Chapter 42 - The True Marine
Two weeks later, the morning mist hung thick over the cliffs of Camp Pendleton.
Dylan stood at the edge of the parade grounds where it had all started weeks ago. The gravel path where Marcus had thrown his visitor badge had been swept clean, but in Dylan’s mind, the memory was clear. Only now, it brought no shame—only strength.
Beside him, Mia adjusted the sling of her rifle. She had accepted a field commission into the intelligence division, working side by side with Dylan’s new task force.
"Feels strange being back here, doesn't it?" Mia asked, looking out over the Pacific coastline.
"It feels like we closed one chapter," Dylan replied, adjusting the collar of his uniform. "Marcus is headed to Fort Leavenworth for the rest of his natural life. The military court upheld all charges. The politicians connected to him are already resigning under federal indictments."
"We did good, Dylan. Dad would be proud of you. More than proud."
Dylan smiled softly, looking down at his father's silver insignia pinned to his chest. "We did what had to be done. But General Hayes was right."
Mia looked at him, her eyebrows knitting together. "About Aegis Vanguard?"
"About the war that’s coming," Dylan nodded. "Marcus was just the tip of the spear. The men who funded him have billions in black-market assets, private armories, and covert operating bases across three continents. They won't stop until the evidence we hold is erased, and everyone who touched it is buried."
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Just then, the sharp roar of an engine approached. A dark military Humvee pulled up to the curb, its tinted windows rolling down to reveal General Hayes in the passenger seat.
"Sergeant Vance! Lieutenant Vance!" Hayes called out, his face set in stone. "Get in. We have a situation."
