Chapter 4 - The Iron Cavalry

The heavy front door was kicked wide open.

Six operators dressed in sterile black assault gear, wearing night-vision optics and carrying suppressed carbines bearing the gold falcon insignia of the Special Activities Center, swept into the house with overwhelming military force.

At their head walked Captain Frank Callahan, the field commander of my personal protective detail.

Callahan lowered his carbine, took one look at the two neutralized hostiles on the floor, and immediately snapped to attention, saluting with crisp, absolute discipline.

"Director Lin," Callahan announced, his voice booming through the dust-filled house. "The perimeter is fully secured. Outer containment teams have intercepted the secondary surveillance vehicle three blocks south. The area is quarantined under federal executive authority."

I lowered my weapon, engaging the safety, and holstered the firearm beneath my jacket.

"Search the hostiles, Frank," I commanded. "Secure their encrypted transponders and wipe their biometric data into the central server. I want the transport helicopter on the back lawn in five minutes."

"Understood, Director," Callahan replied, signaling his operators to secure the entry points and establish a mobile tactical perimeter.

I walked to the basement door and knocked three times: two heavy strikes, one light.

"Mark. Clear."

The heavy steel deadbolt clicked open slowly.

Mark stepped out first, his face pale, his hands raised slightly until he saw the six federal operators standing at attention in the wrecked living room.

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Behind him, Susan crept up the stairs, clutching her husband's arm, her hair disheveled, her expensive designer dress covered in white drywall dust.

When Susan’s eyes fell upon the two armed men lying neutralized on her Persian rug, and then shifted to the six towering tactical operators who were standing at rigid attention before her niece, her knees completely gave out. She collapsed onto the third step of the staircase, her hands trembling so violently she couldn't speak.