Forever Until Tomorrow (War Eternal Book 5) by M. R. Forbes Page A

AIT is up to," she said, feeling her heart race as she said it. She had no choice.
    "Kathy, I don't think that's a good-"
    "I didn't ping you for your advice. I pinged you for your help."
    "What? What can I possibly do to help you?"
    "Come on, Michael. You're a freaking genius. If I'm going to figure out what the deal is with the AIT, I'm going to need intel."
    "You know how to use the net."
    "So does the FBI, the CIA, Homeland Security. I need to go deeper than they can go."
    "I think you're overestimating my skillset."
    "Am I?"
    Silence consumed the other end of the connection. Katherine knew how much pride Michael took in his abilities. She also knew it was because he didn't feel like he had much else to offer, and she was taking advantage of it.
    She was a lousy friend.
    "Okay, maybe you aren't. Even so, I have no idea where to start. Do you have anything at all I can work with?"
    The moment of truth. "I have a name."
    "Really? A member of the AIT?"
    "I don't know."
    "Well, where did you get it?"
    "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
    "I just believed you were discharged because the terrorists wanted it without question."
    She couldn't help but smile at that. "True. Okay, here's the thing. Ever since the attack on the party, ever since I got shot, I've been having these nightmares, and hearing people say things they aren't saying."
    "You're putting my trust to the test in a hurry, aren't you?"
    "I told you."
    "What are the nightmares about?"
    "I don't know, exactly. I'm in space, I think. Maybe even on the Dove. There are these pyramids and these explosions. I'm not sure. All I know is that when I have them, I get this horrible feeling in my gut."
    "I have those, too. I don't go chasing terrorists over it."
    "Save the sass, will you? I'm serious."
    "Okay. Sorry. What about hearing things? What do you hear?"
    "A name. The name I want you to check on."
    "A name? That's it?"
    "Yes. If it were more than that I might think I'm totally insane, instead of just mildly crazy."
    "What's the name?"
    "Mitchell."
    She felt a chill saying it out loud for the first time, and pressure like a pair of hands gently squeezing her shoulders.
    "Mitchell what?"
    "That's it. Just Mitchell."
    "Is that a first name or a last name?"
    "I don't know."
    Michael started laughing. "I want to help you, Kathy. How am I supposed to find anything based on one name?"
    She sighed. "I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't have asked. I'm trying to make sense of all of this, and it's all I have."
    "Okay. Don't get stressed. Let me think about this and I'll get back to you."
    She could have left it there. She could have let him start thinking about the problem, which would lead to him trying to solve the problem, which would lead to him searching for any connection she might have to anyone named Mitchell. She was a lousy friend, but she wasn't heartless.
    "Michael, wait. You need to know. Whatever you do, if the AIT finds out, they'll kill you."
    Silence filled the connection again.
    "You don't have to do it," she said. "You can say no. I don't want to put you in danger, but I don't know what else to do."
    More silence.
    "Just tell me to go to hell or something."
    "I've been to the therapist every day for the last four days," Michael said. "Trying to work through what I saw, and more importantly, what I felt. But you know what? It didn't take me that long to realize what I felt, and why I've had to go back home and crash on my mom's couch to get some sleep."
    "What do you feel?" Katherine asked.  
    "Powerless, Kathy. I feel powerless. Those people came in and started shooting, and I hid under the table and wet myself while you grabbed a gun and started shooting."
    "I'm a soldier, Michael. You're a programmer."
    "Maybe, but if you died at least you wouldn't have died afraid."
    "Bullshit. I was afraid."
    "You weren't paralyzed by it. You took control. Anyway, I'm trying to tell you that I'll help you. Whatever the risk is, I don't care. I'm not going to let them