Chapter 8 - Tears and Treason
Bradley was dragged from the back of the transport vehicle to face the evidence laid out on the folding table.
His designer clothes were smeared with dust and grass, his gold chain snapped, his eyes wild with the frantic desperation of a trapped animal.
"You don't have jurisdiction here, Vance!" Bradley screamed at the General.
"I'm a civilian! You can't use military intelligence on domestic soil!"
General Vance stepped forward, his eyes burning with righteous fury.
"Under Title 18 of the United States Code and the National Defense Authorization Act, the theft of military-grade high explosives is an act of domestic terrorism."
"You are not merely facing property theft, Mr.
Vance."
"You are being charged with treason, illegal trafficking of classified weaponry, and grand larceny against military infrastructure."
"You will not be tried in a comfortable civilian county court with high-priced defense lawyers."
"You are going to face a joint military tribunal at Fort Leavenworth, where the minimum sentence is forty-five years without parole."
Bradley’s knees gave out completely, and he fell to the concrete, sobbing like an infant.
"Valerie, please!" Bradley begged, looking up at me with tears streaming down his bruised cheeks.
"You're family! We're family! Tell them to drop the terrorism charges!"
"I'll give back the money! I'll sign the deed back to your mother! Just don't let them send me to Leavenworth!"
Lucas walked up beside me, folding his arms across his chest.
He looked down at his uncle with total, unwavering clarity.
"You told me a real man never runs away when someone pushes him, Uncle Bradley," Lucas said calmly.
"So stand up and take what you earned."
The federal agents hauled Bradley to his feet and shoved him into the back of the armored transport, slamming the reinforced steel doors shut.
The loud mechanical click of the locks signaled the absolute end of Bradley Vance’s fabricated empire.
General Vance turned to me, offering a warm, respectful hand.
"Major Hayes, your country is forever in your debt."
"The CENTCOM briefing can wait until Monday morning."
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"Spend this Memorial Day with your family."
"You have defended this home just as fiercely as you defended our forward operating bases."
