Chapter 8 - Leaving the Garage BehindI looked down at the documents in the black folder, then slowly raised my eyes to look at my family. Not a single one of them could meet my gaze. My father was staring fixedly at his shoes, his face flushed with humiliation and sudden, creeping terror. Emily was trembling, her dog whining softly in her arms.
"Is everything in order, Colonel?" I asked, my voice calm, steady, and entirely devoid of emotion.
"Everything is flawless, ma'am," Colonel Vance replied respectfully. "Your personal belongings from the house have already been secured by our detail. Your new residence—a fully staffed estate in the secure hills outside the city—is prepared for your arrival. Medical specialists are on standby to ensure your comfort."
I slid the document back into the folder, closed it, and stood up from the folding cot. I slipped Michael’s dog tags inside my hoodie, feeling their familiar cool weight against my chest.
"Thank you, Colonel," I said clearly. "Let's go."
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As I walked out of the garage, stepping past the freezing concrete and the old boxes, the special operations team formed a protective wedge around me. They opened the rear door of the lead SUV, gently shielding me from the cold wind as I slid into the luxurious, heated leather interior.
Through the tinted window, I watched my family standing frozen in the driveway. My mother looked small, pathetic, and utterly defeated in her floral bathrobe. Brad looked like a man standing on the edge of a financial precipice. They had wanted me out of the way to make room for a workspace. Now, they were left standing in the cold, realizing that the very person they had discarded was the one person who held the key to their survival.
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