"The Republic thanks you."

The walls hadn't moved, but somehow they felt closer today.

Oppressive. Watching.

Étienne Moreau sat again in that lonely chair in the center of the interrogation chamber, coat collar straight, uniform perfectly pressed, jaw set like steel.

Just like yesterday no one had offered him a drink.

No one had even given him a glance of humanity.

Across from him, twelve men again sat behind a long table.

At the center, as always, was Colonel Valois. He looked more smug than usual today.

But Major General Beauchamp the one who had brought all of them together for this inquiry wore a different face.

Blank.

Cautious.

Like a man watching a house burn down and trying to decide whether to let it collapse or run in and save it.

Valois leaned in, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Capitaine, you've had a night to reflect. Perhaps you'd like to clarify some of your answers from yesterday?"