Page 25 of Code Name: Tank
After several minutes of silence, Money straightened. “The technical sophistication is there, but something feels off about the execution. It’s almost like someone wants it to look foreign.”
My eyes met Alice’s. Our instincts had been right.
“So we’re looking at a deliberate misdirection?” I asked.
“That’s my assessment.” He stood, his expression grim. “Someone’s planting evidence to frame foreign actors. I’ll need to investigate who has the capability and access to pull this off—that requires resources only we can provide.”
“I’ll start tracing the digital breadcrumbs immediately,” Money continued. “But I need you two to keep working on your end—follow up with your consultant, dig deeper into the financial patterns. If someone’s this sophisticated at misdirection, they’re not done yet.”
“What’s our timeline?” Alice asked.
“Fast. If they’re willing to frame foreign actors, they’re playing a much bigger game than simple theft.” His expression was grim. “I’ll have preliminary findings within forty-eight hours, but don’t wait for me. Keep pushing.”
As we gathered our materials, the director caught my eye. “Dragon, solid work. This gives us something concrete to work with.”
The praise felt hollow somehow. Something about the meeting had left me unsettled, though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what.
“Dragon,”Alice said once we were on the plane returning to Griffiss. “Can I ask you something personal?”
“Of course.”
“This person from your past who’s been reaching out—do you think they’re trying to help, or do they have their own agenda?”
I stared out the window at the landscape below. “I honestly don’t know. That’s what worries me.”
“And Tank? Have you told him about these messages?”
“No.” The admission felt heavier than it should have. “I haven’t told anyone except you.”
“Why not Tank?”
I thought about that for a long moment. “Because if I’m wrong about Flint’s motivations, if this is some kind of manipulation, I don’t want to drag Tank into it. He’s the mostgenuinely good person I’ve ever worked with. I don’t want to compromise that.”
Alice was quiet for a moment. “You know, keeping him in the dark might be more dangerous than trusting him with the truth.”
“What do you mean?”
“If this person from your past really is trying to do as you say, Tank might be able to help you see it clearly. Fresh perspective.”
Her words made sense. I’d been so focused on protecting Tank that I hadn’t considered he might actually be an asset in understanding it.
By the timeour helicopter touched down at Kane Mountain, the late-afternoon sun was filtering through the trees around Canada Lake.
As Alice and I headed toward the main compound, she broke the quiet that had stretched between us since leaving Langley.
“Dragon, you know you don’t have to handle everything alone, right?”
I nodded. “I appreciate you saying that.”
“I mean it. Whatever’s weighing on you—the case, your past, that stubborn partner of yours—you’ve got people here who care about what happens to you.”
“Thank you,” I managed.
“Tank especially,” Alice added with a knowing look. “That man’s been watching you like you might disappear for weeks now.”
I felt heat rise in my cheeks. “Alice?—”
“Just saying. Sometimes we get so busy protecting ourselves that we miss what’s right in front of us.”
