Character Study – Reflection

In preparation for NaNoWriMo, I am turning my flash fiction toward some character study stuff for a little bit.  Don’t worry.  I’ll throw in some on the serials, too.  This week’s Master Class gave us “invisible homage” as one of our prompts.  This was a good prompt to explore my main character, Devin Wade, for my NaNo novel.  Let me know what you think, and be sure to stop by Our Write Side to see other Master Class assignments.

Devin stared out at the vast emptiness of space.  Pinpricks of light from distant stars glittered like tears–an apt reflection of his thoughts.  Eli and Shawn were missing in action.  Bizarre orders were coming down from Command.  The evidence Eli left about the mission on Saterin 6 that made little sense.

The all-consuming darkness of space seemed to be an invisible homage to the fear he could not show.  How were they ever going to get out of this one, particularly with his two best operatives missing?  He sighed and turned back toward Black Ops command.

An aide stopped him before he took two steps from the window, “Major Wade?  General Vaughn needs you in his office.  He said now, sir.”

“Thank you.  Dismissed.”

Devin watched the aid go, feeling the tension build in his muscles and his heartbeat speed up.  He swallowed several times to work moisture back into his mouth and took several deep breaths to release tension.  Then Devin squared his shoulders and made his way to General Vaughn’s office.

“Where are your operatives, Major?”

“Location still unknown, sir?”

“What the hell are you doing about it?  Activate their kill switches and be done already.”

“I can’t do that, sir.  Protocol has not been breached, yet,” Devin gritted his teeth to keep from saying more.

“To hell with protocol!  You have two rogue Black Ops soldiers on the loose.  Who knows what the hell they’re doing.  Activate their kill switches now!”

Devin took a deep breath as he was about to commit insubordination when the door to General Vaughn’s office slid open interrupting the conversation.

“Excuse me, sir.  Emergency transmission from New Earth.  Command has been hit by an explosion.  Origin unknown.  More information is still coming in,” the aide said, cringing as he picked up on the tension in the office.

Shit.  What did they do now? Devin followed General Vaughn out to command.