Chapter 20
Ethan felt an immediate chill run down his spine, his combat instincts instantly snapping back into high alert.
Only one man in the entire world had access to that specific encrypted frequency—his former black-ops Commander, General Thomas Thorne, who was supposed to have died in a covert operation six years ago.
Ethan looked back through the diner window; Clara was sitting at a booth, smiling as she read a magazine, completely oblivious.
Ethan walked away from the truck toward the dark edge of the parking lot, accepting the incoming call.
He placed the phone against his ear, remaining completely silent.
"I know you think you finished it, Captain Cross," a deep, raspy voice spoke through static on the line.
Ethan's breath caught in his throat. It was indeed General Thorne's voice.
"General Thorne," Ethan said, his voice dropping into icy caution. "You're supposed to be buried in Arlington."
Thorne let out a dry, chilling laugh over the encrypted line.
"Arlington is for men who follow rules, Ethan," Thorne replied coldly.
"You did a fine job cleaning up Marcus Vance's mess in Chicago. The old man was getting sloppy with his drug routes."
Ethan's eyes widened as the horrifying truth suddenly hit him like a physical blow.
May you like
Marcus Vance hadn't been the top of the food chain—he was merely a regional manager for an even larger, shadow military syndicate operating within the highest levels of the United States government.
"Marcus was working for you," Ethan realized, his fist clenching until his knuckles turned white.
