Chapter 11 - The General’s Betrayal
Caldwell called me before sunrise.
That answered several questions.
"Claire."
His voice hadn't changed.
"General."
"I'm retired."
"Old habits."
"You found Rebecca's files."
Not a question.
"Maybe."
"You were always a terrible liar."
"And you were apparently much better."
Silence.
"Ruiz should have left this buried."
"He had children."
"So did the men whose lives depended on secrecy."
"Don't use soldiers to justify murder."
His voice hardened.
"You have no idea what was at stake."
"Then explain."
"Not by phone."
"Where?"
He named a location.
Mercer shook his head violently.
I continued listening.
"Come alone."
"No."
"Then Noah Bennett becomes part of history."
I froze.
Caldwell hung up.
Noah was standing ten feet away.
He had heard.
Again.
I hated that.
He walked toward me.
"You're going."
"Yes."
"Alone?"
"No."
"But he said—"
"Men like Caldwell confuse instructions with control."
Mercer almost smiled.
We built the operation quickly.
Caldwell expected the colonel he remembered.
The officer who would sacrifice herself before risking someone else.
He didn't understand motherhood had made me more cautious, not less dangerous.
The meeting place was an abandoned railway depot.
I entered alone.
Technically.
Caldwell stood beneath a broken clock.
He looked older.
Smaller.
"I always liked you, Claire."
"I can't say the feeling survived."
He sighed.
"You think this is simple."
"No."
"Countries survive because people make ugly decisions."
"Ruiz?"
"Unfortunate."
"Rebecca?"
His eyes shifted.
There.
The answer.
"You killed her."
"I didn't."
"But you know who did."
Before he answered, gunfire erupted outside.
Caldwell smiled.
"You should have come alone."
I smiled back.
"You should have checked who followed you."
May you like
The doors opened.
Victor Hale walked in.
