Chapter 6: The Blackout
The room dropped into darkness.
"Nobody move!""
Captain Brooks's voice cut through the black.
A chair scraped.
Then something slammed against the table.
"Reed?""
"I'm here.""
"Nolan?""
"Here.""
The emergency lights flickered on.
Dim red illumination filled the conference room.
The laptop was gone.
For one second, nobody understood.
Then I saw the open door.
"Where's Keller?""
The chair he'd been sitting in was empty.
Brooks swore.
"Lock down the building.""
Reed ran into the hallway.
I followed before Brooks could stop me.
"Keller!""
Footsteps echoed from the stairwell.
Reed reached it first.
The door swung shut below us.
"He's going down.""
We raced after him.
By the time we reached the ground floor, alarms were screaming across the base.
Personnel moved through corridors.
Radios crackled.
Outside, smoke rose from Warehouse Four, but I couldn't see flames.
Maybe a smoke device.
Maybe a distraction.
Then I saw Keller.
He was running toward the parking area with Nolan's laptop under one arm.
"Major!""
He looked back.
That hesitation cost him.
Reed caught up and blocked his path.
"Give me the computer.""
Keller stopped.
"Move.""
"No.""
"I'm ordering you.""
Reed shook his head.
"Not today.""
Keller looked behind him.
Brooks and two MPs were approaching.
His shoulders sagged.
For a moment, I thought it was over.
Then he thrust the laptop toward me.
"Take it.""
I didn't.
"What?""
"Take it!""
I grabbed the computer.
Keller immediately raised both hands.
"Now listen carefully.""
Brooks reached us.
"Major Keller, turn around.""
"They're watching the exits.""
"Turn around.""
"You don't understand.""
Brooks grabbed his wrist.
Keller didn't resist.
Instead, he looked directly at me.
"The video file.""
"What about it?""
"Victor didn't make that recording.""
I stared at him.
"Then who did?""
"Raymond.""
Brooks stopped.
Keller continued.
"Marcus Raymond discovered what Hale was doing. He started documenting everything.""
"The crates?"" I asked.
"Everything.""
"Then why was the drive in Victor's pocket?""
"It wasn't his drive.""
That silenced us.
Keller nodded toward the laptop.
"Raymond made copies. Hale spent five months searching for them.""
Reed frowned.
"You're saying Victor found one?""
"Last week.""
"Then why bring it into a chow hall?""
Keller looked at me.
"He was planting it on Sarah.""
The pieces finally aligned.
If the drive had been discovered in my possession, I wouldn't merely look responsible for forged shipment records.
I'd look connected to the entire operation.
Maybe even responsible for creating the evidence.
Brooks asked, "Why Miller?""
"Because she saw us at Warehouse Four.""
"You were involved.""
Keller lowered his eyes.
"I approved movements.""
"For money?""
He didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
My anger burned.
"You let them forge my signature.""
"I didn't know they chose you until yesterday.""
"And you did nothing.""
Keller looked ashamed.
"I told Hale to leave you alone.""
I laughed bitterly.
"That worked well.""
Reed stepped closer.
"What happened to Raymond?""
Keller's face changed again.
"I don't know.""
"Wrong answer.""
"I swear.""
"You knew he wanted out.""
"Yes.""
"You knew he kept copies.""
"Yes.""
"You knew he died two days later.""
Keller nodded.
"But I wasn't there.""
"Was Hale?""
Keller looked away.
Brooks tightened her grip on his arm.
"Answer.""
"I don't know.""
A radio call interrupted us.
"Captain Brooks, Warehouse Four secure. No fire. Smoke canisters only.""
A distraction.
Exactly as Keller had said.
Another voice came through.
"Also, ma'am... Victor Hale is missing.""
Brooks froze.
"What?""
"He was being held in Interview Two. Power dropped. Electronic locks cycled. By the time backup systems activated, he was gone.""
My stomach sank.
Keller whispered, "That's what the blackout was for.""
Brooks ordered every gate sealed.
"No vehicles leave. Search every building.""
Keller shook his head.
"You won't find him.""
"Why?""
"Because he planned for this.""
"Planned for what?""
"For the moment someone found Raymond's files.""
Brooks looked at the laptop in my hands.
"Then we copy everything now.""
We returned to the security building.
Backup power restored the lights minutes later.
Nolan took the laptop.
"Nothing appears damaged.""
He began duplicating the drive.
I stood behind him.
Folder after folder appeared.
Payments.
Shipping manifests.
Surveillance photographs.
Recorded conversations.
Then Nolan stopped.
"Captain.""
A directory was labeled INSURANCE.
He opened it.
Inside were photographs of people.
Warehouse employees.
Drivers.
Officers.
Victor himself.
Keller.
Then me.
My photograph had been taken through my apartment window.
Reed cursed.
Nolan clicked another image.
Marcus Raymond stood beside a truck.
Then another.
Raymond speaking with someone outside a diner.
Another.
Raymond entering a motel.
The final file wasn't a photograph.
It was audio.
Dated the night before Raymond's death.
Nolan pressed play.
Static filled the speakers.
Then Raymond's voice.
"If you're hearing this, something happened to me.""
Nobody breathed.
"I know how Hale is moving the crates. I know who's helping him. But Keller isn't the one running it.""
Keller stared at the speaker.
Raymond continued.
"Everyone thinks Hale owns the operation.""
A pause.
"He doesn't.""
Brooks leaned closer.
"Come on.""
Raymond's breathing sounded shaky.
"The person above him has access to every investigation. Every shipment. Every security report.""
My skin went cold.
That meant someone inside the system.
Someone who could see us coming.
Raymond said one final sentence.
"I'll put the name in the next recording.""
The audio ended.
Nolan immediately searched.
"There is another file.""
"Play it," Brooks ordered.
He clicked.
Nothing.
ERROR: FILE CORRUPTED.
Reed slammed his palm against the desk.
Keller stared at the screen.
Then my phone—sealed in the evidence sleeve on Brooks's desk—began ringing.
Unknown number.
Brooks put it on speaker.
"Hello?""
Victor Hale's voice answered.
"Sarah.""
I stepped closer.
"What do you want?""
"You found Raymond's recording.""
It wasn't a question.
Brooks gestured for Nolan to trace the call.
Victor chuckled.
"You still think I'm the man you should be afraid of.""
"Tell me who is.""
Silence.
Then Victor said, "Look out the window.""
Every head turned.
Across the courtyard stood the base administration building.
A man was watching us from a second-floor window.
Even from that distance, I recognized him.
Brigadier General Nathan Cross.
The commanding officer who had personally approved Hale Strategic Logistics' contract.
May you like
Victor whispered into the phone.
"Now you're finally asking the right question.""
