“Yes, it sounds like you hate every minute of this,” she cuts in, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
“I’m going to invoke Order Five.”
Gray’s shoulders stiffen, while Karra looks startled.
Me, I’m just confused.
“What does that mean?” I ask before I can stop myself. “What’s Order Five?”
Adrienne releases a humorless laugh. “It means he’s calling for a vote to disband the Authority.”
Chapter 56
Poppy tosses and turns all night, and as a result, keeps me up all night. But even if she were lying as still as a stone, I don’t think it would’ve produced a different outcome. I’m too wired to sleep.
In the morning, I get on my tablet and try to understand what Order Five is, but there isn’t exactly a file on the Uprising’s online network labeledRules and Regulations.Still, there must be rules, considering Kallister invoked one last night.
In the mess hall at breakfast, I ask Gray who participates in the vote that Adrienne had mentioned.
He brings his coffee to his lips, answering with, “Only the Authority members and the mission leads.”
My gaze shifts to Saint, the other mission lead at our table. “So you get to vote, too?”
Saint nods.
“And if everyone votes to disband the council, then what?” I look around. “There’s an election? People throw their hats in the ring to be the new leader?”
Karra flashes an annoyed look. “You don’t get it. Order Five isn’t about elections. If it passes, Kallister becomes the new leader. He gets full control.”
A line creases my forehead. “Why Kallister?”
“Because he’s the one who invoked the order,” Gray explains. “He’s signaling to everyone that he believes he is most fit to lead.”
“Can anyone challenge him?”
“No.”
“And if the order doesn’t pass?”
“At that point, a new council would be voted in.”
“This system is fucked up,” I say. “Has something like this ever happened before?”
Henley joins the conversation. “Before this current Authority, there was a stretch when there was only one leader. But I think that was like ten, fifteen years ago?”
Gray nods. “I’ve never had Order Five invoked since I’ve been here. But we’ve also never had a mission go that far south. Bramble was a huge loss. KC and Declan destroyed the intelligence rooms before Silver Block swarmed—”
“Blew that shit up,” Karra confirms.
“—so we do have protocols in the event of a breach. But Bramble was an invaluable location.”
Saint gives me a grudging look. “Kallister’s not wrong to be pissed. This is a big hit for us.”
“How are you going to vote?” I look between the two mission leads.
Neither man answers, which makes me frown.
“You can’t seriously be considering disbanding the Authority and giving Kallister full control.”
