Chapter 4

Friday morning arrived, cool and clear.

The armory gates were imposing, topped with barbed wire. A uniformed soldier with a rifle stood guard.

Our little group huddled together, looking nervous.

Jake and Brittany arrived last, Jake swaggering a bit, Brittany looking like she was about to walk a red carpet.

"Everyone got their letters and IDs?" Jake asked, unnecessarily loud.

We all nodded.

"Good. Just follow my lead."

He strode up to the guard. "Morning, soldier. We're here to meet Colonel Harrison's convoy. Civilian attachment. Commissioner Miller's group."

The guard, a young man with tired eyes, looked at a clipboard. "Miller group... for Fort Lewis? Got it. Just need to see your paperwork and IDs."

One by one, we presented our documents. The guard checked them off.

When it was my turn, he paused, looking at my ID and then at my acceptance letter, which clearly stated "Emily Hayes, daughter of Sgt. David Hayes (KIA)."

He looked up at me, his expression softening slightly. "Ma'am." A small nod of respect.

Then came Brittany.

She pushed forward, all smiles and fluttering eyelashes. "Brittany Smith! I'm Sergeant Hayes's goddaughter. Commissioner Miller arranged everything for me. He's a dear friend of my family."

The guard frowned, looking at her papers. Her acceptance letter, I knew, had been doctored by Commissioner Miller's office to include a vague reference to her "connection" with my father.

"Goddaughter?" he repeated, looking from her to me.

Before he could question it further, Jake stepped in. "That's right. My father, the Commissioner, can vouch for her. He's a pillar of the community. Knows Colonel Harrison personally."

The guard still looked uncertain.

I waited. This was the first test. Would General Davis's inquiry have reached this level yet?

Probably not. It was too soon.

The guard was about to speak when a Jeep pulled up, and a stern-faced Captain stepped out.

"What's the holdup, Private?"

"Sir, this group for the convoy. One of them claims to be Sergeant Hayes's goddaughter." The private gestured towards Brittany, then glanced at me. "This is Sergeant Hayes's daughter, sir."

The Captain's gaze sharpened. He looked from me to Brittany, then to Jake.

"Commissioner Miller arranged this?" he asked Jake, his voice curt.

"Yes, sir," Jake said, a little less confidently now. "He and Colonel Harrison are old friends."

The Captain's eyes flicked to me. "Ms. Hayes, is this woman known to you as your father's goddaughter?"

This was it.

I could expose her right here, right now.

But that wasn't the plan. The plan was to let them walk into the trap, not to stop them at the gate.

"My father had many friends, Captain," I said carefully. "And he was a generous man. Commissioner Miller provided a letter confirming Brittany's connection." I didn't say the connection was real, only that Miller had provided a letter.

The Captain studied me for a moment, then Brittany.

Brittany, sensing an opening, started to sniffle. "My godfather... Sergeant Hayes... he was such a hero. I just want to make him proud."

The Captain's expression remained unreadable. He looked at Jake. "The Commissioner vouches for her inclusion with this group?"

"Absolutely, sir," Jake said quickly.

The Captain gave a curt nod. "Alright, Private. Let them through. Get them processed for transport."

He gave me one last, lingering look before getting back in his Jeep.

Jake let out a relieved breath, grinning at Brittany. "See? No problem."

Brittany shot me a triumphant smirk.

They thought they'd won.

As we were led towards a waiting line of olive-drab trucks, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

A text message. Unknown number.

*"Inquiry initiated. Documentation requested from company HR regarding all apprenticeship candidates with military family connections. Further action pending review. - D."*

D. General Davis.

He was faster than I thought.

I smiled.

The game was definitely afoot.