Chapter 3 - Natalie kept the pistol trained on the door.“How?”
Silence.
Then Briggs answered.
“Open it.”
“No.”
His voice became harder.
“You don't understand what's happening.”
“Then explain it through the door.”
Nothing.
Natalie waited.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Then Briggs spoke again.
“Your convoy wasn't attacked.”
Natalie felt her stomach drop.
“What?”
“They were waiting for you.”
“For what?”
“You.”
Natalie's finger tightened against the trigger guard.
“Why?”
“Because you were carrying something.”
Natalie closed her eyes.
A memory surfaced.
She was twenty-nine.
Afghanistan.
Night.
Dust.
The convoy had been moving through a narrow valley.
Then the explosion.
Gunfire.
Screaming.
She remembered crawling through wreckage.
She remembered finding Captain Ward bleeding beside a destroyed vehicle.
She remembered grabbing a metal case.
Then nothing.
“What was I carrying?”
Briggs didn't answer.
Natalie stepped closer to the door.
“What was inside the case?”
Still nothing.
“Briggs.”
A long pause.
Then he said:
“Proof.”
Natalie frowned.
“Proof of what?”
Briggs looked around before replying.
“Something the Army was never supposed to find.”
Natalie suddenly heard another voice in the hallway.
“Step away from the door, Sergeant.”
Briggs froze.
Natalie recognized the voice.
Captain Ward.
“What are you doing here?” Briggs asked.
“Following orders.”
“Whose?”
Ward didn't answer.
Natalie heard boots moving.
One pair.
Then another.
Her heart accelerated.
More people were outside.
Ward spoke softly.
“Natalie, open the door.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm trying to keep you alive.”
Natalie laughed bitterly.
“You told me not to trust anyone.”
“I know.”
“And now you're here with Briggs.”
“I know.”
“Then tell me something I can believe.”
Silence.
Ward finally said:
“I lied to you.”
Natalie stared at the door.
“At the hospital.”
“Yes.”
“About what?”
“Your injury.”
Natalie felt coldness spread through her body.
Ward continued.
“The explosion damaged your leg. But it wasn't the reason you were kept unconscious for nineteen days.”
Natalie's breathing stopped.
“What was?”
“They found something in your blood.”
Briggs cut in.
“Captain.”
Ward ignored him.
“Something that shouldn't have been there.”
Natalie's mind raced.
“What?”
“We don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“No.”
“Then why hide it?”
“Because someone inside this base has been ordering people to remove every trace of your deployment.”
Natalie looked at the classified page again.
Night Glass.
“What happened to the others?”
Ward's voice cracked.
“That's the problem.”
“What?”
“They weren't killed in the ambush.”
Natalie went still.
“Then where are they?”
Ward whispered:
“Some of them came home.”
Natalie's blood turned cold.
“Who?”
Ward didn't answer.
The hallway suddenly erupted with movement.
Someone shouted.
Briggs yelled.
Natalie heard a heavy impact.
Then silence.
She opened the door.
Briggs stood over Ward.
Ward was unconscious.
Blood stained the floor beside her.
Briggs looked at Natalie.
“I didn't hurt her.”
“Then who did?”
Briggs looked behind Natalie.
His eyes widened.
“Down!”
Natalie dropped.
A bullet tore through the wall above her head.
The hallway exploded into chaos.
Briggs grabbed Natalie and dragged her into the room.
Another round punched through the door.
He slammed the lock.
Natalie pointed her pistol at him.
“Who is shooting at us?”
“People who don't want you asking questions.”
“Which people?”
Briggs looked at Ward.
Then at Natalie.
“The people who made me humiliate you.”
Natalie stared.
“What?”
“I wasn't trying to humiliate you.”
“You called my injury an act.”
“I was checking your reaction.”
“To what?”
“The name Night Glass.”
Natalie froze.
Briggs reached into his uniform.
Slowly.
He pulled out a small memory card.
“I stole this three months ago.”
He placed it on the desk.
“Nineteen names.”
Natalie looked at it.
“Who are they?”
Briggs swallowed.
“People officially listed as dead.”
Natalie stared.
“And?”
“They're alive.”
“Where?”
Briggs looked directly into her eyes.
“Under Fort Campbell.”
The room seemed to lose all sound.
Natalie whispered:
“What?”
Briggs pointed toward the floor.
“There's a facility beneath this base.”
Natalie shook her head.
“That's impossible.”
“So was Colonel Voss being alive.”
Her blood ran cold.
Briggs continued.
“The men who run it have been taking soldiers who survived classified operations.”
“For what?”
“Weapons research.”
Natalie's face hardened.
“And me?”
Briggs's expression changed.
“You weren't supposed to survive.”
At that exact moment, Ward opened her eyes.
She looked directly at Natalie.
“Don't listen to him.”
Natalie turned.
Ward whispered:
“Briggs is one of them.”
Briggs raised his weapon.
May you like
Ward smiled weakly.
“And he knows where they keep the bodies.”
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