Page 149 of Broken Oath

It stopped outside the hangar.

The rear door opened.

A man stepped onto the tarmac.

Tall.

Silver hair.

Military posture.

Rook recognized him immediately.

His stomach tightened.

Major General David Thornton.

Decorated war hero.

Senior military investigator.

A man known for congressional testimony and national television interviews.

The public face of the investigation into the mountain ambush.

Thornton had stood before six grieving families and promised answers.

He had assured the country that every lead would be pursued.

Now he was entering a private meeting with executives from the company paid three days after the massacre.

Sniper released a slow breath.

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

Reef’s voice entered the channel.

“That’s Thornton.”

“No mistake,” Fathom confirmed. “Facial identification is ninety-nine-point-eight percent.”

Rook photographed Thornton greeting an Aegis executive.

They shook hands like old friends.

Then Director Alan Madow emerged from the hangar.

Nobody spoke.

Madow embraced Thornton before leading him inside.

The realization spread through the team.

The investigation hadn’t failed.

It had been controlled.

Every witness.