But the person who had ordered the operation to fail was still protected by the command structure.
And somewhere inside the remote facility, three people were waiting.
One of them knew the truth.
One of them might hold the key to the entire investigation.
And the third had the authority to destroy everything.
The warning remained on the military display.
ARCHIVE ACCESS WILL EXPIRE IN 12 HOURS.
Beneath it, the photograph of the military identification badge had disappeared, leaving only the final designation.
SENIOR COMMAND — R.
Marcus Reed stared at the screen.
The letter could represent a surname, a command division, or an internal security classification. But the badge insignia had been unmistakable. It belonged to someone with authority over several branches of military intelligence.
Someone who could approve classified operations.
Someone who could alter deployment instructions.
And someone who could make an entire military unit disappear from the official record.
David Brooks turned toward the technician.
DAVID BROOKS: "Can you recover the original image?"
TECHNICIAN: "The file has been partially encrypted. I can recover fragments, but the system is restricting access."
DAVID BROOKS: "Use the independent verification channel."
TECHNICIAN: "The archive is still connected to the original command network. If I attempt to access the protected section, whoever controls the connection may detect us."
DAVID BROOKS: "They already know we're here."
The Secretary looked toward Marcus.
DAVID BROOKS: "Captain, we are going to the facility."
MARCUS REED: "Then we need to move now."
GENERAL HAYES: "Mr. Secretary, I must strongly object."
Brooks turned toward him.
DAVID BROOKS: "On what grounds?"
GENERAL HAYES: "The facility contains restricted intelligence material. An unauthorized recovery operation could expose classified assets and create a serious security incident."
MARCUS REED: "You have had two years to secure that facility."
GENERAL HAYES: "Captain, you are not in a position to make that judgment."
MARCUS REED: "I am in a position to recognize the same orders that left my soldiers behind."
General Cross stood.
GENERAL CROSS: "This is becoming an attempt to undermine the entire command structure."
DAVID BROOKS: "The command structure is not above investigation."
GENERAL CROSS: "You cannot suspend senior officers based on an unverified archive."
DAVID BROOKS: "I can suspend access while the evidence is examined. And I intend to do exactly that."
Brooks turned toward the security officer.
DAVID BROOKS: "Secure the terminal. Preserve the local records. General Hayes, General Cross, and General Mercer are to remain available for questioning. Their access to the restricted network is suspended until further notice."
GENERAL HAYES: "You are making a serious mistake."
DAVID BROOKS: "The serious mistake was allowing this operation to remain hidden for two years."
The security officers approached the generals.
Hayes remained standing, his expression cold.
Cross looked toward the door, clearly unhappy with the situation.
Mercer did not resist.
Marcus watched them carefully.
He had spent the entire hearing being treated as though he were the threat.
Now the people who had questioned his loyalty were the ones being escorted away from the command terminal.
But the discovery had not made him feel victorious.
His soldiers were still missing.
Foster was still inside a restricted facility.
Reeves had contacted them through a compromised channel.
And the person with the final authorization remained unidentified.
The Secretary turned toward the technician.
DAVID BROOKS: "Prepare the recovery team. We leave as soon as the independent unit is ready."
TECHNICIAN: "Yes, sir."
DAVID BROOKS: "No communication through the original command network. Use the separate emergency channel."
TECHNICIAN: "Understood."
Marcus placed the damaged glove inside an evidence pouch.
He looked at the small engraved sequence one more time.
The code had brought him into this room.
It had exposed the altered mission records.
And now it was leading him toward the people who had been hidden inside the system.
He was determined not to leave anyone behind again.
Two hours later, a convoy approached the remote mountain facility.
The journey took them through a narrow road surrounded by steep rocky slopes and dense trees. The weather had changed. Low clouds covered the mountains, and the temperature dropped as the vehicles moved farther from the main highway.
Marcus sat beside David Brooks in the second vehicle.
Across from them sat the leader of the independent recovery unit, Major Daniel Price.
Price had been briefed on the recovered archive, but he had not been given every detail.
He knew only that three individuals were believed to be inside a restricted facility and that the operation might involve unauthorized military personnel.