Chapter 9 - THE UNOPENED DOSSIER
The wind off the ridge blew a fresh cloud of fine sand across the concrete pad, swirling around their boots.
Admiral Kane took a deep, shuddering breath. The authoritative flag officer who had walked onto the range twenty minutes ago boasting about rifle polish was gone. In his place stood a man confronted by a ghost from a past he had spent twenty years trying to bury.
"Why are you here?" Kane asked, his voice tight with desperation. "What do you want?"
Claire reached down and picked up her empty magazine, dropping it cleanly into her transport case. She closed the heavy aluminum lid, snapping the dual metal latches shut with two sharp, metallic cracks.
CLACK. CLACK.
She picked up her blue cleaning rag and wiped the dust from her gloves.
"I was told you were the only person left with access to the primary archive at Coronado," Claire said, her tone as conversational and calm as if she were discussing the weather. "I need a file."
Kane's chest tightened. "What file?"
Claire picked up her heavy aluminum rifle case by its central handle. She stood tall, her lean frame outlined against the desert sun, the faded camouflage uniform hanging straight off her broad shoulders.
"The file from ninety-eight," Claire said simply.
Range Master Ellis took a slow step back, his hand resting near his belt, his head lowered as he listened to the exchange. He knew enough about base history to know that any file from ninety-eight involving the Maritime Interdiction Group did not exist on any official server, in any public database, or on any standard military record.
Kane swallowed hard, his throat dry. "And if I refuse?"
Claire looked into Kane's eyes. She didn't threaten him. She didn't raise her voice. She simply held his gaze with an unyielding, absolute calm that made the Admiral's pulse race against his collar.
"You won't refuse, Admiral," Claire said softly. "Because you know what happens if that file is opened by someone else."
Kane stood frozen. His jaw worked silently as he searched her face for any sign of weakness, any flicker of hesitation. He found none.
Lieutenant Brooks stepped up behind Kane, his voice high and nervous. "Admiral... should I call base security? We can hold her right here—"
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"Shut up, Brooks!" Kane shouted, turning his head violently toward his junior officer, his voice cracking with unprecedented rage. "Get back to the vehicles! All of you! Get to the staff cars right now!"
The four junior officers recoiled, startled by the sudden explosion of fury from their commander. They didn't ask another question. They turned on their heels and hurried down the center aisle toward the parked black SUVs at the edge of the facility.
