Chapter 4 - Reconnaissance on the Second Life
After my shift, I didn't go home. I changed into civilian clothes, put on a dark baseball cap that covered my shaved head, and drove to the address David had provided.
It was a beautiful, newly built townhouse in a gated suburban community. The kind of place that cost at least half a million dollars. I parked across the street, blending into the evening shadows, and waited.
I didn't have to wait long.
At 6:30 PM, Ryan’s truck pulled into the driveway. He looked frantic, yelling into his cell phone. But what caught my attention wasn't Ryan. It was the woman who opened the front door.
She was young, maybe twenty-five, with long blonde hair and a welcoming smile. She held a toddler on her hip. A little boy with Ryan’s exact eyes and nose.
My breath hitched.
The betrayal hit me like a physical blow to the chest. Three years. The LLC had been taking my money for three years. The boy looked about two years old. Ryan hadn't just been cheating; he had built an entire second family, fully funded by my military salary, my hazardous duty pay, and the nights I spent sleeping in dirt across the globe.
And Linda knew. I watched from the car as Linda’s silver sedan pulled up. She got out, looking stressed, but immediately smiled and hugged the young woman, kissing the toddler's cheek.
Linda knew. She was playing grandmother to a secret child while living in my house, eating my food, and shaving my head to keep me subservient. They were draining me dry, and when the insurance policy was active, I was supposed to be discarded.
I didn't storm the house. I didn't scream. A bad commander acts on emotion; a great commander gathers intelligence and strikes when victory is guaranteed.
May you like
I took out my phone with a telephoto lens attachment. I snapped dozens of high-resolution photos of Ryan, Linda, the girl, and the child. I took photos of the license plates.
Then, I drove to an extended-stay hotel, unpacked my uniform, and sent the photos to David with a single message: “Destroy him.”
