Free Dark Coup by David C. Waldron

Kyle said.  “I’m coming with you.”
    “Wait a minute,” Eric started.
    “I’m not asking for your permission, Eric,” Kyle said and held up his hand to keep Eric from talking.  “I’m coming with you; I just need a little time to get ready.  I’ll even tell you why.”
    “Fair enough,” Eric said.  “You know why I’m deserting; I should know why you’re doing it, too.”
    “Ouch,” Kyle winced.
    Kyle took a deep breath and then began.  “Ben Franklin,” was all he said.
    “Really,” Eric said.  “You’ve got a beef with the guy who discovered electricity?  I mean, sure, we all miss it and…”
    “No, not that Ben Franklin, wise guy,” Kyle said, “the other one, the one from Fort Campbell; Mallory’s big, strong hero.”
    Eric was stunned for a second and then it hit him, and, grieving or not, he was smart enough to bite his tongue.
    “Nothing?” Kyle asked.
    “Nope,” Eric said.  “This is your baby, your turn to talk.”
    “So, what’s my problem?”  Kyle asked.  “What’s so wrong that I’d desert?  I’ve wasted a decade on her, Eric.  Ten years I’ve been in the unit.  I was the one who was there for her when that POS husband of hers left.  I’m the one who…convinced him that it would be a bad idea to go after her for alimony.”
    Kyle looked over at Eric with death in his eyes, “That does not leave this tent, ever.  You don’t tell anyone, you don’t ever tell Mallory, you don’t even bring it up with me again.  Clear?”
    “As glass,” Eric said.
    Kyle nodded.  “I know I haven’t been her right hand, but when something needed to get done I took care of it.  She knows who she can count on, and over the last ten years I’ve passed up more than one promotion to stay where I am, or where I was.”
    “Eric, I’d even have left the Army if I had to, because of the BS regulations about relationships between Officers and Enlisted and chain-of-command.  But now there’s Mr. Wonderful, Mr. Super Hero, Major Ben Franklin.  He had his own base, and his own command, and everything. He even saved her life.” 
    “So,” Eric said, “is this just your observation, or has something happened?”
    Eric saw Kyle’s hand tighten into a fist and was glad there wasn’t something in it.
    “It started on the day we lost access to the satellites,” Kyle said.  “I rounded the corner and caught the Majors in an embrace.  I did an about-face before either of them saw me, but from what I did see, it was a real doozey.”
    “They’re old friends from boot, Kyle.”  Eric said.  “They hadn’t seen each other in a long time.  Plus, he’d just pulled our fat out of the fire in a big way.”
    “Not done,” Kyle said and held up his hand.  “About three weeks ago I was on my way to discuss something with the Major and I overheard a conversation,” Kyle said.
    “Stop, Kyle, I don’t want to know.” Eric said.
    “I can’t stop now, Eric,” Kyle said.
    Eric sighed.  “Ok, but don’t go too far.”
    “Fair enough,” Kyle said.  “She was talking to,” Kyle paused and glanced at Eric, “somebody, about relationships, and at the time they were discussing Major Franklin and, well, my name came up as well.  The Major, our Major, is developing a thing for Ben.  And while there may or may not have been some sort of feelings under the surface for me at some point in the past, it’s water under the bridge.  We were both in the same chain-of-command, etc.”
    Kyle paused for a second and then continued, “Now she’s an officer and that relationship is strictly forbidden, and frankly, apparently, I’m not showing the ‘signs of growth’ that she would like to see.”  Kyle gritted his teeth.
    “I’m not showing signs of growth?” Kyle growled.  “I’m not seeing signs that I need to grow.  I’m not seeing signs of anything coming my way, why should I be trying to grow?”
     “How long did you listen?”  Eric asked.
    “About