Nobody breathed.

Mercer closed his eyes for half a second. It was the closest thing to panic Aria had ever seen on him.

The MP on the left turned fully toward Harlow. “What cameras?”

Harlow’s mouth opened. Nothing came out.

The room that had laughed at Aria less than two minutes earlier now watched a corporal collapse under the weight of one sentence he should never have said.

Mercer tried to recover. “Corporal Harlow is disoriented.”