Chapter 3 - Five Minutes of Madness
y satellite phone lay resting on the polished granite kitchen counter, the high-gain
digital screen glowing with an active, unmuted call. Frank, believing he had completely
neutralized a petty threat, snatched the device up and held it to his ear. "Whoever this is," he barked
into the receiver, his chest puffed out with unearned triumph, "this woman is under arrest. She is
impersonating a federal officer, and she is currently in my custody."
The quiet of the kitchen seemed to stretch, the only sound being the soft humming of the
refrigerator. Then, a voice responded from the receiver. It wasn't the voice of a typical civilian, but a
cold, deep, and razor-sharp baritone that resonated with absolute authority. "Identify yourself
immediately, officer."
Frank smirked, looking at Kyle, who gave him a thumbs-up from behind his recording phone.
"This is Lieutenant Frank Hale of the Ashford Police Department. And who the hell am I speaking to?"
"Lieutenant Hale," the voice on the other end said, each word sounding like a heavy metal
hammer hitting an anvil. "You have just unlawfully intercepted and interfered with an encrypted,
active military communication with the United States Department of Defense. You are currently
holding a four-star General of the United States Army. This is a level-one national security violation."
Frank’s smug smile flickered, a sudden shadow of doubt crossing his face. Kyle lowered his phone
slightly, his grin faltering as he sensed the dramatic shift in the room's atmosphere. But Frank’s pride
was too bloated to let him back down. "A four-star General? Don't make me laugh. She’s my
stepdaughter, and she’s a fraud. I'm hanging up this phone, and I'm putting her in a holding cell."
"Lieutenant Hale," the voice replied, "do not terminate this transmission. If you disconnect this
call, we will assume the General has been taken hostage by a hostile domestic actor. Your local
precinct will be secured by federal force. You have exactly four minutes to release the General."
"I don't take orders from prank calls," Frank roared, slam-pressing the disconnect button. He
threw the expensive satellite phone onto the kitchen tile, where it landed with a heavy thud. He then
turned his attention to me, his face twisted in a mixture of anger and panic. "Who do you think you
are?" he screamed, drawing his service weapon and shoving me hard off the chair. I fell to the floor,
The General's Return 3
I
my hands cuffed tightly behind my back. My cheek hit the hard wood, and the iron taste of fresh
blood filled my mouth. He stood over me, his pistol shaking in his hand, his eyes wild with a desperate
May you like
need to feel powerful.
◆ ◆ ◆
