Chapter 15 - The Price of Silence
The warrant teams found Cinderline's offices scrubbed. Computers were missing, desks emptied, and a shredding truck idled in the loading bay. But a finance employee had kept backup records to protect herself against an audit.
Her ledgers showed payments routed through shell companies to accounts linked to Sloane's brother. "We have a money trail," Maya told us. "We still need to prove who knew the units could expose troop positions."
Nina brought up a design memo. The faulty encryption mode transmitted location packets without proper authentication. Anyone equipped to intercept the signal could track a convoy. Replacing the firmware would have cost the contractor millions and delayed a contract renewal.
"So they hid the fault," I said.
"And when Eli started documenting it," Nina replied, "they arranged a route where that exposed location could be used against him."
The words sat between us. An ambush hadn't been a terrible accident. People had seen a danger and chosen to keep their money.
Tessa stood at the window, holding June's rabbit. "I need you to put that in writing," she told Maya. "Every part."
"We will."
An agent rushed into the office. Sloane had left Red Mesa in a civilian vehicle. Investigators had tracked him to a deserted maintenance station along the river, where a moving heat signature suggested someone was being held.
"Who?" I asked.
The agent glanced at Nina. "A witness who worked on the original equipment tests. Her name is Dr. Becca Lane."
Nina covered her mouth. "Becca told me the flaw was real. They claimed she'd resigned."
Maya began arranging a tactical response. I wanted to go, but she shook her head before I spoke.
"You are a witness. You're not an assault team."
"Atlas can locate people in a structure filled with machinery," I said. "He's done it under worse conditions."
"He is also the target of these people."
Rourke put a hand on my shoulder. "You already saved him. Let us handle this."
May you like
Before I could answer, a video arrived on Maya's secure phone. Dr. Lane sat tied to a chair beneath a bare light. Sloane stood behind her with a pistol.
"Bring the dog and the original card," he said into the camera, "or she dies before sundown."
