General Vance stopped just two feet away from where Maya knelt silently.
The sunlight caught the gold rank pins pinned tightly to his dark collar.
He looked down at the blood on the cloth in David's hand.
A silence fell across the high-ceilinged mansion hall like a heavy blanket.
The other three officers stood in a rigid row behind their commander.
David held his breath, unsure if he should report what he saw.
General Vance leaned down slightly and pointed to Maya's exposed shoulder.
The torn cloth had fallen back, showing the dark ink once again.
The General's sharp eyes locked onto the sharp edges of the tattoo.
His stern posture shifted slightly as a look of disbelief swept over him.
He knelt on one knee onto the cold, light marble floor himself.
His gloved hand reached out without touching the open wound on her skin.
He traced the air just above the dark Roman numerals printed deeply.
General Vance looked up slowly from her arm to meet Maya's eyes.
His voice was surprisingly low and filled with an intense, quiet suspicion.
He asked her directly where she received that specific unit mark.
Maya sat straight up, lifting her chin with total, unshakeable military conviction.
She looked the senior officer directly in the eyes without flinching once.
She answered clearly that she got it overseas in the Valley of the Shadow.
She added that the year was 2012, during the last secret operation.
General Vance closed his eyes tightly for a brief, dramatic second.
A quiet rumble of low voices broke out among the watching officers.
The year 2012 was marked by a disastrous mission in military records.
Entire official documents claimed that no member of that unit survived.
They were listed as missing and presumed dead for over a decade.
David stared at Maya, realizing his squad mate was a living ghost.
General Vance opened his eyes, his hardened glare turning deeply serious.
He asked how a young private could possibly have been in that valley.
Maya did not blink as she kept her voice completely steady and even.
She stated that the official reports left out the true final stand.
She explained that she was just a fresh recruit when the valley fell.
She claimed the survivor list was buried to hide a grave betrayal.
General Vance slowly stood up back to his full, towering height.
He crossed his arms behind his back and paced in a circle.
The tension in the bright hall reached a dangerous, unpredictable boiling point.
Every soldier in the room waited for the commander to speak next.