Forever Until Tomorrow (War Eternal Book 5) (10 page)

"Go ahead, read it if you wish." He waved his hand over it. "I'll give you the summary." He looked Katherine directly in the eye. "The AIT wants Major Katherine Asher grounded permanently. In exchange, they have agreed to cease all other activity which may further hinder the launch of the Dove."

"What?"

It was the only word that escaped her. The only thing she could think to say. Her mind became a sudden slush of emotion and logic, trying to make sense of the General's words.

"I don't understand, sir," Yousefi said for her. "You're telling me these attacks have all been to keep Major Asher grounded? That's a lot of effort to go through to get rid of one person."

"And a lot of collateral damage," Petrov said. "They killed a lot of dignitaries, a lot of people, and yet now all they ask for is to have one pilot taken off the launch, after failing to kill her on two separate occasions. I agree, it is strange."

Katherine shook her head, recovering from her initial surprise. "You can't seriously be considering giving them what they want? They're terrorists."

"I understand, Major. And no, it isn't our desire to give them anything they want. I do not believe that this is only about you, or they wouldn't have gone to the party and created such chaos. These were trained soldiers, and they could have killed you any time they wanted before that."

"Comforting to know," Katherine said.

"Da," Petrov said. "So the answer is that both attacks, as well as this communique, are part of larger strategy. The question is, what is that strategy? And why? We know the AIT does not want Earthlings to leave Earth, and yet allowing the launch minus one Major will not help them achieve this goal."

"My apologies, General," Yousefi said. "I appreciate that you're sharing this intel with us, but I don't understand why you're sharing it? You could have pulled Major Asher from the program without telling us a thing. After two attempts on her life, even the media would have accepted whatever you told them."

"I'm telling you directly because it is right, Admiral. I do not lie to my people, even if the UEA would prefer it. Also, I need to know from Major Asher if there is anything she can share that may help us understand why they want her off the launch?" He looked at Katherine. His expression was warm and friendly, and she understood immediately how he had been so successful during the war.
 

"I told the MCI everything I know, sir. I'm as baffled by the request as you surely are."

Petrov nodded. "I thought as much, but I was hopeful that perhaps you could think of something. Anything. You see, Major, I told you it is not our desire to give the AIT what they are asking. Yet, I also mentioned the cost involved with delaying the launch."

He stopped there. He didn't need to fill in all the blanks. If she had nothing to help them make sense of the AIT's plans, nothing to help them stop it ahead of time, she was out. They were going to take the deal and keep the launch on track, even if it meant caving to terrorism.
 

Silence blanketed the room. Katherine stared at Petrov while she tried to decide if she should tell him the one thing she hadn't told the MCI. The one name that might or might not mean a damn thing.
 

"You don't know they won't renege," she said instead.

"No, we don't," Petrov agreed. "But it will settle the rest of the UEA leadership enough to take that risk. The other option is to cancel the flight, to give in completely to their threats while we focus on eliminating the problem. You've been part of the program for some time, Major. You've seen the state of things here. Merging militaries and governing bodies of so many countries is no simple task, and it is all very new. If we end up in a direct confrontation with the AIT, we may be stalled for years."

Katherine's heart pounded, her emotions pushing against her, threatening to either throw her into a rage, or turn her into a tearful ball of depression. She pushed back, keeping herself level.
 

"So that's it?" she said. "We don't know a damn thing about our enemy, but we're going to surrender to them, anyway?"

Petrov's face changed, from friendly to hard. "Surrender, Major? No. I do not surrender. Every good commander knows you must lose some battles to win the war. This is one battle we can afford to lose."

"And what will you be doing in the meantime? Do you have operatives trying to uncover the root of the AIT and take it down?"

"Of course. If the external situation changes, the internal situation will change accordingly. You aren't being punished, Major. This is a strategic decision to balance the needs of many, many people. Do not think that I am happy with the idea, but a good commander also knows that you do what needs to be done, not what you want to do. That is why I was hoping you had some other information that could help. If we can uncover the AIT, not only will we all breathe easier, but you will be on the Dove when she lifts off into space."

He was dangling the carrot. Did he know that she knew something she wasn't saying? How could he? She barely understood it herself. And what was it really? A name. Some nightmares. Nothing concrete. Nothing she could give him that would change the inevitable truth that after two close calls, her dream really was going to die.

"I wish I could help you, General. You know that I do. I don't understand this either. Why me? I'm one pilot out of over a thousand. How can they think my position is important or that I'll do something up there that will hurt their cause? They'd have to be able to see into the future."

"I understand, Major. Believe me." She did believe him. He didn't look happy at all. "I'm sorry, Katherine. You are removed from the active flight list for the Dove effective immediately. My aide will deliver the paperwork for your honorable discharge tomorrow."

Both Katherine and Yousefi stood at the same time.

"What?" Yousefi said for her. "Sir, you didn't say anything about discharge?"

"There is some concern that we too may renege on our end of the deal," Petrov said. "For now, we must make every effort to convince the AIT that we have followed through. It is not permanent, Major. I have the power to let you go, and the power to bring you back."

Katherine couldn't breathe. Being off the program was one thing. Being out of the military? She had joined the Air Force the day she turned eighteen. She didn't know how to live as a civilian anymore. Everything. She was going to lose everything.

She struggled not to let the tears come. She wouldn't let the General see her weak.
 

"Of course, sir," she managed to say, keeping her voice level. "I appreciate your candor in this, more than you know."

"And I appreciate your courage, Major," Petrov replied. "I know this is no easy thing for you, and I am personally sorry to deliver this news, and to affect you in this way. It is not what any of us want."

Katherine nodded but didn't say anything else.
 

Petrov collected the document from the table. "Admiral, please escort the Major back to her quarters. Major, if there is anything I can do for you, as a man who respects you quite highly, please do let me know."

"Thank you, sir," Katherine said.
 

She and Yousefi bowed to him and headed toward the exit, where the Corporal was already waiting. He led them back to the car.

"Katherine," Yousefi said, once they were inside.

"Don't talk to me," Katherine said, still fighting to keep her emotions in check. "Nothing you say is going to help or change anything. I know you're sorry. Everyone in this damn place is sorry. It doesn't change the facts or the truth."

Yousefi was silent for a moment. "It just makes no sense," he said quietly.

"No, it doesn't," she agreed.

Mitchell. The name moved to the forefront of her thoughts and hung there like the carrot. Teasing her. Mocking her. Find Mitchell.

She had two choices. She could accept her fate and hope for the best, or she could keep following the line of insanity all the way down the rabbit hole.

She wasn't the kind of person to ever let anything else control her destiny. If she were being discharged, that meant there would be no orders to follow, and no one to tell her what she could or could not do.
 

If the UEA couldn't figure out the secrets of the AIT, she would.

Mitchell.

It all started there.

Katherine stood at the window of the small apartment the UEA had set her up with, looking down at the street eight floors below. They had offered to send her anywhere in the world she wanted to go, but she had no idea where that would be. Instead, she was only a few miles away from Naval Station Norfolk, trying to convince herself that what she was about to do was a good idea.

She held her AR glasses in hand, having already attached the neural-impulse receiver to the back of her neck. All she had to do was put them on and make the call.

Much like General Petrov, she didn't want to do it. She also felt that she had to. There was nobody else she could turn to in a situation like this. Nobody else who would be able to help. Besides, how much trouble could he get in from his apartment in Soho?

She put the glasses on, plugging the end of the receiver into the frame. She spoke out loud even though she didn't have to.

"Call Michael," she said, clenching her jaw immediately after. She still had time to change her mind. Disconnect or make a different excuse.

"Kathy?" the tired voice said.

"Hi, Michael," she said. "I'm sorry to call you back so late. It's been a long day."

There was a silent pause. He was probably clearing the sleep from his throat. "It's no problem. I completely understand. I was worried about you. I read about your discharge."

He had called four times during the day to check on her. She hadn't been ready to talk to him then.
 

"Yeah. That's why I was calling."

"Need someone to commiserate with? We can play a game of Fighter Squadron Xeno. It will help you take your mind off it."

Kathy hesitated. This was her last chance to keep him out of it. To do this on her own.

Except she couldn't do this on her own, and she knew it.

"No. No games. Michael, I know what you read. It isn't what you think. Not at all."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't ask for a discharge because of emotional trauma. You know that isn't me."

"Hmm. Yeah, I thought that seemed strange, but who am I to judge? You don't have to be a super woman all the time. So what's going on?"

"The UEA cut a deal with the AIT. They wanted me grounded in exchange for staying out of the way when the Dove launches."

"Huh? You're saying the AIT, the terrorists, made one demand, and it was to get you off the ship?" He sounded as confused as she still was.

"Yes."

"And the UEA buckled to it?"

"Yes."

"What the hell, Kathy?"

"I know."

"And they kicked you out of the military for it? That's been your dream for as long as I've known you."

"You don't need to rub salt in it. I know."

"Sorry. So what are you going to do?"

She had one more chance to stop herself and keep him out. She was going to be putting him in danger if he agreed to help, and it was the last thing she wanted to do. This wasn't about want. It wasn't even just about her spot on the Dove. The AIT's actions were chaotic, and that could only mean bad things for everybody.

"I need to figure out what the AIT is up to," she said, feeling her heart race as she said it. She had no choice.

"Kathy, I don't think that's a good-"

"I didn't ping you for your advice. I pinged you for your help."

"What? What can I possibly do to help you?"

"Come on, Michael. You're a freaking genius. If I'm going to figure out what the deal is with the AIT, I'm going to need intel."

"You know how to use the net."

"So does the FBI, the CIA, Homeland Security. I need to go deeper than they can go."

"I think you're overestimating my skillset."

"Am I?"