Man in the Shadows
Chapter 1 Present Day - Briefing Room – USS Dwight D. Eisenhower 0400 Hours | Combat Information Center | Red Sea AO, Near Hudaydah The air was chilled by overworked AC ducts and the scent of machine oil, old coffee, and stress. A low hum filled the space—the thrum of servers, encrypted comms, and tension. Fluorescents buzzed overhead, casting the steel walls in a sterile glow. The doors were guarded, triple-secured. No electronics allowed inside—not even watches. This was deep-classified. Chief Petty Officer Lucas Kincaid sat at the edge of a long steel table, arms crossed, boots planted like anchors on the deck. Salt-and-pepper stubble darkened his jaw. Eyes sharp, expression carved from granite. He looked like the kind of man who chewed through pressure instead of feeling it. Commander Ellie Voss stepped to the head of the table. Her voice cut through the low murmur like a scalpel. “Secure. Eyes only.” The room quieted. SEALs, EODs, and intel officers leane...