Chapter 10 - The Fall of Major Sterling
Sterling pulled the trigger, but before the bullet left the barrel, a heavy iron wrench flew through the air, slamming squarely into his wrist.
The shot went wild, shattering the monitor screen beside me.
Private Leo Miller stood near the generator, his face fierce, having thrown the wrench with everything he had.
Sterling roared in fury, turning his rifle toward Miller.
That second was all I needed.
I closed the distance in a flash, driving my palm directly into Sterling’s nose, shattering the cartilage. He stumbled back into the mud outside the bunker. I followed, sweeping his legs out from under him and pinning him flat on his back in the freezing, slick mud.
He fought violently, snapping his jaws and flailing his arms, but I placed my knee heavily onto his throat, applying just enough pressure to cut off his air.
The rain beat down upon us as the sound of heavy military transport helicopters roared overhead. Six massive CH-47 Chinooks descended from the dark clouds, their searchlights illuminating the entire parade ground in brilliant white light. Federal Tactical Officers and Military Police from JBLM spilled out onto the grounds, weapons drawn, securing the base in seconds.
Beside us, dozens of Camp Vora soldiers—led by the recruits Sterling had tormented for years—marched across the mud, surrounding the bunker, watching their former oppressor pinned in the dirt.
Chief Inspector General General Bradley stepped out of the lead helicopter, flanked by six heavily armed federal marshals. He strode across the parade ground, stepping right up to where I held Sterling down.
“Colonel Vance,” General Bradley said, looking down at the bloody, muddy mess. “Report.”
I slowly stood up, releasing Sterling. Federal marshals immediately grabbed the broken Major, pulling him to his knees and snapping heavy iron cuffs around his wrists.
“Camp Vora is secured, General,” I said, wiping the rain and blood from my forehead. “Major Sterling’s black-market ring has been exposed, and all evidence has been recovered.”
Sterling spat blood into the mud, glaring up at me with pure hatred. “You think you won, Vance? You ruined your own career coming down to the dirt with these pathetic recruits!”
I leaned down, pulling the silver oak leaf rank insignia off his collar, snapping the metal pins off in my hand.
I held them up in front of his face, letting them drop into the brown mud beneath my boots.
“I told you, Thomas,” I said quietly, my voice ringing clear across the silent gathering of soldiers. “Your stars are leaving with me.”
General Bradley turned to Private Leo Miller, who was standing tall beside me, holding the silver oak leaf I had given him in the tunnels.
“Private Miller,” General Bradley announced loudly so every soldier on the field could hear. “For courage under fire and assisting an IG officer in exposing high-level corruption, you are hereby recommended for a meritorious promotion.”
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The soldiers of Camp Vora erupted into thunderous cheers, their voices drowning out the roaring storm overhead. Miller looked at me with tears of pride in his eyes, saluting sharply.
I returned the salute, stepped into the General’s helicopter, and looked back one last time as Sterling was dragged away in chains toward a lifetime in prison. Justice had finally returned to Camp Vora.
