Chapter 9 - What Was Inside the Arm
The prosthetic had been designed by a private defense contractor called Northstar Biomechanics.
The company held a federal contract worth nearly six hundred million dollars.
Its newest carbon-fiber arm promised military-grade durability, advanced nerve-response controls, and resistance to heat and moisture.
Daniel’s device had failed twice.
The first failure caused the wrist joint to lock while he crossed a street.
The second sent an electrical surge into the socket and burned his shoulder.
Northstar blamed improper maintenance.
Daniel knew that was false.
He had spent months gathering records from other veterans who experienced similar failures.
A former engineer gave him internal testing reports.
The reports showed moisture entered the control housing during basic exposure.
Northstar suppressed the results.
Daniel’s prosthetic contained the original malfunction logs.
Those logs were the strongest technical evidence in the investigation.
The coffee may have destroyed them.
Monica explained this to Cynthia while they waited.
She did not need to.
But she wanted Cynthia to understand the scale of what she had damaged.
Cynthia stared at the arm.
“How much is it worth?”
Daniel answered.
“To me?”
She nodded.
“Nothing.”
She looked confused.
He continued.
“To the veterans still using the same model, it may be worth everything.”
Cynthia’s face tightened.
“I didn’t know.”
Daniel looked at her.
“You keep saying that as if ignorance made the cruelty smaller.”
She turned away.
Monica received a message from the ground team.
The federal laboratory could attempt emergency recovery.
Agents would transport the prosthetic immediately.
Medical personnel would examine Daniel first.
Cynthia overheard.
“You’re taking the arm?”
“It is federal evidence,” Monica said.
“Then he won’t have one.”
Daniel’s eyes remained steady.
“He already doesn’t.”
For the first time, Cynthia looked directly at the damage she caused.
The prosthetic hand was frozen.
The joint was cracked.
The control light remained dark.
She swallowed.
Then another thought reached her.
“What happens if the data is destroyed?”
Monica answered.
“That depends on whether investigators determine your actions obstructed an active federal proceeding.”
Cynthia’s knees weakened.
May you like
She dropped into her seat.
👉 Cynthia had meant to humiliate one man for blocking the aisle—but she may have destroyed proof needed to protect thousands of veterans.
