Chapter 2 - THE FROZEN SALUTECaptain Vance’s breath caught in his throat. The clipboard in his left hand slipped slightly, his fingers tightening around the paper until the corners crumpled.
Corporal Brandt, oblivious to the sudden shift in atmospheric pressure, puffed out his chest and stepped forward with a bright, eager smile.
"Sir! Good morning, Captain," Brandt announced loudly, eager to claim credit for a job well done. "We caught an unauthorized civilian trying to breach the main gate using an expired, unverified digital credential. She refused to cooperate, claimed some ridiculous command status, so I locked her down in Cell Three pending local police escort."
Glenn chuckled softly from his spot by the door, shaking his head. "Told you, Captain. She's got a whole complex. Always has."
Captain Vance did not look at Corporal Brandt. He did not look at Glenn.
His eyes remained locked on my face through the steel bars of Cell Three. The color drained from the captain's face so fast it looked like someone had turned off a light switch inside him.
Vance dropped the clipboard. It hit the floor with a sharp, echoing slap.
Slowly, deliberately, with the mechanical precision of a soldier facing an explosive device, Captain Vance raised his right hand.
His palm straightened. His fingers pressed firmly against the outer edge of his eyebrow.
May you like
A razor-sharp, textbook military salute.
"General," Captain Vance whispered, his voice trembling slightly with sheer, unadulterated terror and absolute respect. "General Alvarez. Ma’am."
