“One step,” Delroy remembered, coming back from the memory and looking around at the church with new eyes. He felt strengthened a little. He had forgotten his daddy’s sermon on temptation and Satan’s place in the world.
“One step,” a mocking voice asked. “Do you really think that’s all it takes, Preacher? One step? One step out of a mile leaves another five thousand, two hundred and seventy-something feet to go. I wouldn’t feel like one step accomplishes all that.”
Whirling, recognizing the voice at once, Delroy faced the back of the church and saw the creature standing in the open doorway.
United States of America
Fort Benning, Georgia
Local Time 1005 Hours
While Megan stood speechless, the captain strode into the room and stopped near the podium beside her. He picked up the book about the end times she and the teens had been studying and dropped it back down.
“Religion, Mrs. Gander?” the captain sneered. “As a counselor for this post, that’s not exactly your purview, is it?”
“Captain—” Megan glanced at his name tag—“Stashower, as counselor, I speak on a number of issues concerning the youth of the base. Religion is definitely one of them.” But she knew she was stretching her actual responsibilities. She could talk about religion if those issues came up but not initiate them. And she was supposed to refer serious problems regarding faith and questions of faith to the chaplain’s office.
“Mrs. Gander,” Stashower said, “I’ve been sent here to shut down your little dog-and-pony show before it becomes an embarrassment to this post.”
Anger overrode some of Megan’s insecurity at being confronted by a Ranger captain and a squad of armed MPs. “An embarrassment, Captain? I resent that remark.”
“Resent it all you want to,” Stashower advised. “As of 0800 hours, in an attempt to lessen public-relations problems with the city of Columbus, the gates to this post were opened to admit outside personnel. Those personnel include media people.”
Megan remembered that. There had been a memo in her morning e-mails. “I fail to see what that has to do with what I’m doing in this classroom, Captain Stashower.”
Stashower glared at her. “General Braddock has given me orders to send you packing. Now, I can either send you home or I can remand you to the provost marshal’s office till the matter gets settled through Joint Services. You’re going to cease and desist.”
Disbelief swept through Megan, but anger was hot on its heels. “Captain, I’m trying to help these kids understand what is happening to them and what they are going to go through during the next seven years.”
“By telling them that Jesus Christ Himself is going to return and lead them to heaven?” The captain looked apoplectic. “No, ma’am. Not on my watch. These kids have been through enough without you traumatizing them further.”
“Captain—”
Stashower wheeled on Megan, shoving his face into her space and causing her to back up involuntarily.
“No, ma’am,” Stashower said in a loud voice. “Another thing, Mrs. Gander, if it had been me on shift the other night when you talked the Hollister girl into shooting herself—”
“I didn’t talk her into—”
“I’d have had you locked down,” Stashower finished, raising his voice to talk over her. “You’re a menace to these kids. You’ve got no business talking to them. And that’s going to be in my report.”
The teens stood and tried to defend Megan.
“Corporal,” Stashower growled without turning from Megan.
“Yes, sir.”
“If those young men and women cause a problem, I want them arrested and charged.” Stashower glared at Megan. “Ma’am, if you have any control over these kids, I suggest you use it now.”
Without breaking eye contact with the captain, Megan called for the teens’ attention. “Do what Captain Stashower says. I don’t want anyone getting into trouble this morning. That’s not what we’re here for.”
“They can’t just make us leave like this,” Geri protested. She jerked her arm away from one of the MPs.
“I can and I am,” Stashower declared. “And that’s happening right now.”
“Go,” Megan said in a firm voice. “If any of you get into trouble, we might not be able to do this again.”
Silently, the teens allowed the MPs to herd them out into the halls. As Shawn passed by Megan, he mouthed the words, See? War.
The suggestion jolted Megan. Was that what was happening here? Had some malevolent force somehow sensed they were gathering, that people were going to be educated to the truth? to God’s truth? Even as she thought that, she disregarded it. That was impossible. There had to be another reason, another way Stashower had known they were here.
Watching the kids file out into the hallway, Megan spotted Juan Rodriguez standing against the wall. His dark, hooded eyes met hers for just a moment. There was no sign of guilt, no sign of remorse. Then he shook his head as if in disgusted disbelief, turned, and walked out of sight.
The captain lifted the book from the podium again and sneered at it. “The end times, Mrs. Gander?” He shook his head. “That’s what this is going to be for you when General Braddock finishes with you.”
“Can I quote you on that, Captain Stashower? That was a very strong and somewhat witty statement using the book’s title like that. Especially when coming from a United States Army captain heading up a six-man security unit of brawny military police officers and directed at a single young woman who serves the troubled youth of Fort Benning.”
A woman’s heavily accented Southern voice surprised Megan and pulled her attention to the second doorway at the end of the room. A camcorder operator stood at the woman’s side. As Megan watched, the cameraman moved his machine back and forth.
“Who are you?” Stashower demanded.
The
