“There is evidence that several of our soldiers were murdered by a member of GhostWalker Team Four. I believe that GhostWalker is under your command, Major General.” It was an accusation and a promise of retaliation if Leila didn’t return to the fold.
Diego tightened his fingers around Leila’s and pressed their joined hands against his thigh beneath the table to give her courage.
What if they arrest you?
They won’t. We knew he would play this card. Don’t respond, and don’t look at all as if you’re bothered by the accusations he’s making, he cautioned.
Leila looked up at him, her face soft, her eyes loving. She looked devoted to him. His heart contracted. The woman was amazing. She was scared out of her mind, both for Grace and for him, yet she managed to look calm as well as loving toward him.
“Murdered? With all due respect, sir, ‘murder’ is a word to be careful throwing around. Diego Campos saved the life of a womanyoursoldiers were attempting to rape while she was dying of bullet wounds they inflicted. There is recorded evidence of this fact. The flaws in these men you continue to enhance are apparent. Worse, you know of the problems and still allow them to go out into the world as potential threats to the civilian population.” Logan was relentless.
“Be very careful you aren’t court-martialed,” Pillar warned.
General Ranier responded before Logan could. “You had better be careful, Bradley,” he interrupted, calling the general by his first name. “Don’t threaten my men when they are recounting events that can be proven. You’re in the wrong, and you know you are. Diego Campos saved this woman’s life when your soldiers would have taken it in a violent and brutal way.”
“I deserve to be treated with respect,” Pillar snapped.
“You are being given the utmost respect,” General Ranier pointed out. “You aren’t in a court of law; you’re here in this room, where we’re talking this out. No charges have been filed against you or Chariot on Miss Fenton’s behalf. We’re here, attempting to make things right.”
“Charges?” Pillar sputtered. “What the hell, Ted? No one can bring charges against me. I’m doing my job.”
“Sir, with all due respect,” Logan said, “your job wasn’t to give an order to kidnap two young girls, give one to a man we all knowis insane and enhance the other the way you do soldiers, grown men, who volunteer.”
Diego nearly smirked. It took effort to keep his expression blank. Logan was implacable. He wasn’t going to stop attacking, because it was clear to everyone in the room that Pillar wasn’t going to relent and allow Leila to leave without a fight.
It makes no sense when he knows he’s in the wrong.Diego sent the message not only to Leila but to all his fellow GhostWalkers. It was important that she saw that advantage. They could communicate with one another, all of them, without anyone else knowing.What does he think he’s going to get out of this?
His ego is involved for sure, Ezekiel replied.He has a reputation for insisting he’s always right.
If that’s so, Ryland said,how is it he’s in command? How did he make general?
Logan answered.He’s arrogant, yes, but he gets the job done. He has friends in high places, but he earned where he is. He’s a brilliant strategist. You can’t underestimate him. We’ve got a couple of people researching him now. They’ll feed us any pertinent information we need. I do know he’s a patriot through and through.
“Respect.” Pillar spat the word. “Ted, do you even hear what that upstart is saying to me? Who does he think he is? He isn’t speaking to me with respect. Far from it. Put a muzzle on him or we’re done here.”
Diego thought over what Logan had said about the general. The man hadn’t gotten where he was by being arrogant and overbearing—and stupid. The general wasn’t stupid. He was deliberately coming off that way.
He’s trying to provoke a response. But from whom?Diego mused.
He accused you of murder, Diego, Rubin said.No general sends out soldiers they know are flawed in dominant and aggressive ways and then calls those dealing with them a murderer. He’s misdirecting.
Rubin was most likely right.
Keep him engaged for a few minutes, Logan, Diego said.Let me give this some thought.
No problem. I’m in my element.There was a note of amusement in Logan’s voice. He could argue with a deity and win. He always claimed the practice was good for him. His fellow teammates deemed it impossible for him to find a woman willing to put up with his ability to debate anyone, anytime. Diego was thankful for that trait in him though. It gave them all the time needed to puzzle out what the general was up to.
Diego tuned out the arguing going back and forth between the general and Logan. He felt Rubin moving in his mind. Then Ezekiel. They were used to discussing strategy and passing information back and forth. Ezekiel was a strong telepath and often aided others in their unit who weren’t quite as strong. Ezekiel brought in the others so they all could contribute to the discussion.
If the general is deflecting, it’s because he doesn’t want to answer specific questions. Like why he would take two young girls and force them into a program for soldiers, Diego pointed out.Why would he give one of the girls to Whitney?
Information coming in now, Ezekiel said.Jesse Calhoun from Team Two has been gathering data on the general. According to what he’s found, Bradley Pillar goes way back with Whitney, far before Whitney was ever accused of the crimes against the orphan girls he bought to experiment on.
That shouldn’t be a little shocking, Rubin said,but it is. I find it crazy that a man like the general, who has spent an entire career standing for his soldiers, would be associated with Whitney.
Diego considered the repercussions of backing Whitney and the reasons why a patriotic man who had dedicated his life to serving his country would associate with Whitney. He posed the question to the others.
Ryland was leader of the first team. When the men had begun to have problems, Whitney put them in cages, and some were mysteriously killed. Whitney claimed another man was responsible, but when the team members broke out of the cages, with the help of Whitney’s daughter, it was discovered that the scientist had been experimenting on young female orphans before he ever tried his experiments on soldiers.
