MAJOR PRICE: "Captain, how familiar are you with the terrain?"
MARCUS REED: "I entered the area during the original operation. The main entrance was on the western side. There should also be a maintenance passage along the eastern wall."
MAJOR PRICE: "Is that passage still accessible?"
MARCUS REED: "I cannot guarantee it. But the official layout never included it, which is why it may still be usable."
DAVID BROOKS: "The facility is supposed to be inactive."
MARCUS REED: "It was supposed to be inactive when we first received the mission briefing."
Major Price looked toward the Secretary.
MAJOR PRICE: "Then we should assume the facility is operational."
DAVID BROOKS: "Agreed."
The convoy slowed.
A soldier in the lead vehicle raised his hand.
The vehicles stopped near a narrow bend.
MAJOR PRICE: "What do we have?"
A member of the advance team approached.
ADVANCE SOLDIER: "Movement detected near the outer perimeter. We have a camera mounted above the entrance."
Marcus looked through the window.
A small security camera was visible on a concrete structure near the road.
Its lens slowly turned toward the vehicles.
Then a red indicator illuminated.
MARCUS REED: "They know we're here."
MAJOR PRICE: "Could be an automatic system."
MARCUS REED: "That camera was not installed during our mission."
Price studied the structure.
MAJOR PRICE: "How recent does it look?"
MARCUS REED: "The equipment is newer than the surrounding building. Someone has been maintaining this place."
Brooks looked toward the Secretary's security adviser.
DAVID BROOKS: "Continue to the staging point. Do not use the main entrance."
The convoy moved forward.
A few minutes later, the facility came into view.
It appeared abandoned.
The outer gate was rusted, several windows were dark, and weeds had grown around the concrete walls.
But Marcus noticed fresh tire tracks near the eastern side.
There were also footprints in the dust beside a metal service door.
MARCUS REED: "Someone has been using that entrance."
MAJOR PRICE: "We will check it."
The team dismounted.
Price assigned two soldiers to secure the perimeter while the others followed him toward the eastern wall.
Marcus led the way.
He remembered the location from the original mission.
The maintenance entrance was hidden behind a concrete support structure, partially covered by damaged equipment.
The metal door was still there.
But the lock had been replaced.
MAJOR PRICE: "Can you confirm this is the entrance you saw?"
MARCUS REED: "Yes."
Price examined the lock.
MAJOR PRICE: "It has been opened recently."
Brooks stepped closer.
DAVID BROOKS: "Can we enter?"
MAJOR PRICE: "We can, but we should assume there are people inside."
The team prepared to move.
The door opened with a heavy metallic sound.
Beyond it was a narrow corridor with concrete walls and a low ceiling. Dust covered the floor, but several fresh footprints led deeper into the building.
The emergency lights activated as the team entered.
Marcus noticed a security panel at the end of the corridor.
The same eagle insignia appeared on its display.
Beneath it was a smaller symbol.
It matched the markings on his glove.
MARCUS REED: "That's the system."
Brooks looked toward the technician accompanying them.
DAVID BROOKS: "Can you authenticate it?"
The technician examined the panel.
TECHNICIAN: "I can try."
Marcus removed the evidence pouch and carefully exposed the glove.
The technician entered the first sequence.
The panel remained red.
He entered the second sequence.
A green indicator appeared.
The screen displayed a message.
WELCOME, AUTHORIZED FIELD WITNESS.
The door unlocked.
Major Price raised one hand, signaling the team to remain alert.
MAJOR PRICE: "Move slowly. Maintain visual contact."
They entered a large operations room.
Several monitors lined the walls. Most were switched off, but a few displayed camera feeds from different parts of the facility.
A long metal table stood in the center.
Old communications equipment had been placed along one side, while documents and storage devices covered the other.
Marcus approached the nearest monitor.
It showed a narrow corridor.
The same corridor from the image of Sergeant Foster.
But it was empty.
MARCUS REED: "This is where he was recorded."
The technician examined the camera details.
TECHNICIAN: "Lower control level. Two floors beneath us."
DAVID BROOKS: "Can we access the lower level?"
TECHNICIAN: "The main security door is locked."
MARCUS REED: "There is another route."
He pointed toward a staircase near the rear wall.
MARCUS REED: "That passage leads to the lower maintenance corridor."
Major Price nodded.
MAJOR PRICE: "Two soldiers with me. The rest secure this room."
They moved toward the stairs.