Chapter 29
She immediately contacted customer service, demanding to know the real reason behind the delay. She was politely informed that the details couldn’t be disclosed, but the airline was offering a compensation payout at ten times the ticket price.
Hearing the astronomical compensation offer, the vast majority of the delayed passengers happily accepted.
Left with no other options, Sienna quickly scrambled to find alternative flights.
But the absolute earliest flight out wasn’t until seven o’clock the following morning.
She immediately called her supervisor, explained the situation, officially requested leave, and simultaneously coordinated with a colleague to cover her shift.
After hanging up, she let out a long exhale of relief.
She assumed the crisis had been averted, completely unaware that a far more devastating storm was already waiting for her.
The absolute second her plane touched down at the Capital International Airport, she received an emergency summons.
The atmosphere in the conference room was suffocating.
“Explain this, Dr. Sloan p>
Her commanding officer’s face was terrifyingly grim as he slid a psychological evaluation form across the table.
“There is a critical error in your psychological assessment. An unqualified sniper was approved for active duty. The sniper nearly took out a hostage. If Captain Sterling hadn’t flawlessly intervened, the consequences would have been catastrophic p>
Sienna stared at him, utterly bewildered. “That’s impossible p>
She picked up the evaluation form and scanned the contents, the blood instantly draining from her face.
This wasn’t the form she submitted!
She had explicitly cleared a completely different, fully qualified operative. The name of the failed sniper on this document had never even been on her radar for the active roster.
“This isn’t my evaluation form,” Sienna stated with unwavering absolute certainty.
“Then whose is it?” Her supervisor scowled. “This form was submitted directly from your desk. The chain of custody is flawless. This is the exact document I received p>
Sienna was completely lost for words.
She never in a million years imagined someone would have the audacity to tamper with internal police documents. Her mind raced, but she had zero leads and absolutely no tangible proof to back up her claim.
Her supervisor looked at her, his expression a complex mix of frustration and regret. “Sienna, I know you have an impeccable track record, but a mistake of this magnitude demands accountability p>
Sienna bit her tongue, knowing she had no right to argue.
Shortly after, the key decision-makers were summoned into the room.
This included Jarred, the vice-captain Henry Holden, and Sienna’s mentor, Jonathan Coleman.
Jonathan didn’t hesitate for a second. He stood firmly behind his protégé and spoke first. “I recommend leniency. Give Sienna some time to investigate this and uncover who orchestrated this setup so she can clear her name p>
The only votes left were Jarred and Henry.
Sienna pinned all her desperate hopes on Jarred. She knew Henry took every single cue straight from Jarred’s playbook.
“Jarred,” she walked over to him, her voice laced with a raw, pleading vulnerability. “Give me three days. If I can’t find the person who framed me, I will accept full responsibility and whatever punishment the department deems necessary p>
Jarred stared back at her, his expression an impenetrable mask of stone.
Staring into his eyes, Sienna saw a breed of terrifying, absolute indifference she had never witnessed before.
“This is entirely your own doing,” Jarred’s voice was devoid of a single ounce of warmth.
“If you hadn’t delayed your return to handle your little personal matters, a rookie mistake like this would never have slipped through p>
Sienna’s heart violently plummeted into an abyss.
She could read his final verdict clearly in the freezing depths of his eyes.
True to form, Jarred turned to Henry, asking the question entirely out of protocol. “What’s your assessment p>
“I follow your lead, Captain,” Henry answered without a second of hesitation.
Jarred turned back to the supervisor, his voice a low, authoritative rumble. “Two against one. Suspend her pending an official investigation p>
Hearing the final judgment, both Sienna and Jonathan stood frozen in shock.
A suspension wasn’t just a slap on the wrist; it was a permanent, damning stain on her entire career—especially right before she was up for a major promotion.
“Jarred!” Jonathan urgently interjected, desperate to make a final plea for his student.
But Jarred had already turned his back, striding out of the conference room without a single backward glance.
Jonathan turned helplessly to the supervisor. “Director Holden, please p>
Jarred was the untouchable golden boy of the department, and Director Holden always deferred to his ultimate authority.
He let out a heavy, utterly helpless sigh. “I want to help you, Jonathan, but do you really think I’m going to cross him p>