Chapter 7 - Devon Refused To Give Me An Easy Forgiveness
Hale called Devon on speaker.
I warned him first.
“You're about to be on speaker with General Hale.”
Devon laughed.
“Do I have time to put on pants?”
“Probably.”
Hale did not smile.
Mason almost did.
Devon joined by video.
Bald now.
Glasses.
Sitting in a garage with a motorcycle behind him.
He saw Hale.
Then Mason.
Then me.
“Wow.”
Hale said:
“Mr. Price.”
“General.”
“I owe you an apology.”
Devon held up one hand.
“Can we skip senior-leader theater?”
The aide near the door nearly stopped breathing.
Hale nodded.
“Yes.”
Good.
Hale explained the temporary hold.
The migration.
The failed review.
Devon listened.
Then:
“So nobody erased us.”
Mason started.
Devon continued.
“You all just kept agreeing not to unerase us.”
Nobody corrected him.
He looked at me.
“You found my email?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“I’m sorry.”
Devon leaned back.
“For?”
“I acted like I could freeze your name.”
“Yes.”
“I knew you said no.”
“Yes.”
“I was dealing with surgery and—”
“Don't.”
I stopped.
He looked tired.
“You can have reasons without giving them to me like coupons.”
That sounded like Devon.
“I’m sorry.”
He nodded.
Receipt.
Not release.
Hale asked:
“Do you want your name restored to the first-cohort historical record?”
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
“Public display?”
“Yes.”
“Program promotional materials?”
“No.”
“Quotes?”
“Ask every time.”
Hale nodded.
Specific.
Simple.
Then Devon looked at Mason.
“You called three years ago.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you stop?”
Mason answered more honestly than I expected.
“Because you told me not to restore anyone without individual consent.”
“That sounds correct.”
“It was.”
“Then?”
Mason looked at the floor.
“I had five more calls to make.”
Devon laughed.
“There he is.”
Mason did not defend himself.
Devon continued.
“You wanted the problem solved.”
“Yes.”
“You didn't want five more answers.”
“Yes.”
“Especially hers.”
He pointed at me on screen.
Mason looked my direction.
“Yes.”
I stared at him.
Devon said:
“Rachel always scared you.”
Mason’s face tightened.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Not physically.”
“I know.”
Devon smiled.
“She made you explain.”
That was closer.
Mason looked toward the ballroom.
“She could turn one consent question into a referendum on the entire program.”
Devon laughed.
“She still can.”
I almost smiled.
Then Devon became serious.
“Rachel.”
“What?”
“You know I was mad at you.”
“Yes.”
“Still am a little.”
“Okay.”
“But I sent the tag because I wanted my name back.”
“I know.”
“No.”
He leaned toward the camera.
“I did not send it so you could win something for us.”
That landed.
“I sent it because I thought you would finally force somebody to ask me.”
I nodded.
Hale wrote something down.
One name.
One answer.
Devon looked at him.
“General?”
“Yes?”
“Don't call the next person with five officers in the room.”
Hale stared.
Then:
“Understood.”
Devon smiled.
“Now we're learning.”
The call ended.
Mason looked at me.
“He's still an ass.”
“He always was.”
For half a second, we agreed on something.
Then the ballroom applauded.
Someone had started the next award without us.
The gala kept moving.
May you like
Our names did not.
Not yet.
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