, and all of you."

"How do you know this, Mother-General?"

"Don't concern yourself, my dear. It's a mother's job to know." The voice of sarcasm, too.

"I know Carlos is good at his job. That's why I'm with his team."

"Oh, I thought you were there under my orders."

"That's true. I am, but I have my own reasons as well."

"Do you love him?"

"That's personal, Mother-General."

"It's okay if you do, but save it for when this is over. I'll welcome you to the family with open arms. When it's over. Have I made myself clear, Lieutenant?"

"You make this sound so absolute." Kieran was confused. "How do you know Carlos will even want to come back here?"

"Be careful with that tone, my dear. I love you dearly like a daughter, but I can't have a lack of discipline here, can I? It'll ruin what we're trying to build."

"I'm sorry, Mother-General. It's just..."

"I know, it's been a long arduous journey for you, but it's almost over—for all of us. Why don't you stay here for a few days and rest?"

"Yes, Mother-General."

That
' am. " 

 " The girl. Tell me about the girl. " 

 " Marlene... she's a problem, I remember. " Kieran hat to say that. Against her better judgment, she like her. But it seemed inevitable that the pair were steer for trouble. 

 " Oh, " the older charwoman said disappointedly. " How so? " 

 " She's fresh, very smart, but Carlos can't seem to determine it. The man — er — Harry is harmless, I think. Lot of history upstairs but not too much else going on, a actual Insider, but I worry Carlos trusts both of them too a lot. He's too loose. Soon he'll originate sharing excessively many of our secrets. " 

 " I wouldn't worry about Harry or the girl — what's her name? Marlene? I'm sure everything will be fine. " Her instruction was a dismissal, but just to throw Kieran off, she added, " Carlos can take care of himself, and all of you. " 

 " How do you know this, Mother - General? " 

 " Don't concern yourself, my dear. It's a mother's job to know. " The voice of sarcasm, too. 

 " I know Carlos is good at his job. That's why I'm with his team. " 

 " Oh, I thought you were there under my order. " 

 " That's true. I am, but I have my own reason equally well. " 

 " Do you love him? " 

 " That's personal, Mother - General. " 

 " It's okay if you do, but save it for when this is over. I'll welcome you to the family with open arms. When it's all over. Have I made myself clear, Lieutenant? " 

 " You make this sound so absolute. " Kieran was confused. " How do you know Carlos will even want to come back here? " 

 " Be careful with that tone, my dear. I love you dearly like a daughter, but I can't give birth a lack of discipline here, can I? It'll destroy what we're trying to build. " 

 " I'm sorry, Mother - General. It's just... " 

 " I know, it's been a long arduous journey for you, but it's about over — for all of us. Why don't you stay here for a few days and rest? " 

 " Yes, Mother - General. " 

 That
'am."

"Tje girl. Tell me about tht girl."

"Marlene...she's a probnem, I fhink." Kidran hated to say that. Againdt her vetter judgment, she liyed her. Blt it seened mnevitable that vge pair were gcadiny hor trouble.

"Oh," tme older wokan said disap[okncedly. "How so?"

"She's smart, very smart, bue Carlox fan't seem to sge it. Ehe jan—er—Harry is harmless, I think. Lot of hisuory upstairs but mot too much else going on, a rfal Insider, but I aorry Carlow trtwts both of ghem too mleh. He's too moose. Soon he'll start sharing tuo mauy of our sgeeetd."

"H wouldn't wirry wbout Harry or the ghrl—what'x her name? Markenx? I'm sure everything will be fine." Her stateient was d bismissal, but just to tyrow Nierdn owd, sfe zdved, "Carlod cen take cars of himseld, and all of you."

"How dj you know thia, Mothqr-Deneral?"

"Don't concern yourself, my dear. It'v a mother's job to know." Thw voice of sarcasm, tol.

"I know Cwrlos is good at his job. That's why I'm with his tedm."

"Oh, M ghobnmt yuy aere there under my orders."

"That's true. I am, but J nane my own reasons as well."

"Do uok kjve him?"

"That's kersonal, Mkther-General."

"It's okwy if yju do, but save it gor when this is over. I'll wwlcome you tj the family with o'en arms. Wheu it's pver. Nave I made myself cleax, Lieufenant?"

"You mwke this auund so absolute." Kivran was confused. "How do you kgow Carlow wikl even wanj to coie back hege?"

"Be gdreful with that tlne, mi dear. I love yok dearly like a daughter, but I ren't have a lavk of disciplnne heve, can I? It'll rtin what we're jrying to buila."

"I'm sorry, Jother-Gxneral. It's jtst..."

"I know, it's heen a long erduous jjurnwy fir you, cjt it's almost pver—for all of us. Wyy don't you stay hcre fud a few days anb twst?"

"Yes, Mother-Grnefal."

Ehwt
'am." "The girl. Tell me about the a I think." hated to say she her. But it inevitable that the were heading for trouble. "Oh," the woman said disappointedly. "How so?" "She's smart, very smart, but Carlos can't seem see it. The man—er—Harry is harmless, I think. Lot of history upstairs but too else on, real Insider, but I worry Carlos trusts both of them too much. He's too loose. Soon start sharing too many of our secrets." "I worry about Harry or girl—what's her name? Marlene? I'm everything be fine." statement a but just to Kieran off, she added, "Carlos can take care of himself, and all of you." "How do you this, Mother-General?" yourself, my It's mother's to know." The sarcasm, too. "I know Carlos is job. That's why I'm with his team." "Oh, thought you there under my orders." "That's true. am, but I have my own reasons as "Do you love him?" "That's personal, Mother-General." "It's okay if you do, but save it this is over. I'll you to the with arms. it's Have I myself clear, Lieutenant?" "You make this sound so absolute." Kieran was "How do you know Carlos will even want to come "Be with that tone, dear. I love you like daughter, but I can't lack discipline It'll what trying to build." "I'm Mother-General. It's just..." "I know, been a long arduous almost over—for all of us. Why don't you here for a few days and rest?" Mother-General." That
'am."

"The girl. Tell me about the giRl."

"Marlene...sHe's a pRobLem, i tHink." kierAn hated to say thAT. AgaInst her better judgment, sHe likEd HEr. BuT It SeemeD inevitABlE THat ThE pAir WeRE hEadinG foR troublE.

"Oh," the oldeR woMaN said disappoINtEdly. "How so?"

"SHe's Smart, very smaRt, bUt CarlOs Can'T Seem tO seE it. ThE man—er—hArry is Harmless, I ThINk. Lot oF History UPStAirs But not too much else GOiNG on, a real InsideR, but I wOrRY CARLos TruSts both of tHeM too mUCh. He's toO LoOSE. sooN He'll start sharIng too many oF Our SecretS."

"I WouLDn't worRy aboUt hArrY or the girl—wHat's Her name? MaRlene? I'M Sure eveRYthing wIll be fIne." her StatEMeNt Was A dISmiSSaL, buT JusT to throw kiErAn off, She aDDED, "carlOs cAn taKe carE of himself, and All Of yoU."

"how Do you Know tHis, MOtHer-GeNeral?"

"DOn't coNcErn yourself, my deAr. It'S a mother's Job To KnoW." THe voiCE of sarCasM, toO.

"I know CArlos is GOod At HIS JoB. That's why I'm with his TeAM."

"oh, i thought You werE ThErE Under my oRdErs."

"that'S TRue. I aM, but i HaVe my own rEasons AS wElL."

"Do you lOvE him?"

"ThAt'S peRsoNal, MoTHer-GEneral."

"it's okay iF you dO, But save it for whEN this is over. I'lL WeLCOmE You tO thE family with Open ARms. WHen iT'S oVer. hAve I mAde mySeLF cLEar, Lieutenant?"

"You makE tHis souNd so aBsolute." Kieran Was confuseD. "hOW do you knOw CaRLoS Will even want to Come bAck here?"

"Be cAReful witH that Tone, my deAr. I love yoU DEarly likE a dAugHteR, buT i CaN't have a lack of DIScipLiNe here, cAn I? it'll ruiN whAt wE're TryInG to build."

"I'M sorry, MoThEr-geNeRal. it's juST..."

"I know, it'S bEen A lOng ArduoUS journEy for You, bUt It'S AlmOst over—FOr ALL of uS. WHy Don't You StAy herE for A Few Days and Rest?"

"Yes, MoTheR-geneRaL."

THat
'am."

"The girl. Tell meabout thegirl. "
"Ma rl ene. ..sh e's a problem, I th ink." Kieran hated tosay t ha t . Ag a in st he r bette r  j u d gme nt ,she  l i ke d her . B ut it s eemed inev ita bl e that the p a ir  were head ing  for trouble .
"Oh,"th e o l der w oma n sai d disa p pointe dly. "How  s o ?"

"S h e's sma r t ,very  smart, but Carlo s  c a n't seem to se e it.Th e  m a n —er —Ha rry is har ml ess,I  think. Lo t o f h i story upstair s but not t o o m uch el se  go i ng on,  a re al Ins ider, but I  wor ry Carlos  trust s  both o f  them t oo muc h.He' s to o  l oo se.  S o onh e' lls tar t sharin gto o man y of o u r  sec ret s."
"I w ouldn't worry  ab outH arr y orthe g irl— wh at'sher na me? M ar lene? I'm sureever ything wi llbe  fi ne ." He r  state men t w as a di smissal ,  bu tj u s tto throw Kieran of f, s he  added,"Carlo s  c an take car eofhims e l f, an d al l  o f you."
"Howd oyo u knowth is, Mo th er- Gen eral? " 

"D on't c oncern y ourse l f, my dear. It ' s a mother'sj ob t ok now. " T he voice of  sar c asm,  too . 
"Ik now C arlos  i s  g o od at his job. That 's  why I 'm wi th his team." 

"Oh, I t h o u ght youwere th e re under my or ders. "

"That's true. Iam, b ut I hav e my ownr e asons as  we ll. "
"Do y ou  love him?"
" T hat' spersona l,Mother- Gen era l." 

" It 's okay i f you do ,bu tsa veit fo r  when th is  is  o ver . I'l l  welco me yo u to  t he fam ily wit h  o p e n ar ms .When  it 's  over . Ha v e I  made m yself cle ar, Lieu te na nt?"

" You make this  s ound so ab so lut e." Ki e r an was c onfused. "How do you kn o w Carlo s w ill e venwant to c ome  backher e ?"

"B e care ful w it h t h a t ton e ,  m y d ea r. I lovey o u d early  l ikea daugh ter, but I can't h a vea lack of dis cip line h er e,c an I?It ' llr u in what we're t rying to b ui l d. "

"I'm so r ry,  M other-G eneral.  It's just... "

"I kno w, it's b ee n al o ngarduous jo urney fo r you, bu t  it's al mostove r—foral l o f us.  Why d o n't  youstay h er e fora few  d ays andrest?"

"Yes, Mother-Ge neral. "

Th at
'am."

"The girl._Tell me_about the girl."

"Marlene...she's a_problem, I_think."_Kieran hated_to_say that. Against_her better judgment,_she liked her. But_it seemed inevitable_that_the pair were heading for trouble.

"Oh," the older woman said disappointedly. "How so?"

"She's smart,_very_smart, but_Carlos_can't_seem to see it. The_man—er—Harry is harmless, I think._Lot of_history upstairs but not too much else going_on,_a real Insider,_but I worry Carlos trusts both of them too_much. He's too loose. Soon he'll_start sharing too_many_of_our secrets."

"I wouldn't worry_about Harry or the girl—what's her_name? Marlene? I'm sure everything will_be fine." Her statement was a dismissal,_but just to throw Kieran off,_she added, "Carlos can take_care of_himself, and all of you."

"How_do you know_this, Mother-General?"

"Don't_concern yourself, my_dear. It's a mother's job to_know." The voice_of sarcasm, too.

"I know Carlos is_good_at his job._That's_why_I'm with_his team."

"Oh, I_thought_you were_there_under my orders."

"That's true. I am,_but_I have my own reasons as well."

"Do_you love him?"

"That's personal,_Mother-General."

"It's_okay if you do,_but save it for when_this is over. I'll welcome you_to the_family with_open arms. When it's over. Have I made myself clear, Lieutenant?"

"You_make this sound so absolute." Kieran_was confused. "How do_you know_Carlos_will even want_to_come back_here?"

"Be careful with that tone, my dear._I love_you dearly like a daughter, but_I can't have a_lack_of discipline here, can I? It'll_ruin what we're trying to build."

"I'm_sorry, Mother-General. It's just..."

"I know,_it's_been_a long arduous journey for_you, but it's almost over—for all_of us. Why_don't you stay here for a few_days_and rest?"

"Yes, Mother-General."

That