nodded to Ash and left.
Once they were alone, Hamilton said, “You can stand, but if you don’t mind, I’m going to sit.”
Hamilton favored his left leg as he headed for the couch. He caught Ash looking at it as he sat down.
“I’m told a knee replacement will take care of the problem,” Hamilton explained. “Someday, I guess. When I have the time.”
Ash walked over. He thought about remaining on his feet, but it seemed a pointless protest so he took the seat across from the couch.
Neither man said anything for several seconds. Finally, Hamilton leaned forward. “By all rights, you should be dead.”
A faint sneer grew on Ash’s face. “I’m having a hard time believing anyone was planning on killing me. I only went with your people for one reason—to find out who murdered my family and why.” He hesitated, then added, “They did get me away from the explosion, so I owe you thanks for that.”
“You misunderstood me,” Matt said. “I wasn’t talking about the fact the order had been given to eliminate you before you woke, which it had been, or about the explosion, which wouldn’t have happened if you’d stayed.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
“The disease. It should have killed you, too. But it’s my understanding that you never showed any effects of the illness. There were seventeen families living at Barker Flats. Seventeen families, all recent transfers to a base that, until two months ago, had been in mothballs. Of the sixteen families besides yours, none had any survivors. So what made you different?”
Ash stared at Hamilton in shock. “None? They’re all dead?”
A pause. “They are.”
Ash began breathing rapidly, his anger boiling just under his skin. He pushed himself up. “How many people?”
“There were fifty-seven total in the other families.”
“Fifty-seven?” With Ellen, Josie, and Brandon, that made an even…“Sixty total. My God.” He turned to the television. “It must be all over the news.”
Matt hesitated for a split second before saying, “It hasn’t been all over the news. There’s been no report whatsoever.”
“What?” Ash couldn’t believe it. He began pacing in the space in front of the door. Maybe the government didn’t want to cause a panic. The country took a pretty big hit after 9/11. Sure, everyone had rallied together, but there’d been so much confusion, too. “Do they know who did it? Have they found them?”
Matt took a longer pause this time before answering. “Captain, I will always tell you the truth. That’s the promise we make here. Sometimes, though, there are things that need to be held back. Perhaps someone isn’t ready to hear it yet, or perhaps the information is just too sensitive. When these situations arise, we won’t lie about it and try to cover it up, but the information will not be shared, either.” He paused. “There are things you don’t know and don’t understand. As soon as we’re completely sure we can trust you, you will be told. Just not now.”
“Trust me?”
“Just like you’re unsure whether you can trust us.”
As true as the statement was, Ash didn’t like hearing it. “What couldn’t you trust me with?”
“Is that a trick question?” Matt said. “Okay. How about this? The truth about what happened at Barker Flats.”
Ash stared at Hamilton. “Whatever happened killed my family! I have every right to know the truth!”
“I would feel the same as you,” Hamilton said calmly.
“Then tell me!”
“When the time is right.”
Ash stood motionless for several seconds then said, “Mr. Hamilton, I appreciate your hospitality, and whatever you did to help me get away from Barker Flats. There’s money still in my bag. Yours, I assume. I’ll leave it in the room. I don’t have any of my own to cover whatever expenses you might have incurred. I apologize for that.” He took a step toward the door. “If someone could show me the way to a main road, I’d be
Once they were alone, Hamilton said, “You can stand, but if you don’t mind, I’m going to sit.”
Hamilton favored his left leg as he headed for the couch. He caught Ash looking at it as he sat down.
“I’m told a knee replacement will take care of the problem,” Hamilton explained. “Someday, I guess. When I have the time.”
Ash walked over. He thought about remaining on his feet, but it seemed a pointless protest so he took the seat across from the couch.
Neither man said anything for several seconds. Finally, Hamilton leaned forward. “By all rights, you should be dead.”
A faint sneer grew on Ash’s face. “I’m having a hard time believing anyone was planning on killing me. I only went with your people for one reason—to find out who murdered my family and why.” He hesitated, then added, “They did get me away from the explosion, so I owe you thanks for that.”
“You misunderstood me,” Matt said. “I wasn’t talking about the fact the order had been given to eliminate you before you woke, which it had been, or about the explosion, which wouldn’t have happened if you’d stayed.”
“Then what are you talking about?”
“The disease. It should have killed you, too. But it’s my understanding that you never showed any effects of the illness. There were seventeen families living at Barker Flats. Seventeen families, all recent transfers to a base that, until two months ago, had been in mothballs. Of the sixteen families besides yours, none had any survivors. So what made you different?”
Ash stared at Hamilton in shock. “None? They’re all dead?”
A pause. “They are.”
Ash began breathing rapidly, his anger boiling just under his skin. He pushed himself up. “How many people?”
“There were fifty-seven total in the other families.”
“Fifty-seven?” With Ellen, Josie, and Brandon, that made an even…“Sixty total. My God.” He turned to the television. “It must be all over the news.”
Matt hesitated for a split second before saying, “It hasn’t been all over the news. There’s been no report whatsoever.”
“What?” Ash couldn’t believe it. He began pacing in the space in front of the door. Maybe the government didn’t want to cause a panic. The country took a pretty big hit after 9/11. Sure, everyone had rallied together, but there’d been so much confusion, too. “Do they know who did it? Have they found them?”
Matt took a longer pause this time before answering. “Captain, I will always tell you the truth. That’s the promise we make here. Sometimes, though, there are things that need to be held back. Perhaps someone isn’t ready to hear it yet, or perhaps the information is just too sensitive. When these situations arise, we won’t lie about it and try to cover it up, but the information will not be shared, either.” He paused. “There are things you don’t know and don’t understand. As soon as we’re completely sure we can trust you, you will be told. Just not now.”
“Trust me?”
“Just like you’re unsure whether you can trust us.”
As true as the statement was, Ash didn’t like hearing it. “What couldn’t you trust me with?”
“Is that a trick question?” Matt said. “Okay. How about this? The truth about what happened at Barker Flats.”
Ash stared at Hamilton. “Whatever happened killed my family! I have every right to know the truth!”
“I would feel the same as you,” Hamilton said calmly.
“Then tell me!”
“When the time is right.”
Ash stood motionless for several seconds then said, “Mr. Hamilton, I appreciate your hospitality, and whatever you did to help me get away from Barker Flats. There’s money still in my bag. Yours, I assume. I’ll leave it in the room. I don’t have any of my own to cover whatever expenses you might have incurred. I apologize for that.” He took a step toward the door. “If someone could show me the way to a main road, I’d be
Similar Books
