"I was enforcing discipline."
"On a woman who was performing her assigned duties?"
"Sir, she was careless."
"According to whose investigation?"
Hayes hesitated.
Whitmore closed the folder.
"Never mind. We'll discuss that later."
He stood and walked toward the window.
"Tell me something, Colonel. Have you ever heard of Task Force Raven?"
Hayes's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Whitmore noticed.
"Yes, sir. I have."
"Interesting."
Whitmore turned.
"What do you know about Operation Silent Harbor?"
Hayes remained silent.
The general studied him.
"Do you remember Captain James Carter?"
Hayes looked down.
"Vaguely, sir."
"Vaguely?"
"He was involved in a classified operation."
Whitmore stepped closer.
"He died protecting one of our officers."
"Yes, sir."
"And the mission was compromised."
Hayes swallowed.
"That's my understanding."
Whitmore returned to his desk.
"Then perhaps you understand why I'm asking questions."
Hayes forced a smile.
"Of course, sir."
The meeting ended ten minutes later.
Hayes left with a strange feeling in his stomach.
He had expected a discussion about administration.
Instead, the general had brought up an operation that had supposedly been closed three years earlier.
And he had mentioned Eleanor Blake.
That afternoon, Whitmore requested Eleanor's presence in his office.
She arrived at 1500 hours.
"Come in."
She stood at attention.
"General."
"At ease, Lieutenant."
Eleanor froze.
The title sounded unfamiliar.
Whitmore noticed.
"Forgive me. Old habits."
She sat.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then the general placed a photograph on the desk.
It was the same photograph Eleanor kept in her locker.
James and the Raven team.
She looked at it.
"Where did you get that?"
"Your personnel file."
Eleanor lowered her eyes.
"I asked for that file to remain sealed."
"It is sealed. I have the required clearance."
She nodded.
Whitmore leaned forward.
"I need to ask you something."
"Yes, sir."
"Did James ever tell you he suspected a leak inside the command structure?"
Eleanor looked up.
The question hit her harder than she expected.
"Yes."
"When?"
"Two days before the operation."
"What did he say?"
"He believed someone was sending mission details outside authorized channels."
"Did he identify anyone?"
"No. He said he needed more evidence."
Whitmore was quiet.
"Why didn't you report this?"
"I did."
"To whom?"
"Through the intelligence channel."
"Who received the report?"
Eleanor hesitated.
"I don't remember the officer's name. The transmission was routed through headquarters."
Whitmore slowly opened another document.
"Colonel Hayes approved the final extraction route."
Eleanor stared at him.
"What?"
"The authorization came from his office."
She stood.
"That's impossible."
"Why?"
"Because Hayes wasn't assigned to Raven."
"He was serving as a logistics liaison."
Eleanor looked at the document.
A familiar code appeared beside the signature.
She recognized it immediately.
It was the same code James had mentioned before the mission.
For three years, she had believed his suspicions had died with him.
Now the general was telling her that the man who had approved their extraction route was standing inside the same installation.
"General," she said quietly, "I need to know everything."
Whitmore nodded.
"So do I."
He pushed the document toward her.
"Because I believe James Carter was murdered by someone who wanted that operation to fail."
Eleanor looked down.
Her hands began to tremble.
For the first time since returning to Fort Redstone, her calm expression disappeared.
Outside the office, Colonel Hayes was standing near the corridor.
He had not heard the entire conversation.
But he had seen Eleanor enter.
And he had seen the general close the blinds.
He took out his phone.
"She's talking," he whispered.
A voice answered.
"Are you certain?"
Hayes looked toward the office door.
"Yes."
"Then we have a problem."
Hayes lowered his voice.
"Not for long."
Eleanor did not return to the medical department immediately.
She walked outside and stood beneath an old oak tree near the vehicle parking area.
The afternoon wind moved through the branches.
She took the photograph of James from her pocket.
For three years, she had tried to remember him without remembering the explosion.
His smile.
His jokes.
The way he always carried extra coffee for the entire team.
But now every memory had been replaced by one question.
Who had sent them into the ambush?
She heard footsteps behind her.
"Lieutenant Blake."
Eleanor turned.
Captain Daniel Reeves stood several feet away.
"Captain."
"May I speak with you?"
"Of course."
He glanced around.
"I heard General Whitmore was reviewing an old operation."
Eleanor said nothing.
Reeves lowered his voice.
"Is it connected to Colonel Hayes?"
She looked at him carefully.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because I found something in his office."
"What?"
"A restricted personnel request. Your name was attached to it."
Eleanor's expression changed.
"What kind of request?"
"Someone tried to access your former service record without the proper authorization."
"Did you see who submitted it?"
Reeves nodded.
"Colonel Hayes."
Eleanor looked away.
"Thank you for telling me."
"I don't understand something."
"What?"
"Why would a colonel be interested in a civilian support worker?"
Eleanor met his eyes.
"Because some people are frightened by things they don't understand."
Reeves studied her.
"Are you still an officer?"
"No."
"Then what were you?"
Eleanor hesitated.
"Someone who made a promise."
Before Reeves could ask another question, a military police vehicle pulled into the parking area.
Two officers stepped out.
One approached them.
"Lieutenant—"
He stopped himself.
"Miss Blake. Colonel Hayes requests your presence in the administration building."
Eleanor nodded.
"Tell him I'll be there."
The officer looked uncomfortable.