
Introduction
A wave of silence passed, causing Thompson to grab his glass and finish whatever drink was left in it. He dropped the glass and turned into his friend one more time.
“I need you to help me find out who killed my wife and took my daughter.” The words poured out of him slowly. And dangerously.
Whoever it was, he was going to sniff them out.
And he was going to make them pay.
After five years of fighting for his country on the battlefield, Thompson Holbrook finally returns home, hoping to reunite with his family. But instead of warm embraces, he is met with tragedy.
His wife has been brutally murdered, and his daughter has vanished without a trace.
Grief nearly consumes him, but before he can process his loss, he is pulled into a larger fight. A deadly terrorist group, The Calvary, is on the verge of unleashing a powerful biochemical weapon that could wipe out the entire country and destroy the continent.
To stop them, National Security Adviser Jacob Russel recruits Thompson to lead an elite black-ops unit whose sole mission is to take down The Calvary before it's too late. But the deeper they go, the deadlier the mission becomes. Corruption runs deeper than they could ever imagine, and soon, Thompson begins to question who the real enemy is.
Can he dismantle The Calvary, uncover the truth behind his wife’s murder, and rescue his daughter from the shadows before it’s too late?
Chapter 1
For a thirty-five year old man, General Thompson Holbrook was aging faster than he should. Seeing the streaks of white in his deep brown hair through the phone screen before him caused a wave of existential crisis to settle into him. He turned on the screen and navigated to the FaceTime icon. Now wasn't the time to wonder if he needed to buy hair dye.
“Sir.” A voice he had grown familiar with out of necessity called beside him. Thompson sank into his seat, feeling the pressure of being mid-air underneath his feet. It was his assistant, Darren.
“Darren, we don't land for another seven hours. I'm about to get on FaceTime with my wife and daughter. Whatever you're about to say better be important.”
“It is, sir.” Darren responded. Thompson turned to look at his assistant. He looked the usual. A slightly nervous wreck with his tablet strongly clamped against his chest.
“Well, spit it out.” Thompson said, feeling the impatience grow in his voice.
“The National Security Adviser wants to speak with you. He says it's urgent.”
Thompson exhaled, already feeling the impatience in him turn into mild exhaustion.
“We're in a plane, Darren. I'm sure whatever he has to say can wait till we land.”
“But sir—”
“I haven't spoken to my family in days. I need some privacy please. Hold off the adviser till I'm ready to speak to him.”
“Sir, I don't think—”
“You can do that, right?”
A brief pause passed between the general and his assistant, only coated by the slight beeps from the overhead speakers.
“Yes sir.” Darren finally commented.
Thompson watched him turn away and walk back to the corner of the place he'd come from.
“Jesus.” He exhaled again before turning to his screen one more time. This was his family time and no one was going to interrupt it. Not even the security adviser.
“Daddy!” The voice of Ash, his ten year old daughter screeched across his phone speakers. Soon, her excited face appeared on his screen, matching the giddiness in her voice.
“Hey, baby girl.” Thompson smiled and waved back. “How's it going?”
“It's going great!”
“You can tell me all about it when I get home right?”
“Yes!”
“Great. I can't wait to see you.”
“Can't wait to see you too!”
“Hey, where's your mom?”
The phone screen flickered a little before settling on his wife's face, one he was looking forward to seeing more than anything.
“Hello, General.” His wife teased, a playful smile on her face. “I didn't know you were allowed to make phone calls on war planes.”
“I didn't know either.” Thompson replied, a mild laugh lacing his voice. “I guess Darren thought it was about time.”
“How do you feel, Tom?” His wife asked again, the playfulness on her face slowly disappearing.
“It still feels really surreal, Alex. Something keeps telling me I'll get pinched and wake up to realize this is all a dream.”
Alex laughed. “You've always been the kind of guy who lingers in disbelief. I'm afraid this isn't a dream. You're coming home.”
“Five years was practically eternity. I'm never doing this again.”
“You were serving your country. I'm sure there's a medal of honor waiting for you back home.”
“Trust me, as long as I can see you and Ash, I couldn't care less about any medal.”
“You're on your way home, aren't you? I don't think anything is going to stop you from seeing us.”
“I've missed way too much.” Thompson said, feeling the regret roll over his stomach. “I can't wait to catch up with everything again.”
“Hopefully, another war doesn't send you to the borders of some other country soon.” Alex replied, the smile now returning to her face.
“Yeah.” Thompson replied.
“I can't wait to see you, Tom.” Alex said again. “We both can't wait.”
Five years of war can take away a man’s life if he's lucky—his humanity if he isn't. Witnessing nothing but bloodshed and shell bombs for half a decade, Thompson couldn't be happier to get back home to his family. Watching his daughter grow up on the other end of a screen didn't exactly bode well with him. Now that he was going back home, he could see it in realtime. He might have missed a lot, like her first day of school or her first report card, but now he was going to try his best to contribute to other parts of his daughter’s life. Now he was going to be the kind of father Ashley had always wanted. If only this plane could go any faster and touch down already. For someone who had to handle some air strikes in the past few years, spending hours lazing around in an airplane was probably the most mind numbingly boring thing he'd had to do. The plane was only big enough to take a few people, him, his assistant, a hostess and the pilots. He leaned back into his chair, trying his absolute best not to ring up the flashbacks of the trenches threatening to flood his brain. If he gave way for one, the memories would start pouring in. He needed to look composed when he saw his wife and kids. They were the only thing keeping him going over the past five years. They were his beacon of light, the only reason he decided to keep pushing even after members of his infantry continued to die one after the other. He was determined to live, no matter what. He had something to live for and he would do all he can to get back to his family.
Basking in his fading memories with his family before he left for war, he slowly drifted off to sleep. Happy thoughts warranted happy memories. Happy memories bring forth happy dreams and at this point, he was going to take all he could get.
He woke up several hours later, aligning exactly with the time the plane touched the tarmac. His heart beat with severity at the thought of seeing his family again. Even as he checked out of the plane and boarded a cab home, he couldn't help but wonder what would happen if Ash didn't recognize him. What if he wasn't what she was expecting?
He got home almost an hour later. A rush of excitement swam across his body as she dragged his suitcase out of his car. He thought of calling his assistant to tell him he's gotten home but thought against it. Dennis was probably going to taunt him about something else.
The feeling that something was wrong did not evade him as he dragged his suitcase across the cobblestones leading to his entrance. The house was quiet.
Way too quiet.
Something was wrong. Was Alex and Ashley out for some grocery shopping or something? Biding the thoughts aside, he trudged to the entrance. The crashing feeling settled into him once again when he noticed that the door wasn't only unlocked but slightly open. Feeling his grip slip off the suitcase, he sped into the house, throwing all caution to the wind.
“Alex!?” He screamed as he made his way across the foyer and into the living room. Silence.
“Alex?!” He screamed again.
Silence again.
Oh God.
He rushed to the staircase leading to the master's bedroom and climbed across it. The unsettling feeling in him continued to grow rapidly as he approached the bedroom door. Just like the front door, the bedroom door was also slightly ajar. He pushed it open and was met with a sight that made dizziness crash into him almost immediately.
Alex was sprawled across the carpeted floor, blue and utterly lifeless. Blood oozed from her stomach into the carpet.
Thompson felt a giant force, like a secondary form of gravity, push him straight into the floor, and for almost a few seconds, he was unable to move.
Last Chapters
#35 One Week
Last Updated: 9/19/2025#34 The Death Of The Command Center
Last Updated: 9/19/2025#33 The Last Loose Ends
Last Updated: 9/19/2025#32 Winston And The Fork
Last Updated: 9/19/2025#31 Seven Hours
Last Updated: 9/19/2025#30 Chasing Red
Last Updated: 9/19/2025#29 Ivan
Last Updated: 9/19/2025#28 Hail Mary
Last Updated: 9/19/2025#27 Tick-Tock
Last Updated: 9/19/2025#26 26 - Ambush
Last Updated: 9/19/2025
You Might Like 😍
The Lycan Prince’s Puppy
“Soon enough, you’ll be begging for me. And when you do—I’ll use you as I see fit, and then I’ll reject you.”
—
When Violet Hastings begins her freshman year at Starlight Shifters Academy, she only wants two things—honor her mother’s legacy by becoming a skilled healer for her pack and get through the academy without anyone calling her a freak for her strange eye condition.
Things take a dramatic turn when she discovers that Kylan, the arrogant heir to the Lycan throne who has made her life miserable from the moment they met, is her mate.
Kylan, known for his cold personality and cruel ways, is far from thrilled. He refuses to accept Violet as his mate, yet he doesn’t want to reject her either. Instead, he sees her as his puppy, and is determined to make her life even more of a living hell.
As if dealing with Kylan’s torment isn’t enough, Violet begins to uncover secrets about her past that change everything she thought she knew. Where does she truly come from? What is the secret behind her eyes? And has her whole life been a lie?
A pack of their own
From Substitute To Queen
Heartbroken, Sable discovered Darrell having sex with his ex in their bed, while secretly transferring hundreds of thousands to support that woman.
Even worse was overhearing Darrell laugh to his friends: "She's useful—obedient, doesn't cause trouble, handles housework, and I can fuck her whenever I need relief. She's basically a live-in maid with benefits." He made crude thrusting gestures, sending his friends into laughter.
In despair, Sable left, reclaimed her true identity, and married her childhood neighbor—Lycan King Caelan, nine years her senior and her fated mate. Now Darrell desperately tries to win her back. How will her revenge unfold?
From substitute to queen—her revenge has just begun!
Falling for my boyfriend's Navy brother
"What is wrong with me?
Why does being near him make my skin feel too tight, like I’m wearing a sweater two sizes too small?
It’s just newness, I tell myself firmly.
He’s my boyfirend’s brother.
This is Tyler’s family.
I’m not going to let one cold stare undo that.
**
As a ballet dancer, My life looks perfect—scholarship, starring role, sweet boyfriend Tyler. Until Tyler shows his true colors and his older brother, Asher, comes home.
Asher is a Navy veteran with battle scars and zero patience. He calls me "princess" like it's an insult. I can't stand him.
When My ankle injury forces her to recover at the family lake house, I‘m stuck with both brothers. What starts as mutual hatred slowly turns into something forbidden.
I'm falling for my boyfriend's brother.
**
I hate girls like her.
Entitled.
Delicate.
And still—
Still.
The image of her standing in the doorway, clutching her cardigan tighter around her narrow shoulders, trying to smile through the awkwardness, won’t leave me.
Neither does the memory of Tyler. Leaving her here without a second thought.
I shouldn’t care.
I don’t care.
It’s not my problem if Tyler’s an idiot.
It’s not my business if some spoiled little princess has to walk home in the dark.
I’m not here to rescue anyone.
Especially not her.
Especially not someone like her.
She’s not my problem.
And I’ll make damn sure she never becomes one.
But when my eyes fell on her lips, I wanted her to be mine.
To protect what’s mine
The Badass Mafia Princess and Family
Fangs, Fate & Other Bad Decisions
After finding out her boyfriend cheated, the last thing she expected was to stumble across a wounded man in an alley. And definitely not one with fangs. But thanks to a mix of cocktails, shame, and her questionable life choices, she takes him home. Turns out, he’s not just any vampire—he’s a king. And according to him, she’s his fated mate.
Now, she’s stuck with an overprotective, brooding bloodsucker who keeps rescuing her, a growing list of enemies who want her dead, and an undeniable attraction that’s making it very hard to remember why falling for a vampire is a terrible idea.
Because if she’s not careful, she won’t just lose her heart—she’ll lose her humanity.
Goddess Of The Underworld.
When the veil between the Divine, the Living, and the Dead begins to crack, Envy is thrust beneath with a job she can’t drop: keep the worlds from bleeding together, shepherd the lost, and make ordinary into armor, breakfasts, bedtime, battle plans. Peace lasts exactly one lullaby. This is the story of a border pup who became a goddess by choosing her family; of four imperfect alphas learning how to stay; of cake, iron, and daylight negotiations. Steamy, fierce, and full of heart, Goddess of the Underworld is a why-choose, found-family paranormal romance where love writes the rules and keeps three realms from falling apart.
The Prison Project
Can love tame the untouchable? Or will it only fuel the fire and cause chaos amongst the inmates?
Fresh out of high school and suffocating in her dead-end hometown, Margot longs for her escape. Her reckless best friend, Cara, thinks she's found the perfect way out for them both - The Prisoner Project - a controversial program offering a life-changing sum of money in exchange for time spent with maximum-security inmates.
Without hesitation, Cara rushes to sign them up.
Their reward? A one-way ticket into the depths of a prison ruled by gang leaders, mob bosses, and men the guards wouldn't even dare to cross...
At the centre of it all, meets Coban Santorelli - a man colder than ice, darker than midnight, and as deadly as the fire that fuels his inner rage. He knows that the project may very well be his only ticket to freedom - his only ticket to revenge on the one who managed to lock him up and so he must prove that he can learn to love…
Will Margot be the lucky one chosen to help reform him?
Will Coban be capable of bringing something to the table other than just sex?
What starts off as denial may very well grow in to obsession which could then fester in to becoming true love…
A temperamental romance novel.
The mafia princess return
Letting Go
That fateful night leads to Molly and her best friend Tom holding a secret close to their hearts but keeping this secret could also mean destroying any chance of a new future for Molly.
When Tom's oldest brother Christian meets Molly his dislike for her is instant and he puts little effort into hiding it. The problem is he's attracted to her just as much as he dislikes her and staying away from her starts to become a battle, a battle that he's not sure he can win.
When Molly's secret is revealed and she’s forced to face the pain from her past can she find the strength to stay and work through the pain or will she run away from everything she knows including the one man who gives her hope for a happy future? Hope that she never thought she would feel again.
Mr. Ryan
He came closer with a dark and hungry expression,
so close,
his hands reached for my face, and he pressed his body against mine.
His mouth took mine eagerly, a little rudely.
His tongue left me breathless.
“If you don't go with me, I'll fuck you right here.” He whispered.
Katherine kept her virginity for years even after she turned 18. But one day, she met an extremely sexual man Nathan Ryan in the club. He had the most seductive blue eyes she has ever seen, a well-defined chin, almost golden blonde hair, full lips, perfectly drawn, and the most amazing smile, with perfect teeth and those damn dimples. Incredibly sexy.
She and he had a beautiful and hot one-night stand...
Katherine thought she might not meet the man again.
But fate has another plan
Katherine is about to take on the job of assistant to a billionaire who owns one of the biggest companies in the country and is known to be a conquering, authoritative and completely irresistible man. He is Nathan Ryan!
Will Kate be able to resist the charms of this attractive, powerful and seductive man?
Read to know a relationship torn between anger and the uncontrollable desire for pleasure.
Warning: R18+, Only for mature readers.