Chapter 3 - Stepping Outside
The bright sun shone brightly on the quiet sidewalk.
Drying strawberry milkshake stiffened on my flannel collar now.
Sheriff Vance stomped out onto the concrete pavement fast.
His heavy leather boots clattered against the hard ground.
His face was twisted into a mask of rage.
"You think you can ignore my orders?" Vance barked.
"This is my town and I run this county!"
Amelia walked out onto the porch behind the sheriff.
She wrapped her arms tightly around her cream sweater.
"Logan, stop acting like a child!" Amelia shrieked.
"Apologize to the sheriff so we can leave!"
I completely ignored both of their noisy hysterical demands.
I unlocked my satellite phone screen with my thumb.
The encrypted display lit up with secure green letters.
I tapped a three-digit priority override shortcut key code.
The military satellite signal bypassed all local phone lines.
It routed straight to high-level federal military command.
I brought the sleek black receiver up to ear.
My eyes stared back through the diner's window glass.
Inside, townspeople pressed their faces against the glass.
They wanted to watch my public arrest on sidewalk.
Waitress Nora stepped out onto the porch steps quietly.
She held a clean white cloth napkin in hand.
She looked at Vance with deep, burning personal resentment.
"He didn't break any law, Sheriff," Nora called out.
"You poured a drink on his head for nothing!"
"Shut your mouth, Nora!" Vance roared back angrily.
"Get back inside before I revoke your business license!"
Nora stood her ground on the wooden porch steps.
The satellite phone connected on the second ring sound.
A sharp, professional voice answered in my ear speaker.
"Judge Advocate General central command, state your clearance."
I kept my eyes locked straight on Vance's chest.
The golden badge numbers glinted in the bright sunlight.
My voice dropped into a low, lethal operational register.
"Connect me to JAG priority line immediately," I commanded.
"Priority override code Alpha Seven, Commander Logan Vance."
The operator's tone shifted from standard to urgent instantly.
"Connecting you to the Duty General right now, Commander."
Sheriff Vance took two aggressive steps closer to me.
He reached out his large hand to grab shirt.
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"Hand over that phone right now, boy!" Vance yelled.
📖 Chapter 4 reveals the moment the federal government steps into this small-town conspiracy. Keep reading now. 👇
