Chapter 4: The Federal Directive
General Reynolds finally turned his gaze toward Richard Thorne, who was now leaning against his car looking like a man facing a firing squad.
“You’re Richard Thorne,” Reynolds stated, not asking a question. “Senior counsel for Sterling & Vance Development.”
“I—yes,” Richard stammered, his legal arrogance completely melted away. “Look, gentlemen, there’s been a paperwork error. This land is designated for commercial rezoning—eminent domain was granted by the county board—!”
General Reynolds pulled a thick, heavily stamped manila folder from under his arm and flipped it open. He didn’t look at Richard; he looked at the papers still scattered on the ground.
“Eminent domain applies to municipal property, Mr. Thorne,” Reynolds said coldly. “It does not apply to Section 4 of the National Security Land Act. This gas station, and the four thousand acres surrounding it, was deeded in perpetuity to Marshal Thomas Vance by executive presidential decree in 1994, classified under federal defense infrastructure.”
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Richard’s knees went weak. “Classified…? But the county records didn't show—!”
“County records don’t supersede federal security clearances,” Thomas interrupted quietly, stepping forward. He looked down at the foreclosure notice lying in the dirt. “You thought I was just an old man guarding a broken pump. But thirty years ago, this station was the underground relay post that kept our intelligence grid alive during the Black Ridge crisis. I lost my arm keeping this sector secure. And you thought a local zoning board could just erase it with a signature?”
