Chapter 9 - Reed Finally Faces Claire
Commander Reed requested to speak with Claire through counsel and proper
channels.
She agreed.
Not privately.
Agent Brooks and attorneys were present.
Reed looked older.
“Lieutenant, I owe you an apology.”
Claire waited.
“I endangered you.”
“Yes.”
“I believed the release would still function manually.”
“You knew it failed inspection.”
“Yes.”
“You removed the tag.”
“Yes.”
“You ordered me into the tank.”
“Yes.”
Claire leaned forward.
“So don’t tell me Vale made you do that.”
Reed looked down.
“I won’t.”
He explained that the first unauthorized drills were designed to
generate poor performance metrics without serious danger.
Then Vale demanded more dramatic failures.
Reed complied.
Each compromise made the next one easier.
Blake nearly got trapped.
Reed should have stopped.
Instead, he worried exposure would end his career.
Then Claire arrived.
“I told myself you were strong enough.”
Claire’s expression hardened.
“My competence was not your permission.”
“No.”
That sentence stayed with Reed.
He later repeated it in his formal statement.
Reed agreed to cooperate with investigators.
He faced military justice for orders, falsification, reckless
endangerment, conspiracy-related conduct, and other offenses supported
by evidence.
Cole faced his own proceedings.
Vale faced federal charges connected to kidnapping, fraud, market
manipulation, and sabotage allegations.
Claire did not follow every hearing.
She had work to do.
But before leaving, Reed asked:
“Did you know the hatch would open?”
“No.”
“Then why did you keep trying?”
Claire stood.
“Because you left me no safe alternative.”
May you like
There was nothing heroic about that answer.
That was the point.
