Chapter 3 — The Fire Below Deck
Special Agent Elena Moreno opened the evidence case in Arthur’s study.
Inside were photographs, engineering reports, shipping manifests, and fragments of blackened steel.
Celeste recognized the twisted remains immediately.
They came from the USS Resolute.
Two years earlier, the attack submarine had suffered a catastrophic electrical fire during a classified patrol beneath the South China Sea.
The public had been told the vessel experienced a minor mechanical failure.
The truth had remained sealed.
Until now.
Moreno placed a damaged locking mechanism on Arthur’s desk.
“This component was manufactured by a Vale Maritime subsidiary,” she said.
Arthur stood with Crewe and Julian near the fireplace.
“Our products meet every federal requirement.”
“This one didn’t,” Celeste replied.
She could still smell the smoke.
Could still hear the alarms.
The fire had spread through the lower engineering corridor, cutting off forty-seven sailors. A steel bulkhead, designed to remain locked during extreme heat, began collapsing because its internal bolts had softened.
Celeste had braced herself beneath it.
The metal burned through her uniform and into her back while sailors crawled beneath her one by one.
She held it until the last crew member escaped.
Then the deck gave way.
She had awakened six days later.
Moreno slid a metallurgical report across the desk.
“The bolts were made from a cheaper alloy than the Navy contract required.”
Arthur did not touch the report.
Julian did.
His eyes moved quickly across the page.
“This proves nothing.”
“It proves someone substituted the material,” Celeste said.
“Even if that happened, it could have been a supplier.”
Moreno placed a second document beside the first.
It was an internal authorization form.
The replacement alloy had been approved by Julian Vale.
His signature appeared at the bottom.
Vivian, who had followed them upstairs, covered her mouth.
Julian stared at the paper.
“That signature was copied.”
Moreno looked unimpressed.
“We also recovered the original email chain.”
Arthur turned on his son.
“You told me those messages were gone.”
The words left his mouth before he could stop them.
Silence followed.
Moreno’s eyes sharpened.
Julian looked at his father with disbelief.
Celeste felt something cold settle inside her.
“You knew,” she said.
Arthur’s face became unreadable.
Celeste stepped closer.
“You knew the parts were defective.”
Arthur looked toward the window.
May you like
When he finally answered, his voice contained no remorse.
“I knew changing them would cost four hundred million dollars.”
