Chapter 6 - THE FIFTEENTH GHOSTMaya stared at Daniel Caldwell's photograph.
Everything Marcus had told her suddenly carried another meaning.
Daniel's nightmares.
His fear of military institutions.
His obsession with keeping Marcus away.
Daniel hadn't merely been a damaged veteran.
He had almost been Ghost 7.
Thomas explained that Daniel discovered Hale's plan shortly before Nightfall.
Hale removed him from the roster.
Daniel attempted to warn Cole.
Then disappeared into silence.
Three days earlier, Daniel had vanished again.
Maya immediately wanted Marcus contacted.
Thomas stopped her.
“Daniel may be running from someone.”
Captain Pierce moved slightly toward the door.
Maya noticed.
So did Morrison.
“Captain?”
Pierce reached for his weapon.
Maya moved first.
She trapped his wrist and slammed him against the wall.
His pistol struck the floor.
“Who are you?”
Pierce smiled.
“Someone cleaning up Thomas's mistakes.”
Morrison grabbed him.
“Hale?”
Pierce laughed.
“Hale was management.”
Thomas went pale.
The conspiracy hadn't ended with Hale.
She had merely been one layer.
Pierce looked toward Morrison.
“Ask who approved Ghost 1.”
Morrison froze.
Maya demanded an answer.
Finally Morrison whispered the name.
“General Nathan Caldwell.”
Marcus and Daniel's grandfather.
Nathan had officially died decades earlier.
Thomas shook his head.
“No.”
Pierce smiled.
“Nathan never died.”
An alarm interrupted them.
An unauthorized vehicle was approaching.
Outside stood Daniel Caldwell.
Exhausted.
Terrified.
Alive.
Then another vehicle arrived.
Marcus stepped out.
“What the hell is happening?”
Daniel shouted at him.
“I told you not to come!”
Marcus fired back.
“You disappear for three days and expect me to stay home?”
Then the sedan's elderly driver emerged.
White hair.
Walking cane.
Marcus stared.
“Grandpa?”
Morrison whispered,
“Nathan.”
Three generations of Ghost secrets had arrived at the same gate.
Nathan calmly produced a flash drive.
“Everything is here.”
Maya refused to take it immediately.
“Did you order Nightfall?”
“No.”
“Hale?”
“Yes.”
Pierce shouted that Nathan was lying.
Nathan ignored him.
Then he looked toward Marcus.
“Hale threatened Daniel with one thing.”
Marcus swallowed.
“What?”
Daniel answered.
“You.”
Marcus stared at his brother.
Daniel had treated him like he was weak because Hale threatened to recruit Marcus next if Daniel exposed her.
“I was trying to make you hate the Army,” Daniel whispered.
Marcus's eyes filled.
“So I'd stay alive.”
Nathan handed Maya the drive.
Then revealed one final fact.
Thomas hadn't decided alone to disappear when Maya was six.
Someone else had demanded it.
Maya's mother.
Maya laughed in disbelief.
“My mother was an elementary-school teacher.”
Nathan looked at her.
“Yes.”
“And before that?”
Silence.
May you like
Then Thomas answered.
“She founded Ghost.”
Related Stories
