Chapter 6: The General’s Secret
Reed survived.
Barely.
But before surgery, he grabbed my arm.
“Don’t trust anyone,” he whispered.
Those words stayed with me.
Including Captain Ward.
Including everyone.
General Cross summoned us the next morning.
His office was enormous.
The walls were covered with medals.
“You have caused unnecessary chaos,” he said.
I stared at him.
“Someone tried to kill a witness.””
Cross leaned back.
“Careful, Sergeant.””
“Are you threatening me?””
His expression hardened.
“No. I’m warning you.””
Captain Ward stepped forward.
“General, evidence points toward your involvement.””
Cross laughed.
“Evidence?””
He opened a drawer.
Inside was my old personnel file.
“He was always unstable,” Cross said.
My eyes narrowed.
He had prepared a story.
A story where I was the problem.
Then the office door opened.
Daniel walked in.
“General.””
Cross looked angry.
“This is a restricted room.””
Daniel held up a small drive.
“Not anymore.””
He placed it on the desk.
“We found the original footage.””
Everyone froze.
The real recording.
Not the edited one.
Cross reached for it.
But I grabbed it first.
The video played.
And there it was.
The person who entered the weapons depot.
Not me.
Not Vane.
Not Hale.
Someone else.
Someone wearing my uniform.
Someone with my face.
The room went silent.
Then Daniel whispered:
May you like
“That’s impossible.””
Because the person on the screen was someone who had died three years earlier.
