clear?”
So, the truth. What had happened on the Oil Road was not the whole story; it was a piece of a larger puzzle the three men were trying to wedge into place. Peter stole a glance at Apgar, whose expression communicated only the manufactured neutrality of someone obeying the orders of his superior.
“Yes, General.”
Fleet paused, then continued with a note of caution: “One last matter, Jaxon, and this is also to be treated with the utmost confidence. It seems that your friend Lucius Greer has escaped from detention.”
For an instant Peter doubted that he’d heard the general correctly. “Sir?” He darted his eyes toward the others. “How did he—?”
“That’s not known at this point. But it seems very likely he had help. The same night Greer went missing, one of the sisters left the orphanage and failed to return. A DS at the western pickets reported seeing two people leaving on horseback just after oh three hundred hours. A man—Greer, obviously—and a teenage girl, wearing the tunic of the Order.”
“Are you talking about … Amy?”
“So it would seem.” Fleet hunched over the table. “Greer is not my first concern. He’s an escaped prisoner, and he’ll be dealt with. But Amy is a different matter. Though I’ve always regarded your claims about her with considerable skepticism, she is nevertheless an important military asset.” Fleet was looking at Peter with renewed intensity. “We know you visited both of them before departing for the refinery. If you have anything to say, I suggest you say it now.”
It took Peter a moment to parse the question’s meaning. “You think I know about this?”
“Do you, Lieutenant?”
Peter’s mind wrestled with three ideas simultaneously. Amy had broken Lucius out of jail; the two of them had fled the city, their destination unknown; the general suspected him of being an accomplice. Any one of these would have been enough to knock him flat; together, they had the effect of focusing his thoughts on the immediate problem of defending himself. And, rising in the back of his mind, was a new question: what did Amy’s disappearance have to do with the woman on the Oil Road? Surely the three men before him were wondering the same thing.
“Absolutely not, General. They didn’t tell me anything.”
“You’re certain? I remind you, this goes into the record as your official statement.”
“Yes, I’m certain. I’m as amazed as you are.”
“And you have no idea where the two of them might have gone?”
“I wish I did.”
Fleet regarded Peter for another moment, his face set. He looked toward Chase, who nodded.
“Very well, Jaxon. I’ll take you at your word. Colonel Apgar has relayed your wishes to return to Fort Vorhees as soon as possible. I’m inclined to grant that request. Report to the duty officer at the motor pool, and he’ll give you a space on the next transport.”
Suddenly this was the last thing Peter wanted. The general’s intentions were clear: Peter was being banished to guarantee his silence.
“If it’s all right, sir, I’d like to return to the refinery.”
“That’s not an option, Lieutenant. You have your orders.”
A thought occurred to him. “Permission to speak freely, sir.”
Fleet sighed heavily. “My understanding is that’s what you do, Lieutenant. You might as well get it over with.”
“What about Martínez?”
“What about him?”
Apgar quickly met Peter’s eye. Tread carefully.
“The man in the cave. ‘He left us’—those were his words.”
“I’m aware of that, Jaxon. I’ve read the report. What’s your point?”
“He wasn’t where he was supposed to be, either. Maybe Greer and Amy went searching for him.” He looked at each of the three men in turn, then together. “Maybe they know where he is.”
A frozen moment followed. Then, from Fleet: “It’s an interesting idea, Lieutenant. Is there anything else?”
Just like that, the idea had been put aside. Or maybe not. Either way, Peter sensed that his words had hit the mark.
“No, sir.”
The general’s eyes darkened with warning. “As I said, you’re not to discuss these matters with anyone. I don’t think I have to tell you that any indiscretion would not be looked on kindly. You’re free to go, Lieutenant.”
“I’m sorry, Sister Peg is away for the day.”
Sister Peg was never away for the day. The defensive posture of the woman in the doorway made it plain: Peter wasn’t getting past her.
“Will you at least tell Caleb I was here?”
“Of course, Lieutenant.” Her eyes darted past him in the manner of someone conscious of being observed. “Now, if you will excuse me …”
Peter returned to the barracks to pass a