Chapter 5 - Moss
Pruitt swallowed. “There’s a pending investigation, sir. Operation Red Mesa. Lieutenant Colonel Moss assigned her here pending findings.”
“I didn’t ask you to read me gossip with a haircut,” Harrison said.
Pruitt closed his mouth so fast his teeth clicked.
General Harrison looked at me. “Explain.”
I stood straight. My hands were still dusty. My shirt was dark with sweat. The sandbag wall beside me was better built than half the excuses I had heard in seven weeks.
“Following Red Mesa, Sergeant Reyes was critically injured. My decision-making is under review. Colonel Moss removed me from operational duties and assigned me here.”
“How long?”
“Seven weeks, sir.”
The general’s jaw moved once.
Not anger.
Inventory.
He was filing names.
“Moss.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Where is he?”
“Command building, sir.”
Harrison turned to his aide. “Captain Reeves.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Find out who Moss reports to. Flag this assignment. Pull Red Mesa packets, original imagery, revised imagery, and the injury review.”
Pruitt tried to recover. “Sir, with respect—”
Harrison turned his head.
Just his head.
Pruitt discovered a lifelong interest in silence.
A few soldiers shifted behind me. The kind of shift that happens when a story everyone accepted starts wobbling under its own weight.
Captain Reeves returned at a jog five minutes later.
“General, Colonel Moss is en route.”
Harrison looked at me. “Staff Sergeant Chen, you will come with me.”
I glanced at the unfinished stack.
“Now, sir?”
His eyes did not move.
“Now.”
I removed my gloves, folded them, and placed them on the nearest sandbag.
Pruitt stared at the gloves like they might testify against him.
May you like
Smart man.
They could.
