"That truck wasn't there before."
James reached for his firearm.
"Could be another team."
Christopher shook his head.
"No. Look at the license plate."
Nathan squinted.
The plate carried ordinary Connecticut registration numbers.
But beneath the rear bumper, a small blue light flashed three times.
Christopher whispered:
"That's my extraction signal."
Nathan looked at him.
"Who sent it?"
Christopher's face went pale.
"Only one person knew that code."
"Who?"
Christopher stared at the truck.
"My daughter."
Nathan blinked.
"I thought your daughter died in the plane crash with you."
Christopher slowly turned toward him.
"That's what they wanted everyone to believe."
The delivery truck's rear doors opened.
A young woman stepped into the rain.
She appeared to be in her late twenties, with dark hair pulled into a tight ponytail and a narrow scar across her forehead.
She looked directly at Christopher.
"Dad."
His face crumpled.
"Claire?"
She nodded.
"We don't have much time."
Then she looked at Nathan.
"And you need to come with us. Your family isn't at home anymore."
Nathan felt the world tilt beneath his feet.
"What did you say?"
Claire Bennett stood beneath the loading dock's harsh security lights, rainwater dripping from her black jacket.
"Your wife and daughter were removed from your house forty minutes ago."
Nathan grabbed her arm.
"Removed by who?"
Claire didn't flinch.
"People working for the organization that controls Sterling Global's covert operations."
"Where did they take them?"
"We're trying to find out."
Nathan tightened his grip.
"That's not good enough."
Christopher stepped between them.
"Let her go."
Nathan released Claire, but his hands trembled.
"You knew my family was in danger."
Christopher met his gaze.
"I knew they might be targeted. I didn't know the operation had already started."
Nathan turned toward the street.
"I'm going home."
Claire blocked his path.
"If you go there, you'll walk straight into a surveillance perimeter."
"I don't care."
"You will when they arrest you for a crime you didn't commit."
Nathan stopped.
"What crime?"
Claire reached into her jacket and withdrew a cellphone.
She opened a news alert.
The headline had been published less than four minutes earlier.
STERLING GLOBAL SECURITY OFFICER WANTED FOR QUESTIONING AFTER DEADLY CORPORATE EXPLOSION
Beneath the headline was Nathan's employee photograph.
He read the opening paragraph.
Authorities were reportedly investigating an explosion in the underground facilities of Sterling Global Industries. Preliminary information suggested that a security employee might have deliberately interfered with critical safety systems.
Nathan looked up.
"They're blaming me."
Claire nodded.
"And that's only the beginning."
James stepped closer.
"How many casualties?"
"None confirmed," Claire replied. "But the official report will probably claim otherwise."
Christopher glanced toward the building.
"They're establishing a narrative before investigators can examine the scene."
Nathan looked at the news article again.
His photograph.
His name.
His workplace.
In minutes, millions of people could be reading a story identifying him as a suspected criminal.
And somewhere, Emily and Sophie were missing.
He felt a surge of helpless rage.
"Why me?"
Christopher answered quietly.
"Because you saw the cargo disappear."
Nathan stared at him.
"That's it?"
"No."
Christopher moved closer.
"Because the recording system was supposed to erase the footage automatically. But the backup server didn't respond to the remote command."
Nathan remembered the blinking indicator light.
"The backup server was still recording."
"Exactly."
"So?"
"So someone believes you possess the only surviving record of what happened."
Nathan shook his head.
"I never downloaded anything."
Claire studied him.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Did you touch the workstation after the cameras went down?"
Nathan thought back.
He had switched feeds.
Attempted a manual reboot.
Opened the recording console.
Then Victoria had arrived.
"I tried to access the playback archive."
Claire exchanged a look with her father.
"What security software version?"
Nathan frowned.
"Sentinel Eight."
Christopher's expression changed.
"Did you authenticate with your personal access card?"
"Of course."
Claire exhaled.
"Dad."
"I know."
Nathan looked between them.
"What?"
Christopher spoke carefully.
"Sentinel Eight maintains a temporary encrypted copy of recently accessed footage."
"Where?"
"On the authenticated user's security token."
Nathan slowly looked toward the badge hanging from his uniform.
The same badge he had used to open the emergency stairwell.
Its lower edge was cracked.
He unclipped it.
Claire held out her hand.
"May I?"
Nathan hesitated.
Then gave it to her.
She turned the badge over.
A tiny metallic strip ran along the rear surface.
Claire smiled faintly.
"There it is."
Nathan stared.
"You're telling me the recording is on my badge?"
"Possibly. We need to verify it."
Christopher glanced toward the street.
"And we need to do that somewhere safe."
A sudden burst of static came from James's radio.
Then a woman's voice.
"Officer Mitchell, respond."
James looked down.
"That's dispatch."
The voice repeated.
"Officer Mitchell, this is Central. We have an emergency bulletin regarding Nathan Brooks."
James didn't answer.
"Subject is considered armed and dangerous. All personnel are instructed to detain immediately."
Nathan stared at him.
James slowly removed the radio from his belt.
Then switched it off.
"I've worked with you for six years," he said. "I know you're not a terrorist."
Nathan swallowed.
"Thanks."
James looked at Christopher.
"But if I'm coming with you, I want answers."
Christopher nodded.
"You'll get them."
They climbed into the delivery truck.
Inside, the cargo compartment had been converted into a mobile communications center.
Three computer monitors lined one wall.
A compact medical station occupied the opposite side.
Encrypted radios, battery packs, and equipment cases were secured beneath the workstations.
Nathan barely noticed.
He was staring at a map displayed on the central monitor.
A red marker pulsed above a residential neighborhood.
His neighborhood.
Claire followed his gaze.
"That's your house."
A second marker appeared several miles away.
Then a third.
Nathan felt his pulse quicken.
"What are those?"
"Vehicles that left the area after your family disappeared."
"Can you follow them?"
"We've been trying."
She entered a command.
The map shifted.
Two markers continued toward the interstate.
The third had stopped near an abandoned industrial district on the outskirts of Westbridge.
Claire enlarged the image.
A warehouse complex appeared.
Christopher leaned forward.
His expression hardened.
"I know that place."
Claire looked at him.
"Of course you do."
Nathan turned.
"What is it?"
Christopher hesitated.
"Sterling Global used to operate a private research facility there."
"Used to?"
"It was officially closed four years ago."
Claire shook her head.
"Officially."
Nathan pointed at the marker.
"Are Emily and Sophie there?"
"We don't know yet," Claire replied.
"Then we're going."
Christopher placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder.