Tension!
“Agent Madole’s hit pay dirt,” Beltran told him. “She found a hidden basement, and she needs backup to check it out. That’s us. I don’t need to tell you what that means, right, cadet?”
“Yeah, Agent. Do whatever she says, unless you’ve told me otherwise. Whatever I need to know, you’ll tell me.”
Beltran snorted. “Straight out of the Cadet handbook. Well, you’re right about the first one, but maybe not so much with the second. You and the others here aren’t exactly cadets. You’ve all got… prior experience.”
The way he said that phrase made it sound like it wasn’t entirely a good thing. Like I know enough to be useful? Or just used up? thought Norm. He used the excuse of finishing his sandwich to think of a reply. “Glad I can be helpful, Agent Beltran,” he eventually offered. “It’s an even longer walk from here to Lubbock.”
Norm relaxed a little at the way Beltran chuckled. It had been the right thing to say, then. He hadn’t been sure.