Chapter 15 - THE PENTAGON SUMMONS
The Pentagon's E-Ring was a labyrinth of history, power, and absolute secrecy. Walking down the polished corridors on a crisp Monday morning, my footsteps—the distinctive, metallic click of carbon fiber against marble—commanded immediate respect. Junior officers pressed themselves against the mahogany-paneled walls, snapping sharp salutes as I passed. I returned each one with a crisp, practiced nod.
When I pushed open the heavy oak doors of Admiral Sterling’s private office, the room fell instantly silent.
Three senior generals from the Joint Chiefs of Staff were seated around a vast mahogany conference table, alongside Secretary of Defense Miller himself. At the head of the table sat Admiral Sterling, looking as formidable as an iron monument, though his eyes softened slightly when he saw me enter.
"Ah, Commander Vance," Secretary Miller said, standing up to extend a hand. "We’ve read your preliminary white papers on neural-linked tactical prosthetics. Frankly, the Pentagon hasn't seen R&D this revolutionary since the Cold War."
"Thank you, Mr. Secretary," I replied, taking a seat at the center of the table. "My team and I believe that our wounded service members shouldn't just adapt to their equipment—the equipment should adapt to their nervous systems."
"Which brings us to why you're here," Admiral Sterling interjected, folding his hands on the table. He leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "Hayes Technologies is currently liquidating its assets under federal audit. Their patents—specifically the quantum-encryption algorithms your team developed during your tenure there—are up for emergency government seizure. We need someone to step in as receiver and chief restructuring officer to salvage the technology for naval defense."
I blinked, a sudden wave of irony washing over me. Three days ago, Julian Hayes had been the master of that empire. Today, the Department of Defense was handing the keys of his crumbling kingdom directly to me.
"Are there any legal hurdles, Admiral?" I asked.
May you like
Sterling let out a short, dry bark of laughter. "None that a federal subpoena and a battalion of military lawyers can't clear in twenty minutes. The question is, Elena... do you want to take back what was yours?"
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