The wind shrieks in agony. Justin McBride closes a finger over his tragus, his teeth grinding against his jaw in futile attempt to block out the relentless agony.
Six months.
That's how long his team was sent out to Yakutia. Prior to that time, they'd never been sent out of the states. Well, at least not until General Campbridge became the general.
“McBride? The general will see you now.”
Rising to his feet, he tips his head in gratitude towards the aide-de-camp, then raps on the general's office.
Taking two deep breaths, he turns the handle open.
“Ah…McBride.”
He shoots his chest forward, hand swinging in salute, feet placed together in reverence.
“Easy, officer. Easy.”
McBride's hand swings behind his back, his feet relaxing into a comfortable stance.
The general’s fat face expands into a large smile, as if he's very happy to see the delta officer. “Come, sit.”
McBride lowers himself into the leather chair just opposite the general.
“Your troop returned from Yakutia only two days ago. I ordered y’all to take a compulsory three months leave. Why're you here, son?”
He'd stood before the mirror in his tiny apartment every night since his arrival from Yakutia, rehearsing what he was going to say if this moment ever came.
But now, none of those polite words are coming to mind.
His eyes dart to and fro the general's desk. There are files, heaps of names the man has been scripting to forward for deployment.
“You're doing it again,” those were the first words to emerge from his lips.
“Excuse me?” The general's face is contorted with genuine concern. “Are you sure you're okay, son? Do you want a cup of coffee?”
McBride shakes his head vehemently. “You're recruiting more people, aren't you?”
The general leans back into his seat. “Son, this is the ground command office. Recruiting people is what we do here. I'm approving the list for the next batch of deployment. Is there a problem?”
“Six months!” His voice spikes a notch as he rises to his feet. “You sent us into the nothingness for six whole months.”
“You were recruited and deployed as seasoned soldiers for a special exercise….”
“Special exercise?” McBride runs his hand through his dark, wavy, hair. “You call dumping twelve delta officers at death's doorstep a special exercise?”
The general slides his round glasses off his nose and rubs his eyes. “Son, you've been on the delta team for eight years. This seems to be your most trying deployment so far.”
“We're not stupid! We were sent to wither away under the guise of securing a classified target. No commanding officer, just encrypted memos every morning to patrol the perimeter…”
The general shakes his head again. “I'm sorry if you had to go through all of that…”
“You're not sorry!...”
“That's it, son!” His large hands slam so hard on the wooden table that it rattles all the files which were neatly stacked on it. “How dare you, Justin?”
He rises slowly to his feet, towering over the younger officer by a full foot.
“I brought you by my hand into the delta team because you were one of the best, enthusiastic and young officers around here.” He circles around his table, exposing his rotund stomach barely covered up by his uniform.
“You have no right coming in here to challenge my authority.”
McBride nods his head in acknowledgement. “Yes sir. But you have no right playing God in the lives of innocent men for your own selfish profit.”
“Watch your words, son.”
“This…Code Red project, what is it really about?” McBride asks. The general's jaw drops open. “Is there truly a nuclear device threatening Russia, or is there something else you don't want us to know about?”
The general's face is white now, ashen even. “How did you come to know about Code Red?”
McBride nods, covering his face with his palms. “So it's true. The whole Yakutia thing was a boondoggle.”
The general's burly frame droops with a sigh. “Sit, son.”
“No, sir. I've known you since I was fourteen. You promised my father that you'd always be true to me and to the state. What exactly is going on?”
He takes two steps towards McBride, looking directly into his god-son’s eyes.
“I promised your father that I'd protect you with my life, and that's what I did by sending you to Yakutia. If you stuck around, you'd probably be with him in heaven by now.”
McBride starts to turn away but he holds him back. “Listen to me this once, Justin. Some things are way bigger than you. Than me. Than us. The system is broken and none of us can fix it.”
Tears cloud Mcbride's eyes.
“Go home, Justin.”
McBride tucks his hand into his jacket pocket. “I'm going to keep my promise to dad. I'll be true to myself and the state.”
Pushing the white envelope into the general's hands, he walks away, wiping tears off his face.
The general crumples the white envelope in his fists, hands trembling uncontrollably.
That’d be the second McBride he'd have to silence over this project. He hoped that it'd all be worth it in the end.
Ps: Image is not mine