PART 4: Emma's hands tightened around the photograph.
"You're already too late. We found Michael first."
The words echoed through her mind.
For five years, she had believed Captain Michael Carter was either dead... or hiding.
Now she faced an even darker possibility.
Someone else had reached him first.
Admiral Hale carefully took the photograph from her.
"When was this taken?"
An intelligence officer checked the digital timestamp.
"Twenty-two hours ago, sir."
Emma's stomach sank.
"That means..."
"They knew we reopened the investigation before we did," Hale finished grimly.
A heavy silence settled over the command vehicle that had replaced the beach as their temporary headquarters.
Outside, federal agents sealed off every entrance while helicopters circled overhead.
The beach had become an active crime scene.
Inside the mobile command center, a giant digital map covered one wall.
Red markers flashed across Southern California.
Each represented a safe house that had already been compromised.
Emma studied the screen.
"How many?"
The intelligence officer swallowed.
"Seven."
"Seven safe houses have been attacked in the last forty-eight hours."
Every room fell silent.
"They're cleaning up witnesses."
Admiral Hale nodded.
"Exactly."
Another officer rushed inside carrying a secure satellite phone.
"Sir."
"The White House is on the line."
Hale answered immediately.
"Mr. President."
Everyone instinctively stood still.
No one could hear the President's voice.
Only Hale's responses.
"Yes, sir."
"I understand."
"No, sir."
"We cannot guarantee her safety anymore."
Emma frowned.
The Admiral listened for several seconds before slowly lowering the phone.
"The President has authorized something that has never been done before."
Every eye turned toward him.
"Effective immediately..."
"Commander Emma Reed is under direct federal protection."
Two Secret Service agents stepped forward.
One handed Emma a black identification wallet.
Inside was a temporary Presidential Security credential.
The other placed a compact encrypted phone on the table.
"This device only connects through military satellites."
Emma looked confused.
"Why would I need this?"
Before anyone answered...
The encrypted phone vibrated.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
No number appeared.
Only one word.
UNKNOWN
The room fell completely silent.
Admiral Hale slowly nodded.
"Answer it."
Emma hesitated before pressing the speaker button.
There was only static.
For several long seconds...
No one spoke.
Then...
A familiar voice emerged through the interference.
Soft.
Weak.
But unmistakable.
"Emma..."
Her heart stopped.
Tears instantly filled her eyes.
"...Michael?"
Static crackled again.
"I don't have much time."
"They know where I am."
Emma gripped the phone tighter.
"Where are you?"
Another burst of static.
Then three words came through clearly.
"Don't trust..."
The signal suddenly cut.
The room froze.
"Don't trust who?" Emma shouted.
Nothing.
The screen went black.
The connection was gone.
An intelligence technician immediately connected the phone to a tracking system.
"I've got a signal!"
His fingers flew across the keyboard.
The room watched in silence.
The coordinates appeared.
Then the technician's face turned white.
"Sir..."
Admiral Hale stepped closer.
"What is it?"
The technician looked at Emma.
"The call..."
"...didn't come from outside California."
Emma's breathing slowed.
"Then where?"
He zoomed in on the map.
The blinking red dot stopped moving.
Right in the center of downtown San Diego.
Then another layer of classified military infrastructure appeared.
The call had originated from a location that officially did not exist.
A decommissioned underground naval intelligence bunker...
sealed since 1998.
Emma whispered,
"Michael is underneath the city."
Before anyone could respond—
Every light inside the command center suddenly went dark.
The emergency backup system activated.
A shrill alarm echoed through the vehicle.
The technician stared at his monitor in horror.
"We've been hacked!"
Every classified file on the screens began deleting itself.
One by one.
May you like
Until only a single sentence remained glowing in bright red letters across every monitor:
"IF YOU WANT MICHAEL ALIVE... COME ALONE."
