Chapter 3 - Monday Morning
At 0757 Monday morning, Major Nathan Cross walked into Conference Room 4.
Then stopped.
Colonel Catherine Monroe sat at the far end of the table.
This time she wasn't wearing red.
Her service uniform was immaculate.
Silver eagles rested on her shoulders.
Brigadier General Marcus Hollis sat beside her.
Across the table sat Lieutenant Emily Parker.
Nathan's face tightened.
“Sir.”
“Sit down, Major,” Hollis said.
Nathan obeyed.
His attorney, Captain Reeves, sat beside him.
Nathan looked at Catherine.
“I object to Colonel Monroe's presence.”
Catherine didn't react.
Hollis did.
“On what grounds?”
“We had a personal encounter Saturday.”
“I know.”
Nathan blinked.
“You know?”
“Colonel Monroe reported it immediately.”
Catherine slid a document across the table.
“I've recused myself from findings involving our personal interaction.”
Nathan looked relieved.
“But,” Catherine continued, “I remain authorized to oversee procedural integrity for the broader assessment.”
Reeves leaned toward Nathan.
“Say nothing unless asked.”
Hollis opened a folder.
“Lieutenant Parker.”
Emily looked nervous.
She was twenty-seven, maybe twenty-eight.
But her voice was steady.
“Yes, sir.”
“Tell us what happened.”
Emily looked directly at Nathan.
“Major Cross ordered me to change maintenance readiness numbers before an inspection.”
Nathan scoffed.
“That's false.”
Reeves touched his arm.
Emily continued.
“When I refused, my evaluation changed.”
“Coincidence,” Nathan said.
“Major,” Hollis warned.
Emily opened her folder.
“My original evaluation was emailed to me by Captain Morris.”
Nathan's eyes flickered.
“The version entered into my record three days later was different.”
Catherine asked, “Different how?”
“Leadership scores reduced. Promotion recommendation removed.”
“Who signed the revision?”
Emily looked at Nathan.
“He did.”
Nathan leaned forward.
“Because her performance deteriorated.”
Emily reached into her folder.
“No, sir.”
She placed several printed pages on the table.
“Because I refused to lie.”
Silence.
Nathan looked at the documents.
His confidence faltered.
Emily continued.
“Then he called me into his office.”
“What did he say?” Hollis asked.
Emily swallowed.
“He told me careers are built by people above you, not people beside you.”
Nathan shook his head.
“I never said that.”
Emily pulled out her phone.
“I know.”
Nathan stopped.
Emily pressed play.
Nathan's recorded voice filled the room.
“Think carefully, Lieutenant. Careers are built by people above you.”
Nobody moved.
Then the recording continued.
“Withdraw the complaint, and we can fix your evaluation.”
Nathan stared at Emily.
“You recorded me?”
She met his eyes.
“You told me nobody would believe a lieutenant over a major.”
Nathan looked toward Catherine.
For the first time, he seemed to understand.
May you like
This wasn't about rank anymore.
It was about evidence.
