power, but because he looked mean. If anyone was going to call for Kala’s head, it would be Clifton.
Kala respectfully saluted the two generals. Neither general saluted her back, which made her immediately on edge.
“Please, sit.” General Turner motioned to the empty chair across from them.
Kala immediately did as she was told and sat down in the metal chair. She knew better than to talk first, being so vastly outranked, so she waited for one of them to speak.
It felt as if hours passed, waiting there in silence, but Kala knew it had only been seconds when General Turner spoke again. “Lieutenant Hicks, please tell us your side of the events.”
Kala told them everything that happened from when she phased through the wall to when she blacked out. She refrained from telling them about having a cup of espresso with the dead President and how all clocks looked like a four-day countdown. No sense in giving them any more reason to call for a rope and a tree!
When she finished, General Clifton leaned forward. “You’re not telling us everything.”
His eyes were cold and calculating and Kala wasn’t sure how to respond. She knew he was right, she was holding back, but what was she going to say? I think I was drugged. Yes, I shot the President, drugged. Oh, and after he was dead he told me he was Atlas, yes, Atlas from Greek mythology . Kala felt sick at the thought.
“I told you everything I know, sirs,” Kala said lamely.
Turner didn’t look angry like Clifton, he just looked like he was studying every facet of Kala’s face. After a moment he said, “I’m inclined to agree with General Clifton here. You’re definitely hiding something. If every last soldier hadn’t just come in here and told the exact same story you did, we’d be having you executed right now.”
Kala said nothing. She still wasn’t convinced that she was going to leave the Compound alive.
Turner sat back, never breaking eye contact with Kala. “You do realize that the whole purpose of this operation here is to be the President’s right arm?”
Kala nodded, terrified to say anything.
“And you killed him,” Turner drove his point home.
“Yes, sir,” Kala said. What else could she say? They were going to do whatever they wanted with her and nothing she said would change that.
Clifton shook his head, disgusted. “We’ve informed the White House that the President was killed in the plane crash.”
“The plane crashed, sir?” Kala asked before she could stop herself. Kala didn’t know what happened after she blacked out, but a crash? How did everyone survive?
Clifton shot an annoyed expression at Kala, whereas Turner simply answered her question. “Lieutenant Lali Mills landed the plane in the ocean. Once everyone was evacuated, Harry had it torched.”
Kala realized that Harry was General Clifton. He didn’t look like a Harry. Harry’s were supposed to be good-old-boys, not scary looking a-holes. This Harry looked like the kind of guy who would enjoy torching things. But Kala wasn’t about to share her opinion of her superiors right this moment, she was just thankful they couldn’t read minds.
So they had faked a plane crash. It wasn’t the first time, but Kala felt a small shred of relief because no one would be looking for an assassin. If the public thought it was an accident, then her odds of surviving the night seemed better than she had first hoped.
Turner unexpectedly turned to Clifton and said quietly, “Could you give us a few minutes?”
General Clifton took a few seconds before he nodded. Kala thought he looked pissed, as if taking orders from Turner was like swallowing nails. She knew they were close, but obviously there was some tension between them. Kala recognized Clifton’s greed shade of jealousy. There was no contest, Turner just carried himself in a way that set him apart from most people. Kala thought Turner could be President himself he was so intimidating. And for a guy like Clifton, who
Kala respectfully saluted the two generals. Neither general saluted her back, which made her immediately on edge.
“Please, sit.” General Turner motioned to the empty chair across from them.
Kala immediately did as she was told and sat down in the metal chair. She knew better than to talk first, being so vastly outranked, so she waited for one of them to speak.
It felt as if hours passed, waiting there in silence, but Kala knew it had only been seconds when General Turner spoke again. “Lieutenant Hicks, please tell us your side of the events.”
Kala told them everything that happened from when she phased through the wall to when she blacked out. She refrained from telling them about having a cup of espresso with the dead President and how all clocks looked like a four-day countdown. No sense in giving them any more reason to call for a rope and a tree!
When she finished, General Clifton leaned forward. “You’re not telling us everything.”
His eyes were cold and calculating and Kala wasn’t sure how to respond. She knew he was right, she was holding back, but what was she going to say? I think I was drugged. Yes, I shot the President, drugged. Oh, and after he was dead he told me he was Atlas, yes, Atlas from Greek mythology . Kala felt sick at the thought.
“I told you everything I know, sirs,” Kala said lamely.
Turner didn’t look angry like Clifton, he just looked like he was studying every facet of Kala’s face. After a moment he said, “I’m inclined to agree with General Clifton here. You’re definitely hiding something. If every last soldier hadn’t just come in here and told the exact same story you did, we’d be having you executed right now.”
Kala said nothing. She still wasn’t convinced that she was going to leave the Compound alive.
Turner sat back, never breaking eye contact with Kala. “You do realize that the whole purpose of this operation here is to be the President’s right arm?”
Kala nodded, terrified to say anything.
“And you killed him,” Turner drove his point home.
“Yes, sir,” Kala said. What else could she say? They were going to do whatever they wanted with her and nothing she said would change that.
Clifton shook his head, disgusted. “We’ve informed the White House that the President was killed in the plane crash.”
“The plane crashed, sir?” Kala asked before she could stop herself. Kala didn’t know what happened after she blacked out, but a crash? How did everyone survive?
Clifton shot an annoyed expression at Kala, whereas Turner simply answered her question. “Lieutenant Lali Mills landed the plane in the ocean. Once everyone was evacuated, Harry had it torched.”
Kala realized that Harry was General Clifton. He didn’t look like a Harry. Harry’s were supposed to be good-old-boys, not scary looking a-holes. This Harry looked like the kind of guy who would enjoy torching things. But Kala wasn’t about to share her opinion of her superiors right this moment, she was just thankful they couldn’t read minds.
So they had faked a plane crash. It wasn’t the first time, but Kala felt a small shred of relief because no one would be looking for an assassin. If the public thought it was an accident, then her odds of surviving the night seemed better than she had first hoped.
Turner unexpectedly turned to Clifton and said quietly, “Could you give us a few minutes?”
General Clifton took a few seconds before he nodded. Kala thought he looked pissed, as if taking orders from Turner was like swallowing nails. She knew they were close, but obviously there was some tension between them. Kala recognized Clifton’s greed shade of jealousy. There was no contest, Turner just carried himself in a way that set him apart from most people. Kala thought Turner could be President himself he was so intimidating. And for a guy like Clifton, who
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