Chapter 40 · West side is moving

He leaned over the case and fired across my shoulder. A soldier on the west platform ducked behind a mounted gun.

"West side is moving," he said. "Three more."

"Get them away from the control line."

"With what? A speech?"

"Tell them their commander is standing on the roof."

"They know that."

"Then tell them their commander is about to revoke their ammunition codes."

Dorian snatched the tower microphone from its bracket.

"This is Commander Vale!" he shouted. "All units hold fire. Your current order is unauthorized. Anyone who fires again will be stripped of command and charged under rail law."

A voice crackled through the speaker.

"Commander Vale, confirm your identity."

Dorian looked at me. "You heard her. Confirm me."

I kept my fingers on the steel strip. "Give me your full name."

"You know my full name."

"The tower doesn't care what I know."

His mouth tightened. "Dorian Elias Vale. Northern Rail Command. Active emergency authority."

The tower rejected the signal.

Red lights flashed across the case.

"Again," I said.

His eyes locked on mine. "Dorian Elias Vale, acting commander of the northern armored line, bonded under emergency protection law to Mara Quill.