Chapter 7 - The Black FolderIgnoring the sputtering protests of my parents and the whimpering of Emily’s dog, Colonel Vance reached into the inner pocket of his tailored uniform jacket. He withdrew a sleek, matte-black leather folder embossed with the golden seal of the Department of Defense.
He stepped inside the freezing garage, entirely unbothered by the damp concrete and mildew smell, and extended the folder toward me with both hands.
"Mrs. Carter," Colonel Vance said softly, his voice carrying a warmth he deliberately withheld from the onlookers on the porch. "Before we escort you to your new residence, there is one final document requiring your signature. The Stratix acquisition of Project Orion is finalized, and federal housing allocation protocols for defense contractors have been immediately activated."
I took the folder, my fingers brushing the cool leather. I opened it to reveal crisp pages filled with legal seals, cryptographic validation hashes, and the transfer of ownership signatures.
Emily couldn't hold back any longer. She shrieked from the porch, stepping down onto the frosted lawn despite her thin slippers. "Sarah! Are you out of your mind? Call these military thugs off right now! Brad was trying to work in that garage! What did you do to get the army involved?"
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Colonel Vance slowly turned his head, fixing Emily with a glare so cold it made her step back instinctively. "Silence, civilian," the colonel commanded, his tone dropping into a lethal, surgical register. "You are addressing the primary defense asset of the United States government and the sole patent holder of Project Orion. One more outburst from you or anyone on this property, and you will be detained under federal obstruction charges."
The word detained hung in the crisp morning air like a guillotine blade. Brad grabbed Emily’s arm, pulling her back. My mother covered her mouth with both hands, finally realizing the terrifying magnitude of her mistake.
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