ANOM: Awakening (The ANOM Series Book 1) by Jason R. James Read Free Book Online

around half naked? I think
that’s covered in the army’s harassment policy, isn’t it?”
    Ellison
immediately started to boil. Disagreeing over a course of action behind closed
doors was one thing. This was something else. McCann had warned him…no, he ordered him not to lose his temper, but Hayden was the one forcing the issue. This was
on him. He was the problem, and Ellison knew how to deal with problems.
    Ellison
turned around. For a second, he couldn’t find the man; Hayden was still wrapped
in the shadows, but then an orange glow from a lit cigarette gave him away.
    Ellison
watched as Hayden’s thin silhouette stalked forward. “Agent Hayden, I didn’t
realize you had permission to be out here.”
    Hayden
laughed. “Good thing I don’t need your permission. Not for anything really.
Isn’t that right, Major?” As Hayden spoke, he stepped out of the shadows, and
Ellison could see that he still wore the same dark suit from earlier in the
day, only now he was also draped in a long camel-hair overcoat.
    Ellison
clenched his jaw and said, “That may be the case, but I’m still the Executive
Officer at Blaney, and Colonel McCann wants to know—”
    “Let
me try that again. I don’t answer to you, Major, and I sure as hell don’t answer
to McCann.” Hayden dragged on his cigarette, then flicked the butt to the
ground. “As for what the colonel wants to know, maybe we should start with how
you’re disciplining his men.”
    Ellison’s
whole body went taut; it was all he could do to keep his voice steady. “I’m
responsible for all discipline on Fort Blaney, and this—”
    Hayden
stepped closer, eyeing the half-clothed lieutenant. “Doesn’t look like
discipline to me. Looks like some asshole trying to compensate for something.”
    Before
Ellison could answer, Lieutenant Brown darted forward, his words spilling out
like water over a dam. “Agent Hayden, if you could speak to Colonel McCann.
Tell him—”
    Brown’s
voice was lost in a high-pitched wheeze, gasping for air. Hayden had moved like
lightning. An open-hand check to Brown’s throat had cut off his wind. Then a
knee to the stomach doubled the man over, and it all happened so fast that
Ellison couldn’t intervene.
    Hayden
still held Brown by the shoulder, keeping him upright. He reached around under
his coat, pulled a 9mm Sig out from behind his back, and shoved the muzzle down
into the back of Brown’s neck.
    “Put
the gun down!” Mandel shouted in his deep voice.
    Ellison
glanced to his right and saw the sergeant with his rifle raised, leveled at
Hayden. From the other side of the hangar door, Private Williams was doing the
same.
    Hayden
kept his eyes down, fixed on the lieutenant. “What do you think, Major?”
    Ellison
didn’t answer.
    Hayden
pushed down on the Sig, forcing Brown’s head lower. “You know the difference
between you and me, Major? I would pull the trigger, and these men know it.”
    “Shoulder
your rifle, Sergeant,” Ellison ordered.
    Mandel
lowered the M-4, his eyes never leaving Hayden. Then he slung the rifle over
his shoulder. Private Williams did the same.
    For
the first time, Hayden looked up and met the eyes of Ellison. “I think we’ve
all learned a valuable lesson tonight. Haven’t we, Major?”
    Ellison
stood rigid, staring back without expression.
    Hayden
tucked his Sig behind his back. Then he pushed Brown sideways. The lieutenant
sprawled face-first into the ground. Without another word Hayden started into
the hangar.
    Ellison
still didn’t move; he waited until Hayden was far inside before he finally
spoke. “Sergeant.”
    “Sir.”
Mandel straightened to attention.
    “Get
Lieutenant Brown back up on his feet. Keep him at attention until 0700.”
    “Yes,
sir.”
    Ellison
looked down at the lieutenant, still writhing on the ground. Mandel knelt down
next to him, hooked a hand under his arm, and pulled him to his feet. Brown
staggered upright.
    Ellison
nodded, satisfied at the effort from