“And Amelia Jane Mercer.”
“Sole Lineal Successors to the Sovereign Bedrock.”
Admiral Mercer slowly turned his cold, flint-gray eyes downward toward where Ryan and Chloe knelt in the aisle.
He reached into his bridge coat, withdrawing an unsealed, red-labeled federal capias arrest warrant stamped with the raised gold seal of the **UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA**:
**“Ryan Arthur Vance and Chloe Marie Sterling-Lane,” Admiral Mercer announced: “Three hours ago, naval forensic intelligence unsealed your commercial factoring correspondence in Vaduz—and you have just committed capital high treason against the sovereign defense bedrock of the United States of America!”**
The heavy blue vellum of the federal capias arrest warrant struck the altar railing of the stone chapel with an authoritative, concussive *THUD* that sent the gold wedding rings skittering off their white satin pillow across the limestone flags:
*THUMP-SLIDE.*
