- The town will not ring its cracked bell,
For the hero has gone astray.
The crimson banner lures the one and the many,
With each victory so will victory undo.
Following the warnings of the Quatrains, Cade infiltrates a coveted Red Flag competition at West Point military academy. Here choice candidates are groomed for government leadership, and the Gua plan to elevate one of their own to the Presidency of the US, to further their invasion.
Tropes:
- Cruel and Unusual Death: Colonel John Russell is literally boiled to death from the inside by the Gua agent, the incident that alerts Cade and Eddie to the situation. The same almost happens to Cade near the end.
- Friend-or-Idol Decision: One of the candidates gives up a clear shot at winning the competition to save Cade from the Gua.
- The Smurfette Principle: 2nd Lieutenant Amy Lopez is the only female candidate in the competition. She's also the Gua agent.
- Title Drop: Red Flag is the name of the competition, and the final round is decided by who reaches a literal red flag in the woods first.
