The contractor finally looked past Sarah.
His expression changed immediately.
The smugness disappeared.
His hand fell to his side.
For the first time since entering the room, he seemed to understand exactly how many uniforms surrounded him.
He had assumed he hit one exhausted Marine who wouldn’t fight back.
He had forgotten she belonged to something larger than herself.
Nobody threatened him.
Nobody touched him.
Nobody needed to.
Sarah bent down and retrieved her cover.
Her fingers stayed steady as she placed it carefully back on her head.
The contractor stepped backward.
The Marines stepped forward.
One pace.
Nothing more.
His eyes moved from face to face, searching for someone who might break formation.
Nobody did.
Then a voice came from the entrance.
“Corporal Miller?”
Sarah turned.
Something changed in her expression.
A uniformed officer had entered carrying a sealed folder with her name on it.
He looked at Sarah.
Then at the contractor.
Then at the sixty Marines standing behind her.
“Before anyone leaves,” he said, “you need to hear what’s in this file.”
The room went still again.
The officer broke the seal.
Opened the folder.
