The sun blazed overhead as Matthew Hesh sat in the temporary office set up near the canal construction site. Stacks of blueprints, logistical reports, and survey maps cluttered the desk in front of him, but his mind was elsewhere. The tension in the camp had grown unbearable since the skirmish with Gran Colombian forces. Workers kept glancing over their shoulders, wary of another attack, and the Amerathian troops stationed nearby were visibly on edge.
Amber entered the room, her face drawn with worry. "Matthew, we need to talk," she said softly.
Before Matthew could respond, a soldier entered, carrying a sealed envelope. "Mr. Hesh, this just came in from the White House. It's marked urgent."
Matthew took the envelope, his heart sinking as he recognized the presidential seal. Breaking it open, he read the letter, his expression growing grimmer with each passing sentence.
[Mr. Hesh,
