Chapter 37 - The Hearing
The federal hearing began six weeks later.
Northstar denied wrongdoing.
Their attorneys argued that every acquisition had been lawful.
They were right about one thing.
Much of it was legal.
But legality wasn't the only issue.
The investigators presented evidence showing that Northstar executives had deliberately structured acquisitions to gain control over strategic supplier networks.
The room was silent.
Then the chair asked:
“Did Northstar intend to eliminate competition?”
Their CEO answered:
“No.”
“Did you intend to make competitors dependent on your network?”
Another pause.
“We intended to create efficiency.”
The investigators presented Rachel's emails.
The answer became harder to defend.
I sat in the back.
I wasn't there as owner.
I wasn't there as executive.
I was there as someone whose father had warned about exactly this.
Then the chairman asked me to speak.
I stood.
“My father believed national security should never depend on whether one private company decided to cooperate.”
I paused.
“He was not against business.”
“He was against dependence.”
I looked toward the Northstar executives.
“And that distinction matters.”
I didn't accuse them of crimes.
I didn't need to.
The evidence was already speaking.
When I returned to my seat, Caleb took my hand.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
I nodded.
May you like
“Dad finally got to finish the sentence.”
---
