Chapter 6 - The General in the Dark
Elena didn't move.
Neither did Ryan.
Through the dirty glass, Kessler appeared older than his official photographs, his shoulders slightly bent, his movements careful.
Chris sat tied to a chair.
Kessler stood in front of him.
Ryan whispered, "We take him."
Elena stopped him.
"Wait."
Inside, Kessler spoke.
They couldn't hear the words.
Then another man entered.
Daniel Voss.
Ryan's former platoon leader.
Alive.
Not transferred.
Not missing.
Standing beside a general in an abandoned military building at two in the morning.
Ryan felt rage rise through him.
Elena remained still.
Voss placed something on the table.
A red folder.
Kessler opened it.
Inside was Ryan's photograph.
Elena quietly spoke into her radio.
"Price, move."
Nothing.
"Price?"
Static.
Ryan turned.
The tactical team behind them was gone.
Jake whispered, "Where'd everybody go?"
Then floodlights exploded around them.
Ryan shielded his eyes.
Armed military police emerged from the trees.
"Hands!"
Ryan reached instinctively toward his sidearm.
Elena stopped him.
"Don't."
Kessler walked out of the building.
"Commander Graves."
Elena faced him.
"General."
Kessler smiled sadly.
"You were always going to find this place."
"Where's Major Price?"
"Safe."
Elena's eyes narrowed.
Kessler looked at Ryan.
"Sergeant Cole."
Ryan said nothing.
"I understand you've had an interesting twenty-four hours."
"Go to hell."
Kessler smiled.
"That's precisely why Elena chose you."
Ryan looked at her.
Elena's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Ryan saw it.
Kessler continued.
"She didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
Kessler looked delighted.
"Your father was here."
Ryan stopped breathing.
"My father is dead."
"Yes."
Kessler's smile disappeared.
"Because of this program."
Elena stepped forward.
"Enough."
Ryan looked at her.
"You knew?"
Elena didn't answer.
That was enough.
Ryan backed away.
"You knew."
"Ryan—"
"You knew who I was before the bar."
"Yes."
Jake looked between them.
Ryan laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
"So that whole thing was planned?"
"No."
"The beer?"
"No."
"The humiliation?"
"No."
"But me."
Elena nodded.
"You were one of the reasons I went there."
Ryan stared at her.
Kessler turned toward the building.
"Come inside, Sergeant."
Ryan didn't move.
Kessler stopped at the doorway.
"If you want to know why your father died, come inside."
Elena grabbed Ryan's arm.
"Don't."
Ryan looked down at her hand.
Then at her.
For the first time since the bar, the power between them reversed.
Ryan pulled free.
"Commander, with respect, you've lied to me enough."
May you like
He walked toward Kessler.
The steel door closed behind him.
