Chapter 7 - THE PHONE VIDEO
Rourke demanded to know why Maya was in the security office.
She gave him the simplest answer.
“My locker was broken into.”
“Then call the MPs.”
“I planned to.”
Rourke looked at Noah. “And you?”
Noah swallowed. “Reviewing footage, First Sergeant.”
“Without authorization?”
“I’m assigned to the desk.”
Rourke held out his hand.
“Give me your phone.”
Noah froze.
“That’s my personal phone.”
“Then you won’t mind proving you didn’t record restricted footage.”
Maya stepped between them just enough to be noticed.
“You need a reason to seize personal property.”
Rourke smiled. “There she is.”
The same contempt from the old report.
The same kind of man who thought rules belonged to whoever had the louder rank.
Noah surprised both of them.
“No, First Sergeant.”
Rourke’s smile vanished.
Noah backed up his answer. “You can get the commander or the MPs. I’m not handing over my phone.”
Rourke stared at him for a long moment, then left without another word.
When the hallway was quiet, Noah exhaled.
“I think I just ruined my life.”
“Maybe you protected it.”
He unlocked his phone.
“I recorded the first fight from the sideline. Everybody did.”
He opened the video.
The angle showed Rourke clearly.
Right before Connor’s first kick, Rourke leaned toward him and said something.
Noah boosted the sound.
“Face first. Make her remember it.”
Maya felt her pulse in her throat.
Noah stared at her.
“You need to send this somewhere he can’t touch.”
They uploaded copies to three private accounts and emailed one to Captain Cole.
At 06:10 the next morning, Cole called Maya into his office.
Rourke was already there.
So was the battalion executive officer.
Cole closed the door.
“Maya,” he said, “First Sergeant Rourke has filed a formal complaint against you.”
She looked at Rourke.
“For what?”
Rourke’s expression was almost pleasant.
“Tampering with government security systems.”
Then Cole slid another document across the desk.
“And there’s more.”
Maya read the first line.
Her stomach dropped.
May you like
Someone had accused her of threatening Connor Briggs before the fight.
The witness statement was signed by Connor himself.
