“Lieutenant Commander Vance,” he said, his voice a deep baritone that vibrated against the walls. He didn’t turn around. “Reporting as ordered.”
“Close the door, Elena.”
The use of her first name sent a spike of warning down her spine. This wasn’t a formal reprimand. This was personal.
She closed the door until it clicked shut. The sound was final.
“I’ve been reviewing the logs,” Sterling said, finally turning. His blue eyes, usually described as piercing in profiles, looked predatory today. He walked to his desk and picked up a thick manila folder. He dropped it onto the wood with a heavy thud.
Elena recognized the folder immediately. It was hers. Or rather, a copy of her private investigation notes she kept in a biometric safe at her apartment.
“You’ve been busy,” Sterling said, a small, tight smile playing on his lips. “Tracking supply chains. Hacking into logistics servers. Shadowing private contractors.”
“I was performing a routine audit, Admiral,” Elena lied smoothly, though her heart hammered against her ribs. “I noticed irregularities.”
“Irregularities,” Sterling chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “You noticed that I am securing my retirement fund. You noticed that the world is changing, and loyalties are shifting.”
He walked around the desk, closing the distance between them. The power dynamic was designed to intimidate—he was the three-star Admiral, the legend. She was the subordinate, the nuisance.
