"If you are watching this, Sergeant Lotto, or whoever is listening," Colonel Harrow’s recorded voice was steady, grave, and entirely authoritative. "I am deeply sorry for the catastrophic loss of your unit. But you need to hear the truth."

Jared swallowed hard, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped beast.

"The deployment was never a legitimate military operation," she continued, her eyes cold and serious on the recording. "Your squad was told you were intercepting a rogue ...