Chapter 14 - The Final Audit
The blinding glare of a dozen tactical flashlights cut through the rainy night air as the base military police secured the rooftop, placing the unbadged operators in heavy restraints while medics rushed forward to check the General’s vitals. Colonel Henderson sat handcuffed against the brick chimney, his expensive suit ruined, his corporate backing completely vanished with the crippled helicopter circling away into the cloudy horizon.
Loasing stood near the center of the rooftop, her uniform jacket damp from the rain, her posture as rigid and unyielding as it had been at the banquet hours earlier. She held out the black digital voice recorder and the modified flash drive, handing them directly to the newly arrived base commander.
“All unredacted audio logs, metadata backups, and transmission records are stored on these two devices, Colonel,” Loasing reported crisply. “They contain proof of a systemic procurement conspiracy involving unauthorized software backdoors and deliberate framing of personnel.”
The base commander took the devices with a grave expression, inspecting the serial numbers before nodding in respectful acknowledgment. “You followed proper protocol under extreme duress, Captain. The promotion review board has been rescheduled for tomorrow morning, with the Chief of Staff presiding in person.”
Henderson looked up from the pavement, his eyes hollow and defeated. “You think you won, Captain? The defense committee will just replace me with someone else before the ink dries on your new commission.”
“Let them try,” Loasing replied coldly, looking down at the disgraced officer with restrained, absolute authority. “Every backdoor they install from now on will be met with a firing squad.”
The General stood up, brushing gravel from his tuxedo pants and offering Loasing a proud, approving nod. “The court-martial will be public, Henderson. Every corporate lobbyist involved in Project Ironclad will be sitting right beside you in the dock.”
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As the military police hauled Henderson away toward the subterranean detention block, Loasing turned and walked toward the rooftop exit, her boots clicking steadily against the concrete, ready for whatever battle awaited her next.
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