Taylor asked, “What makes you think that, Sergeant?”
Miller was silent a moment as he slid his eyes between the two agents. “About a week after Greer beat up his roommate, I noticed a change in him. Positive change. I mean, as far as I knew, he was off all the junk he’d been on. But it was more than that. He almost seemed… serene. One morning in the mess, I sit with him apart from the rest of the guys, I comment on it. And he tells me he’s had a spiritualawakening, and that it happened on that mesa, and that it happened with Major Roger Ames.”
Brodie and Taylor looked at each other.
Miller continued, “I don’t know what the hell he’s talking about. What is a PFC doing hanging out with a commissioned officer and computer scientist? I ask him to explain, but I can tell he’s kind of embarrassed. He said they meditated, or something like that. That he and the major had first struck up a conversation one night while Greer was guarding the Vault, and Ames said he had a way to help Tom with some of his… psychological issues. So I’m thinking, maybe they’re gay together, and at this point, I don’t care. The guy seemed happier, and his performance improved.”
The holding cell was silent. Ames had obviously given the young PFC some of his mushroom stash, and Greer hadn’t wanted to admit to his platoon sergeant that he’d just swapped one drug for another.
“So,” said Brodie, “you were aware these two had some sort of personal relationship, and when Ames died, you didn’t want Greer to catch any heat.”
Miller nodded. “That’s about it, sir. I figured there was no way it was actually relevant to your case. That was something between the tin men and the scientists.”
“That’s not for you to determine,” said Taylor.
“I know,” said Miller. “But I did it anyway, and here we are.”
Taylor asked, “Is there anything that Greer told you about Ames? About their conversations? Something that might clue us in to what Ames was doing in the weeks before his death?”
Miller thought. “Greer didn’t say much. But I could tell he had a liking for the guy, a respect, an appreciation. I really didn’t get it, and he didn’t seem to want to explain it further, except to tell me that Ames saved his life. I think he meant helping him get off drugs.”
Brodie said, “If Greer did return to the mesa, I don’t understand how he could have done so without being detected.”
Miller said, “Back in January there was a flash flood. Caused a mudslide through the northeast corner of camp, my guys had to shore it up with sand and rocks. They left a small section open, a crawl space under the fence, if anybody wanted to stretch their legs outside the gates without having to ask permission. The opening’s blocked by a few oil drums. Since this whole camp is now being guarded by only half a dozen MPs, I’m figuring it would be easy for Greer to slip out that way.”
Taylor asked, “Why are you assuming Tom would return to this mesa?”
Miller shrugged. “Given everything going on, maybe he needs some peace.”
Brodie said, “Ames and Greer were likely ingesting psilocybin mushrooms.”
Miller looked surprised. Then he laughed. “I guess that explains it. Shit. Why didn’t they invite me?”
Taylor said, “You had no knowledge of that?”
Miller shook his head.
She continued, “I’ve heard of hallucinogens being used to treat other drug addictions.”
So, had Major Ames made PFC Greer his salvation project? Maybe. Out of the goodness of his heart? Maybe not. Ames needed Greer to give him his access and keep his secret. A mentally unstable co-conspirator is a liability.
Brodie said to Miller, “Is there any other information you’ve withheld from us? If you lie or deliberately omit again, we will recommend criminal charges against you for making false official statements, and you could face confinement.”
Miller did not like how that was framed. “The answer is no.” He added, “Did I tell you the guys call this place Camp Hades? Hell on earth.”
“I’ve been to war, Sergeant. That’s the real hell.”
“Yeah,” said Miller. “So have I. Sometimes I miss it. You?”
“Nope.”
Taylor said, “I do.”
Both men looked at her.
She continued, “The comradery, the mission. The meaning of what you were doing.”
Brodie nodded. He and Taylor had touched on this subject before, and he understood what she meant. And maybe he felt it too, when he allowed himself to.
