Chapter 5
Two military police officers entered fast.
Their boots hit the tile in perfect rhythm.
Both had one hand resting on their sidearms.
The whole room turned.
Maddox turned too.
For half a second, confidence returned to his face.
He thought they were there for her.
He even pointed.
“About time. Get this civilian out of my facility.”
The MPs did not look at Rachel.
They looked at Maddox.
That was when the room went completely silent.
One of the MPs, Staff Sergeant Nolan Price, stopped six feet away.
“Sergeant Maddox, step back from her.”
Maddox blinked.
“What?”
“Step back.”
Maddox laughed once, but it sounded wrong.
“You got no idea what’s going on here.”
Price’s eyes stayed cold.
“We have a pretty clear idea.”
Rachel reached into her jacket.
Half the room tensed.
The MPs did not.
Because they already knew.
Rachel pulled out a small black recorder.
Then she held it up between two fingers.
“I’ve recorded enough.”
Maddox’s face hardened.
“You recorded me?”
Rachel pressed a button.
His own voice filled the air.
“Civilians don’t eat here.”
Then another clip.
“I said get out.”
Then another.
“You people think because you got a visitor pass, you can just wander in here and take food from soldiers?”
The words echoed across the cafeteria.
Nobody moved.
Maddox lunged for the recorder.
Price caught his arm before he made it one step.
May you like
“Don’t.”
Read Part 6 to see what Rachel had hidden under her sleeve.
