Chapter 9 - The Bluff
Judge Thorne smiled warmly, like a grandfather greeting his family.
"Commander Bennett, how nice of you to join us," he said smoothly.
Monica stood beside him, clutching a designer purse she clearly bought with her bribe money.
"Just give him the files, Rachel, and we can all go home," Monica pleaded.
I stood up, closing the van doors behind me to shield my sleeping son.
I picked up the three manila folders from the concrete floor.
"You went through a lot of trouble for these, Judge," I said loudly.
"Blowing up my house, kidnapping my son, blackmailing a state worker."
"It is a shame you didn't do your homework."
Judge Thorne frowned, signaling his guards to raise their weapons.
"Hand them over, Rachel, or we shoot the boy too," Thorne threatened.
I didn't flinch as the four assault rifles were pointed at my chest.
"I am a JAG attorney, Thorne," I yelled across the echoing garage.
"Did you really think I would carry the original evidence into a dark parking garage?"
I tossed the first folder onto the ground at his feet.
"That folder contains my son's kindergarten art projects."
I threw the second folder down.
"That one is filled with takeout menus from my favorite Thai restaurant."
I held up the third folder, staring directly into the corrupt judge's eyes.
"And this one," I whispered, "is just empty paper."
Thorne's face turned purple with rage as he kicked the folders open to verify my claim.
"Where is the evidence?!" he screamed.
"It's already in the hands of the FBI," I replied calmly.
"I transmitted the encrypted files from my burner laptop an hour ago."
"The Director of the FBI, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Department of Justice are reading them right now."
Monica gasped and took a terrified step backward.
"You're lying!" Thorne shouted, pulling a handgun from his coat pocket.
May you like
He raised the weapon, pointing the barrel directly at my face.
"Kill her and get the kid!" Thorne ordered his men.
