Chapter 19
“It is a closed loop, Claire,” Rachel said. “But we need the raw database records to prove the connection.”
“The agency database has the original transaction logs,” I said. “Marcus can help me get them.”
“Hayes told you to stay away from the office,” Rachel said.
“He told me to keep a low profile,” I said. “He did not say I could not use the auxiliary server room.”
I left her office before she could argue.
The auxiliary secure server room was located in the basement of the intelligence annex, three miles from the main building.
The hum of the server cooling fans was a constant, heavy vibration in the concrete room.
Marcus sat at the secondary terminal, his face illuminated by the blue glow of the monitors.
I stood behind him, watching the lines of secure code scroll down the screen.
“I am tracing the IP addresses from the phantom invoices now, Claire,” Marcus said.
He tapped his fingers against the edge of the desk, keeping time with the flashing cursor.
“Where is the physical termination point for the transfers?” I asked.
“It is not domestic,” Marcus said, squinting at the screen.
“The routing hops through three secure military relays in Europe, but the origin point is a forward operating base in Syria.”
He pulled up the tactical logs for that base from three years ago, the files loading slowly.
“There was a major incident there,” Marcus whispered. “An ambush in a valley.”
“The squad was wearing the Vance ceramic armor plates,” I said.
“Yes,” Marcus said. “The report says the plating shattered on impact, leaving the unit completely exposed.”
“Was there any survivor?” I asked.
“Just one,” Marcus said, clicking a nested file. “A corporal.”
The screen flickered, a red security alert flashing across the database entry.
“The name is locked behind a Level Ten restriction,” Marcus said. “I cannot bypass it without triggering a physical alarm.”
“Leave it,” I said, looking at the flashing red warning. “We have enough to link the invoices to the Syrian base.”
“But who is the survivor?” Marcus asked.
May you like
“Someone who knows exactly what happened in that valley,” I said.
I pulled my access card from the terminal slot, and the blue screens went dark.
