Code Name Camelot (Noah Wolf, #1)

by David Archer

Nine Months Earlier Noah Foster had been an exemplary soldier for more than five years. After joining the Army shortly before turning eighteen, he had demonstrated a willingness and ability to learn his craft that very few had ever matched, at least in the opinion of his instructors. He’d also demonstrated an incredible ability to adapt to almost any situation, to remain calm even in the face of overwhelming problems, and to carry out his orders without hesitation or delay. Second Lieutenant Abigail Mathers, of the Judge Advocate General's office, read through his file with interest. Sergeant Foster was sitting in the stockade at that moment, preparing to face a court-martial that would almost certainly find him guilty of multiple counts of murder and other crimes, and sentence him to die. Lieutenant Mathers had been assigned as his defense counsel and was fervently wishing that she had never even heard his name. It was a hopeless case. Sergeant Foster, according to the witnesses against him, had willingly and with malice aforethought killed First Lieutenant Daniel Gibson, Corporal James Mathis, Pfc. Charles Mason, Pfc. Jack Lindemann, Pfc. David Clark and Pfc. William Gould, apparently to try to conceal other crimes. The biggest problem was that there was no question of whether he had killed them, because he had already admitted to it in his own statement. The only matter to be settled in court-martial was whether he had done so in order to cover up the fact that, as some...

stared at him, and tried to figure out what was going on. I said, ‘Lieutenant, we can't be doing this.’ “He acted like I hadn't said anything of importance. ‘And why not, Sergeant?’ he asked. ‘Do you see anyone else around here, to make any objections? How I run my unit is up to me, and this looked to me like an opportunity to let my men get some much-needed R&R. There's one left, are you going to take advantage?’ “I looked down at the girl that was being held by both arms, and I could see the look in her eyes, pleading with me to do something to save her life. I turned back to the lieutenant. “ ‘No, sir,’ I said. ‘I can't be a participant—’ but he cut me off. He held up a hand to stop me, then called out, ‘Anyone else?’ When no one answered, he looked back at me, shrugged his shoulders, and then shot the girl through the head.” “Wait a minute!” Mathers said. “You're saying your platoon leader actually murdered this girl, right in front of your eyes. Is that what you're telling me?” Noah looked at her, one eyebrow lifted. “I thought you said you read my interrogation report? That would've been in it.” Mathers nodded slowly. “Go on,” she said. “Well, I stepped back, because I was startled at what just happened. The guys who had been holding the girl, they jumped back, wiping off the blood that splattered them, and I stared at them all. “ ‘Have you guys gone nuts?’ I asked. ‘Are you all crazy?’ “Lieutenant Gibson turned around and grabbed me by the front of my shirt, and pul...

A

a window across the room. When he reached it, he threw himself through it but caught the window ledge with a hand and swung himself downward.

B