Chapter 7 - The Threat
Henderson laughed from the floor.
The sound was wet, exhausted, and still arrogant.
“You think stopping this team saves anyone?”
Nobody answered him.
Marcus kept her eye behind the optic.
“There are more of us inside command,” Henderson continued. “One of them wears an eagle.”
Garrett looked toward him.
“Be quiet.”
Henderson smiled.
“Captain Stone has a daughter at West Point, doesn’t she?”
Marcus’s finger stopped near the trigger.
The bunker vanished for half a second.
Rebecca.
Twenty-one years old.
Graduating the following week.
The one person Marcus had stayed dead to protect.
Henderson saw the hesitation and pressed harder.
“You take control of that rifle, and someone makes sure she never walks across that stage.”
Prophet looked at Marcus.
Garrett swore under his breath.
Marcus kept her face still, but the fear was real.
That was the problem with hidden lives.
The people you loved could become leverage without ever knowing why.
She lifted her head from the rifle.
“Captain,” Garrett said carefully, “we can find another way.”
“No.”
Marcus looked toward the bound traitor.
“You just confirmed the threat exists.”
Henderson’s smile faded.
She turned to Prophet.
“Secure a direct line to West Point command. No local relays.”
Then to Garrett.
“Lock this bunker down. Nobody leaves. Nobody transmits outside secure channels.”
Garrett nodded immediately.
Hierarchy had changed.
Not because Marcus demanded respect.
Because she had recognized the war inside the room before anyone else did.
Then she returned to the optic.
Sarah was still moving toward the vehicle.
May you like
Fear could wait.
The shot could not.
