Chapter 2 - The Tactical Diagnosis
The private military clinic at the naval air station in Fort Worth was sterile, quiet, and completely inaccessible to the public. While Elena stood guard in the hallway, Alexander sat in the corner of the trauma bay, watching Dr. Sarah Miller examine Sofia.
The flashbulbs of the forensic camera clicked in the quiet room, documenting the forty distinct contusions on Sofia's face, the deep, dark fingerprints on her wrists, and the lacerations along her scalp where Carmen had dragged her across the honeymoon suite carpet.
"The physical injuries will heal in three weeks, Colonel," Dr. Miller said, her face grim as she handed Alexander the tablet containing the encrypted medical report. "But the psychological trauma of a betrayal like this... that requires a different kind of medicine."
"We’ll provide the medicine, Sarah," Alexander said, taking the tablet. "Is she cleared to speak?"
Sofia looked up from the hospital bed, her eyes swollen but fixed on her father. "Dad, the condo... they have the title papers. Carmen had a notary standing in the hallway. They forced my hand onto the inkpad after they..."
"They don't have anything, Sofia," Alexander interrupted, his voice softening as he leaned over her bed. "A contract signed under duress isn't worth the paper it's printed on. But we aren't just going to void a contract, baby girl. We are going to dismantle the house they built."
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He turned to Elena, who had just entered the room, her phone buzzing frantically. The screen showed twelve missed calls from Javier.
"Don't block him, Elena," Alexander said, a dark, predatory smile touching his lips. "Let him call. We need him to think we are terrified. We need them to think they won't see us coming."
