Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Leo sat slightly straighter. Elias kept his gaze on London. No, not yet.
“In your opinion, was the mining site secure?”
London unlocked his teeth. “No.”
“What steps would you have taken to make the mining site secure?”
“I would have collapsed the north access tunnels.”
Elias glanced at Leo. Now.
“Did you review the survey with Assault Team Leader Malcolm?” Leo asked.
“I did. You have a record of that meeting.”
“Did Malcolm specify how he selected the mining site?” Elias asked.
“Again, you have the record of the meeting. He selected the site based on the visible mineral deposits of malachite and copper-bearing ores in the walls, the size and relative stability of the cavern, and the proximity to the gate.”
“Were you aware of the risks the tunnels posed?” Leo asked.
“Yes.”
“Did you raise those concerns with Malcolm?” Elias asked.
“I did.”
“What rationale did Malcolm give you for leaving the tunnels intact?” Leo asked.
“He thought he might require an alternate route to the anchor.”
“Why not just collapse the tunnels and dig through if needed?” Elias asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Why didn’t you collapse the tunnels after getting to the site?” Leo asked.
London stared at him for a second. “Because it isn’t my call.” He bit the words off.
“The security of the mining site is your call. You are responsible for the safety of the escorts and the miners,” Elias countered. “Do you understand the scope of your duties, Escort Captain Wright?”
London glared at him. Angry red blotches colored his face.
“Malcolm wanted to keep the tunnels open. I brought up the possible risk. Malcolm reiterated his desire to keep the tunnels open. The survey showed no predators larger than the stalkers, and my team was well equipped to handle the stalkers. I requested a secondary sweep of a half mile from the entrance to the tunnels. The scout confirmed the sweep was done. You are not going to hang this on me. Malcolm fucked up. Malcolm is dead.”
It was all pouring out. They broke him.
“We can split hairs all day, but in the end, all of us in this room know that the ultimate responsibility lies with the assault leader. As the escort captain, I must maintain a good working relationship with the assault leader. That is the system that you put in place. You put Malcolm in that position, and you put me in my position.”
Shifting the blame again. If it wasn’t his fault, it was Malcolm, and if it wasn’t Malcolm, the system, the guild, and Elias were to blame.
“Malcolm and I respected each other. I was not going to go behind his back, because I had to work with him in the future. I brought three people out with me, three people who otherwise would have been dead. I am not going to take the blame for what happened. This outrage and scrutiny are disingenuous. A fatal event happened; people died. People die in breaches every day. This was no different. Either get used to it or get out of the game.”
London’s brain finally caught up with his mouth. He shut up.
Nobody said anything.
“You can judge all you want,” London said. “But you weren’t there. You didn’t see them. The speed… They were so fast, they blurred. My reaction time is half that of an average human and I couldn't follow it. Elias, seriously, whatever assault team would have been in that fucking cave, none of them would have made it. You want me to say I ran? Yeah, I did. Like I told you, I saved who I could and got out.”
Elias leaned forward. “Look me in the eye and tell me that everyone else in that cave was dead when you threw the grenade.”
“They were dead. All of them. The miners, the K9, the scout - everyone was dead. I saw the DeBRA cut to pieces. You have my word.”
They hounded London for the next ten minutes, but they didn’t get anything else. Elias knew they wouldn’t. In the end, they told him to stay put at the site and let him go.
Elias leaned back in his chair. London was lying. It was in the eyes. That direct unblinking stare when he said, “You have my word.”
“It wasn’t the gold,” Leo muttered.
“It wasn’t.”
London’s demeanor confirmed what Elias already deduced from the record of the survey meeting. He didn’t know about the gold, and he didn’t see it as relevant.
No, this problem ran deeper.
Leo steepled his fingers, his tone methodical, almost clinical.
“Assault Team 3 is the best performing team in the yellow and orange tiers. Malcolm and London worked together frequently. London saw Malcolm as his professional equal. In his mind, they were laterally positioned. If he pushed against Malcolm, there would’ve been tension and conflict. London abhors tension. He didn’t want to rock the boat. Was it a misguided professional courtesy?”
“And professional arrogance,” Elias said. “You heard him. Nothing larger than a stalker was found. Breaches are unpredictable. Nothing can be taken for granted. He’s grown complacent.”