Chapter 3 - The Corrupt Badge
I slowly lowered Tommy to the floor and raised both of my hands into the air.
I knew that any sudden movement would give these nervous officers an excuse to pull their triggers.
“I am unarmed, and I am an active-duty military officer,” I stated calmly and clearly.
The lead officer approached me cautiously and forcefully slammed me against the living room wall.
He locked heavy steel handcuffs around my wrists while his partner pulled Tommy away from me.
Ava screamed and tried to run toward me, but Diane snatched her by the arm.
“Check the girl’s phone, officers, she has photos of Wade abusing my son!” I yelled over the chaos.
The youngest police officer hesitated and looked toward Ava’s pocket.
Before the young cop could speak, a gray-haired detective walked casually through the broken front door.
The detective surveyed the messy room and locked eyes with Wade’s father.
They exchanged a very subtle, confirming nod that made my blood run completely cold.
“There is no evidence of abuse here, just a violent home invasion by a disgruntled ex-husband,” the detective announced smoothly.
He walked over to Ava and forcibly ripped her cell phone out of her trembling hands.
“This device is now confiscated as official evidence in an ongoing assault investigation,” the detective declared.
I struggled against my handcuffs and demanded that they look at the bruises on my son’s face.
The detective laughed coldly and said that boys get bruises from playing outside all the time.
Diane hugged Wade’s father and thanked him for protecting their family from my violent outburst.
The officers dragged me out of the house and threw me into the back of a freezing police cruiser.
I watched in absolute agony as Diane forced my weeping children back inside the house.
The cruiser sped away toward the local precinct, leaving my kids trapped with their abusers.
I sat in the dark backseat and realized that the local law enforcement was completely compromised.
If I wanted to save my children, I would have to destroy this entire corrupt syndicate myself.
I reached deep into my boot and pulled out the concealed backup phone I always carried overseas.
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I dialed the emergency contact number for my commanding officer back in Germany.
The phone rang twice before a stern military voice answered the line.
