Chapter 11 - The Missing Log
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At 0800 hours the next morning, I arrived at the Pentagon alongside General Vance.
Instead of going to my usual office, we marched directly down to the basement security precinct. The air was cold and smelled of ozone and floor wax.
Detective Sarah Miller of the Military Criminal Investigation Division (CID) met us in a glass-walled conference room.
"Colonel Carter," Detective Miller greeted me professionally. "We pulled the physical sign-out logs from last Thursday as requested."
She slid a heavy binder across the table.
I flipped eagerly to the page dated Thursday, my eyes searching for the 1900-hour block.
My heart sank into my stomach.
The entry for 7:24 p.m. had been completely smeared over with heavy black ink, rendering the signature and timestamp entirely unreadable.
"Someone got to the physical book," Detective Miller revealed quietly. "And when my team went to interview the security guard who worked that shift—Officer Miller—we found out he was placed on emergency administrative leave yesterday morning."
"Who placed him on leave?" General Vance demanded, slamming his hand onto the table.
"An internal memo was issued by the Assistant Secretary’s office," Detective Miller answered. "Citing a sudden security breach."
I leaned against the table, my mind piecing together the terrifying scope of this trap. This wasn't just Madison throwing a temper tantrum. Madison didn't have the high-level security clearance required to alter digital records in the Army's procurement vault, nor did she have the authority to suspend a Pentagon security officer.
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Someone inside the military hierarchy was working with her.
"Madison was the distraction," I realized aloud, looking up at General Vance. "She was the loud, arrogant front person. But someone else stood to gain from ruining this contract."
