“It means Jake is officially locked out of every military database,” Reyes said. “And his active-duty pay is frozen.”

“Frozen?” I asked, my heart dropping. “All of it?”

“Pending the outcome of the desertion investigation,” Hayes explained, her face pale. “It’s standard protocol, Hannah. If an officer is suspected of abandoning his post, his assets within the system are held.”

“We have bills,” I said, thinking of the cold house, the oil tank that was nearly empty, and the mortgage Logan had defaulted on. “We have Owen.”

“That’s exactly what Walter wants,” Jake said, his voice flat and cold. “He wants to starve us out so we can’t afford a lawyer.”

Through the glass, I could see the outline of Vance’s service cap.

“Captain,” Vance said. “You are instructed to remain in the Sector Four office until military police arrive to escort you to the holding area.”

“Under what authority?” Hayes demanded. “I am his legal counsel, Captain Vance. You cannot detain him without a formal charge sheet signed by the base commander.”

“The commander signed the emergency suspension ten minutes ago,” Vance said. “The desertion charge is active.”