Chapter 15 - The Man Above the Investigation
Malcolm Rusk called Olivia before she could call him.
His voice was smooth and almost friendly.
"Commander Mitchell. I've been briefed on the unfortunate events at Fort Redstone."
"Have you?"
"General Voss appears to have abused his authority."
"Appears?"
"Evidence must be reviewed."
Olivia looked at Ward and Ortiz across the secure room.
"Then you'll want to review my father's recording."
A pause.
Small.
But real.
"Your father was a troubled man near the end of his career," Rusk said.
Olivia's grip tightened on the phone.
"That's almost exactly what Voss said."
"Perhaps because it was true."
"Or because you both practiced it."
Rusk's tone cooled.
"Be careful, Commander."
"People keep telling me that."
He ended the call.
Thirty seconds later, Ghost Division headquarters transmitted an order suspending Olivia from active authority pending review.
Ortiz stared at the message. "That was fast."
Ward shook his head. "Rusk has friends."
Olivia removed her commander badge and set it on the table.
"Fine."
Ortiz blinked. "Fine?"
"They suspended my authority. They didn't suspend my memory."
Ward almost smiled.
They followed the oldest Black Lantern payments and found a private storage facility outside the base.
The rental account belonged to Northline Strategic Group.
Inside unit 204 were twelve years of paper backups.
Rusk had trusted paper more than servers.
A mistake.
Olivia opened a file marked D. MITCHELL.
It contained her father's hotel reservation, medical schedule, and a handwritten note from Voss.
Rusk wants it handled before Friday.
Ortiz whispered, "That's murder conspiracy."
A car door slammed outside.
Ward looked through the narrow window.
Three black SUVs had entered the lot.
Men in plain clothes stepped out.
May you like
Olivia recognized one of them from Rusk's security detail.
"We have company."
