Free Shadow Fall (The Shadow Saga) by J. L. Lyon

desk, “Mighty World Ruler, please. I beg you to reconsider.”
    “I’ve already made my considerations, Specter Blaine,” Alexander replied. “The grand admiral produced extraordinary results in Rome, but thus far I have held him back because I hoped to spare the capital from his methods. That ends today. Silent Thunder has proven they can survive without Jacob Sawyer. It’s time to escalate the conflict.”
    “But the death toll will be catastrophic,” 301 said. “It will do nothing but destabilize the city and inflame the population against us.”
    “That is the purpose of a purge, Specter Captain,” Alexander tapped his fingers absently on the desk. “You single out the parts that are not worthy of the whole and burn them away. But a controlled burn, Grand Admiral. I’m quite proud of this city and would hate to see it in ashes.”
    Donalson flashed a cruel grin, “Understood, sir.”
    “Sir, please,” Derek repeated. “Give us a few more days. If you grant Specter free reign with the nobility we can cut off their supplies. We can end it quietly!”
    “Your witch hunt among the nobility is a fool’s errand. For every Wayne Collins you neutralize, another will be waiting right behind him. Silent Thunder is the teeth of this movement. Without them there will be no more resistance. Go, Grand Admiral. Muster your forces and begin the purge. I would also suggest you invest time in questioning the rebel major we still have in custody. He knew of the ruse at the Weapons Manufacturing Facility, I’m quite certain. Let’s see what else he knows.”
    The grand admiral nodded curtly and left, sparing one final glare for the Specters as he passed. 301 chanced a look at his partner, who wore an expression of pure frustration. That was to be expected. Alexandria was their home, and neither of them wanted to see it go up in flames.
    “It will take at least 48 hours for the grand admiral to get organized and begin to hammer down,” Alexander said. “You want to save your city, gentlemen? Destroy Silent Thunder, and this whole business of a purge goes away. McCall, take your team to the Solithium Supply Depot and see what you can find out about why the rebels targeted it. The reports coming in thus far have been unsatisfactory.”
    “Yes, sir,” McCall replied. “I would also like to remind you, Mighty World Ruler, that Specter has lost two members. Perhaps it is time to discuss the expansion of the force.”
    “Ever the opportunist, McCall,” Alexander smiled. “As war approaches, Specter will be more important than ever…so yes, you will get your recruits. I will speak to the generals about selecting a few of their best to be trained. Also, that brings up another matter: with the Ruling Council gone, we will need to reconsider Specter’s reporting structure.”
    301 suppressed a grimace. If Specter was rolled into Central Command, that meant they would report to Donalson. He couldn’t imagine a more miserable existence.
    “Don’t look so sour, Specter Captain,” Alexander said, and 301 immediately checked his expression. “And don’t worry. I am not a fool. I am well aware that Donalson’s pride is too large to give him Specter. For now, you will remain outside Central Command and report directly to me. But hear me: do not attempt to interfere with Donalson’s purge of the city. It is an ugly but necessary step in breaking the spirit of this resistance. Do you understand, Specter Blaine?”
    Derek opened his mouth as if to protest again, but thought better of it and merely nodded.
    “Good,” Alexander sighed and sat down in his chair. “You may go…except for you, Specter Captain. You and I have more to discuss.”
    Derek gave 301 a concerned look before he and McCall withdrew from the room, a sentiment 301 couldn’t help but feel as well. Why would the MWR ask to speak with him alone? Had he discovered that Derek had actually killed Jacob Sawyer, contrary to what they had led him to believe?