Chapter 6 - The Sand-Covered Boots
The suffocating tension in the gymnasium was completely palpable.
Chief Hayes stepped closer to the terrified lieutenant, pointing down at the heavy, pale beach sand coating Sarah’s tan combat boots.
"You see that sand on her boots, Wyler?" Hayes demanded, his blue-gray eyes flashing with lethal fury. "Commander Merrick didn't just walk out of a comfortable, air-conditioned office like you. Thirty minutes ago, she was kneeling in the dirt at the coastal artillery range, manually defusing a live, highly unstable military explosive that nobody else on this entire base had the courage to touch."
Matty slowly lifted his tear-streaked face from his hands. His large brown eyes widened in sheer awe as he listened to the massive Navy SEAL describe his mother.
"She risked her life this morning to keep this city safe," Hayes continued ruthlessly, tearing apart Wyler's ego piece by piece. "And she rushed straight to this school in her combat gear to see her son. And you, a pathetic desk jockey whose uniform has never seen a single drop of mud, decided to use a microphone to humiliate her child?"
Wyler began to sweat profusely, his pristine white dress uniform suddenly feeling like a suffocating straightjacket. The colorful service ribbons on his chest felt entirely meaningless next to the raw, undeniable heroism standing right in front of him.
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"Chief Hayes, I didn't know," Wyler panicked, his hands shaking violently as he lowered the microphone. "I swear, I thought the kid was just making up stories."
👉 Sarah finally stepped forward, and her cold, calculated response would permanently destroy the arrogant officer's pride.
