"Uncle grandpa..."
She did not finish. Major Trillo firmly took the phone from her hand.
"General Norse," he said evenly, projecting his voice so the entire ballroom could hear, "this is Major Anton Trillo of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines. We currently have Azure Resort secured."
A ripple of panic surged through the guests at the word secured.
"We do not intend to rebel," he continued calmly. "We are here to air our grievances."
Silence stretched on the other end of the line.
When the general spoke again, the warmth was gone.
"Major," General Norse replied, each syllable edged in steel, "do you understand the weight of what you've just done?"
The major's jaw flexed.
"Yes, sir."
"And do you understand whose families are in that ballroom?"
A flicker passed through Trillo's eyes.
He understood. Oh, he understood perfectly.
But he didn't step back.
Instead, he said quietly—
"That is precisely why we chose it."
And somewhere in the distance, far beyond the resort walls—
