Chapter 10 — The Sister’s Choice
Vivian was arrested before sunset.
She sat across from Celeste in a courthouse holding room, still wearing the white coat from the day before.
“You signed the mission-routing request,” Celeste said.
“I signed hundreds of documents.”
“This one sent my submarine into hostile waters.”
“I didn’t know you were aboard.”
“You knew Arthur tracked me.”
“Not then.”
Celeste placed the authorization in front of her.
Vivian stared at her signature as if it belonged to someone else.
“Father told me the report involved Chinese surveillance equipment,” she said. “He said the Navy needed urgent confirmation.”
“And you didn’t ask questions?”
“I had spent my entire life learning not to.”
Celeste’s anger sharpened.
“That isn’t an excuse.”
“No,” Vivian said. “It isn’t.”
She looked exhausted, but no longer afraid.
“Father made Julian prove his loyalty by tampering with Mother’s car. He made me prove mine by signing documents. He made you disappear because you refused to prove anything.”
Celeste said nothing.
Vivian reached into her coat pocket.
The guard immediately stepped forward, but Vivian slowly removed a small brass key.
“Crewe gave me this last year. He said I should use it if Father ever turned against me.”
“What does it open?”
“A private vault beneath the old Vale courthouse.”
The courthouse had been abandoned for decades. Arthur owned the land through a shell company.
“Why didn’t you tell Moreno?”
“Because Father has people inside the federal task force.”
Celeste studied her sister.
“How do you know?”
“Daniel heard Crewe talking to someone before the harbor explosion. Someone with access to Navy systems and federal evidence logs.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
Vivian slid the key across the table.
“But the vault does.”
That night, Celeste and Moreno entered the abandoned courthouse without notifying the full task force.
The vault lay beneath the judge’s chambers.
Inside were shelves of ledgers, recordings, photographs, and sealed envelopes.
Arthur had kept evidence on everyone he controlled.
Politicians.
Admirals.
Judges.
Federal investigators.
Moreno found a folder marked with her own name.
Celeste found one marked REED.
Before she could open it, the courthouse lights died.
Footsteps sounded above them.
Moreno drew her weapon.
A voice echoed down the stairs.
“You should have stayed erased, Commander.”
May you like
Martin Crewe stepped into the darkness.
Behind him stood three armed men.
