"What’s your name, trainee?”

Don snapped out of his thoughts. “O’Hara, sir.”

The commander’s left eyebrow rose, and Don felt the blood drain from his face. He’d answered out of habit. For a split second, he’d forgotten the plan, but that was all it had taken. So much for Jeffery being the one to give them away. At this point, he could only hope Jeffery was already settled in at Commander’s School.

“Any relation to Major General O’Hara?”

Don sucked in a deep breath before replying. “He’s my father, sir.”

This time, there was clear surprise on the left side of the man’s face. Don waited silently. The man frowned and stared out his office window. He lifted a hand and traced the lines on his face absentmindedly. “What was your destination supposed to be?”

“Commander’s School, sir.”

“And was your coming here a mistake?”

Don was sure the commander already knew the answer, but he was also sure the commander wanted to hear from him.

Don stuck out his chin stubbornly before answering. “No, sir.” He wasn’t ashamed of what he had done, or sorry that he had done it. He stood by his decision and would do it again, given the chance. “I switched places, sir."

The commander sighed and sat back in his chair. “You will remain with the group of boys that you arrived with until further notice. I don’t have anywhere else to stick you while I figure out what the hell is going on. While you are here, I expect you to apply yourself seriously to the curriculum. Is that understood?”

-----

This series is an illustrated, abridged telling of The Young Soldier:  Pursuing Dreams, written by MK Clark.

You can buy the full novel on Amazon www.amazon.com/Pursuing-Dreams-Young-Soldier-Book-ebook/dp/B072516QKC or find out not information at https://mkclarkbooks.com.