“Armed Forces regulations don’t prohibit senior officers from being in civilian clothes off duty, officer,” I interrupted sharply. “However, abuse of power, assault and battery, extortion, and fabricating false evidence are federal crimes. And you just committed all of them against an active-duty officer in the U.S. Army.”
Behind the general stood military police officers (MPs) in full gear. Their heavy boots clattered loudly on the station’s tiled floor as they began to take control of the premises in a professional and coordinated silence. Two soldiers approached the frightened clerk, who had frozen near the safe containing the evidence seals.
— Open the safe. Immediately provide an inventory of the seized property belonging to Colonel Bennett, including his cell phone, wallet, and military ID card, ordered the military police team leader.
The clerk nodded so quickly he almost knocked his glasses off, then frantically began entering the code on the safe’s keypad. A minute later, my wallet, keys, and phone were lying on the table in front of the general. He opened the wallet, took out my military ID card bearing my photo and general’s rank, and ostentatiously held it up in Johnson’s face.
— Read, officer. Read carefully who you have decided to impose a « toll » on, the general said in a metallic voice.
Johnson began to tremble even more violently. He had finally grasped the magnitude of the disaster into which he had dragged not only himself, but his entire brigade. This road had indeed been their « kingdom, » where they had extorted motorists with impunity for years, protecting each other. But today, their empire of corruption had collapsed in an instant, confronted by a force against which their petty, dirty schemes proved utterly powerless.
“Arrest Officer Johnson and all officers on the duty team involved in this incident,” the general ordered clearly. “Seize all surveillance camera footage from inside the station and at the checkpoint. Conduct a full audit of all cases handled by this unit over the past year. I want this cesspool of corruption cleaned out completely.”
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