Neil sat on the seat opposite of mine as we waited for the meeting to get over.
It felt like hours have already passed while my watch showed only 10 minutes. There is no way this statement taking is going to end soon, considering the 'crime' Neil has committed and to find the suitable punishment for his offence. Because of him, Zahra was dead, Charles underwent three more surgeries and has not gained consciousness yet, the whole mission was a failure and General Warren is probably going to be thrown out of CCTC once HQ knows about what happened.

I didn't even look up to see who came to offer me a glass of water, I just nodded a no.
He left and Neil scoffed.

I looked at him who was looking at a small piece of paper in his hand.

"Are you crazy?"
I asked him stunned at how unbelievably calm he was while there was a storm going on inside me.

"Ah. I'll be free."
He said jingling the little chit in his hand.

Angrily I got up and snatched the paper from his hand and looked at it.
Two words laughed back at me.
'Court Martial.'

"How-"
I looked around to see when and how did he get the paper. It struck me suddenly that a guy came to offer us water. Fucking hell I didn't even look up to see who it was.
Pretty smooth, Neil.

What was this paper, you'll ask me.
It came from inside the hall I'm dying to barge in, but not allowed to.
It said that based on the statements that our team members are writing, what will be Neil's disposal. And this note did not make me feel good.

His birds are so fucking talented. It happened right under Commander's nose inside and my nose outside and none of us got a clue.

"They're throwing you out."
I whispered to myself. The bugger knew it better than me.

"Yep. Might finish me with the snap of finger too."
He said still calm.

"Do you know that captivity after dismissal in your case is guaranteed? And based on their anger, you'll be spending atleast 10 years in jail! The insane ones will definitely pass an order to put a bullet in your head before you even begin your imprisonment!"
I hushed.

"Yeah. I'll be free."
He repeated.

"You retard!"
I raised my voice.

"Mind your tongue, would you?"
His tone was threatening.

"For what? To see you getting jailed? Or to see you getting killed? Heck no. You are a retard to have done all this! And you still haven't told me why you did that!"

"Does it matter? They won't ask me why I did. Even if they do, it was solely my personal agenda. They won't even consider it while taking their decision. So let it stay with me. Don't get your hands dirty."

"Don't you tell me what to do! You've done enough!"
I walked away from him in anger.
I barely reached the other end of the room when the door to conference hall opened.

Our boys rushed out and walked out straight without giving us any glance while I waited for the way to clear so that I can enter.

Just before I could enter, the door was shut again and the conference light turned red. I looked at Neil in confusion.
If everyone had left, why is commander not letting anyone enter?

"Daniel." Neil said and I realised that he was nowhere in the crowd. He was still inside. There's no way in Hell that Commander would think anything other than ruining Neil's life if Dan is talking to him all alone.

Ever since we came back, Dan has been passing glares at Neil. I heard the he spoke things I would never let him finish without breaking his nose. Saying that Neil has been disloyal to the forces - I can't wait to get my hands on his neck.

I couldn't get my anger in check anymore. I stepped towards the door.

Neil's arm crossed my chest and pulled me back.
"Don't be foolish."

"I'm not you. I'll not let anything wrong happen to you."
I said struggling to get free.

"At what cost? By spoiling your own life? I have nobody, James. I can face worse. You have a family. Think about them. Stop acting childish."

He said and I continued struggling. The man got operated a few days back and can barely stand. And I'm using all my energy to set free from his hold.
They need to keep him instead of throwing away. He's an intelligent beast!

Suddenly the light turned green and Neil let me free. I rushed inside.

Commander was sitting on the far end of the huge table with Dan standing next to him.

"I don't remember calling you in. And what was all that noise right outside my door?"
Commander asked angrily.
Any other day this would have resulted in me apologising a hundred times, promising to never do that again and just pray that I am permitted to go out soon. But not today.

"I'm here to talk about Neil."
"We have taken your statement, James."
Dan said and I wanted to punch his rascal face right there.

"I want to talk to the Commander, alone."
I said looking into Dan's eyes that went wide in surprise.

"How dare you? Don't forget who-"
He started his non sense.

"Sir, please. This is my earnest request. Please hear me out. I have written what happened that day but there are things that I didn't have the option to write on that paper which is equally important to the incident. Please sir, just one chance."

"Sir, he'll try to deviate you from the topic."
Dan said and I smiled inside.
Wrong move, jackass.

"You are not my lawyer, Major Daniel. I can see things and speak for myself."
Yes!

I looked at him with the words 'Now, if you can please get your useless brain out?'

He clenched his jaw and left.

My next few years are going to be hell. He'll ensure that.

"James. You are a respected Agent. I personally didn't get you involved in all this because I didn't want you to get stains of what your partner did."

"I appreciate that, sir. But like you said, he is my partner. We have gone on 46 missions together. If nothing, I atleast know his professional dedication and seriousness."
I tried to create a stable base first.

"Dedication my foot. He went rogue. Why are you defending him now?"
And the base cracked up.

"Sir I know him inside out. Except-"
"Do you know him that well? Then tell me why did he kill the only person I ordered all of you to keep alive? Why did he shoot him despite him being unarmed and begging for mercy? Why did he go against my command? Tell me."

"That's the only thing I don't know, sir. And I've tried my level best to bring that out of him."
"And what did he say?"

"He hasn't moved! Imagine how personal it would be that he knows he can get dismissed from the forces if he doesn't speak up! But still he is not."
"Can get? He is getting dismissed. Without a trial."

"Sir you can't do this, please!"
"I'm not doing it. He asked for it. Look."
He threw a paper at me. Similar to the one I wrote my statement on.

What was the order given by mission senior and commander?
-Capture and bring the enemy alive.

Did you follow the orders?
-No.

What did you do?
-I approached Zahra alone and killed him.

Did he try to shoot you? Or was he attempting to harm you?
-No

Did he try to escape?
-No

What was the indication to kill him on the spot?
-None

Why did your team members not stop you?
-They were involved in the encounter with Zahra's men.

What explanation do you give for your act?
-None. I killed Zahra at my own will. None of the team members are involved in this. I'm ready to accept the decision taken by the court.

You did not do that Neil!

"Sir.. Give him one chance.."
"That, in your hand, was his one chance. If he doesn't give two shits about us, so do we. He'll be out and that's final. They can kill him for all I care."

Things were going out of my hands.
I only had a few moments to turn this ship around.

"He didn't follow your order. He disrespected you. Aren't you angry at him?"
"You bet I'm not."

"Then how can you just give him what he wants?"
"What do you mean?"

"He wants to leave the forces. He has no place to go. He did what he wanted and now you're granting him an easy death - everything that he wanted. You are gifting it to him. Literally fulfilling his wish."
"What do you mean? This is the worst I can do to him!"

"I'd call it the best."
"Really? Then what's bad?"

"Keep him."
"Are you out of your fucking mind, Major? Keep a traitor in the forces? Never!"

"He is not a traitor, sir."
I said sternly. Commander took a few moments to realise that I really pointed him wrong.

"Over 50 missions, and nobody ever complained about his loyalty. Infact people would sing praises of him. Even in this one, he did not leak any info, nor did he harm any of our men. He tried his best to keep us all safe if you can see. How can he be called a traitor?"

"Fine. I take my word back. But I will not allow him in uniform for a single more day. He doesn't deserve to work with his comrades or any armyman anymore. I don't want him to gloriously walk around."
"Then don't."

"What are you trying to say here, James? Be clear."
"Make him an employee of the forces. He'll work for the country, whether he wishes or not. He'll work at one organisation for years so that we can keep an eye on him. You can belittle him everyday. Make him feel guilty. Set an example. Don't forget he is a talented person, sir. We will be at loss if we just kick him out. We can use his knowledge, his strength as and when we need, and he'll be obliged to serve us in whatever way we want. What could break him more? This would be the worst you can do to him. Letting him die gloriously with that smirk will be the best dismissal he can get."

The bells in General's brain rang. But he had walked on this path before too, thanks to this genius.
"You're trying to do exactly what your partner did, years ago. You think I can't see?"

"Ofcourse you can see it sir. I won't lie I have my personal reasons behind suggesting all this to you. I want him to live. As much as you would want your comrades to live, no matter how big of a screw up they did. They sat with you, ate with you, bled with you. You'll try every last bit to save each of your buddy. Won't you?"
I asked him looking into his eyes.

He looked back at me surprised.
"You accept that you're brainwashing me?"

"I do, sir. I'll do everything to keep Neil from dying. But that fucker ruined everything and I won't let him live a royal life for that. He deserves a stern punishment. This suits him, sir. Please give it a thought."

He looked down at Neil's statement for a few moments. His eyes fixed on 'I'm ready to accept the decision taken by the court.'

"Employee with restricted environment you said?"
I could feel the change in his tone.

And I gave a final blow.
"Yes. Difficult to breathe - restricted. He'll regret doing all this to us. And what better than Continued Training Camp. He'll see what he could have been instead. He is an asset. His skills, his fighting techniques can be utilised to teach new Class-I agents. He-"

"He will set an example of defrauder here, James. The last thing I want my agents to learn is that. I won't keep him here. Yes I agree he is talented and yes I want to teach him a lesson. But, not at this stake. If he is to live outside the bars, he'll work somewhere else, but never as a trainer. His talents will not be used until extremely necessary. That too, he'll never teach anything directly to Juniors. The lessons shall go through the trainers."

This man had serious moves up his sleeve.
"What should be it then, sir?"

He thought for a moment and then quietly picked up his phone "Come here. Bring Major Neil with you."

The next moment Dan stood with Neil on one side.
Commander was raining fire on him through his eyes.
That fucker still stood with his eyes straight and no sign of shame or regret.

"Why, Major Neil?"
Commander asked the important question first.

"Personal reasons, Sir."
"Neil I've had enough of that. Either you tell me what is the story, or you get ready to face the worst any Class-I has ever been dished out."

"I'm ready to face everything you've decided, sir."
Neil said and General looked at me.

"I still want to go ahead with the Court Martial, Major James. He doesn't deserve any other solution."
He said angrily.

Dan and Neil both looked at me in surprise at the word 'other solution'.

"Major Neil, since you have decided to  keep your own secrets till your grave, I've decided to make you wait till you officially give an explanation as to why you did what you did. Even then, the person sitting on this chair shall decide whether that explanation is to be accepted or not, doesn't matter how many months or years you take. You won't be put behind bars till then."

"I don't get it, sir. What am I supposed to do till then?"
Neil was getting worried now. As much as I was worried, I was happy that he's not dying soon.
Good for him.

"Serve."
General said calmly.

"Sir?!"
Dan's voice was louder than Neil's - both of them didn't expect this.

"Civil Chef. You'll be a chef at KMA. The head chef. You'll feed the tired cadets and live the life of each of them over and over again. You'll be responsible for each of their health. You'll learn how to follow orders through them. You'll learn how to become a man in uniform through them. You'll learn the value of uniform through them. But you'll never achieve any of it ever again. You're no more a Class-I agent."
Commander said and I looked at him with my mouth open.

I played my cards thinking that Neil would be placed at CCTC with his birds keeping him safe and sound after Warren is removed which would not take more than a month. I'll have my friend alive and happy right with me. But this - KMA is a different world altogether! The commanders there will make his life hell!
Did I do the right thing?

I guess stopping commander from killing him was the only right thing to do. Neil can take care of the rest.

"But sir... I.."
Neil couldn't complete the statement.

Warren threw his statement towards him.
"Read out the last part."

"I'm ready to accept the decision taken by the court."
Neil said without looking at the paper.

"I'm the court. And this is my decision. Fermins stick to their words so don't make me remind you of this ever again."
He said pulling his statement back, tore it into pieces and threw it all in the dustbin.

That was Neil's destiny being torn.
Whoever is writing his future - please be kind.

************************************

I'm sure most of you saw it coming.
But didn't know where from. 😁
I still won't state the obvious... but 'yes'!

That's it.
This is the chapter that answers all your Whys you've ever asked in any of my books.
All. The. Questions. Quite literally.

As always, I await your responses and all your 'Oh! So that's why.....'
Let me know it all here. 😊