Call of Duty: When Patriotism Surpasses Love
Chapter 1
It was my daughter’s birthday.
She gave the biggest slice of cake to her tutor.
The smallest piece? That was for me.
“I wish Ms. Evans could have a baby brother
with Daddy!” she squealed.
I glanced at Emily Evans, blushing prettily
across the table, and then at John, my husband,
his eyes soft with what looked like… adoration.
It hit me then. They were more of a family than
we ever could be.
I left a divorce agreement on the table
signing away everything.
–
Then, I walked straight into the most top–secret
project this country had seen in a decade.
After all, my country needed me more than they
did.
1
“You have a daughter, a husband. This project…
it’s a black box. At least ten years. No contact
with the outside world. Can you give that up?”
<
Dr. Peterson, the head of the research institute,
looked grim.
“Yes,” I said, no hesitation. “John and I are
getting divorced. Emily is amazing with Lily. My
daughter will be taken care of. I don’t have any
doubts.”
Dr. Peterson paused, surprised. “The position
you’re applying for is technical operation.
Twenty–four hours in a hazmat suit, total
concentration, physical and mental exhaustion…
Can you handle that kind of pressure?”
I smiled. “Honestly? I’ve been waiting for this.
I’ve been working at this level for years. I can
run a marathon. I’ve done zero–G training. My
body? That’s the least of your worries.”
He pursed his lips, like he wanted to paint an
even grimmer picture.
I cut him off. “I can handle anything. Besides,
there’s no one else who can do this, right?”
My mentor, Dr. Lee, was the last person in this
role.
She died three years in.
Reduced to ashes.
Dr. Peterson’s eyes glistened. His voice
cracked, “We’re worried about you, Sarah.
You’re the only expert we have left. We’re
terrified this project will fail, that your name…
will disappear. You’re an incredible scientist…”
National security project.
Classified until the day it succeeds.
Dr. Lee’s death was still a secret.
Her family still waited for her to come home.
But she never would.
I shook my head, my resolve hardening.
“It won’t. This project will succeed. Dr. Lee
passed the torch to me. I’ll pass it to my
students. And they’ll pass it on too. We don’t
back down!”
I walked out of the institute.
Five million dollars had been deposited in my
account.
I donated it all to a scholarship fund for
students in the program.
Then I calculated my total income from
teaching and research over the years.
About a million dollars.
<
That was for my daughter.
Even if she didn’t love me.
Maybe it was a good thing she didn’t.
Otherwise, how could I leave?
On the way home, I bought her that goddamn
Barbie she’d been begging for.
My last act of love.
From now on, my love belonged to my country.
