The Mafia Boss’s Baby Had Been Crying for Hours—Then He Saw Me, Reached Out His Tiny Arms, and His Father Went Pale at My Name Tag / Chapter 17 / 100

Chapter 17 - The Pentagon Inquest

By 0900 hours the following morning, Claire was standing inside the high-security briefing room of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence at the United States Capitol.

The room was vast, lined with dark mahogany paneling and heavy velvet drapes that blocked out all sunlight.

At the raised curve of the committee dais sat six high-ranking United States Senators, flanked by legal counsels and defense analysts.

Sitting beside Claire at the witness table was Rear Admiral Henderson and the Director of Naval Intelligence.

The news of the late Vice Admiral Thomas Ellison's compromised estate and the arrest of Margaret Ellison had sent shockwaves through the highest corridors of Washington power.

Senator Donald Vance—a powerful political figure and the older brother of the arrested traitor Julian Vance—leaned into his microphone, staring down at Claire with icy contempt.

"Captain Ellison," Senator Vance began, his voice echoing across the silent chamber.

"The evidence shows that these breached credentials originated from a home office terminal inside your private residence in Norfolk."

"A residence you shared with the son of the primary suspect, Mrs. Margaret Ellison."

"Are we expected to believe that a senior intelligence strategist at the Pentagon had no idea her own mother-in-law was stealing classified files under her roof?"

The room bristled with quiet tension.

Senator Vance was clearly trying to shift the blame away from his own traitorous brother and onto Claire to protect his family's political legacy.

Claire didn't flinch.

She adjusted her position at the microphone, her dark eyes looking straight into the Senator's face with absolute, dangerous composure.

"Senator Vance," Claire's voice rang clear and unwavering through the chamber audio system.

"When I was stationed in Norfolk, I maintained strict operational security protocol regarding my classified network hardware."

"The files stolen by Mrs. Ellison were physical hard-copy administrative records dating back to 2018."

"Records that were legally retained by her late husband, Vice Admiral Thomas Ellison, before his death."

"Mrs. Ellison illegally accessed those files and provided them to your brother, Julian Vance."

Senator Vance's jaw tightened at the direct mention of his brother's name.

"And what about the administrative portal overrides, Captain?" Vance pressed, leaning forward.

"The override key used your personal officer ID!"

"Which was cloned by your brother, Julian Vance, using a keylogger device installed during an unauthorized entry into my former base quarters," Claire responded instantly, pulling a certified NCIS forensic report from her leather binder.

"A forensic detail fully documented in this report, signed by the Director of Naval Criminal Investigative Services three hours ago."

She slid the report across the table toward the Senate clerk.

"I suggest, Senator," Claire added, her voice dropping into a tone of quiet, razor-sharp authority, "that if this committee wishes to investigate how a disgraced officer like Julian Vance obtained high-level cyber espionage equipment, you should look into his funding sources right here in Washington."

A quiet gasp rippled through the gallery of press reporters seated at the back of the chamber.

Senator Vance's face turned beet red.

He opened his mouth to bark a response, but the Committee Chairman slammed his wooden gavel down onto the desk.

"That will be all, Senator Vance," the Chairman declared sternly.

"The forensic evidence presented by NCIS fully exonerates Captain Ellison of any negligence or wrongdoing."

"In fact, Captain Ellison's rapid tactical response in Richmond prevented what could have been the most damaging intelligence breach in naval history."

The Chairman turned toward Claire, offering a respectful, formal nod.

"This committee commends your exemplary leadership, Captain Ellison."

"You are excused."

Claire stood up, buttoned her uniform jacket, and rendered a crisp, sharp salute to the committee before turning on her heel and marching out of the chamber.

As she passed Senator Vance, she didn't even grant him a single glance.

She had survived Margaret's petty malice, Julian's frame job, and a Senate political trap.