Chapter 2 - The War Room
We did not go back to Maya's beautiful, suffocating mansion.
We did not go to my suburban home in Richmond.
Instead, the armored SUV drove straight onto the heavily guarded grounds of Naval Station Norfolk.
I brought her to a secure officer's safehouse located deep within the base.
The house was surrounded by high fences, security cameras, and armed sentries.
For the first time in months, I watched Maya's shoulders finally relax.
A military medic tended to her injuries, meticulously documenting every bruise and cut.
I needed the medical records sealed and classified so the Kensingtons couldn't tamper with them.
Once Maya was resting in the guest bedroom, I walked into the study.
I opened my encrypted laptop and logged into the secure defense network.
Beatrice Kensington believed she held power because she could bribe a local judge.
She did not understand the sheer magnitude of the United States federal government.
I pulled up the Kensington family's entire financial history.
I bypassed their private servers and accessed their offshore holding accounts.
It took me less than two hours to find the rot hidden beneath their polished legacy.
The Kensingtons were funneling millions of dollars through fake charity organizations.
Arthur was embezzling money from his own political campaign funds.
Connor was paying off multiple women to keep quiet about his violent outbursts.
And Beatrice was the puppet master, organizing the bribes to keep their name clean.
My desk phone rang, breaking the silence of the room.
It was Admiral Thomas, my commanding officer.
"Elena, I just got a very angry call from the Governor of Virginia," the Admiral said.
"He claims you assaulted Connor Kensington and kidnapped his wife."
I took a deep breath, keeping my tone perfectly level.
"I removed my abused daughter from a hostile environment, sir."
"The Kensingtons are threatening my career and my family."
The Admiral was silent for a long moment.
"The Governor is demanding a court-martial, Elena."
"He wants you stripped of your rank by tomorrow morning."
I pulled up the file containing Arthur's illegal campaign transfers.
"Admiral, I am sending you a secure data packet right now," I said.
"Once you read it, tell the Governor that if he pushes this, I will bury him alongside the Kensingtons."
I hit the send button.
Five minutes later, the Admiral called me back.
"Take them down, Captain," he said.
May you like
"You have full operational clearance."
The war had officially begun.
