Chapter 4 - The 7:18 PM Timestamp
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General Vance lowered his salute and nodded to an aide standing beside him. The aide stepped forward, holding an official leather-bound military folder stamped with the gold seal of the Department of Defense.
"Without your technical precision and tireless compliance audits, Colonel Carter," General Vance continued, "this contract would have been rejected weeks ago due to corporate mismanagement."
He placed the official folder gently into my hands.
"Emily..." my father stammered, stepping forward with his mouth agape. "Emily, what is he talking about? Madison said she negotiated the entire deal!"
Madison’s face had gone the color of spoiled milk. "General! There’s been a mistake! My sister is just a low-level desk officer! I’m the Vice President of Carter Defense!"
General Vance turned his head slowly, locking his ice-cold blue eyes onto my sister.
"There is no mistake, Ms. Carter," the General said flatly. "Military acquisition records are crystal clear."
The aide stepped forward again, holding a sealed manila envelope. On the front, printed in bold red ink, was an official file number and a timestamp: 7:18 P.M. THURSDAY.
"This envelope contains the final digital sign-off log," General Vance explained to the entire room. "At seven-eighteen p.m. last Thursday, Colonel Emily Carter authorized the funding from her secure military terminal."
I looked at my sister.
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Last Thursday at 7:18 p.m., Madison was sitting at a high-end restaurant with our parents, bragging about her upcoming victory speech.
"And there is one more item," General Vance added, opening the sealed envelope. "Recovered directly from a private investigator's office this morning."
