Ever since the bases began going dark, the soldiers and officers have whispered to each other about getting pulled. Here, I’ve even heard plans to desert a couple of times. None of that matters compared to what I just heard. General Brand and Lieutenant Tico should have found a better place than the general’s office— his window is open, and I’m under the sile outside.

“General, you need to be reasonable. We need to abandon post.”

“We all go AWOL like some SOB on a bad trip? I’ve heard the scuttlebutt the same as you. I hear everything.”

“Then, you know why we need to leave.”

“No can do. It’s all horse hockey the boys have been talking about.”

“So, you’re saying 5 bases going dark in the last week isn’t suspicious?”

“I’m saying superstitious nonsense shouldn’t rule my decisions. It’s a crying shame about the bases.”

“Which is why we need to get our boys out of here.”

“I’m afraid it might be too late for that. No amount of running is getting us out of this.”

“How could you know? Do you have intel we don’t?”

“Let’s just say you don’t need to know. Anyways—wait… what’s that sound?”

My leg is rattling the bushes on it’s own. I’m trying to control my breathing, but I can’t hold it. No—it’s bad. Way worse than I thought. The soldiers here are in real trouble, and Tico doesn’t know how right he is.

If I’m going to survive, they can’t live.