Chapter 41 - Taking some Control (4)

27 December, City K Military Base

A Major approached Matthew and saluted. Matthew returned the salute, before the major spoke.

"Sir, I am Major Hung, the chief of intelligence for the special forces group and technically your second-in-command until you appoint your second-in-command and any other key personal. As I have been based here for a number of years your predecessors have always ended up appointing me second-in-command of the special forces."

Matthew racked his brain for a few seconds. It was then he remembered that the discussions with intelligence staff before his deployment not only questioned his skills to have the role but wondered if he was leaking information to the terrorists. The only reason he still had his position is that he seemed to be respected by his subordinates, and there was enough positive actions based on his and his departments work that supported him remaining in place.

"Major Hung. Apologies I do not have time to speak presently. I need to briefly head back to my office before the staff meeting."

With that he turned and exited the room heading to his personal office. Waiting his arrival was his assistant Sergeant Angela Yi and adjutant Warrant Office George Wang. "Sergeant, Warrant Office, a Private word in my office."

"Yes Sir."

With that they followed Matthew into his private office. "As you both know I have a meeting with all my junior officers. I need both of you there to watch for anything unusual in reactions in what I am to tell them."

Sergeant Yi, without thinking said "Why Sir." She then realised she had questioned a legal order from a superior.

Before she could even think of apologising Matthew responded "Do not think about apologising for asking that question. I will give both of you some leeway when it is only us to question my orders. In the end I am only human, and sometimes, despite what is hounded into you in training, senior officers do make mistakes. If you think it is wrong, do challenge me but it must be in private. You do need to understand why I am asking you to do this."

Matthew paused and continued "Now I am about to restructure how the special forces operate here, and I suspect that this is not going to be readily accepted by some officers."

"Sir, I can tell you now Major Hung will not be happy."

"Why Sergeant?"

"My husband is a low-level intelligence analyst within the intelligence unit. Because of my job as the secretary to the head of special forces I have the same level of security clearance as him. He had to talk one day, about things that bothered him."

"My husband told me that if intelligence analysis ends in a result that does not fit with Major Hung's view it can be ignored. One example he gave me was, that there was actionable intelligence that there would be an attack at a specific border crossing point. That was provided, but not passed on past Major Hung, because he did not believe it. The attack was not prevented, and three people were killed."

"Thank you, Sergeant. I still need you both to watch all officers."

Matthew paused, as he recalled that incident eighteen months ago. He was only involved on the periphery of the investigation, which ended up concluding that despite the intelligence being actionable Major Hung's concerns were enough to ensure that he did not face disciplinary actions.

The thing that saved Major Hung was that there was only one risky source for the intelligence and a search for anything that might collaborate it located nothing hence the decision not to pass it on. But that one incident started the examination of what was happening in City K's base with respect to the special forces the result being his appointment here with a clear directive to investigate what was happening here.

"Yes Sir." With that he turned and left his office returning to the meeting room he had previously been in. He looked at his watch and realised that there was still a couple of minutes for people to arrive. He reached and poured himself a glass of water, sipping it waiting for everyone to arrive.