Adam’s defense began before his interrogation did.
By dawn, three officers had already contacted command with “concerns” about Elena Marlow’s mental state. One said she had been unstable since returning from Red Basin. Another said she had blamed Adam without evidence. A third claimed she had carried a weapon-like object in the mess hall before Adam approached.
The weapon-like object was the fork she had placed on the table.
Bellamy read all three statements and asked one question.
“When were these written?”
The answer damaged Adam more than the content.
Two had been drafted before the mess hall incident.
Not submitted. Drafted.
Prepared.
The same way Marcus—no, Adam—had prepared the room. The food, the insult, the kicked chair, the accusation, the visible fork. He needed Elena framed before she could speak. The reports were ready because the story was ready.
CID interviewed the female soldiers who had been seated with Elena.
Nina Hayes gave the clearest account.
“Captain Rusk wanted her to pick up the fork,” Nina said.
The investigator asked why she believed that.
“Because when she put it down, he looked angry.”
Another soldier, Specialist Mara Quinn, confirmed that Adam had watched Elena’s hand before he watched her face. “He kept looking at the fork,” she said. “Like that was the whole point.”
The mess hall video proved it.
Frame by frame, investigators watched Adam approach the table, spit into the tray, throw the food, kick the chair, and then glance down as Elena’s fist tightened around the fork. He stepped close enough to make the fork look threatening if she lifted it. But she did not. She placed it on the table.
Then Adam said the line.
Because of you, the whole squad died.
That line became critical because Adam was not supposed to know the full casualty cause yet. Officially, Red Basin remained under review. The final casualty analysis had not been completed. The failed route had not been confirmed. Yet Adam spoke as if the story had already been decided.
Or as if he had decided it.
In his first CID interview, Adam kept his posture calm.
“Elena Marlow caused the compromise,” he said.
The agent asked, “How?”
“She transmitted.”
“On what channel?”
“The unauthorized channel.”
“Which one?”
Adam paused.
The agent waited.
Adam said, “That will be in the report.”
The agent placed a transcript in front of him.
Package entering now.
“Is this your voice?”
Adam stared at it.
“No.”
The agent placed Elena’s local file beside it.
“Then why did your tablet log an outgoing transmission six seconds before this audio was captured?”
Adam’s face did not change.
But his right hand closed into a fist under the table.
The report had started cracking.
And Adam knew the next crack might name the person above him.