Chapter 9 - The Stranger Was the Officer Who Kept the Original Manifest
His name was Major Owen Reese.
He had served as deputy operations officer during Red Hollow.
After the incident, he transferred quietly to another command.
Cassidy had met him only twice.
That was why she did not recognize his voice.
Owen stepped forward later that evening after military investigators arrived.
He carried a thin black folder.
Inside:
The original convoy manifest.
The authentic mission-support order.
And an email chain.
Owen explained why he stayed hidden during the gala.
“I needed Everett to hear Whitmore deny the signature before I identified myself.”
Cassidy frowned.
“Why?”
“Because for eighteen months he’s claimed Whitmore verbally authorized everything.”
Conrad said:
“He didn’t.”
Owen nodded.
“I know.”
Then he opened the folder.
One email was from Everett to Owen, sent six hours before Red Hollow.
Run the movement under existing authority. Updated signature page will follow.
No updated legitimate signature ever came.
Instead—
after the attack—
May you like
the roster changed.
---
Related Stories
