Chapter 6: ## Chapter 6: The General's Last Sal: The General's Last Salute
“General Richard Hayes.””
Rebecca Shaw said the name quietly,ute
“General Richard Hayes.””
Rebecca Shaw said the name quietly, but it struck me harder than a gunshot.
Across the courtyard, the general stopped but it struck me harder than a gunshot.
Across the courtyard, the general stopped walking.
For eleven years, I had trusted that man with my career, my walking.
For eleven years, I had trusted that man with my career, my soldiers, and my life. He had signed my promotion recommendations. He had stood beside me when I received soldiers, and my life.
He had signed my promotion recommendations. He had stood beside me when I received my first command. He had once told me that leadership meant accepting responsibility when everyone else was looking for someone to blame.
Now an Army my first command. He had once told me that leadership meant accepting responsibility when everyone else was looking for someone to blame.
Now an Army investigator was telling me he might have been the person who trapped twenty-three American soldiers in a collapsing evacuation zone.
“ investigator was telling me he might have been the person who trapped twenty-three American soldiers in a collapsing evacuation zone.
“That's impossible,” I whispered.
Rebecca didn't look away from the general.
“We have a recording that requires authenticationThat's impossible,” I whispered.
Rebecca didn't look away from the general.
“We have a recording that requires authentication. We haven't reached a final conclusion.””
“Then why did you tell me it was him?””
“Because you said you recognized the voice.””
General Hayes approached us, his expression composed. We haven't reached a final conclusion.””
“Then why did you tell me it was him?””
“Because you said you recognized the voice.””
General Hayes approached us, his expression composed. He wore the same dark suit he had worn during the. He wore the same dark suit he had worn during the ceremony, and his silver hair was perfectly in place.
If I hadn't known him, I might have mistaken him for a retired judge arriving to congratulate the ceremony, and his silver hair was perfectly in place. If I hadn't known him, I might have mistaken him for a retired judge arriving to congratulate the newlyweds.
“Ms. Shaw,” he said.
“I wasn't aware you were conducting interviews newlyweds.
“Ms. Shaw,” he said.
“I wasn't aware you were conducting interviews at a private wedding.””
“I'm following up on a matter connected to an at a private wedding.””
“I'm following up on a matter connected to an active investigation, sir.””
“Then you'll understand why active investigation, sir.””
“Then you'll understand why this isn't the appropriate setting.””
“Colonel Carter has agreed to cooperate.””
His gaze shifted to me.
“Olivia?””
He had called me by my first name this isn't the appropriate setting.””
“Colonel Carter has agreed to cooperate.””
His gaze shifted to me.
“Olivia?””
He had called me by my first name only a handful of times in eleven years. Usually, it meant I was in trouble or he was about to ask something he didn't want anyone else to only a handful of times in eleven years. Usually, it meant I was in trouble or he was about to ask something he didn't want anyone else to hear.
I kept my hands at my sides.
“General, did you issue the order to hold our team hear.
I kept my hands at my sides.
“General, did you issue the order to hold our team during Operation Black Lantern?””
For the first time since I had known him, I during Operation Black Lantern?””
For the first time since I had known him, I saw his composure slip.
Only for a second.
Then he glanced at Rebecca.
“I won't saw his composure slip.
Only for a second.
Then he glanced at Rebecca.
“I won't discuss operational matters without counsel present.””
“That wasn't my question,” discuss operational matters without counsel present.””
“That wasn't my question,” I said.
His jaw tightened.
“Colonel, be careful.””
I almost laughed.
Three I said.
His jaw tightened.
“Colonel, be careful.””
I almost laughed.
Three years earlier, I had heard those exact words in a different room, after the investigation into the extraction had years earlier, I had heard those exact words in a different room, after the investigation into the extraction had concluded.
*Be careful what you say in concluded.
Be careful what you say in your report, Olivia. You have a career ahead of you.
At the time, I had believed he was advising me to protect the your report, Olivia. You have a career ahead of you.*
At the time, I had believed he was advising me to protect the soldiers under my command.
Now I wondered whether he had been protecting himself.
Rebecca opened her folder.
“General Hayes, I need soldiers under my command.
Now I wondered whether he had been protecting himself.
Rebecca opened her folder.
“General Hayes, I need to ask you to preserve any personal communications, operational notes, or records connected to Black Lantern. A formal notice will follow.””
“Are you to ask you to preserve any personal communications, operational notes, or records connected to Black Lantern. A formal notice will follow.””
“Are you accusing me of misconduct?””
“I'm asking you to preserve evidence.””
He turned to me.
“Ol accusing me of misconduct?””
“I'm asking you to preserve evidence.””
He turned to me.
“Olivia, you know me. You know what kind of officer I am.””
I looked into the eyes ofivia, you know me. You know what kind of officer I am.””
I looked into the eyes of the man who had taught me to recognize a compromised position before it became a disaster.
“I know what the man who had taught me to recognize a compromised position before it became a disaster.
“I know what you taught me about responsibility, sir.””
His expression hardened.
“That isn't an you taught me about responsibility, sir.””
His expression hardened.
“That isn't an answer.””
“Neither was yours.””
A few feet away, someone laughed as a photographer arranged the wedding answer.””
“Neither was yours.””
A few feet away, someone laughed as a photographer arranged the wedding party. The sound felt absurdly cheerful against the silence between us.
Then Madison party. The sound felt absurdly cheerful against the silence between us.
Then Madison appeared, still holding her bouquet.
“What's going on?””
No one answered immediately.
appeared, still holding her bouquet.
“What's going on?””
No one answered immediately.
She looked at Rebecca, then at the general, then at me.
“Why is an investigator talking to my sisterShe looked at Rebecca, then at the general, then at me.
“Why is an investigator talking to my sister?””
“Madison,” Ethan called from the fountain.
“Come here for a moment.””
But she?””
“Madison,” Ethan called from the fountain.
“Come here for a moment.””
But she didn't move.
“Is this about the mission?”” she demanded.
“The one everyone didn't move.
“Is this about the mission?”” she demanded.
“The one everyone keeps whispering about?””
General Hayes straightened.
“This is a private matter.””
Madison gave a keeps whispering about?””
General Hayes straightened.
“This is a private matter.””
Madison gave a nervous laugh.
“Apparently, nothing is private today.””
She looked at me.
“Ol nervous laugh.
“Apparently, nothing is private today.””
She looked at me.
“Olivia, please tell me this isn't another situation where you have to be the center of attention.””
I felt somethingivia, please tell me this isn't another situation where you have to be the center of attention.””
I felt something inside me go still.
“Madison, an investigator is doing her job. I didn't arrange any of this.””
“Then inside me go still.
“Madison, an investigator is doing her job. I didn't arrange any of this.””
“Then why is General Hayes being questioned at my wedding?””
“Because the investigation concerns something that happened three years ago.””
“And couldn't it wait until tomorrow?””
Rebecca why is General Hayes being questioned at my wedding?””
“Because the investigation concerns something that happened three years ago.””
“And couldn't it wait until tomorrow?””
Rebecca closed her folder.
“I'm afraid the evidence doesn't operate according to a wedding schedule.””
Madison's closed her folder.
“I'm afraid the evidence doesn't operate according to a wedding schedule.””
Madison's face reddened.
She turned to General Hayes.
“Can you please tell them to face reddened.
She turned to General Hayes.
“Can you please tell them to stop? You're a general. Surely you can explain that this is stop?
You're a general. Surely you can explain that this is inappropriate.””
He stared at her.
For the first time, he looked like a man who had run out of orders to inappropriate.””
He stared at her.
For the first time, he looked like a man who had run out of orders to give.
“Madison,” he said, “this is no longer about your wedding.””
Her mouth fell open.
Ethan finally approached, taking his wife's hand.
“Madison, let's give them some space.””
She pulled give.
“Madison,” he said, “this is no longer about your wedding.””
Her mouth fell open.
Ethan finally approached, taking his wife's hand.
“Madison, let's give them some space.””
She pulled her hand free.
“No. I want to know what's happening.””
Ethan's expression softened, but his voice remained her hand free.
“No. I want to know what's happening.””
Ethan's expression softened, but his voice remained firm.
“Then listen.””
Rebecca turned to me.
“Colonel, would you firm.
“Then listen.””
Rebecca turned to me.
“Colonel, would you be willing to review the recording in a controlled setting?””
“Yes.””
General Hayes stepped forward be willing to review the recording in a controlled setting?””
“Yes.””
General Hayes stepped forward.
“I strongly advise against that.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because recordings can be misleading.
“I strongly advise against that.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because recordings can be misleading. Voices can be distorted. Context can be lost.””
“Then we should have nothing. Voices can be distorted. Context can be lost.””
“Then we should have nothing to fear from hearing it.””
His lips pressed together.
Rebecca motioned toward the church office.
“Let's to fear from hearing it.””
His lips pressed together.
Rebecca motioned toward the church office.
“Let's go inside.””
I followed her.
Ethan came with us, but I stopped him at the doorway.
“This go inside.””
I followed her.
Ethan came with us, but I stopped him at the doorway.
“This could affect your marriage.””
He looked at me with quiet determination.
“My marriage has already been affected by the could affect your marriage.””
He looked at me with quiet determination.
“My marriage has already been affected by the things I didn't know.””
“Ethan—”
“Colonel, you came back for things I didn't know.””
“Ethan—”
“Colonel, you came back for twenty-three people. You didn't know which of us twenty-three people. You didn't know which of us would survive, and you went anyway.
I'm not going to turn away would survive, and you went anyway. I'm not going to turn away because the truth is uncomfortable.””
I stepped aside.
Inside the office, Rebecca placed a laptop on because the truth is uncomfortable.””
I stepped aside.
Inside the office, Rebecca placed a laptop on the desk. She connected the recorder, checked the audio file, and turned the screen toward us.
General Hayes remained standing by the door.
“I the desk. She connected the recorder, checked the audio file, and turned the screen toward us.
General Hayes remained standing by the door.
“I won't participate in an informal interrogation,” he announced.
“Then you don't have to,” Rebecca won't participate in an informal interrogation,” he announced.
“Then you don't have to,” Rebecca replied.
“You can leave, or you can listen.””
He stayed.
Rebecca pressed play.
Static replied.
“You can leave, or you can listen.””
He stayed.
Rebecca pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then came a series of clipped radio transmissions, distorted by interference. I heard filled the room.
Then came a series of clipped radio transmissions, distorted by interference. I heard my own younger voice reporting that our planned route was compromised.
I heard a lieutenant asking my own younger voice reporting that our planned route was compromised.
I heard a lieutenant asking for updated instructions.
I heard someone breathing hard into a microphone.
Then a male for updated instructions.
I heard someone breathing hard into a microphone.
Then a male voice came through the static.
“Hold position. Do not proceed until further authorization.””
My fingers voice came through the static.
“Hold position. Do not proceed until further authorization.””
My fingers tightened around the edge of the desk.
The voice was familiar.
Not merely similar.
F tightened around the edge of the desk.
The voice was familiar.
Not merely similar.
Familiar in the way a song becomes familiar after you've heard it aamiliar in the way a song becomes familiar after you've heard it a thousand times.
Rebecca paused the recording.
“Colonel?””
I couldn't speak.
She played the thousand times.
Rebecca paused the recording.
“Colonel?””
I couldn't speak.
She played the next segment.
My voice answered, strained but controlled.
“Confirm the hold next segment.
My voice answered, strained but controlled.
“Confirm the hold order. We have personnel exposed, and our window is closing.””
The male voice replied.
“Order order. We have personnel exposed, and our window is closing.””
The male voice replied.
“Order confirmed. Maintain position.””
I shut my eyes.
I remembered that moment.
I remembered asking for confirmation twice because confirmed. Maintain position.””
I shut my eyes.
I remembered that moment.
I remembered asking for confirmation twice because something about the instruction felt wrong. I remembered looking at the map, calculating the minutes, something about the instruction felt wrong. I remembered looking at the map, calculating the minutes, and trying to determine whether we could still reach the secondary extraction point.
Then came the final transmission.
and trying to determine whether we could still reach the secondary extraction point.
Then came the final transmission.
“Maintain position, Colonel. That's a direct order.””
The recording ended.
Nobody“Maintain position, Colonel. That's a direct order.””
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
I opened my eyes and looked at General Hayes.
He was staring at the laptop spoke.
I opened my eyes and looked at General Hayes.
He was staring at the laptop.
“That's your voice, sir,” I said.
He slowly lifted his head.
“It sounds like my.
“That's your voice, sir,” I said.
He slowly lifted his head.
“It sounds like my voice.””
“Is it?””
“I will not authenticate an incomplete recording.””
Rebecca folded her arms.
“General voice.””
“Is it?””
“I will not authenticate an incomplete recording.””
Rebecca folded her arms.
“General, did you issue that order?””
He looked at me.
“Olivia, you were responsible for the team, did you issue that order?””
He looked at me.
“Olivia, you were responsible for the team. You were on the ground. You know how quickly information changes in a situation.
You were on the ground. You know how quickly information changes in a situation like that.””
“Yes, sir. I also know I asked for confirmation.””
“And you received it.””
“From someone like that.””
“Yes, sir. I also know I asked for confirmation.””
“And you received it.””
“From someone I believed was you.””
He took a step toward me.
“Be very careful about what you claim I believed was you.””
He took a step toward me.
“Be very careful about what you claim.””
I felt the old instinct to stand at attention, to acknowledge his authority, to wait for the explanation that would make everything fit.””
I felt the old instinct to stand at attention, to acknowledge his authority, to wait for the explanation that would make everything fit.
But I was no longer the young officer who had signed a report she barely understood.
I was the person.
But I was no longer the young officer who had signed a report she barely understood.
I was the person who had lived with the consequences.
“I'm not making a claim, General. I'm asking a question.””
He looked away.
That was when Ethan who had lived with the consequences.
“I'm not making a claim, General. I'm asking a question.””
He looked away.
That was when Ethan noticed the folder in Rebecca's hand.
“What's that?””
She hesitated, then removed a printed noticed the folder in Rebecca's hand.
“What's that?””
She hesitated, then removed a printed transcript.
“The original log recovered by Sergeant Reeves. The timestamp indicates the hold order was issued eleven transcript.
“The original log recovered by Sergeant Reeves. The timestamp indicates the hold order was issued eleven minutes earlier than the time recorded in Colonel Carter's final report.””
I looked at the page.
The minutes earlier than the time recorded in Colonel Carter's final report.””
I looked at the page.
The official timestamp had been changed.
But the transmission's authentication code remained intact.
Rebecca pointed to the bottom of the page.
“The order official timestamp had been changed.
But the transmission's authentication code remained intact.
Rebecca pointed to the bottom of the page.
“The order was authenticated through General Hayes's command credentials.””
General Hayes finally moved was authenticated through General Hayes's command credentials.””
General Hayes finally moved.
“Those credentials could have been accessed by other personnel.””
“That's possible,” Rebecca said.
“Which is why we're investigating.””
He looked at me, and for one.
“Those credentials could have been accessed by other personnel.””
“That's possible,” Rebecca said.
“Which is why we're investigating.””
He looked at me, and for one terrible moment, I saw not anger but desperation.
“Olivia, you need to understand that there are things you don't know.””
“Then tell terrible moment, I saw not anger but desperation.
“Olivia, you need to understand that there are things you don't know.””
“Then tell me.””
He opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Then he looked at Rebecca.
“I want my attorney.””
“Of course me.””
He opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Then he looked at Rebecca.
“I want my attorney.””
“Of course, sir.””
He walked toward the door, but stopped beside me.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“You have, sir.””
He walked toward the door, but stopped beside me.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“You have no idea what you're about to destroy.””
I held his gaze.
“No, sir. I think I no idea what you're about to destroy.””
I held his gaze.
“No, sir. I think I finally understand what was destroyed three years ago.””
He left without another word.
Outside, the wedding guests were gathering finally understand what was destroyed three years ago.””
He left without another word.
Outside, the wedding guests were gathering for the reception. Madison stood beneath the oak trees, watching us through the window. for the reception.
Madison stood beneath the oak trees, watching us through the window. When Ethan emerged, she hurried toward him.
I remained in the office with Rebecca.
When Ethan emerged, she hurried toward him.
I remained in the office with Rebecca.
“Colonel,” she said, “there's one more piece of evidence you should see“Colonel,” she said, “there's one more piece of evidence you should see.””
She opened a separate file on her laptop.
“This was recovered from a restricted archive yesterday. It's an internal message sent less than an hour after the extraction.””
She opened a separate file on her laptop.
“This was recovered from a restricted archive yesterday. It's an internal message sent less than an hour after the extraction.””
The sender's name was General Hayes.
The recipient was an officer I had never expected to see connected to the mission.
And the subject line contained four.””
The sender's name was General Hayes.
The recipient was an officer I had never expected to see connected to the mission.
And the subject line contained four words that made my blood run cold.
*Carter must take responsibility.*
May you like
words that made my blood run cold.
*Carter must take responsibility.*
