The canyon route was where Oliver’s grief lived.
Ashgate Canyon had become a place in his mind even though he had never stood there after the attack. He knew it through reports, body camera stills, radio transcripts, and the final notification officer who could not meet his eyes when he said Miles had died quickly.
For three weeks, Oliver believed the story was simple.
Raven Six was grounded because Yoro drained the fuel.
The convoy was sent because the helicopter could not launch.
The convoy entered Ashgate because weather made the western ridge unsafe.
The attack happened because bad terrain and bad timing met a desperate mission.
That story was awful.
It was also survivable because it gave grief a shape.
Reed destroyed that shape line by line.
“The western ridge was open,” Reed said.
Oliver said nothing.
“Drone support was available.”
Still nothing.
“The weather alert used to justify Ashgate was issued from a terminal inside aviation logistics.”
Oliver’s eyes moved to Reed.
“Vale.”
“Yes.”
Reed placed the route map down. The approved path glowed in blue. The actual convoy path showed red through the canyon.
“At 06:01, the backup route changed. At 06:04, the convoy commander questioned it. At 06:06, Colonel Vale confirmed the change under emergency authority. At 06:18, the convoy rolled. At 07:22, they were hit.”
Oliver stared at the red line.
His brother had died somewhere inside that red line.
“You’re saying Vale killed them.”
“I’m saying Vale sent them where someone knew they would be.”
Oliver’s voice dropped. “Why?”
Reed did not answer immediately.
Then he opened the last folder.
Inside was a cargo manifest connected to the convoy. Oliver had never seen it. The backup team was not only carrying medics and extraction gear. They were also carrying a sealed black case that had been removed from Raven Six after the helicopter was grounded.
Oliver frowned. “What is that?”
“Flight recorder archive. Contractor maintenance logs. Fuel procurement documents.”
“Why was it on my helicopter?”
“Because Raven Six was supposed to transport it to Kestrel Ridge for transfer to a federal audit team.”
Oliver looked up.
The room seemed to shrink.
Reed continued, “When the helicopter was grounded, the case moved to the convoy.”
“And the convoy was hit.”
“Yes.”
Oliver’s breathing changed.
“Did they get the case?”
“No.”
“Then why—”
“Because Miles Hart took it out of the second vehicle before the attack reached them.”
Oliver’s face went still.
Reed’s voice softened for the first time.
“Your brother died protecting the evidence you were told Yoro destroyed.”
Oliver looked down at the route map.
For three weeks, he had blamed the young soldier who drained the aircraft.
Now Reed was telling him the aircraft had carried the reason his brother was killed.
And the person who sent him after Yoro knew it.