Chapter 4 - THE ADMIRAL'S SECRETHolloway finally told them.
He had been investigating a weapons-smuggling network inside military contracting.
Marcus had been his undercover liaison.
Vale had been one of their targets.
But someone had discovered the investigation.
The operation had been compromised.
Nora's team was sent to retrieve evidence.
The explosion was deliberate.
Vale had ordered it.
Holloway and Marcus had arrived too late.
Nora disappeared.
Ranger disappeared.
The evidence vanished.
Everyone believed the mission had failed.
Except one person.
Vale.
He knew Ranger had survived.
So he had spent three years trying to locate him.
Nora looked at the admiral.
“Why didn't you find me?”
“We tried.”
“You didn't try hard enough.”
He accepted that.
“Yes.”
“What about Mason Reed?”
Marcus answered.
“Alive.”
Nora stared.
“What?”
“He was extracted separately.”
“Why did you tell everyone he was dead?”
“Because he was undercover.”
Nora shook her head.
“You let me believe he was dead.”
“He wasn't supposed to know you survived.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked at Ranger.
“Because someone inside command was feeding information to Vale.”
The traitor was not Holloway.
It wasn't Marcus.
It wasn't Dale Creger.
It was the deputy base commander.
General Roland Price.
A man who had spent years building his reputation as a decorated officer.
He had access to every movement order.
Every transfer.
Every classified file.
And he had personally ordered Ranger's disappearance.
Nora stared at the file.
“He wanted the dog dead.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Ranger was the only surviving witness to the route.”
Nora understood.
Ranger didn't just know Nora.
He knew where the evidence was.
That night, someone entered Nora's apartment.
Nothing was stolen.
Except one thing.
A photograph of Ranger.
On the back was written:
HE REMEMBERS WHAT YOU FORGOT.
Nora stood in the darkness.
Then her phone rang.
Private number.
A man's voice said,
“Ask Ranger about the bridge.”
The call ended.
The next morning, Nora took Ranger to an old training ground.
There was a bridge.
Three years ago, she had fallen from one like it.
Ranger stood at the edge.
His body went rigid.
Nora knelt beside him.
“You remember.”
He stared at the river.
Then he moved to a patch of dirt.
He began digging.
Deep.
Faster.
Nora and Marcus watched.
Ranger stopped.
His paws were bleeding.
Nora carefully removed the dirt.
A metal box appeared.
Inside were dog tags.
Mason Reed.
And a handwritten note.
If Nora comes back, tell her I never betrayed her.
She sank to her knees.
Marcus looked away.
Ranger leaned against her.
She pressed her forehead to his.
May you like
“You remembered.”
Ranger closed his eyes.
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