Page 69 of Code Name: Tank
I tried calling him, but it went straight to voicemail.
Before I could attempt the number again, my phone buzzed with an incoming message from an unknown number. “What is it?” Tank asked when I looked at him with wide eyes.
“A location,” I read it slowly. “‘Trust instincts. Time running out.’” What followed were coordinates that Tank plotted in mapping software.
“The location is eighty miles northeast, Owl’s Head fire tower,” said Tank.
“Remote location,” he continued as satellite imagery filled the screen. “Abandoned ranger’s cabin about a hundred yards from the tower. It’s isolated—three-mile hike through difficult terrain to reach it. Perfect for holding prisoners—or staging an ambush.”
“This has to be a message from Flint,” I said, looking between the three men.
Tank was already reaching for his phone. “I’ll contact my NRO source. If there’s been activity at that location, they’ll have overhead footage.”
While he made the call, I reread the message. Time running out. For what? A rescue? Or was this Flint staging a trap?
Tank finished his call, and within seconds, the intelligence came through and his expression darkened. “Recent helicopter activity confirmed. Multiple heat signatures detected over the past twenty-four hours.”
“How many?” Admiral asked.
“Hard to tell from this altitude, and with the tree cover, but at least two. Another image shows four,” Tank replied. “Could be prisoners being held. Could be Zaristani operatives waiting for us to walk into a trap.”
“Exactly what I was thinking,” I said when Tank’s eyes met mine.
“The message said, ‘Trust instincts,’” I repeated.
“What are they telling you?” Tank asked.
My eyes met his again. “That we should go in.”
“Then, let’s do it.”
“We’ll need support,” Admiral said, stepping away to make a call. Minutes later, he returned. “Kodiak’s mobilizing from the main compound with the rest of the Sentinel Cyber leadership team—Grit, Dante, and Lumi. Onyx is coordinating Shadow Ops from their Adirondack base.”
Within an hour, our backup had assembled. Coleman “Kodiak” Emeric entered the command center first, the veteran Shadow Ops operative’s presence immediately commanding attention. Behind him came core members of K19 Sentinel Cyber—Drake “Grit” Harrison, whose FBI background made him invaluable for tactical planning; Alessandro “Dante” Castellano, whose undercover experience with organized crime had taught him to read dangerous situations; and Chiara “Lumi” Bianchi Harrison, whose intelligence analysis skills rivaled Alice’s own.
“Timeline?” Kodiak asked, getting straight to the operational details.
“Unknown,” I replied. “The message emphasized urgency, but we don’t know if that’s genuine or manufactured to force us into making mistakes.”
He studied the satellite imagery Tank had pulled up. “Terrain’s challenging under the best circumstances. December weather makes it significantly worse—snow, limited visibility, cold that’ll sap your strength and slow your movement. Approach routes are limited, and that fire tower gives anyone positioned there excellent overwatch of our movements.”
“What’s our level of tactical disadvantage?” Admiral asked.
“Significant,” Kodiak confirmed. “If this is a trap, they’ll see us coming from miles away. They could pick us off long before we reach the cabin. But if it’s a genuine rescue situation, speed might be our only advantage. Every minute we delay could mean the difference between saving lives and recovering bodies.”
Admiral activated a new link, and the Shadow Ops commander, Montano “Onyx” Yáñez, appeared on the screen.
“Shadow Ops has identified three possible approach routes,” Onyx reported.
The weight of what we were contemplating settled over the room. We’d be hiking through winter wilderness to reach an isolated location where unknown hostiles might be waiting, all based on a message from a man who’d already betrayed me once.
I stepped forward, making a decision despite the fear that gripped me. “I should be on the primary team. If Flint’s involved, I understand his methods. His communication patterns, his tactical thinking—if anyone can anticipate what he might do, it’s me.”
Tank nodded without hesitation. “Dragon and I have been leading this investigation from the beginning. We see it through to the end.”
Kodiak assessed us both. “You understand if this is a trap, you’re walking into the center of it? If Pierce and Hartwell are working together, they’ll know exactly how you think, exactly how you’ll respond. They could be counting on your emotional investment to make you take risks you normally wouldn’t.”
“I understand,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “But that also means I know him. If he’s setting a trap, I might be able to see it coming.”
