“I didn’t know who she was, sir,” Evan stammered.

“I figured she was just a staff clerk traveling on personal leave.”

“You figured wrong,” General Vance said.

Behind Evan, Corporal Mason Reid stood at rigid attention, his eyes fixed straight ahead on the gate departure monitor as though he were reading flight numbers.

Mason didn’t look at Evan, and he didn’t look at me, but the muscles along his jaw were clenched tight.

“Corporal Reid,” General Vance said, moving his sharp gaze a little to the left.