Chapter 9 - The Arrest of the Commander
Two heavy-set Military Police officers stepped forward immediately, taking positions on either side of Colonel Pike.
"Sir, please hand over your credentials," the lead MP instructed, unclipping a leather holster from his belt.
Pike stood frozen as the officers unclipped his official hospital badge, removed his military phone, and stripped his rank insignia.
Dozens of nurses, civilian contractors, and medical corpsmen gathered at the end of the hallway, watching the dramatic downfall.
The commander who had terrorized them with strict time clocks, petty write-ups, and arrogant threats was now stripped naked of power.
"General... please... think of my career!" Pike whimpered as the cuffs clicked around his wrists.
"Thirty years of service... destroyed over an administrative misunderstanding?!"
"You didn't destroy your career over a misunderstanding, Warren," General Vance said coldly as the officers turned Pike around.
"You destroyed it the second you decided that military rank was more important than human life."
"Take him to the brig at Fort Meade and hold him for court-martial proceedings under Article ninety-two of the UCMJ."
The MPs escorted the disgraced former commander down the hallway, past the cheering, applauding civilian staff members.
General Vance turned back to me, taking a deep breath as he adjusted his dress uniform jacket.
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"Grace... I need to talk to you in private," General Vance said, gesturing toward the quiet chief commander's office down the hall.
"There's a reason I flew down here today... and it's not just about Lucas."
