Marcus had heard the story.
Everyone had.
A failed field exercise.
An accident.
Several soldiers injured.
One killed.
His grandfather had supposedly been the casualty.
But Andrew continued.
“It wasn't an accident.”
Marcus stared at him.
“What?”
“Your grandfather discovered that someone had been falsifying training reports.”
Marcus felt the room become colder.
“Who?”
“We never found out.”
“You said it was an accident.”
“I was twenty-six.”
Andrew's voice broke slightly.
“I believed what I was told.”
Marcus stared at him.
“Then why is General Reed here?”
Andrew didn't answer.
That was when Marcus understood.
His father knew more than he was saying.
The next morning, General Reed appeared in the academy auditorium.
Every cadet was required to attend.
Marcus sat near the back.
The general walked to the podium.
No medals.
No uniform.
No ceremonial sword.
Just a plain dark suit.
He looked at the cadets.
“Twenty-eight years ago, I commanded a field exercise here.”
The room became silent.
“Three soldiers were injured.”
He paused.
“One died.”
Marcus's heart began pounding.
“His name was Thomas Hale.”
Marcus looked at his father.
Andrew's face had gone white.
The general continued.
“The official report called it an equipment failure.”
A murmur moved through the auditorium.
“It wasn't.”
General Reed looked toward Marcus.
“Someone deliberately altered the training system.”
Marcus stood.
“My grandfather?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he discovered the truth.”
Marcus's voice shook.
“Who did it?”
The general looked across the auditorium.
“That is why I came back.”
He held up a folder.
“I found the missing records.”
The room erupted.
Senior officers immediately ordered the doors closed.
No one was allowed to leave.
The documents revealed something much worse than a single falsified report.
For years, academy instructors had manipulated training evaluations.
Cadets with influential families received advantages.
Weaknesses were hidden.