“He’s finished. Truly and irreversibly finished,” Hayden said with a grim satisfaction that vibrated through the quiet living room.

He was sitting on the edge of the sofa with Myla and Beck with him, their eyes were locked on the television screen where the image of Colonel Rudy Miller was being plastered over every major news network.

The screen showed Miller, but in a dull jumpsuit instead of his usual pristine, decorated uniform, his head bowed as military police escorted him toward ...