Chapter 6 - The Major’s Second Order
Benton stepped over broken glass with his sidearm drawn.
At first, the wounded soldiers believed he was moving to protect Mara.
Then he aimed the weapon at her.
The radio operator froze.
“Major?”
Benton’s face had become strangely calm.
“Put down the drive, Kincaid.”
Mara kept the rifle low but ready.
Outside, gunfire rolled from the eastern wall.
“You gave them the route,” she said.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“They targeted command systems using current interior positions.”
“They had surveillance.”
“The eastern road was removed from every operational map except your archived file.”
Benton’s jaw tightened.
A frightened lieutenant behind a desk stared between them.
“You said the road was unusable.”
Benton raised the handgun toward Mara’s chest.
“She is compromised. Nobody moves.”
The room obeyed for one terrible second.
Rank created hesitation even after evidence created doubt.
Mara slowly set the rifle beside her.
Benton took one step closer.
“You were supposed to stay an analyst.”
That sentence ended any uncertainty.
Mara looked at the radio operator.
“Transmit the drive.”
Benton turned his weapon toward the communications desk.
The operator ducked.
Mara moved.
She struck Benton’s wrist upward before he could fire, drove her shoulder into his chest, and forced him against the overturned table. The handgun skidded across the concrete.
She did not continue hitting him.
She trapped his arm and ordered the nearest soldiers to secure the weapon.
For a moment, nobody reacted.
Then the lieutenant who had questioned the road stepped forward.
Two others followed.
Benton stared at them.
“You are disobeying a commanding officer.”
The lieutenant picked up the handgun.
“No, sir. We’re preserving evidence.”
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Mara handed the encrypted drive to the radio operator.
“Send everything.”
