Chapter 13: The Crossroad
The Pentagon was as labyrinthine and intimidating as ever, but Celeste walked its corridors with a newly found lightness. She wore her dress blues, the gold stripes on her sleeves catching the fluorescent light.
Admiral Reed sat behind his massive oak desk, reviewing a file. He looked up as she entered and gave a sharp nod. "Commander Hawthorne. Have a seat."
"Thank you, sir."
Reed closed the file and folded his hands. "I'll get right to it, Celeste. You're a hero. The intelligence you secured brought down a shadow government. You survived the Resolute, and you survived Widow's Point. But your psychological evaluations make it clear you are done with sea duty."
"I am, sir," she said softly.
"I thought as much," Reed sighed, leaning back. "Which is why I'm not offering you a ship. I'm offering you a desk. But it's a very important desk."
He pushed a thick dossier across the table. Joint Task Force: Archangel.
"It's a new multi-agency initiative," Reed explained. "Navy Intelligence, FBI, Homeland Security. We need someone who understands how these criminal networks operate. Someone who knows how they hide their money, how they leverage power, and how they recruit. We need someone who has seen the darkness from the inside and didn't blink."
Celeste touched the dossier. It was a chance to use the nightmare of her past as a weapon to protect others. It wasn't about running away anymore; it was about standing guard.
"I have one condition," Celeste said, her voice steady.
Reed raised an eyebrow. "Name it."
May you like
"I pick my team. And my first draft is Daniel."
The Admiral smiled. "Welcome back to the fight, Commander."
