Chapter 2 - Erasure
Victoria’s pulse hammered in her ears.
"That’s impossible," she breathed out.
"Check the military registry yourself," Vance replied with a cruel, faint smile.
The woman in the sequined dress who had exposed Victoria’s scars chuckled softly.
"You see, darling?" the woman purred into Victoria's ear.
"Ghosts don't belong at high-society balls."
Victoria turned her head sharply toward her.
"What did you do, Evelyn?" Victoria demanded.
Evelyn merely took a sip of her champagne.
"I didn't do anything, Commander," Evelyn said mockingly.
"The system simply corrected a minor clerical error."
Victoria reached into her small evening clutch for her secure comms drive.
Her fingers met nothing but empty fabric.
Her drive was gone.
Her identification chip was gone.
Her entire digital identity had been wiped clean in the last ten minutes.
"You are currently trespassing on government property, ma'am," General Vance announced loudly for the ballroom to hear.
Several armed honor guards immediately stepped out from the shadows.
Their polished boots clicked against the white marble in unison.
"General, I executed Operation Sundown under your direct orders!" Victoria shouted, abandoning all protocol.
"I have no idea who you are, lady," General Vance declared, his face a mask of stone.
"Guards, escort this imposter off the premises immediately."
The guests gasped, pulling back to give the guards room.
Two guards seized Victoria’s arms.
She didn't resist yet.
She looked into General Vance's eyes and saw no confusion.
She only saw cold, calculated treason.
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They hadn't just erased her rank.
They had erased her life.
