Author's Note: I'm back! I'm sorry about the long wait since the last chapter—I've been struggling with this story. I wrote out everything to the end to be sure I wasn't forgetting anything… and then re-wrote it all several times. I revise heavily as it is, but have reached a disturbing new level of writing and re-writing. :( Lesson: endings are exponentially more difficult (for me at least) than I understood and apparently I'm not a very efficient writer. I think I have it mostly sorted out now, which is another reason for the delay—the remaining chapters go together and I wanted to post them without a gap as long as this one ended up being. Hopefully some of you out there are still reading.
Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. :) Special thanks to Miss Scarlett 05 for helpful ideas on improving this chapter.
Chapter 21: Hear This
Even before reaching the driveway, Gale can see the broadcast tower jutting out of the turquoise van's roof like a spiked horn. Those tabloid jerks are still staking out his apartment. He clenches his jaw and momentarily considers parking down the block and cutting back on foot to slip past them. Then he comes to his senses. He doesn't have time for this crap and he shouldn't be harassed getting to his own damn house. Spinning the steering wheel and jabbing the gas pedal, he peels into the lot and parks perpendicularly across three spots.
By the time he exits the jeep and slams the door shut, the broadcast van's inhabitants have spilled into the parking lot, hastily switching on their hand-held microphones and connecting electrical cords. They're a disorganized mass of neon and primary colors, hair and clothing marking them as old-time Capitol purists.
"Get out of here," he orders as he walks over. He points toward the driveway in case they're too stupid to understand which direction is away.
"Lieutenant Hawthorne," one of the creeps says, completely ignoring Gale's helpful instruction, "is it true you skipped work so you could confront the blonde spy about how she was two-timing you?"
"You want to talk about legitimate news, find me at work." It's safer for them; he has to leave his weapon at the security gate. "Otherwise, get out of my sight."
"We can be here," an idiot who dyed his beard blue pipes up. "You don't own this parking lot. And the people have a right to know if you knocked up the blonde spy. Is the Mockingjay jealous?"
Well, he gave them a chance. He pulls out his gun and aims it at the van's broadcast tower.
The bullet hits the small transmitter dish with an angry ping. A tidy hole mars the transmitter's surface, triggering a chorus of surprised gasps to ripple through the crowd.
Gale lowers his gun but doesn't put it away, and gazes at the jerks. "Looks like you'd better get that fixed."
Bluebeard stares at him, eyes wide. "You… can't do that!"
Gale doesn't bother pointing out that he already did. At least they can't transmit footage anymore, and without a transmitter they'll leave soon. He'd been approaching a personal record for length of time avoiding run-ins with these types, but this was worth it. He'll deal with the fallout from wrecking their equipment later.
Without another word, he turns and walks across the parking lot to the stairwell. Anything he says would supply more material for them to warp. And how on earth could he have gotten Madge pregnant when he can't even get her bra off? Not that anybody needs to know that.
On the second floor, he rounds the corner and spots his dirtbag neighbor standing in the walkway peering over the balcony into the parking lot below. The guy looks as dumpy as ever in his too-small exercise shorts and a faded pink T-shirt stretched over his protruding gut. Apparently the jerk's newfound fame as a tabloid informant hasn't inspired him to bother brushing his hair or shaving.
"Did you hear a gunshot?" Pig Man asks while turning in Gale's direction. His piggy, squinty eyes widen when he realizes Gale is the person he's talking to. When he spots the gun still in Gale's hand, he takes a hesitant step back toward his door but isn't fast enough to avoid Gale's fist connecting with his jowls.
The force of the punch sends him slumping against the wall of the walkway. He clutches his jaw, shrinking back so pitifully Gale can't sock him in the gut the way he really, really wants to. He settles for pinning the guy to the wall. Channeling all his anger about the lies this jerk dreamed up about Madge, he growls his warning.
"She's my girlfriend, jackass, and don't you ever say anything about her to those vultures or anyone else ever again. Don't talk to her, don't look at her, don't even think about her. Understand?"
Wisely, the guy doesn't speak. He nods eagerly and looks hopeful that a sore jaw is all he'll have to endure. Gale keeps the pressure on the guy's collarbone as he clicks the safety on his gun and holsters it.
"Don't talk to me or my family, either. Or say anything about us. I'd gladly beat the shit out of you, but we'll both be better off if you keep your foul mouth closed. Got it?"
When the neighbor nods again, Gale releases him and casts one more threatening look in his direction as the guy scrambles for the safety of his pigpen of an apartment. Gale watches the door shut and then continues to his own apartment. He needs to move. Besides hating his apartment and that lowlife next door, it's not smart to live so close to an enemy.
Inside, he tries to call Simon again. No answer. Again. Gale slams the phone down and wonders what else he could do to make sure Simon and his scummy brother can't get Madge in trouble. Infuriatingly, nothing comes to mind that he isn't already doing.
Next, he hurriedly shaves and changes into a clean uniform for the briefing with his commanding officers. He'll just barely have time to swing by Milo's office first. Thankfully his family is still sequestered from the tabloids at Madge's aunt and uncle's house.
The phone rings as he's walking out the door. He picks up in case it's Commander Riggs. But instead of Riggs' deep, authoritative voice he hears Simon, angry and accusatory.
"What the hell is going on up there? I turn off my mobile phone for one day and everything falls apart? Where's Madge? Is she at that stupid hearing already?"
Apparently Simon listened to his messages. About time. "She's on her way now. Two goons from your office dragged her off, thanks to your little vanishing act. Where are you?"
"District 3," Simon says tersely. "I can't get back until tomorrow for my own hearing, which is going to piss them off." He swears and then takes a long, steadying breath. "All right. Here's what we're going to do to help Madge. I'm going to make some calls to try to—"
"Why are you in 3?" Gale interrupts.
"Just getting away for a while. Now, did the people who picked up Madge say who exactly sent them?"
"No." And Gale thinks it's suspicious that Simon is trying to steer the conversation away from his disappearance. "Why District 3?" It's a dump: endless factories and polluted brown air that gets trapped in a valley. "Why not somewhere like 4?"
"What do you care?" Simon snaps. "Maybe I was trying to have a life. But between my brother, my mother, Madge, and my brother again—and now this ridiculous hearing!—that's apparently too much to ask."
Gale bristles at Madge being lumped into any category with Simon's sleazy brother. "What do you mean about Madge and your brother?"
Simon sighs, and after a few seconds he says in a calmer tone, "I didn't mean they were the same… I know it's not her fault. She's had a rough time, with the nightmares and you being such an asshole… I wasn't about to kick her off my couch, and neither of us could have dreamed up my brother causing all this trouble for us. Forget I said that."
Gale thinks Simon's brother is the one who should be hauled off to a secret trial or disciplinary hearing or whatever they're calling it. Not Madge. But he did notice Simon seemed to acknowledge his brother as the source of the problems… Too late he realizes Simon started talking again and that he missed some of it.
"… so if I call the Under Secretary—he likes us and is fair—maybe he could get Madge's hearing delayed. A little extra time would help, I could look into some things..." He sounds worried but then his tone shifts to angry again. "They shouldn't have sprung this on her! The whole thing could be a trap so they can fire her, or pin things on her she had nothing to do with—"
"We're on it," Gale cuts in. He's done his share of ranting about this hearing and Simon rehashing his same concerns isn't helping. "Madge's aunt and I are already screwing with their plans. Perri went with her."
"She did?" Simon pauses for a moment and then almost sounds like himself again when he says, "Why didn't you say so before?"
#
Madge trails a few steps behind Perri as they climb the grand stairs to the entrance of the marble, pillared building just a few blocks off the Capitol's City Center. She's never been in this building before and the unfamiliarity of the setting adds to the anxious fluttery feeling in her stomach. At the top of the stairs, those awful escorts hold open the heavy wooden doors for Madge and Perri to enter. They signal the guards at the security desk and then disappear, no doubt glad to be done with this assignment. The escorts' detached professionalism escalated into irritation during the drive into the Capitol. They hadn't appreciated Perri's slow driving speed or the number of rest breaks she'd taken to make phone calls, stretch, buy snacks, check the car's engine… Perri had been trying to give Gale more time.
Inside the grand foyer of the building, Madge catches up to Perri, who paused before reaching the security desk to scan their surroundings. It's near the end of the day, with more people exiting the building than entering, and a handful of visitors wait on the public benches this side of the security gate. One woman on the nearest bench stands and walks toward Madge and Perri. She's armed with a voice recorder and a hungry gleam in her eye, and her wavy red hair is as striking as Madge remembers from their previous encounter: last week at the grocery store when Madge and Gale had emerged from the forest after their hike.
Madge tugs gently on Perri's sleeve and whispers, "Reporter. She saw me and Gale in Ponderosa Village on Saturday."
Perri smiles as the reporter approaches. "Perfect." But then, instead of waiting to talk to the reporter, Perri abruptly swivels and crosses to the security desk where she loudly announces, "Margaret Undersee and Perri Whistler, here for the Undersee disciplinary hearing."
The bearded guard frowns and shuffles through papers. "I don't see anything about anybody named Whistler. Who are you?"
While Perri explains that their escorts had been informed in advance that Perri would accompany Madge, the reporter makes her move.
"Margaret Undersee?"
Madge nods.
"Darcy Scott, Free Press."
"I remember." She particularly remembers being nervous about encountering a reporter and simultaneously wondering if Gale thought the girl was pretty. She's their age, and stands out as the only reporter Madge has ever heard Gale say anything nice about.
Darcy grins. "I got a call from an anonymous source that I should be here." She winks when she says anonymous, which Madge takes as confirmation that Gale made the call. Then the reporter holds out a voice recorder toward Madge. "Is this disciplinary hearing associated with the recent stories about the new government spying on citizens and subjecting them to secret trials?"
Madge doesn't know what she is and isn't allowed to say to reporters, and doesn't even know what she would say if she knew she wouldn't get in more trouble. Not knowing what this hearing might involve is a major source of her anxiety. Will it be a formal trial like Katniss had gone through, only private? The idea of going to jail seems absurd—Madge didn't kill anyone!—but everything has been so unsettled since the war ended. Everyone seemed to agree that executing people for stealing was too harsh a punishment, but many former Capitol officials were jailed for much lesser crimes than theft. Madge knows because she helped provide the evidence that put them away. But what else might her office have used her evidence for, and what if they try to blame her for things she doesn't even know about? The fact that escorts had been enlisted to bring her to the hearing didn't exactly inspire confidence. Perri hadn't known what to expect either, and explained that as much as she hated the idea of private tribunals, anything involving the government's ongoing criminal investigations should be closed to the public. They couldn't risk tipping off the criminals, and Madge defending herself would involve just that. Madge glances nervously at Perri to see if she knows what Madge should say to the reporter.
"My niece is not permitted to speak to the press about these matters," Perri says. Then she sticks out her hand. "Perri Whistler."
Darcy shakes Perri's hand, but before she can ask another question, a guard appears at her side.
"Miss, we're going to have to ask you to leave."
Frowning, Darcy glances around the lobby. "Everything on this side of the security gate is public. Nobody else has to leave." She gestures to the other people, who are showing more interest in what's happening at the desk. When the guard doesn't respond, Darcy turns to Madge. "Are you being subjected to a secret trial?"
Perri answers again. "My niece has been summoned to a proceeding that is understandably closed to the public, due to the sensitive nature of the topics to be addressed. Although, I don't see at this point how we could call it a secret that the proceeding is occurring, do you?" She raises her eyebrows, which makes Darcy grin again.
The guard behind the desk stands up from his seat. "Ms. Whistler, I checked with the people upstairs. You'll have to wait here. Only Ms. Undersee has clearance to enter."
Perri turns away from Darcy back to the security desk. "Ms. Undersee goes nowhere without me. Kindly inform whoever is upstairs that I would be happy to discuss this matter face to face. Until then, we'll wait in the lobby."
She walks away from the desk a few steps and smiles again at Darcy. "We appear to have some time available."
A few other people from the benches walk over to see what the commotion is, forming a semi-circle around Perri, Madge, and the reporter. Apparently energized by the audience, Darcy asks with fresh confidence, "Committee Member Whistler, are you accompanying your niece today because the Reconstruction Committee is concerned about the subject matter of her hearing? Or are you with her as a family member?"
"Both. I want assurances that our citizens are being treated fairly, and I have a particular interest in this citizen. As you may be aware, my niece's parents—my brother and his wife—were murdered along with the rest of their district in the Massacre of District 12. I feel responsible for my niece's well-being, both as the only family she has left and as a steward of our fledging country. Madge worked tirelessly in support of the new government's ideals both during and after the war, and she is entitled to the benefit of those new ideals through a fair proceeding just as everyone else is."
"But haven't there been reports that she spies on law-abiding citizens and businesses?"
Perri smiles again. "I can't comment on unsubstantiated reports. I deal with facts and truth, not speculation and ill-informed opinions. But my niece and I are confident that today's proceeding will be based on facts, not rumors."
Madge hears a familiar clicking sound behind the security gate. Swiveling, she tenses at the sight of Fiona sweeping down the hallway at her typical I've-got-more-important-places-to-be pace. Fiona stops at the security gate and says a few words to the guard. Seconds later, he calls for Madge and Perri to enter.
"You'll have to excuse us," Perri tells Darcy. "But let's talk more soon. The Reconstruction Committee is very interested in many of these issues—the so-called secret trials and appropriate levels of surveillance of citizens and under what circumstances."
Out of the corner of her eye, Madge sees Darcy nod eagerly. Madge focuses on Fiona in search of clues as to whether her boss being involved in this hearing is a good or a bad sign. Fiona is usually difficult to read, though after the tabloid story broke she had been visibly upset enough with Madge and Simon to suspend them. Is she angry now that Perri held an impromptu interview in the lobby? At a minimum she must be annoyed that Madge was late to the hearing. Making the department look bad and interfering with efficiency are two of the worst offenses to a machine like Fiona. But Madge can't get a sense of her mood—Fiona doesn't say anything until Perri and Madge have passed through the security gate. She waits for them with her arms crossed and a steely expression on her face, like usual.
"Committee Member Whistler. It's been a long time."
Perri says simply, "It has. You've certainly made yourself valuable, Fiona."
Fiona gazes at Perri for a few seconds, sizing her up. Madge recognizes the move as something her father used to do when he was trying to figure somebody out and hadn't yet decided on his approach for dealing with them. Perri had said she and Fiona worked together "ages ago" before Perri got out of working for the Capitol. When Madge had asked if they'd been friends, Perri had grimaced and said people like Fiona don't have friends. Madge bites her lip while she waits for Fiona to speak.
"Margaret's hearing is confidential, Perri. However, you may wait in the secured area waiting room." In other words, away from reporters.
Perri opens her briefcase and hands Fiona a folder. "Your office should have this paperwork already. I took the confidentiality oath months ago when Madge first accepted the position in your department, so my presence should have no bearing on confidentiality. Lieutenant Gale Hawthorne has taken the oath as well. I suggest you not waste time in the hearing with any allegations that Madge breached confidentiality by speaking to either of us."
Madge clutches her purse more tightly, alarmed that Perri went on the offensive so quickly by dictating what should happen during the hearing.
Fiona studies the papers for a few seconds and flips them over as if looking for instructions on this strange situation: pushy, media-savvy aunts interfering with disciplinary hearings.
Perri clears her throat and waits for Fiona to look up again. "To be perfectly frank, I question the validity of this proceeding due to its opaqueness and the mishandling of how Madge was summoned here. My first instinct was to resist it entirely. I trust you're aware that my remarks in the lobby could have taken a very different tenor." Madge isn't used to seeing her aunt throwing around her weight as a public figure, but the threat is implied: having a former-judge-turned-rebel openly attacking the government's handling of the accusations against Madge would at the very least ensure the scandal stays in the news. "However," Perri continues, "I am willing to allow Madge to participate on the condition that I accompany her." Perri lowers her voice and says in a more conciliatory tone, "I believe you have a unique opportunity here to rebuild public confidence in your department."
Fiona flips through the papers for a few more seconds before abruptly snapping the folder shut and looking back at Perri. "This paperwork appears to be in order. Come along."
#
Madge's metal chair wobbles whenever she shifts position, clicking loudly against the linoleum floor and giving away to everyone else how nervous and fidgety she is. She tries to concentrate on holding still while the others get situated.
She and Perri sit on one side of an oversized rectangular table in a windowless room illuminated by unforgiving fluorescent lights. The accompanying low hum from the lights sounds ominous. On the other side of the table sit Fiona and Agent Andy Amos, who replaced Simon as office supervisor during Simon's suspension and had been given the investigation into Edwin after Madge and Simon were forbidden from working on it. Madge isn't surprised to see him; he's the world's biggest suck-up and probably gladly volunteered to help Fiona skewer Madge. At the head of the table looms a dark haired, dark skinned man Madge doesn't recognize. He wears a dark grey suit typical of most staff in the new government, but has the hard-worn look of a former district resident. The scars on his face and his no-nonsense expression suggest he was a rebel soldier. He hasn't said anything yet, but after Fiona held a whispered conference with him about Perri's participation in the hearing he did give an approving nod and gestured for Perri and Madge to take seats.
Fiona reaches to the middle of he table to switch on the recording machine. Perri reaches into her purse, pulls out one of Madge's recording devices, and sets it on the table as well. "You won't mind if I make my own recording as a check on accuracy."
Fiona blinks, almost betraying surprise, and then glances at the man at the head of the table. He sits forward in his chair and speaks.
"It's fine for your own records, though I'll remind you that these proceedings are confidential." He has a gravelly voice and an accent that marks him as from a district rather than the Capitol. He waits until both recording devices are running before speaking again.
"We convene today's disciplinary hearing regarding the actions of Field Agent Margaret Undersee, currently suspended from the Covert Intelligence Department. The department head, Ms. Fiona Shaw, has recommended that Agent Undersee be fired and prosecuted in the Confidential Court of National Security and Intelligence."
Madge feels a chill prickle her spine. Fiona wants to fire her and put her through a secret trial. This is Madge's reward for bringing scandal and attention to a department that values secrecy.
"Excuse me," Perri interrupts. "Who are you?"
"Liaison for the Confidential Court. I'm sitting in today to decide if there are grounds to pursue this case in our Court. Ms. Shaw is the final say on Agent Undersee's continued employment within her department, but I decide which cases go forward beyond the employee's termination."
Madge is too paralyzed to speak. He speaks so casually about her fate! She glances at Perri. Her aunt grips the folder in her hands so tightly the cardboard bends. Madge realizes this is the first formal acknowledgement they've heard that secret trials indeed occur.
Fiona lifts a piece of paper from the desk. "I have here a summary of Agent Undersee's transgressions—"
"No," Perri says, her tone not even attempting to conceal her anger. "We're starting with a statement. This entire exercise is a waste of time and an abuse of government power worthy of President Snow." She glares at everyone other than Madge. "I'm disgusted to learn that instead of working to develop defensible guidelines for surveillance and ensuring that no citizens have been treated unfairly, this much energy has been devoted to punishing my niece for being the victim of a theft—and the theft of inconsequential intelligence, at that."
"Because that is all we're talking about here," Perri says, still on a roll. "Madge admits she jotted some of her thoughts in a notebook during non-working hours and that she left those notes in a secure, locked military vehicle, from which they were stolen. It is unclear and certainly debatable whether she should be penalized for such carelessness. If she is, the suspension she already served should more than suffice.
"And that's it," Perri concludes. "If you'd like to discuss the investigation techniques your office authorizes and how it uses that evidence in this Confidential Court—" Perri pauses to sneer in the direction of the liaison to the court, "—that's certainly an overdue discussion the country is eager to have. The more public that debate is, the better. But aside from being the victim of a theft, Madge has done nothing your office didn't explicitly direct her to do and she will not be singled out or punished for such actions."
Madge bites her lip and watches Fiona for her reaction. Fiona's eyes are locked on one of her papers. After the longest ten seconds Madge has ever experienced, Fiona slides the page into a folder and then glances at the Confidential Courts man, who jots something on his notepad.
"Of course," Fiona finally says. Her tone suggests she never considered anything else, though Madge suspects this was not Plan A. "But," Fiona continues, "Agent Undersee has not always operated within the confines of authorized investigations." She nods at Amos, a signal for him to take over.
Madge thinks Amos looks obnoxiously proud at having his moment to speak. Also, he should be embarrassed to be wearing that hideous tie in public—a wide-cut neon yellow and pink monstrosity. Amos carefully smoothes the paper in front of him and reads aloud.
"Agent Undersee undertook an unauthorized investigation of one Edwin Barker and his businesses while on medical leave."
"A non-issue," Perri says dismissively. "Madge, explain."
Madge sits forward in her chair and uses her good-little-mayor's-daughter tone. "All I did was look around in my grandparents' old house and then ask the quarry next door when they would open for business again. I told the quarry man who I was."
Perri summarizes. "She was in a public place—our family's former home has been appropriated by the government—and didn't use any of her alternate identities. Naturally she was curious about the quarry."
Amos bites his lip as though he's trying to think of follow-up questions, but it seems to be a strain. He looks down at his paper again and makes a face like he ate something sour. "Sorry, Madge, I have to ask about you and Simon… People have said you have an inappropriate relationship…"
"He's my friend," Madge says automatically. As strange as it feels to have to explain this, it also makes her angry again that Simon was suspended and has to endure his own hearing whenever he gets back from District 3. "My best friend," she adds more forcefully. "We went through the entire war together, from the bombing of 12 to being stuck in 7 when the war ended and nobody knew what was going on… But he doesn't give me special treatment at work. He sends me on the same number of missions as other field agents, even to places I don't want to go."
"Why target his brother?" Amos asks.
"Because his brother is involved in a huge scheme to undercut everything we won in the war!" Madge blurts. "You should know that better than anyone since you took over the investigation!" She can't believe this useless suck-up is sitting here like he's so essential to the department. "Simon and I weren't allowed to work on it, but if you'd done even the slightest amount of research—"
"Madge," Perri cuts her off. Madge sits back in her chair, alarmed at the intensity of her reaction, and tries to breathe normally while Perri smoothes things over. "What my niece is getting at is actually the primary reason we agreed to come here today: to discuss the crimes Madge was trying to prevent. Since being suspended, Madge has collected evidence of a conspiracy to defraud our new country, including the possibility of nuclear weapons development. We feel compelled to inform you so your office may do its job and pursue an investigation to end this thing. The alternative is for us to provide the publicly available information to the media so they can connect the dots on their own and at least prevent a subset of these frauds from occurring. But that wouldn't solve the underlying problem."
Amos looks too confused to speak, but Fiona just smoothly turns to Madge. "What evidence do you have, Agent Undersee?"
Madge swallows and starts talking. "Gale—Lieutenant Hawthorne—and I learned that the land parcel maps for the land distribution proposal had been purposefully altered to hide the true locations of valuable minerals. Reconstruction Committee Member Archibald Douglas ordered a lot of the changes, it looks like so he could help his business associates—including Simon's brother—get exclusive rights to uranium deposits. Uranium can be used for energy and in hospitals, but also to make nuclear weapons, and we found links between one of Simon's brother's companies and a technology company in District 3 that used to do weapons development… I think there's also a connection to those partnerships between Capitol investors and district residents. Those partnerships could be used so control over all the natural resources—basically the starting point of the whole economy—could go right back to the same people who held all the power before the war."
"Those partnerships are extremely popular throughout the country," Fiona says skeptically. "The president herself supports them. This sounds like more of your unjustified assumptions, Margaret."
Madge expected this reaction from Fiona. But she and Amos are both listening, and that the Confidential Courts guy raises his head, also listening carefully. Madge feels a glimmer of hope that she successfully crossed over the line from being in trouble to being valuable to her office again. The feeling gives her a jolt of confidence to explain the rest of her theory.
"Under the partnership agreements, the majority partner—usually the Capitol investor—can buy out minority partners even if they don't want to sell as long as the business has made a certain percentage of profit. It's a technicality that seems fine because the percentage is so large—the minority partner is guaranteed to make a ton of money if bought out—but it could lead to the Capitol investors ending up with control of the country's most valuable minerals, especially if they're hiding the true locations of minerals.
"We have statements from witnesses at the mapping company, proof of the locations of uranium, and copies of a contract with the weapons company." Madge looks at Fiona. "What I don't know—what needs to be explored through a proper investigation—is which people control it, how many are involved, and exactly how they're linked. There are a lot of suspicious connections among the Capitol investors, which might mean an alliance or network of some kind. But this is where surveillance information would help. This has to be enough to qualify as an investigation that the President can allow to continue."
Madge takes a deep breath for the next part, which is where she makes the final leap: from being useful to getting her way. "To make sure this investigation happens, we've provided this same information to the military. We have evidence that violence is being used to obtain future rights to uranium. There have been incidents with bombs and sabotage among competing groups in the mountains areas outside District 2… Since the military oversees all uranium use as a potential nuclear weapon, duty required Lieutenant Hawthorne to report what we learned within his chain of command."
Duty required it, and conveniently, it also worked well as their insurance plan if Madge's hearing didn't go well.
Perri speaks up again. "Lieutenant Hawthorne is briefing top commanders in the army right now actually. If they're feeling particularly cooperative, they might agree to talk to your office before they present this information to the President. Might help your office not look as incompetent as it is." Perri smiles insincerely at Fiona and glances at her watch. "But I'd hurry if were you."
A/N 2: A lot of plotty stuff to get through. Reactions? Reviews appreciated!