Chapter 27 Hawk
Hawk
We regrouped in a hangar outside Quantico—bare walls, coffee gone cold, and the low drone of generators filling the silence. The storm that had chased us across the coast finally broke against the windows, turning the glass into rivers of gray.
Aaron stood at the head of the table, maps spread wide. Mile’s laptop cast blue light across his face. Boone leaned against a crate, arms folded, eyes half closed but listening. Logan stood next to him. We were all running on fumes.
“Markham’s last transmission triangulated to three towers across the Midwest,” Miles said. “All bouncing to a single underground node near Springfield, Missouri. And it’s not military—at least not officially.”
Aaron frowned. “Private?”
“Private-adjacent,” Miles said. “The shell company lists defense logistics, but the funding flows back to Halcyon subsidiaries. The place is listed as a data storage and testing facility—no sign of legitimate personnel.”
Julia looked up from the corner, fatigue etched under her eyes. “What kind of testing?”
Miles hesitated. “AI logistics. Predictive systems. And something tagged only as Echo Command.”
The name landed like a stone.
Aaron rubbed a hand over his face. “That was Reese’s original task group before he went off-book. A black AI project built for threat modeling. If Veridian tied it back into the defense network, it could automate response commands—military, infrastructure, law enforcement—everything.”
“Meaning one person could weaponize the country,” Julia said.
Miles nodded grimly. “Exactly.”
Boone let out a low whistle. “So Markham’s ‘next phase’ isn’t just data—it’s control.”
Aaron’s jaw tightened. “Then we cut it out before it spreads. Miles, get me access codes and an insertion route. Boone, you and Jace prep the transport. We leave within the hour.”
Boone, Logan pushed off the crate. “You got it.”
Aaron turned to me. “You’re point again, Hawk. Julia, you’re with him.”
She didn’t hesitate. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
When the others left, the hangar grew quieter. I sank onto a bench by the wall, my shoulders heavy. Julia poured what little coffee she had into a paper cup and handed it to me.
“You look like hell,” she said softly.
“Feels accurate.”
She smiled a little. “You always get this quiet before a mission?”
“Only when the stakes feel personal.”
Her gaze softened. “They always do for you, don’t they?”
“Maybe that’s the problem,” I said.
She studied me for a moment, then leaned her shoulder against mine, just enough for warmth to cut through the cold. “For what it’s worth,” she said, “if this thing in Missouri is half as bad as it sounds, I’m glad it’s you next to me.”
I turned my head. “That’s dangerous talk, Detective.”
She smiled without looking at me. “Everything we do is dangerous.”
Aaron’s voice broke through over the intercom. “Load up. We move in five.”
Julia pushed off the bench, fastening her vest. “Guess that’s our cue.”
I stood, adjusting my gear, the weight of the rifle settling familiar against my back. “We’ll find him,” I said. I helped her load up. Then I kissed her. Her arms landed on my chest as she stood on her tiptoes and then pulled me down for more.
“I know,” she replied. “I’m just not sure what’s left when we do.”
Her words lingered as we walked toward the plane, engines already spinning up, wind whipping the hangar door open. The rain had stopped, but the sky was still heavy—like the world knew what was coming and was holding its breath.