“Good question,” the general responded. “All Leash orders are hereby cancelled, effective immediately. Every resident will still have a tracer, so should any escape after we leave, they can still be tracked and neutralized.”
Thoughts poured through Jax’s mind as his father went over the details of their directive. He was being put between a rock and a hard place. Regardless of his orders, Jax was also a consultant to the U.N. Triad, the governing body of the Etzee, made up of Sephian, Draeken, and human delegates. While his allegiance was fifty-one percent to his country, forty-nine percent of it went to the Triad. He should be discussing this with the Triad, however, in this case, one percent made a world of difference. Country trumped world.
The sounds of chairs scraping on concrete pulled Jax’s attention back to the room.
The general held up a finger. “Make sure you have your troops pulled out by oh-eight-thirty and not a minute later. We cannot come back for anyone left behind.”
“Aye-aye, sirs” chimed around the room as the officers departed, everyone looking tense. Jax eyed Ace, who shot him a look every bit as bothered as he felt.
“Jerrick and Monsen, a word.”
Snapping upright, Jax and Ace spun on their heels to return to the room. Ace, being the lowest ranking officer left in the room, waited for the others to leave before closing the door and catching up to stand at Jax’s side to face the general.
“As you were,” Jax’s father said as he rustled around some papers before leaning back on his desk and facing his two officers. “Lieutenant Monsen, you have more potential than just about any soldier I’ve met.”
“Thank you, sir,” Ace replied.
“Yet you manage to fuck up every time you get a promotion. I’m giving you one last shot.” He tossed Ace a small box. “I’m giving you a field commission, Captain Monsen.”
Ace stood straighter and replied quickly. “Thank you, sir. I’ll try not to fuck it up.”
The general smirked. “Since you’re now a captain, you will no longer report to Captain Jerrick. Echo-Three is now under your command. His company is your responsibility, effective immediately.”
Ace frowned. “Sir?”
Jerrick pursed his lips. “Captain Jerrick will receive new orders when we reach Whiteman.”
Ace saluted. “Noted, sir.”
Jax’s brows rose, but he was smart enough to stay silent.
“That will be all, Captain Monson.”
Ace paused and shot Jax a quick frown before giving a curt nod to the general. “Thank you, sir,” he said and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Jax’s father looked around the room before leveling his gaze on his son. “What I’m about to say could get misinterpreted for treason if it fell onto the wrong ears.”
Jax didn’t respond, simply because how could one respond to that?
“We’ve never been fair with the Etzee’s residents. The Sephians that are here could’ve gone home, but they remained here to start a new life. They chose to remain here. I’m not worried about them since they had a choice and could head back to Sephia. As for the Draeken, well, they have no home. We’ve been keeping several hundred restricted to the Etzee in hopes to keep in line the several thousand orbiting our planet in those giant core ships of theirs. If we kill those residents now, I have no doubt their compatriots will retaliate, and that could make the Omega virus look like nothing more than a slap on the face. At oh-nine-hundred, we’re going to fuck ourselves by bombing the Etzee in hopes to stop whoever unleashed the Omega virus, and we’re not even sure that someone is in the Etzee.”
“Sir?” Jax asked, though he’d already suspected where his father was headed.
Jerrick cracked his knuckles. “I’m giving you a counter-directive for one hour in order to save our world. Save the alien delegates to the Triad. Roden and his officers, Sienna and her trinity, and whatever families you can, or else we’re all dead. And then get your ass to Whiteman and report in that you were delayed in transferring records.”
Jax’s muscles shook with tension, his lungs could barely take in air. After another breath, he found the ability to speak. “I understand, sir. I will do what I can.”
“Good. I’ve already put the paperwork through that you’ll be driving a large supply truck with remaining medical records. It’s large enough for you to get out the key personnel with that. It’s going to be chaotic over the next fifteen hours. With your company now under Captain Monsen’s command, no one should notice your absence.”
His father looked relieved, but yet deathly ill at the same time. It had been the third time in Jax’s life that he’d seen his father emotional. The first was when his mother died. The second was when Jax had been taken by the Sephians. “If you’re caught with the Triad, there’s nothing I can do. You need to get them off the Etzee, then let them fend for themselves. Do you understand?”
“Aye-aye, sir,” Jax replied, his chest uncomfortably tight. “Will that be all?”
“Troops evacuate at oh-eight-thirty. Scouts are posted a mile out in each direction to make sure no one escapes. It doesn’t give you much of a window to sneak out the critical few. Be out of there by oh-nine-hundred and not a minute later, got it?”
Jax swallowed, and then nodded.
His father came forward suddenly and embraced him. It was fast and hard and over before Jax could respond. The general walked around his desk, sat down, and began to shuffle papers. “You’ve got a lot of work to do, Captain. Better get to it.”
Feeling disjointed and edgy, Jax nearly stumbled out the door, to find Ace leaning against the wall.
“Captain,” Ace said.
Jax smirked. “Captain.” But, he quickly sobered.
Ace joined his side as they walked outside. “I’ll get your guys out all right.”
“They’re your guys now,” Jax replied.
“Hoo-fucking-rah.” Ace didn’t smile. “You be safe.”
Ace had to have an idea something was up for the general to promote him at such an odd time. Jax didn’t reply. Instead, he pulled his buddy into a quick, hard embrace. It was much like the one his father had just given him and spoke of the same heartfelt emotions that words couldn’t relay. When they pulled away, neither said a word, just went their separate ways. The general was right. They had a lot to do and not damn near enough time to get it done.
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Midnight Sun, Inc. (Crimson Romance) Page 29
