Chapter 5 - THE CONFRONTATION3
When Vance saw me approaching, a cold, victorious smile spread across his face. He leaned back in the vinyl booth and took a slow sip of his drink.
Derek, on the other hand, turned pale the moment he caught my eye. He flinched, almost knocking over his pint of beer.
"Laurel," Derek stammered, trying to muster a professional composure. "You... you came. Vance said you’d see reason once you realized what was at stake."
I ignored Derek entirely. I stopped at the head of the table, leaning forward slightly, resting both palms on the dark wood surface. I looked directly into Marcus Vance’s gray eyes.
"You brought a civilian into an official extortion scheme, Marcus," I said, my voice dead calm. "That’s a bold move, even for a dishonorable parasite like you."
"Watch your mouth, Bennett," Vance’s smile vanished, replaced by a dark glare. "You don't have the rank to order me around anymore. You're just another broken veteran living in the suburbs. Now, did you bring the signed letter, or am I making a phone call to Ryan Miller’s father tonight?"
Derek looked between the two of us, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Wait... Vance, what are you talking about? What phone call? You said Laurel was voluntarily backing my application as a family favor!"
"Shut up, Derek," Vance snapped without looking at him. "The adults are talking."
Derek blinked, looking like he had just been slapped in the face. "Hey! Don't talk to me like—"
"I said shut your mouth, Corporal!" Vance roared, his military authority exploding out of him so violently that the entire tavern went quiet. Several older veterans at the bar turned around to look at our table.
Derek shrank back into his seat, completely humiliated, realization finally dawning on his foolish face. He hadn't been partnering with Vance; he had been manipulated like a pawn.
I didn't blink. I pulled a thick, manila envelope out from inside my coat and slammed it down onto the table between them.
"What’s this?" Vance asked, frowning.
"That’s not my endorsement," I said. "That’s a copy of the official Department of Defense Inspector General complaint I filed online ninety minutes ago."
Vance’s eyes widened slightly.
"It details your attempt to use classified combat logs to blackmail a retired officer into securing an illegal federal contract," I continued, leaning closer so only he could hear my words. "It includes audio recordings of our conversation on my driveway this afternoon—captured by my home security cameras, which record full audiovisual feeds of my entire property."
Vance’s face turned bright red. His jaw clenched so hard I could hear his teeth grinding.
"You think the military press is going to care about a tactical dispute from 2011 when the IG opens an active criminal investigation into your private security firm for federal fraud?" I asked softly. "Your clearance will be suspended by tomorrow morning, Marcus. Your clients will drop you by noon."
Vance slowly reached for the envelope, opening it with trembling fingers. As he scanned the legal documentation and the attached transcripts, the confidence drained completely from his face.
He looked up at me, pure hatred burning in his eyes. "You calculated bitch."
"I was a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps, Vance," I replied smoothly. "You were just an angry sergeant who thought loudness equaled strategy."
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I turned my head slightly to look at Derek, who was staring at me with a mix of terror and absolute awe.
"As for you, Derek," I said, my voice cutting like broken glass. "You sold out your family's safety to a predator because your ego couldn't handle being small. Go home to my sister. Pack your bags. Because if you ever come near my kids or my house again, I won't just throw you on a mat—I’ll ensure you spend the next five years answering questions under oath."
