he gravel as she approached the heavily fortified

indow. The crisp morn

of the guardhouse, his hand

ification card. It wasn't h

ack card with a g

his reader. The screen

nce level, he didn't offer a standard military salute, which might draw unwanted attention. Inst

oceed, Ma'am

lled up the window, and dro

oad until she reached the u

le in the designated

inforced steel elevator and pressed he

or descended deep into the earth,

she stepped into the sterile,

r in full dress uniform w

crete hallway. "We have been expecting you. It is an honor. The entir

Cilla said, her vo

d him down

ocket. She pulled it out

flashed acro

vice off completely. She shoved it back into he

ault door. He punched in a twelve-digit cod

ms clanked loudly befo

quiet room sat a po

lack urn, meticulously drape

Her throat tightened, a painful lump

ips brushing the coarse fabr

velvet box and a thick manila folder

am. And the unredacted casu

the typed words, confirming the brutal, he

er vision blurred with unshed t

d, refusing to le

s entered the room. Their movem

ag, and executed the ceremonial folding

ht triangle, the blue fie

of Cilla and presented the folde

g, holding it tightly

r right hand up, and deliver

he salute, turned, and

escort back to New York,

ing her hand. "This is a p

lack urn, cradling it in one arm wh

d walked out

utation of the Eagle Task Force's most leth

elevator back

ly into the passenger seat of her SU

d drove out of the base,

she turned her

from Jace immed

olyn's mother to the clinic to

rds. A cold, humorless

n, setting his numbe

Cilla pressed her foot

orward, speeding

to the only property she ac