Chapter 6 - The Military Audit and the CID Investigation
While Ariana and I prepared for the digital strike, Captain Griffin’s escalation had triggered a massive institutional earthquake behind the scenes.
Because I was an active-duty sergeant in the 82nd Airborne, a physical assault by a civilian—even a sitting congressman—against a uniformed service member fell under the concurrent jurisdiction of the Department of Defense. By noon, Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) investigators had formally requested access to the security logs and medical reports of the incident.
Rhys Hale’s office received an official Department of the Army subpoena demanding a deposition regarding the assault allegations within 48 hours. The untouchable senator suddenly found himself facing a force far more rigid and incorruptible than partisan congressional ethics committees: the United States military justice system.
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In a secure conference room at Fort Myer, Colonel Thomas Vance—no relation to Marcus—reviewed my encrypted video statement alongside the digital forensic copies Ariana had transmitted to military intelligence.
"The girl didn't break," Colonel Vance noted, watching the playback of my bruised face on the secure monitor. "She followed protocol, secured her evidence, and requested proper chain of command intervention. If Congressman Hale thinks he can use a psychiatric smear campaign to silence an active-duty combat veteran, he's about to learn a very painful lesson about the U.S. Army."
