Chapter 10 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
I couldn’t move.
I replayed the video.
Again.
And again.
Commander Brooks.
Walking into Deck Four.
Talking with Daniel Cross.
Handing him something.
Then leaving.
Reed watched my face.
“I know.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“She gave me the warning.”
“Maybe because she knows you’re getting close.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It does.”
I looked at him.
“Explain.”
Reed took a deep breath.
“People don’t always warn you because they want to save you.”
“Sometimes they warn you because they’re afraid of what you’ll find.”
The ship suddenly went quiet.
Too quiet.
Then every screen in the room turned on.
Colonel Kane appeared.
His face filled every monitor.
“Hannah.”
I stared.
Kane continued.
“You finally found the truth.”
Reed stepped back.
“He hacked the system.”
Kane ignored him.
“I wanted to give you a chance.”
“A chance?”
“Yes.”
“To walk away.”
I laughed.
“After everything?”
Kane’s expression hardened.
“No.”
His voice became colder.
“After what is coming.”
The screen changed.
A live camera feed appeared.
Commander Brooks was standing on the command deck.
Surrounded by armed officers.
But she wasn’t being arrested.
She was giving orders.
Kane looked at me.
“You thought Deck Four was the secret.”
A pause.
“It wasn’t.”
My heart started beating faster.
“Then what is?”
Kane looked directly into the camera.
“The reason you were sent here.”
The screen went black.
A second later, one final message appeared.
Not from Kane.
Not from Daniel.
From NCIS.
MISSION STATUS UPDATED: HANNAH COLE IS COMPROMISED.
And below that…
May you like
another line.
DO NOT TRUST THE AGENT.
