Who is Benjamin Marchand from After the First Death and what is their importance?

Benjamin 'Ben' Marchand is son of Brigadier General Marcus L. Marchand. Marchand is the commander of Fort Delta in Massachusetts. Despite his father's role in the military, Ben is an ordinary teenager with normal teenage problems. Shortly before the hijacking of the bus, Ben falls in love with a local girl and is heart broken when she treats him cruelly. During the hijacking, Ben is placed under guard because of his relationship to his father, but his safety is never truly in danger until his father calls upon him to play a role in the hijacking.