A group of officers entered, their pace quick, their expressions controlled but unmistakably serious. At the front was Colonel Adrian Pierce, his uniform immaculate, his presence commanding without effort. Beside him walked Command Sergeant Major Victor Hale, his face set in a way that suggested he already knew more than he wanted to.
They didn’t slow down as they crossed the room. They didn’t look around to assess the situation. They moved with purpose, heading straight for the line—and for Evelyn.
Reeves turned, relief flashing briefly across his face as he saw them approach, as if expecting validation, reinforcement, confirmation that he had been in the right.
What he got instead was something else entirely.
The officers stopped in front of the woman in running shoes.
