Chapter 13 - The General’s BackupAdmiral Vance stared at the flash drive on the table as if it were a venomous snake.
For ten agonizing seconds, neither of us moved. The air in the conference room grew thick, charged with the quiet violence of two opposing forces colliding at the highest levels of military power.
Slowly, Vance reached out, picked up the flash drive, and slipped it into his breast pocket.
“You think this makes you a hero, Agent Mercer?” Vance asked, a dark, humorless smile touching his lips. “You think exposing corruption in the Pentagon is going to earn you a medal? You’ll destroy the reputation of the entire Naval Special Warfare command. Congress will slash our budgets, foreign adversaries will smell blood, and the press will tear the uniform to ribbons.”
“I’m not trying to save the uniform, Admiral,” I replied, stepping closer to the table. “I’m trying to clean it. And the first stain I’m washing out is you.”
Before Vance could reach for the panic button concealed beneath the edge of the table, the heavy oak side door swung open with a sharp click.
Major General Harrison stepped into the room, flanked by two armed military police officers and an attorney from the Department of Justice.
“The speech is over, Marcus,” Harrison said, his voice echoing coldly off the walls. “Division 9 has executed a full search and seizure warrant on your Pentagon office and your private residence in Arlington. Your bank accounts have been frozen under emergency national security protocols.”
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Vance froze, his hand hovering inches from the hidden button. He looked from Harrison to the DOJ attorney, realizing with sudden, crushing finality that he had walked right into a tactical ambush.
“You’re finished, Admiral,” I said quietly, turning toward the door. “Enjoy the brig. Tell my brother I said hello.”
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