Chapter 8 - The Hidden Truth Behind Lena's Secret Military Career
Outside the restaurant, the cool Virginia night air hit my face, refreshing and clean after the stifling atmosphere inside.
A line of three black armored Suburbans sat idling near the curb, their emergency lights flashing quietly in the dark.
Armed guards wearing dark tactical gear stood at the perimeter, keeping curious restaurant patrons at a distance.
General Vance opened the rear door of the middle vehicle for me, holding his arm out as a barrier.
“We have secure comms online, General,” Vance informed me as I slid into the plush leather interior.
I pulled off my civilian blazer and draped it over the seat beside me, revealing the shoulder holster I wore underneath.
I placed the encrypted earpiece into my ear, tapping the sync button twice to connect to the Pentagon war room.
“General Carter online,” I announced into the microphone.
“Welcome back, Ma’am,” the voice of the Deputy Director responded instantly over the secure line.
“We have satellite feeds showing unusual movement near the naval base in Norfolk. We need your command code for Phase Two protocols.”
“Stand by,” I commanded, pulling up the digital grid on the vehicle’s central console screen.
For the past five years, while my family thought I was sitting in a quiet classroom grading history papers, I had been living a double life.
My civilian cover as an instructor at the War College was real, but it was only ten percent of my actual workload.
The rest of my time was spent in underground bunkers, on stealth transport planes, and in emergency situation rooms.
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I had given up a normal personal life, a traditional marriage, and family holiday dinners to keep the country safe from catastrophic threats.
And yet, my own family had measured my entire existence by the fact that I didn't brag on social media or wear my uniform to Sunday brunch.
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