"Your duty is to stay away from this investigation until we've completed our assessment." The colonel's tone makes it clear that he's giving orders. "Leave now, Captain. I'll speak with you later about proper protocol."
Bryan nods and exits the room without looking at me again, and I watch him go with my heart still racing and my throat aching from where he tried to strangle me. If the colonel hadn't entered when he had, I'd be dead. Bryan would've killed me and walked out of this room without consequence, and nobody would've questioned my death.
The colonel approaches my bed and his expression softens slightly when he sees the bruises already forming on my throat. "Are you alright? Do you need me to call the medical staff?"
"I'm fine." The lie is automatic, but my voice is hoarse and strained. There's no point in trying to tell him what my former CO was about to do. The evidence Hannah is holding for me is proof enough that Bryan has to be taken down. It will all come out soon.
The colonel pulls a chair over and sits down. "My name is Colonel Hayes. I'm here to conduct a preliminary interview regarding your alleged involvement in the deaths of ten soldiers from your former unit. You are not required to speak with me without legal counsel present, but anything you do say will be documented and may be used in subsequent proceedings."
My body is starting to settle now after that interaction, but my mind is still foggy. The legal jargon is confusing with so many pain meds in my system. I'm not sure if calling in a lawyer would benefit me or not, but I don’t want to waste any more time finishing this thing. The fear of not knowing what will happen is paralyzing.
But before I can answer him, the door opens again and two military police officers enter followed by a woman in her forties wearing the uniform of a Judge Advocate General officer. The MPs take positions on either side of the door as if they're standing watch so I don't run away. It's almost comical. I can't even get out of bed to piss right now. How could I run away?
"Staff Sergeant Hart, I'm Major Francis Alvary." The JAG officer takes off her hat and tucks it under her arm. "Colonel Hayes and I have to speak to you regarding the charges you are accused of. Do you feel well enough to speak with us?"
I look at each face in turn and realize this is my chance. These people have come to hear my side of the story, and if I can make them understand what really happened, I might come out of this without a stain on my record and get justice for myself and for all the women Bryan hurt over the years.
"Before you pass judgment…" I don’t even know if I'm going to pass out before I get this out but I have to try. "I need you to listen to my entire story. All of it, from the beginning. Will you do that?"
Colonel Hayes exchanges a glance with Major Alvary, and she nods slightly. He returns his attention to me and his expression is serious but open. "We're here to listen, Staff Sergeant Hart. Tell us everything."
I take a breath against the pain, wincing when it burns. Then I start with Afghanistan and every detail I can remember now. I have more of it written in my journal, which I'm sure Jace has given to Hannah by now.
Colonel Hayes leans forward slightly, fully focused on my words as Major Alvary pulls out a tablet and takes notes, her fingersmoving rapidly across the screen. The MPs remain motionless by the door, but I can see they’re listening too.
Then I tell them about what Bryan did to me—the rape, how he recorded it. I tear up but fight those back to remain in control. I'm not a weak woman. I've survived this long without breaking down in front of my fellow soldiers, so I pull myself together and keep talking.
I tell them about how I noticed Whitlock and McAllister's deaths on the news, and then Navarro too, how I put the pieces together of what was happening. And I let myself blurt out every detail of the assassin and how I was supposed to die. I won't give up Jace's name, but I can't tell the truth about my story unless I include him—leaving out the parts where we had sex.
The room is completely silent except for my voice and the soft clicking of Major Alvary's typing. Nobody interrupts or asks questions. They listen with their attention glued on me like I'm sharing the plot of an upcoming movie they want to see, and when I finish, my throat is raw and my side aches from the exertion of talking for so long. But I feel lighter somehow, as though the weight of carrying these secrets has been partially lifted. The truth is out now, spoken to people who have the authority and resources to investigate properly.
Colonel Hayes is quiet for a long moment after I stop talking. I can't tell if he's judging me or if he believes anything I've said. I think they teach men in the military to have the best poker faces, because this man certainly passes as entirely unreadable. Finally, he looks at Major Alvary and then back to me.
"That is quite a story, Staff Sergeant Hart." His voice is neutral, giving nothing away about whether he believes me. "And you claim to have evidence supporting these allegations?"
"The phones." My voice is barely above a whisper now. "At least twenty cell phones containing videos and photos that prove what Bryan did to multiple women. My associate has them and will deliver them to the proper authorities. Hannah Frank and Everette Hamilton are both in protective custody, willing to testify about everything, and our journals detail things from those dates at the time we witnessed them. It is all there, sir. Everything you need to prove I'm telling the truth."
Colonel Hayes stands and exchanges another long look with Major Alvary. "We'll investigate these claims thoroughly, Staff Sergeant Hart. In the meantime, you'll remain in custody here at the hospital until you are medically cleared to be transferred to a military detention facility. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," I sigh, and I almost want to ask them to keep Bryan out of this room. I'm scared because I know he'll try to come back and get me. "Thank you for listening. That's all I asked for."
He nods and leaves the room with Major Alvary following close behind. The MPs remain stationed by the door, and I realize I'm still handcuffed to the bed and will be for the foreseeable future. But for the first time since this nightmare began, I feel hope that maybe justice is possible. That maybe telling the truth really does set you free.
29
JACE
The Barone mansion sits behind iron gates on the West Side, and I pull my truck to a stop in front of them with my heart drilling against my ribs. Three days of sitting in a motel room waiting for news about Sabine have pushed me past the point of rational decision-making, and showing up at Vittorio Barone's home uninvited is either the smartest move I’ve ever made or the last mistake I’ll ever commit.
A guard approaches my window, and I recognize him from years of working alongside Barone's organization. He doesn’t draw his weapon or call for backup, and when he locks eyes with me, he speaks into a radio and waves me through without any incident.
Either the boss really wants to see me or nobody told this man about the bounty on my head.
I drive through the gates and park near the entrance, then climb out and walk toward the massive oak doors that mark the threshold of Barone's inner sanctum. My weapon sits against my hip under my jacket, but I know drawing it here would besuicide. If this goes wrong, I’ll die before my hand reaches the grip.
The doors open as I approach and a security man I’ve seen dozens of times gestures for me to enter. No one draws their weapon and no one even stops me to question me. It makes me uneasy, like I'm walking into my own execution. I've never entered this premises without some sort of fanfare or appointment. It's too easy and it sets me on edge.
"The boss is expecting you," the younger guard says. "This way."
