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There was a lot of paperwork and face time with Bullock, the state police, and the Feds. They said this would intensify the hunt for Stiven Rojas, but that the man had proven very elusive in the past.

“Keep trying,” Puller told them before walking out of the last debrief.

Carson was released from the hospital two days later, bandaged, bruised, and tired.

But alive. Very much alive.

That morning she and Puller flew back home on a private jet sent down by the Army.

“Gulf Five,” said Puller. “Never been on wings like this.”

“Stick with a rising general and she’ll take you places,” Carson told him as the steward poured out two glasses of champagne for them.

Puller drove to his apartment after promising to have di

The next day he drove to Pe

Puller knew what he had to do next. In fact, it was past time to do it.

He drove back to Virginia, showered, put on his dress blues, and headed to the VA hospital.

He walked down the sterile corridors, his frame tall and ramrod straight.

He heard his father before he got close to the room.

The same nurse as before confronted him in the hall.

“He’s been a bear the last few days. Been screaming for you nonstop. Thank God you’re here.”

“Yeah,” said Puller. “It actually feels good to be here.”

The nurse looked at him oddly as he passed by her and opened the door to his father’s room.

Puller Sr. was in his usual blue scrub pants and white T-shirt. He looked both agitated and confused.

When his father caught sight of him, Puller stood as erect as possible and executed a single crisp salute to his father.

“Reporting in, General.”

His father’s agitated state seemed to melt away and was replaced with a scowl. Puller would take a scowl over confusion from his father any day.

“XO, where the hell you been?”

“In the field executing your orders, sir,” Puller said in a loud voice, enunciating his syllables just as the Army had taught him.

“And the outcome?”

“Mission accomplished, General. Fair winds and following seas.”

“Damn good work, XO. Damn good. At ease.”

“Yes, sir,” said John Puller and he lowered his hand and sat down next to his father.

For the moment no longer a solider.

Now only a son.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

TO MICHELLE, for keeping it real and fun.

To David Young, Jamie Raab, Mitch Hoffman, Emi Battaglia, Tom Maciag, Maja Thomas, Martha Otis, Karen Torres, Anthony Goff, Lindsey Rose, Bob Castillo, Michele McGonigle, and all at Grand Central Publishing, who support me every day.

To Aaron and Arleen Priest, Lucy Childs Baker, Lisa Erbach Vance, Nicole James, Frances Jalet-Miller, and John Richmond, for being the best team a writer could ever have.

To Anthony Forbes Watson, Jeremy Trevathan, Maria Rejt, Trisha Jackson, Katie James, Aimee Roche, Lee Dibble, Sophie Portas, Stuart Dwyer, Stacey Hamilton, James Long, A

To Arabella Stein, Sandy Violette, and Caspian De

To Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy, for continuing to knock the audio performances out of the park.

To Steven Maat at Bruna, for taking me to the top in Holland.

To Bob Schule, for your friendship, enthusiasm, and editorial skills.

To Chuck Betack, for keeping me straight on all things military.

To the families of Jane Ryon, Griffin, and Mason, I hope that you enjoyed the characters.

To my buddy Carl Brown, I hope you enjoyed seeing your name in print.

To Kristen, Natasha, and Erin, because I’d be hopelessly lost without you.

And to Roland Ottewell for another great copyediting job.

ALSO BY DAVID BALDACCI

Absolute Power

Total Control

The Wi

The Simple Truth

Saving Faith

Wish You Well

Last Man Standing

The Christmas Train

Split Second

Hour Game

The Camel Club

The Collectors

Simple Genius

Stone Cold

The Whole Truth

Divine Justice

First Family

True Blue

Deliver Us from Evil

Hell’s Corner

The Sixth Man

One Summer

Zero Day

The I

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Contents

WELCOME

DEDICATION

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 45

CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 47

CHAPTER 48

CHAPTER 49

CHAPTER 50

CHAPTER 51

CHAPTER 52

CHAPTER 53

CHAPTER 54

CHAPTER 55

CHAPTER 56

CHAPTER 57

CHAPTER 58

CHAPTER 59

CHAPTER 60

CHAPTER 61

CHAPTER 62

CHAPTER 63

CHAPTER 64

CHAPTER 65

CHAPTER 66

CHAPTER 67

CHAPTER 68

CHAPTER 69

CHAPTER 70

CHAPTER 71

CHAPTER 72

CHAPTER 73

CHAPTER 74

CHAPTER 75

CHAPTER 76

CHAPTER 77

CHAPTER 78

CHAPTER 79

CHAPTER 80

CHAPTER 81

CHAPTER 82

CHAPTER 83

CHAPTER 84

CHAPTER 85

CHAPTER 86

CHAPTER 87

CHAPTER 88

CHAPTER 89

CHAPTER 90

CHAPTER 91

CHAPTER 92

CHAPTER 93

CHAPTER 94

CHAPTER 95

CHAPTER 96

CHAPTER 97

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ALSO BY DAVID BALDACCI

NEWSLETTERS

COPYRIGHT

Copyright

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.